scholarly journals The Mbam drainage system and onchocerciasis transmission post ivermectin mass drug administration (MDA) campaign, Cameroon

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. e0008926
Author(s):  
Raphael Awah Abong ◽  
Glory Ngongeh Amambo ◽  
Ali Ahamat Hamid ◽  
Belinda Agbor Enow ◽  
Amuam Andrew Beng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Water Discharge ◽  
Drainage System ◽  
River System ◽  
High Water ◽  
Diagnostic Techniques ◽  
Dry Seasons ◽  
The Impact

Background The impact of large scale Mass Drug Adminstration (MDA) of ivermectin on active onchocerciasis transmission by Simulium damnosum, which transmits the parasite O. volvulus is of great importance for onchocerciasis control programmes. We investigated in the Mbam river system area, the impact of MDA of ivermectin on entomological indices and also verify if there are river system factors that could have favoured the transmission of onchocerciasis in this area and contribute to the persistence of disease. We compared three independent techniques to detect Onchocerca larvae in blackflies and also analyzed the river system within 9 months post-MDA of ivermectin. Method Simulium flies were captured before and after 1, 3, 6 and 9months of ivermectin-MDA. The biting rate was determined and 41% of the flies dissected while the rest were grouped into pools of 100 flies for DNA extraction. The extracted DNA was then subjected to O-150 LAMP and real-time PCR for the detection of infection by Onchocerca species using pool screening. The river system was analysed and the water discharge compared between rainy and dry seasons. Principal findings We used human landing collection method (previously called human bait) to collect 22,274 adult female Simulium flies from Mbam River System. Of this number, 9,134 were dissected while 129 pools constituted for molecular screening. Overall biting and parous rates of 1113 flies/man/day and 24.7%, respectively, were observed. All diagnostic techniques detected similar rates of O. volvulus infection (P = 0.9252) and infectivity (P = 0.4825) at all monitoring time points. Onchocerca ochengi larvae were only detected in 2 of the 129 pools. Analysis of the river drainage revealed two hydroelectric dams constructed on the tributaries of the Mbam river were the key contributing factor to the high-water discharge during both rainy and dry seasons. Conclusion Results from fly dissection (Microscopy), real-time PCR and LAMP revealed the same trends pre- and post-MDA. The infection rate with animal Onchocerca sp was exceptionally low. The dense river system generate important breeding sites that govern the abundance of Simulium during both dry and rainy seasons.

Detection of Leishmania infantum DNA by real-time PCR in canine oral and conjunctival swabs and comparison with other diagnostic techniques

2012 ◽  
Vol 184 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriella Lombardo ◽  
Maria Grazia Pennisi ◽  
Tiziana Lupo ◽  
Antonella Migliazzo ◽  
Alessandra Caprì ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Leishmania Infantum ◽  
Diagnostic Techniques

scholarly journals Development and evaluation of duplex TaqMan real-time PCR assay for detection and differentiation of wide-type and MGF505-2R gene-deleted African swine fever viruses

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
zhenhua Guo ◽  
Kunpeng Li ◽  
Songlin Qiao ◽  
Xinxin Chen ◽  
Ruiguang Deng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
African Swine Fever ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Diagnosis Method ◽  
Pcr Method ◽  
And Control

Abstract Background: African swine fever (ASF) is the most important disease to the pigs and cause serious economic losses to the countries with large-scale swine production. Vaccines are recognized as the most useful tool to prevent and control ASF virus (ASFV) infection. Currently, the MGF505 and MGF360 gene-deleted ASFVs or combined with CD2v deletion were confirmed to be the most promising vaccine candidates. Thus, it is essential to develop a diagnosis method to discriminate wide-type strain from the vaccines used.Results: In this study, we established a duplex TaqMan real-time PCR based on the B646L gene and MGF505-2R gene. The sequence alignment showed that the targeted regions of primers and probes are highly conserved in the genotype II ASFVs. The duplex real-time assay can specifically detect B646L and MGF505-2R gene single or simultaneously without cross-reaction with other porcine viruses tested. The limit of detection was 5.8 copies and 3.0 copies for the standard plasmids containing B646L and MGF505-2R genes, respectively. Clinical samples were tested in parallel by duplex real-time PCR and a commercial ASFV detection kit. The detection results of these two assays against B646L gene were well consistent.Conclusion: We successfully developed and evaluated a duplex TaqMan real-time PCR method which can effectively distinguish the wide type and MGF505 gene-deleted ASFVs. It would be a useful tool for the clinical diagnosis and control of ASF.

