scholarly journals Developments in Diagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis in the Elimination Era

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Om Prakash Singh ◽  
Shyam Sundar
Keyword(s):  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Parasitic Infection ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Symptomatic Disease ◽  
Primary Health Care Centers

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the most devastating parasitic infection worldwide causing high morbidity and mortality. Clinical presentation of VL ranges from asymptomatic or subclinical infection to severe and complicated symptomatic disease. A major challenge in the clinical management of VL is the weakness of health systems in disease endemic regions. People affected by VL mostly present to primary health care centers (PHCs), often late in their therapeutic itinerary. PHC physicians face a major challenge: they do not deal with a single disease issue but with patients presenting with complaints pointing to several diagnostic possibilities. Risk exists when some patients having less clinical manifestations are misdiagnosed. Therefore, field based accurate, sensitive, and cost effective rapid diagnostic tools that can detect disease in its mildest form are essential for effective control and reaching the goal of VL elimination. In this review, we discuss the current status and challenges of various diagnostic tools for the diagnosis of VL and assess their application in resource poor settings.

scholarly journals Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) : A rapid molecular diagnosis technique for detection of human pathogens

2017 ◽  
Vol 07 (03) ◽  
pp. 042-048
Author(s):  
Gunimala Chakraborty ◽  
Indrani Karunasagar ◽  
Anirban Chakraborty
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Lamp Assay ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Isothermal Amplification ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Molecular Diagnostic ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Human Pathogens ◽  
Quality Healthcare ◽  
Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification

AbstractDelivery of quality healthcare in case of an infectious disease depends on how efficiently and how quickly the responsible pathogens are detected from the samples. Molecular methods can detect the presence of pathogens in a rapid and sensitive manner. Over the years, a number of such assays have been developed. However, these methods, although highly reliable and efficient, require use of expensive equipment, reagents, and trained personnel. Therefore, development of molecular assays that are simple, rapid, cost-effective, yet sensitive, is highly warranted to ensure efficient management or treatment strategies. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), a technique invented in the year 2000, is a novel method that amplifies DNA at isothermal conditions. Since its invention, this technique has been one of the most extensively used molecular diagnostic tools in the field of diagnostics offering rapid, accurate and cost-effective diagnosis of infectious diseases. Using the LAMP principle, many commercial kits have been developed in the last decade for a variety of human pathogens including bacteria, viruses and parasites. Currently LAMP assay is being considered as an effective diagnostic tool for use in developing countries because of its simple working protocol, allowing even an onsite application. The focus of this review is to describe the salient features of this technique the current status of development of LAMP assays with an emphasis on the pathogens of clinical significance.

scholarly journals Microscopy and Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection ofLeishmania chagasiin the Pleural and Ascitic Fluid of a Patient with AIDS: Case Report and Review of Diagnosis and Therapy of Visceral Leishmaniasis

2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 231-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ada RS Diehl ◽  
Rodrigo P dos Santos ◽  
Ricardo Zimmerman ◽  
Letícia P Luz ◽  
Tanara Weiss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Ascitic Fluid ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Histological Evaluation ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Brazilian Patient ◽  
Polymerase Chain

Atypical visceral leishmaniasis is increasingly reported in immunocompromised patients, including patients with AIDS. A case of visceral leishmaniasis in an HIV-infected Brazilian patient with pulmonary and peritoneal involvement is reported. Histological evaluation of pleural fluid and ascites aspirate revealed macrophages with intracellularLeishmania. Polymerase chain reaction analysis was positive forLeishmaniain the pleural and ascitic fluid with use of primers specific forLeishmania chagasi. In addition to classical methods for diagnosing leishmaniasis, such as microscopy and culture, polymerase chain reaction detection and identification ofLeishmaniaspecies in pleural effusions and ascites are important diagnostic tools that should be considered by clinicians evaluating HIV-infected patients from endemic areas of visceral leishmaniasis. The authors review the clinical manifestations, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of visceral leishmaniasis in immunocompetent and HIV-infected patients.

scholarly journals An Insight of Existing Research Methods towards Securing IoT Communication System

