scholarly journals Diagnosis of Rickettsial Diseases Using Samples Dried on Blotting Paper

1999 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 483-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florence Fenollar ◽  
Didier Raoult
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Filter Paper ◽  
Rickettsia Conorii ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Bartonella Quintana ◽  
Serological Studies ◽  
Blood Specimens ◽  
Finger Stick ◽  
Rickettsial Diseases

ABSTRACT The use of filter paper is an inexpensive and convenient method for collecting, storing, and transporting blood samples for serological studies. In addition, samples occupy little space and can be readily transported without refrigeration. Rickettsial diseases often evolve according to an epidemic mode and are now considered reemerging diseases, especially in developing countries, under conditions where fieldwork could be difficult. The suitability of collecting whole-blood specimens on filter paper discs for rickettsial antibody assay was evaluated. Dried blood specimens from 64 individuals with antibodies toCoxiella burnetii, Bartonella quintana, orRickettsia conorii were tested for rickettsial antibodies by microimmunofluorescence. Although occasional titers were 1 or 2 dilutions lower than those of tested serum samples, no statistically significant differences were observed. Among patients with negative serology, no false positives were found. This study demonstrated that the recovery of antibodies from finger-stick blood dried on filter paper after elution produces results comparable to those obtained by recovering antibodies from serum. Storing paper samples for 1 month at room temperature or at 4°C did not significantly affect the level of antibodies recovered. This report shows the utility of this sample collection method in developing countries where refrigeration is not possible and venipuncture is problematic.

Use of blood specimens collected on filter paper in screening for abnormal hemoglobins.

1976 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 685-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
R M Schmidt ◽  
E M Brosious ◽  
S Holland ◽  
J M Wright ◽  
G R Serjeant
Keyword(s):  
Disease Control ◽  
Cellulose Acetate ◽  
Filter Paper ◽  
Whole Blood ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Capillary Tubes ◽  
Cellulose Acetate Electrophoresis ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Blood Specimens ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Both cellulose acetate electrophoresis and citrate agar electrophoresis were performed on 834 blood samples collected on filter paper in Jamaica and shipped for testing to the National Hemoglobinopathy Standardization Laboratory at the U.S. National Center for Disease Control. Additionally, 30 blood samples collected locally were stored on filter paper, in microhematocrit capillary tubes, and as whole blood specimens; at selected times the samples were tested for stability to determine the best sample-collection technique for hemoglobin electrophoresis. Results were most nearly accurate when both cellulose acetate electrophoresis and citrate agar testing were used. The methods are easy to perform, but results are unreliable if the blood samples on filter paper are stored at 4 degrees C for longer than two weeks before they are tested.

scholarly journals Prospective serological and molecular cross-sectional study focusing on Bartonella and other blood-borne organisms in cats from Catalonia (Spain)

2022 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandra Álvarez-Fernández ◽  
Ricardo Maggi ◽  
Gerard Eduard Martín-Valls ◽  
Marta Baxarias ◽  
Edward Bealmear Breitschwerdt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Bartonella Henselae ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Bartonella Quintana ◽  
Antibody Assays ◽  
Serological Studies ◽  
Blood Specimens ◽  
Associated Risk Factors

