The Role of a Pathology Laboratory in SARS and Other Emerging Infections

2006 ◽  
pp. 125-135
Author(s):  
John Nicholls ◽  
J.S. Malik Peiris
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Infections ◽  
Pathology Laboratory

scholarly journals Emerging infectious disease preparedness and response in healthcare: perspectives from COVID-19 and the role of College-Learnt Microbiology

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 312-321
Author(s):  
J. Tonui ◽  
W. Chepkutto ◽  
J. Rotich
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Microbial Pathogens ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Emerging Infections

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in December 2019 in Wuhan City China where it is believed to have been transmitted to humans from an unknown animal species. The public health, social and economic impact of the pandemic world over is detrimental. Health care providers at the frontline in the fight against COVID-19 are at the greatest risk of infection and so far, many have been infected and some have already died from the disease. Thus, it is imperative that healthcare providers have adequate knowledge of infectious diseases and microbial pathogens to comprehend the scale of risk for better recognition and response. Microbiological concepts of infection prevention and control, hand hygiene and aseptic techniques are essential in slowing down the spread of the virus. COVID-19 has proven that infectious agents can emerge from any region in the world and can spread rapidly with ominous consequences to all humanity. This narrative review discusses the role of college-learnt microbiology in health care provider preparedness for emerging infectious diseases in light of the current pandemic. Keywords: Emerging; Infections; Preparedness; Response; Microbiology; COVID-19; Training

High-Risk Features and Tumor Differentiation in Retinoblastoma: A Retrospective Histopathologic Study

2009 ◽  
Vol 133 (8) ◽  
pp. 1203-1209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph C. Eagle Jr
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Adjuvant Chemotherapy ◽  
Neovascular Glaucoma ◽  
Tumor Differentiation ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Pathology Laboratory ◽  
Iris Neovascularization ◽  
Poorly Differentiated

Abstract Context.—Certain histopathologic risk factors in enucleated eyes are important indicators for adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with retinoblastoma. Objectives.—To determine the frequency of histopathologic risk factors in a large series of retinoblastomas treated by enucleation on file in the pathology laboratory of a large American eye hospital, assess the relationship between tumor differentiation and age at enucleation, and investigate the frequency of photoreceptor differentiation and the role of retinoma/retinocytoma as retinoblastoma precursor. Design.—Retrospective histopathologic review of 387 eyes with retinoblastoma treated by enucleation including 297 with no prior treatment. Results.—Fifty-five of 297 untreated eyes (18.5%) had high-risk features. Retrolaminar optic nerve invasion was present in 31 (10.4%), and 24 (8.1%) had massive uveal invasion (defined as >3 mm in diameter). Of the high-risk eyes, 70.9% had iris neovascularization and 60% had neovascular glaucoma. There was a statistically significant inverse relationship between age at enucleation and the degree of tumor differentiation, evidenced by the presence of rosettes. Tumors in older children tended to be poorly differentiated, while rosettes were often numerous in the tumors of younger infants. In all, 20.4% of tumors contained foci of photoreceptor differentiation, which localized in the base of a predominantly endophytic tumor in about one-fourth. Lack of correlation between photoreceptor differentiation and age at enucleation is consistent with early or prenatal malignant transformation. Both preceding observations provide evidence for the hypothetical role of retinoma as a retinoblastoma precursor. Conclusions.—Slightly less than 1 in 5 infants with retinoblastoma treated by enucleation at a large American eye hospital would require adjuvant chemotherapy on the basis of existing high-risk histopathologic features. Retinoblastomas become progressively less differentiated with time and may be spawned by precursor retinomas.

scholarly journals CD47 as a Potential Target to Therapy for Infectious Diseases

Antibodies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Lamin B. Cham ◽  
Tom Adomati ◽  
Fanghui Li ◽  
Murtaza Ali ◽  
Karl S. Lang
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Dendritic Cells ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Antiviral Effect ◽  
Surface Expression ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Emerging Infections

The integrin associated protein (CD47) is a widely and moderately expressed glycoprotein in all healthy cells. Cancer cells are known to induce increased CD47 expression. Similar to cancer cells, all immune cells can upregulate their CD47 surface expression during infection. The CD47-SIRPa interaction induces an inhibitory effect on macrophages and dendritic cells (dendritic cells) while CD47-thrombospondin-signaling inhibits T cells. Therefore, the disruption of the CD47 interaction can mediate several biologic functions. Upon the blockade and knockout of CD47 reveals an immunosuppressive effect of CD47 during LCMV, influenza virus, HIV-1, mycobacterium tuberculosis, plasmodium and other bacterial pneumonia infections. In our recent study we shows that the blockade of CD47 using the anti-CD47 antibody increases the activation and effector function of macrophages, dendritic cells and T cells during viral infection. By enhancing both innate and adaptive immunity, CD47 blocking antibody promotes antiviral effect. Due to its broad mode of action, the immune-stimulatory effect derived from this antibody could be applicable in nonresolving and (re)emerging infections. The anti-CD47 antibody is currently under clinical trial for the treatment of cancer and could also have amenable therapeutic potential against infectious diseases. This review highlights the immunotherapeutic targeted role of CD47 in the infectious disease realm.

scholarly journals Lessons from Nigeria: the role of roads in the geo-temporal progression of avian influenza (H5N1) virus

