Understanding and Overcoming Barriers: Learning Experiences of Undergraduate Sudanese Students at an Australian University

Science.gov (United States)

Gately, Natalie Jane; Ellis, Suzanne; Britton, Katherine; Fleming, Tina

2017-01-01

An increase in migration of Sudanese and South Sudanese people to Australia due to civil unrest in their home country has increased the numbers of Sudanese students at university. Migrant experiences, particularly those of English as a second language, can impact negatively on education and learning. Inconsistencies between student scores on…

Primary vesicoureteral reflux in Sudanese children

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El-Tigani M. A. Ali

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR is a common congenital renal tract anomaly in children. Reports from Sudan are scanty. We report the characteristics, presentation and outcome of primary VUR in a tertiary care hospital. The records of 30 patients (16 males; 53% followed-up between January 2004 and December 2010 were reviewed. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 4 ± 3.9 years and 47% were <2 years of age. Renal ultrasound scan (USS failed to predict VUR in 17% of the patients. On voiding cysturethrogram (VCUG, VUR was bilateral in 57% and severe grade in 64%. Grades were not significantly associated with age, gender or site of VUR. Initial dimercaptosuccinic acid radionuclide scan showed renal damage in 61.5% of the patients. Renal damage was significantly associated with female gender and severe VUR, but not with age of onset or history of urinary tract infection (UTI. Thirteen patients (43.3% presented with acute UTI, eight (26.6% with non-specific urinary tract symptoms and nine (30% with persistently elevated serum creatinine. Urine cultures were positive in 73% of patients, and E. coli was the most common pathogen. Renal impairment at presentation was significantly associated with bilateral severe VUR and history of UTI but not age or gender. After a mean follow-up period of 1.78 years (6 months to 5 years, 70% of patients remained with normal renal function and 30% progressed to chronic kidney disease; two of them died. In conclusion, our data is different from many studies. Features of primary VUR in Sudanese children are late age of onset, equal gender affection and predominance of severe grade. Presentation is associated with a high rate of UTI, renal damage and advanced renal impairment. Measures to improve early detection and treatment of VUR may reduce the risk of kidney damage.

Return of qualified Sudanese

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Lindsay T McMahon

2007-07-01

Full Text Available With the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in January 2005, the new Government of South Sudan began to call for the return of the millions of South Sudanese IDP s and refugees. The International Organization for Migration (IOM has developed a programme to help them do so.

Lipid Profile in Sudanese Diabetic Patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naway, L M. Y. [Sudan Academy of Sciences, Atomic Energy Council, Khartoum (Sudan)

2011-04-15

This study composes of two parts, the first one is an experiment to evaluate the level of blood glucose and lipid profile (TC, TG, LDL, HDL and VLDL) among diabetic patients and comparison of the result with non diabetic subjects and the second one is a survey to assess the standards of health care and patients knowledge. The subject were divided into two groups according to insulin requirement. Type 1 is insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and type 2 is non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and then divided according to gender (males and female) subgroups. The study subjects selected for this study consist of one hundred Sudanese diabetic patients from Ribat University Hospital during January 2009 they had mean age (52{+-}11.063) years,a mean height (165.82{+-}8.573) cm and a mean weight of (70.20{+-}11.203) kg. fifty healthy non diabetic subject were chosen as controls, their mean age (45.72{+-}11.169) years, mean height (167.28{+-}9.450) cm and mean weight (71.02{+-}13.429) kg. Blood glucose and lipid profile total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) were measured by enzymatic colorimetric methods in both groups, and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol were calculated for each sample. All patients were interviewed and filled out the questionnaire consisted of five parts. The result of the study found highly significant elevated level of blood glucose level among diabetic patients compared to non diabetic subjects. In addition to significant elevated level of serum lipids TC p=0.001, TG p=0.001, LDL p=0.001, and VLDL p=0.001. And decrease in HDL P=0.001 level in diabetic patient compared to non diabetic subjects. Among subgroups (type 1, type 2) diabetic patients glucose level and serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and VLDL cholestrol were significantly higher (p<0.5) while HDL cholestrol was significantly lower when compared to non diabetic subjects. Non statistically

Deportation of South Sudanese from Israel

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Laurie Lijnders

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Israel’s aggressive campaign of arrest and deportation of South Sudanese asylum seekers contravenes the principle of non-refoulement and international standards for voluntary, dignified return.

Assessment of laboratory values of thyroid function tests in Sudanese patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farah, Mansour El Tahir [Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum (Sudan)

1998-12-31

Thyroid diseases comprise a major health problem in Sudan. Although clinical diagnosis of thyroid diseases often easy, there are many diagnostic difficulties. So, laboratory investigations are essential in certain conditions. 97 Sudanese subjects were included in this study. According to the clinical features, patients were divided into three groups, either hyper or hypothyroid, and the control group. Laboratory diagnosis of these individuals was established in the diagnostic and research laboratory centre in Khartoum teaching hospital. The thyroid hormones studied are T{sup 3}, T{sup 4}, FT{sup 4} (by enzyme immunoassay) and TSH (by the ultrasensitive enzyme immunoassay). Serum T{sup 3} concentration was found to be high in 66% of the hyperthyroid patients, and low in 75% of the hypothyroid patients, and normal in 66.7% of the control group. Serum T{sup 4} concentration was normal in one-third of the hyperthyroid patients, and one-fourth of the hypothyroid patients, and 90.9% of the control group. FT{sup 4} was normal in the control group, low in 95% for the hypothyroid patients, and high in 66% of the hyperthyroid patients. Signs of hyperthyroidism were associated with high hormonal levels more than symptoms do. Hyperkinesis and eye signs had a significant correlation with the hormonal levels. No significant correlation was found between symptoms and signs of hypothyroidism and hormonal levels. So, clinical evaluation of patients is very important before assessing the laboratory values, and the free T{sup 4} is more specific in the diagnosis of thyroid diseases. (Author) 97 refs. , 20 tabs. , 11 figs.

Plasma levels of interleukin-17, interleukin-23, and transforming growth factor-β in Sudanese patients with vitiligo: A case-control study

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Ali Malik Osman

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Vitiligo is the most common pigmentary skin disorder. It is a multifactorial polygenic disease with epidermal melanocyte destruction. The cytokines profile found in vitiliginous patients was not fully elucidated. Aims: We sought to assess the autoimmune nature of vitiligo by comparing plasma levels of interleukin (IL-17, IL-23, and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-b in adult Sudanese vitiligo patients with matched control individuals. Subjects and Methods: Case-control study was conducted in Khartoum Dermatologic Teaching Hospital, in the period between July and December 2013. The cases were 42 adult Sudanese vitiligo patients matched with 43 control individuals. The cytokines were measured in the plasma by the quantitative "sandwich" ELISA. Results: Patients showed a significant lower median (25-75 th inter-quartile of TGF-β than control (0.042 [0.041-0.044] vs. 0.047 [0.042-0.049]; P ͳ 0.001. Both IL-17 and IL-23 showed no significant difference between cases and controls. IL-17 showed a significant inverse relationship when correlated with TGF-β (r = −0.24; P = 0.026 while showing direct relationship when correlated with age (r = 0.28; P = 0.009. Conclusion: The positive findings detected in this study coincide with the important immunoregulatory role of the TGF-β, and support the autoimmune nature of the disease.

Speech intelligibility problems of Sudanese learners of English : an experimental approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tajeldin Ali, Ezzeldin Mahmoud

2011-01-01

This is a study on the pronunciation and perception of English sounds and words by university students of English in Sudan, whose native language is Sudanese Arabic. The study aims to establish the intelligibility of Sudanese-Arabic (SA) accented English for native English (British and American)

Silver lining: building a shared Sudanese identity through food.

Science.gov (United States)

Crofts, A V

2010-01-01

The displaced of Sudan, due to both decades of civil war and natural disasters, are disproportionately female and many are responsible for dependents. For those settling in the capital, Khartoum, their livelihood depends on carving out ways to earn money in an urban area that is experiencing tremendous growth from the millions of recent arrivals. When confronted with the immediate need to provide for their families, women turn to a skill universally expected of them: cooking. Therefore, Khartoum is home to a thriving micro-economy of food vendors. By selling these dishes in the capital, they broaden the culinary horizons of the city while preserving their own food traditions. Their growing numbers provide an opportunity for regional foodways to gain wider introduction, adaptation, and, finally, adoption. These same vendors also facilitate a nascent sense of a shared Sudanese identity and nationalism. For established Khartoum urbanites, the definition of Sudanese food (and, by extension, what it means to be Sudanese) expands as street-vendor fare moves to restaurants and becomes more widely available throughout the city. As urban Sudanese overcome their preconceptions and discover a taste for regional cuisines, meals function as unofficial diplomacy during this turbulent time in Sudan's history.

Association Between Lipoprotein(A) and Small Apo(A) Phenotypes and Coronary Heart Disease in Sudanese Diabetic Patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, A.M.; Elabid, B.E.H.; Addalla, M.A.

2013-01-01

Background:Recent studies indicate an independent association of apolipoprotein(a) small phenotypes with the diabetes and the onset of coronary heart disease.Apolipoprotein(a)small phenotypes when used together with Lipoprotein(a) levels make powerful markers in assessing the actual risk of developing coronary heart disease in diabetic patients. Objectives: Evaluation of clinical and diagnostic significant of Lipoprotein(a) levels and apolipoprotein(a) small phenotypes and its relation to coronary heart disease in Sudanese diabetic patients. Setting and duration of study: Diabetic patients attending hospitals and medical centers from May 2011-December 2012, in Khartoum, Sudan. Patients and Methods: This was a case control, hospital based study done on 138 Sudanese diabetic patients attending hospitals and medical centers in Khartoum. Patients were divided into 2 groups. One group had diabetic cases with coronary heart disease and the other were diabetic patients without coronary heart disease. Controls were age and gender matched. Blood samples were collected from both groups(patients and controls) and were run for apolipoproteins, lipoproteins and apolipoprotein(a) small phenotype,low-density lipoprotein,high-density lipoprotein and trigeminal ganglia. Results: The levels of Lipoprotein(a) of patients were significantly higher than controls (p<0.05). Apolipoprotein(a)small phenotype distribution showed a significant difference when compared between patients of both groups (diabetics with and without coronary heart disease) and controls (p<0.05). Both low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol showed significant difference in both patient groups and controls (p<0.05). Total cholesterol and triglyceride levels showed no significant difference between patients and controls. Apolipoprotein(a) small phenotypes showed significant distribution in diabetic patients when compared with coronary heart disease patients (more than one low molecular weight

Lipid Profile in Sudanese Diabetic Patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naway, L. M. Y.

2011-04-01

This study composes of two parts, the first one is an experiment to evaluate the level of blood glucose and lipid profile (TC, TG, LDL, HDL and VLDL) among diabetic patients and comparison of the result with non diabetic subjects and the second one is a survey to assess the standards of health care and patients knowledge. The subject were divided into two groups according to insulin requirement. Type 1 is insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and type 2 is non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and then divided according to gender (males and female) subgroups. The study subjects selected for this study consist of one hundred Sudanese diabetic patients from Ribat University Hospital during January 2009 they had mean age (52±11.063) years,a mean height (165.82±8.573) cm and a mean weight of (70.20±11.203) kg. fifty healthy non diabetic subject were chosen as controls, their mean age (45.72±11.169) years, mean height (167.28±9.450) cm and mean weight (71.02±13.429) kg. Blood glucose and lipid profile total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) were measured by enzymatic colorimetric methods in both groups, and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol were calculated for each sample. All patients were interviewed and filled out the questionnaire consisted of five parts. The result of the study found highly significant elevated level of blood glucose level among diabetic patients compared to non diabetic subjects. In addition to significant elevated level of serum lipids TC p=0.001, TG p=0.001, LDL p=0.001, and VLDL p=0.001. And decrease in HDL P=0.001 level in diabetic patient compared to non diabetic subjects. Among subgroups (type 1, type 2) diabetic patients glucose level and serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and VLDL cholestrol were significantly higher (p<0.5) while HDL cholestrol was significantly lower when compared to non diabetic subjects. Non statistically variation

Sudanese Journal of Dermatology: Submissions

African Journals Online (AJOL)

photographs. Make sure that each table is cited in the text. Avoid too many tables. Identify statistical measures such as standard deviation, standard error of the mean and data statistical significance, if possible. 3. Manuscripts to Sudanese Journal of Dermatology should not be under simultaneous consideration by another ...

Successful Adaptation among Sudanese Unaccompanied Minors: Perspectives of Youth and Foster Parents

Science.gov (United States)

Luster, Tom; Qin, Desiree; Bates, Laura; Rana, Meenal; Lee, Jung Ah

2010-01-01

This study explores the adaptation of unaccompanied Sudanese refugee minors resettled in the US. Seven years after resettlement, in-depth interviews were conducted with 19 Sudanese youths and 20 foster parents regarding factors that contributed to successful adaptation. The youths emphasized personal agency and staying focused on getting an…

Levels of estrogen, carcinoembryonic antigen and cancer antigen of breast in Sudanese female with breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdelhadi, H. A.; Sirelkhatim, D. A.; Eltayeb, E. A.; Ahmed, W. A.; Elhussein, B.

2006-12-01

This study was conducted during the period from february 2004 to july 2004; with the objective of measuring the levels of estrogen (E2), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cancer antigen of breast (CA-15.3) so as to facilitate the early diagnosis of breast cancer and to determine the involvement of these parameters as risk factors for breast cancer. Ninety blood samples were collected from Sudanese females, divided into two groups; control group and patients groups. The patients group was sixty Sudanese females visiting the Radio Isotope Center, Khartoum (RICK) and they were confirmed as breast cancer patients by histopathology. The levels of the above mentioned parameters were determined by using radioimmunoassay technique. The results showed that , no significant (P=0.05) difference between the levels of the estrogen in patients compared to the control, on the other hand, there was non-significant (p<0.05) elevation in CEA levels in the patients with breast cancer compared to the control. The levels of CA 15.3 was significantly (p<0.0001) higher in the breast cancer patients compared to the control.(Author)

Presence of human papilloma virus, herpes simplex virus and Epstein-Barr virus DNA in oral biopsies from Sudanese patients with regard to toombak use.

Science.gov (United States)

Jalouli, Jamshid; Ibrahim, Salah O; Sapkota, Dipak; Jalouli, Miranda M; Vasstrand, Endre N; Hirsch, Jan M; Larsson, Per-Anders

2010-09-01

Using PCR/DNA sequencing, we investigated the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV), herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA in brush biopsies obtained from 150 users of Sudanese snuff (toombak) and 25 non-users of toombak in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples obtained from 31 patients with oral dysplasias (25 toombak users and 6 non-users), and from 217 patients with oral cancers (145 toombak users and 72 non-users). In the brush tissue samples from toombak users, HPV was detected in 60 (40%), HSV in 44 (29%) and EBV in 97 (65%) of the samples. The corresponding figures for the 25 samples from non-users were 17 (68%) positive for HPV, 6 (24%) positive for HSV and 21 (84%) for EBV. The formalin-fixed samples with oral dysplasias were all negative for HPV. In the 145 oral cancer samples from toombak users, HPV was detected in 39 (27%), HSV in 15 (10%) and EBV in 53 (37%) of the samples. The corresponding figures for the samples from non-users were 15 (21%) positive for HPV, 5 (7%) for HSV and 16 (22%) for EBV. These findings illustrate that prevalence of HSV, HPV and EBV infections are common and may influence oral health and cancer development. It is not obvious that cancer risk is increased in infected toombak users. These observations warrant further studies involving toombak-associated oral lesions, to uncover the possible mechanisms of these viral infections in the development of oral cancer, and the influence of toombak on these viruses. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Presence of plaque, gingivitis and caries in Sudanese children with congenital heart defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Hiba Mohamed; Mustafa, Manal; Hasabalrasol, Siham; Elshazali, Osama Hafiz; Nasir, Elwalid Fadul; Ali, Raouf Wahab; Berggreen, Ellen; Skeie, Marit Slåttelid

2017-05-01

The objective of this study is to assess the presence of plaque, gingivitis, and caries in a group of Sudanese children with congenital heart defects CHDs (cases) and compare them to children without CHDs (controls). This analytical cross-sectional study included cases (N = 111, with a mean age of 7.2 ± 3.0 years) and controls (N = 182, with a mean age of 7.2 ± 2.8 years) from Khartoum, Sudan. Examinations were done by two calibrated dentists using plaque index, gingival index, and WHO (World Health Organization) caries diagnostic criteria (dmft/DMFT index: decayed, missing, and filled teeth). Children with CHDs (cases) had statistically significantly higher mean number of sites with plaque and gingivitis than children without CHDs (controls), although almost all children experienced plaque. Cases also experienced significantly higher mean dmft/DMFT than controls (age group 1, 3-7 years: 3.7 vs 2.3 and age group 2, 8-12 years: 1.3 vs 0.6). The Significant Caries Indices in cases (age groups 1 and 2) were also significantly higher than among controls (SiC 8.2 vs 5.9 and 1.8 vs 0.8, respectively). Fillings were totally lacking among cases and scarce among controls. The findings clearly showed that this group of Sudanese children with CHDs was more severely affected with gingivitis and caries than the control group without CHDs. These results are cause for concern in children at risk of developing systemic infections and serious complications related to poor oral health. These findings provide important baseline data for planning appropriate dental preventive strategies for Sudanese children with CHDs.

HIV/AIDS knowledge and condom use among Somali and Sudanese immigrants in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lazarus, Jeff; Himedan, Himedan Mohammed; Østergaard, Lise Rosendal

2006-01-01

This study explores the knowledge, attitudes and practices among Somali and Sudanese immigrants in Denmark with regard to HIV/AIDS and condom use.......This study explores the knowledge, attitudes and practices among Somali and Sudanese immigrants in Denmark with regard to HIV/AIDS and condom use....

Plans for first oil production revived in two Sudanese fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

A Vancouver, British Columbia, independent and its Sudanese partner have filed a development plan with the government of Sudan to produce an initial 40,000 b/d from Heglig and Unity oil fields in Sudan. Arakis Energy Corp., and the private Sudanese company State Petroleum Corp. (SPC) want to begin the first commercial hydrocarbon production in the destitute, war torn country. They are picking up where Chevron Corp. left off after years of grappling with an ambitious, costly - and ultimately futile - effort to export crude-oil from Sudan. After finding almost 300 million bbl of oil in Sudan during the early 1980s, Chevron scuttled a $2 billion project to export 50,000 b/d of Sudanese crude in 1986. It drilled 90 wells and sank more than $1 billion into the project. But it dropped the plan, citing the 1986 collapse of oil prices and concerns over security after repeated guerrilla attacks delayed work. The paper details the project

Sexual health knowledge and behaviour of young Sudanese Queenslanders: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dean, Judith; Mitchell, Marion; Stewart, Donald; Debattista, Joseph

2017-06-01

Background Forced migration is associated with sexual vulnerability. However, little is known about the sexual health literacy and needs of refugee-background youth post resettlement. Conducted in partnership with the Queensland Sudanese community, this study used a cross-sectional survey to explore the sexual health knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of a convenience sample of 16- to 24-year-old Sudanese-background youth in Australia (n=229). Sexually transmissible infection (STI) and HIV knowledge scores were generally low, although they were found to significantly improve the longer participants had lived in Australia (Pbehaviour score suggests generally low levels of risk-taking behaviour. However, of the 140 sexually active participants, 3.1% reported a STI diagnosis, 9.0% reported sex leading to a pregnancy and 33.1% reported they had experienced unwanted sex. Participants also reported engaging in behaviours such as anal sex (33%) and sharing injecting drug equipment. Patterns of sexual behaviour among this predominately refugee-background group are not dissimilar to those of other young Australians. Nonetheless, the self-reported patterns of risk behaviour combined with the low and inaccurate levels of sexual health knowledge suggest this group of young people remain sexually vulnerable, particularly early within their resettlement experience. Culturally and contextually informed sexual health interventions are needed early within the resettlement experience.

Writing from Inside Out: Accounts of Sudanese Women Working In the Media

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Saadia Izzeldin Malik

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the experiences of some Sudanese women working in the media. The paper brings to the center of analysis voices and experiences of women reporters, presenters, head of media sections, directors, and writers through adopting autobiographic and ethnographic research methods. The main question of this paper is how the “glass ceiling” metaphor-the invisible barriers that one, read women, can see through but not easily get through is applicable to the position of women in the media institutions of Sudan? Applying qualitative research methods, the paper found that Sudanese women journalists are constantly facing and negotiating gender disparities in work place, and poor working conditions; cultural/society’s perception of women working in the media; limited margin of press freedom in the country, and confronting the Islamist perception of the government of the Sudanese “woman”.

Anxiety during pregnancy among Sudanese pregnant women ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Many women suffer psychological symptoms during pregnancy but few studies have examined anxiety among pregnant ladies in relation to the level of education, previous bad obstetrical history and female circumcision. Aims: To determine frequency of anxiety among Sudanese women as related to pregnancy and ...

Slow return of displaced Southern Sudanese

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Tim Morris

2007-07-01

Full Text Available The pace of repatriation of Sudanese refugees and return of IDP s to South Sudan has picked up but expectations at the time of the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA CPA in January 2005 have yet to be realised. With all eyes on Darfur, assistance to sustain returns to South Sudan remains inadequate.

Molecular Characterization of Sudanese and Southern Sudanese Chicken Breeds Using mtDNA D-Loop

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Charles E. Wani

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to assess the genetic relationships and diversity and to estimate the amount of gene flow among the five chicken populations from Sudan and South Sudan and commercial strain of egg line White Leghorn chickens. The chicken populations were genotyped using mtDNA D-loop as a molecular marker. PCR product of the mtDNA D-loop segment was 600 bp and 14 haplotypes were identified. The neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree indicated that the indigenous Sudanese chickens can be grouped into two clades, IV and IIIa only. Median joining networks analysis showed that haplotype LBB49 has the highest frequency. The hierarchal analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA showed that genetic variation within the population was 88.6% and the differentiation among the population was 11.4%. When the populations was redefined into two geographical zones, rich and poor Savanna, the results were fractioned into three genetic variations: between individuals within population 95.5%, between populations within the group 0.75%, and genetic variation between groups 3.75%. The pair wise Fst showed high genetic difference between Betwil populations and the rest with Fst ranging from 0.1492 to 0.2447. We found that there is large number of gene exchanges within the Sudanese indigenous chicken (Nm=4.622.

Good sleep quality is associated with better academic performance among Sudanese medical students

OpenAIRE

Mirghani, Hyder Osman; Mohammed, Osama Salih; Almurtadha, Yahia Mohamed; Ahmed, Moneir Siddig

2015-01-01

Background There is increasing awareness about the association of sleep quality and academic achievement among university students. However, the relationship between sleep quality and academic performance has not been examined in Sudan; this study assessed the relationship between sleep quality and academic performance among Sudanese medical students. Methods A case?control study was conducted among 165 male and female medical students at two Sudanese universities. Excellent (A) and pass (C) ...

Evaluation of cardiac function tests in Sudanese adult patients with sickle cell trait

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Kamal E.A. Abdelsalam

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Cardiac dysfunctions have been recognized as a common complication of sickle cell anaemia (SCA, and together with pulmonary disorder accounts for many deaths in these patients. However, sickle cell traits appear clinically normal, although they have genetic abnormality. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of sickle cell trait on cardiac prognostic markers by measuring high density lipoprotein (HDL-C, low density lipoprotein (LDL-C, cardiac creatine kinase (CK-MB, ultra-sensitive C reactive protein (us-CRP, total homocysteine (Hyc, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP tests in adult Sudanese patients with sickle cell trait.Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 200 healthy volunteers as a control group and 200 diagnosed patients with sickle cell trait. It was carried out in Khartoum Specialized Hospital, Al-Bayan Hospital, Obayed Clinical Center and Dr. Nadir Specialized Hospital, Sudan between January 2015 and January 2016. All participants were between 20-32 years old. LDL-C, HDL-C, CK-MB, NT-proBNP and hs-CRP concentrations were measured by Hitachi 912 full-automated Chemistry Analyzer (Roche Diagnostics, Germany as manufacturer procedure, while homocysteine level was measured by ELISA technique using special kit.Results: When compared to control group, the levels of LDL-C, hs-CRP and NT-proBNP revealed significant increase in patients’ sera (p<0.001, while Hyc and CK-MB levels were increased insignificantly in patients with SCT (p=0.069, p=0.054 respectively. On the other hand, comparison to control group, HDL-C showed insignificant reduction in patients (p=0.099.Conclusion: The results suggest that sickle cell trait increased the risk of patient-related complication secondary to cardiac dysfunction.

Diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis by the polymerase chain reaction using blood, bone marrow and lymph node samples from patients from the Sudan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andresen, K; Gasim, S; Elhassan, A M

1997-01-01

We have evaluated the sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a diagnostic tool for Leishmania donovani using blood, bone marrow and lymph node samples from Sudanese patients with a confirmed infection. Forty patients were diagnosed by microscopic examination of bone marrow or lymph...

Portal Vein Thrombosis in Sudanese Children | Sabir | Sudan ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ten children received liver support for portal biliopathy, five children had splenectomy because of hypersplenism. Four children died. Propranolol was stopped in 50 children out of 150 children who cleared their varices after two years. Conclusions: PVT in children is common in Sudanese children, and represents the ...

Genetic characterization of two Sudanese goat breeds (Capra hircus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-05-18

May 18, 2009 ... study offer useful information about some Sudanese goat breeds. Key words: Capra hircus ... the College of Agricultural Studies, Sudan University, while those for the Nilotic ..... hircus) in Schuan P R China, Zool. Sci. 23: 29-234.

Endocrinal investigations on Sudanese malnourished children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, N.; Mohammed, F. S.; Bushra, M. M.; Babiker, A. H.; Hisham, M.

2004-01-01

Malnutrition showed a high incidence among Sudanese children under five years of age. It affects directly the endocrine system of such children. In this the thyroid gland selected as a very important endocrine organ to be studied in 49 malnourished children under five years. Other 20 well- nourished children were selected to act as a control subjects . Both study and control groups were match for age and sex. The patients were seen and assessed for the disease in different hospital in Khartoum by consultant pediatrician. Thyroid function (thyroxineT4 and Triiodothyronine) was tested with a sensitive radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique. Some other biochemical parameters (hemoglobin Hb % total protein) were also investigated for the two groups (Patients and control) to confirm malnutrition. The means of the investigated parameters of the patients were compared with those of control group. The results showed 20 % of the malnourished children was complained of sever hypothyroidism (T4<25μmol/I) and (T3<0.3μmol/I) considering the normal range (55-142μmol/I) and (0.8-3μmol/I) respectively. The difference was highly significant together. The patients group showed low level in the two parameters, which indicate malnutrition. The the thyroid function in the malnourished children was severely affected by malnutrition, and such a test is strongly recommended to be a routine investigation for malnourished children. ( Author)

Sex Prediction using Foramen Magnum and Occipital Condyles Computed Tomography Measurements in Sudanese Population

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Usama Mohamed El-Barrany

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Sex determination is important in establishing the identity of an individual. The foramen magnum is an important landmark of the skull base. The present research aimed to study the value of foramen magnum measurements to determine sex using computed tomography (CT among Sudanese individuals. Foramen magnum CT scans of 400 Sudanese individuals (200 males and 200 females aged 18 - 83 years were included in this study. Foramen magnum (length and width, right occipital condyle (length and width, left occipital condyle (length and width, minimum intercondylar distance, maximum bicondylar distance and maximum medial intercondylar distance were measured. All data were subjected to discriminant functions analysis. All nine measurements were significantly higher in males than females. Among these measurements, the right condyle length, minimum intercondylar distance, and foramen magnum width were able to determine sex in Sudanese individuals with an accuracy rate of 83 %.

Health Information in Sudanese (Arabic dialect) (سودانية عربية)

Science.gov (United States)

... Suicide - سودانية عربية (Sudanese (Arabic dialect)) MP3 ... Karen Chemical Dependency Taskforce of Minnesota Mood Disorders What Is Mental Distress - سودانية عربية (Sudanese (Arabic ...

Mental health literacy among refugee communities: differences between the Australian lay public and the Iraqi and Sudanese refugee communities.

Science.gov (United States)

May, Samantha; Rapee, Ronald M; Coello, Mariano; Momartin, Shakeh; Aroche, Jorge

2014-05-01

This study investigated differences in mental health knowledge and beliefs between participants from the Iraqi and Sudanese refugee communities, and Australian-born individuals, in Sydney, Australia. Ninety-seven participants were given vignettes of characters describing symptoms of major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress. They were required to identify psychological symptoms as disorders, rate beliefs about the causes of and helpful treatments for these disorders, and rate attitude statements regarding the two characters. Australian participants recognized the presented symptoms as specific mental disorders significantly more than Iraqi and Sudanese participants did, and reported causal and treatment beliefs which were more congruent with expert beliefs as per the western medical model of mental disorder. The Sudanese group endorsed supernatural and religious causal beliefs regarding depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms most often; but both Sudanese and Iraqi participants strongly supported options from the supernatural and religious treatment items. However, evidence for pluralistic belief systems was also found. Although sampling was non-random, suggesting caution in the interpretation of results, it appears that the mental health literacy of lay Australians may be more aligned with the western medical model of mental disorder than that of Iraqi and Sudanese refugee communities. Mental health literacy support needs of Iraqi and Sudanese refugee communities resettled in western countries such as Australia might include education about specific symptoms and causes of mental disorder and the effectiveness of psychiatric treatments. These findings provide useful directions for the promotion of optimal service utilization among such communities.

Topological variability and sex differences in fingerprint ridge density in a sample of the Sudanese population.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Altayeb Abdalla; Osman, Samah

2016-08-01

Fingerprints are important biometric variables that show manifold utilities in human biology, human morphology, anthropology, and genetics. Their role in forensics as a legally admissible tool of identification is well recognized and is based on their stability following full development, individualistic characteristics, easy classification of their patterns, and uniqueness. Nevertheless, fingerprint ridge density and its variability have not been previously studied in the Sudanese population. Hence, this study was conducted to analyze the topological variability in epidermal ridge density and to assess the possibility of its application in determining sex of Sudanese Arabs. The data used for this study were prints of all 10 fingers of 200 Sudanese Arab individuals (100 men and 100 women) aged between 18 and 28 years. Fingerprint ridge density was assessed for three different areas (radial, ulnar and proximal) for all 10 fingers of each subject. Significant variability was found between the areas (p crime scenes can be useful to determine sex of Sudanese individuals based on fingerprint ridge density; furthermore, ridge density can be considered a morphological trait for individual variation in forensic anthropology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Genetic variability in Sudanese Acacia senegal (L.) assessed by ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

TUOYO

2010-07-26

Jul 26, 2010 ... Full Length Research Paper. Genetic variability in Sudanese Acacia senegal (L.) assessed by random amplified polymorphic DNA. Rami S. Habeballa*, Nada B. Hamza and Eisa I. El Gaali. Commission for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, National Centre for Research, Khartoum, Sudan. P. O. Box.

Flipped Learning for ESL Writing in a Sudanese School

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelrahman, Limia Ali Mohamed; DeWitt, Dorothy; Alias, Norlidah; Rahman, Mohd Nazri Abdul

2017-01-01

Sudanese students seem to lack proficiency in writing English. In addition, teachers continue to use traditional, teacher-centered methods in teaching English as a second language (ESL). The flipped learning (FL) approach where video lectures are assigned as online homework before class, followed by learning activities during class, might be able…

Editorial Misconceptions in statistics | Al Aboud | Sudanese Journal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

No Abstract. Sudanese Journal of Dermatology Vol. 4(1) 2006: 1. Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/sjd.v4i1.32877 · AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors · FAQ's · More ...

Sudanese live sheep and mutton exports competitiveness

OpenAIRE

Babiker Idris Babiker; Abdul-Jabbar Mohammed Abdullah; Mohamed Ahmed Al-Feel

2011-01-01

The livestock sector of Sudan provides livelihood for about 17% of the population. Sudanese livestock products meet the domestic demand for meat in addition to a substantial excess for export amounting to about 22% of total country exports. It contributes about 19% of GDP. Sheep marketing in Sudan is characterised by traditional operations and is informally organised, although, recently there are great efforts by the formal livestock authorities to organise some secondary and terminal livesto...

Population structure and genetic diversity of Sudanese native chickens

African Journals Online (AJOL)

User

2013-11-06

Nov 6, 2013 ... of eggs and meat, respectively, of which 80% are from indigenous stocks (FAO, 2006). In Sudan, the traditional sector comprises 70% of the total chicken's annual production of 20.1 million birds and 900 million eggs. (Sulieman, 1996). The Sudanese fowls with various types, which collectively are called ...

Regeneration of Sudanese maize inbred lines and open pollinated ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-06-03

Jun 3, 2008 ... Keywords: Sudanese maize genotypes, embryogenic callus, regeneration, and tissue culture. INTRODUCTION. Maize is an important food and forage crop in the North- ern and Southern regions of ... Skoog, 1965) containing 60 g l-1 sucrose and lacking 2,4-D (referred to as maturation or RI medium) and ...

Blood cholesterol level in Sudanese females with hyperthyroidism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, N. M.

