Diagnosis of Brucellosis in Recently Aborted Ewes Using Serological Tests and Polymerase Chain Reaction

The diagnosis of asymptomatic infection with Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi has become more important over recent years. Expansion of visceral leishmaniasis might be associated with other routes of transmission such as transfusion, congenital or even vector transmission, and subjects with asymptomatic infection are potential reservoirs. Moreover, the identification of infection may contribute to the management of patients with immunosuppressive conditions (HIV, transplants, use of immunomodulators) and to the assessment of the effectiveness of control measures. In this study, 149 subjects living in a visceral leishmaniasis endemic area were evaluated clinically and submitted to genus-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), serological testing, and the Montenegro skin test. Forty-nine (32.9%) of the subjects had a positive PCR result and none of them developed the disease within a follow-up period of three years. No association was observed between the results of PCR, serological and skin tests. A positive PCR result in subjects from the endemic area did not indicate a risk of progression to visceral leishmaniasis and was not associated with a positive result in the serological tests.

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Comparison of real-time polymerase chain reaction and serological tests for the confirmation of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children with clinical diagnosis of atypical pneumonia

Journal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection ◽

10.1016/j.jmii.2013.03.015 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 47 (2) ◽

pp. 137-144 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Hsin-Yu Chang ◽

Luan-Yin Chang ◽

Pei-Lan Shao ◽

Ping-Ing Lee ◽

Jong-Min Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Real Time ◽

Clinical Diagnosis ◽

Mycoplasma Pneumoniae ◽

Atypical Pneumonia ◽

Chain Reaction ◽

Serological Tests ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Infection

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Previous Syphilis Alters the Course of Subsequent Episodes of Syphilis

Clinical Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/cid/ciz943 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 71 (5) ◽

pp. 1243-1247 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Christina M Marra ◽

Clare L Maxwell ◽

Sharon K Sahi ◽

Lauren C Tantalo ◽

Shelia B Dunaway ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Cerebrospinal Fluid ◽

Logistic Regression ◽

Treponema Pallidum ◽

Chain Reaction ◽

Serological Tests ◽

Health Records ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

Diagnosis Date

Abstract Background Individuals with previous syphilis may be more likely to be asymptomatic when they are reinfected with Treponema pallidum. Methods Individuals enrolled in a study of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) abnormalities in syphilis were allowed to enroll in the study again with subsequent syphilis. For each participant, the index episode was defined as the most recent syphilis episode for which the study entry visit was performed within 30 days of the syphilis diagnosis date. Venipuncture and lumbar puncture were performed. The total number of syphilis episodes was determined by review of medical and public health records. Treponema pallidum DNA in blood and rRNA in CSF were detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase PCR. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined using logistic regression. Results 701 individuals had 1 (n = 478), 2 (n = 155), or ≥3 (n = 68) episodes of syphilis. The proportion of individuals whose index episode was asymptomatic significantly increased with increased number of syphilis episodes (P < .001). This difference was not explained by frequency of serological tests. Adjusted ORs (aORs) of detection of T. pallidum DNA in blood or rRNA in CSF at the index episode were significantly lower in those with previous syphilis (0.13; 95% CI, .08–.23, and 0.06, 95% CI, .02–.17). The aOR of neurosyphilis at the index episode was also significantly lower in individuals with previous syphilis (0.43; 95% CI, .27–.68). Conclusions Previous syphilis attenuates clinical and laboratory manifestations of infection with T. pallidum.

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Treatment and outcomes of polymerase chain reaction-confirmed early syphilis

Sexual Health ◽

10.1071/sh15043 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 506 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Phillip J. Read ◽

Rebecca Guy ◽

Neisha Jeoffreys ◽

David Baker ◽

Matthew Shields ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Standard Therapy ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

Hiv Positive ◽

Hiv Status ◽

Chain Reaction ◽

Serological Tests ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Polymerase Chain

Background Syphilis is resurgent among gay and bisexual men (GBM) despite effective treatment and widely available diagnostic serology. The polymerase chain reaction assay for Treponema pallidum (TP-PCR) is available, but little is known about the clinical features and outcomes for patients testing positive by TP-PCR. Methods: Clinical data were collected from four medical practices for patients recording a positive TP-PCR result between 2004 and 2011. Demographic, serological, treatment and reinfection details were obtained. Results were stratified by HIV status and whether treatment conformed to international guidelines. Results: 220 patients were positive for TP-PCR, of whom 92% were GBM. Seventeen (8.1%) were positive by TP-PCR before seroconversion. Almost one-third (32.1%) received treatment beyond that recommended in guidelines, and this was associated with HIV status (40.3% HIV positive vs 22.4% HIV negative, P < 0.01). All but one patient with adequate follow up achieved serological cure. There was no significant difference in time to serological cure between the groups receiving standard therapy or enhanced therapy (95 vs 108 days; P = 0.67) or between HIV positive and negative patients (93 vs 104 days, P = 0.06). Nineteen patients were reinfected during follow up. Conclusion: TP-PCR aids early diagnosis of syphilis and may be reactive before conventional serological tests. Treatment outcomes for TP-PCR-positive early infection were excellent, but a significant proportion of patients received non-standard therapy. Expanded use of syphilis PCR testing in at-risk populations is recommended since early identification and treatment is likely to be important in controlling the current epidemic in GBM.

