Molecular epidemiology of Microsporidia among HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients in the Limpopo province, South Africa

Introduction: Human microsporidiosis represents an important and rapidly emerging opportunistic disease. The present study investigated the prevalence of microsporidia among HIV positive and HIV negative patients with or without diarrhoea in Vhembe and Mopani Districts in the Limpopo Province. Methodology: A total of 170 stool samples were collected from these patients and microsporidia species was detected using a Real-Time PCR targeting a conserved region of the small ribosomal subunit rRNA (SSU-rRNA) gene of Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon intestinalis, Encephalitozoon hellem, and Encephalitozoon cuniculi. Results: Fifty six (32.9%) were positive for microsporidia. The prevalence was higher in HIV negative patients (36.6%) while 24.1% of patients who were HIV positive had microsporidia. Microsporidia was more common among patients aged between 1 and 10 years (52.6%). However among the HIV positive patients, microsporidia prevalence was higher among those that were not taking antiretrovirals (ARVs) compared to those who were on ARVs, (36.6%) and (24.1%), respectively. Microsporidia was also noted to be significantly associated with diarrheal and stomach pains; p = 0.02 and p = 0.048, respectively. Furthermore, microsporidia infections was more prevalent among patients who had animals at home (p = 0.037). Conclusions: Study has shown a high prevalence of microsporidia among patients attending primary health centers in the Mopani District for the first time. Prevalence of microsporidia was higher among HIV negative and HIV positive patients who were not on ARV treatment. Keeping animals in the household appeared to be a risk of getting infected with microsporidia. Further studies are needed to determine the genetic characteristics of these organisms in the study population.

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Livoneca redmanii (Isopoda, Cymothoidae) in meagre Argyrosomus regius: parasitological and molecular diagnosis and proposed control measure

Diseases of Aquatic Organisms ◽

10.3354/dao03490 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 140 ◽

pp. 13-24

Author(s):

A Fadel ◽

M Bessat ◽

M Abdel-Aziz

Keyword(s):

Control Measure ◽

Ribosomal Subunit ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Infection Prevalence ◽

Argyrosomus Regius ◽

Treated Fish ◽

Serum Lysozyme ◽

Lysozyme Concentration ◽

Pcr Targeting

Isopodiosis in cultured meagre Argyrosomus regius was investigated at 3 farms in the northern lakes of Egypt throughout 2018, based upon prevalence rate, parasitological examination, and molecular identification by PCR targeting the large ribosomal subunit 16S of the rRNA gene. Further, the susceptibility of A. regius to isopod infection was experimentally evaluated under hyposalination of 25, 15, and 8 ppt for 1 wk. The isolated isopod stages were morphologically identified as Livoneca redmanii Leach, 1818 with prevalence rates of 77.05 and 77.9% in Al-Madiyyah and Sidi Krir, respectively. The highest prevalence and salinity of 78.85% and 30-34 ppt were reported in El Matareya. DNA sequencing and molecular analysis confirmed the identification of L. redmanii. A. regius experimentally infected with L. redmanii under a hyposalination protocol at 15 and 8 ppt showed marked reduction in mortality (20 and 50%, respectively), and infection prevalence (40 and 63.33%, respectively). The serum lysozyme concentration and nitric oxide of treated fish at 15 and 8 ppt were significantly increased compared to those held at 25 and 33 ppt, whereas serum osmolality levels were higher at 25 and 33 ppt. To our knowledge, this is the first molecular characterization of L. redmanii in cultured A. regius in Egypt.

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Microflora of autopsy material from HIV-infected patients

Russian Pulmonology ◽

10.18093/0869-0189-2021-31-4-483-489 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 483-489

Author(s):

A. V. Zhestkov ◽

A. V. Lyamin ◽

Yu. L. Ketsko ◽

M. O. Zolotov

Keyword(s):

Lung Tissue ◽

Causative Agent ◽

Community Acquired Pneumonia ◽

Hiv Positive ◽

Gram Negative Bacteria ◽

Autopsy Material ◽

Candida Spp ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Opportunistic Disease ◽

Hiv Negative

According to literature, lungs are affected in 25 – 60% of HIV-infected individuals. The most common opportunistic disease in this group of patients is pneumonia of various etiology. HIV-positive patients show a wide microbiological landscape of pneumonia pathogens.The aim of the study was to determine the structure of the microflora of autopsy material obtained from the lungs of HIV-infected patients.Methods. 83 samples of autopsy material from patients with HIV infection and 27 samples from HIV-negative patients were analyzed. The deceased were treated in the pulmonary departments of Samara with a diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia. Due to the large variety of microorganisms recovered from the autopsy material, the microorganisms were divided into several groups: Enterobacteria, non-fermentative gram-negative bacteria, Enterococci, Staphylococci, Sterptococci, and Corynebacteria. The fungi were divided into two subgroups. The first included Candida spp., the second included other types of fungi. The tests for pneumocystis infection, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and non-tuberculosis mycobacteria were not performed.Results. Enterobacteria were found in 39.2%, non-fermentative gram-negative bacteria – in 27.3% and Enterococci – in 19.6% of the HIV-infected patients. Staphylococcus spp. were found in 4.2%, and Corynebacteria and Streptococci in 0.7% of those patients. Candida spp. accounted for 6.3%, other fungi were found in 2.0% of cases. Enterobacteria and non-fermentative gram-negative bacteria were found in 26.2% of HIV-negative patients. Enterococcus spp. – 21.4%, Staphylococci – 7.1%, Streptococci – 2.4% of those patients. Candida spp. 16.7% were found in 16.7% of HIV-negative patients. Enterobacteria were found significantly more often in the autopsy material from HIV-infected patients. The study shows the high importance of gram-negative flora as a causative agent of infectious lesions of the lung tissue. At the same time, we statistically confirmed an increase in prevalence of Enterobacteria in HIV-positive patients. Although these pathogens are not always detected in the sputum from HIV-infected patients with bronchopulmonary disorders, they are detected only by autopsy examination of the lung tissue.Conclusion. Diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia in HIV-infected patients with severe immunodeficiency have a few specific features, such as increasing the frequency of sputum culture, reducing the number of errors at the preanalytical stage of collecting the biomaterial, ensuring proper conditions for its transportation to a bacteriological laboratory, improving the quality of analysis. The physicians should be aware of the possible detection of gram-negative flora as a causative agent of lung infections and the possible change of the causative agent.