Abstract Background There is limited clinical or epidemiological knowledge regarding Bartonella infection in cats, and no serological studies have compared the presence of antibodies against different Bartonella species. Moreover, there are limited feline Bartonella studies investigating co-infections with other vector-borne pathogens and the associated risk factors. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate Bartonella spp. infections and co-infections with other pathogens in cats from Barcelona (Spain) based on serological and/or molecular techniques and to determine associated risk factors. Methods We studied colony and owned cats (n = 135). Sera were tested for Bartonella henselae-, Bartonella quintana-, and Bartonella koehlerae-specific antibodies using endpoint in-house immunofluorescence antibody assays. Bartonella real-time PCR (qPCR) and conventional PCR (cPCR) were performed. In addition, cPCR followed by DNA sequencing was performed for other pathogenic organisms (Anaplasma, Babesia, Cytauxzoon, Ehrlichia, Hepatozoon, hemotropic Mycoplasma, and Theileria spp.). Results From 135 cats studied, 80.7% were seroreactive against at least one Bartonella species. Bartonella quintana, B. koehlerae, and B. henselae seroreactivity was 67.4, 77.0, and 80.7%, respectively. Substantial to almost perfect serological agreement was found between the three Bartonella species. Colony cats were more likely to be Bartonella spp.-seroreactive than owned cats. Moreover, cats aged ≤ 2 years were more likely to be Bartonella spp.-seroreactive. Bartonella spp. DNA was detected in the blood of 11.9% (n = 16) of cats. Cats were infected with B. henselae (n = 12), B. clarridgeiae (n = 3), and B. koehlerae (n = 1). Mycoplasma spp. DNA was amplified from 14% (n = 19) of cat blood specimens. Cats were infected with Mycoplasma haemofelis (n = 8), Candidatus M. haemominutum (n = 6), Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis (n = 4), and Mycoplasma wenyonii (n = 1). Anaplasma, Babesia, Cytauxzoon, Ehrlichia spp., Hepatozoon, and Theileria spp. DNA was not amplified from any blood sample. Of the 16 Bartonella spp.-infected cats based on PCR results, six (37%) were co-infected with Mycoplasma spp. Conclusions Bartonella spp. and hemoplasma infections are prevalent in cats from the Barcelona area, whereas infection with Anaplasma spp., Babesia, Cytauxzoon, Ehrlichia spp., Hepatozoon, and Theileria infections were not detected. Co-infection with hemotropic Mycoplasma appears to be common in Bartonella-infected cats. To our knowledge, this study is the first to document M. wenyonii is infection in cats. Graphical Abstract

scholarly journals Clinical Evaluation of the Torq Zero Delay Centrifuge System for Decentralized Blood Collection and Stabilization

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1019
Author(s):  
Kyungjin Hong ◽  
Gabriella Iacovetti ◽  
Ali Rahimian ◽  
Sean Hong ◽  
Jon Epperson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Chemistry ◽  
Blood Collection ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Rapid Separation ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Collection Device ◽  
Precision Study ◽  
Clinically Significant ◽  
Blood Specimens

Blood sample collection and rapid separation—critical preanalytical steps in clinical chemistry—can be challenging in decentralized collection settings. To address this gap, the Torq™ zero delay centrifuge system includes a lightweight, hand-portable centrifuge (ZDrive™) and a disc-shaped blood collection device (ZDisc™) enabling immediate sample centrifugation at the point of collection. Here, we report results from clinical validation studies comparing performance of the Torq System with a conventional plasma separation tube (PST). Blood specimens from 134 subjects were collected and processed across three independent sites to compare ZDisc and PST performance in the assessment of 14 analytes (K, Na, Cl, Ca, BUN, creatinine, AST, ALT, ALP, total bilirubin, albumin, total protein, cholesterol, and triglycerides). A 31-subject precision study was performed to evaluate reproducibility of plasma test results from ZDiscs, and plasma quality was assessed by measuring hemolysis and blood cells from 10 subject specimens. The ZDisc successfully collected and processed samples from 134 subjects. ZDisc results agreed with reference PSTs for all 14 analytes with mean % biases well below clinically significant levels. Results were reproducible across different operators and ZDisc production lots, and plasma blood cell counts and hemolysis levels fell well below clinical acceptance thresholds. ZDiscs produce plasma samples equivalent to reference PSTs. Results support the suitability of the Torq System for remotely collecting and processing blood samples in decentralized settings.

scholarly journals Seropositivity to canine tick-borne pathogens in a population of sick dogs in Italy

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jairo Alfonso Mendoza-Roldan ◽  
Giovanni Benelli ◽  
Marcos Antonio Bezerra-Santos ◽  
Viet-Linh Nguyen ◽  
Giuseppe Conte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Serological Test ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Rickettsia Conorii ◽  
High Seroprevalence ◽  
The South ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Distribution Maps