2009 ◽  
Vol 138 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. L. RIVAS ◽  
G. CHOWELL ◽  
S. J. SCHWAGER ◽  
F. O. FASINA ◽  
A. L. HOOGESTEIJN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Avian Influenza ◽  
Spatial Location ◽  
Transmission Factor ◽  
Emerging Infections ◽  
Susceptible Population ◽  
Generation Interval ◽  
Spatial Features ◽  
Highway Network ◽  
Transmission Factors

SUMMARYThe daily progression of the 2006 (January–June) Nigerian avian influenza (AI H5N1) epidemic was assessed in relation to both spatial variables and the generation interval of the invading virus. Proximity to the highway network appeared to promote epidemic dispersal: from the first AI generation interval onwards >20% of all cases were located at <5 km from the nearest major road. Fifty-seven per cent of all cases were located ⩽31 km from three highway intersections. Findings suggest that the spatial features of emerging infections could be key in their control. When the spatial location of a transmission factor is well known, such as that of the highway network, and a substantial percentage of cases (e.g. >20%) are near that factor, early interventions focusing on transmission factors, such as road blocks that prevent poultry trade, may be more efficacious than interventions applied only to the susceptible population.

Prospective randomized study of prophylaxis of superficial bladder cancer with epirubicin: the role of a central pathology laboratory

1994 ◽  
Vol 35 (S1) ◽  
pp. S36-S40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshihiko Hirao ◽  
Seiichiro Ozono ◽  
Hitoshi Momose ◽  
Eigoro Okajima ◽  
Tadashi Hiramatsu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bladder Cancer ◽  
Superficial Bladder Cancer ◽  
Randomized Study ◽  
Prospective Randomized Study ◽  
Pathology Laboratory ◽  
Central Pathology

scholarly journals Diagnostic Role of Adenosine Deaminase (ADA) among Tuberculous Meningitis Patients

2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-87
Author(s):  
Abul Kalam Mohammed Shoab ◽  
Mohammad Shah Jahirul Hoque Chowdhury ◽  
Devendra Nath Sarkar ◽  
Md Ismail Hossain ◽  
Muhammad Akhtaruzzaman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tuberculous Meningitis ◽  
Case Control Study ◽  
High Accuracy ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Specific Test ◽  
Pathology Laboratory ◽  
Diagnostic Role ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Control Study

Background: In the developing countries where TB is endemic; an ideal test for tuberculous meningitis should be economic, minimally invasive, of high accuracy and quick to perform.In many countries, also in India, several studies were conducted to establish the ADA activity as a sensitive and specific test of tuberculous meningitis.So it is very much needed to evaluate the diagnostic role of CSF ADA in tuberculous meningitis in Bangladesh. Aim: This study aimed to find out CSF ADA as a sensitive and specific test for early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis. Methods: This case control study was carried out in the Department of Neurology, SSMC and Mitford Hospital, Dhaka from June 2011 to July 2012, to evaluate ADA activity in CSF for diagnosis of tuberculous meninigitis. Results: In the present study, sixty meningitis patients were enrolled. Of which, 30(50%) were tuberculous meningitis (TBM) taken as cases and rest 30(50%) were non-tuberculous meningitis (NTBM) taken as control.The CSF ADA activity from TBM patients was compared with CSF ADA from non-TBM infectious meningitis patients. The mean CSF ADA activity was found to be significantly higher in CSF of TBM patients, 14.01 ± 12.4 (1.0–65.2), mean ± SD with range, than in the CSF from non-TBM infectious meningitis, 7.2 ± 8.2 (1.8–49.1) P = 0.01.A cut-off value of >7.6 U/L for the TBM patients was calculated from the mean ±SD of the non-TBM patients.The ADA sensitivity is 81.82%,specificity 65.31%,accuracy 68.33%, PPV 34.62%,NPV 94.12%, positive likelyhood ratio 2.3 and lastly negative likelyhood ratio 0.2 for infectious TBM when this cut-off value was used.ROC curve shows area under curve of .736 suggests a moderate accuracy of the test in detection of tuberculous meningitis. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that ADA activity in the CSF of TBM patients, using a cut off value 7.6 U/L, can be useful for the early differential diagnosis of TBM. This test can be performed in any pathology laboratory where more sophisticated methods are not available. Bangladesh Journal of Neuroscience 2013; Vol. 29 (2) : 79-87

New and emerging infectious diseases

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex G. Stewart ◽  
Sam Ghebrehewet ◽  
Peter MacPherson
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Emerging Infections ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Treatment Escalation ◽  
Global Travel

This chapter describes the increasing global problem of new and emerging infections, many zoonotic, ranging from the recently described Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) to bacteria now resistant to all locally available antimicrobial agents. The environmental, human, technological, and microbial factors contributing to disease emergence are assessed. Changes in environment and land use result in the spread of vector-borne diseases into new areas, and global travel and trade may introduce pathogens to non-immune populations. The breakdown of health services following political change or during conflict can result in the resurgence of previously controlled communicable diseases. The importance of collaboration between human and veterinary health services is emphasized, and the UK ‘DATER’ strategy (Detection, Assessment, Treatment, Escalation, Recovery) for dealing with pandemic influenza is applied to new and emerging infections. Finally, the role of internet-based, syndromic surveillance to create early awareness of new infections is considered.

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