2004-08-01

In view to high incidence of thyroid dis function among Sudanese females, this study was conducted, essentially to study the effect of thyroid disorders on lipids metabolism, mainly on total cholesterol. In this study samples were collected from RIA laboratory in Sudan Atomic Energy Commission. 50 hyperthyroidism females were selected as a study group of age range (20-55) years. In addition 47 samples were collected with same age of study group used as control group. Thyroid related hormones thyroxine T4, triiodothyronine T3, thyroid stimulating hormone TSH using the sensitive radioimmunoassay method and cholesterol were measured for the two groups using enzymatic-calorimetric test. Statistical analysis were done with SPSS computer program to compare the cholesterol levels in the control subjects with the patients levels. The results showed significantly decreased cholesterol level of patient group when compared with the control group (p<0.01). At the end of this study the result was agreed well with previous results concerning cholesterol level as affected by thyroid disorder. (Author)

Modelling malaria incidence with environmental dependency in a locality of Sudanese savannah area, Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaudart, Jean; Touré, Ousmane; Dessay, Nadine; Dicko, A Lassane; Ranque, Stéphane; Forest, Loic; Demongeot, Jacques; Doumbo, Ogobara K

2009-04-10

The risk of Plasmodium falciparum infection is variable over space and time and this variability is related to environmental variability. Environmental factors affect the biological cycle of both vector and parasite. Despite this strong relationship, environmental effects have rarely been included in malaria transmission models.Remote sensing data on environment were incorporated into a temporal model of the transmission, to forecast the evolution of malaria epidemiology, in a locality of Sudanese savannah area. A dynamic cohort was constituted in June 1996 and followed up until June 2001 in the locality of Bancoumana, Mali. The 15-day composite vegetation index (NDVI), issued from satellite imagery series (NOAA) from July 1981 to December 2006, was used as remote sensing data.The statistical relationship between NDVI and incidence of P. falciparum infection was assessed by ARIMA analysis. ROC analysis provided an NDVI value for the prediction of an increase in incidence of parasitaemia.Malaria transmission was modelled using an SIRS-type model, adapted to Bancoumana's data. Environmental factors influenced vector mortality and aggressiveness, as well as length of the gonotrophic cycle. NDVI observations from 1981 to 2001 were used for the simulation of the extrinsic variable of a hidden Markov chain model. Observations from 2002 to 2006 served as external validation. The seasonal pattern of P. falciparum incidence was significantly explained by NDVI, with a delay of 15 days (p = 0.001). An NDVI threshold of 0.361 (p = 0.007) provided a Diagnostic Odd Ratio (DOR) of 2.64 (CI95% [1.26;5.52]).The deterministic transmission model, with stochastic environmental factor, predicted an endemo-epidemic pattern of malaria infection. The incidences of parasitaemia were adequately modelled, using the observed NDVI as well as the NDVI simulations. Transmission pattern have been modelled and observed values were adequately predicted. The error parameters have shown the smallest

Modelling malaria incidence with environmental dependency in a locality of Sudanese savannah area, Mali

Science.gov (United States)

Gaudart, Jean; Touré, Ousmane; Dessay, Nadine; Dicko, A lassane; Ranque, Stéphane; Forest, Loic; Demongeot, Jacques; Doumbo, Ogobara K

2009-01-01

Background The risk of Plasmodium falciparum infection is variable over space and time and this variability is related to environmental variability. Environmental factors affect the biological cycle of both vector and parasite. Despite this strong relationship, environmental effects have rarely been included in malaria transmission models. Remote sensing data on environment were incorporated into a temporal model of the transmission, to forecast the evolution of malaria epidemiology, in a locality of Sudanese savannah area. Methods A dynamic cohort was constituted in June 1996 and followed up until June 2001 in the locality of Bancoumana, Mali. The 15-day composite vegetation index (NDVI), issued from satellite imagery series (NOAA) from July 1981 to December 2006, was used as remote sensing data. The statistical relationship between NDVI and incidence of P. falciparum infection was assessed by ARIMA analysis. ROC analysis provided an NDVI value for the prediction of an increase in incidence of parasitaemia. Malaria transmission was modelled using an SIRS-type model, adapted to Bancoumana's data. Environmental factors influenced vector mortality and aggressiveness, as well as length of the gonotrophic cycle. NDVI observations from 1981 to 2001 were used for the simulation of the extrinsic variable of a hidden Markov chain model. Observations from 2002 to 2006 served as external validation. Results The seasonal pattern of P. falciparum incidence was significantly explained by NDVI, with a delay of 15 days (p = 0.001). An NDVI threshold of 0.361 (p = 0.007) provided a Diagnostic Odd Ratio (DOR) of 2.64 (CI95% [1.26;5.52]). The deterministic transmission model, with stochastic environmental factor, predicted an endemo-epidemic pattern of malaria infection. The incidences of parasitaemia were adequately modelled, using the observed NDVI as well as the NDVI simulations. Transmission pattern have been modelled and observed values were adequately predicted. The error

Reinventing the political role of health professionals in conflict prevention & reconciliation: the Sudanese model.

Science.gov (United States)

Salih, Alaaddin M; Ahmed, Jasim M; Mohamed, Jamal F; Alfaki, Musaab M

2016-01-01

Given the persistent recurrence of armed conflict, influential actors owe it to the affected communities to take action. The legitimacy of health professionals to mitigate the effects of conflict relates to their ability to save lives and address the physical and mental consequences of armed conflict during which thousands of lives may be lost. Medical professionals have unique and potentially far-reaching skills. These become crucial during wartime and disasters in terms of providing medical services and humanitarian aid. However, they are insufficiently used in one area: involvement in politics as a tool to foster peace. Despite this, Sudanese individuals from medical backgrounds have participated actively in conflict resolution and peace-building processes. In fact, their political actions throughout the last six decades have aimed to prevent conflict at four different levels, which are described by Yusuf et al. in their article on the political involvement of health professionals in prevention. Their stand against President Nimeiri's Sharia laws was primordial prevention of religious conflict at the national level. Their leading role in the second Sudanese Intifada uprising was a key factor in saving the country from civil war, and another example of primary prevention. Sudanese physicians were also involved in secondary prevention by being influentially involved in almost all national peace agreements. Avoiding disputes at the tertiary level represents the weakest link in their repeated efforts. This paper outlines the different roles Sudanese medical personnel have taken in peacemaking. It also critically evaluates them in order to consider new methods of political involvement that suit future challenges.

Role of Tc99m-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) in diagnosis of acute urinary tract infection (UTI) in Sudanese children patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abu baker, S. E. E.

2003-01-01

Pediatric nuclear medicine, in order to survive, must be innovative in finding ways of competing with other pediatric imaging studies for better health care. In this study a group of thirty-one patients with urinary tract infection confirmed by clinical investigation, (fever, pain, ....ect), laboratory investigation (RBC and pus cell)and urine culture, were evaluate by nuclear medicine study. The aim of the study was to compare the diagnostic value of cortical scintigraphy using Tc 99m dimercaptosuccinic acid (Tc 99m -DMSA), with two other routine investigations; the intravenous urographic (IVU), and ultrasonography (US), for diagnosis of renal parenchymal abnormality in children. The Tc 99m -DMSA renal scan was utilized as the gold standard test for renal involvement. All patients had Tc 99m -DMSA renal scan, and US, and only 22 patients had contrast IVU. The Tc 99m -DMSA renal scan showed abnormality renal scanning in about 94% of patients, US abnormalities were detected in about 81% of patient, while the IVU detected defects in about 87%. Because the prevalence of upper UTI in children is high, Tc 99m -DMSA renal scan is undoubtedly the available tool for pediatriacicians as a guide in giving appropriate antibiotic therapy and to prevent further renal damage. The study concludes that, the renal cortical scintigraphy with Tc 99m -DMSA has been reported to be a useful children diagnostic study of acute parenchymal renal infections, moreover, is presently the method of choice to detect acute parenchymal infection. (Author)

Risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus in Sudanese pregnant ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

McRoy

Int J Med Biomed Res 2012;1(1):79-84. 79. Risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus in Sudanese pregnant women. Mardi T.G1, Lutfi M.F2*. 1Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Omdurman Islamic University,. Sudan. 2Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, ...

Estimation of patient dose in abdominal CT examination in some Sudanese hospitals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adam, Ebthal Adam Shikhalden

2016-04-01

The use of CT in medical diagnosis delivers radiation doses to patients that are higher than those from other radiological procedures. The aim of this study was to estimate radiation doses in abdomen CT examinations of patients in two Sudanese hospitals. Details were obtained from approximately 80 CT examinations and included all age groups ( adults and pediatric). The results from the two hospitals were compared with each other as well as with the IAEA guidance level for this particular investigation. The estimation of radiation doses were carried out by calculating volume dose index (CTD1vol), dose length product (DLP), doses to some organs of interest and effective dose (E) using the software program "CT EXPO V2.1". The study showed that the mean DLP of the one hospitals ASH is 1736.7 mGy.cm which is by far much higher than that for the other hospital NMDC which stands at 185.3 mGy.cm, as well as higher than the IAEA level which is 696 mGy.cm. The study showed that the mean CTD1vol for patients in ASH is 36.2 mGy which again higher than that for the other hospital which is 3.9 mGy and higher than the IAEA level which is 10.9 mGy calculating the effective dose for patients in the two hospitals reveals that the mean effective dose of patient in one hospital (ASH) is 26.25 mSv, which is quite high compared with other hospital (NMDC), which has the mean value of 2.8 mGv and also higher than the IAEA level from this investigation which is 7.6 mSv. Regarding organ doses, the study showed that organ doses in hospital ASH are always higher than that calculated in hospital NMDC and the highest doses in both hospital were delivered to the kidneys with mean values of 50.24 mGy and 5045 mGy for the two hospitals respectively. The study showed that there is an urgent need for optimizing patient doses in such CT examinations. This can be ensured by providing training and retraining for workers and conducting quality control measurements and preventive maintenance regularly so

When Two Elephants Fight the Grass Suffers: Parents and Teachers Working Together to Support the Literacy Development of Sudanese Youth

Science.gov (United States)

Walker-Dalhouse, Doris; Dalhouse, A. Derick

2009-01-01

Reading achievement and academic challenges of Sudanese children were investigated. Sudanese parents, and their children, and English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers were interviewed. Parents' and children's interviews were transcribed and four themes were generated from the data: Cultural Differences/Practices; Parent roles and expectations;…

Study of genetic diversity in Sudanese sesame (Sesamum indicum L ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-12-17

Dec 17, 2008 ... Study of genetic diversity in Sudanese sesame. (Sesamum indicum L.) germplasm using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. E. Abdellatef 1*, R. Sirelkhatem 1, M. M. Mohamed Ahmed1, K. H. Radwan2 and. M. M. Khalafalla1. 1Commission for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, ...

Varicella outbreak in Sudanese refugees from Calais.

Science.gov (United States)

Lesens, O; Baud, O; Henquell, C; Lhermet Nurse, A; Beytout, J

2016-05-01

We describe an outbreak of varicella in 31 Sudanese refugees (all except one were male, mean age: 26 ± 1), from the Calais migrant camp and sheltered in a French transit area. The attack rate was 39%. Adults are scantly immunized against varicella zoster virus in East Africa and may be exposed to epidemics once in France. © International Society of Travel Medicine, 2016. All rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The health of South Sudanese refugees: one million and counting

African Journals Online (AJOL)

(CAR). South Sudanese are leaving the country in droves, uprooted from their home once again to seek refuge across the borders. Many more continue to seek refuge as internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the protection of civilians' sites throughout the country. Numbers of refugees and IDPs. The infographic shows that, ...

The effect of hyperthyroidism on serum cholesterol in Sudanese females

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussien, A.E.

2006-03-01

This study was done, essentially to assess the effect of hyperthyroidism on lipid metabolism, respectively on total cholesterol in Sudanese females. Samples were collected from the referred patients to RIA lab in Sudan Atomic Energy Commission (SAEC). Ninety eight subjects were selected as study group. 48 hyperthyroid females age range (18-60) years in addition 50 euthyroid specimens were collected from females (of the same ages range) and used as control. Thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3), the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and serum total cholestrol were measured for all subjects. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS computer program to compare the mean of cholesterol levels the control with the study group. The result showed that the significantly (P < 0.01). High levels of thyroid hormones in patients were accompanied by significantly (P< 0.01) decreased cholesterol levels. When this finding was compared in the control group serum total cholesterol levels kept the normal rang with the normal thyroid function.(Author)

The effect of hyperthyroidism on serum cholesterol in Sudanese females

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hussien, A E [Coordination Council of Sudan Atomic Energy Commission, Sudan Academy of Sciences, Khartoum (Sudan)

2006-03-15

This study was done, essentially to assess the effect of hyperthyroidism on lipid metabolism, respectively on total cholesterol in Sudanese females. Samples were collected from the referred patients to RIA lab in Sudan Atomic Energy Commission (SAEC). Ninety eight subjects were selected as study group. 48 hyperthyroid females age range (18-60) years in addition 50 euthyroid specimens were collected from females (of the same ages range) and used as control. Thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3), the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and serum total cholestrol were measured for all subjects. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS computer program to compare the mean of cholesterol levels the control with the study group. The result showed that the significantly (P < 0.01). High levels of thyroid hormones in patients were accompanied by significantly (P< 0.01) decreased cholesterol levels. When this finding was compared in the control group serum total cholesterol levels kept the normal rang with the normal thyroid function.(Author)

In Transit/ion: Sudanese Students' Resettlement, Pedagogy and Material Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Anne

2013-01-01

For Asante our "battle is intense, the struggle we wage for status power is serious and we cannot communicate as equals when our economic position is that of servants" (2008, p. 49), words that resonated with the author throughout her research with Sudanese Australian young women about their educational experiences, as captured in…

Gendered Barriers to Educational Opportunities: Resettlement of Sudanese Refugees in Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Hatoss, Aniko; Huijser, Henk

2010-01-01

This paper argues that whilst equitable educational pathways are integrated into educational policy discourses in Australia, there are significant gendered barriers to educational participation among members of the Sudanese refugee groups. The specific conditions of forced migration reinforce disadvantage and further limit opportunities. Cultural…

Navigating a strange and complex environment: experiences of Sudanese refugee women using a new nutrition resource

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mannion CA

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Cynthia A Mannion, Shelley Raffin-Bouchal, Christena Jane HenshawFaculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaBackground: Refugees experience dietary changes as part of the daily challenges they face resettling in a new country. Sudanese women seek to care and feed their families, but face language barriers in the marketplace, limited access to familiar foods, and forced new food choices. This study aimed to understand the acceptability of a purse-sized nutrition resource, “The Market Guide”, which was developed to help recently immigrated Sudanese refugee women identify and purchase healthy foods and navigate grocery stores.Methods: Eight women participated in a focus group, four of whom were also observed during accompanied grocery store visits. Individual interviews were conducted with four health care workers at the resettlement center to gather perceptions about the suitability of The Market Guide. Focus groups and interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. Data from field notes and transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory for preliminary open codes, followed by selective and theoretical coding.Results: The Market Guide was of limited use to Sudanese women. Their response to this resource revealed the struggles of women acculturating during their first year in Calgary, Canada. We discovered the basic social process, “Navigating through a strange and complex environment: learning ways to feed your family.” Language, transportation, and an unfamiliar marketplace challenged women and prevented them from exercising their customary role of “knowing” which foods were “safe and good” for their families. The nutrition resource fell short of informing food choices and purchases, and we discovered that “learning to feed your family” is a relational process where trusted persons, family, and friends help navigate dietary acculturation.Conclusion: Emergent theory based on the basic social process may

Frequency of ABO, subgroup ABO and Rh(D) blood groups in major sudanese ethnic groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, F.M.

2010-01-01

Background: There are differences in the distribution of ABO, sub group A BO and Rh(D) blood groups in different populations of the world. Relatively little information is available about blood group distributions in Sudanese population. To see the frequency of ABO, subgroup ABO and Rh(D) blood groups in major Sudanese ethnic groups(Danagla Shaygia and Gaaleen). Blood testing for ABO, subgroup ABO and Rh(D) typing was done over six months, in 300 unrelated individuals, from both genders. Blood samples were collected from students of the college of medical laboratory science - Sudan University of Science and Technology using finger prick method and following routine slide method. Blood group 'O' was the most predominant ( 52.7%) in both Rh positive and negative subjects followed by blood group A, B and AB. Majority (98.0%)o f the subjects were Rh(D) positive and only 2% were Rh negative. The predominant subgroup of ABO was A2 (14.1% ). The frequency of ABO blood groups in both Rh positive and negative subjects among the major Sudanese ethnic group was similar to that reported from neighbouring regions. (author)

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and alphafeto protein (AFP) in sudanese pregnant women using immunoradiometric assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdalla, O. M.; Khalid, M. M.; Hassan, A.; Ali, N. I.; Khalid, A. SH.; Abdelhadi, H. A.; Khair, L. A. M.; Almahi, W. A.; Gaafar, A.; Abdalla, H.; Basheer, H.

2004-12-01

In this study 672 pregnant Sudanese women were involved in order to determine the reference values of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and alpha feto protein (AFP). Blood samples were collected from different maternity centers in Khartoum and Omdurman maternity. Sensitive immunoradiometric assay (IRMA), method was used for measuring HCG and AFP in maternal serum. The data collected reveals that, the behavior of both AFP and HCG resemble that of the international one, where the peak concentrations of HCG are reached at 7-9 weeks of pregnancy then decrease, then staying relatively constant during the second trimester and increasing slightly towards term. The maternal serum concentration of AFP increases during pregnancy, reaching its peak during the last trimester. The concentration of AFP and HCG in maternal serum with relative couples was also compared to that of ir relative couples. Relative couples showed significant increase in maternal AFP level in the first and third trimesters (p=0.001and 0.000) respectively. The HCG concentration in both groups was not significantly different throughout the pregnancy (p>0.15). It is recommended that each laboratory establishes its own normal values. Since sudanese obstetrician depends previously on values from abroad, this study may help them to handle their patients depending on our own reference values.(Author)

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and alphafeto protein (AFP) in Sudanese pregnant women using immunoradiometric assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdalla, O. M.; Khalid, M. M.; Hassan, A.; Ali, N. I.; Khalid, A. SH.; Abdelhadi, H. A.; Khair, L. A. M.; Almahi, W. A.; Gaafar, A.; Abdalla, H.; Basheer, H.

2004-01-01

In this study 672 pregnant Sudanese women were involved in order to determine the reference values of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) and alpha feto protein (AFP). Blood samples were collected from different maternity centers in Khartoum and Omdurman maternity. Sensitive immunoradiometric assay (IRMA), method was used for measuring HCG and AFP in maternal serum. The data collected reveals that, the behavior of both AFP and HCG resemble that of the international one, where the peak concentrations of HCG are reached at 7-9 weeks of pregnancy then decrease, then staying relatively constant during the second trimester and increasing slightly towards term. The maternal serum concentration of AFP increases during pregnancy, reaching its peak during the last trimester. The concentration of AFP and HCG in maternal serum with relative couples was also compared to that of ir relative couples. Relative couples showed significant increase in maternal AFP level in the first and third trimesters (p= 0.001and 0.000) respectively. The HCG concentration in both groups was not significantly different throughout the pregnancy (p> 0.15). It is recommended that each laboratory establishes its own normal values. Since Sudanese obstetrician depends previously on values from abroad, this study may help them to handle their patients depending on our own reference values. (Authors)

Modelling malaria incidence with environmental dependency in a locality of Sudanese savannah area, Mali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Demongeot Jacques

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The risk of Plasmodium falciparum infection is variable over space and time and this variability is related to environmental variability. Environmental factors affect the biological cycle of both vector and parasite. Despite this strong relationship, environmental effects have rarely been included in malaria transmission models. Remote sensing data on environment were incorporated into a temporal model of the transmission, to forecast the evolution of malaria epidemiology, in a locality of Sudanese savannah area. Methods A dynamic cohort was constituted in June 1996 and followed up until June 2001 in the locality of Bancoumana, Mali. The 15-day composite vegetation index (NDVI, issued from satellite imagery series (NOAA from July 1981 to December 2006, was used as remote sensing data. The statistical relationship between NDVI and incidence of P. falciparum infection was assessed by ARIMA analysis. ROC analysis provided an NDVI value for the prediction of an increase in incidence of parasitaemia. Malaria transmission was modelled using an SIRS-type model, adapted to Bancoumana's data. Environmental factors influenced vector mortality and aggressiveness, as well as length of the gonotrophic cycle. NDVI observations from 1981 to 2001 were used for the simulation of the extrinsic variable of a hidden Markov chain model. Observations from 2002 to 2006 served as external validation. Results The seasonal pattern of P. falciparum incidence was significantly explained by NDVI, with a delay of 15 days (p = 0.001. An NDVI threshold of 0.361 (p = 0.007 provided a Diagnostic Odd Ratio (DOR of 2.64 (CI95% [1.26;5.52]. The deterministic transmission model, with stochastic environmental factor, predicted an endemo-epidemic pattern of malaria infection. The incidences of parasitaemia were adequately modelled, using the observed NDVI as well as the NDVI simulations. Transmission pattern have been modelled and observed values were adequately

Chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and mineral extractability of Sudanese date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruits

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed, Rania M A; Fageer, Aisha S M; Eltayeb, Mohamed M; Mohamed Ahmed, Isam A

2014-01-01

The aim of the present work was to investigate the chemical composition, mineral extractability, and antioxidant capacity of six date palm varieties grown in Sudan. The results showed that Sudanese date varieties contained significantly different (P varieties contained significantly varied (P varieties were as follows: ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) was within the range of 2.82–27.5 mmol/100 g, chelation of Fe2+ ion ranged from 54.31% to 94.98%, and scavenging of H2O2 ranged from 38.48% to 49.13%. There were many correlations (positive, negative, and weak) between antioxidant and mineral extractability of Sudanese date fruits. PMID:25473506

Separation from family and its impact on the mental health of Sudanese refugees in Australia: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Savic, Michael; Chur-Hansen, Anna; Mahmood, Mohammad Afzal; Moore, Vivienne

2013-08-01

This study explored the impact of separation from family members on the mental health and wellbeing of Sudanese refugees in Australia, and the coping strategies used. In-depth interviews were conducted with Sudanese community representatives and health workers, primary and mental health care practitioners, health service managers and policy makers. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Separation was perceived as having a negative impact on the mental health of Sudanese refugees in Australia, and manifested in concern about the safety of relatives abroad and in changing roles. The pressure to send money home emerged as a high priority for Sudanese refugees, often superseding local concerns. Several strategies were used to bridge the separation gap, including maintaining contact through the use of information communication technologies, and family-reunification. Separation from family can be an ongoing source of stress and sadness among refugees in countries such as Australia. While resettling refugees are actively taking steps to cope with the impact of separation, awareness of the issue in mainstream services appears to be low. Separation from family continues to affect refugees' lives in countries of resettlement. While it may be difficult to alter the course of the monumental circumstances that cause forced migration, service providers can support refugees' coping abilities by understanding these global-local intersections. © 2013 The Authors. ANZJPH © 2013 Public Health Association of Australia.

Sudanese live sheep and mutton exports competitiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Babiker Idris Babiker

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The livestock sector of Sudan provides livelihood for about 17% of the population. Sudanese livestock products meet the domestic demand for meat in addition to a substantial excess for export amounting to about 22% of total country exports. It contributes about 19% of GDP. Sheep marketing in Sudan is characterised by traditional operations and is informally organised, although, recently there are great efforts by the formal livestock authorities to organise some secondary and terminal livestock markets. These markets are deficient in basic infrastructures and systematic marketing research. The system as a whole is faced by various complex obstacles and constraints, which decrease the contribution of livestock in general, and sheep in particular, to the national economy, and suppress the optimum exploitation of this resource. These obstacles are represented in the lack of transportation networks that connect the production and consumption centres to break the seasonality of supply that creates shortages and high prices at the consumption centres. This paper employs the policy analysis matrix (PAM technique to examine the Sudanese live sheep and mutton competitiveness in the international market. The results indicated that the market price was greater than the border price implying a positive incentive as an implicit subsidy to the live sheep exporter. The mutton exporters were found subsidised as well. The international value added (IVA indicted a positive foreign exchange earnings or savings. Exported live sheep and mutton coefficient of competitiveness (CIC implied that sheep and mutton exports are profitable and internationally competitive.

Evaluation of blood glucose and thyroid function in Sudanese diabetic patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agarib, M.O.A.

2008-03-01

This study composes of two parts. The first one is a survey of thyroid abnormalities, and the second one is experiment to estimate the level of thyroid hormones (T 4 , T 3 , TSH) among diabetic population and the relationship between the level of glucose, thyroid hormones and lipid profile (TC, LDL, TG, HDL) and comparison of the results with non diabetic group. The survey part of the study to determine the thyroid abnormalities, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism clinical or subclinical. Also the study group was divided in to two groups according to insulin requirement. Type I is insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and type II is non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The study subjects selected for this study consist of one hundred Sudanese diabetic patients, they had mean age of 46.51±10.672 years, a mean height of 162.06±10.77 cm and a mean weight of 73.47±14.91 kg. Fifty healthy non-diabetic people without endocrine disease were chosen as controls. Glucose, and thyroid hormones, thyroxine and triiodothyronine (total T 4 and T 3 ) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured. In addition hemoglobin (Hb), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoproteins (HDL) were also measured in both groups. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was calculated for each sample. Physical examinations such as height, weight, and history of diabetes, family history, treatment were recorded in both groups. Determination of serum hormones concentration was carried out using highly sensitive RIA technique. While determination of blood glucose, hemoglobin, and lipid profile was carried out using enzymatic colorimetric method. The results of this study showed that: 13 patients of the population screened had thyroid disease. The commonest diagnosis was sub clinical hyperthyroidism (6%), followed by sub clinical hypothyroidism (5%) and hyperthyroidism (2%). Female patients with diabetes had the highest annual risk of developing thyroid disease but all patient

Evaluation of blood glucose and thyroid function in Sudanese diabetic patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agarib, M O.A. [Department of Biochemistry, Atomic Energy Council, Sudan Academy of Sciences, Khartoum (Sudan)

2008-03-15

This study composes of two parts. The first one is a survey of thyroid abnormalities, and the second one is experiment to estimate the level of thyroid hormones (T{sub 4}, T{sub 3}, TSH) among diabetic population and the relationship between the level of glucose, thyroid hormones and lipid profile (TC, LDL, TG, HDL) and comparison of the results with non diabetic group. The survey part of the study to determine the thyroid abnormalities, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism clinical or subclinical. Also the study group was divided in to two groups according to insulin requirement. Type I is insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and type II is non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The study subjects selected for this study consist of one hundred Sudanese diabetic patients, they had mean age of 46.51{+-}10.672 years, a mean height of 162.06{+-}10.77 cm and a mean weight of 73.47{+-}14.91 kg. Fifty healthy non-diabetic people without endocrine disease were chosen as controls. Glucose, and thyroid hormones, thyroxine and triiodothyronine (total T{sub 4} and T{sub 3}) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured. In addition hemoglobin (Hb), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoproteins (HDL) were also measured in both groups. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was calculated for each sample. Physical examinations such as height, weight, and history of diabetes, family history, treatment were recorded in both groups. Determination of serum hormones concentration was carried out using highly sensitive RIA technique. While determination of blood glucose, hemoglobin, and lipid profile was carried out using enzymatic colorimetric method. The results of this study showed that: 13 patients of the population screened had thyroid disease. The commonest diagnosis was sub clinical hyperthyroidism (6%), followed by sub clinical hypothyroidism (5%) and hyperthyroidism (2%). Female patients with diabetes had the highest annual risk of developing thyroid

Dynamics of pfcrt alleles CVMNK and CVIET in chloroquine-treated Sudanese patients infected with Plasmodium falciparum

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Warhurst David C

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Parasite resistance to the anti-malarial drug chloroquine is common in eastern Sudan. Dynamic within-host changes in the relative abundance of both sensitive and resistant Plasmodium falciparum parasites were examined in a cohort of chloroquine-treated patients presenting with uncomplicated falciparum malaria, using a novel allele-specific quantitative approach. Methods Treatment outcomes were determined for 93 patients of all ages in a per protocol cohort using a modified 14-day WHO protocol. Parasite DNA samples at days 0, 1, 2, 3, 7 and 14 following treatment were analysed using real-time quantitative PCR methods that distinguished resistant and sensitive genotypes at amino acids 72 - 76 of the pfcrt locus. Results Chloroquine treatment was not efficacious, and of 93 assessable patients, only 10 individuals (10.7%; 95% C.I. 4.34 - 17.2% enjoyed an adequate clinical and parasitological response. Resistant parasites with the haplotype CVIET at codons 72-76 of the pfcrt locus were dominant in the starting population. Chloroquine sensitive parasites with the haplotype CVMNK were detected in 19 individuals prior to treatment (20.43%; 95% C.I. 5.14 - 18.5%. In these patients, CQ treatment rapidly selected CVIET parasites, and this haplotype overwhelmingly dominated the parasite population in each individual by day 2 after treatment. Conclusions Such rapid intra-host selection of particular genotypes after the introduction of drug will cause frequent misidentification of parasite genotypes present in the starting population. This will have a potentially serious confounding effect on clinical trials which employ PCR-corrected estimates of treatment failure, as resistant parasites below the detection threshold in the pre-treatment sample can be erroneously classified as "new" infections during follow-up, over-estimating drug efficacy.

Endocrine identification of menopausal status of Sudanese women

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalid, M. M. M.

2010-12-01

This study was conducted in order to identify the menopausal statues of Sudanese women which is critically important in determining the treatment strategy for infertile patients. In this study samples were collected from two hundred Sudanese women, aged between 35 and 62. They were from different social classes and are not suffering any systemic or endocrine disease. They were not exposed to any surgical intervention by complete hysterectomy or partial removal of ovaries or thyroidectomy. Reproductive hormones were determined for these women. Immunoradiometric Assay (IRMA) was adopted for the measurement of serum prolactin, follicle stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for the determination of estradiol and esterone, whereas, enzyme immunoassay (tube format) was used for the determination of serum testosterone. Average menopausal age for Sudanese women was determined in this study and found to be 43.0±4.2 which is lower than that of the neighboring countries. A new classification system was developed during this study which uses a combination of symptoms together with hormonal profile in order to identify the menopausal status of women. The three key tools of this system are FSH and LH level together with the absence of menstrual cycle during the last three months. The new classification scheme had successfully differentiated the early peri-menopausal women from pre-menopausal ones. The early peri-menopausal women according to the new classification scheme are suffering cycle irregularities and amenorrhea but with normal hormonal levels. The new classification scheme is now, clearly indicating that amenorrhea with normal hormonal levels may be an indication to the beginning of the peri-menopausal life. The big challenge faced during this study had been the sub-classification of the peri-menopausal stage as it is not a single homogeneous stage but a wide heterogenous and transitional stage extending from

Comparison level of thyroid and thyroid related hormones between sudanese males and females

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madani, H.; Hassan, AME.; Basama, N. K.; Mohamed, W.A.S.; Eltayeb, N. H.; Elsayed, B. B.

2012-12-01

The function of the thyroid gland is under the control of pituitary gland through the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). It secretes the thyroid hormones tetra-iodo-thyronine (T 4 ) and Tri-iodo-thyronine (T 3 ). More secretion of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism) and low secretion (hypothyroidism) sometimes happen. This study was carried out to determine thyroid disorders in patients referred to radioimmunoassay (RIA) laboratory of Sudan Atomic Energy Commission (SAEC) during 2006-2010 for the thyroid function test. Disorders were detected using radioimmunoassay and Immuno radiometric assay. The total number of patients referred during these years were found to be 4700 sudanese patients, among them 4165 were females representing 88.6% compared to 535 males representing 11.4%. The total concentration of thyroid hormones thyroxine (T 4 ), tri iodine thyronine (T 3 ) and thyroid simulating stimulating hormones (TSH) were d terminated the prevalence of euthyroid was (66.5%), hypothyroidism was (11.8%) and of hyperthyroidism was (21.7%). These percentages did not vary significantly with sex. (Author)

Islands of Education: Schooling, Civil War and the Southern Sudanese (1983-2004)

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Sommers, Marc

2005-01-01

Victims of warfare, famine, slavery, and isolation, the Southern Sudanese are one of the most undereducated populations in the world. Since the inception of formal education in southern Sudan a century ago, schooling has largely consisted of island-like entities surrounded by oceans of educational emptiness. Islands of Education is the first book…

Trace elements content of sudanese local snuff and its agricultural soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, R. E.; Eltayeb, M. A.

2003-01-01

Toombak is a local form of snuff widely used in Sudan. Dipping snuff is a common habit in Sudanese male subject. Many reports have related at the high incidence rate of oral cancer and other types of cancer in Sudanese subjects to this habit. trace elements such as Cu, Co, Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn were measured using atomic absorption spectrometry in soil on which toombak is grown and toombak eaves. The average concentration (μg/g) of these elements in soil and toombak leaves were found to be 60.8 and 18.1 (Cu), 72.2 and 50.9 (Zn), 48.4 and 19.9 (Co), 398.6 and 211.7 (Mn), 17391.9 and 6410.7 (Fe), 16.1 and 5.3 (Cr), 27.7 and 7.9 (Pb), 7.2 and 4.8 (Cd), respectively. Soil to plant transfer factor was determined and found to be less than unity. The correlation coefficient between concentrations of trace elements in soils, and their soil-to-toombak transfer factors divided the elements into two groups, first group have inverse correlation while the second group is independent of their soil concentration. (Author)

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Sudanese Women Regarding the Pap Smear Test and Cervical Cancer.

