scholarly journals Nipah virus infection: A review

2019 ◽  
Vol 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aditi ◽  
M. Shariff

AbstractNipah virus (NiV) is an emerging bat-borne pathogen. It was first identified 20 years ago in Malaysia and has since caused outbreaks in other parts of South and Southeast Asia. It causes severe neurological and respiratory disease which is highly lethal. It is highly infectious and spreads in the community through infected animals or other infected people. Different strains of the virus show differing clinical and epidemiological features. Rapid diagnosis and implementation of infection control measures are essential to contain outbreaks. A number of serological and molecular diagnostic techniques have been developed for diagnosis and surveillance. Difficulties in diagnosis and management arise when a new area is affected. The high mortality associated with infection and the possibility of spread to new areas has underscored the need for effective management and control. However, no effective treatment or prophylaxis is readily available, though several approaches show promise. Given the common chains of transmission from bats to humans, a One Health approach is necessary for the prevention and control of NiV infection.

Author(s):  
Md Shamim Akhter

The most striking and dramatic catastrophe, as on April 2020, is - COVID - 19. Understanding of the COVID-19, the causing agent- the virus and the resultant causalities are still evolving. Till now, there is no specific treatment, no vaccine for the COVID-19. At this stage, what is utmost important now to face the disaster is to put emphasis on the preparedness and responses: research to discover vaccine, antivirals as soon as possible. Till then, it is necessary to put emphasis on infection preventive and control measures like to avoid close contact of infected people showing symptoms of respiratory diseases, hand hygiene and coughing etiquette. To make the infection preventive and control measures a success, the followings are to make success: ‘quarantine’ ‘isolation’, ‘travel bans’, ‘cordon sanitaire’ and ‘social distancing’ measures. The tools of modern information technology could help the authority to manage and monitor the preventive measures. Above all, preventive and control measures will not be successful if we fail to make aware the common people about the fatality of the COVID - 19. So, rapid preparedness and responses to COVID-19 are critically essential to face such disaster. Not a single moment is to waste!


2002 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cees M. Verduin ◽  
Cees Hol ◽  
André Fleer ◽  
Hans van Dijk ◽  
Alex van Belkum

SUMMARY Moraxella catarrhalis (formerly known as Branhamella catarrhalis) has emerged as a significant bacterial pathogen of humans over the past two decades. During this period, microbiological and molecular diagnostic techniques have been developed and improved for M. catarrhalis, allowing the adequate determination and taxonomic positioning of this pathogen. Over the same period, studies have revealed its involvement in respiratory (e.g., sinusitis, otitis media, bronchitis, and pneumonia) and ocular infections in children and in laryngitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia in adults. The development of (molecular) epidemiological tools has enabled the national and international distribution of M. catarrhalis strains to be established, and has allowed the monitoring of nosocomial infections and the dynamics of carriage. Indeed, such monitoring has revealed an increasing number of Β-lactamase-positive M. catarrhalis isolates (now well above 90%), underscoring the pathogenic potential of this organism. Although a number of putative M. catarrhalis virulence factors have been identified and described in detail, their relationship to actual bacterial adhesion, invasion, complement resistance, etc. (and ultimately their role in infection and immunity), has been established in a only few cases. In the past 10 years, various animal models for the study of M. catarrhalis pathogenicity have been described, although not all of these models are equally suitable for the study of human infection. Techniques involving the molecular manipulation of M. catarrhalis genes and antigens are also advancing our knowledge of the host response to and pathogenesis of this bacterial species in humans, as well as providing insights into possible vaccine candidates. This review aims to outline our current knowledge of M. catarrhalis, an organism that has evolved from an emerging to a well-established human pathogen.


2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 753-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Marzuillo ◽  
Maria De Giusti ◽  
Daniela Tufi ◽  
Alessandra Giordano ◽  
Angela Del Cimmuto ◽  
...  

Objectives.To ascertain whether cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are colonized or infected with unique or multiple strains ofStenotrophomonas maltophilia; to understand whether some strains colonize or infect more than 1 patient, indicating clonal spread; and to explore the molecular heterogeneity of hospital water isolates and their correlation with clinical isolates.Setting.The regional CF center of Policlinico “Umberto I” of Rome, Italy.Methods.The study was carried out on a random sample ofS. maltophiliaisolates (n= 110) collected from CF patients (n= 50) during the period 2002–2005 and on 24 water isolates obtained during a monitoring program in the first 6 months of 2005. Home environmental samplings were not performed. All isolates, which were recovered from cultures of specimens obtained in both inpatient and outpatient settings, were genotyped with DNA macrorestriction analysis with the restriction enzymeXbaland pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.Results.One-third of the patients with repeated episodes ofS. maltophiliainfection or colonization hosted more than 1 strain. A potential transmission, defined as the isolation of the same strain in 2 or more patients, occurred 5 times, showing a frequency of potential transmission episodes slightly higher than previously reported. Water, taps, and sinks of the different rooms of the CF center tended to be persistently colonized with the same strain ofS. maltophilia, with no correlation between clinical and water-associated isolates.Conclusions.The study does not provide sufficient data to conclude definitively that isolation of colonized or infected CF patients and control of hospital water systems contamination would be beneficial infection control measures. Epidemiologic analytical studies that correlate the presence ofS. maltophiliawith clinical outcomes are strongly needed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. e245037
Author(s):  
Murali Krishna ◽  
Santosh Kumar ◽  
Kalpesh Mahesh Parmar ◽  
Venkatesh Dhana Sekaran