scholarly journals River hydrology and recent suspended sediment flux in the Red River: implication for assessing soil erosion and sediment transport/deposition processes

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 614
Author(s):  
Dang Thi Ha ◽  
Alexandra Coynel
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Suspended Particulate Matter ◽  
Water Discharge ◽  
River System ◽  
Deposition Process ◽  
High Water ◽  
Sediment Flux ◽  
Red River ◽  
Hydrological Conditions ◽  
Suspended Particulate

Based on a database of daily water discharge and daily suspended particulate matter concentrations along the Red River and at the outlet of the main tributaries (Da and Lo) during the 2005-2010 period, covering contrasting hydrological conditions, the water and sediment fluxes transported by the Red River system were determined. The results showed that only 21% of the discharge is derived from the upper Red River, 54% and 25% being derived from the Da and the Lo Rivers, respectively. In contrast, the distribution of suspended particulate matter (SPM) load is very different of that observed for water discharge: most SPM were eroded from the upstream catchment located in China (78%). Moreover, annual SPM fluxes (FSPM) showed a strong spatial variability between upstream watershed and the outlet of the river. The mean inter-annual FSPM was 30 Mt/yr (i.e. specific flux of 741 t/km²/yr) at the LaoCai site, 38 Mt/yr (i.e. 792 t/km²/yr) at the PhuTho gauging site, 29 Mt/yr (i.e. 193 t/km²/yr) at the SonTay gaugng station. Its values were 4.1 Mt/yr (i.e. 80 t/km²/yr) and 6.6 Mt/yr (i.e. 191 t/km²/yr) for the Da and Lo rivers, respectively. Between the LaoCai and PhuTho sites, both erosion and sedimentation processes occurred together, but strongly depended on the hydrological conditions. Between the PhuTho and SonTay sites, the important loss of SPM flux suggested a dominant deposition process in the floodplain during high water before the delta. These results proved the complex processes of erosion/sedimentation occurring on the Red River watershed.

Vulnerability of coastal areas to increased aquifer saturation due to climate change

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Gauvain ◽  
Ronan Abhervé ◽  
Jean-Raynald de Dreuzy ◽  
Luc Aquilina ◽  
Frédéric Gresselin
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Drainage System ◽  
Hydrological Regime ◽  
Coastal Areas ◽  
Western Coast ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
The Impact

<p>Like in other relatively flat coastal areas, flooding by aquifer overflow is a recurring problem on the western coast of Normandy (France). Threats are expected to be enhanced by the rise of the sea level and to have critical consequences on the future development and management of the territory. The delineation of the increased saturation areas is a required step to assess the impact of climate change locally. Preliminary models showed that vulnerability does not result only from the sea side but also from the continental side through the modifications of the hydrological regime.</p><p>We investigate the processes controlling these coastal flooding phenomena by using hydrogeological models calibrated at large scale with an innovative method reproducing the hydrographic network. Reference study sites selected for their proven sensitivity to flooding have been used to validate the methodology and determine the influence of the different geomorphological configurations frequently encountered along the coastal line.</p><p>Hydrogeological models show that the rise of the sea level induces an irregular increase in coastal aquifer saturations extending up to several kilometers inland. Back-littoral channels traditionally used as a large-scale drainage system against high tides limits the propagation of aquifer saturation upstream, provided that channels are not dominantly under maritime influence. High seepage fed by increased recharge occurring in climatic extremes may extend the vulnerable areas and further limit the effectiveness of the drainage system. Local configurations are investigated to categorize the influence of the local geological and geomorphological structures and upscale it at the regional scale.</p>

scholarly journals The Light and Shadow of Rapid Serological Tests for SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Results from a Study in a Large Emergency Department

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (18) ◽  
pp. 6493
Author(s):  
Daniela Loconsole ◽  
Francesca Centrone ◽  
Caterina Morcavallo ◽  
Silvia Campanella ◽  
Anna Sallustio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Respiratory Symptoms ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Serological Test ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Serological Assay ◽  
Infected People ◽  
Screening Programs

