scholarly journals Performance of the point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen test in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica in a human cohort from Northern Samar, the Philippines

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pengfei Cai ◽  
Yi Mu ◽  
Kosala G. Weerakoon ◽  
Remigio M. Olveda ◽  
Allen G. Ross ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Point Of Care ◽  
Infection Intensity ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Schistosomiasis Japonica ◽  
Gene Copy ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Entire Cohort ◽  
Low Sensitivity

Abstract Background Zoonotic schistosomiasis, caused by Schistosoma japonicum, remains a major public health problem in the Philippines. This study aimed to evaluate the commercially available rapid diagnostic point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) test in detecting individuals infected with S. japonicum in a human cohort from an endemic area for schistosomiasis japonica in the Philippines. Methods Clinical samples were collectedin 18 barangays endemic for S. japonicum infection in Laoang and Palapag municipalities, Northern Samar, the Philippines, in 2015. The presence of CCA in filter-concentrated urine samples (n = 412) was evaluated using the commercial kits and the results were converted to images, which were further analyzed by ImageJ software to calculate R values. The diagnostic performance of the immunochromatographic POC-CCA test was compared using the Kato-Katz (KK) procedure, in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and droplet digital (dd) PCR assays as reference. Results The POC-CCA test was able to detect S. japonicum-infected individuals in the cohort with an eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) more than or equal to 10 with sensitivity/specificity values of 63.3%/93.3%. However, the assay showed an inability to diagnose schistosomiasis japonica infections in all cohort KK-positive individuals, of which the majority had an extremely low egg burden (EPG: 1–9). The prevalence of S. japonicum infection in the total cohort determined by the POC-CCA test was 12.4%, only half of that determined by the KK method (26.2%). When compared with the ELISAs and ddPCR assays as a reference, the POC-CCA assay was further shown to be a test with low sensitivity. Nevertheless, the assay exhibited significant positive correlations with egg burden determined by the KK technique and the target gene copy number index values determined by the ddPCR assays within the entire cohort. Conclusions By using in silico image analysis, the POC-CCA cassette test could be converted to a quantitative assay to avoid reader-variability. Because of its low sensitivity, the commercially available POC-CCA assay had limited potential for determining the status of a S. japonicum infection in the target cohort. The assay should be applied with caution in populations where schistosome parasites (especially S. japonicum) are present at low infection intensity. Graphic abstract

scholarly journals Development of a Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Program (HELP) Online Website for Filipinos: A Case Report

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noelle Lyn Santos
Keyword(s):  
Case Report ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Nutrition Information ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
The Public ◽  
Nutrition Research

Background and Purpose: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a major public health problem in the Philippines and around the world. Preventive measures to reduce its continuous rise require improvement in the health system. Utilization of information and communication technology-(ICT)-based tools will allow dissemination of evidenced-based information in the population. This case report contains the description of the development process of a Web-based nutrition Website. Case Description: ICT-based tools were explored as means of communicating nutrition information to the public because of the increasing access and usage of the Internet among Filipinos. An iterative process with five major phases were followed in the development. Outcome: The Website HELP Online can be accessed through (http://i.fnri.dost.gov.ph/helponline). There is integration of two modules: one for the general public and the other for registered nutritionist dietitians (RND) of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI). The first module contained the nutrition counseling platform that connects and records all interactions of online and walk-in clients with their RNDs. The second module contained nutrition calculators, a health tracker, and nutrition education materials. Discussion: The developed HELP Online Website was used for online users to easily access nutrition information and services offered by Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-FNRI. The user-centered design focus in combination with a responsive Web platform resulted in improved user satisfaction. In terms of content, use of the current and accepted scientific information translated to simpler and easier messages were found to be more effective among the target group. Although many issues exist with the continuous use of ICT-based tools, the main purpose is to improve the delivery of evidence-based information to the public.

scholarly journals Simple and Feasible Detection of Hepatitis B Virus via Combination of Multienzyme Isothermal Rapid Amplification and Lateral Flow Dipstick Strip

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mao-Ling Sun ◽  
Hai-Yun Lai ◽  
Na-Yu Chong ◽  
Dong-Fan Liu ◽  
Zhen-Yi Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis B Virus ◽  
Hepatitis B ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Lateral Flow ◽  
Detection Sensitivity ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Lateral Flow Dipstick ◽  
B Virus ◽  
Rapid Amplification

Hepatitis B virus infection is not only a huge burden in the field of social health but also a major public health problem that affects the lives and health of the people. Simple, rapid, feasible detection of HBV is critical for its prevention and spread, especially in the developing countries with low-resource laboratories. To this end, we combined multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification (MIRA) and lateral flow dipstick (LFD) strip to detect HBV. A pair of primers targeting the conserved region of HBV genome was designed and used in MIRA-LFD assay. Our results found that the entire amplification of MIRA-LFD only takes 10 min at 37°C and the dilution of the amplification products was added in the LFD strip and observed by the naked eye after 10 min. The detection sensitivity of this method can reach 10 pg. The 45 clinical samples were detected by MIRA-LFD and real-time PCR. The accuracy rate of MIRA-LFD was 100%. Therefore, these characteristics of our newly developed MIRA-LFD assay make it particularly useful and suitable for detecting HBV in the resource-limited condition.