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Development of a Multilocus Sequence Typing Tool for High-Resolution Genotyping of Enterocytozoon bieneusi

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.02803-10 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 77 (14) ◽

pp. 4822-4828 ◽

Cited By ~ 78

Author(s):

Yaoyu Feng ◽

Na Li ◽

Theresa Dearen ◽

Maria L. Lobo ◽

Olga Matos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Multilocus Sequence Typing ◽

Enterocytozoon Bieneusi ◽

Whole Genome Sequence ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Content Type ◽

Health Significance ◽

The One ◽

Pcr Targeting ◽

Typing Tool

ABSTRACTThus far, genotyping ofEnterocytozoon bieneusihas been based solely on DNA sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the rRNA gene. Both host-adapted and zoonotic (human-pathogenic) genotypes ofE. bieneusihave been identified. In this study, we searched for microsatellite and minisatellite sequences in the whole-genome sequence database ofE. bieneusiisolate H348. Seven potential targets (MS1 to MS7) were identified. Testing of the seven targets by PCR using two human-pathogenicE. bieneusigenotypes (A and Peru10) led to the selection of four targets (MS1, MS3, MS4, and MS7). Further analysis of the four loci with an additional 24 specimens of both host-adapted and zoonoticE. bieneusigenotypes indicated that most host-adapted genotypes were not amplified by PCR targeting these loci. In contrast, 10 or 11 of the 13 specimens of the zoonotic genotypes were amplified by PCR at each locus. Altogether, 12, 8, 7, and 11 genotypes of were identified at MS1, MS3, MS4, and MS7, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of the nucleotide sequences obtained produced a genetic relationship that was similar to the one at the ITS locus, with the formation of a large group of zoonotic genotypes that included mostE. bieneusigenotypes in humans. Thus, a multilocus sequence typing tool was developed for high-resolution genotyping ofE. bieneusi.Data obtained in the study should also have implications for understanding the taxonomy ofEnterocytozoonspp., the public health significance ofE. bieneusiin animals, and the sources of humanE. bieneusiinfections.

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Microsporidiosis in South Africa: PCR detection in stool samples of HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals and school children in Vhembe district, Limpopo Province

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene ◽

10.1016/j.trstmh.2007.02.005 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 101 (6) ◽

pp. 547-554 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

A. Samie ◽

C.L. Obi ◽

S. Tzipori ◽

L.M. Weiss ◽

R.L. Guerrant

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

School Children ◽

Pcr Detection ◽

Limpopo Province ◽

Hiv Positive ◽

Stool Samples ◽

Vhembe District ◽

Hiv Negative

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Incidence of Cytological Abnormalities in Pap's Smear in HIV Positive Women

Journal of Medical Research and Innovation ◽

10.15419/jmri.136 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (S1) ◽

pp. e000136

Author(s):

Suhana Jotva ◽

Hemani Desai ◽

Hansa Goswami

Keyword(s):

Trichomonas Vaginalis ◽

Clinical History ◽

Hiv Positive ◽

Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions ◽

Squamous Cells ◽

Medical College ◽

Hiv Positive Women ◽

Cytological Abnormalities ◽

Intraepithelial Lesions ◽

Hiv Negative

Aims and Objectives: The aim of present study is to estimate the frequency of abnormal PAP’s smears and mainly to detect precancerous and cancerous lesions as well as inflammatory lesions in HIV infected women. Methodology: Our study was a retrospective study of total 130 cases and PAP’s smears were examined in cytology section in Department of Pathology, BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad from 1st March 2017 to 31st August 2017. Both HIV positive and HIV negative patients were included in the study. 80 patients were HIV negative and 50 patients were HIV positive. The clinical history and relevant parameters were noted. All the smears were processed by a conventional method using Papanicolaou stain. Results: Out of 130 cases, 118 cases were reported negative for intraepithelial lesions or malignancy (NILM). Five cases were positive for squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) out of which four were HIV positive. Seven cases were of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) out of which 5 were HIV positive. Three cases were showing bacterial vaginosis. 1 case was showing Trichomonas Vaginalis. 19 cases were showing changes of non-specific inflammation. 6 cases were showing atrophic changes. Conclusion: HIV infected women are at more risk to develop cervical cytological abnormalities. The study revealed a maximum number of non-specific inflammatory smears followed by smears showing atrophic changes. Smears suspicious for malignancy (ASCUS) and smears showing squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) were more common in HIV positive patients. Thus regular PAP’s smears screening as recommended by National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) will help in early detection of cervical abnormalities in HIV positive women.

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