scholarly journals Making sense of resistance genes: New technology in defining phenotypic and molecular methods in detecting and understanding bacterial resistance

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
John Merlino
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Resistance ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Reference Laboratory ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Laboratory Confirmation ◽  
Evolution Of Resistance ◽  
Resistance Markers ◽  
Bacterial Resistances

technology has been introduced in the laboratory for detecting resistance markers. This has helped the scientific and medical community in detecting and understanding antimicrobial resistance. One thing that we have learned from this new technology is that both phenotypic standardised methods and molecular techniques are needed to understand the complex evolution of resistance. Table 1 shows organisms with unusual bacterial resistances that need reference laboratory confirmation.

scholarly journals The first outbreak of brucellosis in the region of Sabac

2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (8) ◽  
pp. 634-637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ljiljana Markovic-Denic ◽  
Vesna Skodric-Trifunovic ◽  
Vladimir Zugic ◽  
Dragana Radojcic ◽  
Goran Stevanovic
Keyword(s):  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Epidemiological Methods ◽  
Human Brucellosis ◽  
Reference Laboratory ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Military Medical Academy ◽  
Medical Academy ◽  
Laboratory Confirmation ◽  
The Military

Background/Aim. In Serbia brucellosis is a primary disease of the animals in the southern parts of the country. The aim of this study was to describe the first outbreak of human and animal brucellosis in the region of Sabac, Serbia. Methods. An epidemiological investigation was conducted to identify a source of outbreak and the ways of transmission of brucellosis infection in human population. A descriptive and analytical epidemiological methods (cohort study) were used. Additional data included monthly reports of the infectious diseases from the Institutes of Public Health and data from the Veterinary Specialistic Institute in Sabac. The serological tests for human brucellosis cases were performed in the Laboratory of the Military Medical Academy; laboratory confirmation of animal brucellosis cases was obtained from the reference laboratory of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Belgrade. Results. Twelve cases of brucellosis were recorded from February 9 to September 1, 2004. Total attack rate was 8.1% (7.5% of males, 14.2% of females). Relative risk (RR) of milk consumption was 8.9 (95% confidence interval: 1.63-13.38), and RR for direct contact with animals was 14 (95% confidence interval: 3.5-55.6). The prevalence of seropositive animals in 33 villages of the Macva region accounted for 0.8%. Regarding animal species, sheep were predominant - 264 (95.7%). Out of a total number of seropositive animals, ELISA results were positive in 228 (88.7%) of them. Conclusion. As contact epidemics generally last longer, it is probable that the implemented measures of outbreak control did reduce the length of their duration.

Managed Care Organizations' Assessment of Reimbursement for New Technology, Procedures, and Drugs

1999 ◽  
Vol 123 (8) ◽  
pp. 677-679
Author(s):  
Harold Zarkowsky
Keyword(s):  
Managed Care ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Behavioral Measures ◽  
Randomized Controlled Studies ◽  
Marginal Improvement ◽  
Managed Care Organizations

Abstract Managed care organizations must establish formal processes for the evaluation of new technology, procedures, and drugs to enhance the quality of health care delivered and to support coverage and utilization decision making. Evidence-based research and the results of controlled clinical trials are the preferred sources of outcomes data to support the safety and effectiveness of the technology, procedure, or drug under review. In addition to extensive literature review, the opinion of experts in the field and acceptance by the medical community are considered. Assessments of new technology and drugs are available for purchase from several vendors, and managed care organizations can adopt or modify such evaluations to develop medical coverage policies. The research community can assist third-party payers by conducting studies on practices that might lead to substantial, rather than marginal, improvement in health, pay particular attention to study design when randomized controlled studies are not possible, and include functional and behavioral measures in analysis of outcomes.