A novel duplex ddPCR assay for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica: proof of concept in an experimental mouse model

Parasitology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 144 (8) ◽  
pp. 1005-1015 ◽  
Author(s):  
KOSALA G. WEERAKOON ◽  
CATHERINE A. GORDON ◽  
PENGFEI CAI ◽  
GEOFFREY N. GOBERT ◽  
MARY DUKE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Model ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Digital Pcr ◽  
Disease Diagnosis ◽  
World Health ◽  
Schistosomiasis Japonica ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Additional Tool

SUMMARYThe current World Health Organization strategic plan targets the elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem by 2025 and accurate diagnostics will play a pivotal role in achieving this goal. DNA-based detection methods provide a viable alternative to some of the commonly used tests, notably microscopy and serology, for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis. The detection of parasite cell-free DNA in different clinical samples is a recent valuable advance, which provides significant benefits for accurate disease diagnosis. Here we validated a novel duplex droplet digital PCR assay for the diagnosis of Chinese (SjC) and Philippine (SjP) strains of Schistosoma japonicum infection in a mouse model. The assay proved applicable for both SjC and SjP infections and capable of detecting infection at a very early intra-mammalian stage in conveniently obtainable samples (urine and saliva) as well as in serum and feces. The target DNA copy numbers obtained in the assay showed a positive correlation with the infection burden assessed by direct traditional parasitology. The potential to detect parasite DNA in urine and saliva has important practical implications for large-scale epidemiological screening programmes in the future, particularly in terms of logistical convenience, and the assay has the potential to be a valuable additional tool for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica.

scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid diagnostic test enhanced with silver amplification technology

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kei Miyakawa ◽  
Rikako Funabashi ◽  
Yutaro Yamaoka ◽  
Sundararaj Stanleyraj Jeremiah ◽  
Junichi Katada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Test ◽  
Rapid Diagnostic Test ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Rapid Diagnosis ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽  
Special Equipment ◽  
Viral Spread ◽  
Silver Amplification ◽  
Low Sensitivity

AbstractRapid diagnosis of COVID-19 is essential for instituting measures to prevent viral spread. SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid diagnostic test (Ag-RDT) based on lateral flow immunochromatography assay (LFIA) principle can visually indicate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antigens as a band. Ag-RDT is clinically promising as a point-of-care testing because it can give results in a short time without the need for special equipment. Although various antigen capture LFIAs are now available for rapid diagnosis for SARS-CoV-2 infection, they face the problems of low sensitivity. We have previously developed highly specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (NP) and in this study, we have employed these mAbs to develop a new LFIA that can detect SARS-CoV-2 NP in nasopharyngeal swab samples with higher sensitivity by combining them with silver amplification technology. We also compared the performance of our Ag-RDT against the commercially available Ag-RDTs using clinical samples to find that our newly developed LFIA performed best among tested, highlighting the superiority of silver amplification technology.

scholarly journals Microbial Flora in Chronic Periodontitis: Study at a Tertiary Health Care Center from North Karnataka

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (01) ◽  
pp. 049-054 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirtilaxmi K Benachinmardi ◽  
Jyoti Nagamoti ◽  
Shaila Kothiwale ◽  
Sharada C Metgud
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Periodontitis ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Antibiotic Sensitivity ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
P Value ◽  
Oral Microbiota ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Culture Methods ◽  
Health Care Center

ABSTRACT Background and Objective: Periodontitis is a major public health problem in India with a prevalence of 60-80%. If untreated it acts as a risk factor for systemic diseases. Data on anaerobic periodontal microflora in the Indian population is very scarce. Hence, this study was undertaken to know the nature of oral microbiota in chronic periodontitis in this region of India and also the semiquantitative study in pre- and post-treatment group and to determine antibiotic susceptibility pattern for aerobic isolates. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted on 60 cases. Material was collected from the subgingival pockets in patients with chronic periodontitis attending the Periodontology, Outpatient Department. Clinical samples were transported to the laboratory in fluid thioglycollate medium. Initially Gram's stain and Fontana stains were done. Aerobic, anaerobic, and microaerophilic culture were put up. Antibiotic sensitivity test was done for aerobic isolates. Results: Sixty samples yielded 121 isolates of which 78.34% were polymicrobial, 11.66% were monomicrobial and oral commensals were grown in 10% cases. Out of 121 isolates 91.74% were anaerobic, 7.43% were aerobic and 0.83% were microaerophilic. Fusobacterium species was the most common isolate among anaerobes. Using "paired t-test" "P" value was significant indicating significant reduction in colony count after phase-I periodontal therapy. Conclusion: This study has shown that anaerobic bacteria are important cause of chronic periodontitis, along with aerobes and microaerophilic organisms. Fusobacterium spp, Bacteroides fragilis, Porphyromonas spp and Prevotella intermedia are the most common anaerobic pathogens. Bacterial culture methods are still economical and gold standard.

