scholarly journals Pathogenesis and Clinical Features of Fungal Keratitis (Review)

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-19
Author(s):  
K. I. Belskaia ◽  
A. S. Obrubov
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Malignant Disease ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Fungal Keratitis ◽  
Disease Course ◽  
Infectious Keratitis ◽  
Mycotic Keratitis ◽  
New Methods ◽  
Unfavourable Prognosis

In this review we presented the information about pathogenesis of mycotic keratitis and the most characteristic clinical signs that can help ophthalmologists to suspect mycotic etiology. In conditions of poor accessibility and informativeness of laboratory and instrumental diagnostic tests, the analysis of the anamnesis and the clinical signs remain the only information that can be used by a physician while making a diagnosis and choosing treating strategies. This review contains the results of a number of studies. In the review we show the progression phases of cornea mycotic infection, among them adherence, invasion, morphogenesis and toxigenicity. We also reveal that the most characteristic clinical signs of mycotic keratitis are scalloped rough edge of stromal defect, prominent dry crumby or caseous structured view of infiltrates and necrotic masses, satellite infiltrates, certain changes of color of the defected area. Heaviness of mycotic keratitis ulcer defect has a correlation with an unfavourable prognosis for disease. Mycotic keratitis during contagion can be complicated by mycotic glaucoma with a malignant disease course and endophthalmitis. There can be cases with mixed infection. While Almost No clinical sign is pathognomonic for keratomycoses, summing up all the signs can verify the diagnosis. Ophthalmologists need training in the recognition the clinical signs of infectious keratitis. Also new methods of fast diagnostics of infectious keratitis etiology and implementation on a large scale are needed.

scholarly journals Diagnosis of tuberculosis in wildlife: a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jobin Thomas ◽  
Ana Balseiro ◽  
Christian Gortázar ◽  
María A. Risalde
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Diagnostic Techniques ◽  
Review Literature ◽  
Meat Industry ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Ongoing Research

AbstractAnimal tuberculosis (TB) is a multi-host disease caused by members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC). Due to its impact on economy, sanitary standards of milk and meat industry, public health and conservation, TB control is an actively ongoing research subject. Several wildlife species are involved in the maintenance and transmission of TB, so that new approaches to wildlife TB diagnosis have gained relevance in recent years. Diagnosis is a paramount step for screening, epidemiological investigation, as well as for ensuring the success of control strategies such as vaccination trials. This is the first review that systematically addresses data available for the diagnosis of TB in wildlife following the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The article also gives an overview of the factors related to host, environment, sampling, and diagnostic techniques which can affect test performance. After three screenings, 124 articles were considered for systematic review. Literature indicates that post-mortem examination and culture are useful methods for disease surveillance, but immunological diagnostic tests based on cellular and humoral immune response detection are gaining importance in wildlife TB diagnosis. Among them, serological tests are especially useful in wildlife because they are relatively inexpensive and easy to perform, facilitate large-scale surveillance and can be used both ante- and post-mortem. Currently available studies assessed test performance mostly in cervids, European badgers, wild suids and wild bovids. Research to improve diagnostic tests for wildlife TB diagnosis is still needed in order to reach accurate, rapid and cost-effective diagnostic techniques adequate to a broad range of target species and consistent over space and time to allow proper disease monitoring.

scholarly journals Is Bisphosphonate-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw an Infection? A Histological and Microbiological Ten-Year Summary

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Hinson ◽  
C. W. Smith ◽  
E. R. Siegel ◽  
B. C. Stack
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Disease Severity ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Osteonecrosis Of The Jaw ◽  
Multifactorial Disease ◽  
Clinical Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Surgical Treatments

The role of infection in the etiology of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) is poorly understood. Large-scale epidemiological descriptions of the histology and microbiology of BRONJ are not found in the literature. Herein, we present a systematic review of BRONJ histology and microbiology (including demographics, immunocompromised associations, clinical signs and symptoms, disease severity, antibiotic and surgical treatments, and recovery status) validating that infection should still be considered a prime component in the multifactorial disease.

scholarly journals Mycoplasma agalactiae: The Sole Cause of Classical Contagious Agalactia?