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Almobarak, Ahmed O; Elbadawi, Ayman A; Elmadhoun, Wadie M; Elhoweris, Mohammed H; Ahmed, Mohammed H

2016-01-01

Despite the established role of the Pap smear test (PST) in prevention and early detection of cervical cancer, it is still rarely practiced in Sudan. Many challenges hinder the establishment of an effective cervical cancer screening program, including socio-cultural factors. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of Sudanese women with regard to the Pap smear test and cervical cancer. A total of 500 married women aged 14 to 58 years were recruited from obstetric clinics, hospitals and universities in Khartoum in 2014. Data were collected using a standardized, pretested questionnaire that inquired socio-demographic characteristics and their KAP about cervical cancer and the PST. More than 52% of participating women were above 30 years of age, and the majority (78.8%) were university degree holders. A total of 486 (97.2 %) of participants were resident in urban areas of Khartoum State. However about 48% of the respondents had never heard about PST, and only 15.8% of the participants had undergone a Pap smear test previously; 46.6% (233/500) knew that the human papilloma virus (HPV) was the causative agent, but only 39.2% (196/500) had heard about HPV vaccination, and only 11.4% (57/500) had received the vaccine. However 68% of the respondents agreed to do Pap smear if properly informed about the test and 75.4% of the respondents agreed to participate in a cervical cancer screening program. Despite a high educational level, less than half of our participants had accurate knowledge about cervical cancer, HPV, and cervical cancer screening. Health education about cervical cancer, HPV and sexually transmitted infections and the role of PST in cervical cancer prevention are crucial when designing interventions aimed at improving cervical cancer screening for Sudanese women.

Childhood Problems in a Sudanese City: A Comparison of Extended and Nuclear Families.

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Al Awad, Ahmed M. El Hassan; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J. S.

1992-01-01

Compared mothers' ratings of childhood problems of 4- to 9-year-old Sudanese children. Compared to children in extended families, children in nuclear families had more conduct, emotional, and sleep problems; exhibited poorer self-care and greater overdependence; and were less likely to be breastfed and have grandmothers involved in their care. (BC)

Contribution of Sudanese medical diaspora to the healthcare delivery system in Sudan: exploring options and barriers.

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Abdalla, Fayrouz Mohammed; Omar, Maye Abu; Badr, Elsheikh Elsiddig

2016-06-30

Medical diaspora options, including the engagement of expatriate physicians in development efforts within their home country, are being called for to reverse the effects of brain drain from developing countries. This paper presents the results of a study exploring the potential contributions for the Sudanese Medial Diaspora Options to the healthcare delivery system (HCDS) in Sudan, focusing on the options of temporal and permanent returns and the likely obstacles faced in their implementation. This was a cross-sectional study using a mixed methods design including quantitative and qualitative approaches. For the quantitative approach, the study, which focused on the possible contribution of the diaspora to healthcare delivery in Sudan, was based on an online survey using random purposive and snowballing sampling techniques involving 153 Sudanese physicians working in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and the United States of America. The qualitative approach involved in-depth interviews with returnee physicians and key informants in Sudan, focusing on the return experiences, the barriers for return, and the options to improve future contributions. Despite contributions of the Sudanese medical diaspora being of a small scale considering the size of the phenomenon, as well as infrequent and not appropriately organized, their inputs to academia and the links built with overseas institutions and specialist clinical services were nevertheless remarkable. The main barrier to temporal return was inappropriate organization by the local counterparts, while those for permanent return of physicians were poor work environment, insufficient financial payment, unsecured accommodation, and offspring education. The study identified short-term return as a feasible option considering the country's current conditions. Proper coordination mechanisms for short-term returns and facilitation of permanent return through stakeholders

Women and mass media: a critical and analytical study of the portrayal of Sudanese women in printed media.

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Badri, A E; Osama, S

1995-06-01

This study examines how Sudanese women are portrayed in the mass media. Data are obtained from a content analysis of historical records of Sudanese daily newspapers and women's magazines and from surveys among female editors in print media. The following types of newspapers are reviewed: independent newspapers; papers for the Al-Umma Party, a communist party, a Bathist party, a Muslim Nationalist Islamic Front Party, and a National Union Democratic Party; and a current military government paper. Women's magazines are published by women. Articles focus on women as the main newsmakers, women's life issues, female authors, a female focus but a male author, and famous Sudanese women. 16 content themes are identified. Women were not extensively featured or photographed in either newspapers or magazines. The Al-Umma Party paper and Al-Sudan Al-Hadith paper (an independent paper) were the only two newspapers with at least 10 photos of women. Women were pictured as professionals, educated persons, and leaders. There were 17 female editors. These editors preferred an image of women as leaders, followed by productive workers. Only 11.76% believed that women's dual roles as producers and reproducers should be portrayed. Female editors did not want a special women's page. 52.94% (the largest percentage) preferred targeting women with substantial leadership abilities. 17.65% desired the portrayal of women as workers and housewives. 58.82% did not think that the mass media image changed behavior or attitudes, because most Sudanese women are illiterate. Women's issues in both newspapers and women's magazines were devoted to women's work, achievements, and needs. The authors recommend removal of obstacles to women's equal participation in the mass media and press and research on the effect of media images on women's self-perception and behavior.

Cytological changes in oral epithelium due to Sudanese homemade alcoholic beverages

OpenAIRE

Awdah M. Al-hazimi; Shima Bushra Bakhet; Hussain Gadelkarim Ahmed

2013-01-01

Introduction and Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the cytological changes in oral epithelium that might be induced by Sudanese homemade alcoholic beverages. Material and methods: Oral Exfoliative Cytology (OEFC) was applied to a case control study to assess the presence and severity of oral epithelial atypia (ET) in 300 subjects (150 alcohol abuse individuals (cases); 150 non-alcohol abuse individuals (controls)). All cases were using homemade alcoholic drinks, locally known as,...

Essential trace elements content in a sudanese meal of cooked Hibiscus Sp. leaves as determined by both X-ray florescence and atomic absorption spectroscopy techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed, S.M; Taha, M.H.

2003-01-01

Essential trace elements content of a Sudanese meal of cooked Karkadi plant leaves (Hibiscus Sp)was determined and found to be several folds higher than the average trace element content of Sudanese food as determined in twenty nine daily consumed mixed diets. Therefore, this plant can act as a promising natural supplement in cases of deficiency provided it is grown in a trace element rich soil. (Author)

HIV-infected mental health patients: characteristics and comparison with HIV-infected patients from the general population and non-infected mental health patients

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Schadé Annemiek

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objectives HIV-infected patients are at increased risk of developing mental health symptoms, which negatively influence the treatment of the HIV-infection. Mental health problems in HIV-infected patients may affect public health. Psychopathology, including depression and substance abuse, can increase hazardous sexual behaviour and, with it, the chance of spreading HIV. Therefore, it is important to develop an optimal treatment plan for HIV-infected patients with mental health problems. The majority of HIV-infected patients in the Netherlands (almost 60% are homosexual men. The main objectives of this study were to describe the clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with HIV who seek treatment for their mental health symptoms in the Netherlands. Secondly, we tested whether HIV infected and non-infected homosexual patients with a lifetime depressive disorder differed on several mental health symptoms. Methods We compared a cohort of 196 patients who visited the outpatient clinic for HIV and Mental Health with HIV-infected patients in the general population in Amsterdam (ATHENA-study and with non-HIV infected mental health patients (NESDA-study. DSM-IV diagnoses were determined, and several self-report questionnaires were used to assess mental health symptoms. Results Depressive disorders were the most commonly occurring diagnoses in the cohort and frequent drug use was common. HIV-infected homosexual men with a depressive disorder showed no difference in depressive symptoms or sleep disturbance, compared with non-infected depressive men. However, HIV-positive patients did express more symptoms like fear, anger and guilt. Although they showed significantly more suicidal ideation, suicide attempts were not more prevalent among HIV-infected patients. Finally, the HIV-infected depressive patients displayed a considerably higher level of drug use than the HIV-negative group. Conclusion Habitual drug use is a risk factor for

'We don't have to go and see a special person to solve this problem': Trauma, mental health beliefs and processes for addressing 'mental health issues' among Sudanese refugees in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Savic, Michael; Chur-Hansen, Anna; Mahmood, Mohammad Afzal; Moore, Vivienne M

2016-02-01

The impact of trauma on refugee mental health has been a particular focal point for research and treatment in Western contexts, despite uncertainty about the degree to which this corresponds with refugees' needs, mental health beliefs and healing mechanisms. This study explored the mental health beliefs of resettling Sudanese refugees in Australia. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with Sudanese community representatives and with a range of health and social work professionals who were not necessarily Sudanese. The concept of trauma was not universally considered to be salient for Sudanese refugees. Key informants, especially those in refugee-oriented services, emphasised stoicism and a desire to move forward and questioned the appropriateness of Western psychological therapies. Processes that exist within the family and the Sudanese community to deal with stressors like loss, grief and social isolation were explained. Dialogue between services and community members is needed to ensure responses to refugee mental health are sensitive to the diversity of needs and mental health beliefs of refugees. This will enable workers to ascertain how individual refugees understand their experiences of distress or sadness and to determine whether community strategies and/or professional responses are appropriate. © The Author(s) 2015.

Anti-phospholipid antibodies in patients with Plasmodium falciparum malaria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, P H; Morris-Jones, S D; Hviid, L

1993-01-01

Plasma levels of antibodies against phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylcholine (PC) and cardiolipin (CL) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in patients from malaria endemic area of Sudan and The Gambia. Some Sudanese adults produced IgM antibodies against all three types...... of phospholipids (PL) during an acute Plasmodium falciparum infection. The anti-PL antibody titre returned to preinfection levels in most of the donors 30 days after the disease episode. IgG titres against PI, PC and CL were low. In Gambian children with malaria, IgM antibody titres against PI and PC were...... significantly higher in those with severe malaria than in those with mild malaria. These results show that a proportion of malaria patients produce anti-PL antibodies during infection and that titres of these antibodies are associated with the severity of disease....

Antibacterial efficiency of the Sudanese Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), a famous beverage from Sudanese folk medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdallah, Emad Mohamed

2016-01-01

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. is a plant native to tropical Africa and intensively cultivated in Sudan. Its calyces are widely consumed with many uses in Sudanese folk medicine. The dried calyces of H. sabdariffa were subjected to soak in 80% v/v methanol to get the methanolic extract, which was tested against five Gram-negative and three Gram-positive referenced bacterial strains using disc diffusion method. Selected bioactive phytochemical compounds were also investigated using qualitative methods. The results of the antibacterial test indicate that the methanol extract of H. sabdariffa calyces contained effective antibacterial agent(s), revealed a considerable zone of inhibition against all tested Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and it was a competitor to gentamicin and greatly higher than penicillin which showed weak or no effect. The results of current investigation support the folk medicine application of this plant against different microbial ailments and suggest it as a promising source for new antibacterial agents.

Antibacterial efficiency of the Sudanese Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), a famous beverage from Sudanese folk medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Abdallah, Emad Mohamed

2016-01-01

Background: Hibiscus sabdariffa L. is a plant native to tropical Africa and intensively cultivated in Sudan. Its calyces are widely consumed with many uses in Sudanese folk medicine. Materials and Methods: The dried calyces of H. sabdariffa were subjected to soak in 80% v/v methanol to get the methanolic extract, which was tested against five Gram-negative and three Gram-positive referenced bacterial strains using disc diffusion method. Selected bioactive phytochemical compounds were also investigated using qualitative methods. Results: The results of the antibacterial test indicate that the methanol extract of H. sabdariffa calyces contained effective antibacterial agent(s), revealed a considerable zone of inhibition against all tested Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and it was a competitor to gentamicin and greatly higher than penicillin which showed weak or no effect. Conclusion: The results of current investigation support the folk medicine application of this plant against different microbial ailments and suggest it as a promising source for new antibacterial agents. PMID:27104041

Lengths and Positions of the Vermiform Appendix among Sudanese Cadavers

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Ehab I. El-Amin

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Background/objective: The anatomy of vermiform appendix displays great variations in length and position between different populations. The reports relating these variations to a specific etiological factor are few. This study aims to describe the positions and lengths of vermiform appendix among Sudanese cadavers. Methods: This descriptive study was carried out in Omdurman Teaching Hospital Morgue and Omdurman Islamic University-Sudan. Sixty Sudanese cadavers (30 male and 30 female, were dissected in the period from June 2013 to June 2014. The positions and the lengths of vermiform appendix were measured in millimeters. The data was analyzed by SPSS version 20. Results: The cadavers’ age ranged between 20 to 80 years according to their medico-legal reports. Retrocaecal position was mainly observed in 60%, pelvic in 35%, post-ileal in 3.3%, and pre-ileal in 1.7%. The lengths of the appendix was found < 69 mm in 23.3%, 70-110 mm in 60%, and > 110 mm in 16.7%, also the study showed insignificant difference between the lengths and ages (p < 0.08, and between males and females (p = 0.23. Age was the influencing factor for the positions of vermiform appendixes (p = 0.04. Conclusion: The study showed that the commonest lengths of the appendix were 70-110 mm while the common position was retrocaecal regardless to age or gender. This data should be considered in surgical removal of the inflamed appendix.

Intergenerational variation in sexual health attitudes and beliefs among Sudanese refugee communities in Australia.

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Dean, Judith; Mitchell, Marion; Stewart, Donald; Debattista, Joseph

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop intergenerational understanding of the factors perceived to be influencing the sexual health and wellbeing of young Sudanese refugees in Queensland, Australia. Data from 11 semi-structured, face-to-face interviews exploring sexual health knowledge, attitudes and behaviours with young people aged 16 to 24 years, and five focus groups with adults from the broader Queensland Sudanese community, were compared and contrasted. Findings indicate that sexual health-related knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, along with patterns of sexual behaviour, are changing post-resettlement and this creates considerable intergenerational discord and family conflict. Study findings provide an understanding of how the interplay between traditional cultural gender, parenting and relationship norms and perceived normative Australian beliefs and patterns of behaviour influence the construction of both young people's and their parents' attitudes to sexual health post-arrival. We suggest that sexuality education programmes adapted to the specific cultural- and age-related contexts need to be introduced early within the resettlement process for both young people and their families.

IgG and IgG subclasses antibody responses to rK39 in Leishmania donovani infections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daifalla, N.S.; El Hassan, A.M.

1998-01-01

Leishmania donovani infection cause a wide spectrum of human diseases ranging from self-healing subclinical infections to severe visceral leishmaniasis, post kal-azar dermal leishmaiasis, and mucosal leishmaiasis. The infection associated with high levels of anti-leishmania antibodies which offer a potential parameter for the serological diagnosis of L. donovani infection replacing the invasive parasitological methods. rK39, a cloned antigen of L. chagasis was reported to have high levels of anti-leishmania antibodies in Sudanese and American visceral leishmaniasis patients. In an assessment of rK39-ELISA in detecting L. donovani infection we found that the antigen detected visceral leishmaniasis, post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis, and mucosal leismaniasis with the sensitives of 96.6%, 95.91% and 90.91% respectively. The test has the specificity of 96.7%. Further investigation of 25 visceral leishmaniasis patients showed elevated anti-rK39 antibody responses of IgG subclasses with IgG1 and IgG3 significantly higher than IgG4. igG3 showed the highest sensitivity (84.00%) whereas IgG1 showed the highest sensitivity (100%). The dynamics of the serological reactivity to rK39 in l.donovani infections will be discussed in relation to exposure, infection, cure and relapse.(Author)

Hawadith Street Initiative: A unique Sudanese childhood charity experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Awad Mohamed; A-Rahman, Nada Hassan Ahmed

2015-01-01

Due to escalating conflicts and resultant economic constraints, different social services in low income and low-middle income countries have witnessed a decline in its standards, and increase in the costs. This situation has led to emergence of large numbers of patients and their families who cannot afford the costs of health services provided by public hospitals. On this background, and the old heritage of the Sudanese to help the needy, the Hawadith Street Initiative (HSI) was established. Named after the street on which it was founded - which translates indirectly to "Accidents Lane", HSI was established in 2012 by a group of youths, most of them in their twenties of age, and recently graduated. The main activity of the initiative is helping the needy hospital patients, especially with regards to their treatment costs, in Khartoum and other cities in Sudan. Starting with recreational programs for cancer patients, and public campaigns for donation of blood, the initiative's youths changed their activities. Using the social media, Facebook, they adopted the strategy of communication with potential donors, after sending posts containing brief anonymous presentations and call of help for needy cases. Currently HSI includes more than 2000 volunteers in Khartoum and 17 other cities. The most important achievement of HSI is the establishment of an intensive care unit at a children hospital in Omdurman city costing 435,880 US dollars. HSI demonstrates the possibility of delivering great services with minimum resources, and constitutes a unique organization, worldwide, in a new wave of Internet-based initiatives.

Brucella Infection in HIV Infected Patients

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SeyedAhmad SeyedAlinaghi

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to assess the possible correlation between Brucella and HIV infections. Iran is a country where HIV infection is expanding and Brucellosis is prevalent. In the present study, 184 HIV infected patients were assigned and for all of them HIV infection was confirmed by western blot test. In order to identify the prevalence rate of Brucella infection and systemic brucellosis in these subjects, sera samples were obtained and Brucella specific serological tests were performed to reveal antibody titers. Detailed history was taken and physical examination was carried out for all of patients. 11 (6% subjects had high titers but only 3 of them were symptomatic. Most of these subjects were injection drug user (IDU men and one was a rural woman. Considering both prevalence rates of Brucella infection (3% and symptomatic brucellosis (0.1% in Iran, our HIV positive patients show higher rates of Brucella infection and systemic brucellosis. Preserved cellular immunity of participants and retention of granulocytes activity may explain this poor association; whereas other explanations such as immunological state difference and non-overlapping geographical distribution of the 2 pathogens have been mentioned by various authors.

Identification and safety evaluation of Bacillus species occurring in high numbers during spontaneous fermentations to produce Gergoush, a traditional Sudanese bread snack

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thorsen, Line; Abdelgadir, Warda S.; Rønsbo, Mie Hvillum

2011-01-01

Gergoush is a naturally fermented Sudanese Bread snack produced in three fermentation steps (primary starter, adapted starter and final dough), followed by three baking steps for a half to one hour at above 200°C. This study examines the microbiota of two sets of fermentations performed at a trad......Gergoush is a naturally fermented Sudanese Bread snack produced in three fermentation steps (primary starter, adapted starter and final dough), followed by three baking steps for a half to one hour at above 200°C. This study examines the microbiota of two sets of fermentations performed...

Concentration of some radionuclides in some popular sudanese medicinal plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sagiroun, M. I. A.

2012-10-01

In this study was measured concentration of naturally occurring radionuclides 2 38U , 2 32T h and 4 0K in samples of sudanese medicinal plants. The radionuclide activity concentrations in samples analyzed ranged from 4.09 to 41.07 Bq kg -1 for 2 38T h and from 353.14 to 2270.21 Bq kg -1 for 4 0k . No trace of artificial radionuclide was determined in all the samples. The effective dose due to the presence of these radionuclides was estimated and found to be 0.524 mSv/year which is well below the permissible levels. (Author)

HIV-infected mental health patients: characteristics and comparison with HIV-infected patients from the general population and non-infected mental health patients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schade, A.; Grootheest, G.; Smit, J.H.

2013-01-01

Objectives: HIV-infected patients are at increased risk of developing mental health symptoms, which negatively influence the treatment of the HIV-infection. Mental health problems in HIV-infected patients may affect public health. Psychopathology, including depression and substance abuse, can

A compiled checklist of seaweeds of Sudanese Red Sea coast

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Nahid Abdel Rahim Osman

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Objective: To present an updated and compiled checklist of Sudanese seaweeds as an example for the region for conservational as well as developmental purposes. Methods: The checklist was developed based on both field investigations using line transect method at 4 sites along the Red Sea coast of Sudan and review of available studies done on Sudanese seaweeds. Results: In total 114 macroalgal names were recorded and were found to be distributed in 16 orders, 34 families, and 62 genera. The Rhodophyceae macroalgae contained 8 orders, 17 families, 32 genera and 47 species. The Phaeophyceae macroalgae composed of 4 orders, 5 families, 17 genera, and 28 species. The 39 species of the Chlorophyceae macroalgae belong to 2 classes, 4 orders, 12 families, and 14 genera. The present paper proposed the addition of 11 macroalgal taxa to be included in Sudan seaweeds species list. These include 3 red seaweed species, 1 brown seaweed species and 7 green seaweed species. Conclusions: This list is not yet inclusive and it only represents the macroalgal species common to the intertidal areas of Sudan Red Sea coast. Further investigation may reveal the presence of more species. While significant levels of diversity and endemism were revealed for other groups of organisms in the Red Sea region, similar work still has to be performed for seaweeds. Considering the impact of climate change on communities’ structure and composition and the growing risk of maritime transportation through the Red Sea particularly that may originate from oil tankers as well as that may emanate from oil exploration, baseline data on seaweeds are highly required for management purposes.

Women’s Equal Rights and Islam in Sudanese Republican Thought: A Translation of Three Family Law Booklets from 1975, Produced and Circulated by the Republican Sisters

OpenAIRE

al-Nagar, Samia; Tønnessen, Liv; Taha, Asma Mahmoud Muhammed

2015-01-01

This paper includes a translation of three booklets produced by the Sudanese Republican Sisters in commemoration of International Women’s Day in 1975: (i) Women Rights in the Constitution and under Sudanese Sharia Laws , (i) Divorce Is Not an Original Precept in Islam , and (iii) Polygamy Is Not a Principle of Islam. The booklets give insights into radical views on women’s equal rights in Islam long before the term “Islamic feminism” started to circulate. The booklets tackle contested iss...

Classroom Management Strategies to Address the Needs of Sudanese Refugee Learners: Support Document--Methodology and Literature Review

Science.gov (United States)

Burgoyne, Ursula; Hull, Oksana

2007-01-01

This document presents the methodology and literature review for the research report "Classroom Management Strategies to Address the Needs of Sudanese Refugee Learners" (ED499673), which examined the extent to which English language, literacy and numeracy teachers used classroom management strategies to meet the needs of adult Sudanese…

Utilization of dental health care services in context of the HIV epidemic- a cross-sectional study of dental patients in the Sudan.

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Nasir, Elwalid Fadul; Astrøm, Anne Nordrehaug; David, Jamil; Ali, Raouf Wahab

2009-11-16

HIV infected patients should be expected in the Sudanese dental health care services with an increasing frequency. Dental care utilization in the context of the HIV epidemic is generally poorly understood. Focusing on Sudanese dental patients with reported unknown HIV status, this study assessed the extent to which Andersen's model in terms of predisposing (socio-demographics), enabling (knowledge, attitudes and perceived risk related to HIV) and need related factors (oral health status) predict dental care utilization. It was hypothesized that enabling factors would add to the explanation of dental care utilization beyond that of predisposing and need related factors. Dental patients were recruited from Khartoum Dental Teaching Hospital (KDTH) and University of Science and Technology (UST) during March-July 2008. A total of 1262 patients (mean age 30.7, 56.5% females and 61% from KDTH) were examined clinically (DMFT) and participated in an interview. A total of 53.9% confirmed having attended a dental clinic for treatment at least once in the past 2 years. Logistic regression analysis revealed that predisposing factors; travelling inside Sudan (OR = 0.5) were associated with lower odds and females were associated with higher odds (OR = 2.0) for dental service utilization. Enabling factors; higher knowledge of HIV transmission (OR = 0.6) and higher HIV related experience (OR = 0.7) were associated with lower odds, whereas positive attitudes towards infected people and high perceived risk of contagion (OR = 1.3) were associated with higher odds for dental care utilization. Among need related factors dental caries experience was strongly associated with dental care utilization (OR = 4.8). Disparity in the history of dental care utilization goes beyond socio-demographic position and need for dental care. Public awareness of HIV infection control and confidence on the competence of dentists should be improved to minimize avoidance behaviour and help establish dental

Television, Language, and Literacy Practices in Sudanese Refugee Families: "I Learned How to Spell English on Channel 18"

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Perry, Kristen H.; Moses, Annie M.

2011-01-01

This ethnographic study explored the ways in which media, particularly television, connected with English language and literacy practices among Sudanese refugees in Michigan. Three families with young children participated in this study. Data collection included participant observation, interviews, and collection of artifacts over 18 months, with…

Chemical constituents of selected Sudanese medicinal and aromatic plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burham, B.O.

2007-11-01

Sudanese medicinal and aromatic plants (Alternanthra repens, Ambrosia maritima, Citrus paradisi, Croton zambesicus, Lepidium sativum, Morettia phillaena, Nauclea latifolia, Plectranthus barbatus, Pluchea dioscorides, and Sphaeranthus suaveolens) were analyzed for their chemical composition, mineral contents and secondary constituents. The concentration of manganese, copper, iron, nickel, lead, zinc and potassium in plant samples was performed using x-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The trace elements found in the smallest amount of the investigated plant species are lead, nickel and copper, while high concentration was detected for potassium, iron and manganese. Mn was accumulated with high level in Alternanthra repens species. Potassium was abundant in S. suaveolens and Ambrosia maritima. The values of concentration obtained for all studied elements were compared with published values of reference material, trace elements in Hay (powder) by International Atomic Energy Agency. Phyto chemical analysis of investigated plants was performed for constituents: Flavonoids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids, amino acids and sugars. The methanolic extracts of P.barbatus, C.paradisi, A.repens, N.latifolia, L. sativum and C. zambesicus are found to contain alkaloids. Results of TLC analysis were shown as R f values for saponins, bitter principles, essential oils, flavonoids and alkaloids. Quantification of flavonoids and tannins showed that flavonoid content was highest in case of Alternanthera repens and Sphaeranthus suavertens, whereas the highest tannin content was in case of Nauclea latifolia and Sphaearanthus suavertens. The results suggest that the user of traditional Sudanese crude drugs should be warned of potential danger of heavy metal poisoning because their concentrations seem to be higher than maximum values allowed by health agencies in several countries. This study has provided some biochemical basis for the ethno medical use of extracts from different candidate

Chemical constituents of selected Sudanese medicinal and aromatic plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burham, B O [Atomic Energy Researches Coordination Council, Sudan Academy of Sciences, Khartoum (Sudan)

2007-11-15

Sudanese medicinal and aromatic plants (Alternanthra repens, Ambrosia maritima, Citrus paradisi, Croton zambesicus, Lepidium sativum, Morettia phillaena, Nauclea latifolia, Plectranthus barbatus, Pluchea dioscorides, and Sphaeranthus suaveolens) were analyzed for their chemical composition, mineral contents and secondary constituents. The concentration of manganese, copper, iron, nickel, lead, zinc and potassium in plant samples was performed using x-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The trace elements found in the smallest amount of the investigated plant species are lead, nickel and copper, while high concentration was detected for potassium, iron and manganese. Mn was accumulated with high level in Alternanthra repens species. Potassium was abundant in S. suaveolens and Ambrosia maritima. The values of concentration obtained for all studied elements were compared with published values of reference material, trace elements in Hay (powder) by International Atomic Energy Agency. Phyto chemical analysis of investigated plants was performed for constituents: Flavonoids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids, amino acids and sugars. The methanolic extracts of P.barbatus, C.paradisi, A.repens, N.latifolia, L. sativum and C. zambesicus are found to contain alkaloids. Results of TLC analysis were shown as R{sub f} values for saponins, bitter principles, essential oils, flavonoids and alkaloids. Quantification of flavonoids and tannins showed that flavonoid content was highest in case of Alternanthera repens and Sphaeranthus suavertens, whereas the highest tannin content was in case of Nauclea latifolia and Sphaearanthus suavertens. The results suggest that the user of traditional Sudanese crude drugs should be warned of potential danger of heavy metal poisoning because their concentrations seem to be higher than maximum values allowed by health agencies in several countries. This study has provided some biochemical basis for the ethno medical use of extracts from different candidate

Cryptococcosis infection among HIV patients

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Zineb Tlamcani

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcosis is commonly known as a central nervous system infection due to Cryptococcus neoformans. It is one of the most frequent infections in AIDS patients. Disseminated cryptococcosis appears in almost one third of these patients. In this review, we will discuss the clinical presentation of cryptococcal infections among HIV patients and various methods of diagnosis, such as India ink, latex agglutination test and culture.

Chronic Plasmodium falciparum infections in an area of low intensity malaria transmission in the Sudan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hamad, A A; El Hassan, I M; El Khalifa, A A

2000-01-01

Chronic Plasmodium falciparum malaria infections in a Sudanese village, in an area of seasonal and unstable malaria transmission, were monitored and genetically characterized to study the influence of persistent infection on the immunology and epidemiology of low endemicity malaria. During...... the October-December malaria season of 1996, 51 individuals out of a population of 420 had confirmed and treated P. falciparum malaria in the village of Daraweesh in eastern Sudan. In a cross-sectional survey carried out in December 1996, an additional 6 individuals were found to harbour a microscopically...

Prevention and treatment of surgical site infection in HIV-infected patients

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Zhang Lei

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Surgical site infection (SSI are the third most frequently reported nosocomial infection, and the most common on surgical wards. HIV-infected patients may increase the possibility of developing SSI after surgery. There are few reported date on incidence and the preventive measures of SSI in HIV-infected patients. This study was to determine the incidence and the associated risk factors for SSI in HIV-infected patients. And we also explored the preventive measures. Methods A retrospective study of SSI was conducted in 242 HIV-infected patients including 17 patients who combined with hemophilia from October 2008 to September 2011 in Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center. SSI were classified according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC criteria and identified by bedside surveillance and post-discharge follow-up. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 statistical software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL. Results The SSI incidence rate was 47.5% (115 of 242; 38.4% incisional SSIs, 5.4% deep incisional SSIs and 3.7% organ/space SSIs. The SSI incidence rate was 37.9% in HIV-infected patients undergoing abdominal operation. Patients undergoing abdominal surgery with lower preoperative CD4 counts were more likely to develop SSIs. The incidence increased from 2.6% in clean wounds to 100% in dirty wounds. In the HIV-infected patients combined with hemophilia, the mean preoperative albumin and postoperative hemoglobin were found significantly lower than those in no-SSIs group (P Conclusions SSI is frequent in HIV-infected patients. And suitable perioperative management may decrease the SSIs incidence rate of HIV-infected patients.

Pulmonary infections in immunocompromised patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choneva, I.; Abadjieva, D.; Kirilov, R.

2013-01-01

Full text: Introduction: The lung is one of the most commonly affected organs in immunocompromised patients. Primary complication is pulmonary infection which is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Although radiography and CT, as main diagnostic tools are reliable and credible methods, often there is difficulty with the correct diagnose. The reasons for this are that immunocompromised patients are potentially susceptible to infection by various microorganisms and that the radiographic findings are rarely specific for detecting a particular pathogen. What you will learn : Our objective is to present general nosological classification of pulmonary infections in immunocompromised patients, and to evaluate and analyze new imaging methods and discuss their correlation with the clinical setting, which aims to facilitate the diagnosis and to take a decision for the treatment. The experience indicates that a clinical environment conducive the immunocompromised patients to infection with certain pathogens, thereby changing the frequency of their occurrence. The most commonly cited fungal infections, cytomegalovirus infections, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) of which convincing is the Imaging diagnosis primarily in fungal infections, and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and less accurate - in bacterial and viral infections. Discussion: The term 'immunocompromised' describes a subject with an increased risk for life-threatening infection as a result of congenital or acquired abnormalities of the immune system. Over the past few decades, the number of immunocompromised patients has grown considerably, reflecting the increased use of immunosuppressive drugs, and the syndrome of acquired immunodeficiency. Given the high incidence of pulmonary infections in immunocompromised patients (lung is one of the most commonly affected organs, such as lung infection is about 75% of pulmonary complications), rapid and accurate diagnosis is important

Sudanese Students' Perceptions of Their Class Activities: Psychometric Properties and Measurement Invariance of My Class Activities--Arabic Language Version

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Pereira, Nielsen; Bakhiet, Salaheldin Farah; Gentry, Marcia; Balhmar, Tahani Abdulrahman; Hakami, Sultan Mohammed

2017-01-01

This study examined the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Arabic version of "My Class Activities" (MCA), an instrument designed to measure students' perceptions of interest, challenge, choice, and enjoyment in classrooms. Scores of 3,516 Sudanese students in Grades 2 to 8 were used. Confirmatory factor analysis…

Retinitis due to opportunistic infections in Iranian HIV infected patients.

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Ali Abdollahi

2013-10-01

Full Text Available We tried to evaluate prevalence and characteristics of Iranian HIV infected patients with retinitis due to opportunistic infections. In this cross sectional study, we evaluated 106 HIV infected patients via indirect ophthalmoscopy and slit lamp examination by 90 lens to find retinitis cases. General information and results of ophthalmologic examination were analyzed. Prevalence of retinitis due to opportunistic infections was 6.6%: cytomegalovirus (CMV retinitis 1.88%, toxoplasmosis retinochoroiditis 1.88% and tuberculosis chorioretinitis 2.83%. CD4 count was higher than 50 cell/µlit in both cases with CMV retinitis. Along with increasing survival in the HIV infected patients, the prevalence of complications such as ocular manifestation due to opportunistic infections are increasing and must be more considered.

Risk factors for Clostridium difficile infection in HIV-infected patients.

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Imlay, Hannah; Kaul, Daniel; Rao, Krishna

2016-01-01

Clostridium difficile infection is a healthcare-associated infection resulting in significant morbidity. Although immunosuppression is associated with Clostridium difficile infection acquisition and adverse outcomes, the epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection in HIV-infected patients has been little studied in the era of antiretroviral therapy. This study identifies the risk factors for acquisition of Clostridium difficile infection in HIV-infected patients. A retrospective, propensity score-matched case-control study design was employed, with patients selected from our institution's outpatient HIV clinic. Clostridium difficile infection cases were defined as having positive stool testing plus an appropriate clinical presentation. The propensity score was generated via multiple logistic regression from year of HIV diagnosis, age at first contact, duration of follow-up, gender, and initial CD4 count. The 46 cases included were matched to a total of 180 controls. Prior antibiotic treatment was a significant predictor of Clostridium difficile infection (odds ratio: 13, 95% confidence interval: 3.49-48.8, p  Clostridium difficile infection in the multivariable model (odds ratio: 15.17, confidence interval: 1.31-175.9, p  = .021). As in the general population, frequent hospitalizations and exposure to antimicrobials are independent predictors of Clostridium difficile infection acquisition in patients with HIV. Additionally, low CD4 count and proton pump inhibitor use are new potentially modifiable variables that can be targeted for prevention of Clostridium difficile infection in future interventional studies.