Abstract Background Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) associated to ticks are among the most important health issues affecting dogs. In Italy, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma spp., Rickettsia conorii and Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) have been studied in both healthy canine populations and those clinically ill with suspected CVBDs. However, little information is currently available on the overall prevalence and distribution of these pathogens in the country. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and distribution of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in clinically suspect dogs from three Italian macro areas during a 15-year period (2006–2020). Methods A large dataset (n = 21,992) of serological test results for selected TBPs in three macro areas in Italy was analysed using a Chi-square test to evaluate the associations between the categorical factors (i.e. macro area, region, year, sex and age) and a standard logistic regression model (significance set at P = 0.05). Serological data were presented as annual and cumulative prevalence, and distribution maps of cumulative positive cases for TBPs were generated. Results Of the tested serum samples, 86.9% originated from northern (43.9%) and central (43%) Italy. The majority of the tests was requested for the diagnosis of E. canis (47%; n = 10,334), followed by Rickettsia spp. (35.1%; n = 7725), B. burgdorferi (s.l.) (11.6%; n = 2560) and Anaplasma spp. (6.2%; n = 1373). The highest serological exposure was recorded for B. burgdorferi (s.l.) (83.5%), followed by Rickettsia spp. (64.9%), Anaplasma spp. (39.8%) and E. canis (28.7%). The highest number of cumulative cases of Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) was recorded in samples from Tuscany, central Italy. Rickettsia spp. was more prevalent in the south and on the islands, particularly in dogs on Sicily older than 6 years, whereas Anaplasma spp. was more prevalent in the north and E. canis more prevalent in the south and on the islands. Conclusions The results of this study highlight the high seroprevalence and wide distribution of the four TBPs in dogs with clinically suspected CVBDs from the studied regions of Italy. The very high seroprevalence of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) exemplifies a limitation of this study, given the use of clinically suspect dogs and the possibility of cross-reactions when using serological tests. The present research provides updated and illustrative information on the seroprevalence and distribution of four key TBPs, and advocates for integrative control strategies for their prevention. Grapic abstract

scholarly journals Utility of the Cobas® Plasma Separation Card as a Sample Collection Device for Serological and Virological Diagnosis of Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 473
Author(s):  
Fernando Velásquez-Orozco ◽  
Ariadna Rando-Segura ◽  
Joan Martínez-Camprecios ◽  
Paula Salmeron ◽  
Adrián Najarro-Centeno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Viral Load ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Virus Infection ◽  
Hepatitis C Virus Infection ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Plasma Separation ◽  
Virological Diagnosis ◽  
A Prospective Study

Diagnosis and clinical management of people infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) relies on results from a combination of serological and virological tests. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of dried plasma spots (DPS), prepared using the cobas® Plasma Separation Card (PSC), to plasma and serum from venipuncture, for HCV diagnosis. We carried out a prospective study using DPS and paired plasma or serum samples. Serum and DPS samples were analyzed by immunoassay using Elecsys® Anti-HCV II (Roche). Plasma and DPS samples were analyzed using the cobas® HCV viral load and cobas® HCV genotyping tests (Roche). All DPS samples that had high anti-HCV antibody titers in serum were also antibody-positive, as were five of eight samples with moderate titers. Eight samples with low titers in serum were negative with DPS. Among 80 samples with plasma HCV viral loads between 61.5 and 2.2 × 108 IU/mL, 74 were RNA-positive in DPS. The mean viral load difference between plasma and DPS was 2.65 log10 IU/mL. The performance of DPS for detection of serological and virological markers of hepatitis C virus infection was comparable to that of the conventional specimen types. However, the limits of detection were higher for DPS.

scholarly journals PEDV Infection Generates Conformation-Specific Antibodies That Can Be Effectively Detected by a Cell-Based ELISA

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 303
Author(s):  
Wei-Ting Hsu ◽  
Chia-Yu Chang ◽  
Chih-Hsuan Tsai ◽  
Sung-Chan Wei ◽  
Huei-Ru Lo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Recombinant Baculovirus ◽  
Immunocytochemical Staining ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Perfect Agreement ◽  
Specific Antibodies ◽  
Diarrhea Virus ◽  
Serological Studies ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Infected Insect