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Accuracy of the serological ELISA test compared with the polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of cytomegalovirus infection in pregnancy

Sao Paulo Medical Journal ◽

10.1590/s1516-31802003000300002 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 121 (3) ◽

pp. 97-101 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Silvana Varella Parmigiani ◽

Ricardo Barini ◽

Sandra Cecília Botelho Costa ◽

Eliana Amaral ◽

José Carlos Gama da Silva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Cytomegalovirus Infection ◽

Immunoglobulin M ◽

Polymerase Chain Reaction Test ◽

Lower Sensitivity ◽

Chain Reaction ◽

Molecular Biology Technique ◽

Serological Tests ◽

Positive Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Polymerase Chain

CONTEXT: The most frequently used methods for detecting antibodies are the indirect immunofluorescence test and the enzymatic immunoassay (ELISA). The polymerase chain reaction is a molecular biology technique in which the production of large amounts of specific DNA fragments is induced from very low concentrations of complex substrates aloowing the detection of very low amounts of viral particles. OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of serological/ELISA tests in comparison with the polymerase chain reaction in maternal blood to diagnose cytomegalovirus infection. DESIGN: A descriptive study was performed. SETTING: High-risk outpatient clinic of Campinas University (Unicamp). PARTICIPANTS: We selected 243 pregnant women. All of them had been indicated for blood sampling because of suspicions of cytomegalovirus infection and also because of other infections. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: The group was tested for cytomegalovirus. Serological tests were run and compared to the polymerase chain reaction, which was considered to be the gold standard. Status analyses were done using Fisher's exact test, via the SAS software. RESULTS: The previous cytomegalovirus infection rate was 94.6%. The main reasons for inclusion in the study were fetal nervous system malformation (25.5%), maternal toxoplasmosis (25.5%) and Rh isoimmunization (14.8%). Only two women were included because of positive serological immunoglobulin M test for cytomegalovirus. The sensitivity and specificity of the serological tests were 94% and 6% for immunoglobulin G. CONCLUSION: Serological tests had lower sensitivity in comparison with the polymerase chain reaction test when diagnosing cytomegalovirus infection. The consequences of positive polymerase chain reaction and negative immunoglobulin M in women remain unknown.

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Blood Culture–Negative Cardiovascular Infection in a Patient With Multiple Sclerosis

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofz429 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (10) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Cléa Melenotte ◽

Ahmed Loukil ◽

Audrey Rico ◽

Hubert Lepidi ◽

Didier Raoult

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Blood Culture ◽

Chain Reaction ◽

Serological Tests ◽

Specific Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

Culture Negative

Abstract A patient with multiple sclerosis presented with seronegative C. burnetii endocarditis diagnosed using C. burnetii–specific polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence in situ hybridization on cardiovascular biopsy. This case supports the necessity of a systematic polymerase chain reaction testing of removed cardiac valves because blood culture–negative endocarditis can be pauci-symptomatic, and serological tests can be negative in cases of immunosuppression.

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Trends of COVID-19 pediatric admissions number during the first 24 weeks of COVID-19 vaccination in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

10.1101/2021.09.09.21263140 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Andre Ricardo Araujo da Silva ◽

Monica Del Monaco Esteves ◽

Bernardo Rodrigues Rosa de Carvalho ◽

Cristina Vieira Souza ◽

Cristiane Henriques Teixeira

Keyword(s):

Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Retrospective Study ◽

Rio De Janeiro ◽

Chain Reaction ◽

Serological Tests ◽

Number Of Children ◽

Pediatric Hospitals ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

All Diseases ◽

Janeiro City

Objective: To describe trends of COVID-19 pediatric admissions number during the first 24 weeks of COVID-19 vaccination. Design: A retrospective study was conducted in children (0-18 years), admitted in two pediatric hospitals of Rio de Janeiro city, between January 17 and July 3, 2021 with confirmed COVID-19 by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or serological tests. Trends of COVID-19 pediatric admissions number during the first 24 weeks of COVID-19 vaccination in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the pre-vaccine period were measured by linear regression. Participants: Children admitted in pediatric hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, city, Brazil Results: The number of total admitted patients (with all diseases) were 5340 during the pre-vaccine period, being 94 (1.8%) of them with confirmed COVID-19, and 4182 children admitted during the vaccine period, with 86 confirmed COVID-19 patients (2.1 %) (p=0.29). Media of cases admitted per/week were 2.02 in pre-vaccine period and 3.6 during the first 24 weeks of COVID vaccination (p=0.009). One death was reported in the pre-vaccine period and four in the vaccine period (p=0.14). Trends of increase in the number of admitted cases were verified both in the pre-vaccine period as in the vaccine period, being more expressive in the last one. Conclusion: There was trend of increase in number of children admitted with confirmed COVID-19 during the first 24 weeks of COVID-vaccination in Rio de Janeiro, city. Considering that few people were fully vaccinated, reducing of number of admitted children with confirmed COVID-19 was not verified.

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