scholarly journals Acceptance of a Symptom-Based Approach for COVID-19 rtRT-PCR Testing to Conserve Resources in a Lower Middle-Income Setting

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 215013272098771
Author(s):  
S. M. Rashed Ul Islam ◽  
Tahmina Akther ◽  
Md. Abdullah Omar Nasif ◽  
Sharmin Sultana ◽  
Saif Ullah Munshi
Keyword(s):  
Primary Method ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Clinical Recovery ◽  
Clinical Presentations ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Nasopharyngeal Secretion ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Set Up

SARS-CoV-2 initially emerged in Wuhan, China in late 2019. It has since been recognized as a pandemic and has led to great social and economic disruption globally. The Reverse Transcriptase Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (rtRT-PCR) has become the primary method for COVID-19 testing worldwide. The method requires a specialized laboratory set up. Long-term persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in nasopharyngeal secretion after full clinical recovery of the patient is regularly observed nowadays. This forces the patients to spend a longer period in isolation and test repeatedly to obtain evidence of viral clearance. Repeated COVID-19 testing in asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic cases often leads to extra workload for laboratories that are already struggling with a high specimen turnover. Here, we present 5 purposively selected cases with different patterns of clinical presentations in which nasopharyngeal shedding of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was observed in patients for a long time. From these case studies, we emphasized the adoption of a symptom-based approach for discontinuing transmission-based precautions over a test-based strategy to reduce the time spent by asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients in isolation. A symptom-based approach will also help reduce laboratory burden for COVID-19 testing as well as conserve valuable resources and supplies utilized for rtRT-PCR testing in an emerging lower-middle-income setting. Most importantly, it will also make room for critically ill COVID-19 patients to visit or avail COVID-19 testing at their convenience.

scholarly journals Overview of Safety Measures at Selected Airports during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8499
Author(s):  
Monika Blišťanová ◽  
Michaela Tirpáková ◽  
Ľubomíra Brůnová
Keyword(s):  
Time Frame ◽  
Organizational Changes ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Final Phase ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Scoring Method ◽  
Safety Measures ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Cleaning And Disinfection

The year 2020 was very challenging for the whole world, given the outbreak of the ongoing coronavirus-related pandemic, and was marked in particular by overcoming new hitherto unknown obstacles. For air transport, in particular, airlines stopped flying altogether and were forced to ground hundreds of planes worldwide involuntarily. Airports had to close their terminals for a long time, wholly suspend operations, and its resumption required significant organizational changes. This article summarizes the measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic adopted by airports to minimize the risk of spreading the disease. The article focuses on countermeasures and their implementation at selected airports in a specific time frame and airports’ behavior during a pandemic which varies depending on country and time of the year. The results demonstrated that steps being taken at airports include the use of face coverings or masks, social distance, enhanced cleaning and disinfection, or temperature checks and/or symptoms (fever, loss of smell, chills, cough, shortness of breath), RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) screening and data collection with health declaration. These measures have now become an essential standard for the operation of airports and can, therefore, be used to assess the level of airport safety achieved. In the final phase, the article evaluates the level of achieved airport safety based on the proposed scoring method.

scholarly journals RAPID AND SPESIFIC DETECTION OF MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS USING POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 83
Author(s):  
Anita Kurniati ◽  
Desak Nyoman Surya Suameitra Dewi ◽  
Ni Nyoman Purwani
Keyword(s):  
Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Clinical Specimen ◽  
Laboratory Diagnosis ◽  
Nucleic Acid Amplification ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Severe Condition ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Polymerase Chain

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major causes of health burden worldwide, especially in lower middle-income countries. TB is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and characterized by severe condition incuding coughing and fever. Purpose: To review the current methods for detection of TB using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Review: several studies have been done to give valuable insight into TB transmission, diagnosis, and treatment, however research  is constantly  needed  to decrease the incidence of eradicate TB. This infectious disease still give big health problem in all over the world by being second in causing high mortality rates after HIV/AIDS.  A specific, sensitive, rapid and cheap method for TB and other mycobacteria diagnosis in clinical specimen is a desperate needed in the laboratory diagnosis and hence management of tuberculosis. PCR as one of nucleic acid amplification assays have revolutionized MTB detection. Since it was first invented in fifteen years ago, it’s been through many developments. Conclusion: PCR  is one of the most specific and sensitive method currently available for TB diagnosis that can also detect in in all types of specimens obtained from TB patients.