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1782
Author(s):  
Sergio Migliore ◽  
Roberto Puleio ◽  
Robin A. J. Nicholas ◽  
Guido R. Loria
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Molecular Methods ◽  
The Other ◽  
Animal Disease ◽  
Mycoplasma Agalactiae ◽  
Contagious Agalactia ◽  
Mycoplasma Capricolum ◽  
Mycoplasma Mycoides

Contagious agalactia (CA) is suspected when small ruminants show all or several of the following clinical signs: mastitis, arthritis, keratoconjunctivitis and occasionally abortion. It is confirmed following mycoplasma isolation or detection. The historical and major cause is Mycoplasma agalactiae which was first isolated from sheep in 1923. Over the last thirty years, three other mycoplasmas (Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri, Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum and Mycoplasma putrefaciens) have been added to the etiology of CA because they can occasionally cause clinically similar outcomes though nearly always in goats. However, only M. agalactiae is subject to animal disease regulations nationally and internationally. Consequently, it makes little sense to list mycoplasmas other than M. agalactiae as causes of the OIE-listed CA when they are not officially reported by the veterinary authorities and unlikely to be so in the future. Indeed, encouraging countries just to report M. agalactiae may bring about a better understanding of the importance of CA. In conclusion, we recommend that CA should only be diagnosed and confirmed when M. agalactiae is detected either by isolation or molecular methods, and that the other three mycoplasmas be removed from the OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines in Terrestrial Animals and associated sources.

scholarly journals A clinical staging proposal of the disease course over time in non-severe patients with coronavirus disease 2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiting Lin ◽  
Yiqun Wu ◽  
Ping Zhong ◽  
Bingbo Hou ◽  
Jielan Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Markers ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Clinical Staging ◽  
Disease Course ◽  
Prodromal Phase ◽  
The Third ◽  
Convalescent Phase ◽  
Secondary Damage ◽  
Remission Phase ◽  
Over Time

AbstractInformation on the clinical staging of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still limited. This study aimed to propose a clinical staging proposal of the disease course in non-severe patients with COVID-19. In this retrospective study, 108 non-severe patients with COVID-19 were grouped according to the duration from symptoms onset to hospital admission: ≤ 1 week, > 1 to 2 weeks, > 2 to 3 weeks, > 3 to 5 weeks, respectively. The dynamic changes of clinical signs were profiled across the four groups. A clinical staging proposal of the disease course over time was proposed from the perspective of the interaction between the virus and host. The prodromal phase, characterized by pneumonia, significant lymphopenia, and slightly elevated inflammatory markers, occurred in the first week after symptoms onset. In the second week, all the hematological and inflammatory markers were at the peak or bottom. Meanwhile, progressive pneumonia as well as the secondary damage of other organs (e.g. cardiac damage, coagulopathy, etc.) was significant during this period, making the disease progress into the apparent manifestation phase. In the third week, the improvement of the majority of clinical signs accompanied by a relatively high degree of inflammatory response defined the remission phase. After 3 weeks, patients were in the convalescent phase, in which all the indicators were maintained at a relatively normal level. We concluded that the disease course over time in non-severe patients with COVID-19 could be divided into four phases: the prodromal phase (in the first week), the apparent manifestation phase (in the second week), the remission phase (in the third week), and the convalescent phase (after 3 weeks), respectively. In clinical practice, tailored therapies should be considered seriously in different stages of the disease course.

scholarly journals Revisiting Ophidiomycosis (Snake Fungal Disease) After a Decade of Targeted Research

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina M. Davy ◽  
Leonard Shirose ◽  
Doug Campbell ◽  
Rachel Dillon ◽  
Christina McKenzie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Sublethal Effects ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Fungal Disease ◽  
Host Susceptibility ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Molecular Testing ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Snake Fungal Disease ◽  
Free Ranging