Case 28

2020 ◽  
pp. 186-192
Author(s):  
Hilary Humphreys
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Brain Abscess ◽  
Human Disease ◽  
Ornamental Fish ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Burr Hole ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Laboratory Confirmation ◽  
Disseminated Disease ◽  
The Brain

Nocardia are opportunist pathogens, especially affecting patients with T-cell deficiencies, such as those on prolonged high-dose corticosteroids. They are found in the environment, associated with ornamental fish, and Nocardia asteroids complex is most commonly associated with human disease. Infection may result in a brain abscess, pulmonary infection, or disseminated disease including involvement of the skin. Steriotactic aspiration or via a burr hole to obtain a sample are replacing open craniotomy, unless the brain abscess is large. Previously, laboratory confirmation was dependant on prolonged culture and stains for acid-and alcohol-fact bacilli, but increasingly, molecular techniques are used to diagnose this and other causes of brain abscess. Consensus and clinical experience suggest that co-trimoxazole with or without a carbapenem, are the initial empiric anti-infectives of choice for nocardiosis. Susceptibility testing should be carried out on available isolates as treatment is usually for 6 months or longer.

scholarly journals Situation actuelle de la fièvre catarrhale ovine en Grèce

2009 ◽  
Vol 62 (2-4) ◽  
pp. 119
Author(s):  
J. Tsakiris ◽  
E. Aronis ◽  
M. Sachsamanoglou ◽  
P. Petridou ◽  
T. Patounis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Reference Laboratory ◽  
East Side ◽  
Culicoides Imicola ◽  
Laboratory Confirmation ◽  
Warm Weather ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Sporadic Cases ◽  
Restrictive Measures ◽  
Of Greece

The first incursion of bluetongue (BT) in Greece was in 1979 on Lesvos Island. The disease was caused by serotype 4 (BTV-4), which was endemic in Turkey, with Culicoides imicola the virus vector. Strict measures were applied, preventing the spread of the disease to the rest of the country. In the epidemic of 1998- 2001, four different serotypes invaded Greece: BTV-1, 4, 9 and 16. The vectors were C. imicola and C. obsoletus. In November 2008, the type of virus that invaded Lesvos Island was identified as BTV-16. In few flocks BTV-8 was also identified. In February 2009, seropositive and ribonucleic acid (RNA) positive bovines (BTV-16 again) were detected on Chios Island without clinical disease. In late September 2009, new outbreaks appeared on Lesvos Island caused again by BTV-16. During the recent incur­sion (until December 2009), 132 flocks of sheep and goats were infected. The epidemic began in north-eastern regions of the island and spread from north to south on the island. Sporadic cases occurred on the east side, and the west side seemed BT free. BT clinical signs that were moderate and slightly different from the previous year were observed in sheep but not in cattle. The humidity (after the first rain) and warm weather present at that time in combination with moderate north winds helped the spread of the disease. Culicoides trapping revealed significant numbers of C. imicola. Clinical suspicion of the disease was followed by laboratory confirmation. Serological, virological and molecular biology tests were conducted. Results were con­firmed by the Community Reference laboratory. Appropriate restrictive measures have been taken from 2008 on, in order to protect the other regions of Greece. No clinical signs or seroconversion has been observed at time of writing in the rest of the country.

scholarly journals A laboratory-based study of COVID-19 in Casablanca, Morocco

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Idrissa Diawara ◽  
Houda Benrahma ◽  
Nida Meskaouni ◽  
Jalila Rahoui ◽  
Fatima-Zahra Moujid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Laboratory Diagnosis ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Reference Laboratory ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Exposure Risk ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Risk Zone ◽  
Laboratory Confirmation ◽  
One Step

Background: Given the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its impact on human health, laboratory confirmation of diagnosis is essential. Objective: This study examined the contribution of laboratory diagnosis to the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the diagnosis of COVID- 19, taking into account patient risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2, clinical symptoms and comorbidities. Methods: A cross-sectional, laboratory-based study was carried out from 1 April 2020 to 30 April 2020 at the National Reference Laboratory in Morocco using nasopharyngeal samples from patients admitted to the Cheikh Khalifa International University Hospital or other hospitals in Casablanca. A one-step reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 genome. A national epidemiological investigation form was used to analyze patient exposure risk, clinical symptoms and comorbidities. Results: A total of 793 samples from 375 patients were analyzed and 1150 RT-PCR tests were conducted; 116 patients (30.93%) were COVID-19 positive. Travel to a risk zone, contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case and contact with a person who had been in a risk zone were significantly associated with being positive for COVID-19. Fever and cough were the main symptoms; 7.76 % of positive patients were asymptomatic. Conclusion: This is the first laboratory-based study in Morocco for the diagnosis of COVID- 19. Laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19 by RT-PCR associated with knowledge of exposure risk factors and clinical symptoms and comorbidities remains essential for clinicians for early, appropriate medical management COVID-19 patients.