Factors associated with urinary tract infections among HIV-1 infected patients.

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Agata Skrzat-Klapaczyńska

Full Text Available Urinary tract infections remain an important yet underinvestigated clinical problem among HIV infected patients. Here we analyze factors associated with its occurrence and the spectrum of bacterial pathogens identified in the group of patients followed at the HIV Out-Patient Clinic in Warsaw.Clinic database collected all medical information on patients routinely followed since 1994 to 2015. All patients with available urine culture were included into analyses, only the first culture was included. In statistical analyses logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with positive culture.In total 608 patients had urine culture performed, 176 (28.9% were females and 432 (71,1% were males, 378 (62.2% registered in care before/in 2007, 258 (42.4% infected through homosexual contact. Median baseline lymphocyte CD4+ count was 385 (IQR:204-565 cells/μl and median nadir lymphocyte CD4+ count 197 (86-306 cells/μl. One hundred and eighteen patients were actively infected with HCV, as defined by positive real-time PCR. In total 141 (23.2% patients had positive urine culture, the most common bacterial pathogen was E.coli (58.2% and E. faecalis (12.8%. Patients with urinary tract infection were more likely to be female (51.8% vs. 22.1%, p<0.0001, infected through other than homosexual mode (80.1% vs. 50.7%, p<0.0001, with lower nadir CD4 count (139 vs. 221 cells/μl, p<0.0001 and lower baseline HIV RNA (4.02 vs. 4.35 log copies/ml, p = 0.01 and less likely to be HCV RNA positive (26.9% vs. 49.2%, p = 0.01. In multivariate regression model being registered before/in 2007 (OR = 2.10; [95%CI: 1.24-3.56], infected through other than homosexual mode (2.05;[1.18-3.56] and female gender (2.14;[1.33-3.44] were increasing and higher nadir CD4+ count decreasing (0.92;[0.85-0.99] the odds of urinary tract infection.We have identified that almost one third of patients had urinary tract infections with non-typical bacterial pathogens. Population

Estimation of sex from the anthropometric ear measurements of a Sudanese population.

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Ahmed, Altayeb Abdalla; Omer, Nosyba

2015-09-01

The external ear and its prints have multifaceted roles in medico-legal practice, e.g., identification and facial reconstruction. Furthermore, its norms are essential in the diagnosis of congenital anomalies and the design of hearing aids. Body part dimensions vary in different ethnic groups, so the most accurate statistical estimations of biological attributes are developed using population-specific standards. Sudan lacks comprehensive data about ear norms; moreover, there is a universal rarity in assessing the possibility of sex estimation from ear dimensions using robust statistical techniques. Therefore, this study attempts to establish data for normal adult Sudanese Arabs, assessing the existence of asymmetry and developing a population-specific equation for sex estimation. The study sample comprised 200 healthy Sudanese Arab volunteers (100 males and 100 females) in the age range of 18-30years. The physiognomic ear length and width, lobule length and width, and conchal length and width measurements were obtained by direct anthropometry, using a digital sliding caliper. Moreover, indices and asymmetry were assessed. Data were analyzed using basic descriptive statistics and discriminant function analyses employing jackknife validations of classification results. All linear dimensions used were sexually dimorphic except lobular lengths. Some of the variables and indices show asymmetry. Ear dimensions showed cross-validated sex classification accuracy ranging between 60.5% and 72%. Hence, the ear measurements cannot be used as an effective tool in the estimation of sex. However, in the absence of other more reliable means, it still can be considered a supportive trait in sex estimation. Further, asymmetry should be considered in identification from the ear measurements. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preliminary sequence stratigraphy and tectonic evolution of the Tokar Delta, (Southern Sudanese Red Sea)

OpenAIRE

Yagoub, Abbas Musa

2007-01-01

The study area comprises about 2500sq.Kms. From the seismic data acquired by the Oil Companies (Chevron 1975-76 Total 1980 and IPC 1992), thirty two seismic lines were selected Fig (2). Also synthetic seismograms of Suakin-1, Bashayer-1 A and Bashayer-2A wells are used. The stratigraphy and sedimentation of the Sudanese Red Sea can be placed into four major tectonic phases, Pre-rifting stratigraphy, Syn-Rift Pre-Salt Stratigarphy, Salt Phase and Syn-Rift Post Salt Stratigraphy. Basic conce...

Good sleep quality is associated with better academic performance among Sudanese medical students.

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Mirghani, Hyder Osman; Mohammed, Osama Salih; Almurtadha, Yahia Mohamed; Ahmed, Moneir Siddig

2015-11-23

There is increasing awareness about the association of sleep quality and academic achievement among university students. However, the relationship between sleep quality and academic performance has not been examined in Sudan; this study assessed the relationship between sleep quality and academic performance among Sudanese medical students. A case-control study was conducted among 165 male and female medical students at two Sudanese universities. Excellent (A) and pass (C) academic groups were invited to respond to a self-administered questionnaire, using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Students also completed a diary detailing their sleep habits for 2 weeks prior to filling out the questionnaire. Various parameters of sleep quality were then compared between the two groups. A significant difference (p sleep quality, subjective sleep rating, bedtime later than midnight, sleep latency, and daytime dysfunction (during driving, preparing a meal, etc.). No differences were found between groups for the use of sleep medications. The mean sleeping hours was (7 ± 1.9) and (6.3 ± 1.9) for the excellent and pass groups respectively (p < 0.05). A significant difference (p < 0.001) between the excellent and average groups was found for weekday and weekend bedtime, weekend wake-up time, and weekend wake-up delay. No differences were found between groups for the weekday's wake- up time, and bedtime delay during weekends. Besides, snoring was present in 9.2 % of the excellent group versus 28 % in pass group (p < 0.005).

[Pulmonary infections in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

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Takayanagi, Noboru; Tsuchiya, Yutaka; Tokunaga, Daidou; Miyahara, Yousuke; Yamaguchi, Shouzaburo; Saito, Hiroo; Ubukata, Mikio; Kurashima, Kazuyoshi; Yanagisawa, Tsutomu; Sugita, Yutaka

2007-06-01

We studied 149 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients (mean age 68.0 years; 68 men, 81 women) with pulmonary infections. The mean age at the onset of RA and the duration of RA was 57.2 +/- 15.2 years and 10.9 +/- 11.5 years, respectively. Pulmonary infections included nontuberculous mycobacteriosis in 59 patients (Mycobacterium avium complex infection, 50 cases : Mycobacterium kansasii infection, 4 cases; others, 5 cases), pneumonia in 46 patients, pulmonary tuberculosis in 28 patients, pulmonary aspergillosis in 12 patients, pulmonary cryptococcosis in 5 patients, Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in 5 patients, lung abscess in 9 patients, exacerbation of bronchiectasis in 7 patients, and empyema in 4 patients. One hundred percent of patients with exacerbation of bronchiectasis, 91.7% of patients with pulmonary aspergillosis, 87% of patients with pneumonia, and 81.4% of patients with nontuberculous mycobacteriosis had underlying lung diseases. The pulmonary infections during therapy with steroids were pulmonary tuberculosis (78.6%), pneumonia (65.2%), and pulmonary aspergillosis (58.3%), while the pulmonary infections during methotrexate treatment were Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (80%), pulmonary cryptococcosis (40%), and pulmonary tuberculosis (28.6%). Pulmonary infections in RA patients who were taking TNFalpha inhibitors included 1 patient each with nontuberculous mycobacteriosis, pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, and Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia. Among the RA patients with lung abscess, malignancy was noted in 55.6%, and diabetes mellitus in 22.2%. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the second-most-common cause of pneumonia and cause of all exacerbations of bronchiectasis. As well as immunosuppressive medications (steroids, methotrexate, TNFalpha inhibitors) and systemic comorbid diseases, underlying lung diseases could be one of the risk factor for pulmonary infections in patients with RA. The dominant risk factor for each pulmonary infection in patients with RA

Intestinal parasitic infections in HIV-infected patients, Lao People's Democratic Republic.

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Phimpha Paboriboune

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: HIV infection is an emerging problem in Laos. We conducted the first prospective study on intestinal parasites, including opportunistic protozoa, in newly diagnosed HIV infected patients, with or without diarrhea. The aims were to describe the spectrum of infections, to determine their prevalence and to assess their associations with diarrhea, CD4 cell count, place of residence and living conditions. METHODOLOGY: One to three stool samples over consecutive days were obtained from 137 patients. The Kato thick smear method, formalin-ethyl concentration and specific stains for coccidia and microsporidia diagnosis were performed on 260 stool samples. Baseline characteristics regarding relevant demographics, place of residence and living conditions, clinical features including diarrhea, were collected using a standardized questionnaire. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The 137 patients were young (median age: 36 years and severely immunocompromised (83.9% at WHO stage 3 or 4, median CD4 cell count: 41/mm3. Diarrhea was present in 43.0% of patients. Parasite infection was found in 78.8% of patients, infection with at least two species in 49.6%. Prevalence rates of protozoan and helminth infections were similar (54.7% and 58.4% respectively. Blastocystis sp. was the most frequent protozoa (26.3%. Cryptosporidium sp., Cytoisospora belli and microsporidia, found at low prevalence rates (6.6%, 4.4%, 2.9%, respectively, were described for the first time in Laos. Cryptosporidium sp. was associated with persistent diarrhea. Strongyloides stercoralis was the most prevalent helminth following Opisthorchis viverrini (20.4% and 47.5% respectively. The most immunocompromised patients, as assessed by a CD4 count ≤ 50 cells/mm3, were more likely to be infected with intestinal parasites. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: HIV infection was mainly diagnosed at an advanced stage of immunosuppression in Lao patients. Intestinal parasite infections were highly prevalent

Deranged liver among Sudanese patients with dengue virus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Deranged liver is a well-recognized feature of dengue infection, often demonstrated by coagulopathy and mild to moderate increase in transaminase levels although jaundice and fulminant hepatic failure are generally uncommon. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the hepatic effect of dengue fever ...

Legionellosis in patients with HIV infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bangsborg, Jette Marie; Jensen, B N; Friis-Møller, A

1990-01-01

During the five-year period 1984-1988 we received 192 specimens from 180 patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) for investigation of Legionella infection. The majority of specimens were bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids (84%), but tracheal suctions and lung tissue from...... specimens additionally for Pneumocystis carinii and mycobacteria. Legionellosis was not found to be common among HIV-infected patients, as only six specimens (3%) from six patients were found positive by DFA, and no specimens were culture-positive for Legionella species. Dual infection with Legionella and P...

Cutaneous Manifestations in HIV Infected Libyan Patients

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Aljehawi Nabil A.

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Cutaneous manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV disease may result from HIV infection itself, or from opportunistic disorders secondary to the declined immunocompetence due to the disease. A total of 220 HIV positive patients, treated in the Benghazi Center of Infectious Diseases and Immunology over a period of 14 years (January 2003 to November 2016, were included in a retrospective study. The patients' age ranged from 7 to 46 years. The study was conducted by reviewing the patients' records using the management information system (MIS. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out by the t-test and Chi square test. Among the studied patients, 119 (54.1% were males and 101 (45.9% were females, and most of them (78.6% were 10 – 19 years of age. The predominant mode of transmission was parenteral transmission, in 95% of patients, and positive family history was observed in 12% of patients. Among the total number of visits to dermatologists, 93% of patients had a single disease. Of the total number of skin diseases diagnosed during the visits, parasitic infestations were seen in 92 patients (21.0%, eczematous and related disorders in 78 patients (17.8%, viral infections in 71 patients (16.2%, bacterial infections in 41 patients (9.3%, and fungal infections in 35 patients (7.9%. Dermatophyte infections were the most common fungal infections recorded in 19 patients (4.3%, followed by Candida infection in 11 patients (2.5%. Warts were found in 5.9% of viral infections, followed by herpes zoster (4.1%. HIV positive patients should be examined for skin disorders, because early diagnosis and management of such problems improves the quality of life in these patients.

Prevalence of human papilloma virus infection in patients with male accessory gland infection.

Science.gov (United States)

La Vignera, S; Vicari, E; Condorelli, R A; Franchina, C; Scalia, G; Morgia, G; Perino, A; Schillaci, R; Calogero, A E

2015-04-01

The frequency of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the semen of patients with male accessory gland infection (MAGI) was evaluated. One hundred infertile patients with MAGI were classified into group A: patients with an inflammatory MAGI (n = 48) and group B: patients with a microbial form (n = 52). Healthy age-matched fertile men (34.0 ± 4.0 years) made up the control group (n = 20). Amplification of HPV DNA was carried out by HPV-HS Bio nested polymerase chain reaction for the detection of HPV DNA sequences within the L1 ORF. Ten patients in group A (20.8%) and 15 patients in group B (28.8%) had a HPV infection; two controls (10.0%) had HPV infection. Patients with MAGI had a significantly higher frequency of HPV infection compared with controls; patients with a microbial MAGI had significantly higher frequency of HPV infection compared with patients with an inflammatory form (both P < 0.05). Patients with MAGI and HPV had a slight, but significantly lower sperm progressive motility and normal morphology compared with patients with MAGI HPV-negative (P < 0.05). Elevated frequency of HPV infection occurred in patients with MAGI, suggesting that HPV should be investigated in the diagnostic work-up of these patients. Copyright © 2014 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Creating a Bridge of Understanding between Two Worlds: Community-Based Collaborative-Action Research with Sudanese Refugee Women.

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Baird, Martha B; Domian, Elaine Williams; Mulcahy, Ellyn R; Mabior, Rebecca; Jemutai-Tanui, Gladys; Filippi, Melissa K

2015-01-01

To explore the process of partnership between university researchers, students, and South Sudanese refugee women to address the health challenges associated with their resettlement transition to the United States. This qualitative study used a community-based collaborative action research (CBCAR) framework in the design, collection, and analysis of the qualitative data. Twenty refugee women participated in this study. Five health education seminars followed by an audio-recorded focus group were held over 9 months. A final focus group was held to confirm derived themes and develop an action plan. The partnership between the refugee women and researchers resulted in awareness of how power structures and differing expectations affected the process. The dialog in the focus groups provided an opportunity for refugee women to voice challenges to their health in resettlement. A pattern was recognized about how political and sociocultural events affected the process of CBCAR. Dialog and sharing differing worldviews and perspectives led to insights about ways to improve the health of the South Sudanese refugee community. CBCAR is a useful framework to address health concerns of a refugee community. Insights from this study provided a foundation for a future intervention research project with the refugee women. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cancer screening in patients infected with HIV.

Science.gov (United States)

Sigel, Keith; Dubrow, Robert; Silverberg, Michael; Crothers, Kristina; Braithwaite, Scott; Justice, Amy

2011-09-01

Non-AIDS-defining cancers are a rising health concern among HIV-infected patients. Cancer screening is now an important component of health maintenance in HIV clinical practice. The decision to screen an HIV-infected patient for cancer should include an assessment of individualized risk for the particular cancer, life expectancy, and the harms and benefits associated with the screening test and its potential outcome. HIV-infected patients are at enhanced risk of several cancers compared to the general population; anal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and lung cancer all have good evidence demonstrating an enhanced risk in HIV-infected persons. A number of cancer screening interventions have shown benefit for specific cancers in the general population, but data on the application of these tests to HIV-infected persons are limited. Here we review the epidemiology and background literature relating to cancer screening interventions in HIV-infected persons. We then use these data to inform a conceptual model for evaluating HIV-infected patients for cancer screening.

Humoral and cellular immune responses to glucose regulated protein 78 - a novel Leishmania donovani antigen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Anja T R; Ismail, Ahmed; Gaafar, Ameera

2002-01-01

The recently cloned glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) of Leishmania donovani has been suggested as a new and promising Leishmania vaccine candidate. We assessed antibody and T-cell reactivity to GRP78 in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and in lymphoproliferative assays. Serological...... with a positive leishmanin skin test showed antibody reactivity to recombinant GRP78 (rGRP78). In lymphoproliferative assays, 9 of 13 isolates of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from individuals previously infected with L. donovani and one of three individuals previously infected with L. major showed...... in an area endemic for malaria but free of leishmaniasis and plasma from healthy Danes was negative in the assay. GRP78 antibody was detected in 10% and 5% of plasma samples from Sudanese and Ghanaian malaria patients, respectively, whereas 35% of plasma samples from otherwise healthy Sudanese individuals...

Pleurisy in tuberculosis and HIV-infected patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. K. Ivanov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A clinical and epidemiological study for 14 years was conducted. Among TB patients, the percentage of persons with mixed infection (TB+HIV infection increased during the observation period from 10 up to 64%. About one third of them had a pleura reaction with an accumulation of fluid between pleura’s petals. Pleuritis in patients with mixed infection were characterized by special features: pleurisy complicated another form of tuberculosis more often, in one-third of patients (29,8% pleural liquid had hemorrhagic type, Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the pleural fluid was detected six times more often. The level of activity of adenosine deaminase and neopterin in the exudate of patients with tuberculosis and HIV infection remained significantly higher than in the control group of persons. These data can be useful in the diagnostics of specific diseases in HIV-infected patients.

Patients' Hand Washing and Reducing Hospital-Acquired Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Haverstick, Stacy; Goodrich, Cara; Freeman, Regi; James, Shandra; Kullar, Rajkiran; Ahrens, Melissa

2017-06-01

Hand hygiene is important to prevent hospital-acquired infections. Patients' hand hygiene is just as important as hospital workers' hand hygiene. Hospital-acquired infection rates remain a concern across health centers. To improve patients' hand hygiene through the promotion and use of hand washing with soap and water, hand sanitizer, or both and improve patients' education to reduce hospital-acquired infections. In August 2013, patients in a cardiothoracic postsurgical step-down unit were provided with individual bottles of hand sanitizer. Nurses and nursing technicians provided hand hygiene education to each patient. Patients completed a 6-question survey before the intervention, at hospital discharge and 1, 2, and 3 months after the intervention. Hospital-acquired infection data were tracked monthly by infection prevention staff. Significant correlations were found between hand hygiene and rates of infection with vancomycin-resistant enterococci ( P = .003) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ( P = .01) after the intervention. After the implementation of hand hygiene interventions, rates of both infections declined significantly and patients reported more staff offering opportunities for and encouraging hand hygiene. This quality improvement project demonstrates that increased hand hygiene compliance by patients can influence infection rates in an adult cardiothoracic step-down unit. The decreased infection rates and increased compliance with hand hygiene among the patients may be attributed to the implementation of patient education and the increased accessibility and use of hand sanitizer. ©2017 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Plutonium isotopes in sediments from the Sudanese coast of the Red Sea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khatir Sam, A.; Ahamed, M.M.O.; El Khangi, F.; Roos, P.

2000-01-01

Activity concentrations of Pu isotopes in surface marine sediments collected from the Sudanese coast of the Red Sea is presented. The following concentration ranges were determined: 238 Pu, 4.7-28.6 mBq/kg; 239+240 Pu, 53-343 mBq/kg dry weight. The average activity ratios of 238 Pu/ 239+240 Pu (0.075 ± 0.045 mBqk/kg) and 239+240 Pu/ 137 Cs (0.026 ± 0.025 mBq/kg) are appropriately comparable to the literature values that are characteristic of the global fallout from the atmospheric nuclear weapon tests. However, 239/240 Pu/ 137 Cs ratio in sediments collected from the biologically rich fringing reef is an order of magnitude higher compared to other sampling locations. (author)

Radiologic features of pyogenic pulmonary infection in AIDS patients and HIV-infected patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wojtycha-Kwasnica, B.; Leszczynski, S.; Mian, M.; Mydlowska, A.

1994-01-01

400 HIV-infected patients were examined by chest radiographs and CT examinations. The radiological diagnosis of pyogenic bacterial pneumonia was confirmed by clinical examinations, laboratory tests and in cases by autopsy. Lobar consolidation often, bilateral, with abscesses and atelectasis, pleural effusions, diffuse interstitial infiltrates were noted mostly in the bacterial pneumonia group. In spite of immunodeficiency in these patients lobar consolidation and abscesses regressed after therapy. The relapse of pyogenic pulmonary infection, often in the same localization, which also regressed during treatment were observed. (author)

Opportunistic infection of HIV/AIDS patients in West Papua

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Witaningrum, A. M.; Khairunisa, S. Q.; Yunifiar, M. Q.; Bramanthi, R.; Rachman, B. E.; Nasronudin

2018-03-01

Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) had a major impact on health problemin Indonesia. HIV type 1 (HIV-1) epidemic is currently infected with HIV viruses developing rapidly in Indonesia.Papua provinces have the highest prevalence rate of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in Indonesia; however, data on opportunistic infection of HIV-1 are limited. The study using medical records as a research sample was conducted among HIV patients from January 2013 - December 2014 in Sele be Solu hospital among 49 patients. Opportunistic infections commonly occur in HIV-infected patients. The aim of the study was to know theprevalence of opportunistic infection among HIV positive patients in West Papua. Forty-nine HIV-1 patients were collected in Sele be Solu Hospital, West Papua.Opportunistic infection was identified such as tuberculosis, tuberculosis Pulmo, tuberculosis and candidiasis, candidiasis and diarrhea. The clinical sign appeared in HIV infected patients such as itchy, cough and loss weight. The prevalence of opportunistic infection indicated the necessity of monitoring the opportunistic infection of HIV/AIDS patients in Indonesia.

Occult hepatitis B virus infection in immunocompromised patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruth Nogueira Cordeiro Moraes Jardim

Full Text Available Occult hepatitis B infection is characterized by hepatitis B virus (HBV DNA in the serum in the absence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg. We assessed occult HBV infection prevalence in two groups of immunocompromised patients (maintenance hemodialysis patients and HIV-positive patients presenting HBsAg-negative and anti-HBc positive serological patterns, co-infected or not by HCV. Thirty-four hemodialysis anti-HIV negative patients, 159 HIV-positive patients and 150 blood donors who were anti-HBc positive (control group were selected. HBV-DNA was detected by nested-PCR. Occult hepatitis B infection was not observed in the hemodialysis patients group but was found in 5% of the HIV-patients and in 4% of the blood donors. Immunosuppression in HIV positive patients was not a determining factor for occult HBV infection. In addition, no significant relationship between HBV-DNA and HCV co-infection in the HIV-positive patient group was found. A lack of significant associations was also observed between positivity for HBV-DNA and CD4 count, viral load and previous lamivudine treatment in these HIV-positive patients.

Hepatitis C virus infection in HIV-infected patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Sulkowski, Mark S

2007-10-01

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a spherical enveloped RNA virus of the Flaviviridae family, classified within the Hepacivirus genus. Since its discovery in 1989, HCV has been recognized as a major cause of chronic hepatitis and hepatic fibrosis that progresses in some patients to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In the United States, approximately 4 million people have been infected with HCV, and 10,000 HCVrelated deaths occur each year. Due to shared routes of transmission, HCV and HIV co-infection are common, affecting approximately one third of all HIV-infected persons in the United States. In addition, HIV co-infection is associated with higher HCV RNA viral load and a more rapid progression of HCV-related liver disease, leading to an increased risk of cirrhosis. HCV infection may also impact the course and management of HIV disease, particularly by increasing the risk of antiretroviral drug-induced hepatotoxicity. Thus, chronic HCV infection acts as an opportunistic disease in HIV-infected persons because the incidence of infection is increased and the natural history of HCV infection is accelerated in co-infected persons. Strategies to prevent primary HCV infection and to modify the progression of HCV-related liver disease are urgently needed among HIV/HCV co-infected individuals.

Estimation of stature using lower limb measurements in Sudanese Arabs.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Altayeb Abdalla

2013-07-01

The estimation of stature from body parts is one of the most vital parts of personal identification in medico-legal autopsies, especially when mutilated and amputated limbs or body parts are found. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and accuracy of using lower limb measurements for stature estimations. The stature, tibial length, bimalleolar breadth, foot length and foot breadth of 160 right-handed Sudanese Arab subjects, 80 men and 80 women (25-30 years old), were measured. The reliability of measurement acquisition was tested prior to the primary data collection. The data were analysed using basic univariate analysis and linear and multiple regression analyses. The results showed acceptable standards of measurement errors and reliability. Sex differences were significant for all of the measurements. There was a positive correlation coefficient between lower-limb dimensions and stature (P-value Arabs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

CNS infections in immunocompetent patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartmann, K.M.; Zimmer, A.; Reith, W.

2008-01-01

This article gives a review of the most frequent infective agents reasonable for CNS infections in immunocompetent patients as well as their localisation and imaging specifications. MRI scanning is the gold standard to detect inflammatory conditions in the CNS. Imaging can be normal or nonspecifically altered although the infection is culturally or bioptically proven. There are no pathognomonic, pathogen-specific imaging criteria. The localization and dimension of the inflammation depends on the infection pathway. (orig.) [de

Inflammation in HIV-Infected Patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Langkilde, Anne; Petersen, Janne; Klausen, Henrik Hedegaard

2012-01-01

To examine mechanisms underlying the increased inflammatory state of HIV-infected patients, by investigating the association of HIV-related factors, demography, lifestyle, and body composition with the inflammatory marker soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR).......To examine mechanisms underlying the increased inflammatory state of HIV-infected patients, by investigating the association of HIV-related factors, demography, lifestyle, and body composition with the inflammatory marker soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR)....

Risk of Infections in Patients with Chronic Diseases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mor, Anil; Thomsen, Reimar W.

2013-01-01

This review provides an update on the risk of several important community-acquired infections seen in patients with diabetes: respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, and bacteremia. Respiratory tract infections: Recent epidemiological evidence shows a modest (1.25 to 1.75-fold) ri...... that individuals with diabetes have a substantially increased risk of a number of important infections. Clinicians should remain vigilant for infections in this increasing group of patients....

[Topical immunomodulation in the treatment of herpetic infections in HIV-infected patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Shul'diakov, A A; Barkhatova, T S; Zubareva, E V; Satarova, S A; Perminova, T A

2012-01-01

The efficiency of cycloferon liniment in combined treatment of herpetic infection in patients with latent form of HIV infection has been assess by observations of 40 patients divided into two groups. In the first group, the standard treatment was supplemented with the application of cycloferon liniment twice a day during 7 days; in the second group, the therapy was conducted according to standard recommendations. It was established that the application of cycloferon liniment in combination with standard therapy in patients with relapse of herpetic infection against the background of HIV infection ensures faster disappearance of general infectious syndrome, decreases the period of eruptions and the duration of local inflammations, and accelerates the epithelialization of erosions.

Outcome of severe infections in afebrile neutropenic cancer patients

Science.gov (United States)

Mahkovic-Hergouth, Ksenija; Novakovic, Barbara Jezersek; Seruga, Bostjan

2016-01-01

Abstract Background In some neutropenic cancer patients fever may be absent despite microbiologically and/or clinically confirmed infection. We hypothesized that afebrile neutropenic cancer patients with severe infections have worse outcome as compared to cancer patients with febrile neutropenia. Patients and methods We retrospectively analyzed all adult cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and severe infection, who were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at our cancer center between 2000 and 2011. The outcome of interest was 30-day in-hospital mortality rate. Association between the febrile status and in-hospital mortality rate was evaluated by the Fisher’s exact test. Results We identified 69 episodes of severe neutropenic infections in 65 cancer patients. Among these, 9 (13%) episodes were afebrile. Patients with afebrile neutropenic infection presented with hypotension, severe fatigue with inappetence, shaking chills, altered mental state or cough and all of them eventually deteriorated to severe sepsis or septic shock. Overall 30-day in-hospital mortality rate was 55.1%. Patients with afebrile neutropenic infection had a trend for a higher 30-day in-hospital mortality rate as compared to patients with febrile neutropenic infection (78% vs. 52%, p = 0.17). Conclusions Afebrile cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and severe infections might have worse outcome as compared to cancer patients with febrile neutropenia. Patients should be informed that severe neutropenic infection without fever can occasionally occur during cancer treatment with chemotherapy. PMID:27904453

Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients

Science.gov (United States)

... Protect: Know the Signs and Symptoms of Infection Neutropenia and Risk for Infection Health Care Providers Educational Materials Cancer and Flu How to Prevent Flu from Spreading Flu Symptoms Information for Families and Caregivers Flu Treatment for Cancer Patients and ...

Country of infection among HIV-infected patients born abroad living in French Guiana.

Science.gov (United States)

Nacher, Mathieu; Adriouch, Leila; Van Melle, Astrid; Parriault, Marie-Claire; Adenis, Antoine; Couppié, Pierre

2018-01-01

Over 75% of patients in the HIV cohort in French Guiana are of foreign origin. Our objective was to estimate what proportion of the migrant population of HIV-infected patients in Cayenne had been infected in French Guiana. We included patients of known foreign origin who were followed in Cayenne, for whom the year of arrival in French Guiana was known and the initial CD4 count at the time of diagnosis was available. The time between seroconversion and time at diagnosis was estimated using the formula [square root (CD4 at seroconversion)-square root(CD4 at HIV diagnosis)] / slope of CD4 decline.CD4 counts at the time of infection and the slope were computed in an age and ethnicity-dependent variable. The median estimated time between infection and diagnosis was 4.5 years (IQR = 0.2-9.2). Overall, using a median estimate of CD4 count at the time of infection, it was estimated that 53.2% (95% CI = 48.3-58%) of HIV infected foreign patients had acquired HIV after having arrived in French Guiana. Patients having arrived in French Guiana before and during the 1990s and those receiving their HIV diagnosis before 2010 were more likely to have been infected in French Guiana. Contrary to widespread belief suggesting that most migrants are already HIV-infected when they arrive in French Guiana, a large proportion of foreign HIV patients seem acquire the virus in French Guiana.There is still much to do in terms of primary prevention and testing among migrants.

Value versus Accuracy: application of seasonal forecasts to a hydro-economic optimization model for the Sudanese Blue Nile

Science.gov (United States)

Satti, S.; Zaitchik, B. F.; Siddiqui, S.; Badr, H. S.; Shukla, S.; Peters-Lidard, C. D.

2015-12-01

The unpredictable nature of precipitation within the East African (EA) region makes it one of the most vulnerable, food insecure regions in the world. There is a vital need for forecasts to inform decision makers, both local and regional, and to help formulate the region's climate change adaptation strategies. Here, we present a suite of different seasonal forecast models, both statistical and dynamical, for the EA region. Objective regionalization is performed for EA on the basis of interannual variability in precipitation in both observations and models. This regionalization is applied as the basis for calculating a number of standard skill scores to evaluate each model's forecast accuracy. A dynamically linked Land Surface Model (LSM) is then applied to determine forecasted flows, which drive the Sudanese Hydroeconomic Optimization Model (SHOM). SHOM combines hydrologic, agronomic and economic inputs to determine the optimal decisions that maximize economic benefits along the Sudanese Blue Nile. This modeling sequence is designed to derive the potential added value of information of each forecasting model to agriculture and hydropower management. A rank of each model's forecasting skill score along with its added value of information is analyzed in order compare the performance of each forecast. This research aims to improve understanding of how characteristics of accuracy, lead time, and uncertainty of seasonal forecasts influence their utility to water resources decision makers who utilize them.

Yellow fever vaccine for patients with HIV infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Barte, Hilary; Horvath, Tara H; Rutherford, George W

2014-01-23

Yellow fever (YF) is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease prevalent in tropical Africa and Latin America. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 200,000 cases of YF and 30,000 deaths worldwide annually. Treatment for YF is supportive, but a live attenuated virus vaccine is effective for preventing infection. WHO recommends immunisation for all individuals > 9 months living in countries or areas at risk. However, the United States Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) advises that YF vaccine is contraindicated in individuals with HIV. Given the large populations of HIV-infected individuals living in tropical areas where YF is endemic, YF vaccine may be an important intervention for preventing YF in immunocompromised populations. To assess the risk and benefits of YF immunisation for people infected with HIV. We used standard Cochrane methods to search electronic databases and conference proceedings with relevant search terms without limits to language. Randomised controlled trials and cohort studies of individuals with HIV infection who received YF vaccine (17DD or 17D-204). Two authors screened abstracts of references identified by electronic or bibliographic searches according to inclusion and exclusion criteria as detailed in the protocol. We identified 199 references and examined 19 in detail for study eligibility. Data were abstracted independently using a standardised abstraction form. Three cohort studies were included in the review. They examined 484 patients with HIV infection who received YF immunisation. Patients with HIV infection developed significantly lower concentrations of neutralising antibodies in the first year post immunisation compared to uninfected patients, though decay patterns were similar for recipients regardless of HIV infection. No study patient with HIV infection suffered serious adverse events as a result of YF vaccination. YF vaccination can produce protective levels of neutralising antibodies in

Stem Cell Transplant Patients and Fungal Infections

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... Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases Mycotic Diseases Branch Stem Cell Transplant Patients and Fungal Infections Recommend on Facebook ... Mold . Top of Page Preventing fungal infections in stem cell transplant patients Fungi are difficult to avoid because ...

Fungal infections in neutropenic cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parvez, T.