scholarly journals Five-Year Follow-Up on the Prevalence and Intensity of Infections of Schistosoma mansoni in a Hard-to-Reach District of Madagascar

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Spencer ◽  
Cortland Linder ◽  
James M. St. J. Penney ◽  
Hannah J. Russell ◽  
Kate Hyde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Schistosoma Mansoni ◽  
Infection Intensity ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Biomphalaria Pfeifferi ◽  
The Impact

Schistosomiasis is a major public health problem in Madagascar. The WHO recommends preventive chemotherapy by mass drug administration (MDA) with praziquantel as the primary approach to control Schistosoma mansoni–related morbidity in endemic populations, alongside complementary interventions such as health education. The impact of annual MDA and health education programs was assessed in the hard-to-reach Marolambo district of eastern Madagascar, an area endemic for S. mansoni. Repeated cross-sectional studies undertaken 2015–2019 examined between 300 and 381 school-aged children (aged 5–14 years) annually. The prevalence and infection intensity of S. mansoni were assessed by urine-circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) dipsticks and coproscopy using Kato–Katz (KK) methodologies. After four rounds of annual MDA, a reduction in S. mansoni prevalence was seen in CCA (93.9% in year 1–87.7% in year 5; P = 0.007) and KK (73.9% in year 1–59.4% in year 5; P < 0.0001). The prevalence of heavy-intensity infections roughly halved from 23.7% to 10.1% (P < 0.0001), and the mean intensity of infection fell by 55.0% (480.2–216.3 eggs per gram of feces). A malacological survey found Biomphalaria pfeifferi snail intermediate hosts in multiple water contact sites including rice paddies, streams, and Nosivolo River. Despite reductions in infection prevalence and intensity, schistosomiasis still poses a significant public health challenge in Marolambo district. Twice yearly MDA cycles and/or community-wide MDA are suggested to better reduce infections. Expanding health education; improving standards of water, sanitation, and hygiene; and attention on snail-related control will also be important, especially in rice paddy irrigated areas.

scholarly journals Lipoarabinomannan as a Point-of-Care Assay for Diagnosis of Tuberculosis: How Far Are We to Use It?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julio Flores ◽  
Juan Carlos Cancino ◽  
Leslie Chavez-Galan
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Diagnostic Testing ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Etiologic Agent ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
World Health ◽  
Soluble Form ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Low Sensitivity

Tuberculosis (TB) is still a severe public health problem; the current diagnostic tests have limitations that delay treatment onset. Lipoarabinomannan (LAM) is a glycolipid that is a component of the cell wall of the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiologic agent of TB. This glycolipid is excreted as a soluble form in urine. The World Health Organization has established that the design of new TB diagnostic methods is one of the priorities within the EndTB Strategy. LAM has been suggested as a biomarker to develop diagnostic tests based on its identification in urine, and it is one of the most prominent candidates to develop point-of-care diagnostic test because urine samples can be easily collected. Moreover, LAM can regulate the immune response in the host and can be found in the serum of TB patients, where it probably affects a wide variety of host cell populations, consequently influencing the quality of both innate and adaptive immune responses during TB infection. Here, we revised the evidence that supports that LAM could be used as a tool for the development of new point-of-care tests for TB diagnosis, and we discussed the mechanisms that could contribute to the low sensitivity of diagnostic testing.

scholarly journals Serum and Urinary Biomarkers Determination and Their Significance in Diagnosis of Kidney Diseases

2010 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 288-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Višnja Ležaić
Keyword(s):  
Cystatin C ◽  
Kidney Diseases ◽  
Kidney Injury ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Urinary Biomarkers ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Lower Urinary Tract Infection ◽  
Fatty Acid Binding ◽  
Cardiovascular Morbidity And Mortality