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 1362-1371
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Security And Privacy ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Research Trend ◽  
Smart Device ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Individual Privacy ◽  
Iot Devices

IoT is an advanced analytics system that incorporates physical devices, intelligent technologies, and internet services to provide automation services and cost-effective productivity. The IoT oriented framework offers effective control, stabilized execution, and translucent services when it is applied to any enterprise. However, IoT devices are at risk of many security threats because they communicate and operate smart device services over wide distributed networks (i.e., insecure Internet channels). Over the past few years, it has been witnessed that several types of malicious activities have been tried to undermine the security and privacy of sensor networks as well as Internet-based applications. In order to protect IoT devices, many research works have been carried out to address potential security attack and to find an optimal way to overcome and limit the risk factors that affect security requirement and individual privacy. Therefore, this paper carries an assessment of the existing research works in order to understand better the root cause of the new possible threat and the challenges associated with IoT security. The paper also reflects the research trend to demonstrate the current status of security methods being developed till date. The prime motive of the present work is to reveal the current research gap and make an effective contribution to the future research direction.

scholarly journals Current Status and Trends in Prophylaxis and Management of Anthrax Disease

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Savransky ◽  
Boris Ionin ◽  
Joshua Reece
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Options ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
World Health ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Post Exposure Prophylaxis ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Symptomatic Disease ◽  
Prevention And Treatment ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Exposure Prophylaxis

Bacillus anthracis has been identified as a potential military and bioterror agent as it is relatively simple to produce, with spores that are highly resilient to degradation in the environment and easily dispersed. These characteristics are important in describing how anthrax could be used as a weapon, but they are also important in understanding and determining appropriate prevention and treatment of anthrax disease. Today, anthrax disease is primarily enzootic and found mostly in the developing world, where it is still associated with considerable mortality and morbidity in humans and livestock. This review article describes the spectrum of disease caused by anthrax and the various prevention and treatment options. Specifically we discuss the following; (1) clinical manifestations of anthrax disease (cutaneous, gastrointestinal, inhalational and intravenous-associated); (2) immunology of the disease; (3) an overview of animal models used in research; (4) the current World Health Organization and U.S. Government guidelines for investigation, management, and prophylaxis; (5) unique regulatory approaches to licensure and approval of anthrax medical countermeasures; (6) the history of vaccination and pre-exposure prophylaxis; (7) post-exposure prophylaxis and disease management; (8) treatment of symptomatic disease through the use of antibiotics and hyperimmune or monoclonal antibody-based antitoxin therapies; and (9) the current landscape of next-generation product candidates under development.

scholarly journals Molecular Diagnostics and Pathogenesis of Fungal Pathogens on Bast Fiber Crops

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Cheng ◽  
Xiaoyu Tang ◽  
Chunsheng Gao ◽  
Zhimin Li ◽  
Jia Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Elongation Factor ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Accurate Diagnosis ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Translation Elongation ◽  
Bast Fiber ◽  
Control And Prevention

Bast fibers and products derived from them are undergoing a resurgence in demand in the global market. However, fungal diseases have become an important factor limiting their yield and quality, causing devastating consequences for the production of bast fiber crops in many parts of the world. Thus, there is a high demand for effective control and prevention strategies against fungal pathogens. Having rapid, specific, sensitive, and cost-effective tests that can be used for early and accurate diagnosis of disease agents is an essential step of such strategies. The objective of this study was to review the current status of research on molecular diagnosis of fungal pathogens on bast fiber crops. Our search of PubMed identified nearly 20 genera of fungal pathogens on bast fiber crops, among which the five most common genera were Colletotrichum, Pythium, Verticillium, Fusarium, and Golovinomyces. The gene regions that have been used for molecular identifications of these fungi include internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-α (EF-1α), ß-tubulin, calmodulin (CAL), histone subunit 3 (H3), glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), etc. We summarize the molecular assays that have been used to identify these fungi and discuss potential areas of future development for fast, specific, and accurate diagnosis of fungal pathogens on bast fiber crops.