2003-01-01

Invasive fungal infections are important causes of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients with prolonged neutropenia following chemotherapy. Recent trends indicate a change toward infections by Aspergillus species, non-albicans species of Candida, and previously uncommon fungal pathogens. These have decreased susceptibility to current antifungal agents. In the last decade there has been much effort to find solutions for these changing trends. This article reviews current approaches to prevention and treatment of opportunistic fungal infections in postchemotherapy neutropenic patients and discussion future antifungal approaches and supportive methods. (author)

Frequency of seizures and epilepsy in neurological HIV-infected patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kellinghaus, C; Engbring, C; Kovac, S; Möddel, G; Boesebeck, F; Fischera, M; Anneken, K; Klönne, K; Reichelt, D; Evers, S; Husstedt, I W

2008-01-01

Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated both with infections of the central nervous system and with neurological deficits due to direct effects of the neurotropic virus. Seizures and epilepsy are not rare among HIV-infected patients. We investigated the frequency of acute seizures and epilepsy of patients in different stages of HIV infection. In addition, we compared the characteristics of patients who experienced provoked seizures only with those of patients who developed epilepsy. The database of the Department of Neurology, University of Münster, was searched for patients with HIV infection admitted between 1992 and 2004. Their charts were reviewed regarding all available sociodemographic, clinical, neurophysiological, imaging and laboratory data, therapy and outcome. Stage of infection according to the CDC classification and the epileptogenic zone were determined. Of 831 HIV-infected patients treated in our department, 51 (6.1%) had seizures or epilepsy. Three of the 51 patients (6%) were diagnosed with epilepsy before the onset of the HIV infection. Fourteen patients (27%) only had single or few provoked seizures in the setting of acute cerebral disorders (eight patients), drug withdrawal or sleep withdrawal (two patients), or of unknown cause (four patients). Thirty-four patients (67%) developed epilepsy in the course of their HIV infection. Toxoplasmosis (seven patients), progressive multifocal leukencephalopathy (seven patients) and other acute or subacute cerebral infections (five patients) were the most frequent causes of seizures. EEG data of 38 patients were available. EEG showed generalized and diffuse slowing only in 9 patients, regional slowing in 14 patients and regional slowing and epileptiform discharges in 1 patient. Only 14 of the patients had normal EEG. At the last contact, the majority of the patients (46 patients=90%) were on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Twenty-seven patients (53%) were on

Undetectable hepatitis C virus RNA during syphilis infection in two HIV/HCV-co-infected patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Salado-Rasmussen, Kirsten; Knudsen, Andreas; Krarup, Henrik Bygum

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, elicits a vigorous immune response in the infected host. This study sought to describe the impact of syphilis infection on hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels in patients with HIV and chronic HCV infection. METHODS: Patients......-α), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and IFN-γ-inducible protein 10 kDa (IP-10). RESULTS: Undetectable HCV RNA at the time of early latent syphilis infection was observed in 2 patients with HIV and chronic HCV infection. After treatment of the syphilis infection, HCV RNA levels increased again in patient 1, whereas...... patient 2 initiated HCV therapy and remained HCV RNA-negative. Available plasma samples obtained before and after the episode with undetectable HCV RNA were phylogenetically identical, making the possibility of spontaneous clearance and HCV reinfection less likely. The IL-10, TNF-α, and IP-10 levels...

HIV-infected People in Sudan Moving Toward Chronic Poverty: Possible Interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail, Salwa Muddthir; Eisa, Ammar Abobakre; Ibrahim, Faisal

2016-01-01

We sought to identify the socioeconomic impact on people living with HIV (PLWH) in Sudan. Focus group discussions were used to collect data and identify the most outstanding domains of HIV impact on PLWH and the survival mechanisms that may be common to a group of diverse HIV-infected persons (n = 30). The findings indicated that the most striking financial and social impacts were due to stigma associated with HIV in the conservative Sudanese society, which led to loss of work with all its consequences (e.g., children's education and health care expenses were affected). The socioeconomic impacts of HIV on infected populations are discussed, and suggestions for possible interventions to mitigate harmful impacts and stigma within the society, the workplace, and health care settings are highlighted. We concluded that HIV has intensified the existing problems of infected people, contributing to their vulnerability to poverty. Copyright © 2016 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Fungal (Candida) infections in the immunocompromised pediatric patient].

Science.gov (United States)

Bruce Diemond, J; Lopez, C; Huerta Romano, F; Montiel Castillo, C

2008-11-01

Today, mycotic infections in immunocompromised patients are mainly caused by Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp. The patients most sensitive to these infections are those with some kind of cell-mediated immunity quantitative or qualitative alteration (i.e., blood-related cancer, primary or secondary neutropenia, immunosuppressive disease or therapy, etc.). Candida infection in the immunosupressed patient comprises a wide range of serious diseases such as candidemia, chronic disseminated candididasis, endocarditis, meningitis and endophthalmitis. Therefore, infection by Candida spp. is considered secondary to the technological and medical advances which extend the life of patients with chronic diseases. Copyright 2008 Prous Science, S.A.U. or its licensors. All rights reserved.

Phenotypic characterization of lymphocytes in HCV/HIV co-infected patients.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Roe, Barbara

2009-02-01

While hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific immune responses are attenuated in HCV\\/HIV co-infected patients compared to those infected with HCV alone, the reasons for this remain unclear. In this study, the proportions of regulatory, naïve, and memory T cells, along with chemokine receptor expression, were measured in co-infected and mono-infected patients to determine if there is an alteration in the phenotypic profile of lymphocytes in these patients. HCV\\/HIV co-infected patients had increased proportions of CD4(+) naïve cells and decreased proportions of CD4(+) effector cells when compared to HCV mono-infected patients. The proportions of CD4(+) Tregs and CD4(+) CXCR3(+) T cells were also significantly lower in co-infected patients. A decrease in CD4(+) Tregs and subsequent loss of immunosuppressive function may contribute to the accelerated progression to liver disease in co-infected individuals. Dysregulation of immune responses following reduction in the proportions of CD4(+) CXCR3(+) Th-1 cells may contribute to the reduced functional capacity of HCV-specific immune responses in co-infected patients. The findings of this study provide new information on the T-cell immunophenotype in HCV\\/HIV co-infected patients when compared to those infected with HCV alone, and may provide insight into why cell-mediated immune responses are diminished during HCV infection.

Serodiagnosis of dengue infection using rapid immunochromatography test in patients with probable dengue infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kidwai, Aneela Altaf; Jamal, Qaiser; Saher; Mehrunnisa; Farooqi, Faiz-ur-rehman; Saleem-Ullah

2010-11-01

To determine the frequency of seropositive dengue infection using rapid immunochromatographic assay in patients with probable dengue infection as per WHO criteria. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi from July 2008 to January 2009. Patients presenting with acute febrile illness, rashes, bleeding tendencies, leucopenia and or thrombocytopenia were evaluated according to WHO criteria for probable dengue infection. Acute phase sera were collected after 5 days of the onset of fever as per WHO criteria. Serology was performed using rapid immunochromatographic (ICT) assay with differential detection of IgM and IgG. A primary dengue infection was defined by a positive IgM band and a negative IgG band whereas secondary infection was defined by a positive IgG band with or without positive IgM band. Among 599 patients who met the WHO criteria for dengue infection, 251(41.9%) were found to be ICT reactive among whom 42 (16.73%) had primary infection. Secondary infection was reported in 209 (83.26%). Acute phase sera of 348 (58.09%) were ICT non reactive. Four patients died because of dengue shock syndrome among which three had secondary infection. Early identification of secondary infection in acute phase sera using rapid ICT is valuable in terms of disease progression and mortality. However in highly suspected cases of dengue infection clinical management should not rely on negative serological results.

Levels of estrogen, carcinoembryonic antigen and cancer antigen of breast in breast cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdelhadi, H. A.

2005-09-01

This study was conducted during the period from february 2004 to July 2004; with the objective of measuring the levels of estrogen (E2), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cancer antigen of breast (CA-15.3) so as to facilitate the early diagnosis of breast cancer and determine the involvement of these parameters as risk factors for breast cancer. Ninety blood samples were collected from Sudanese females, divided into two groups; control group and patient groups. The patients group was sixty Sudanese females visiting the Radio Isotope Center, Khartoum (RICK) and they were confirmed as breast cancer patient by histopathology. The levels of the above mentioned parameters were determined by using radioimmunoassay technique. The results showed that, no significant (p=0.05) difference between the levels of the estrogen in patients compared to the control, on the other hand there was non significant (p>0.05) elevation in CEA levels in the patients with breast cancer compared to the control. The level of CA15.3 was significantly (p<0.0001) higher in the breast cancer patients compared to the control.(Author)

HBV-DNA in hemodialysis patients infected by HCV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arababadi, Mohammad Kazemi; Hassanshahi, Gholamhossein; Yousefi, Hassan

2009-01-01

End-stage renal disease patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients are at risk for both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and they may coexist. To determine the prevalence and clinical impact of HBV and HCV infection, we studied poly chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR on the blood samples of 90 HD patients in Kerman, Iran. ELISA test was used to detect anti-HBc, anti-HBs and HBs Ag. We found that 30 out of 90 (33.3%) patients were PCR-RT-PCR positive for HCV-RNA. No HBV-DNA (0%) was detected through the PCR study in both positive and negative HCV-RNA patient groups. Though none of the samples was HBsAg positive, 10 (33.3%) HCV-RNA positive patients were anti-HBc positive, and 12 (40.7%) were anti-HBs positive. We conclude that prevalence of hepatitis C infection is high in HD patients in our region, but not associated with active HBV infection. (author)

NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH UROLITHIASIS IN THE POSTOPERATIVE PERIOD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. S. Sadulloev

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract:Objective: To determine the most frequent causative agents of nosocomial infection in patients with urolithiasis in the postoperative period.Material and Methods. The study is based on the results of comprehensive studies conducted in 122 patients with nosocomial urinary tract infection, detected in 823 patients with urolithiasis treated by various methods. A cohort of 823 patients is isolated from 2688 patients treated without at admission signs of infections in the urinary tract for the period 2011–2014. All patients were treated at the Urological department of Avicenna Tajik State Medical University in the Republican Clinical Center of Urology. Main results. By the method of randomly selected 823 medical records of patients with urolithiasis various operations we carried out with 122 patients revealed cases of nosocomial infections. The diagnosis of nosocomial infections on the basis of established symptomatic urinary tract infection, asymptomatic bacteriuria or the presence of wound infection, use during the hospital stay for treatment of antibiotics, antiseptics, physiotherapy and other therapies. The incidence of nosocomial infections was studied in dependence with the severity of the underlying disease, the volume of surgical, invasive, endoscopic and other urological procedures, the timing and frequency of tests, the proportion of individual clinical manifestations in the overall structure of urinary tract infections, sex and age of patients.Conclusions. The leading microflora causing nosocomial infection in patients with urolithiasis in all treatments are gram-negative microorganisms, including prevailing E.coli (24,0%.

Perineal herpes simplex infection in bedridden geriatric patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikkels, Arjen F; Piérard, Gérald E

2007-01-01

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) lesions are prone to reactivation and recurrence in response to various local or systemic triggering factors. To study the characteristics of five bedridden geriatric patients who presented with herpetic recurrences on the buttocks, gluteal cleft, and perianal region during hospitalization. Data were gathered regarding age, gender, reason for hospitalization, localization of lesions, clinical presentation, previous clinical diagnosis and topical treatments, immune status and immunosuppressant drug intake, as well as prior history of labial or genital herpes. A skin biopsy was taken for histologic examination and immunohistochemical viral identification. Viral culture and viral serology were performed and data regarding antiviral therapy were recorded. The five patients (three women, two men) were aged >80 years and hospitalized for either severe drug-induced renal insufficiency (one case), severe pneumonia (two cases), or stroke causing restricted mobility (two cases). Numerous well demarcated, painful ulcerations developed in the perianal region of these patients, and one patient also presented with some vesicular lesions. The lesions had been confused with mycotic and/or bacterial infections for 10-14 days. No inguinal lymphadenopathies were present and there was no fever. None of the patients had a previous history of recurrent labial or genital HSV infections or HIV infection. Histology was suggestive of HSV infection in two of five patients. Immunohistochemistry identified HSV type I (three patients) and HSV type II (two patients) infections. Viral culture with immunofluorescence viral identification revealed HSV type I in one of the four patients in whom a swab for viral culture was taken. Serology revealed past HSV infection. All lesions cured gradually after 10-14 days of intravenous acyclovir (aciclovir) treatment. Herpetic lesions of the perineal region represent a rare complication in bedridden geriatric patients in the absence

Characteristics of co-infections by HCV and HBV among Brazilian patients infected by HIV-1 and/or HTLV-1

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Marcia Moreira

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The human retroviruses HIV-1 and HTLV-1 share the routes of infection with hepatitis viruses B and C. Co-infection by these agents are a common event, but we have scarce knowledge on co-infection by two or more of these agents. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the characteristics and risk factors for co-infections by HBV and HCV in patients infected by HIV-1 or/and HTLV-1, in Salvador, Brazil. METHODS: In a case-control study we evaluated patients followed in the AIDS and HTLV clinics of Federal University of Bahia Hospital. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics were reviewed, and patients were tested for the presence of serological markers of HBV and HCV infections. HCV-infected patients were tested by PCR to evaluate the presence of viremia. RESULTS: A total of 200 HIV-1, 213 HTLV-1-infected, and 38 HIV-HTLV-co-infected individuals were included. HIV-infected patients were more likely to have had more sexual partners in the lifetime than other patients' groups. HIV-HTLV-co-infected subjects were predominantly male. Patients infected by HTLV or co-infected had a significantly higher frequency of previous syphilis or gonorrhea, while HIV infection was mainly associated with HPV infection. Co-infection was significantly associated to intravenous drug use (IVDU. HBV and/or HCV markers were more frequently found among co-infected patients. HBV markers were more frequently detected among HIV-infected patients, while HCV was clearly associated with IVDU across all groups. AgHBs was strongly associated with co-infection by HIV-HTLV (OR = 22.03, 95% CI: 2.69-469.7, as well as confirmed HCV infection (p = 0.001. Concomitant HCV and HBV infection was also associated with retroviral co-infection. Patients infected by HTLV-1 had a lower chance of detectable HCV viremia (OR = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.002-0.85. CONCLUSIONS: Infection by HCV and/or HBV is frequent among patients presenting retroviral infection, but risk factors and prevalence for each

Immune biomarker differences and changes comparing HCV mono-infected, HIV/HCV co-infected, and HCV spontaneously cleared patients.

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Lauren E Kushner

Full Text Available Immune biomarkers are implicated in HCV treatment response, fibrosis, and accelerated pathogenesis of comorbidities, though only D-dimer and C-reactive protein have been consistently studied. Few studies have evaluated HIV/HCV co-infection, and little longitudinal data exists describing a broader antiviral cytokine response.Fifty immune biomarkers were analyzed at baseline (BL and HCV end of treatment follow-up(FU time point using the Luminex 50-plex assay in plasma samples from 15 HCV-cleared, 24 HCV mono- and 49 HIV/HCV co-infected patients receiving antiretroviral treatment, who either did or did not receive pegylated-interferon/ribavirin HCV treatment. Biomarker levels were compared among spontaneous clearance patients, mono- and co-infected, untreated and HCV-treated, and sustained virologic responders (SVR and non-responders (NR at BL and FU using nonparametric analyses. A Bonferroni correction, adjusting for tests of 50 biomarkers, was used to reduce Type I error.Compared to HCV patients at BL, HIV/HCV patients had 22 significantly higher and 4 significantly lower biomarker levels, following correction for multiple testing. There were no significantly different BL levels when comparing SVR and NR in mono- or co-infected patients; however, FU levels changed considerably in co-infected patients, with seven becoming significantly higher and eight becoming significantly lower in SVR patients. Longitudinally between BL and FU, 13 markers significantly changed in co-infected SVR patients, while none significantly changed in co-infected NR patients. There were also no significant changes in longitudinal analyses of mono-infected patients achieving SVR or mono-infected and co-infected groups deferring treatment.Clear differences exist in pattern and quantity of plasma immune biomarkers among HCV mono-infected, HIV/HCV co-infected, and HCV-cleared patients; and with SVR in co-infected patients treated for HCV. Though >90% of patients were male and

Osteonecrosis in HIV-infected patients

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Lama, E. de; Narvaez, J. A.; Roca, Y.; Pellicer, J. M.

2001-01-01

We present two cases of avascular osteonecrosis, one involving the knees and the other the hips, in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who met the criteria for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). We review the literature concerning this rare complication of HIV infection, focussing especially on the clinical and radiological features and its possible etiopathogenesis. (Author) 30 refs

Tuberculosis and Histoplasmosis Co-Infection in AIDS Patients

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Agudelo, Carlos A.; Restrepo, Carlos A.; Molina, Diego A.; Tobón, Angela M.; Kauffman, Carol A.; Murillo, Carolina; Restrepo, Angela

2012-01-01

Coinfection with tuberculosis in some countries occurs in 8–15% of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) -infected patients who have histoplasmosis. This coinfection interferes with prompt diagnosis, and treatment is difficult because of drug interactions. We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 14 HIV-infected patients who had concomitant tuberculosis and histoplasmosis. The most frequent clinical manifestations were weight loss (85.7%), asthenia (78.5%), and fever (64.2%). The diagnosis of histoplasmosis was made primarily by histopathology (71.4%), and the diagnosis of tuberculosis was made by means of direct microscopic examination (71.4%). Death occurred in two patients, and relapse of both infections occurred in one patient. Moxifloxacin was substituted for rifampicin in six patients, with good outcomes noted for both infections. The clinical presentation does not readily identify acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients who have tuberculosis and histoplasmosis. The use of a fluoroquinolone as an alternative agent in place of rifampicin for tuberculosis allows effective therapy with itraconazole for histoplasmosis. PMID:23128292

Successful heart transplantation in patients with total artificial heart infections.

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Taimur, Sarah; Sullivan, Timothy; Rana, Mennakshi; Patel, Gopi; Roldan, Julie; Ashley, Kimberly; Pinney, Sean; Anyanwu, Anelechi; Huprikar, Shirish

2018-02-01

Data are limited on clinical outcomes in patients awaiting heart transplant (HT) with total artificial heart (TAH) infections. We retrospectively reviewed all TAH recipients at our center. TAH infection was classified as definite if a microorganism was isolated in cultures from the exit site or deep tissues around the TAH; as probable in patients without surgical or microbiologic evidence of infection but no other explanation for persistent or recurrent bloodstream infection (BSI); or possible in patients with clinical suspicion and radiographic findings suggestive of TAH infection, but without surgical intervention or microbiologic evidence. From 2012 to 2015, a total of 13 patients received a TAH, with a median age at implantation of 52 years (range: 28-60). TAH infection occurred in nine patients (seven definite, one probable, one possible) a median of 41 days after implant (range: 17-475). The majority of TAH infections were caused by Staphylococcus species. Seven of nine patients underwent HT (four had pre-HT mediastinal washout, and five had positive HT operative cultures). Three patients had an active BSI caused by the same pathogen causing TAH infection at the time of HT, with one developing a post-HT BSI with the same bacteria. No patient developed post-HT surgical site infection caused by the TAH infection pathogen. No deaths among HT recipients were attributed to infection. TAH infection is frequently associated with BSI and mediastinitis and Staphylococcus was the most common pathogen. A multimodal approach of appropriate pre- and post-HT antimicrobial therapy, surgical drainage, and heart transplantation with radical mediastinal debridement was successful in curing infection. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections and other coinfections in HIV-infected patients: May 2015.

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Iribarren, José Antonio; Rubio, Rafael; Aguirrebengoa, Koldo; Arribas, Jose Ramón; Baraia-Etxaburu, Josu; Gutiérrez, Félix; Lopez Bernaldo de Quirós, Juan Carlos; Losa, Juan Emilio; Miró, José Ma; Moreno, Santiago; Pérez Molina, José; Podzamczer, Daniel; Pulido, Federico; Riera, Melchor; Rivero, Antonio; Sanz Moreno, José; Amador, Concha; Antela, Antonio; Arazo, Piedad; Arrizabalaga, Julio; Bachiller, Pablo; Barros, Carlos; Berenguer, Juan; Caylá, Joan; Domingo, Pere; Estrada, Vicente; Knobel, Hernando; Locutura, Jaime; López Aldeguer, José; Llibre, Josep Ma; Lozano, Fernando; Mallolas, Josep; Malmierca, Eduardo; Miralles, Celia; Miralles, Pilar; Muñoz, Agustín; Ocampo, Agustín; Olalla, Julián; Pérez, Inés; Pérez Elías, Ma Jesús; Pérez Arellano, José Luis; Portilla, Joaquín; Ribera, Esteban; Rodríguez, Francisco; Santín, Miguel; Sanz Sanz, Jesús; Téllez, Ma Jesús; Torralba, Miguel; Valencia, Eulalia; Von Wichmann, Miguel Angel

2016-10-01

Despite the huge advance that antiretroviral therapy represents for the prognosis of infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), opportunistic infections (OIs) continue to be a cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected patients. OIs often arise because of severe immunosuppression resulting from poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy, failure of antiretroviral therapy, or unawareness of HIV infection by patients whose first clinical manifestation of AIDS is an OI. The present article updates our previous guidelines on the prevention and treatment of various OIs in HIV-infected patients, namely, infections by parasites, fungi, viruses, mycobacteria, and bacteria, as well as imported infections. The article also addresses immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Rituximab-related viral infections in lymphoma patients.

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Aksoy, Sercan; Harputluoglu, Hakan; Kilickap, Saadettin; Dede, Didem Sener; Dizdar, Omer; Altundag, Kadri; Barista, Ibrahim

2007-07-01

Recently, a human/mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody, rituximab, has been successfully used to treat cases of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and some autoimmune diseases. However, several viral infections related to rituximab have been reported in the literature, but were not well characterized. To further investigate this topic, relevant English language studies were identified through Medline. There were 64 previously reported cases of serious viral infection after rituximab treatment. The median age of the cases was 61 years (range: 21 - 79). The median time period from the start of rituximab treatment to viral infection diagnosis was 5.0 months (range: 1 - 20). The most frequently experienced viral infections were hepatitis B virus (HBV) (39.1%, n = 25), cytomegalovirus infection (CMV) (23.4%, n = 15), varicella-zoster virus (VZV) (9.4%, n = 6), and others (28.1%, n = 18). Of the patients with HBV infections, 13 (52.0%) died due to hepatic failure. Among the 39 cases that had viral infections other than HBV, 13 died due to these specific infections. In this study, about 50% of the rituximab-related HBV infections resulted in death, whereas this was the case in only 33% of the cases with other infections. Close monitoring for viral infection, particularly HBV and CMV, in patients treated with rituximab should be recommended.

HBV vaccination of HCV-infected patients with occult HBV infection and anti-HBc-positive blood donors

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J.S.F. Pereira

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Anti-HBc positivity is a frequent cause of donation rejection at blood banks. Hepatitis B virus (HBV infection may also occur in HBsAg-negative patients, a situation denoted occult infection. Similarly, very low levels of HBV-DNA have also been found in the sera of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV infection, even in the absence of serum HBsAg. Initially we searched for HBV-DNA in serum of 100 blood donors and 50 HCV-infected patients who were HBsAg negative/anti-HBc positive by nested-PCR and by an HBV monitor commercial test for HBV-DNA. Anti-HBs seroconversion rates were measured in 100 blood donors and in 22 patients with chronic HCV infection after HBV vaccination to determine if the HBV vaccination could eliminate an occult HBV infection in these individuals. Occult HBV infection was detected in proportionally fewer blood donors (6/100 = 6% than chronic hepatitis C patients (12/50 = 24% (P 0.05. All subjects who were HBV-DNA(+ before the first dose of HBV vaccine (D1, became HBV-DNA(- after D1, D2, and D3. Among 22 HCV-positive patients, 10 HBV-DNA(+ and 12 HBV-DNA(-, seroconversion was observed in 9/10 (90% HBV-DNA(+ and in 9/12 (75% HBV-DNA(- subjects (P > 0.05. The disappearance of HBV-DNA in the majority of vaccinated patients suggests that residual HBV can be eliminated in patients with occult infection.

Enteric parasitic infections in HIV-infected patients with low CD4 counts in Toto, Nigeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abaver, D.T.; Nwobegahay, J.M.; Goon, D.T.; Khoza, L.B

2012-01-01

Objectives: Enteric parasites are a major cause of diarrhoea in HIV/AIDS patients with low CD4 counts. Parasitic infections in HIV-infected individuals can reduce their quality of life and life span, especially those who are severely immunosuppressed with a CD4 T-lymphocyte count 0.05). Conclusions: Low CD4 counts in HIV-infected patients can lead to enteric infections. This information strengthens the importance of monitoring CD4 counts and intestinal parasites. Routine CD4 testing will greatly improve the prognosis of HIV positive patients. (author)

Morphological aspects of liver CT in patients with HIV infections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schedel, H.; Wicht, L.; Roegler, G.; Langer, R.; Felix, R.

1994-01-01

CT examinations of the liver in HIV-infected patients show more frequent pathological findings. The extended spectrum of differential diagnosis and atypical manifestations of disorders in immunodeficient patients needs to be considered in the interpretation of CT scans. Difficulties in the differential diagnosis of focal hepatic lesions in HIV-infected patients are demonstrated in the following. Besides the relatively common findings in HIV-infection such as hepato- or hepatosplenomegalia, lymphoma, and inflammatory changes of the bowel an infection with Cryptococcus neoformans, hepatitis, and local steatosis of the liver are discussed as the rare causes for suspect computertomographic findings in the live of HIV-infected patients. The examinations were obtained consecutively in 76 HIV-infected patients during abdominal CT staging. (orig.) [de

Serodiagnosis of dengue infection using rapid immuno chromatography test in patients with probable dengue infection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kidwai, A.A.; Jamal, Q.; Mehrunnisa, S.; Farooqi, F.R.

2010-01-01

Objective: To determine the frequency of seropositive dengue infection using rapid immuno chromatographic assay in patients with probable dengue infection as per WHO criteria. Method: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi from July 2008 to January 2009. Patients presenting with acute febrile illness, rashes, bleeding tendencies, leucopenia and or thrombocytopenia were evaluated according to WHO criteria for probable dengue infection. Acute phase sera were collected after 5 days of the onset of fever as per WHO criteria. Serology was performed using rapid immuno chromatographic (ICT) assay with differential detection of IgM and IgG. A primary dengue infection was defined by a positive IgM band and a negative IgG band whereas secondary infection was defined by a positive IgG band with or without positive IgM band. Result: Among 599 patients who met the WHO criteria for dengue infection, 251(41.9%) were found to be ICT reactive among whom 42 (16.73%) had primary infection. Secondary infection was reported in 209 (83.26%). Acute phase sera of 348 (58.09%) were ICT non reactive. Four patients died because of dengue shock syndrome among which three had secondary infection. Conclusion: Early identification of secondary infection in acute phase sera using rapid ICT is valuable in terms of disease progression and mortality. However in highly suspected cases of dengue infection clinical management should not rely on negative serological results. (author)

Infections in critically ill burn patients.

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Hidalgo, F; Mas, D; Rubio, M; Garcia-Hierro, P

2016-04-01

Severe burn patients are one subset of critically patients in which the burn injury increases the risk of infection, systemic inflammatory response and sepsis. The infections are usually related to devices and to the burn wound. Most infections, as in other critically ill patients, are preceded by colonization of the digestive tract and the preventative measures include selective digestive decontamination and hygienic measures. Early excision of deep burn wound and appropriate use of topical antimicrobials and dressings are considered of paramount importance in the treatment of burns. Severe burn patients usually have some level of systemic inflammation. The difficulty to differentiate inflammation from sepsis is relevant since therapy differs between patients with and those without sepsis. The delay in prescribing antimicrobials increases morbidity and mortality. Moreover, the widespread use of antibiotics for all such patients is likely to increase antibiotic resistance, and costs. Unfortunately the clinical usefulness of biomarkers for differential diagnosis between inflammation and sepsis has not been yet properly evaluated. Severe burn injury induces physiological response that significantly alters drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. These alterations impact antimicrobials distribution and excretion. Nevertheless the current available literature shows that there is a paucity of information to support routine dose recommendations. Copyright © 2016. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Management of a cluster of Clostridium difficile infections among patients with osteoarticular infections

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Jacqueline Färber

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Here we describe a cluster of hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infections (CDI among 26 patients with osteoarticular infections. The aim of the study was to define the source of C. difficile and to evaluate the impact of general infection control measures and antibiotic stewardship on the incidence of CDI. Methods Epidemiological analysis included typing of C. difficile strains and analysis of possible patient to patient transmission. Infection control measures comprised strict isolation of CDI patients, additional hand washings, and intensified environmental cleaning with sporicidal disinfection. In addition an antibiotic stewardship program was implemented in order to prevent the use of CDI high risk antimicrobials such as fluoroquinolones, clindamycin, and cephalosporins. Results The majority of CDI (n = 15 were caused by C. difficile ribotype 027 (RT027. Most RT027 isolates (n = 9 showed high minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC for levofloxacin, clindamycin, and remarkably to rifampicin, which were all used for the treatment of osteoarticular infections. Epidemiological analysis, however, revealed no closer genetic relationship among the majority of RT027 isolates. The incidence of CDI was reduced only when a significant reduction in the use of fluoroquinolones (p = 0.006, third generation cephalosporins (p = 0.015, and clindamycin (p = 0.001 was achieved after implementation of an intensified antibiotic stewardship program which included a systematic review of all antibiotic prescriptions. Conclusion The successful reduction of the CDI incidence demonstrates the importance of antibiotic stewardship programs focused on patients treated for osteoarticular infections.

Cytokine responses to Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection differ between patient cohorts that have different clinical courses of infection.

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McNicholas, Sinead; Talento, Alida Fe; O'Gorman, Joanne; Hannan, Margaret M; Lynch, Maureen; Greene, Catherine M; Humphreys, Hilary; Fitzgerald-Hughes, Deirdre

2014-11-15

The clinical course of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection is unpredictable and bacterial virulence, host immune response and patient characteristics are among the factors that contribute to the clinical course of infection. To investigate the relationship between cytokine response and clinical outcome, circulating cytokine levels were investigated in response to S. aureus bloodstream infection in patients with different clinical courses of infection. A prospective study was carried out in 61 patients with S. aureus bloodstream infection and circulating levels of IL-6, GRO-γ, RANTES and leptin were assessed over the course of the infection. Levels were compared in patients with complicated courses of infection (e.g. infective endocarditis) versus uncomplicated courses of S. aureus bloodstream infection and methicillin-resistant S. aureus Vs methicillin-susceptible S. aureus infection. Significantly lower leptin levels (p < 0.05) and significantly higher IL-6 levels (p < 0.05) were detected at laboratory diagnosis in patients with complicated compared to uncomplicated S. aureus bloodstream infection. Significantly higher levels of GRO-γ were associated with MRSA infection compared to MSSA infection. IL-6 may be an early inflammatory marker of complicated S. aureus bloodstream infection. Leptin may be protective against the development of a complicated S. aureus bloodstream infection.

Prevalence of Candida co-infection in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

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Kali, Arunava; Charles, Mv Pravin; Noyal, Mariya Joseph; Sivaraman, Umadevi; Kumar, Shailesh; Easow, Joshy M

2013-01-01

Candida species are emerging as a potentially pathogenic fungus in patients with broncho-pulmonary diseases. The synergistic growth promoting association of Candida and Mycobacterium tuberculosis has raised increased concern for studying the various Candida spp . and its significance in pulmonary tuberculosis patients during current years. This study was undertaken with the objective of discovering the prevalence of co-infection caused by different Candida species in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. A total of 75 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosed by sputum Ziehl-Neelsen staining were included in the study. Candida co-infection was confirmed using the Kahanpaa et al. criteria. Candida species were identified using gram stain morphology, germ tube formation, morphology on cornmeal agar with Tween-80, sugar fermentation tests and HiCrome Candida Agar. Candida co-infection was observed in 30 (40%) of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Candida albicans was the most common isolate observed in 50% of the patients with co-infection, followed by C. tropicalis (20%) and C. glabrata (20%). Candida co-infection was found in 62.5% of female patients, while it was observed in only 29.4% of the male patients (P value 0.0133). Mean ± SD age of the patients with C. glabrata infection was 65.83 ± 3.19, while the mean ± SD age of the patients with other Candida infections was 43.25 ± 20.44 (P value 0.0138). Many patients with pulmonary tuberculosis have co-infection with Candida spp. The prevalence of non-albicans Candida species is increasing and may be associated with inadequate response to anti-tubercular drugs. C. glabrata infection has a strong association with old age.

Impact of Helminth Infection on the Clinical and Microbiological Presentation of Chagas Diseases in Chronically Infected Patients.

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Fernando Salvador

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Helminth infections are highly prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries, coexisting in Chagas disease endemic areas. Helminth infections in humans may modulate the host immune system, changing the Th1/Th2 polarization. This immunological disturbance could modify the immune response to other infections. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between clinical, microbiological and epidemiological characteristics of Chagas disease patients, with the presence of helminth infection.A prospective observational study was conducted at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital (Barcelona, Spain. Inclusion criteria were: age over 18 years, diagnosis of Chagas disease, and not having received specific treatment for Chagas disease previously to the inclusion. The study protocol included Chagas disease assessment (cardiac and digestive evaluation, detection of T. cruzi DNA measured by PCR in peripheral blood, and helminth infection diagnosis (detection of IgG anti-Strongyloides stercoralis by ELISA, microscopic examination of stool samples from three different days, and specific faecal culture for S. stercoralis larvae.Overall, 65 patients were included, median age was 38 years, 75.4% were women and most of them came from Bolivia. Cardiac and digestive involvement was present in 18.5% and 27.7% of patients respectively. T. cruzi PCR was positive in 28 (43.1% patients. Helminth infection was diagnosed in 12 (18.5% patients. No differences were observed in clinical and epidemiological characteristics between patients with and without helminth infection. Nevertheless, the proportion of patients with positive T. cruzi PCR was higher among patients with helminth infection compared with patients without helminth infection (75% vs 35.8%, p = 0.021.We observed a high prevalence of S. stercoralis infection among chronic Chagas disease patients attended in our tropical medicine unit. Strongyloidiasis was associated with significantly higher proportion of

Risk of skin cancer in HIV-infected patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Omland, Silje Haukali; Ahlström, Magnus Glinvad; Gerstoft, Jan

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: The risk of skin cancer in HIV-infected patients has not been extensively studied. OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of skin cancer in HIV-infected patients and compare it with the risk in the background population. METHODS: In a matched, nationwide population-based cohort study we...... compared the risk of skin cancer in 4280 HIV-infected patients from the Danish HIV cohort study with a background population cohort, according to the level of immunosuppression and route of transmission. Primary outcomes were time to first basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC...