Seizures as a Consequence of Hyperviscosity Syndrome in Two Dogs Naturally Infected with Leishmania infantum

2016 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Proverbio ◽  
Eva Spada ◽  
Roberta Perego ◽  
Giada Bagnagatti de Giorgi
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Gammopathy ◽  
Conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Immunofluorescence Assay ◽  
Canine Leishmaniasis ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Hyperviscosity Syndrome ◽  
Clinical Presentations ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Clinical Complaint

Serum hyperviscosity syndrome (HVS) was documented in two dogs with canine leishmaniasis (CanL) and seizures as the major clinical complaint. In both cases, laboratory abnormalities included mild non-regenerative anemia, thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia, hyperproteinemia with monoclonal gammopathy, and marked serum hyperviscosity. CanL was diagnosed using cytology in one case and indirect immunofluorescence assay and conventional polymerase chain reaction in the second. Specific therapy with meglumine antimoniate and allopurinolc led to short-term remission in both dogs and normalization of serum viscosity. Although dogs rarely develop HVS, it should be suspected if hyperproteinemia and monoclonal gammopathy are present. Since CanL manifests with a variety of clinical presentations, including seizures resulting from HVS-induced central nervous system hypoxia, it should also be considered as a differential diagnosis in animals with seizures as a primary presenting sign.

Long-term efficacy of immunization against hepatitis B virus in infants at high-risk analyzed by polymerase chain reaction

Vaccine ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 18 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 581-587 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Kato ◽  
Keisuke Nakata ◽  
Keisuke Hamasaki ◽  
Daisaku Hida ◽  
Hiroki Ishikawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Hepatitis B Virus ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Hepatitis B ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Term Efficacy ◽  
B Virus ◽  
Polymerase Chain

scholarly journals Methods of mycobacterial DNA isolation from different biological material: a review

2012 ◽  
Vol 51 (No. 5) ◽  
pp. 180-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Hosek ◽  
P. Svastova ◽  
M. Moravkova ◽  
I. Pavlik ◽  
M. Bartos
Keyword(s):  
Dna Isolation ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Serious Infections ◽  
Biochemical Characterisation ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Wide Family

Mycobacteria cause serious infections in animals and human beings. Huge economic losses on farms are caused by selected species of this wide family. A high risk of transmission of infection from animal to human exists. The knowledge of exact pathogen characteristics is an important factor which can improve quick and adequate healing. Cultivation and determination of phenotype is still the “gold standard”, but has the disadvantage of taking a long time and also low detection limit. Biochemical characterisation of isolates is not exact, and it is expensive. A more popular method used is the amplification of specific loci by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For this method, the isolation of sufficient amounts of purified DNA is necessary. In this paper the most frequently used method for DNA isolation from live mycobacterial cells, body fluids, tissues, histological samples and forensic materials are outlined. This paper assists only as guide for these methods, so we describe them briefly.

scholarly journals Detection of minimal residual disease in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia using polymerase chain reaction predicts impending relapse

Blood ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 739-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
GA Neale ◽  
J Menarguez ◽  
GR Kitchingman ◽  
TJ Fitzgerald ◽  
M Koehler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Residual Disease ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
Leukemic Cells ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Leukemic Clone ◽  
Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Polymerase Chain