scholarly journals Nucleotide sequence-based typing of meningococci directly from clinical samples

2003 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 505-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathew A. Diggle ◽  
Carolyn M. Bell ◽  
Stuart C. Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Nucleotide Sequencing ◽  
Sequencing Data ◽  
Conjugate Vaccines ◽  
Laboratory Confirmation ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Culture Isolate ◽  
Micro Organisms

The unpredictable characteristics of meningococcal disease (MD) make outbreaks complicated to monitor and consequently lead to high levels of public anxiety. Traditional molecular techniques have been utilized in order to understand better the epidemiology of MD, but some have disadvantages such as being highly specialized and labour-intensive, with low reproducibility. Some of these problems have been overcome by using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). This technique exploits the unambiguous nature and electronic portability of nucleotide sequencing data for the characterization of micro-organisms. The need for enhanced surveillance of MD after the introduction of serogroup C conjugate vaccines means that it is important to gain typing information from the infecting organism in the absence of a culture isolate. Here, the application of MLST for the laboratory confirmation and characterization of Neisseria meningitidis directly from clinical samples is described. This involved using a newly designed set of primers that were complementary to nucleotide sequences external to the existing MLST primers already in use for culture-based MLST of meningococci. This combination has produced a highly sensitive procedure to allow the efficient genotypic characterization of meningococci directly from clinical samples.

scholarly journals The Antibody Response in Man Following Infection with Viruses of the Pox Group III. Antibody Response in Smallpox

1958 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 479-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. W. Downie ◽  
K. McCarthy
Keyword(s):  
Antibody Response ◽  
Neutralizing Antibody ◽  
High Titre ◽  
The Other ◽  
Fever Hospital ◽  
Reference Laboratory ◽  
Group Iii ◽  
The Third ◽  
Laboratory Confirmation ◽  
Antibody Titres

From 117 cases of smallpox 140 sera have been examind for antihaemagglutinin, for complement-fixing and for variola-neutralizng antibody.In smallpox patients who had not been vaccinated prior to infection, variola-neutralizing antibody and vaccinial antihaemagglutinin were present in all sera examined after the sixth day of illness. Complement-fixing antibody was not found until the eighth day of illness but was present in all examined after the ninth day.In previously revaccinated smallpox patients variola-neutralizing antibody was present in all sera examined after the third day of illness and antihaemagglutinins in all after the fourth day. Complement-fixing antibody was present by the seventh day and was found in all sera examined after the ninth day. Not only did antibody in general appear earlier in previously vaccinated smallpox patients but the titres were generally considerably higher. In ten fatal cases antibody titres were low except in two in whom the level of variola-neutralizing antibody was quite high—in one case on the second day and in the other on the fourth day of illness.In six variola contacts, who suffered febrile attacks without rash, antibody studies indicated the variolous nature of their illnesses. In these and other atypical smallpox infections, when laboratory confirmation of clinical diagnosis is only requested at a late stage of the disease, a high titre of antibody, particularly complement-fixing antibody, may enable a firm diagnosis to be made.We wish to acknowledge our indebtedness to Dr W. H. Bradley of the Ministry of Health; Dr E. C. Benn of Seacroft Hospital, Leeds; Dr D. C. Liddle of Monsall Fever Hospital, Manchester; Dr E. R. Peirce of Liverpool and other Medical Officers for information concerning smallpox patients. Our thanks are also due to Dr F. O. MacCallum of the Virus Reference Laboratory, Colindale, who kindly sent us sera from some of the cases in the 1950 smallpox outbreak in Brighton.

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