HLA polymorphism in Sudanese renal donors

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Ameer M Dafalla

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this study is to provide a database for renal transplantation in Sudan and to determine the HLA antigens and haplotype frequencies (HFs in the study subjects. HLA typing was performed using the complement-dependant lymphocytotoxicity test in 250 unrelated healthy individuals selected as donors in the Sudanese Renal Transplantation Program. Considerable polymorphism was observed at each locus; A2 (0.28, A30 (0.12, A3 (0.09, A24 (0.09, A1 (0.09, and A68 (0.06 were the most frequent antigens in the A locus, while B51 (0.092, B41 (0.081, B39 (0.078, B57 (0.060, B35 (0.068, B 50 (0.053 and B 52 (0.051 were the most common B locus antigens. DR13 (0.444 and DR15 (0.160 showed the highest antigen frequencies (AFs in the DR locus. In the DQ locus, DQ1 showed the highest gene frequency (0.498, while DQ2 and DQ3 AFs were (0.185 and (0.238, respectively. The most common HLA-A and -B haplotypes in positive linkage disequilibrium were A24, B38; A1, B7; and A3, B52. The common HLA-A and -B HFs in positive linkage disequilibrium in the main three tribe-stocks of the study subjects (Gaalia, Nile Nubian and Johyna were A24, B38 for Gaalia; A24, B38 and A2, B7 for Johyna; and A2, B64 and A3, B53 for Nile Nubian. These results suggest that both class I and class II polymorphisms of the study subjects depict considerable heterogeneity, which reflects recent admixture of this group with neighboring Arabs and African populations.

Chronic hepatitis C infection and liver disease in HIV co-infected patients in Asia

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Durier, Nicolas; Yunihastuti, Evy; Ruxrungtham, Kiat; Van Kinh, Nguyen; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba; Boettiger, David; Widhani, Alvina; Avihingsanon, Anchalee; Huy, Bui Vu; Omar, Sharifah Faridah binti Syed; Sanityoso, Andri; Chittmittrapap, Salyavit; Dung, Nguyen Thi Hoai; Pillai, Veena; Suwan-Ampai, Tuangporn; Law, Matthew; Sohn, Annette H.; Matthews, Gail

2016-01-01

Data on markers of hepatitis C virus (HCV) disease in HIV-HCV co-infected patients in resource-limited settings are scarce. We assessed HCV-RNA, HCV genotype (GT), IL28B GT, and liver fibrosis (FibroScan®) in 480 HIV-infected patients with positive HCV antibody in four HIV treatment centers in South East Asia. We enrolled 165 (34.4%) patients in Jakarta, 158 (32.9%) in Bangkok, 110 (22.9%) in Hanoi, and 47 (9.8%) in Kuala Lumpur. Overall, 426 (88.8%) were male, the median (IQR) age was 38.1 (34.7–42.5) years, 365 (76.0%) reported HCV exposure through injecting drug use, and 453 (94.4%) were on combination antiretroviral therapy. The median (IQR) CD4 count was 446 (325–614) cells/mm3 and 208 (94.1%) of 221 patients tested had HIV-1 RNA F4). One patient (0.3%) had FibroScan® failure. A high proportion of HIV-HCV co-infected patients had chronic HCV infection. HCV GT1 was predominant, and 62% of patients had liver disease warranting prompt treatment (>=F2). PMID:27917597

Prevalence of occult hepatitis C virus infection in the Iranian patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

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Bokharaei-Salim, Farah; Keyvani, Hossein; Esghaei, Maryam; Zare-Karizi, Shohreh; Dermenaki-Farahani, Sahar-Sadat; Hesami-Zadeh, Khashayar; Fakhim, Shahin

2016-11-01

Occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a new form of chronic HCV infection described by the presence of the genomic HCV-RNA in liver biopsy and/or peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples, and undetectable levels or absence of HCV-RNA and in the absence or presence of anti HCV antibodies in the plasma specimens. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the occurrence of occult HCV infection (OCI) among Iranian subjects infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using RT-nested PCR. From March 2014 until April 2015, 109 Iranian patients with established HIV infection were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. After extraction of viral RNA from the plasma and PBMC samples, HCV-RNA status was examined by RT-nested PCR using primers from the 5'-NTR. HCV genotyping was conducted using RFLP analysis. For the confirmation of HCV genotyping by RFLP method, the PCR products were sequenced. Of the 109 patients, 50 were positive for antibodies against HCV. The HCV-RNA was detected in PBMC specimens in 6 (10.2%) out of the total 59 patients negative for anti-HCV Abs and undetectable plasma HCV-RNA and also from 4 (8.0%) out of the total 50 patients positive for anti-HCV Abs and undetectable plasma HCV-RNA. HCV genotyping analysis showed that 6 (60.0%) patients were infected with HCV subtype 3a, 3 (30.0%) were infected with HCV subtype 1a and 1 (10.0%) patient was infected with HCV subtype 1b. This study revealed the incidence of OCI (9.2%) in HIV-infected Iranian patients. Hence, designing prospective studies focusing on the detection of OCI in these patients would provide more information. J. Med. Virol. 88:1960-1966, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hepatitis E virus co-infection in HIV-infected patients in Foggia and Naples in southern Italy.

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Scotto, Gaetano; Grisorio, Benvenuto; Filippini, Pietro; Ferrara, Sergio; Massa, Salvatore; Bulla, Fabio; Martini, Salvatore; Filippini, Alberico; Tartaglia, Alessandra; Lo Muzio, Lorenzo; Fazio, Vincenzina

2015-01-01

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection represents an emerging infection in developed countries and is thought to be a zoonotic infection. It has recently been described as a new causative agent of acute and chronic hepatitis in immunosuppressed subjects, including HIV-infected patients. The aim of this study was to assess the sero-virological prevalence of HEV in HIV patients and in the general population as control group. A prospective and observational cohort study was carried out in two hospitals in southern Italy. The seroprevalence of HEV was determined in a cohort of 959 subjects, 509 (53%) of whom were HIV-positive patients and 450 were from the general population. Serum samples were tested for anti-HEV antibodies; repeatedly positive results were confirmed by a Western blot assay. In positive patients HEV RNA and genotypes were also determined. A total of 46 (4.8%) of the 959 serum samples examined were reactive to anti-HEV Ig and confirmed by Western blotting. The prevalence of HEV antibodies (IgG and/or IgM) was 2.7% in the control group and 6.7% in HIV-infected patients. Anti-HEV IgM was found in 6/46 (13.0%) of the anti-HEV Ig-positive serum samples, in 5/34 HIV patients and in 1/12 of the general population. No HIV-infected patient presented chronic hepatitis with HEV infection alone. This study indicates a higher circulation of HEV in HIV-infected patients, whereas a low prevalence of HEV antibodies in the general Italian population was shown. Chronic hepatitis with HEV alone was absent, while it was present in subjects with HIV-HEV, co-infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Hepatitis B virus treatment in HIV-infected patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Thio, Chloe L

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is common in HIV-infected persons and is associated with increased risk of liver-related morbidity and mortality. Agents available to treat HBV infection in coinfected patients include lamivudine, entecavir, emtricitabine, adefovir, peginterferon alfa, and the recently approved telbivudine. Treatment decisions should take into account a number of factors, including antiretroviral therapy status, HBV genotype, prior experience of lamivudine, and the need to avoid drug resistance in both HIV- and HBV-infected persons. This article summarizes a presentation on treatment and management of HBV infection in HIV-infected patients made by Chloe L. Thio, MD, at the 9th Annual Ryan White CARE Act Update in Washington, DC. The original presentation is available as a Webcast at www.iasusa.org.

Metabolic control targets in Sudanese adults with type 1 diabetes: A population-based study

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Ahmed O Almobarak

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Type 1 diabetes is a challenging metabolic disorder for health authorities in Sudan. The objective of this study was to assess the level of glycemic control and to determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia and complications among individuals with type 1 diabetes in Sudan. Materials and Methods: Individuals with type 1 diabetes, who were having the disease for at least 1 year, were invited to participate in this study. Data were collected from two diabetes centers, in the Capital Khartoum and Atbara City, North of Sudan. Participants were interviewed using standardized pretested questionnaire to record medical history, sociodemographic data, and life style characteristics. Blood pressure, body mass index, and waist circumference were measured. Blood samples were taken for measurement of lipid profile and glycosylated hemoglobin. Results: A total of eighty individuals with type 1 diabetes volunteered to participate in this study, 37.5% of males and 62.5% of females. Majority of the patients were aged between 40 and 70 years old. There was poor glycemic control (glycosylated hemoglobin> 7%, in 83.8%. Age and sex were significant factors associated with poor glycemic control in this cohort. High cholesterol, triglyceride, and low density lipoprotein were seen in 76.2%, 27.5%, and 48.8% of participants, respectively. Low high density lipoprotein was seen in 33.8%. Hypertension was determined in 21.3%. Peripheral neuropathy, visual impairment, diabetic foot, and myocardial infarction were seen in 50%, 48.8%, 18.8%, and 2.5% of patients, respectively. Conclusion: Sudanese adults with type 1 diabetes have poor glycemic control, high prevalence of dyslipidemia, and long-term complications.

Dialysis and renal transplantation in HIV-infected patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trullas, Joan Carles; Mocroft, Amanda; Cofan, Federico

2010-01-01

To determine prevalence and characteristics of end-stage renal diseases (ESRD) [dialysis and renal transplantation (RT)] among European HIV-infected patients.......To determine prevalence and characteristics of end-stage renal diseases (ESRD) [dialysis and renal transplantation (RT)] among European HIV-infected patients....

Infection in burn patients in a referral center in Colombia.

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Ramirez-Blanco, Carlos Enrique; Ramirez-Rivero, Carlos Enrique; Diaz-Martinez, Luis Alfonso; Sosa-Avila, Luis Miguel

2017-05-01

Worldwide, burns are responsible for more than 300,000 deaths annually; infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients. Early identification and treatment of infection improves outcome. Toward this end it's necessary to identify the institutions flora and organisms that most frequently produces infection. To characterize infections developed by burn patients hospitalized at the University Hospital of Santander (HUS). Burn patients hospitalized in the HUS from January 1 to December 2014 were followed. Medical information regarding infections, laboratory and pathology reports were obtained. Statistical analysis with measures of central tendency, proportions, global and specific incidence density plus overall and specific incidence was obtained. For the microbiological profile proportions were established. 402 burn patients were included, 234 (58.2%) men and 168 (41.8%) women, aged between 6 days and 83 years, median 12.5 years. The burn agents include scald (52.5%), fire (10.0%), gasoline (9.2%), electricity (7.5%), among others. Burn area ranged from 1% to 80% TBS. Cumulative mortality was 1.5%. 27.8% of burned patients had one or more infections. Identified infections include folliculitis (27.0%), urinary tract infection (19.0%), infection of the burn wound (10.4%), pneumonia (8.6%), Central venous catheter (7.4%), bloodstream infection (7.4%) and skin grafts infection (4.3%) among others. Bacteria were responsible for 88.5% of the cases and fungi 11.5%. The most frequently isolated germs were P. aeruginosa, A. baumannii, E. coli, S. aureus and K. pneumoniae. Most gram-negative bacteria were sensitive to Amikacin, gram positive bacteria were sensitive to multiple antibiotics. Burns is a severe trauma that occurs in adult and pediatric patients, has several causative agents and can compromise the patient's life. The burned patient is at risk for a variety of infections. According to the type of infection it is possible to infer the most

Outcome of severe infections in afebrile neutropenic cancer patients

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Strojnik Ksenija

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In some neutropenic cancer patients fever may be absent despite microbiologically and/or clinically confirmed infection. We hypothesized that afebrile neutropenic cancer patients with severe infections have worse outcome as compared to cancer patients with febrile neutropenia.

Intestinal Parasitic Infections in HIV Infected and Non-Infected Patients in a Low HIV Prevalence Region, West-Cameroon

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Nkenfou, Céline Nguefeu; Nana, Christelle Tafou; Payne, Vincent Khan

2013-01-01

The magnitude of intestinal parasitic infection in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients requires careful consideration in the developing world where poor nutrition is associated with poor hygiene and several tropical diseases. However, there have been very few studies addressing this issue in Cameroon. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitosis in HIV/AIDS patients in Dschang -Cameroon. Stool and blood specimens from HIV/AIDS patients and control group were screened respectively for intestinal parasites and for HIV antibodies. Intestinal parasites were identified using direct microscopy, formalin-ether concentration and Ziehl Neelsen methods. Out of 396 participants recruited among patients consulting at hospital, 42 (10.6%) were HIV positive, thirty of them treatment naïve. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 14.64%. Out of 42 HIV/AIDS patients, 59.5% (25/42) were infected with intestinal parasites, while only 9.32% (33/354) of the HIV negative patients were infected with intestinal parasites. The parasites detected in our study population included Crystosporidium parvum (2.53%), Entamoeba histolytica (7.52%), Entamoeba coli (4.04%), Giardia lamblia (0.25%), Trichuris trichura (0.25%), Strongyloides stercoralis (0.25%) and Taenia spp. (0.25%). In the HIV infected group, Crystosporidium parvum (19.04%), Entamoeba histolytica (19.04%), Entamoeba coli (21.42%), Giardia lamblia (2.38%), Strongyloides stercoralis (0.25%) and Taenia spp. (0.25%) were found. Crystosporidium parvum was found to be significantly higher in HIV/AIDS patients than in controls (Pintestinal parasitosis. Routine examinations of stool samples for parasites would significantly benefit the HIV patients by contributing in reducing morbidity and improving the efficiency of antiretroviral treatment. Even after the introduction of free anti-retroviral drugs, opportunistic intestinal infections are still a threat. HIV patients should be screened

Periprosthetic joint infection: are patients with multiple prosthetic joints at risk?

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Jafari, S Mehdi; Casper, David S; Restrepo, Camilo; Zmistowski, Benjamin; Parvizi, Javad; Sharkey, Peter F

2012-06-01

Patients who present with a periprosthetic joint infection in a single joint may have multiple prosthetic joints. The risk of these patients developing a subsequent infection in another prosthetic joint is unknown. Our purposes were (1) to identify the risk of developing a subsequent infection in another prosthetic joint and (2) to describe the time span and organism profile to the second prosthetic infection. We retrospectively identified 55 patients with periprosthetic joint infection who had another prosthetic joint in place at the time of presentation. Of the 55 patients, 11 (20%) developed a periprosthetic joint infection in a second joint. The type of organism was the same as the first infection in 4 (36%) of 11 patients. The time to developing a second infection averaged 2.0 years (range, 0-6.9 years). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interleukin-2 therapy in patients with HIV infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abrams, D; Lévy, Y; Losso, M H

2009-01-01

Interleukin-2 in HIV-Infected Patients with Low CD4+ Counts under Active Antiretroviral Therapy (SILCAAT) study and the Evaluation of Subcutaneous Proleukin in a Randomized International Trial (ESPRIT). In each, patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who had CD4+ cell counts of either...

Chronic Hepatitis B and C Virus Infection and Risk for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in HIV-Infected Patients

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Wang, Qing; De Luca, Andrea; Smith, Colette

2017-01-01

Background: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is the most common AIDS-defining condition in the era of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Whether chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection promote NHL in HIV-infected patients is unclear. Objective: To investigate whether chronic HBV...... and HCV infection are associated with increased incidence of NHL in HIV-infected patients. Design: Cohort study. Setting: 18 of 33 cohorts from the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe (COHERE). Patients: HIV-infected patients with information on HBV surface antigen...... measurements and detectable HCV RNA, or a positive HCV antibody test result if HCV RNA measurements were not available. Measurements: Time-dependent Cox models to assess risk for NHL in treatment-naive patients and those initiating ART, with inverse probability weighting to control for informative censoring...

[Ulcerating Herpes simplex infections in intensive care patients].

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Fischer, M; Wohlrab, J; Radke, J; Marsch, W C; Soukup, J

2002-11-01

Herpes simplex infections are potentially a life-threatening situation for immunocompromised as well as critically ill patients. The correct diagnosis is made more difficult in comatose patients by the fact that the characteristic symptom of extreme pain cannot be registered. The clinical dermatological findings (polycyclic configuration, easily bleeding ulcers) are thus especially important in patients under intensive care conditions. As examples, the cases of 3 critically ill patients (subarachnoid bleeding or head injury) developing therapy-resistant, flat sacral or perioral skin ulcers with peripheral blisters are presented. Herpes simplex virus was confirmed immunohistologically and in the smear test. All patients subsequently died. These cases emphasize that patients in the intensive care unit are in danger of developing a chronic persistent Herpes simplex infection due to latent immunosuppression. Chronic persistent Herpes infections may be underrated in intensive therapy, and must always be ruled out in case of therapy-resistant erosions or ulcerations.

Bacterial infections in burn patients at a burn hospital in Iran.

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Ekrami, Alireza; Kalantar, Enayat

2007-12-01

The major challenge for a burn team is nosocomial infection in burn patients, which is known to cause over 50% of burn deaths. Most studies on infection in burn patients focus on burn wound infection, whereas other nosocomial infections in these patients are not well described. We undertook this study to determine three types of nosocomial infections viz., burn wound infection, urinary tract infection, and blood stream infection in burn patients in a burn hospital in Iran. During the one year period (May 2003 to April 2004), 182 patients were included in this study. Blood, urine and wound biopsy samples were taken 7 and 14 days after admission to Taleghani Burn hospital. Isolation and identification of microorganisms was done using the standard procedure. Disk diffusion test were performed for all the isolates for antimicrobial susceptibility. Of the 182 patients, 140 (76.9%) acquired at least one type of infection of the 140, 116 patients (82.8%) were culture positive on day 7 while 24 (17.2%) on 14 days after admission. Primary wound infection was most common (72.5%), followed by blood stream (18.6%) and urinary tract infections (8.9 %). The microorganisms causing infections were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (37.5%), Staphylococcus aureus (20.2%), and Acinetobacter baumanni (10.4%). Among these isolates P. aeruginosa was found to be 100 per cent resistant to amikacin, gentamicin , carbenicillin, ciprofloxacin, tobramycin and ceftazidime; 58 per cent of S. aureus and 60 per cent of coagulase negative Staphylococcus were methicillin resistant. High prevalence of nosocomial infections and the presence of multidrug resistant bacteria, and methicillin resistant S. aureus in patients at Taleghani Burn Hospital suggest continuous surveillance of burn infections and develop strategies for antimicrobial resistance control and treatment of infectious complications.

Second-site prosthetic joint infection in patients with multiple prosthetic joints.

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Clesham, Kevin; Hughes, Andrew J; O' hEireamhoin, Sven; Fleming, Catherine; Murphy, Colin G

2018-04-10

Prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) are among the most serious complications in arthroplasty. A second-site PJI in patients with multiple prosthetic joints increases morbidity, with many requiring further revision procedures. We aimed to establish why some patients with multiple joints develop second-site infections. Our institution's arthroplasty database was reviewed from 2004 to 2017. All PJIs were identified, and all patients with more than one prosthetic joint in situ were included. We recorded risk factors, causative organisms, number of procedures and length of stay. Forty-four patients meeting the criteria were identified. Four patients (9.1%) developed second-site infection. Eight patients (18.2%) developed re-infection of the primary PJI. Positive MRSA carrier status and PJI of a total knee replacement were associated with an increased risk of a second episode of infection. Patients who developed further infection had more frequent admission and longer lengths of stay than isolated PJIs. Higher morbidity and use of hospital resources are associated with this cohort of patients. PJIs in total knee replacements and positive MRSA status are associated with higher rates of second infection. Identifying this vulnerable cohort of patients at an early stage is critical to ensure measures are taken to reduce the risks of further infection.

Risk factors for postoperative nosocomial infections among patients ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify possible risk factors for post operative nosocomial infections among operated patients at Felege Hiwot Referral ... Bacterial culture confirmation was done for all patients who developed clinical signs and symptoms of surgical site and/or bloodstream infection starting from the ...

Executive summary: Prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections and other coinfections in HIV-infected patients: May 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Iribarren, José Antonio; Rubio, Rafael; Aguirrebengoa, Koldo; Arribas, Jose Ramón; Baraia-Etxaburu, Josu; Gutiérrez, Félix; Lopez Bernaldo de Quirós, Juan Carlos; Losa, Juan Emilio; Miró, José Ma; Moreno, Santiago; Pérez Molina, José; Podzamczer, Daniel; Pulido, Federico; Riera, Melchor; Rivero, Antonio; Sanz Moreno, José; Amador, Concha; Antela, Antonio; Arazo, Piedad; Arrizabalaga, Julio; Bachiller, Pablo; Barros, Carlos; Berenguer, Juan; Caylá, Joan; Domingo, Pere; Estrada, Vicente; Knobel, Hernando; Locutura, Jaime; López Aldeguer, José; Llibre, Josep Ma; Lozano, Fernando; Mallolas, Josep; Malmierca, Eduardo; Miralles, Celia; Miralles, Pilar; Muñoz, Agustín; Ocampo, Agustín; Olalla, Julián; Pérez, Inés; Pérez Elías, Ma Jesús; Pérez Arellano, José Luis; Portilla, Joaquín; Ribera, Esteban; Rodríguez, Francisco; Santín, Miguel; Sanz Sanz, Jesús; Téllez, Ma Jesús; Torralba, Miguel; Valencia, Eulalia; Von Wichmann, Miguel Angel

2016-10-01

Opportunistic infections continue to be a cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected patients. They often arise because of severe immunosuppression resulting from poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy, failure of antiretroviral therapy, or unawareness of HIV infection by patients whose first clinical manifestation of AIDS is an opportunistic infection. The present article is an executive summary of the document that updates the previous recommendations on the prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections in HIV-infected patients, namely, infections by parasites, fungi, viruses, mycobacteria, and bacteria, as well as imported infections. The article also addresses immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. This document is intended for all professionals who work in clinical practice in the field of HIV infection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Sphingobacterium respiratory tract infection in patients with cystic fibrosis

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de Gregorio Fabiola

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bacteria that belong to the genus Sphingobacterium are Gram-negative, non-fermentative bacilli, ubiquitous in nature and rarely involved in human infections. The aims of this study were to evaluate the epidemiology of infection by Sphingobacterium in a cohort of patients affected by Cystic Fibrosis (CF, the antibiotic susceptibility and the DNA fingerprinting of the isolated strains and to analyze some clinical outcomes of the infected patients. Findings Between January 2006 and June 2008, patients (n = 332 attending the Regional CF Unit in Naples, Italy, were enrolled. Sputum samples were processed for microscopic, cultural, phenotypic identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing. DNA fingerprinting was performed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE. A total of 21 strains of Sphingobacterium were isolated from 7 patients (13 of S. spiritovorum, 8 of S. multivorum. S. multivorum isolates were more resistant than those of S. spiritovorum. PFGE profiles were in general heterogeneous, which suggested independent circulation. Conclusions This is the first Italian report about respiratory tract infections by Sphingobacterium in CF patients. In our cohort, these infections were not associated with a deterioration of pulmonary function during the follow-up period. Although the exact role of this microorganism in CF lung disease is unknown and the number of infected patients was small, this study could represent an important starting-point for understanding the epidemiology and the possible pathogenic role of Sphingobacterium in CF patients.

Dyslipidemia among HIV‑infected patients Translation from research ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Page | 142. Vol. 13, July-September, 2014. Annals of African Medicine. Sir,. The recent report on dyslipidemia among. HIV‑infected patients is very interesting.[1]. Muhammad et al., concluded that “HIV‑infected patients on HAART demonstrated higher prevalence of high TC while HAART naïve subject showed higher.

Hepatitis B infection in HIV-1-infected patients receiving highly ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background. No data are available on HIV/hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus coinfection in Togo, and patients are not routinely tested for HBV infection. Objectives. To determine the prevalence of HBV and the risk of HBV drug resistance during antiretroviral treatment in HIV-coinfected patients in Togo. Method.

Strongyloides stercoralis Infection in Alcoholic Patients

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Marcia C. A. Teixeira

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The course of Strongyloides stercoralis infection is usually asymptomatic with a low discharge of rhabditoid larva in feces. However, the deleterious effects of alcohol consumption seem to enhance the susceptibility to infection, as shown by a fivefold higher strongyloidiasis frequency in alcoholics than in nonalcoholics. Moreover, the association between S. stercoralis infection and alcoholism presents a risk for hyperinfection and severe strongyloidiasis. There are several possible mechanisms for the disruption of the host-parasite equilibrium in ethanol-addicted patients with chronic strongyloidiasis. One explanation is that chronic ethanol intake stimulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis to produce excessive levels of endogenous cortisol, which in turn can lead to a deficiency in type 2 T helper cells (Th2 protective response, and also to mimic the parasite hormone ecdysone, which promotes the transformation of rhabditiform larvae to filariform larvae, leading to autoinfection. Therefore, when untreated, alcoholic patients are continuously infected by this autoinfection mechanism. Thus, the early diagnosis of strongyloidiasis and treatment can prevent serious forms of hyperinfection in ethanol abusers.

Longitudinal Analysis of Natural Killer Cells in Dengue Virus-Infected Patients in Comparison to Chikungunya and Chikungunya/Dengue Virus-Infected Patients.

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Caroline Petitdemange

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Dengue virus (DENV is the most prominent arbovirus worldwide, causing major epidemics in South-East Asia, South America and Africa. In 2010, a major DENV-2 outbreak occurred in Gabon with cases of patients co-infected with chikungunya virus (CHIKV. Although the innate immune response is thought to be of primordial importance in the development and outcome of arbovirus-associated pathologies, our knowledge of the role of natural killer (NK cells during DENV-2 infection is in its infancy.We performed the first extensive comparative longitudinal characterization of NK cells in patients infected by DENV-2, CHIKV or both viruses. Hierarchical clustering and principal component analyses were performed to discriminate between CHIKV and DENV-2 infected patients.We observed that both activation and differentiation of NK cells are induced during the acute phase of infection by DENV-2 and CHIKV. Combinatorial analysis however, revealed that both arboviruses induced two different signatures of NK-cell responses, with CHIKV more associated with terminal differentiation, and DENV-2 with inhibitory KIRs. We show also that intracellular production of interferon-γ (IFN-γ by NK cells is strongly stimulated in acute DENV-2 infection, compared to CHIKV.Although specific differences were observed between CHIKV and DENV-2 infections, the significant remodeling of NK cell populations observed here suggests their potential roles in the control of both infections.

[Specific iatrogenic risks to patients with HIV infection].

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De Tournemire, R; Yeni, P

1994-01-01

Human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients are exposed to more or less specific iatrogenic diseases. The main characteristics of the risks encountered in this field are described: drug intolerance, mostly to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, is extremely frequent; nucleoside analogue antiviral toxicity is reminiscent of that of chemotherapy; nosocomial infections, in general, are more prominent than in HIV-non infected patients. Intravenous line infections are particularly frequent, but these devices are necessary for prolonged intravenous therapies such as anti-CMV treatment of parenteral nutrition. An improved understanding of different etiopathogenic mechanisms and a better approach of the toxicity/efficacy ratio for each treatment would allow to reduce the excessive morbidity due to iatrogenicity.

Gene expression patterns in blood leukocytes discriminate patients with acute infections

Science.gov (United States)

Allman, Windy; Chung, Wendy; Mejias, Asuncion; Ardura, Monica; Glaser, Casey; Wittkowski, Knut M.; Piqueras, Bernard; Banchereau, Jacques; Palucka, A. Karolina; Chaussabel, Damien

2007-01-01

Each infectious agent represents a unique combination of pathogen-associated molecular patterns that interact with specific pattern-recognition receptors expressed on immune cells. Therefore, we surmised that the blood immune cells of individuals with different infections might bear discriminative transcriptional signatures. Gene expression profiles were obtained for 131 peripheral blood samples from pediatric patients with acute infections caused by influenza A virus, Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) or Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae) bacteria. Thirty-five genes were identified that best discriminate patients with influenza A virus infection from patients with either E coli or S pneumoniae infection. These genes classified with 95% accuracy (35 of 37 samples) an independent set of patients with either influenza A, E coli, or S pneumoniae infection. A different signature discriminated patients with E coli versus S aureus infections with 85% accuracy (34 of 40). Furthermore, distinctive gene expression patterns were observed in patients presenting with respiratory infections of different etiologies. Thus, microarray analyses of patient peripheral blood leukocytes might assist in the differential diagnosis of infectious diseases. PMID:17105821

Opportunistic infection manifestation of HIV-AIDS patients in Airlangga university hospital Surabaya

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Asmarawati, T. P.; Putranti, A.; Rachman, B. E.; Hadi, U.; Nasronudin

2018-03-01

Opportunistic infections are common in HIV-infected patients especially those who progress to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. There are many factors involved in the prevalence of opportunistic infections. We investigated the patterns of opportunistic infection in HIV-infected patients admitted to Airlangga University Hospital Surabaya. This study was an observational study, conducted in adults patients with HIV infection from January 2016 to September 2017. Data collected from the medical records of the patients. The number of samples in this study was 58. The mean age was 42.9 years, mostly male. Most patients admitted were in clinical stadium III or IV. Heterosexual transmission is a common risk factor in patients. The most prevalent opportunistic infections found in patients were oral candidiasis (58.6%), followed by pulmonary tuberculosis (41.4%) and pneumonia/PCP (41.4%). Other infections found were toxoplasmosis, chronic diarrhea, cytomegalovirus, meningitis TB, hepatitis C, amoebiasis, and cerebritis. Opportunistic infections occurred more often in age≥40 years and increased as clinical stadium get worse. From the results, we conclude that oral candidiasis and pulmonary tuberculosis were the most common opportunistic infections found in Airlangga University Hospital. The pattern of opportunistic infections in this study could help the hospital to set priorities related to the management of patients.

Left ventricular mass in HIV-infected patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Olalla, J; Pombo, M; Del Arco, A; de la Torre, J; Urdiales, D; García-Alegría, J

2013-01-01

The HIV infection has been associated with an increased incidence of vascular events. Left ventricular mass (LVM) is independently associated with greater overall mortality. Various studies have shown that patients with HIV infection have higher LVM than the uninfected population. We aim to describe the distribution of LVM in an extensive series of patients with HIV infection, and the factors associated with its increase. A cross-sectional study was performed in HIV-infected patients followed in our center from 1 December 2009 to 28 February 2011. A transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) was performed in all patients who gave their consent. Demographic variables, viroimmunological status, cardiovascular risk factors, vascular risk at 10 years (VR10) and history of exposure to antiretroviral drugs were collected. LVM was considered to be the quantitative dependent variable. A univariate analysis was performed, including in the multivariate analysis those variables with P<,05. A TTE was performed in 400 patients, and the LVM was calculated in 388. Mean age was 45 years, 75.5 males. Mean LVM was 39.54g/m(2.7)(95% CI: 38.35-40.73). Age, height, body mass index, VR10, hypertension, dyslipidemia, different medications within the cardiovascular area and having taken nevirapine have been used in the history of the patient were associated to greater LVM. In the multivariate analysis, use of nevirapine in the history of the patient and VR10 remained in the model. VR10 may be associated with greater LVM. The relationship with nevirapine may respond to an indication bias. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Intestinal parasitic infections in HIV infected and non-infected patients in a low HIV prevalence region, West-Cameroon.

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Céline Nguefeu Nkenfou

Full Text Available The magnitude of intestinal parasitic infection in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients requires careful consideration in the developing world where poor nutrition is associated with poor hygiene and several tropical diseases. However, there have been very few studies addressing this issue in Cameroon. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitosis in HIV/AIDS patients in Dschang -Cameroon. Stool and blood specimens from HIV/AIDS patients and control group were screened respectively for intestinal parasites and for HIV antibodies. Intestinal parasites were identified using direct microscopy, formalin-ether concentration and Ziehl Neelsen methods. Out of 396 participants recruited among patients consulting at hospital, 42 (10.6% were HIV positive, thirty of them treatment naïve. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 14.64%. Out of 42 HIV/AIDS patients, 59.5% (25/42 were infected with intestinal parasites, while only 9.32% (33/354 of the HIV negative patients were infected with intestinal parasites. The parasites detected in our study population included Crystosporidium parvum (2.53%, Entamoeba histolytica (7.52%, Entamoeba coli (4.04%, Giardia lamblia (0.25%, Trichuris trichura (0.25%, Strongyloides stercoralis (0.25% and Taenia spp. (0.25%. In the HIV infected group, Crystosporidium parvum (19.04%, Entamoeba histolytica (19.04%, Entamoeba coli (21.42%, Giardia lamblia (2.38%, Strongyloides stercoralis (0.25% and Taenia spp. (0.25% were found. Crystosporidium parvum was found to be significantly higher in HIV/AIDS patients than in controls (P<0.05. Multivariate analysis showed that the HIV status and the quality of water were the major risk factors for intestinal parasitosis. Routine examinations of stool samples for parasites would significantly benefit the HIV patients by contributing in reducing morbidity and improving the efficiency of antiretroviral treatment. Even after the introduction

Pituitary abscess in an HIV-1-infected patient

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Hiroyuki Yamazaki

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Pituitary abscess is a rare occurrence among pituitary conditions, but one which carries life-threatening potential. An immunocompromised status is a risk factor for the development of a pituitary abscess; however, literature describes only one case among HIV-infected patients. Methods and results: We present here a case of pituitary abscess in an HIV-1-positive patient, who demonstrated a shock status, disturbance of consciousness and generalized skin rash with laboratory findings of hypovolemia, acute inflammatory reaction and blood electrolyte abnormality. We first diagnosed the dermal manifestation as atypical generalized zoster, however, the other clinical findings could not be explained by VZV infection only. Combination with anamnesis, head magnetic resonance imaging scan and endocrine function test helped us to diagnose pituitary abscess. Although the etiology of the pituitary abscess could not be detected, the patient was successfully treated with antibiotics but followed by panhypopituitarism as sequela. Conclusion: A pituitary abscess should be considered in HIV-infected patients with endocrinological abnormalities, visual field defects, and central nervous system infection signs or symptoms, regardless of CD4 T-cell counts.