Abstract After achieving remission, approximately one-third of patients with T- cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) relapse due to the resurgence of residual leukemic cells that cannot be detected in remission by morphologic methods. Thus, the early detection of residual disease is highly desirable to monitor the efficacy of therapy, or to institute an alternative mode of therapy. Toward this aim, we have examined the applicability of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification in the detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) in bone marrow samples from patients with T-ALL in morphologic remission. Two different approaches were taken to identify leukemic clone-specific sequences that could be used as targets for PCR amplification. The first technique used T-cell receptor-delta (TCR-delta) gene rearrangements that were sequenced directly after PCR amplification of leukemic DNA. This method was successful in generating clone-specific probes for 76% of T-ALL patients screened. An alternative method was used to clone and sequence a TCR-beta chain gene from leukemic cells to generate a specific probe. The PCR assays that we used were specific for each patient's leukemic clone, and were capable of routinely detecting one leukemic cell in 10(4) normal cells. Using these sensitive PCR-based assays, we found no evidence for persistence of the leukemic clone in any of the bone marrow samples from four T-ALL patients who are in long-term (3.9 + to 8.1 + years) remission. In contrast, we detected residual disease in clinical remission samples from two patients who subsequently relapsed. In one patient, where we had appropriate samples, we observed a dramatic expansion of the leukemic clone 3 months before clinical relapse. These results suggest that PCR-based assays for detection of MRD in T-ALL patients have great potential in predicting impending relapse, and in determining the efficacy of the anti-leukemic therapy. These methods may also allow the identification of long-term survivors.

A possible relationship between Thromboxane B2 and Leukotriene B4 and the encapsulation of Dirofilaria repens worms in human subcutaneous dirofilariasis

2019 ◽  
Vol 94 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Morchón ◽  
E. Carretón ◽  
R. García ◽  
T. Zueva ◽  
V. Kartashev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leukotriene B4 ◽  
Dirofilaria Repens ◽  
Thromboxane B2 ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Clinical Presentations ◽  
Local Inflammatory Reaction ◽  
Polymerase Chain

Abstract Human subcutaneous dirofilariosis has several clinical presentations. Many cases present as subcutaneous nodules, as a consequence of a local inflammatory reaction that encapsulates and destroys the worms. In addition, there are cases in which migrating worms located in the ocular area remain unencapsulated. In the present work, the levels of two pro-inflammatory eicosanoids, thromboxane B2 (TxB2) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) are analysed by commercial Enzime-Linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum samples from 43 individuals, 28 diagnosed as having subcutaneous dirofilariasis presenting a subcutaneous nodule, five diagnosed as having dirofilariasis, in which the worms remained unencapsulated in the periphery of the eye, and ten healthy individuals living in a non-endemic area, used as controls. The worms were surgically removed, identifying Dirofilaria repens as the causative agent in all cases, by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Individuals with nodules showed significantly higher levels of TxB2 and LTB4 than healthy controls, whereas significant differences in LTB4 levels were observed between individuals with unencapsulated worms and healthy controls. It is speculated that the absence of LTB4 may contribute to the fact that worms remain unencapsulated as a part of immune evasion mechanisms.

scholarly journals Aerosol-generating procedures in thoracic surgery in the COVID-19 era in Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (8) ◽  
pp. 495-499
Author(s):  
Narasimman Sathiamurthy ◽  
Narendran Balasubbiah ◽  
Benedict Dharmaraj
Keyword(s):  
Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Thoracic Surgery ◽  
Reverse Transcriptase ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Polymerase Chain Reaction Method ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Polymerase Chain

Background The Covid-19 pandemic has caused changes in the surgical treatment of non-Covid patients, especially in thoracic surgery because most procedures are aerosol generating. Hospital Kuala Lumpur, where thoracic procedures are performed, was badly affected. We describe our experience in performing aerosol generating procedures safely in thoracic surgery during the Covid-19 era. Methods Medical records of patients who underwent thoracic surgery from March 18, 2020 to May 17, 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. All patients undergoing thoracic surgery were tested for Covid-19 using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction method. Patients with malignancy were observed for 10 to 14 days in the ward after testing negative. The healthcare workers donned personal protective equipment for all the cases, and the number of healthcare workers in the operating room was limited to the minimum required. Results A total of 44 procedures were performed in 26 thoracic surgeries. All of these procedures were classified as aerosol generating, and the mean duration of the surgery was 130 ± 43 minutes. None of the healthcare workers involved in the surgery were exposed or infected by Covid-19. Conclusion Covid-19 will be a threat for a long time and thoracic surgeons must continue to provide their services, despite having to deal with aerosol generating procedures, in the new normal. Covid-19 testing of all surgical candidates, using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, donning full personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, and carefully planned procedures are among the measures suggested to prevent unnecessary Covid-19 exposure in thoracic surgery.

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