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are typically characterized by novelty (recent detection) and by increasing incidence, distribution, and/or pathogenicity. Ophidiomycosis, also called snake fungal disease, is caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophidiicola (formerly “ophiodiicola”). Ophidiomycosis has been characterized as an EID and as a potential threat to populations of Nearctic snakes, sparking over a decade of targeted research. However, the severity of this threat is unclear. We reviewed the available literature to quantify incidence and effects of ophidiomycosis in Nearctic snakes, and to evaluate whether the evidence supports the ongoing characterization of ophidiomycosis as an EID. Data from Canada remain scarce, so we supplemented the literature review with surveys for O. ophidiicola in the Canadian Great Lakes region. Peer-reviewed reports of clinical signs consistent with ophidiomycosis in free-ranging, Nearctic snakes date back to at least 1998, and retrospective molecular testing of samples extend the earliest confirmed record to 1986. Diagnostic criteria varied among publications (n = 33), confounding quantitative comparisons. Ophidiomycosis was diagnosed or suspected in 36/121 captive snakes and was fatal in over half of cases (66.7%). This result may implicate captivity-related stress as a risk factor for mortality from ophidiomycosis, but could also reflect reporting bias (i.e., infections are more likely to be detected in captive snakes, and severe cases are more likely to be reported). In contrast, ophidiomycosis was diagnosed or suspected in 441/2,384 free-ranging snakes, with mortality observed in 43 (9.8 %). Ophidiomycosis was only speculatively linked to population declines, and we found no evidence that the prevalence of the pathogen or disease increased over the past decade of targeted research. Supplemental surveys and molecular (qPCR) testing in Ontario, Canada detected O. ophidiicola on 76 of 657 free-ranging snakes sampled across ~136,000 km2. The pathogen was detected at most sites despite limited and haphazard sampling. No large-scale mortality was observed. Current evidence supports previous suggestions that the pathogen is a widespread, previously unrecognized endemic, rather than a novel pathogen. Ophidiomycosis may not pose an imminent threat to Nearctic snakes, but further research should investigate potential sublethal effects of ophidiomycosis such as altered reproductive success that could impact population growth, and explore whether shifting environmental conditions may alter host susceptibility.

scholarly journals Potential for community based surveillance of febrile diseases: Feasibility of self-administered rapid diagnostic tests in Iquitos, Peru and Phnom Penh, Cambodia

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. e0009307
Author(s):  
Amy C. Morrison ◽  
Julia Schwarz ◽  
Jennie L. Mckenney ◽  
Jhonny Cordova ◽  
Jennifer E. Rios ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Rapid Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Phnom Penh ◽  
Local Public Health ◽  
At Home

Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have the potential to identify infectious diseases quickly, minimize disease transmission, and could complement and improve surveillance and control of infectious and vector-borne diseases during outbreaks. The U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Joint Science and Technology Office (DTRA-JSTO) program set out to develop novel point-of-need RDTs for infectious diseases and deploy them for home use with no training. The aim of this formative study was to address two questions: 1) could community members in Iquitos, Peru and Phnom Penh, Cambodia competently use RDTs of different levels of complexity at home with visually based instructions provided, and 2) if an RDT were provided at no cost, would it be used at home if family members displayed febrile symptoms? Test kits with written and video (Peru only) instructions were provided to community members (Peru [n = 202]; Cambodia [n = 50]) or community health workers (Cambodia [n = 45]), and trained observers evaluated the competency level for each of the several steps required to successfully operate one of two multiplex RDTs on themselves or other consenting participant (i.e., family member). In Iquitos, >80% of residents were able to perform 11/12 steps and 7/15 steps for the two- and five-pathogen test, respectively. Competency in Phnom Penh never reached 80% for any of the 12 or 15 steps for either test; the percentage of participants able to perform a step ranged from 26–76% and 23–72%, for the two- and five-pathogen tests, respectively. Commercially available NS1 dengue rapid tests were distributed, at no cost, to households with confirmed exposure to dengue or Zika virus; of 14 febrile cases reported, six used the provided RDT. Our findings support the need for further implementation research on the appropriate level of instructions or training needed for diverse devices in different settings, as well as how to best integrate RDTs into existing local public health and disease surveillance programs at a large scale.

