scholarly journals Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii assayed using Rapid Diagnostic Tests among Residents in Three Counties Adjacent to The Demilitarized Zone, Korea

2021 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-14
Author(s):  
Jeehi Jung ◽  
Jinyoung Lee ◽  
Yoon Kyung Chang ◽  
Seong Kyu Ahn ◽  
Seo Hye Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Rapid Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Seroprevalence Rate ◽  
Glutathione S Transferase ◽  
Recombinant Fragment ◽  
Demilitarized Zone ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Major Surface ◽  
Age And Sex

Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence have been rapidly increasing in some parts of Korea. We analyzed prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies, using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT), in the sera of 552 residents in Ganghwa-gun, 661 ones in Cheorwon-gun, and 305 ones in Goseong-gun, Korea in 2019. IgG/IgM RDT mounted with recombinant fragment of major surface antigen (SAG1), glutathione-S-transferase-linker-SAG1A, were applied to the sera. IgG seroprevalence was 28.1% in Ganghwa-gun, 19.5% in Cheorwon-gun and 35.7% in Goseong-gun. Odds ratios comparing Cheorwon vs Ganghwa was 0.63 (P=0.001) and Goesong versus Ganghwa was 1.47 (P=0.01) adjusting age and sex. Goseong had highest seroprevalence among the 3 counties both in crude rates and logistic regression. Although Cheorwon and Goseong are adjacent to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Korea, seroprevalence rate was much higher in Goseong. Further investigation on other DMZ-closed areas is necessary whether they have high prevalence rates compared to the other areas. T. gondii prevalence in Korea is still persists; proper health policy should be established.

scholarly journals Dengue rapid diagnostic tests: Health professionals’ practices and challenges in Burkina Faso

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 205031211879458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvie Zongo ◽  
Mabel Carabali ◽  
Marie Munoz ◽  
Valéry Ridde
Keyword(s):  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Rapid Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Prescription Practices ◽  
High Prevalence

Objectives: Dengue fever remains unrecognized and under-reported in Africa due to several factors, including health professionals’ lack of awareness, important prevalence of other febrile illnesses, most of which are treated presumptively as malaria, and the absence of surveillance systems. In Burkina Faso, health centers have no diagnostic tools to identify and manage dengue, which remains ignored, despite the evidence of seasonal outbreaks in recent years. A qualitative study was conducted to analyze the use of rapid diagnostic tests in six health and social promotion centers (i.e. health-care centers, from the French Centers de Santé et de Promotion Sociale) of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) in an exploratory research context. Methods: Dengue rapid diagnostic tests were introduced into fever-related consultations from December 2013 to January 2014. In-depth individual interviews were conducted in May and June 2014 with 32 health professionals. Results: Prior to the introduction of the tests, dengue was not well known or diagnosed by health professionals during consultations. Most febrile cases were routinely presumed to be malaria and treated accordingly. With training and routine use of rapid diagnostic tests, health professionals became more knowledgeable about dengue, improving the diagnosis of non-malaria febrile cases and its management, and better prescription practices. Conclusions: In a context of dengue re-emergence and high prevalence of other febrile illnesses, having rapid diagnostic tools available, especially during epidemics reinforces health professionals’ diagnostic and prescribing capacities, allowing an opportune and accurate case management and facilitates diseases surveillance.

Chronic Wasting Disease Options of Surveillance in Carpathian Cervids: from the Identification of Characteristic Microscopic Pathologic Changes to Prionic Seeded Conversion and Amplification Assays

2001 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 480-486
Author(s):  
Florica Barbuceanu ◽  
Stelian Baraitareanu ◽  
Stefania-Felicia Barbuceanu ◽  
Gabriel Predoi
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Immunoassay ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Chronic Wasting Disease ◽  
Rapid Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Wasting Disease ◽  
Western Immunoblotting ◽  
Negative Results ◽  
Antigen Capture ◽  
Confirmatory Tests

This paper describes the current diagnostic methods of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in cervides used between 2013 and 2017 in Romania. The active surveillance of CWD involves the targeted groups screening by using rapid diagnostic tests (e.g., antigen capture enzyme immunoassay). If the first test does not provide certain negative results, then the confirmatory methods have been used, i.e. histopathology, immunohistochemistry and Western immunoblotting. These tests did not lead to the detection of CWD prions (PrPCWD) in Romania. This may be due to the absence or insufficient quantity of PrPCWD in samples, below the threshold of confirmatory tests.