Renal cell cancer (RCC) is incidentally detected on imaging in 50%–60% of cases. Among the RCCs, clear cell variant is most common and classically seen as heterogenous enhancing lesion on CT imaging. Hypoenhancing mass presents a diagnostic dilemma with differential diagnosis being urothelial carcinoma, fat poor angiomyolipoma, oncocytoma or rarer variants of RCC. Such cases require further evaluation in form of urine cytology or newer molecular diagnostic techniques. Here, we present a case of renal mass with minimal enhancement on CT scan and imaging features suggestive of upper tract urothelial cancer. Final histopathology revealed the mass to be chromophobe variant of renal cell carcinoma.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 271-288
Author(s):  
Ian Gassiep ◽  
Delaney Burnard ◽  
Michelle J Bauer ◽  
Robert E Norton ◽  
Patrick N Harris

Melioidosis is an emerging infectious disease with an estimated global burden of 4.64 million disability-adjusted life years per year. A major determinant related to poor disease outcomes is delay to diagnosis due to the fact that identification of the causative agent Burkholderia pseudomallei may be challenging. Over the last 25 years, advances in molecular diagnostic techniques have resulted in the potential for rapid and accurate organism detection and identification direct from clinical samples. While these methods are not yet routine in clinical practice, laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases is transitioning to culture-independent techniques. This review article aims to evaluate molecular methods for melioidosis diagnosis direct from clinical samples and discuss current and future utility and limitations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 597-613 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marlene L. Durand

SUMMARY Endophthalmitis is a severe eye infection that may result in permanent loss of useful vision in the affected eye. Most cases are exogenous and occur as a complication of cataract surgery, an intravitreal injection, or penetrating ocular trauma. Endogenous endophthalmitis results from hematogenous seeding of the eye by bacteria or fungi, but bacteremia or fungemia may be transient and patients may present without symptoms of systemic infection. Nearly all endophthalmitis patients present with decreased vision, and some also have eye pain. Eye examination usually reveals a hypopyon and intraocular inflammation. Diagnosis is clinical, supported by cultures of the vitreous and/or aqueous or by blood cultures in some endogenous cases. Molecular diagnostic techniques have been used in research laboratories for pathogen identification in endophthalmitis and offer the possibility of rapid diagnosis, including in culture-negative cases. Intravitreal injection of antibiotics is the most important component of treatment; some cases also benefit from surgical debridement of the vitreous by a vitrectomy. The visual outcome depends partly on the pathogen: coagulase-negative staphylococcal endophthalmitis has a better prognosis than does streptococcal endophthalmitis, for example. Endophthalmitis is a medical emergency, and prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential for saving vision.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-71
Author(s):  
Rebecca Borg ◽  
David Pace

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonisation is a challenge in healthcare institutions worldwide. In this retrospective nation-wide study, the rates of MRSA colonisation and infection from 2012 to 2015, on the only neonatal and paediatric intensive care unit (NPICU) in the country, were determined. Mean local rates were compared to rates of MRSA colonisation reported in units in North America, Asia and Europe between 2001 and 2010. The average rate of MRSA colonisation on admission to NPICU from 2012 to 2015 was 3.71% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.17–5.25), while the mean rate of acquired colonisation was 14.60% (95% CI 6.16–23.04). Both were significantly higher than in units abroad: 1.9% and 4.1%, respectively ( P = 0.04 and P < 0.001). There were no cases of invasive MRSA infection, while the mean rate of non-invasive infection was 0.77% (95% CI 0.54–1.01). Improved adherence to infection control measures and newer molecular diagnostic techniques are needed to further decrease the acquisition of MRSA.


2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narayan Prasad ◽  
Amit Gupta

Peritonitis is one of the most frequent complications of peritoneal dialysis (PD) and 1% – 15% of episodes are caused by fungal infections. The mortality rate of fungal peritonitis (FP) varies from 5% to 53%; failure to resume PD occurs in up to 40% of patients. The majority of these FP episodes are caused by Candida species. Candida albicans has historically been reported to be a more common cause than non-albicans Candida species, but in recent reports a shift has been observed and non-albicans Candida may now be more common. Unusual, often “nonpathogenic,” fungi are being increasingly reported as etiologic agents in FP. Clinical features of FP are not different from those of bacterial peritonitis. Phenotypic identification of fungi in clinical microbiology laboratories is often difficult and delayed. New molecular diagnostic techniques ( e.g., polymerase chain reaction) are being developed and evaluated, and may improve diagnosis and so facilitate early treatment of infected patients. Abdominal pain, abdominal pain with fever, and catheter left in situ are risk factors for mortality and technique failure in FP. In programs with high baseline rates of FP, nystatin prophylaxis may be beneficial. Each program must examine its own history of FP to decide whether prophylaxis would be beneficial. Catheter removal is indicated immediately after fungi are identified by Gram stain or culture in all patients with FP. Prolonged treatment with antifungal agents to determine response and attempt clearance is not encouraged. Antifungals should be continued for 10 days to 2 weeks after catheter removal. Attempts at reinsertion should be made only after waiting for 4 – 6 weeks.


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