The in vitro antifungal activity of sudanese medicinal plants against Madurella mycetomatis, the eumycetoma major causative agent.

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Elfadil, Hassabelrasoul; Fahal, Ahmed; Kloezen, Wendy; Ahmed, Elhadi M; van de Sande, Wendy

2015-03-01

Eumycetoma is a debilitating chronic inflammatory fungal infection that exists worldwide but it is endemic in many tropical and subtropical regions. The major causative organism is the fungus Madurella mycetomatis. The current treatment of eumycetoma is suboptimal and characterized by low cure rate and high recurrence rates. Hence, an alternative therapy is needed to address this. Here we determined the antifungal activity of seven Sudanese medicinal plant species against Madurella mycetomatis. Of these, only three species; Boswellia papyrifera, Acacia nubica and Nigella sativa, showed some antifungal activity against M. mycetomatis and were further studied. Crude methanol, hexane and defatted methanol extracts of these species were tested for their antifungal activity. B. papyrifera had the highest antifungal activity (MIC50 of 1 ug/ml) and it was further fractionated. The crude methanol and the soluble ethyl acetate fractions of B. papyrifera showed some antifungal activity. The Gas-Liquid-Chromatography hybrid Mass-Spectrophotometer analysis of these two fractions showed the existence of beta-amyrin, beta-amyrone, beta-Sitosterol and stigmatriene. Stigmatriene had the best antifungal activity, compared to other three phytoconstituents, with an MIC-50 of 32 μg/ml. Although the antifungal activity of the identified phytoconstituents was only limited, the antifungal activity of the complete extracts is more promising, indicating synergism. Furthermore these plant extracts are also known to have anti-inflammatory activity and can stimulate wound-healing; characteristics which might also be of great value in the development of novel therapeutic drugs for this chronic inflammatory disease. Therefore further exploration of these plant species in the treatment of mycetoma is encouraging.

Sporotrichosis: an emerging neglected opportunistic infection in HIV-infected patients in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Freitas, Dayvison Francis Saraiva; Valle, Antonio Carlos Francesconi do; da Silva, Margarete Bernardo Tavares; Campos, Dayse Pereira; Lyra, Marcelo Rosandiski; de Souza, Rogerio Valls; Veloso, Valdiléa Gonçalves; Zancopé-Oliveira, Rosely Maria; Bastos, Francisco Inácio; Galhardo, Maria Clara Gutierrez

2014-08-01

Sporotrichosis associated with zoonotic transmission remains a relevant public health problem in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, affecting a large at-risk population, which includes HIV-infected individuals. We assessed patients co-infected by Sporothrix spp. and HIV over time in the context of an unabated sporotrichosis epidemic. A retrospective cohort retrieved information from a National reference institute for infectious diseases regarding 48 patients with sporotrichosis-HIV co-infection (group 1) as well as 3,570 patients with sporotrichosis (group 2), from 1987 through March 2013. Most patients from group 1 were male (68.8%), whereas women were predominant in group 2 (69.1%; psporotrichosis over time, whereas hospitalization was very unlikely in group 2, among whom approximately 1% were hospitalized over time. Dissemination of sporotrichosis was the main cause of hospitalization in both groups, although it was more common among hospitalized patients from group 1 (19/21 [90.5%] vs. 16/37 [43.2%]; psporotrichosis (3/48 vs. 5/3,570). The diagnosis of sporotrichosis elicited HIV testing and subsequent diagnosis in 19/48 patients, whereas 23/48 patients were simultaneously diagnosed with the two infections. HIV infection aggravates sporotrichosis, with a higher incidence of severe disseminated cases and a higher number of hospitalizations and deaths. Underserved populations, among whom sporotrichosis has been propagated, have been affected by different transmissible (e.g., HIV) and non-transmissible diseases. These populations should be targeted by community development programs and entitled to integrated management and care of their superimposed burdens.

Serious Infections in Patients Receiving Ibrutinib for Treatment of Lymphoid Malignancies.

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Varughese, Tilly; Taur, Ying; Cohen, Nina; Palomba, M Lia; Seo, Susan K; Hohl, Tobias M; Redelman-Sidi, Gil

2018-03-02

Ibrutinib is a Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is used for the treatment of lymphoid malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Waldenström's macroglobulinemia and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Several case series have described opportunistic infections among ibrutinib recipients, but the full extent of these infections is unknown. We sought to determine the spectrum of serious infections associated with ibrutinib treatment. We reviewed the electronic medical records of patients with lymphoid malignancies at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center who received ibrutinib during a five-year period from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2016. Serious infections were identified by review of the relevant microbiology, clinical laboratory, and radiology data. Risk factors for infection were determined by univariate and multivariate analyses. 378 patients with lymphoid malignancies who received ibrutinib were analyzed. The most common underlying malignancies were CLL and MCL. 84% of patients received ibrutinib as monotherapy. Serious infection developed in 43 patients (11.4%), primarily during the first year of ibrutinib treatment. Of these, 23 (53.5%) developed invasive bacterial infections, and 16 (37.2%) developed invasive fungal infections (IFI). The majority of those who developed IFI on ibrutinib therapy (62.5%) lacked classical clinical risk factors for fungal infection (i.e., neutropenia, lymphopenia, and receipt of corticosteroids). Infection resulted in death in six of the 43 patients (14%). Patients with lymphoid malignancies receiving ibrutinib treatment are at risk for serious infections, including IFI.

Acute retroviral syndrome in Slovenian patients infected with HIV

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Mateja Pirš

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Two to six weeks after primary infection with HIV 50 to 90 percent of patients develop an acute retroviral syndrome which usually presents with mononucleosis or flu-like illness. Due to nonspecific symptoms ARS is frequently misdiagnosed.Patients and methods: Data of Slovenian patients with acute retroviral syndrome is shown, as well as their symptoms, approaches to management and diagnostic particularities of primary HIV infection.Conclusions: The combination of particular symptoms and epidemiological data should lead us to consider the possibility of an early HIV infection.

Bioactive Natural Products from Two Sudanese Medicinal Plants Diospyros mespiliformis and Croton zambesicus

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Ietidal E. Mohamed

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Phytochemical investigations were performed in two plant species used in Sudanese traditional medicines to treat different illnesses, Diospyros mespiliformis and Croton zambesicus. The investigations revealed compounds of triterpenes (lupane series, one trihydroxyflavone and one diterpene. The compounds have been isolated and identified using various chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. These were lupeol (1, betulinic acid (2, betulin (3 and lupenone (4 from Diospyros mespiliformis. Compounds 1, 2, 3 in addition to diterpene ent -kaurane-3β, 16β, 17-triol (5 and vitexin (6 were re-isolated from Croton zambesicus. However,compound 5 and 6 were isolated for the first time from this source.The pure isolated compounds and semi-synthesized acetates 1Ac, 2Ac and 3Ac, which were prepared from compounds 1, 2 and 3 respectively, were subjected to two bioassays: α- glucosidase enzyme inhibition assay and antioxidant activity. Compounds, 1, 1Ac, 3 and 4 showed a marked α-glucosidase inhibitory potential, while compound 6 exhibited strong antioxidant activity.

Viral Co-Infections in Pediatric Patients Hospitalized with Lower Tract Acute Respiratory Infections.

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Cebey-López, Miriam; Herberg, Jethro; Pardo-Seco, Jacobo; Gómez-Carballa, Alberto; Martinón-Torres, Nazareth; Salas, Antonio; Martinón-Sánchez, José María; Gormley, Stuart; Sumner, Edward; Fink, Colin; Martinón-Torres, Federico

2015-01-01

Molecular techniques can often reveal a broader range of pathogens in respiratory infections. We aim to investigate the prevalence and age pattern of viral co-infection in children hospitalized with lower tract acute respiratory infection (LT-ARI), using molecular techniques. A nested polymerase chain reaction approach was used to detect Influenza (A, B), metapneumovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza (1-4), rhinovirus, adenovirus (A-F), bocavirus and coronaviruses (NL63, 229E, OC43) in respiratory samples of children with acute respiratory infection prospectively admitted to any of the GENDRES network hospitals between 2011-2013. The results were corroborated in an independent cohort collected in the UK. A total of 204 and 97 nasopharyngeal samples were collected in the GENDRES and UK cohorts, respectively. In both cohorts, RSV was the most frequent pathogen (52.9% and 36.1% of the cohorts, respectively). Co-infection with multiple viruses was found in 92 samples (45.1%) and 29 samples (29.9%), respectively; this was most frequent in the 12-24 months age group. The most frequently observed co-infection patterns were RSV-Rhinovirus (23 patients, 11.3%, GENDRES cohort) and RSV-bocavirus / bocavirus-influenza (5 patients, 5.2%, UK cohort). The presence of more than one virus in pediatric patients admitted to hospital with LT-ARI is very frequent and seems to peak at 12-24 months of age. The clinical significance of these findings is unclear but should warrant further analysis.

Statistical study on the thyroid disorders on Sudanese female undergoing in vitro investigations in Khartoum state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albaba, O. S. A.

2002-10-01

In this study 711 Sudanese female have been analyzed for thyroid function. Thyroid related hormones were measured thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). The study had been held during one complete year. The female subjects were referred to Sudan Atomic Energy Commission radioimmunoassay laboratory from different hospitals in Khartoum state. The age of females varied from less than one year up to 70 years. The age was divided into 10 years interval in order to study the dominants thyroid disorder in each interval. Statistical package for social science (SPSS) program was used in the study as data analysis tool, the clear observation from this study was the high incidence of disorders among the age between 20 up to 40 years. (Author)

Adrenaline-induced mobilization of T cells in HIV-infected patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søndergaard, S R; Cozzi-Lepri, A; Ullum, H

2000-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate lymphocyte mobilization from peripheral cell reservoirs in HIV-infected patients. Nine HIV-infected patients on stable highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), eight treatment-naive HIV-infected patients and eight HIV- controls received a 1-h adrenaline...... infusion. The adrenaline infusion induced a three-fold increase in the concentration of lymphocytes in all three groups. All HIV-infected patients mobilized significantly higher numbers of CD8+ cells but less CD4+ cells. All subjects mobilized CD45RA+CD62L+ and CD8+CD28+ cells to a lesser extent than CD45......RO+CD45RA- and CD8+CD28-cells. Furthermore, high numbers of CD8+CD38+ cells were mobilized only in the HIV-infected patients. It was therefore predominantly T cells with an activated phenotype which were mobilized after adrenaline stimulation. It is concluded that the HIV-associated immune defect...

Discontinuation of antimicrobials and costs of treating patients with infection

OpenAIRE

Oliveira, Adriana Cristina de; Paula, Adriana Oliveira de

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the repercussions of discontinuation the cost with the antimicrobial treatment of patients with bloodstream infection. METHODS: A historical cohort study conducted in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Belo Horizonte (MG). The population included 62 patients with bloodstream infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Data were collected between March/2007 and March/2011 from patients' medical records, Commission of Hospital Infection Control and Sector of Costs, w...

Fusarium Infection in Lung Transplant Patients

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Carneiro, Herman A.; Coleman, Jeffrey J.; Restrepo, Alejandro; Mylonakis, Eleftherios

2013-01-01

Fusarium is a fungal pathogen of immunosuppressed lung transplant patients associated with a high mortality in those with severe and persistent neutropenia. The principle portal of entry for Fusarium species is the airways, and lung involvement almost always occurs among lung transplant patients with disseminated infection. In these patients, the immunoprotective mechanisms of the transplanted lungs are impaired, and they are, therefore, more vulnerable to Fusarium infection. As a result, fusariosis occurs in up to 32% of lung transplant patients. We studied fusariosis in 6 patients following lung transplantation who were treated at Massachusetts General Hospital during an 8-year period and reviewed 3 published cases in the literature. Cases were identified by the microbiology laboratory and through discharge summaries. Patients presented with dyspnea, fever, nonproductive cough, hemoptysis, and headache. Blood tests showed elevated white blood cell counts with granulocytosis and elevated inflammatory markers. Cultures of Fusarium were isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage, blood, and sputum specimens. Treatments included amphotericin B, liposomal amphotericin B, caspofungin, voriconazole, and posaconazole, either alone or in combination. Lung involvement occurred in all patients with disseminated disease and it was associated with a poor outcome. The mortality rate in this group of patients was high (67%), and of those who survived, 1 patient was treated with a combination of amphotericin B and voriconazole, 1 patient with amphotericin B, and 1 patient with posaconazole. Recommended empirical treatment includes voriconazole, amphotericin B or liposomal amphotericin B first-line, and posaconazole for refractory disease. High-dose amphotericin B is recommended for treatment of most cases of fusariosis. The echinocandins (for example, caspofungin, micafungin, anidulafungin) are generally avoided because Fusarium species have intrinsic resistance to them. Treatment

CANDIDURIA AMONG HIV- INFECTED PATIENTS ATTENDING A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

colonization and infection or between upper or lower urinary tract infections. Objective: This ... important public health problem of modern times (1). HIV/AIDS ... contamination of urine specimen, colonization of bladder due ... patients and do not require antifungal medication. (24). ... Emergent yeast colonies were stored for.

Invasive fungal infections in Colombian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

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Santamaría-Alza, Y; Sánchez-Bautista, J; Fajardo-Rivero, J F; Figueroa, C L

2018-06-01

Introduction Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease with multi-organ involvement. Complications, such as invasive fungal infections usually occur in patients with a greater severity of the disease. Objective The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk variables associated with invasive fungal infections in a Colombian systemic lupus erythematosus population. Materials and methods A cross-sectional, retrospective study that evaluated patients with systemic lupus erythematosus for six years. The primary outcome was invasive fungal infection. Descriptive, group comparison and bivariate analysis was performed using Stata 12.0 software. Results Two hundred patients were included in this study; 84.5% of the patients were women and the median age was 36 years; 68% of the subjects had haematological complications; 53.3% had nephropathy; 45% had pneumopathy and 28% had pericardial impairment; 7.5% of patients had invasive fungal infections and the most frequently isolated fungus was Candida albicans. Pericardial disease, cyclophosphamide use, high disease activity, elevated ESR, C3 hypocomplementemia, anaemia and lymphopenia had a significant association with invasive fungal infection ( P lupus erythematosus, which was higher than that reported in other latitudes. In this population the increase in disease activity, the presence of pericardial impairment and laboratory alterations (anaemia, lymphopenia, increased ESR and C3 hypocomplementemia) are associated with a greater possibility of invasive fungal infections. Regarding the use of drugs, unlike other studies, in the Colombian population an association was found only with the previous administration of cyclophosphamide. In addition, patients with invasive fungal infections and systemic lupus erythematosus had a higher prevalence of mortality and hospital readmission compared with patients with systemic lupus erythematosus without invasive fungal infection.

Poliovirus mutants excreted by a chronically infected hypogammaglobulinemic patient establish persistent infections in human intestinal cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labadie, Karine; Pelletier, Isabelle; Saulnier, Aure; Martin, Javier; Colbere-Garapin, Florence

2004-01-01

Immunodeficient patients whose gut is chronically infected by vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) may excrete large amounts of virus for years. To investigate how poliovirus (PV) establishes chronic infections in the gut, we tested whether it is possible to establish persistent VDPV infections in human intestinal Caco-2 cells. Four type 3 VDPV mutants, representative of the viral evolution in the gut of a hypogammaglobulinemic patient over almost 2 years [J. Virol. 74 (2000) 3001], were used to infect both undifferentiated, dividing cells, and differentiated, polarized enterocytes. A VDPV mutant excreted 36 days postvaccination by the patient was lytic in both types of intestinal cell cultures, like the parental Sabin 3 (S3) strain. In contrast, three VDPVs excreted 136, 442, and 637 days postvaccination, established persistent infections both in undifferentiated cells and in enterocytes. Thus, viral determinants selected between day 36 and 136 conferred on VDPV mutants the capacity to infect intestinal cells persistently. The percentage of persistently VDPV-infected cultures was higher in enterocytes than in undifferentiated cells, implicating cellular determinants involved in the differentiation of enterocytes in persistent VDPV infections. The establishment of persistent infections in enterocytes was not due to poor replication of VDPVs in these cells, but was associated with reduced viral adsorption to the cell surface

Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection in dyspeptic Ghanaian patients.

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Archampong, Timothy Nii Akushe; Asmah, Richard Harry; Wiredu, Edwin Kwame; Gyasi, Richard Kwasi; Nkrumah, Kofi Nyaako; Rajakumar, Kumar

2015-01-01

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative urease-producing bacterium causally linked with gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and gastric adenocarcinoma. Infection is more frequent and acquired at an earlier age in developing countries compared to European populations. The incidence of Helicobacter pylori infection in dyspeptic Ghanaian patients was 75.4%. However, epidemiological factors associated with infection vary across populations. This study used a cross-sectional design to consecutively sample dyspeptic patients at the Endoscopy Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra between 2010 and 2012. The study questionnaire elicited their epidemiological clinical characteristics. Helicobacter pylori infection was confirmed by rapid-urease examination of antral biopsies at upper Gastro-intestinal endoscopy. The sample population of dyspeptic patients attending the Endoscopy Unit for upper GI endoscopy yielded 242 patients of which 47.5% were females. The age distribution of H. pylori-infection was even across most age - groups, ranging from 69.2% (61 - 70) years to 80% (21 - 30) years. Helicobacter pylori prevalence decreased across areas mapping to the three residential classes in accordance with increasing affluence with rural areas having the highest prevalence. The unemployed and patients in farming had relatively high Helicobacter pylori infection rates of 92.3% and 91.7% respectively. Helicobacter pylori is endemic in Ghana but the persistently high prevalence across age groups despite significant community anti-microbial use suggests likely recrudescence or re-infection from multiple sources in a developing country. Socio-cultural factors such as residential class and farming may be facilitating factors for its continued prevalence.

Herpes Simplex Virus Infection Mimicking Bullous Disease in an Immunocompromised Patient

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Anne L.Y. Lecluse

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Immunodeficient patients are at risk of developing extended or atypical herpes simplex virus infections, which can be easily misdiagnosed. We present the case of a 79-year-old, treatment-induced (oral corticosteroid, immunocompromised female with an extensive atypical herpes simplex virus infection. This patient presented with multiple erosions and vesicles on the trunk with a subacute onset. The clinical differential diagnosis was herpes simplex infection, herpes zoster infection, pemphigus vulgaris or bullous pemphigoid. Due to the atypical clinical presentation and negative Tzanck test, suspicion of viral infection was low. High-dose steroid treatment was initiated. Subsequent histopathology, however, showed a herpes simplex virus infection. After discontinuing steroid treatment and initiating antiviral treatment, the patient recovered within a week. Emphasis must be placed on the importance of clinical awareness of extended and clinically atypical herpes simplex infections in immunocompromised patients. A negative Tzanck test does not rule out the possibility of a herpes infection.

Spectrums of opportunistic infections and malignancies in HIV-infected patients in tertiary care hospital, China.

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Jiang Xiao

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: HIV-related opportunistic infections (OIs and malignancies continued to cause morbidity and mortality in Chinese HIV-infected individuals. The objective for this study is to elucidate the prevalence and spectrums of OIs and malignancies in HIV-infected patients in the Beijing Ditan Hospital. METHODS: The evaluation of the prevalence and spectrums of OIs and malignancies was conducted by using the clinical data of 834 HIV-infected patients admitted in the Beijing Ditan hospital from January 1, 2009, to November 30, 2012. RESULTS: The prevalence and spectrums of OIs and malignancies varied contingent on geographic region, transmission routes, and CD4 levels. We found that tuberculosis was most common OI and prevalence was 32.5%, followed by candidiasis(29.3%, Pneumocystis pneumonia(PCP(22.4%, cytomegalovirus(CMV infection(21.7%, other fungal infections(16.2%, mycobacterium avium complex(MAC(11.3%, cryptococcosis(8.0%, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy(PML(4.4%, Cerebral Toxoplasmosis(3.5% and Penicillium marneffei infection(1.4%; while Lymphoma(2.9%, Kaposi's sarcoma(0.8% and cervix carcinoma(0.3% were emerged as common AIDS-defining malignancies. Pulmonary OI infections were the most prevalent morbidity and mortality in patients in the AIDS stage including pulmonary tuberculosis (26.6% and PCP (22.4%. CMV infection(21.7% was most common viral infection; Fungal OIs were one of most prevalent morbidity in patients in the AIDS stage, including oral candidiasis (29.3%, other fungal infection (16.2%, Cryptococcosis (8.0% and Penicillium marneffei infection (1.4%. We found the low prevalence of AIDS-defining illnesses in central neural system in this study, including progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (4.4%, cerebral toxoplasmosis (3.5%, tuberculosis meningitis (3.2%, cryptococcal meningitis (2.4% and CMV encephalitis (1.1%. In-hospital mortality rate was 4.3 per 100 person-years due to severe OIs, malignancies, and medical

Diagnostic discordance for hepatitis C virus infection in hemodialysis patients.

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Kalantar-Zadeh, Kamyar; Miller, Loren G; Daar, Eric S

2005-08-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with an increase in proinflammatory cytokine levels. Similar changes are seen in maintenance hemodialysis patients with malnutrition-inflammation-cachexia syndrome (MICS), which is associated with poor clinical outcomes in this population. We hypothesized that HCV transcription-mediated amplification (TMA), a sensitive qualitative molecular test for HCV RNA, may identify maintenance hemodialysis patients with HCV infection not detected by means of antibody enzyme immunoassay (EIA), particularly in those with MICS. We evaluated HCV status in 314 maintenance hemodialysis patients by using HCV antibody EIA (version 2.0; Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL) and HCV TMA (Bayer Diagnostics Laboratories, Berkeley, CA). Twenty-five patients (8%) were EIA positive (EIA+)/TMA+; 4 patients (1%), EIA+/TMA negative (TMA-), and 22 patients (7%), EIA-/TMA+. In the 47 TMA+ patients, the sensitivity of EIA for HCV infection was only 53%. TMA+ patients had lower albumin levels and higher tumor necrosis factor alpha and serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase levels than TMA- patients. EIA+/TMA+ patients were more likely than EIA-/TMA+ or EIA-/TMA- patients to have hypoalbuminemia and higher iron and transaminase levels. Of all TMA+ patients, EIA- patients were more likely to have diabetes, be on dialysis therapy longer, and have lower liver enzyme levels and higher proinflammatory cytokine levels, including tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6. Maintenance hemodialysis patients infected with HCV according to TMA have clinical features suggestive of MICS. In this population, HCV EIA appears to have a low sensitivity for the identification of HCV infection, which may be caused by the confounding effect of MICS or other demographic or clinical factors. These apparently false-negative HCV antibody test results are seen in persons with a longer time on hemodialysis therapy, mirroring observations in other populations with serious

Gut-sparing treatment of urinary tract infection in patients at high risk of Clostridium difficile infection.

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Staley, Christopher; Vaughn, Byron P; Graiziger, Carolyn T; Sadowsky, Michael J; Khoruts, Alexander

2017-02-01

Recipients of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (RCDI) remain at markedly increased risk of re-infection with C. difficile with new antibiotic provocations. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common indications for antibiotics in these patients, often resulting in C. difficile re-infection. We present a case series of 19 patients treated with parenteral aminoglycosides for UTI following FMT for RCDI. A 3 day outpatient regimen of once-daily intramuscular administration of gentamicin was used to treat 18 consecutive FMT recipients with uncomplicated UTI. One other patient was treated for a complicated UTI with intravenous amikacin. Profiling of 16S rRNA genes was used to track changes in faecal microbial community structure during this regimen in three patients. The protocol was highly effective in treating UTI symptoms. None of the patients suffered a re-infection with C. difficile The faecal microbial communities remained undisturbed by treatment with intramuscular administration of gentamicin. Despite falling out of favour in recent years, aminoglycoside antibiotics given parenterally have the advantage of minimal penetration into the gut lumen. A brief (3 day) course of parenteral gentamicin was safe and effective in curing UTI in patients at high risk of C. difficile infection without perturbing their gut microbiota. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Hepatic steatosis in hepatitis B virus infected patients: meta-analysis of risk factors and comparison with hepatitis C infected patients.

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Machado, Mariana V; Oliveira, António G; Cortez-Pinto, Helena

2011-09-01

Although hepatic steatosis (HS) has an association with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, an association with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is controversial. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate HS prevalence and risk factors, in HBV infection. Standard guidelines for performance of meta-analyses were followed. Studies with HS assessed by histology were included. Pooled odd ratios (OR) and standardized mean differences (SMD) were obtained with the random-effects model and DerSimonian-Laid method. Seventeen out of 21 studies were included, comprising 4100 HBV infected patients. Overall HS prevalence was 29.6%. Eight studies also included 945 HCV infected patients, showing decreased risk of HS in HBV versus HCV patients (OR 0.55, 95%CI [0.45-0.67], P SMD 2.17, 95%CI [1.23, 3.11], P SMD 0.84, 95%CI [0.00, 1.67], P = 0.049), triglycerides (SMD 1.18, 95%CI [0.48, 1.89], P = 0.001), cholesterol (SMD 0.88, 95%CI [0.31, 1.45], P = 0.003), moderate alcohol consumption (OR 1.54, 95%CI [1.10-2.15], P = 0.011) and negatively with HBV DNA (SMD -74.12, 95%CI [-82.93, -65.31], P infected patients, relating to metabolic factors but not with hepatic histology severity. A puzzling strong negative association between viral load and HS, may even suggest a protective effect of the virus on HS. © 2011 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Rationalizing Oral Corrective Feedback in Sudanese EFL Classrooms

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Bashir Abuelnour Elbashir Hussein

2014-05-01

Full Text Available This study is primarily investigating teachers’ perceptions about the application of oral corrective feedback in Sudanese EFL classrooms. It attempts to explore and rationalize the application of oral feedback in an EFL context, specifically in Sudan. For this purpose, a questionnaire was designed and distributed to (70 EFL secondary school teachers. An observation checklist was also used during class visits to further support the qualitative data. The results showed that EFL teachers have different views about giving oral corrective feedback. The findings also revealed that recast is the most commonly used approach, followed by elicitation and metalinguistic feedback, respectively. Clarification requests were found to be the least commonly used approach. Regarding teaching language systems, it was found that recasts is the most common approach used in teaching vocabulary and pronunciation whereas metalinguistic is highly preferred in teaching grammar. The study concluded with some relevant recommendations: First, it is the responsibility of the concerned authorities to make the school environment a better place for learning; class size and learning aids are important to help facilitate the role of the teacher in offering good quality teaching where feedback is provided for every learner. Second, educators and experts should hold regular seminars and conferences, issue magazines and periodicals on feedback and other relevant ELT topics. Moreover, teachers should be trained on how to give feedback on oral production. Finally, teachers should push students towards pair/group work because by doing so this will provide opportunities for ST-ST and T-ST feedback.

Surgical site infection among patients undergone orthopaedic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Surgical site infection among patients undergone orthopaedic surgery at Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. ... of surgical site infection at Muhimbili Orthopedic Institute was high. This was associated with more than 2 hours length of surgery, lack of prophylaxis use, and pre-operative hospital stay.

Hiv infection in patients of sexually transmitted disease

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Sayal S

1999-01-01

Full Text Available A total of 1027 male patients suffering from sexually transmitted diseases (STD during 1990 to 1996 were screened for HIV infection. All cases were in the age group 17 years to 48 years. One hundred and sixty-seven STD cases (16.3% were found to have HIV infection. A rising trend in incidence of HIV infection in STD patients from 1990 (2.8% to 1996 (27.8% was noticed countrary to declining trend of STDs from 213 cases in 1990 to 79 cases in 1996. The incidence of HIV infection was 30.3% in lymphogranuloma venereum, 19.5% in chancroid, 13.5% in syphilis, 17.6% in herpes genitatis, 6.7% in gonorrhoea and 11.2% in other STD cases.

CD4 cell count recovery in HIV/TB co-infected patients versus TB uninfected HIV patients

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Wanchu A

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Background: There is lack of data comparing the improvement in CD4 count following antitubercular (ATT and antiretroviral therapy (ART in patients presenting with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Tuberculosis (HIV/TB dual infection compared with CD4 matched cohort of TB uninfected HIV patients initiated on ART. We sought to test the hypothesis; TB additionally contributes to reduction in CD4 count in HIV/TB co-infected patients and this would result in greater improvement in count following treatment compared with CD4 matched TB uninfected individuals. Materials and Methods: In a retrospective cohort study design we studied the change in CD4 cell counts in two groups of patients - those with CD4 cell count >100 cells / mm 3 (Group 1 and <100/mm 3 (Group 2 at presentation. In each group the change in CD4 cell count in dually infected patients following six-month ATT and ART was compared to cohorts of CD4 matched TB uninfected patients initiated on ART. Results: In Group 1 (52 patients dually infected subjects′ CD4 count improved from 150 cells/ mm 3 to 345 cells/mm 3 (P=0.001. In the control TB uninfected patients, the change was from 159 cells/mm 3 to 317 cells/mm 3 (P=0.001. Additional improvement in dually infected patients compared to the control group was not statistically significant (P=0.24. In Group 2 (65 patients dually infected subjects count improved from 49 cells/mm3 to 249 cells/mm 3 (P=0.001 where as in control TB uninfected patients improvement was from 50 cells/ mm 3 to 205 cells/mm 3 (P=0.001, there being statistically significant additional improvement in dually infected subjects (P=0.01. Conclusion: Greater increment in CD4 counts with ATT and ART in dually infected patients suggests that TB additionally influences the reduction of CD4 counts in HIV patients.

Fungal infection in organ transplant patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Wei; Wen, Hai; Liao, Wanqing

2003-09-01

To review the characteristics and evolution of the fungal spectrum, and the risk factors causing fungal infection, and to make progress in diagnosing fungal infection after organ transplantation. An English-language literature search (MEDLINE 1990 - 2000) and bibliographic review of textbooks and review articles. Twenty-three articles were selected from the literature that specifically addressed the stated purpose. Fungal infections in organ transplant patients were generally divided into two types: (1) disseminated primary or reactivation infection with one of the geographically restricted systemic mycoses; (2) opportunistic infection by fungal species that rarely cause invasive infection in normal hosts. The risk factors of fungal infection after a transplant can be evaluated and predicted according to the organ recipient's conditions before, during and after the transplant. Progress in early diagnostic methods during the past 10 years has mainly revolved around two aspects, culture and non-culture. It is important to undertake a systemic evaluation on the condition of the organ recipient before, during and after a transplant; should any risk factor for fungal infection be suspected, diagnosis should be made as early as possible by employing mycological techniques including culture and non-culture methods.

Sacral myeloradiculitis complicating genital herpes in a HIV-infected patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Corral, I; Quereda, C; Navas, E; Pérez-Elias, M J; Jover, F; Moreno, S

2005-02-01

Myeloradiculitis is a rare neurological complication of herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2) infection, frequently associated with a fatal outcome. Among patients with HIV infection, HSV-2 myeloradiculitis has occasionally been reported, always associated with advanced immunosuppression and AIDS. We report a patient with HIV infection but no history of previous opportunistic infections, who developed sacral myeloradiculitis immediately after an episode of genital herpes. Magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium showed necrotizing myelitis in the conus medullaris and enhancement of sacral roots. CD4 lymphocyte count was 530/mm3. Other possible causes of myeloradiculitis in HIV-infected patients were appropriately excluded. Acyclovir therapy resulted in partial clinical improvement. This report shows that myeloradiculitis as a complication of genital herpes may occur in the early stages of HIV infection and may have a favourable outcome with antiviral treatment.

Uranium abundance in some sudanese phosphate ores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adam, A.A.; Eltayeb, M.A.H.

2009-01-01

This work was carried out mainly to analysis of some Sudanese phosphate ores, for their uranium abundance and total phosphorus content measured as P 2 O 5 %. For this purpose, 30 samples of two types of phosphate ore from Eastern Nuba Mountains, in Sudan namely, Kurun and Uro areas were examined. In addition, the relationship between uranium and major, and trace elements were obtained, also, the natural radioactivity of the phosphate samples was measured, in order to characterize and differentiate between the two types of phosphate ores. The uranium abundance in Uro phosphate with 20.3% P 2 O 5 is five time higher than in Kurun phosphate with 26.7% P 2 O 5 . The average of uranium content was found to be 56.6 and 310 mg/kg for Kurun and Uro phosphate ore, respectively. The main elements in Kurun and Uro phosphate ore are silicon, aluminum, and phosphorus, while the most abundant trace elements in these two ores are titanium, strontium and barium. Pearson correlation coefficient revealed that uranium in Kurun phosphate shows strong positive correlation with P 2 O 5 , and its distribution is essentially controlled by the variations of P2O5 concentration, whereas uranium in Uro phosphate shows strong positive correlation with strontium, and its distribution is controlled by the variations of Sr concentration. Uranium behaves in different ways in Kurun phosphate and in Uro phosphate. Uro phosphate shows higher concentrations of all the estimated radionuclides than Kurun phosphate. According to the obtained results, it can be concluded that Uro phosphate is consider as secondary uranium source, and is more suitable for uranium recovery, because it has high uranium abundance and low P 2 O 5 %, than Kurun phosphate. (authors) [es

Sudanese refugees in Koboko: environmental health interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, J

1994-02-01

The recounted experiences of an emergency support engineer revealed the importance of involving women in decision making at the local level. The task involved the provision of a gender sensitive technical program: a construction project to identify and supply safe, clean tap water for Sudanese refugees resettled in Uganda border areas where Ugandans had just returned as refugees in Zaire. There was squabbling among refugees because soap distribution was unsatisfactory, and a village elder revealed that corruption among elected officials was interfering with relief supplies. The village elder was able to notify an Oxfam spring technician, and other village women were consulted about suitable springs for providing permanent supplies during the dry season. Several springs were located, and one was selected. Six women helped prepare the spring for piped water, and, in the process, learned about spring technology. The location of tapstands was accomplished with village men and women mapping exact locations. Six taps were needed to serve a population of 100 people. Refugees helped with the digging of trenches, fixing the pipes, and assembling the tapstands. The operation took two weeks, but after the work was done, no one would use the tap water. A health educator consultant had to assure the villagers that the water was safe. Within days, villagers and refugees were using the tap water. Street theater was used to convey another health message about the importance of water tap maintenance. As a consequence, six men and women formed a sanitary committee to make certain the areas remained clean and well drained and that water was not wasted. Committee members were trained to make simple repairs. The lesson learned was that women can be effectively involved at the local level, if one listens intently, talks with women, and watches behavior carefully.