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a coronavirus that causes serious and highly contagious enteric disease in swine worldwide. In this study, we constructed a recombinant baculovirus (S-Bac) expressing full-length spike protein of the virulent epidemic genotype 2b (G2b) PEDV strain for serological studies of infected pigs. We found that most spike-specific antibodies produced upon PEDV infection in pigs are conformation-specific and they could be detected on S-Bac-infected insect cells by immunofluorescent assay, but they were insensitive to Western blot analysis, the typical method for antiserum analysis. These results indicated that spike conformation is crucial for serum recognition. Since it is difficult to purify trimeric spike membrane protein for conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), we used S-Bac to generate a novel cell-based ELISA for convenient PEDV detection. We analyzed 100 pig serum samples, and our cell-based ELISA exhibited a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 97%, and almost perfect agreement [Cohen’s kappa coefficient value (κ) = 0.98] with immunocytochemical staining results. Our cell-based ELISA rapidly presented antigen for proper detection of conformation-specific antibodies, making PEDV detection more convenient, and it will be useful for detecting many viral diseases in the future.

scholarly journals Using serological studies to assess COVID-19 infection fatality rate in developing countries. A case study from one Colombian department

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelson Alvis Guzman ◽  
Fernando De la Hoz Restrepo ◽  
Hector Serrano-Coll ◽  
Bertha Gastelbondo ◽  
Salim Mattar
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Fatality Rate ◽  
Serological Studies

Techniques' Comparison and Report of the North Carolina Experience

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 843-848
Author(s):  
Thomas R. Kinney ◽  
Martha Sawtschenko ◽  
Mary Whorton ◽  
Jean Shearin ◽  
Christy Stine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Filter Paper ◽  
Screening Program ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Capillary Tubes ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Screening Programs ◽  
The North ◽  
Duke University

Controversy still exists as to the best laboratory method to use to screen newborns for sickle cell disease and other hemoglobinopathies. The proposed methods include hemoglobin electrophoresis, column chromatography, isoelectric focusing, and high performance liquid chromatography. There is also debate concerning the preferred method of sample collection. The proposed methods of sample collection include cord blood or blood obtained from the infant collected in a tube with anticoagulant or on filter paper. We compared hemoglobin electrophoresis patterns from infant blood samples collected in heparinized capillary tubes and on filter paper. This comparison was performed because hemoglobin electrophoresis of dried blood samples collected on filter paper has been advocated as a practical, reliable, and inexpensive method for mass screening programs, although the limitations of this technique have not been explored fully. We also summarize data from the North Carolina Newborn Hemoglobinopathy Screening Program, which relates to the advantages and limitations of hemoglobin electrophoresis from filter paper blood specimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS Specimens Four sets of specimens were used for this study: (1) specimens collected at Duke University Medical Center to compare hemoglobin electrophoresis patterns of hemolysates from filter paper and heparinized capillary tubes, (2) specimens collected by the North Carolina program for hemoglobinopathy screening, (3) specimens routinely collected at Duke University in heparinized capillary tubes for newborn hemoglobinopathy screening, and (4) samples for retesting to examine the error rate of the state program and to confirm screening results compatible with a hemoglobinopathy. Samples for Direct Comparison Between Filter Paper and Heparinized Specimens

scholarly journals Brain-Dead and Coma Patients Exhibit Different Serum Metabolic Profiles: A Novel Diagnostic Approach in Neurocritical Care

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Dawiskiba ◽  
Wojciech Wojtowicz ◽  
Badr Qasem ◽  
Marceli Łukaszewski ◽  
Karolina Anna Mielko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Death ◽  
Neurocritical Care ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Brain Death Diagnosis ◽  
Brain Dead ◽  
Metabolomic Approach

Abstract There is a clear difference between severe brain damage and brain death. However, in clinical practice, the differentiation of these states can be challenging. Currently, there are no laboratory tools that facilitate brain death diagnosis. The aim of our study was to evaluate the utility of serum metabolomic analysis in differentiating coma patients (CP) from individuals with brain death (BD). Serum samples were collected from 23 adult individuals with established diagnosis of brain death and 24 patients in coma with Glasgow Coma Scale 3 or 4, with no other clinical symptoms of brain death for at least 7 days after sample collection. Serum metabolomic profiles were investigated using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The results obtained were examined by univariate and multivariate data analysis (PCA, PLS-DA, and OPLS-DA). Metabolic profiling allowed us to quantify 43 resonance signals, of which 34 were identified. Multivariate statistical modeling revealed a highly significant separation between coma patients and brain-dead individuals, as well as strong predictive potential. The findings not only highlight the potential of the metabolomic approach for distinguishing patients in coma from those in the state of brain death but also may provide an understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying these conditions.

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