scholarly journals Very High Fascioliasis Intensities in Schoolchildren from Nile Delta Governorates, Egypt: The Old World Highest Burdens Found in Lowlands

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1210
Author(s):  
M. Victoria Periago ◽  
M. Adela Valero ◽  
Patricio Artigas ◽  
Verónica H. Agramunt ◽  
M. Dolores Bargues ◽  
...  

Quantitative coprological analyses of children were performed in Alexandria and Behera governorates, Egypt, to ascertain whether individual intensities in the Nile Delta lowlands reach high levels as those known in hyperendemic highland areas of Latin America. Analyses focused on subjects presenting intensities higher than 400 eggs per gram of faeces (epg), the high burden cut-off according to WHO classification. A total of 96 children were found to shed between 408 and 2304 epg, with arithmetic and geometric means of 699.5 and 629.07 epg, respectively. Intensities found are the highest hitherto recorded in Egypt, and also in the whole Old World. A total of 38 (39.6%) were males and 58 (60.4%) were females, with high intensities according to gender following a negative binomial distribution. The high burden distribution shows a peak in the 7–10 year-old children group, more precocious in females than males. Results showed high burdens in winter to be remarkably higher than those known in summer. The fascioliasis scenario in Egyptian lowlands shows similarities to highlands of Bolivia and Peru. Diagnostic methods, pathogenicity and morbidity in high burdens should be considered. The need for an appropriate quantitative assessment of heavy infected children to avoid post-treatment colic episodes is highlighted.

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s356-s357
Author(s):  
Tomasz Kasperski ◽  
Biophage Pharma S.A. Kraków ◽  
Agnieszka Chmielarczyk ◽  
Monika Pomorska-Wesolowska ◽  
Dorota Romaniszyn ◽  
...  

Background:Acinetobacter spp are gram-negative bacteria that have emerged as a leading cause of hospital-associated infections, most often in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting. This is particularly important in Poland, where the prevalence of A. baumannii in various types of infections, including bloodstream infection (BSI), pneumonia, skin and soft-tissue infection (SSTI), and urinary tract infection (UTI) is higher than in neighboring countries. Recently, other Acinetobacter spp, including A. lwoffii or A. ursingii, have been found to be clinically relevant. In Poland, we have also observed a very rapid increase in antimicrobial resistance, significantly faster for A. baumannii than for other nosocomial pathogens. Methods: A study was conducted in 12 southern Polish hospitals, including 3 ICUs, from January 1 to December 31, 2018. Only adult hospitalized patients were included. Strains were identified using the MALDI-TOF method. Carbapenem resistance was determined using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Results: During the study, 194 strains belonging to the Acinetobacter genus were isolated. A. baumannii was the dominant species, 88.1% (n = 171), and 23 isolates (11.9%) were other Acinetobacter spp: A. ursingii (n = 5), A. lwofii (n = 4), A. haemolyticus (n = 4), A. junii (n = 3), A. radioresistens (n = 2), A. bereziniae (n = 2), and A. johnsonii (n = 2). Moreover, 15 Acinetobacter strains were collected from ICUs. The most Acinetobacter strains were isolated from SSTIs (n = 115) from non-ICU settings. Non–A. baumannii strains were also most frequently isolated from SSTIs; they constituted 11.3% of all Acinetobacter strains from this type of infection (n = 13). The total Acinetobacter prevalence was 2.6%, whereas the prevalence in the ICU setting was 7%. Acinetobacter prevalence in SSTIs was 10.4%. In pneumonia, Acinetobacter prevalence was 18.6% for ICUs (n = 13) and 2.7% for non-ICUs (n = 46). Strains from UTIs were isolated only with the non-ICU setting, and their prevalence was 0.7% (n = 14). More than half of the tested strains (52.1%) were resistant to carbapenems, but all non–A. baumannii strains were susceptible. The highest resistance to carbapenems was among strains from pneumonia cases in ICUs (58.3%) and resistance among all strains isolated from ICU was 50%. However, even higher resistance was noted among SSTI strains from non-ICUs (61.7%). Conclusions: Increasingly, more than A. baumannii, other species among Acinetobacter strains are isolated from patients hospitalized in Polish hospitals. To assess the significance of non–A. baumannii spp in clinical settings, precise species identification is needed. Therefore, the diagnostic methods used must be improved. Carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii infections are the biggest problem in pneumonia patients in ICUs and in SSTI patients in other hospital departments. Carbapenem resistance occurs in a very high percentage of A. baumannii strains; among non–A. baumannii strains it is not yet a therapeutic problem.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None