A critical point in the management of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is the need to promptly identify the greatest number of infected people and to implement strict public health measures. In this study, the performance of a rapid serological test in a clinical setting was evaluated. Samples from 819 consecutive patients (with or without respiratory symptoms) admitted to a large Emergency Department were tested between 23 March and 21 April 2020. Patient samples were tested in a real-time PCR assay and a serological assay. In total, 148/819 patients (18.1%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time PCR. The serological test revealed that 70/819 patients (8.5%) had anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and/or IgG. The prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was significantly higher in patients with respiratory symptoms lasting for >7 days than in those with respiratory symptoms lasting for 0–7 days (p < 0.001). The serological assay had an overall sensitivity of 35.1% and an overall specificity of 97.3%. A high negative predictive value (96.7%) was reported for patients without respiratory symptoms. The results confirm that rapid serological assays alone are not sufficient for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection but can be incorporated into large-scale screening programs during periods in which the virus circulation is low.

Effects of real time control of sewer systems on treatment plant performance and receiving water quality

2002 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Frehmann ◽  
A. Niemann ◽  
P. Ustohal ◽  
W.F. Geiger
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Drainage System ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Integral Model ◽  
Real Time Control ◽  
Time Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Receiving Water

Four individual mathematical submodels simulating different subsystems of urban drainage were intercoupled to an integral model. The submodels (for surface runoff, flow in sewer system, wastewater treatment plant and receiving water) were calibrated on the basis of field data measured in an existing urban catchment investigation. Three different strategies for controlling the discharge in the sewer network were defined and implemented in the integral model. The impact of these control measures was quantified by representative immission state-parameters of the receiving water. The results reveal that the effect of a control measure may be ambivalent, depending on the referred component of a complex drainage system. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the drainage system in the catchment investigation can be considerably optimised towards environmental protection and operation efficiency if an appropriate real time control on the integral scale is applied.

scholarly journals Detection and Enumeration of Aromatic Oxygenase Genes by Multiplex and Real-Time PCR

2003 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 3350-3358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett R. Baldwin ◽  
Cindy H. Nakatsu ◽  
Loring Nies
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Simultaneous Detection ◽  
Gene Copy Number ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
Gene Copy ◽  
Hydrocarbon Biodegradation ◽  
Polymerization Temperature ◽  
Primer Sets ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Our abilities to detect and enumerate pollutant-biodegrading microorganisms in the environment are rapidly advancing with the development of molecular genetic techniques. Techniques based on multiplex and real-time PCR amplification of aromatic oxygenase genes were developed to detect and quantify aromatic catabolic pathways, respectively. PCR primer sets were identified for the large subunits of aromatic oxygenases from alignments of known gene sequences and tested with genetically well-characterized strains. In all, primer sets which allowed amplification of naphthalene dioxygenase, biphenyl dioxygenase, toluene dioxygenase, xylene monooxygenase, phenol monooxygenase, and ring-hydroxylating toluene monooxygenase genes were identified. For each primer set, the length of the observed amplification product matched the length predicted from published sequences, and specificity was confirmed by hybridization. Primer sets were grouped according to the annealing temperature for multiplex PCR permitting simultaneous detection of various genotypes responsible for aromatic hydrocarbon biodegradation. Real-time PCR using SYBR green I was employed with the individual primer sets to determine the gene copy number. Optimum polymerization temperatures for real-time PCR were determined on the basis of the observed melting temperatures of the desired products. When a polymerization temperature of 4 to 5�C below the melting temperature was used, background fluorescence signals were greatly reduced, allowing detection limits of 2 � 102 copies per reaction mixture. Improved in situ microbial characterization will provide more accurate assessment of pollutant biodegradation, enhance studies of the ecology of contaminated sites, and facilitate assessment of the impact of remediation technologies on indigenous microbial populations.

The Study of the Impact for Coastal Engineering on High Water Level Induced by Storm Surges in Bohai Bay

2011 ◽  
Vol 94-96 ◽  
pp. 810-814
Author(s):  
Jin Shan Zhang ◽  
Wei Sheng Zhang ◽  
Chen Cheng ◽  
Lin Yun Sun
Keyword(s):  
Water Level ◽  
Storm Surge ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Storm Surges ◽  
High Water ◽  
Coastal Engineering ◽  
Cold Wave ◽  
Bohai Bay ◽  
Ocean Engineering ◽  
The Impact