Clinico-bacteriological Profile and Outcome of Empyema Thoracis in Children at a Tertiary Care Hospital of Central Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Atanu Pan ◽  
Debarshi Jana
Keyword(s):  
Ct Scan ◽  
Broad Spectrum ◽  
Chest Tube ◽  
Chest Tube Drainage ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Empyema Thoracis ◽  
First Line ◽  
Tube Drainage

Background: Empyema thoracis (ET) is a serious infection of the pleural space. Despite the availability of broad spectrum antibacterial, improved vaccination coverage and better diagnostic tools, Empyema Thoracis remains associated with high morbidity worldwide. Delay   in   early   diagnosis,   failure   to institute   appropriate   antimicrobial   therapy,   multidrug resistant   organisms,   malnutrition,   comorbidities,   poor health  seeking  behaviour  and  high treatment  cost  burden contribute  to  increased  morbidity  in  children. The available  treatment  options  include  intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics  either  alone  or  in  combination  with surgical  procedure  (thoracocentesis,  chest  tube  drainage, fibrinolytic  therapy,  decortications  with  video  assistedthoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and open drainage. Methods: Fifty Children between 1 month to 16 years admitted in the Pediatrics Ward, PICU of College of Medical Sciences, Bharatpur,Nepal. Data analysis was done by SPSS 24.0. Results: Present study found that according to blood culture, 3(6.0%) patients had enterococcus, 40(80.0%) patients had no growth, 2(4.0%) patients had pseudomonas, 4(8.0%) patients had staphylococcus and 1(2.0%) patients had streptococcus. We found that 20(40.0%) patients had done CT scan thorax, 30(60.0%) patients had not done CT scan thorax and 32(64.0%) patients had Amoxiclav first line antibiotic and 18(36.0%) patients had Ceftriaxone first line antibiotic. Conclusions: Suitable antibiotics and prompt chest tube drainage is an effective method of treatment of childhood empyema, especially in resource-poor settings. Majority of the patients progress on this conservative management and have good recovery on follow up.  

Two-stage chemical-biological treatment at Thessaloniki greater area WWTP - experiences and potentials

1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 75-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. Andreadakis ◽  
G. H. Kristensen ◽  
A. Papadopoulos ◽  
C. Oikonomopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Biological Treatment ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Primary Treatment ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Effluent Quality ◽  
Filamentous Microorganisms ◽  
Sludge Settling ◽  
The City

The wastewater from the city of Thessaloniki is discharged without treatment to the nearby inner part of the Thessaloniki Gulf. The existing, since 1989, treatment plant offers only primary treatment and did not operate since the expected effluent quality is not suitable for safe disposal to the available recipients. Upgrading of the plant for advanced biological treatment, including seasonal nitrogen removal, is due from 1995. In the mean time, after minor modifications completed in February 1992, the existing plant was put into operation as a two-stage chemical-biological treatment plant for 40 000 m3 d−1, which corresponds to about 35% of the total sewage flow. The operational results obtained during the two years operation period are presented and evaluated. All sewage and sludge treatment units of the plant perform better than expected, with the exception of the poor sludge settling characteristics, due to severe and persistent bulking caused by excessive growth of filamentous microorganisms, particularly M. Parvicella. Effective control of the bulking problem could lead to more cost-effective operation and increased influent flows.

The Value of Neuroimaging Techniques in the Translation and Transdiagnostic Validation of Psychiatric Diagnoses - Selective Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 540-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Todeva-Radneva ◽  
Rositsa Paunova ◽  
Sevdalina Kandilarova ◽  
Drozdstoy St. Stoyanov
Keyword(s):  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Medical Science ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Main Concept ◽  
Directional Change ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Neuroimaging Techniques