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Toxocara canis among Myositis Patients in Southwest of Iran

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasem Saki ◽  
Karim Mowla ◽  
Reza Arjmand ◽  
Forough Kazemi ◽  
Somayeh Fallahizadeh
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Nested Pcr ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Toxocara Canis ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Igg Antibodies ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Acute Toxoplasmosis ◽  
Southwest Of Iran

Introduction: Parasitic myositis is caused by some parasites such as T. gondii and T. canis. So, the aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence T. gondii and T. canis in patients with myositis and healthy individuals. Methods: A total of 108 samples were randomly selected as the control (54 healthy individuals) and test (54 myositis patients) groups. IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii and IgG antibodies against T. canis were measured by the ELISA. The detection of chronic and acute toxoplasmosis was performed by the ELISA IgG avidity. The presence of T. gondii in blood was evaluated by the nested-PCR. Results: Of 108, 33 (30.6%) cases were detected positive for IgG against T. gondii that 19 (35.2%) and 14 (25.9%) were observed in myositis patients and healthy individuals, respectively (P=0.296). Of 19 positive cases, 12 (63.2%) and 7 (36.8%) cases were detected as chronic and acute toxoplasmosis, respectively, while, all positive cases in the control group had chronic toxoplasmosis (P=0.013). One (1.9%) sample was detected positive for anti- Toxoplasma gondii IgM and two (3.7%) samples were found positive for IgG against T. canis by the ELISA that these positive cases were observed only in myositis patients (P=1.000 P=0.495, respectively). B1 T. gondii gene was amplified in 12 (63.2%) and 1 (7.1%) in myositis patients and healthy subjects (P=0.001). Conclusions: Our findings showed that there was a relatively high prevalence of acute toxoplasmosis in myositis patients in comparison with the control subjects in southwest of Iran.

scholarly journals Modelling the impact of rapid diagnostic tests on Plasmodium vivax malaria in South Korea: a cost–benefit analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. e004292
Author(s):  
Jung Ho Kim ◽  
Jiyeon Suh ◽  
Woon Ji Lee ◽  
Heun Choi ◽  
Jong-Dae Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Plasmodium Vivax ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Malaria Incidence ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Medical Costs ◽  
Rapid Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundRapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are widely used for diagnosing Plasmodium vivax malaria, especially in resource-limited countries. However, the impact of RDTs on P. vivax malaria incidence and national medical costs has not been evaluated. We assessed the impact of RDT implementation on P. vivax malaria incidence and overall medical expenditures in South Korea and performed a cost–benefit analysis from the payer’s perspective.MethodsWe developed a dynamic compartmental model for P. vivax malaria transmission in South Korea using delay differential equations. Long latency and seasonality were incorporated into the model, which was calibrated to civilian malaria incidences during 2014–2018. We then estimated averted malaria cases and total medical costs from two diagnostic scenarios: microscopy only and both microscopy and RDTs. Medical costs were extracted based on data from a hospital in an at-risk area for P. vivax malaria and were validated using Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data. We conducted a cost–benefit analysis of RDTs using the incremental benefit:cost ratio (IBCR) considering only medical costs and performed a probabilistic sensitivity analysis to reflect the uncertainties of model parameters, costs and benefits.ResultsThe results showed that 55.3% of new P. vivax malaria cases were averted, and $696 214 in medical costs was saved over 10 years after RDT introduction. The estimated IBCR was 2.5, indicating that RDT implementation was beneficial, compared with microscopy alone. The IBCR was sensitive to the diagnosis time reduction, infectious period and short latency period, and provided beneficial results in a benefit over $10.6 or RDT cost under $39.7.ConclusionsThe model simulation suggested that RDTs could significantly reduce P. vivax malaria incidence and medical costs. Moreover, cost–benefit analysis demonstrated that the introduction of RDTs was beneficial over microscopy alone. These results support the need for widespread adoption of RDTs.

scholarly journals The elusive parasite: comparing macroscopic, immunological, and genomic approaches to identifying malaria in human skeletal remains from Sayala, Egypt (third to sixth centuries AD)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alvie Loufouma Mbouaka ◽  
Michelle Gamble ◽  
Christina Wurst ◽  
Heidi Yoko Jäger ◽  
Frank Maixner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Sample Selection ◽  
Human Remains ◽  
Rapid Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Skeletal Remains ◽  
Pathological Changes ◽  
Human Skeletal Remains ◽  
The Past ◽  
A Site ◽  
Capture Sequencing

AbstractAlthough malaria is one of the oldest and most widely distributed diseases affecting humans, identifying and characterizing its presence in ancient human remains continue to challenge researchers. We attempted to establish a reliable approach to detecting malaria in human skeletons using multiple avenues of analysis: macroscopic observations, rapid diagnostic tests, and shotgun-capture sequencing techniques, to identify pathological changes, Plasmodium antigens, and Plasmodium DNA, respectively. Bone and tooth samples from ten individuals who displayed skeletal lesions associated with anaemia, from a site in southern Egypt (third to sixth centuries AD), were selected. Plasmodium antigens were detected in five of the ten bone samples, and traces of Plasmodium aDNA were detected in six of the twenty bone and tooth samples. There was relatively good synchronicity between the biomolecular findings, despite not being able to authenticate the results. This study highlights the complexity and limitations in the conclusive identification of the Plasmodium parasite in ancient human skeletons. Limitations regarding antigen and aDNA preservation and the importance of sample selection are at the forefront of the search for malaria in the past. We confirm that, currently, palaeopathological changes such as cribra orbitalia are not enough to be certain of the presence of malaria. While biomolecular methods are likely the best chance for conclusive identification, we were unable to obtain results which correspond to the current authentication criteria of biomolecules. This study represents an important contribution in the refinement of biomolecular techniques used; also, it raises new insight regarding the consistency of combining several approaches in the identification of malaria in past populations.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document