Bohai Bay is an semi-closed bay, the storm surge disaster is very serious in past. Now more and more large ocean engineering are built here, To study changes of storm surge induced by the construction of large-scale coastal engineering in Bohai Bay in present, 2D numerical storm surge model is established with large - medium - small model nested approach. The three most typical storms surges: 9216, 9711 and by cold wave in October 2003 are simulated in the condition of before and after implementation of planning projects in Bohai Bay. Changes of storm surge water level due to implementation of artificial projects are analysis in this paper.

scholarly journals Saliva pools for screening of human cytomegalovirus using real-time PCR

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cláudia Fernandes ◽  
Augusta Marques ◽  
Maria de Jesus Chasqueira ◽  
Mónica Cró Braz ◽  
Ana Rute Ferreira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Human Cytomegalovirus ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Cost Reduction ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Hcmv Infection ◽  
Screening Program ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Congenital Infection ◽  
Congenital Hcmv Infection

Abstract Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the leading congenital infection agent in the world. The importance of screening this infection has been debated, as 10–15% of the asymptomatic newborns with HCMV at birth will present late sequelae. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of using saliva pools from newborns in a screening program for congenital HCMV infection, in two Portuguese hospitals. The screening was based on the use of pools of 10 saliva samples for detection of viral DNA by real-time PCR. Whenever there was a positive pool, the samples were tested individually, and for each positive sample the result was confirmed with a urine sample collected in the first 2 weeks of life. The study involved 1492 newborns. One hundred and fifty pools were screened, with 14 positive results in saliva, but only 10 were confirmed in urine samples, giving a prevalence of congenital HCMV infection in both hospitals of 0.67% (CI95% 0.36 to 1.23%). Conclusion: The overall prevalence of congenital HCMV infection in both hospitals was 0.67%. The use of saliva pools proved to be effective for the screening of this congenital infection, allowing timely screening and confirmation in a large population, with associated cost reduction. What is Known:• Newborn screening for HCMV is desirable.• Saliva is a good and practical sample. What is New:• The feasibility of using saliva pools for a large-scale screening.• The cost reduction of this strategy.

scholarly journals DNA recovery from archived RDTs for genetic characterization of Plasmodium falciparum in a routine setting in Lambaréné, Gabon

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
The Trong Nguyen ◽  
Brice Nzigou Mombo ◽  
Albert Lalremruata ◽  
Erik Koehne ◽  
Rella Zoleko Manego ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Chloroquine Resistance ◽  
Dna Recovery ◽  
Parasite Populations ◽  
Pcr Targeting

Abstract Background Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have been described as a source of genetic material to analyse malaria parasites in proof-of-concept studies. The increasing use of RDTs (e.g., in focal or mass screening and treatment campaigns) makes this approach particularly attractive for large-scale investigations of parasite populations. In this study, the complexity of Plasmodium falciparum infections, parasite load and chloroquine resistance transporter gene mutations were investigated in DNA samples extracted from positive RDTs, obtained in a routine setting and archived at ambient temperature. Methods A total of 669 archived RDTs collected from malaria cases in urban, semi-urban and rural areas of central Gabon were used for P. falciparum DNA extraction. Performance of RDTs as a source of DNA for PCR was determined using: (i) amplification of a single copy merozoite surface protein 1 (msp1) gene followed by highly sensitive and automated capillary electrophoresis; (ii) genotyping of the pfcrt gene locus 72–76 using haplotype-specific-probe-based real-time PCR to characterize chloroquine resistance; and, (iii) real-time PCR targeting 18S genes to detect and quantify Plasmodium parasites. Results Out of the 669 archived RDTs, amplification of P. falciparum nucleic materials had a success rate of 97% for 18S real-time PCR, and 88% for the msp1 gene. The multiplicity of infections (MOI) of the whole population was 2.6 (95% CI 2.5–2.8). The highest number of alleles detected in one infection was 11. The MOI decreased with increasing age (β = − 0.0046, p = 0.02) and residence in Lambaréné was associated with smaller MOIs (p < 0.001). The overall prevalence of mutations associated with chloroquine resistance was 78.5% and was not associated with age. In Lambaréné, prevalence of chloroquine resistance was lower compared to rural Moyen-Ogooué (β = − 0.809, p-value = 0.011). Conclusion RDT is a reliable source of DNA for P. falciparum detection and genotyping assays. Furthermore, the increasing use of RDTs allows them to be an alternative source of DNA for large-scale genetic epidemiological studies. Parasite populations in the study area are highly diverse and prevalence of chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum remains high, especially in rural areas.

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