2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-391
Author(s):  
B.-H. Huang ◽  
K. Nishii ◽  
C.-N. Wang ◽  
M. Möller

Anisocotyly, the unequal development of cotyledons post germination, is a unique trait observed only in Old World Gesneriaceae (Lamiales). New World Gesneriaceae have isocotylous seedlings. In both Old and New World Gesneriaceae, cotyledons initially grow equally for a short period just after germination. In the New World species, both cotyledons cease their growth at the same time early on, whereas in Old World species one cotyledon continues to expand to become a macrocotyledon while the other withers away. In this study, cotyledon growth was observed in two European Old World Gesneriaceae: Haberlea rhodopensis and Ramonda myconi. The results were compared with those for the typical anisocotylous species Streptocarpus rexii and the typical isocotylous species Corytoplectus speciosus. We found that the cotyledon growth patterns in Haberlea rhodopensis and Ramonda myconi were intermediate between the typical anisocotylous or isocotylous species. Haberlea rhodopensis and Ramonda myconi showed irregular growth patterns, with some plants being slightly anisocotylous but most being isocotylous. The developmental basis for the residual anisocotyly, the extended basal meristem activity in the macrocotyledon, appeared to be identical in the European species to that in the typical Old World Streptocarpus rexii but weakly expressed, rare and terminated early. In conclusion, European Gesneriaceae retain a reduced anisocotylous growth that may be linked to their early plumule development.


Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 5240-5240
Author(s):  
Montserrat Arnan ◽  
Rosa Coll ◽  
Mar Tormo ◽  
José María Bastida ◽  
María Calbacho ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: Treatment of MDS has undergone a dramatic change in recent years with the emergence of demethylating agents; however, there are limited data on the impact of these agents on OS in the "real-world" setting. The aim of this study is to evaluate the use and outcomes of different therapies in patients (pts) with International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS)-defined Intermediate-2- and High-risk (higher-risk) MDS. Methods: The ERASME study (CEL-SMD-2012-01) is an observational, prospective study of pts with either MDS or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML); pts were defined using the 2008 World Health Organization (WHO) classification system. Initial pt management strategy was classified into 3 groups: active therapy (AT), such as chemotherapy or treatment with azacitidine (AZA), lenalidomide (LEN), etc.; allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), which included those pts receiving other therapies before transplantation; and observation and support (OB&SP), which included red blood cell and platelet transfusions, and growth factors. OS rates of higher-risk pts are presented using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: A total of 160 pts with higher-risk MDS were recruited between Jan 2013 and Feb 2015. Median follow-up was 8.6 months (interquartile range [IQR] 4.0-11.8). Pt characteristics are described in the Table. AT was the first therapeutic decision in 83 (52%) pts, HCT in 43 (27%), and OB&SP in 34 (21%). Within the AT group, 75 (90%) pts received AZA alone, 5 (6%) AZA plus chemotherapy, and 3 (4%) received other options; most pts (n = 78; 94%) were treated with a 7-day regimen. Among the 43 potential HCT candidates, 40 (93%) had received prior therapy: 25 (58%) with AZA alone, 8 (19%) with chemotherapy, 6 (14%) with AZA plus chemotherapy, and 1 (2%) with LEN; 3 (7%) had not received prior therapy. Of the potential HCT candidates, 20 had undergone transplantation within a median of 8 months (IQR 4.1-13.3); 7 (16%) pts died before transplantation and 16 (37%) are still awaiting transplantation. The main reasons for OB&SP being the initial pt strategy were disease risk (100%), age (95%), comorbidities (60%), and symptomatology (44%). At last follow-up, 70 of 160 pts (44%) had died after a median of 6 months (IQR 2.9-11.8): 34 (41%), 14 (32%), and 22 (65%) pts undergoing AT, HCT, and OB&SP, respectively (log-rank 6.9; P = 0.032). Median OS in pts who received AT, HCT, and OB&SP was 18.60 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 13.1-21.8), 14.92 months (95% CI 11.6-not reached), and 8.44 months (95% CI 4.3-13.4), respectively. Median OS was significantly longer in the AT group compared with the OB&SP group (hazard ratio [HR] 1.9; 95% CI 1.1-3.3; P = 0.0197). No statistically significant difference was observed in OS between pts treated with AT and those considered potential HCT candidates (HR 0.9; 95% CI 0.5-17.7; P = 0.8). Conclusions: The preliminary data from this observational, prospective study indicate that AT significantly prolongs OS compared with OB&SP when treating pts with higher-risk MDS in a real-world setting. AZA was the most common treatment in the AT group. Abstract presented on behalf of the ERASME Study Investigators Group. Table. Baseline characteristics of the MDS population (N = 160) Characteristic Age, median (IQR), years 73 (64.5-79.0) Male, n (%) 86 (53.8) Bone marrow blast count, median (IQR), % 12 (7.5-16.3) Hemoglobin level, median (IQR), g/dL 9.55 (8.0-10.6) Platelet count, median (IQR), × 109/L 64.75 (41.0-121.0) ANC, median (IQR), × 109/L 1 (0.47-2.20) Cytogenetic risk (by IPSS-R), n (%) Low 64 (40.0) Intermediate 9 (5.6) High 27 (16.9) Very High 39 (24.4) Missing data 21 (13.1) WHO classification, n (%) RCMD 17 (10.6) RAEB type 1 28 (17.5) RAEB type 2 94 (58.8) Unclassified 2 (1.3) Missing 1 (0.6) AML 20-30% blasts 18 (11.3) IPSS risk classification, n (%) Intermediate-2 86 (53.8) High 71 (44.4) Missing 3 (1.9) IPSS-R risk classification, n (%) Very Low 4 (2.5) Low 28 (17.5) Intermediate 20 (12.5) High 40 (25.0) Very High 46 (28.8) Missing 22 (13.8) AML, acute myeloid leukemia; ANC, absolute neutrophil count; FAB, French-American-British; IPSS-R, Revised-IPSS; RAEB, refractory anemia with excess blasts; RCMD, refractory anemia with multilineage dysplasia. Disclosures Off Label Use: Azacitidine was used to treat patients who are potential hematopoietic stem cell transplant candidates. Ramos:GlaxoSmithKline: Honoraria; Janssen-Cilag: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene Corporation: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria. Rafel:Celgene Corporation: Employment. Valcárcel:Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Celgene Corporation: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; GlaxoSmithKline: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (22) ◽  
pp. 32-40
Author(s):  
Thanh Giao Nguyen

This study aimed to assess the use of pesticides and their impact on the triple-rice crops in Phu Can commune, Tieu Can district, Tra Vinh province by directly interviewed 60 farmers in the study area. The results showed that during cultivation, the farmers used pesticides with a very high dose and spray frequency. The farmers often applied various types of pesticides belonging to toxicity categories II, III, and IV according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification. The treatments of bottles and packages of the pesticides after use by burying, disposing of in the rice field, selling to the vendors, and burning were improper practices. Consequently, these practices could pollute the environment with pesticides. The findings of the present study revealed that rice farming in the study area potentially poses a high risk to the surrounding environments and human health. Local authorities and environmental managers should pay more attention to solving this problem.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean A. P. Clouston ◽  
Olga Morozova ◽  
Jaymie R. Meliker