scholarly journals Profile of fungal keratitis in a Sub-Himalayan territory of north India

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 356-364
Author(s):  
Anil Kumar Verma ◽  
Anuradha Sood ◽  
Anil Chauhan ◽  
Rajeev Tuli ◽  
Subhash Chand Jaryal
Keyword(s):  
Corneal Ulcer ◽  
Diagnostic Value ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Fungal Keratitis ◽  
North India ◽  
Mycotic Keratitis ◽  
Predisposing Factor ◽  
Direct Microscopy ◽  
Corneal Ulcers ◽  
Wet Mount

Aim: To study the microbiological and epidemiological profile of patients with suppurative corneal ulcer presenting in a rural referral center situated in a Sub-Himalayan territory of north India. The study was conducted to evaluate the epidemiology and frequency of mycotic keratitis among the patients of suppurative corneal ulcer and to identify various fungal species as etiological agents. Methods: Corneal scrapings from 56 patients of suppurative corneal ulcers were subjected to direct microscopy and culture. Results: Of the 56 cases of suppurative corneal ulcer investigated, fungal etiology was identified in 18 (32%) cases. Most of the patients (82.1%) worked in agriculture. Trivial trauma with vegetative matter was the most common predisposing factor. Fusarium and Acremonium species were the most common fungi isolated, followed by Aspergillus. Four cases of rare mycotic keratitis caused by Paecilomyces lilacinus, Scedosporium apiospermum, Monilia sitophila, and Ulocladium species were detected. Four cases were smear positive (10% KOH wet mount) but culture negative. Analysis of KOH wet mount was done using culture as gold standard. The sensitivity and specificity of KOH wet mount was 71.43% and 90.48%, respectively. Conclusion: Direct microscopy and culture has a greater diagnostic value in the management of suppurative corneal ulcer. The authors have observed changes in the pattern of organisms identified as cause of fungal keratitis in the region. Rare species of fungi may also be detected if corneal scrapings are collected for direct microscopy and culture from all the cases of suppurative corneal ulcers greater than 2 mm.

scholarly journals Paediatric Acquired Demyelinating Syndromes

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ori Haddad ◽  
Yael Hacohen ◽  
Omar Abdel-Mannan
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Environmental Risk ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Serum Vitamin ◽  
Human Leukocyte ◽  
Environmental Risk Factors ◽  
Neurological Deficits ◽  
Disease Course ◽  
Serum Vitamin D ◽  
Vitamin D Levels

Paediatric acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADS) are characterised by neurological deficits persisting for at least 24 hours, involving the optic nerve, spinal cord or brain with a clinical spectrum of diagnoses including multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and MOG-Ab associated disease (MOGAD). Important strides have been made in delineating MS from other ADS subtypes over the past decade, including the discovery of serum aquaporin-4 (AQP4) and Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibodies (Ab).  Both genetic (e.g. human leukocyte antigen, HLA-DRB1*1501 allele) and environmental risk factors (e.g. low serum vitamin D levels and prior exposure to Epstein–Barr virus) may contribute to risk of MS in children.  Some of these risk factors not only confer increased susceptibility to MS but may also affect the disease course. Paediatric AQP4-Ab NMOSD is a rare disease worldwide but variations in incidence/prevalence have been described among different geographic regions and ethnicities. One-third of children who present with an ADS have MOG-Ab, and approximately half of patients with MOG-Ab have a relapsing disease course. It seems there is no racial or gender predominance in MOGAD, which is in contrast to the female and non-white predominance seen in both MS and NMOSD.‎  In this review, we examine the current literature regarding the epidemiology and demographics of these different ADS entities with a particular focus on the genetic and environmental risk factors for MS in children. While insights into disease pathophysiology in paediatric ADS have led recent therapeutic advances, well designed, collaborative large scale epidemiological studies are likely to provide the critical next step to a personalised approach to these conditions.

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