Serum and Urinary Biomarkers Determination and Their Significance in Diagnosis of Kidney DiseasesChronic kidney disease (CKD) is becoming a major public health problem worldwide due to the epidemic increase of patients on renal replacement therapy and their high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The only effective approach to this problem is prevention and early detection of CKD. In addition, despite significant improvements in therapeutics, the mortality and morbidity associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) remain high. A major reason for this is the lack of early markers for AKI, and hence an unacceptable delay in initiating therapy. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop biomarkers (proteins and other molecules in the blood or urine) for renal disease, which might assist in diagnosis and prognosis and might provide endpoints for clinical trials of drugs designed to slow the progression of renal insufficiency. Besides serum creatinine, promising novel biomarkers for AKI include a plasma panel (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin-NGAL and cystatin C) and a urine panel (NGAL, kidney injury molecule-1, interleukin-18, cystatin C, alpha 1-microglobulin, Fetuin-A, Gro-alpha, and meprin). For CKD, these include a similar plasma panel and a urine panel (NGAL, asymmetric dimethylarginine, and liver-type fatty acid-binding protein). Increased plasma and urinary TGF-β1 levels might contribute to the development of chronic tubulointerstitial disease, indicating the possible therapeutic implications. Furthermore, to differentiate lower urinary tract infection and pyelonephritis interleukin-6 and serum procalcitonin levels were introduced. It will be important in future studies to validate the sensitivity and specificity of these biomarker panels in clinical samples from large cohorts and in multiple clinical situations.

scholarly journals Immunoglobulin E (IgE) Responses to Paramyosin Predict Resistance to Reinfection with Schistosoma japonicum and Are Attenuated by IgG4

2009 ◽  
Vol 77 (5) ◽  
pp. 2051-2058 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Jiz ◽  
Jennifer F. Friedman ◽  
Tjalling Leenstra ◽  
Blanca Jarilla ◽  
Archie Pablo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Schistosoma Japonicum ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Immunoglobulin E ◽  
Infection Intensity ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Antibody Responses ◽  
Schistosomiasis Japonica ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Lower Intensity ◽  
Igg Antibody

ABSTRACT Schistosomiasis remains a public health concern in developing countries, and rapid reinfection fostered by continued exposure to contaminated water sources necessitates a vaccine to augment current mass treatment-based control strategies. We report isotype-specific (immunoglobulin A [IgA], IgE, IgG1, IgG4, and IgG) antibody responses to soluble worm antigen preparation and the recombinant vaccine candidates rSj97, rSj67, and rSj22 from a Schistosoma japonicum-infected cohort in Leyte, the Philippines, where schistosomiasis is endemic. Sera were collected from infected individuals 1 month posttreatment with praziquantel, and antibody responses were measured using a bead-based multiplex platform. Reinfection was monitored by stool sampling every 3 months, and data up to 1 year were included in the analysis (n = 553). In repeated-measures models, individuals with detectible IgE responses to rSj97 had a 26% lower intensity of reinfection at 12 months posttreatment compared to nonresponders after adjusting for age, gender, village, exposure, pretreatment infection intensity, and clustering by household (P = 0.018). In contrast, IgG4 responses to rSj97 as well as rSj67 and rSj22 were associated with markedly increased reinfection intensity. When stratified by IgG4 and IgE responder status, individuals with IgE but not IgG4 responses to rSj97 (n = 16) had a 77% lower intensity of reinfection at 12 months compared to individuals with IgG4 responses but not IgE responses (n = 274), even after adjusting for potential confounders (P = 0.016). Together with our previously described protective cytokine responses, these data further support paramyosin as a leading vaccine candidate for human schistosomiasis japonica and underscore the importance of careful adjuvant selection to avoid the generation of blocking IgG4 antibody responses.

scholarly journals Exercise Is Medicine

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 511-523
Author(s):  
Walter R. Thompson ◽  
Robert Sallis ◽  
Elizabeth Joy ◽  
Carrie A. Jaworski ◽  
Robyn M. Stuhr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Sports Medicine ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Care Providers

There is overwhelming evidence in the scientific and medical literature that physical inactivity is a major public health problem with a wide array of harmful effects. Over 50% of health status can be attributed to unhealthy behaviors with smoking, diet, and physical inactivity as the main contributors. Exercise has been used in both the treatment and prevention of a variety of chronic conditions such as heart disease, pulmonary disease, diabetes, and obesity. While the negative effects of physical inactivity are widely known, there is a gap between what physicians tell their patients and exercise compliance. Exercise is Medicine was established in 2007 by the American College of Sports Medicine to inform and educate physicians and other health care providers about exercise as well as bridge the widening gap between health care and health fitness. Physicians have many competing demands at the point of care, which often translates into limited time spent counseling patients. The consistent message from all health care providers to their patients should be to start or to continue a regular exercise program. Exercise is Medicine is a solution that enables physicians to support their patients in implementing exercise as part of their disease prevention and treatment strategies.

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