AbstractBackgroundTo examine whether outdoor exposures may contribute to the COVID-19 epidemic, we hypothesized that slower outdoor windspeed is associated with increased risk of transmission when individuals socialize outside.MethodsDaily COVID-19 incidence reported between 3/16/2020-12/31/2020 was the outcome. Average windspeed and maximal daily temperature were derived from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Negative binomial regression was used to model incidence, adjusting for susceptible population size.ResultsCases were very high in the initial wave but diminished quickly once lockdown procedures were enacted. Unadjusted and multivariable-adjusted analyses revealed that warmer days with windspeed <5.5 MPH had increased COVID-19 incidence (aIRR=1.50, 95% C.I.=[1.25-1.81], P<0.001) as compared to days with average windspeed ≥5.5 MPH.ConclusionThis study suggests that outdoor transmission of COVID-19 may occur by noting that the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in the summer was highest on days when wind was reduced.


Author(s):  
Benjamin Roche ◽  
Hélène Broutin ◽  
Frederic Simard

In this first part of the book, we have highlighted that infectious diseases still impose a very high burden on populations living in low-income countries, with millions of deaths every year attributable to pathogens that have (almost) disappeared in high-income countries (such as malaria or tuberculosis). Numerous public health programs at a global scale are trying to diminish this burden through multiple interventions, involving vaccines, antibiotics, drugs and vector control, among others. Many of these global programs have been extremely successful, but their impacts have been much more striking in high-income countries than in low-income countries, where, despite noticeable successes, achievements are fragile, sustainability is uncertain and there are still many possible improvements....


1995 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 508-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia D Chin ◽  
Michael A Quilliam ◽  
J Marc Fremy ◽  
Sushil K Mohapatra ◽  
Hanna M Skorska

Abstract Increasing incidences of phytoplankton blooms with the potential danger of toxin release into the food chain have necessitated the search for new diagnostic methods that can detect toxins quickly and reliably. A competitive enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to quantitate okadaic acid in shellfish and phytoplankton extracts. To determine the specificity of the assay, a number of toxins, such as calyculin A, brevetoxin-1, and dinophysistoxins-1, -2, and -3 were analyzed. Both dinophysistoxins-2 and -1 could be detected by the assay but in concentration ranges 10- and 20-fold higher than that for okadaic acid, respectively. Dinophysistoxin-3, calyculin A, or brevetoxin-1 could not be detected with this assay. To validate the accuracy of the method, 18 mussel and 7 phytoplankton extracts were analyzed in parallel for okadaic acid content by ELISA and liquid chromatography combined with either fluorescence or mass spectrometric detection. Very high correlation between the results was found.


Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (21) ◽  
pp. 3847-3847
Author(s):  
Heesun J. Rogers ◽  
James W. Vardiman ◽  
John Anastasi ◽  
Gordana Raca ◽  
Natasha M Savage ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 3847 Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with inv(3)(q21q26.2)/t(3;3)(q21;q26.2); RPN1-EVI1 [inv3/t3] is a distinct type of AML with recurrent genetic abnormalities (RGA) in the 2008 WHO classification, with poor response to therapy and poor prognosis. The resulting dysregulation of EVI1 plays an important role in stem cell self-renewal and leukemogenesis. Although myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with inv3/t3 has a high risk of progression to AML, inv3/t3 is not among the genetic abnormalities sufficient for diagnosis of AML, irrespective of blast percentage (%) in the WHO classification. The revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) includes comprehensive cytogenetic subgrouping to better define prognosis in MDS patients. In this system, inv3/t3 is included in a poor risk karyotype group. The objective of this multicenter study was to evaluate a series of patients with MDS/AML and inv3/t3 in order to characterize their clinicopathologic features and outcome, and to apply the IPSS-R to inv3/t3 MDS patients. 111 patients (40 MDS and 71 AML with inv3/t3) were gathered from 8 medical centers. The median age at diagnosis was 56.5 years and was significantly older in MDS than AML with inv3/t3 patients (65 vs 54.5, p=0.03). Patients typically presented with normocytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and mild leukopenia (median Hb 9.1 g/dL, platelet 91 x109/L, WBC 3.6 x109/L). MDS with inv3/t3 patients had lower WBC than AML with inv3/t3 (median 3.1 vs 5.5, p<0.001). 19% of patients had hepatosplenomegaly. The median bone marrow (BM) blast% was 4% in MDS and 50% in AML with inv3/t3 and BM cellularity was higher in AML (70%) than MDS (40%) with inv3/t3 (both p<0.001). 88% of patients showed dysmegakaryopoiesis with characteristic small uni/bilobated forms. Dysgranulopoiesis (46%) and dyserythropoiesis (56%) were common and 59% of patients displayed multilineage dysplasia. The cytogenetics showed isolated inv3/t3 in 41% of patients, one additional abnormality in 33% and complex karyotype in 26%. −7/del7q (37%) was a frequent additional abnormality. Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) was noted in 10% of AML with inv3/t3. Overall 83% of patients (75% of MDS and 87% of AML with inv3/t3) expired (median follow up of 7.9 months (mo)). Most patients received therapy including 54% with chemotherapy (CTX; topoisomerase II inhibitors and/or antimetabolites) alone, 27% with CTX and allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) and 19% with supportive care. 16% of patients (10 MDS and 8 AML with inv3/t3) were associated with prior therapy for solid tumors and lymphomas. 57% of MDS with inv3/t3 patients subsequently evolved to AML. There was no significant difference in overall survival (OS) between MDS and AML with inv3/t3 (12.9 vs 8.0 mo, Cox PH p=0.11, Figure 1). There was no OS difference between MDS and AML after excluding Ph+ cases (Cox PH p=0.17) nor between de novo and therapy related MDS/AML with inv3/t3 (Cox PH p=0.89). Patients with isolated inv3/t3, one additional cytogenetic abnormality, and a complex karyotype showed progressively shorter OS (12.9, 10.0 and 4.3 mo, Cox PH p<0.001, Figure 2). The patients who received CTX and SCT showed superior OS to patients receiving CTX alone or supportive care only (15, 7 and 5 mo, respectively, Cox PH p=0.02). In multivariate analysis, choice of therapy and complex karyotype retained independent prognostic significance (Cox PH p= 0.02 and p<0.001, respectively). MDS with inv3/t3 patients were classified into IPSS Intermediate (Int)-1 (21), Int-2 (13), and high (6) risk groups. IPSS-R categorized MDS patients into low (3), Int (6), high (14) and very high (17) risk groups. 57% of IPSS Int-1 risk group patients (expected OS 3.5 year) were reclassified to high or very high risk group in IPSS-R (expected OS <1.6 year). Thus, the IPSS-R scores were higher relative to IPSS score (signed rank test, P<0.001). However, 72.5% and 77.5% of MDS with inv3/t3 patients had shorter OS than expected OS by IPSS-R and IPSS scores. The IPSS-R better reflects the OS of inv3/t3 than IPSS but may not fully reflect the generally dismal prognosis. Patients with MDS and AML with inv3/t3 follow a similarly aggressive clinical course, supporting classification of MDS with inv3/t3 as an AML with RGA irrespective of blast%. Additional cytogenetic abnormalities are associated with shorter OS in AML/MDS with inv3/t3 and our data suggest that aggressive therapy with SCT should be considered in these patients. Disclosures: Vardiman: Celgene Corporation: review of slides for clinical trials not relevant to this abstract Other. Foucar:e. Honoraria–Scientific Symposium Pathology Education: ASCP Press; ARP, Amirsys, ASCP Press; ARP, Amirsys Patents & Royalties, Honoraria, Not relevant to this abstract Other.


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