: Psychiatric diagnosis has long been perceived as more of an art than a science since its foundations lie within the observation, and the self-report of the patients themselves and objective diagnostic biomarkers are lacking. Furthermore, the diagnostic tools in use not only stray away from the conventional medical framework but also remain invalidated with evidence-based concepts. However, neuroscience, as a source of valid objective knowledge has initiated the process of a paradigm shift underlined by the main concept of psychiatric disorders being “brain disorders”. It is also a bridge closing the explanatory gap among the different fields of medicine via the translation of the knowledge within a multidisciplinary framework. : The contemporary neuroimaging methods, such as fMRI provide researchers with an entirely new set of tools to reform the current status quo by creating an opportunity to define and validate objective biomarkers that can be translated into clinical practice. Combining multiple neuroimaging techniques with the knowledge of the role of genetic factors, neurochemical imbalance and neuroinflammatory processes in the etiopathophysiology of psychiatric disorders is a step towards a comprehensive biological explanation of psychiatric disorders and a final differentiation of psychiatry as a well-founded medical science. : In addition, the neuroscientific knowledge gained thus far suggests a necessity for directional change to exploring multidisciplinary concepts, such as multiple causality and dimensionality of psychiatric symptoms and disorders. A concomitant viewpoint transition of the notion of validity in psychiatry with a focus on an integrative validatory approach may facilitate the building of a collaborative bridge above the wall existing between the scientific fields analyzing the mind and those studying the brain.

Scabies: A Neglected Global Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander K.C. Leung ◽  
Joseph M. Lam ◽  
Kin F. Leong
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Skin Lesions ◽  
Sarcoptes Scabiei ◽  
Clinical Findings ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Search Term ◽  
Skin Contact ◽  
Intense Pruritus ◽  
Meta Analyses

Background: Scabies is a skin disease caused by an obligate human parasite mite Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis. Children under the age of two and elderly individuals are at the greatest risk. Knowledge of this condition is important for an early diagnosis to be made and treatment to be initiated. Objective: The review aimed to familiarize physicians with the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, evaluation, and management of scabies. Methods: A search was conducted using Pubmed with the built-in "Clinical Queries" tool. The search term "Scabies" was used. The categories of "epidemiology", "diagnosis", "therapy", "prevention" and "prognosis" had a limited scope for primary clinical studies. Meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, observational studies, and reviews were included. Only papers published in the English language were included. A descriptive, narrative synthesis was provided of the retrieved articles. Results: Worldwide, scabies affects 200 to 300 million individuals annually. The average prevalence is estimated to be 5 to 10% in children of developing countries. Transmission usually occurs after close prolonged skin-to-skin contact. Classic scabies is characterized by an erythematous papular eruption, serpiginous burrows, and intense pruritus. Sites of predilection include the webs of the fingers, volar wrists, lateral aspects of fingers, extensor surfaces of elbows and knees, waist, navel, abdomen, buttocks, groins, and, genitals. A clinical diagnosis of classic scabies can be made on the basis of the history and clinical findings. Other clinical variants include crusted scabies, nodular scabies, and bullous scabies. Finding the mite, ova, or fecal pellets on microscopic examination of scrapings taken from skin lesions confirms the diagnosis of scabies infestation. For eradication of scabies mites, the drugs of choice are topical permethrin and oral ivermectin. Conclusion: Scabies is a highly contagious parasitic cutaneous disease that is stigmatising and debilitating. Increased awareness, accurate diagnosis, and prompt treatment are essential for the effective control of scabies and for the prevention of the spread of the disease.

scholarly journals Advances in Environmental Detection and Clinical Diagnostic Tests for Legionella Species

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajeshwari Vittal ◽  
Juliet Roshini Mohan Raj ◽  
Ballamoole Krishna Kumar ◽  
Indrani Karunasagar
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Detection Techniques ◽  
Conventional Culture ◽  
Legionella Species ◽  
Mild Fever

Abstract Legionella is a fastidious organism that is difficult to culture in the lab but is widely distributed in environmental, domestic, and hospital settings. The clinical manifestations due to Legionella infections range from mild fever to fatal pneumonia and multiorgan pathologies. Legionella outbreaks though prevalent globally are not reported in developing countries due to difficulties in isolating this organism and the lack of simple diagnostic protocols. Here, we review the literature from across countries to present various methods used to detect Legionella from environmental and clinical samples. We compare the sensitivity and the specificity of the conventional culture-based assays with the recent methods and discuss approaches to develop better detection and diagnostic tests. With better cost-effective detection techniques and regular monitoring of the susceptible sites, which may harbor Legionella colonies, most of the Legionella infections can be prevented. As a result, considerable burden, caused by Legionella infections, on the healthcare system, in especially economically weaker countries, can be mitigated.

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