Neuropsychological performance in patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Banfi, Martha; Vélez, Jorge I; Perea, M Victoria; García, Ricardo; Puentes-Rozo, Pedro J; Mebarak Chams, Moises; Ladera, Valentina

2018-05-01

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) lead to neurocognitive disorders; however, there is still much knowledge to be gained regarding HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. The purpose of this study was to assess the cognitive performance, instrumental activities of daily living, depression, and anxiety in patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infections compared with seronegative participants without neurocognitive impairment. We studied a sample consisted of 60 patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infections and 60 seronegative participants without neurocognitive impairment from the city of Barranquilla, Colombia, with a mean age of 36.07 years. A protocol of neuropsychological and psychopathological tests was applied to the participants. The group of patients with asymptomatic HIV infections significantly underperformed on tasks that assessed global cognitive screening, attention span, learning, phonemic verbal fluency, auditory-verbal comprehension, information processing speed, cognitive flexibility, and motor skills compared to the group of seronegative participants. No significant differences were found in memory, visual confrontation naming, vocabulary, inhibition, and instrumental activities of daily living. Additionally, the patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infection had a higher anxiety index than the seronegative participants, but no significant difference was found in depression. A correlation was found between depression and anxiety. In conclusion, the patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infection had lower cognitive performances than the seronegative participants in the cognitive functions mentioned above and more anxiety but still performed the instrumental activities of daily living.

Helicobacter pylori infection in patients undergoing appendectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlidis, T E; Atmatzidis, K S; Papaziogas, B T; Souparis, A; Koutelidakis, I M; Papaziogas, T B

2002-01-01

Helicobacter pylori has been found in the upper gastrointestinal tract; it is incriminated as aetiological factor in various pathological conditions. This prospective study assesses the presence of this microorganism in the appendix flora and the possible role of its infection in the pathogenesis of acute appendicitis. H. pylori was investigated in 46 consecutive patients undergoing emergent appendectomy for presumed acute appendicitis. Blood sample for serological test of H. pylori infection was drawn before operation. The removed appendix specimen was stained for H. pylori; confirmation was made by PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) analysis. The intensity of inflammation was determined pathologically grading from no inflammation to gangrenous appendicitis. Statistical analysis was made using the chi-square test. Seropositivity for H. pylori infection was found in 18 patients (39%), but the microbe was detected in just two appendix specimens (4%). In all seropositive patients acute appendicitis was confirmed by the pathology study; serous (33%) and purulent or gangrenous (67%). The latter incidence in the seronegative patients was 50%. There were found eight specimens (17%) negative for inflammation dealing all with seronegative patients. It seems that H. pylori colonizes the appendix in small proportion and is unlikely to be associated in direct correlation with acute appendicitis. However, seropositive patients with acute inflammation are likely to suffer from purulent or gangrenous form.

Occult Hepatitis B Virus infection in ART-Naive HIV-Infected Patients seen at a Tertiary Care Centre in North India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Singh Sarman

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Co-infections of hepatitis B and C viruses are frequent with HIV due to shared routes of transmission. In most of the tertiary care health settings, HIV reactive patients are routinely tested for HBsAg and anti-HCV antibodies to rule out these co-infections. However, using the routine serological markers one can only detect active HBV infection while the occult HBV infection may be missed. There is insufficient data from India on HIV-HBV co-infection and even scarce on occult HBV infection in this group. Methods We estimated the burden of HBV infection in patients who were tested positive for HIV at a tertiary care centre in north India. We also attempted to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of occult HBV infection among these treatment-naïve patients and compare their demographic features with other HIV patients. During a period of 6 years between January 2002 to December 2007, 837 HIV positive patients (631 males and 206 females (M: F :: 3.06:1 were tested for serological markers of HBV (HBsAg and HCV (anti-HCV antibodies infections in our laboratory. For comparison 1000 apparently healthy, HIV-negative organ donors were also included in the study. Data on demographics, sexual behaviour, medical history, laboratory tests including the serum ALT and CD4 count of these patients were recorded. A sub-group of 53 HBsAg negative samples from HIV positive patients were assessed for anti-HBs, anti-HBc total (IgG+IgM and HBV-DNA using a highly sensitive qualitative PCR and analysed retrospectively. Results Overall, 7.28% of HIV positive patients showed presence of HBsAg as compared to 1.4% in the HIV negative control group. The prevalence of HBsAg was higher (8.55% in males than females (3.39%. The study revealed that occult HBV infection with detectable HBV-DNA was prevalent in 24.5% of patients positive for anti-HBc antibodies; being 45.5% in HBsAg negative patients. Most importantly the occult infection was

The pattern of infection and antibiotics use in terminal cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohammed, A.A.; Al-Zahrani, A.S.; Sherisher, M.A.; Alnagar, A.A.; EL-Shentenawy, A.; El-Kashif, A.T.; Mohammed, A.A.; Alnagar, A.A.; EL-Shentenawy, A.; El-Kashif, A.T.; Sherisher, M.A.

2014-01-01

Background: Although cancer patients are susceptible to infection, there is no evidence based published guideline on the appropriate use of antimicrobial treatment in this group of patients. Methods: We retrospectively collected medical records of all terminal cancer patients who died in the oncology department over a 15-month period and were reviewed for the pattern of infection and causes of antimicrobial use during the patients’ last admission of life. Results: A total of 258 eligible patients were enrolled, there was an equal distribution of males and females (M/F: 129/129), and the mean age was 60.5 years. 221 patients admitted with fever (85%), 22 patients (8.5%) got fever after hospitalization and 15 patients (5.8%) did not suffer from fever. Among patients with fever, 46 patients (18.9%) had two infection episodes and 197 patients (81.1%) had only one infection episode. The culture results revealed positive in 98 patients (40%) with gram-negative organisms were the dominant organisms. The major infection sites were the respiratory tract, urinary tract and wound. 114 patients (47%) received one antibiotic and 129 patients (53%) received more than one. The mean duration of hospitalization was significantly longer for infected patients than for uninfected patients (8.00 vs. 18.15 days, p= 0.0001). Outcome of antibiotic use revealed 42 patients (17.3%) with symptoms improved 71 patients (29.2%) with stationary symptoms and 130 patients (53.5%) revealed symptom deterioration. Conclusions: Our study revealed that antibiotic therapy for terminal cancer patients should be on a clear rationale. We need further study to clarify if there is survival effect with antibiotic use or not.

Central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections in cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butt, T.; Afzal, R.K.; Ahmad, R.N.; Hussain, I.; Anwar, M.

2004-01-01

Objective: To determine the frequency of central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections (CR-BSI) in cancer patients and the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the isolates. Subjects and Methods: Cancer patients requiring short or long-term central venous catheterization at the time of admission or thereafter were included. Catheter tips on removal were cultured quantitatively; specimens of blood and pus were cultured qualitatively. Isolates were identified and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by standard techniques. Results: Eighty-nine patients were included in the study. The frequency of CR-BSI was 17%. Out of the 19 organisms isolated, 10 (53%) were Gram-positive cocci, 8 (42%) were Gram-negative rods and 1 (5%) was a fungus. Coagulase negative staphylococci (27%) were the predominant pathogens. Among the staphylococci, 46% of the isolates were methicillin-resistant. All Gram-positive isolates were susceptive to glycopeptides. Gram-negative rods were resistant to most of the commonly used antimicrobial groups. Conclusion: Central venous catheter is an important source of bloodstream infections in cancer patients. Most of the infections are caused by Gram-positive cocci. Rigorous infection control measures and continuous surveillance is required to curb the frequency of these infections. (author)

Epidemiology, surveillance, and prevention of bloodstream infections in hemodialysis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Priti R; Kallen, Alexander J; Arduino, Matthew J

2010-09-01

Infections cause significant morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are particularly problematic, accounting for a substantial number of hospitalizations in these patients. Hospitalizations for BSI and other vascular access infections appear to have increased dramatically in hemodialysis patients since 1993. These infections frequently are related to central venous catheter (CVC) use for dialysis access. Regional initiatives that have shown successful decreases in catheter-related BSIs in hospitalized patients have generated interest in replicating this success in outpatient hemodialysis populations. Several interventions have been effective in preventing BSIs in the hemodialysis setting. Avoiding the use of CVCs in favor of access types with lower associated BSI risk is among the most important. When CVCs are used, adherence to evidence-based catheter insertion and maintenance practices can positively influence BSI rates. In addition, facility-level surveillance to detect BSIs and stimulate examination of vascular access use and care practices is essential to a comprehensive approach to prevention. This article describes the current epidemiology of BSIs in hemodialysis patients and effective prevention strategies to decrease the incidence of these devastating infections.

Non-cirrhotic portal hypertension in HIV mono-infected patients.

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Jackson, Belinda D; Doyle, Joseph S; Hoy, Jennifer F; Roberts, Stuart K; Colman, John; Hellard, Margaret E; Sasadeusz, Joseph J; Iser, David M

2012-09-01

Unexplained liver injury including fibrosis and portal hypertension has rarely been reported among patients with HIV in the absence of co-infection with hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV). We describe a series of HIV mono-infected patients with evidence of non-cirrhotic portal hypertension. HIV-infected patients with evidence of portal hypertension who were anti-HBV and anti-HCV negative and HBV and HCV RNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) negative were identified from patients managed by the Victorian statewide HIV referral service located at The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne. Portal hypertension was defined as either radiological or endoscopic evidence of varices, portal vein flow obstruction, or elevated hepatic venous pressure gradient (HPVG). Five patients were found to have portal hypertension. These patients were male, aged 41 to 65 years, with known duration of HIV infection between 11 to 25 years. All had been treated with antiretroviral therapy, including didanosine. Tests for metabolic, autoimmune, and hereditary causes of liver disease failed to establish an etiology for the liver injury. All had radiological or endoscopic findings of varices, and four patients had radiological features of portal vein obstruction or flow reversal. Only one patient underwent HPVG measurement, which was elevated. Non-invasive fibrosis assessment revealed increased liver stiffness in three (out of four) patients, and no cirrhotic features were found on those who underwent liver biopsy. To our knowledge, this is the largest published series of non-cirrhotic portal hypertension in HIV mono-infected patients in Australia. Further research is needed to understand what relationship, if any, HIV or its treatments might have on liver injury over time. © 2012 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Consultation expectations among patients with respiratory tract infection symptoms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauridsen, Gitte Bruun; Sørensen, Mette Sejr; Hansen, Malene Plejdrup

2017-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat to public health, and antibiotic prescribing increases. About 90% of antibiotics are prescribed in general practice, mostly for acute respiratory tract infections. It is well known that patient expectations and general practitioners......' misinterpretation of patients' expectations are associated with antibiotic overuse. The aim of this study was to explore Danish patients' expectations when consulting a general practitioner with symptoms of acute respiratory tract infection, and to determine predictors for these expectations. METHODS......: A questionnaire survey was conducted in Danish primary care during 2014. Patients aged ≥ 18 years were asked about their expectations to the consultation when consulting with symptoms of acute respiratory tract infections. Associations between socio-demographic characteristics, self-reported antibiotic...

Helminth-infected patients with malaria: a low profile transmission hub?

Science.gov (United States)

Nacher, Mathieu

2012-11-15

Eclipsed by the debates about malaria incidence and severity in individual patients, malaria transmission in helminth-infected persons has so far received very little attention. Studies in humans have shown increased malaria incidence and prevalence, and a trend for a reduction of symptoms in patients with malaria. This suggests that such patients could possibly be less likely to seek treatment thus carrying malaria parasites and their gametocytes for longer durations, therefore, being a greater potential source of transmission. In addition, in humans, a study showed increased gametocyte carriage, and in an animal model of helminth-malaria co-infection, there was increased malaria transmission. These elements converge towards the hypothesis that patients co-infected with worms and malaria may represent a hub of malaria transmission. The test of this hypothesis requires verifying, in different epidemiological settings, that helminth-infected patients have more gametocytes, that they have less symptomatic malaria and longer-lasting infections, and that they are more attractive for the vectors. The negative outcome in one setting of one of the above aspects does not necessarily mean that the other two aspects may suffice to increase transmission. If it is verified that patients co-infected by worms and malaria could be a transmission hub, this would be an interesting piece of strategic information in the context of the spread of anti-malarial resistance and the malaria eradication attempts.

Diagnosis of biofilm infections in cystic fibrosis patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høiby, Niels; Bjarnsholt, Thomas; Moser, Claus

2017-01-01

Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm lung infection in cystic fibrosis patients is the best described biofilm infection in medicine. The initial focus can be the paranasal sinuses and then follows repeated colonization and infection of the lungs by aspiration. The matrix of the biofilms is domi...... by other pathogens e.g., Stenotrophomonas, Burkholderia multivorans, Achromobacter xylosoxidans and Mycobacterium abscessus complex....

Herpes zoster infection, vaccination and immunocompromised rheumatology patients.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Connor, Mortimer B

2013-01-01

Varicella is a self-limiting and relatively mild disease of childhood, although it is frequently more severe and complicated among the immunocompromised rheumatology patients on immunomodulator therapies. In addition, future reactivation of the dormant virus in dorsal root ganglia may cause herpes zoster infection, which can be very debilitating. In this manuscript, we discuss the nature of this infection along with its potential vaccine especially among rheumatology patients.

Predictors of serious bacterial infections in pediatric burn patients with fever.

Science.gov (United States)

Vyles, David; Sinha, Madhumita; Rosenberg, David I; Foster, Kevin N; Tran, Melissa; Drachman, David

2014-01-01

To determine predictors of serious bacterial infections in pediatric burn patients with fever (core temp ≥38.5°C), the authors conducted a retrospective review of medical records of pediatric (0-18 years) patients admitted to the Arizona Burn Center between 2008 and 2011 with greater than 5% TBSA and inpatient hospitalization for ≥72 hours. The study group comprised patients with a febrile episode during their inpatient stay. Serious bacterial infection (the primary outcome variable) was defined as: bacteremia, urinary tract infection, meningitis (blood, urine, or cerebrospinal fluid culture positive for a pathogen respectively), pneumonia, line, and wound infection. A generalized estimating equation analysis was done to predict the presence or absence of serious bacterial infection. Of 1082 pediatric burn patients hospitalized during the study period, 353 met the study eligibility criteria. A total of 108 patients (30.6%) had at least one fever episode (fever group). No difference in demographic characteristics was noted between the fever and no-fever groups; significant differences were observed for: third-degree TBSA, second-degree TBSA, total operating room visits, length of stay, Injury Severity Score, and death. A total of 47.2% of the patients had one or more episodes of fever with serious bacterial infection. In a generalized estimating equation predictive model, presence of a central line, second-, and third-degree TBSA were predictive of serious bacterial infection in burn patients with fever. In this study, individual clinical variables such as tachypnea and tachycardia were not predictive of serious bacterial infections, but the presence of a central line, and larger TBSA were significant predictors of serious bacterial infections. Younger age (P =.08) and ventilator support (P =.057) also approached significance as predictors of serious bacterial infections.

[Nosocomial infection due to Trichosporon asahii in a critical burned patient].

Science.gov (United States)

Tamayo Lomas, Luis; Domínguez-Gil González, Marta; Martín Luengo, Ana Isabel; Eiros Bouza, José María; Piqueras Pérez, José María

2015-01-01

Invasive fungal infection is an important cause of morbimortality in patients with severe burns. The advances in burn care therapy have considerably extended the survival of seriously burned patients, exposing them to infectious complications, notably fungal infections, with increased recognition of invasive infections caused by Candida species. However, some opportunistic fungi, like Trichosporon asahii, have emerged as important causes of nosocomial infection. A case of nosocomial infection due to T. asahii in a severely ill burned patient successfully treated with voriconazole is presented. The management of invasive fungal infections in burned patients, from diagnosis to selection of the therapeutic protocol, is often a challenge. Early diagnosis and treatment are associated with a better prognosis. In this case report, current treatment options are discussed, and a review of previously published cases is presented. Due to the difficulty in the diagnosis of invasive mycoses and their high associated mortality rates, it is advisable to keep a high degree of clinical suspicion of trichosporonosis in susceptible patients, including burned patients. The isolation of T. asahii in clinical specimens of this type of host must raise clinical alert, since it may precede an invasive infection. Copyright © 2014 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Pulmonary infection in patients with cyclosporine, azathioprine, and corticosteroids after cardiac transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murayama, Sadayuki; Ikezoe, Junpei; Godwin, J.D.; Marglin, S.I.; Allen, M.D.

1991-01-01

Between November 1985 and November 1989, 54 patients have undergone 55 cardiac transplants, 5 of whom died during operation or one week after transplantation. The remaining 49 patients with a minimum follow-up of 5 months were studied to examine pulmonary infection clinically and radiologically while receiving triple drug immunosuppression consisting of cyclosporine, azathioprine, and prednisolone. Pulmonary infection occurred in 14 patients (29%) with a total of 21 occasions. Causative organisms were identified in 9 occasions, with the most common organism being Cytomegalovirus (CMV). One patient died of pulmonary infection with Aspergillus. Causative organisms occurring in the remaining 12 occasions of pulmonary infection were unknown, which did not lead to death. Because pulmonary infection of unknown organisms rapidly responded to convensional antibiotics, it seemed to have been caused by bacteria. Pulmonary infection of unknown organism occurred 13.2±3.2 months after transplantation, as compared with 3.3±1.0 months in pulmonary infection of known organisms. Chest plain radiographic features fell into four types: (1) interstitial shadow seen in pulmonary infection of CMV, Pneumocystis carinii, or Hemophilia influenza, (2) patchy, and basilar and lobular consolidation shadows in bacterial pneumonia, (3) localized nodular shadow in aspergillosis, and (4) multiple patchy and confluent opacity patterns occurring in herpes simplex viral infection. Pulmonary infection of influenza bacteria for one patient and pulmonary infection of unknown organisms for 4 patients were difficult to identify from pulmonary infection of CMV. (N.K.)

Shigella Infections in Household Contacts of Pediatric Shigellosis Patients in Rural Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

George, Christine Marie; Ahmed, Shahnawaz; Talukder, Kaisar A; Azmi, Ishrat J; Perin, Jamie; Sack, R Bradley; Sack, David A; Stine, O Colin; Oldja, Lauren; Shahnaij, Mohammad; Chakraborty, Subhra; Parvin, Tahmina; Bhuyian, Sazzadul Islam; Bouwer, Edward; Zhang, Xiaotong; Hasan, Trisheeta N; Luna, Sharmin J; Akter, Fatema; Faruque, Abu S G

2015-11-01

To examine rates of Shigella infections in household contacts of pediatric shigellosis patients, we followed contacts and controls prospectively for 1 week after the index patient obtained care. Household contacts of patients were 44 times more likely to develop a Shigella infection than were control contacts (odds ratio 44.7, 95% CI 5.5-361.6); 29 (94%) household contacts of shigellosis patients were infected with the same species and serotype as the index patient's. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed that 14 (88%) of 16 with infected contacts had strains that were indistinguishable from or closely related to the index patient's strain. Latrine area fly counts were higher in patient households compared with control households, and 2 patient household water samples were positive for Shigella. We show high susceptibility of household contacts of shigellosis patients to Shigella infections and found environmental risk factors to be targeted in future interventions.

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection among patients ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection among patients attending infertility and sexually transmitted diseases clinic (STD) in Kano, North Western Nigeria. ... A higher percentage of the patients (95.2%) were not aware of the existence of ...

Pemphigus Vulgaris and Infections: A Retrospective Study on 155 Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nafiseh Esmaili

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Autoimmune process and immunosuppressive therapy of pemphigus vulgaris would predispose the patients to infections. Aim. We aimed to study the prevalence of infection and pathogenic agents in pemphigus vulgaris patients admitted to dermatology service. Material and methods. This retrospective study was conducted on 155 pemphigus vulgaris patients (68 males, 87 females admitted to dermatology service between 2009 and 2011. In this study, the diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris was confirmed by light microscopic and direct immunofluorescence findings. Data were collected through a questionnaire. Results. Of 155 pemphigus vulgaris patients, 33 had infection at admission and 9 acquired nosocomial infection. In addition, 37 cases of oral candidiasis and 15 cases of localized herpes simplex were recorded. Totally, 94 cases of infection were recorded. The occurrence of infection was significantly related to the severity of disease, number of hospital admissions, and presence of diabetes mellitus. The most common pathogenic germs isolated from cultures were Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Conclusion. Severity of pemphigus vulgaris and diabetes were directly related with tendency to infections. Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were the most common pathogenic agents. Due to limitations of retrospective study, a prospective study is recommended.

A predictive model of days from infection to discharge in patients with healthcare-associated urinary tract infections: a structural equation modelling approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, B G; Anderson, M; Ferguson, J K

2017-11-01

Length of stay (LOS) in hospital is an important component of describing how costs change in relation to healthcare-associated infection and this variable underpins models used to evaluate cost. It this therefore imperative that estimations of LOS associated with infections are performed accurately. To test the relationships between the size of hospital, age, and patient comorbidity on days from admission to infection and days from infection to discharge in patients with a healthcare-associated urinary tract infection (HAUTI), using structural equation modelling (SEM). A non-current cohort study in eight hospitals in New South Wales, Australia. All patients admitted to the hospital for >48 h and who acquired a HAUTI were included. From the 162,503 eligible patient admissions, 2821 (1.73%) acquired a HAUTI. SEM showed that the proposed model had acceptable fit indices for the combined sample (GFI = 1.00; AGFI = 1.00; NFI = 1.00; CFI = 1.00; RMSEA = 0.000). The main findings showed that age of patient had a direct association with days from admission to infection and with days from infection to discharge. Patient comorbidity had direct links to the variables days from admission to infection and days from infection to discharge. Multi-group analysis indicated that the age of male patients was more influential on the factor days from admission to infection when compared to female patients. Furthermore, the number of comorbidities was significantly more influential on days from admission to infection in male patients than in female patients. As the first published study to use SEM to explore a healthcare-associated infection and the predictors of days from infection to discharge in hospital, we can confirm that accounting for the timing of infection during hospitalization is important and that patient comorbidity influences the timing of infection. Copyright © 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FEATURES OF PNEUMONIA IN HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS

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M. T. Vatutin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents the clinical, diagnostic and treatment features of pneumocystis pneumonia in HIV-infected patients. The clinical case of diagnosis verification in a patient 58 years old with severe respiratory failure is described.

Malarial infection among HIV Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Malarial infection among patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) attending Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, Benue State was investigated between April and August 2008 to determine the level of malaria infection in HIV/AIDS patients on ART and those not on ART with respect to CD4+ counts, age and gender. A total of ...

Inflammation in Achromobacter xylosoxidans infected cystic fibrosis patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, C. R.; Pressler, T.; Nielsen, K. G.

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND: Achromobacter xylosoxidans infection may cause conspicuous chronic pulmonary inflammation in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients similar to Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc). Evolution in lung function was compared in chronically infected patients. Cytokine...

Leadless Cardiac Pacemaker Implantation After Lead Extraction in Patients With Severe Device Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kypta, Alexander; Blessberger, Hermann; Kammler, Juergen; Lambert, Thomas; Lichtenauer, Michael; Brandstaetter, Walter; Gabriel, Michael; Steinwender, Clemens

2016-09-01

Conventional pacemaker therapy is limited by short- and long-term complications, most notably device infection. Transcatheter pacing systems (TPS) may be beneficial in this kind of patients as they eliminate the need for a device pocket and leads and thus may reduce the risk of re-infection. We assessed a novel procedure in 6 patients with severe device infection who were pacemaker dependent. After lead extraction a single chamber TPS was implanted into the right ventricle. Of the 6 patients who underwent lead extraction due to severe device infection at our institution, 3 were diagnosed with a pocket infection only, whereas the other 3 showed symptoms of both pocket and lead infection. Successful lead extraction and TPS implantation was accomplished in all patients. Four patients were bridged with a temporary pacemaker between 2 hours and 2 days after lead extraction, whereas 2 patients had the TPS implanted during the same procedure just before traditional pacemaker system removal. All patients stayed free of infection during the follow-up period of 12 weeks. An additional positron emission tomography scan was performed in each patient and indicated no signs of an infection around the TPS. Transcather pacemaker implantation was safe and feasible in 6 patients and did not result in re-infection even if implanted before removal of the infected pacemaker system within the same procedure. Therefore, implantation of a TPS may be an option for patients with severe device infection, especially in those with blocked venous access or who are pacemaker dependent. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Delayed gastric emptying and Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with chronic renal failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kao Chiahung; Hsu Yuehhan; Wang Shyhjen

1995-01-01

Forty patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) were enrolled in this study. Twelve of the 40 patients had upper gastrointestinal symptoms or signs (GI Sx). Twenty of the 40 patients had been receiving regular haemodialysis (HD) for at least 1 year prior to the study. Radionuclide-labelled solid metals were used to calculate gastric emptying times (GETs). The carbon-14 urea breath test ( 14 C4-UBT) was used to diagnose Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection. Among the 40 patients, 35 (88%) had an abnormal HP infection. There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of abnormal GET among patients with HP infection and patients without HP infection. There were also no significant differences in the incidence of HP infection among patients with abnormal and normal GETs. In addition, the incidences of abnormal GET in patients with and without upper GI Sx were 83% and 89% respectively. The incidences of HP infection in patients with and without upper GI Sx were 58% and 54%, respectively. The incidences of abnormal GET in HD and non-HD patients were 95% and 80%, respectively. The incidences of HP infection in HD and non-HD patients were 45% and 65%, respectively. The differences in the incidences of abnormal GET and HP infection among HD and non-HD patients, as well as among patients with and without upper GI Sx, were not statistically significant. (orig.)

Frequency of neurological deficits in Sudanese lepromatic patients ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... the disease is progressive and results in permanent damage to the skin, nerves, ... patients had upper limbs sensory nerve dysfunction while 42.86% exhibited ... Impaired olfaction was the most common cranial nerve sign seen in 12.86%.

The in vitro antifungal activity of sudanese medicinal plants against Madurella mycetomatis, the eumycetoma major causative agent.

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Hassabelrasoul Elfadil

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Eumycetoma is a debilitating chronic inflammatory fungal infection that exists worldwide but it is endemic in many tropical and subtropical regions. The major causative organism is the fungus Madurella mycetomatis. The current treatment of eumycetoma is suboptimal and characterized by low cure rate and high recurrence rates. Hence, an alternative therapy is needed to address this. Here we determined the antifungal activity of seven Sudanese medicinal plant species against Madurella mycetomatis. Of these, only three species; Boswellia papyrifera, Acacia nubica and Nigella sativa, showed some antifungal activity against M. mycetomatis and were further studied. Crude methanol, hexane and defatted methanol extracts of these species were tested for their antifungal activity. B. papyrifera had the highest antifungal activity (MIC50 of 1 ug/ml and it was further fractionated. The crude methanol and the soluble ethyl acetate fractions of B. papyrifera showed some antifungal activity. The Gas-Liquid-Chromatography hybrid Mass-Spectrophotometer analysis of these two fractions showed the existence of beta-amyrin, beta-amyrone, beta-Sitosterol and stigmatriene. Stigmatriene had the best antifungal activity, compared to other three phytoconstituents, with an MIC-50 of 32 μg/ml. Although the antifungal activity of the identified phytoconstituents was only limited, the antifungal activity of the complete extracts is more promising, indicating synergism. Furthermore these plant extracts are also known to have anti-inflammatory activity and can stimulate wound-healing; characteristics which might also be of great value in the development of novel therapeutic drugs for this chronic inflammatory disease. Therefore further exploration of these plant species in the treatment of mycetoma is encouraging.

Treatment of Retinal Separation in HIV-infected Patients with Cytomegalovirus Retinitis

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A. L. Onischenko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available HIV infection — is a socially significant problem for many countries, as the infected die in an average of 10-11 years due to the immunodeficiency virus. Up to 20% of patients with AIDS lose their sight because of cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMV retinitis, which occurs in 70% of HIV-infected people. In some patients with HIV infection blindness occurs because of acute retinal necrosis of CMV etiology. The algorithm of CMV retinitis treatment in HIV-infected patients is described in modern manuals (ganciclovir, valganciclovir, foscarnet and others on the background of antiretroviral therapy, but the tactics of treatment of retinal separation in these patients is not clearly defined. It may be “wait and see”, providing conservative treatment with antiviral drugs, and the active tactics — vitreoretinal surgery. In this article the authors present their personal clinical observations of three HIV-infected patients with CMV retinitis at the age of 8 to 36 years with a detailed analysis of the clinical data and the results of the laboratory tests. In particular, the authors give their own results of intravitreal introduction of ganciclovir in patients with CMV retinitis. Given the poor prognosis for the life of these patients, the authors put a deontological question of justification of active treatment of retinal separation in AIDS patients with CMV retinitis.

Helminth-infected patients with malaria: a low profile transmission hub?

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Nacher Mathieu

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Eclipsed by the debates about malaria incidence and severity in individual patients, malaria transmission in helminth-infected persons has so far received very little attention. Studies in humans have shown increased malaria incidence and prevalence, and a trend for a reduction of symptoms in patients with malaria. This suggests that such patients could possibly be less likely to seek treatment thus carrying malaria parasites and their gametocytes for longer durations, therefore, being a greater potential source of transmission. In addition, in humans, a study showed increased gametocyte carriage, and in an animal model of helminth-malaria co-infection, there was increased malaria transmission. These elements converge towards the hypothesis that patients co-infected with worms and malaria may represent a hub of malaria transmission. The test of this hypothesis requires verifying, in different epidemiological settings, that helminth-infected patients have more gametocytes, that they have less symptomatic malaria and longer-lasting infections, and that they are more attractive for the vectors. The negative outcome in one setting of one of the above aspects does not necessarily mean that the other two aspects may suffice to increase transmission. If it is verified that patients co-infected by worms and malaria could be a transmission hub, this would be an interesting piece of strategic information in the context of the spread of anti-malarial resistance and the malaria eradication attempts.

Systemic fungal infections in patients with human inmunodeficiency virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Cerdeira, C; Arenas, R; Moreno-Coutiño, G; Vásquez, E; Fernández, R; Chang, P

2014-01-01

Histoplasmosis is a systemic infection caused by the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. In immunocompromised patients, primary pulmonary infection can spread to the skin and meninges. Clinical manifestations appear in patients with a CD4(+) lymphocyte count of less than 150 cells/μL. Coccidioidomycosis is a systemic mycosis caused by Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii. It can present as diffuse pulmonary disease or as a disseminated form primarily affecting the central nervous system, the bones, and the skin. Cryptococcosis is caused by Cryptococcus neoformans (var. neoformans and var. grubii) and Cryptococcus gattii, which are members of the Cryptococcus species complex and have 5 serotypes: A, B, C, D, and AD. It is a common opportunistic infection in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS, even those receiving antiretroviral therapy. Histopathologic examination and culture of samples from any suspicious lesions are essential for the correct diagnosis of systemic fungal infections in patients with HIV/AIDS. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier España, S.L. and AEDV. All rights reserved.

[Herpetic infection in patients with psoriasis: the improvement of therapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Shul'diakov, A A; Barkhatova, T S; Satarova, S A; Perminova, T A

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to estimate the efficacy of liniment cycloferon included in combined therapy of herpetic infection in 30 patients with psoriasis divided into 2 groups. Combined treatment of patients with recurrent herpetic infection promoted elimination of general infection syndrome, shortened duration of eruption and local inflammation, accelerated epithelization of herpetic erosion, and decreased the frequency of relapses during the follow-up.

Hepatitis C virus infection in nephrology patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Rostaing, Lionel; Izopet, Jacques; Kamar, Nassim

2013-10-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection leads to chronic liver disease, but also to extra-hepatic manifestations. Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Google Scholar, Pubmed (NLM), LISTA (EBSCO) and Web of Science have been searched. Herein, we provide an overview of renal diseases related to HCV and their therapies, as well as the treatment options available for HCV (+)/RNA (+) dialysis patients. We will not mention, however, HCV infection-related complications in the post-kidney transplantation setting. Extra-hepatic manifestations of HCV infection include mixed cryoglobulinemia, lymphoproliferative disorders, and renal disease. HCV infection has been reported in association with distinct histological patterns of glomerulonephritis in native kidneys.

Patients' Fear of Contracting the Blood-Borne Infections from Dentists

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Fatemah Ayatollahi

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: There has been no recent assessment of public attitudes and opinions concerning risk of blood-borne pathogen transmission during health care. To assess public attitudes and opinions towards dentists infected with blood-borne viruses, this study was carried out.Materials and Methods: Six items in this cross-sectional survey were used to assess current attitudes and opinions about dentists infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV, Hepatitis B and CViruses, and the risk of blood-borne virus transmission during health care in a sample of 500 cases, in Yazd. Data were analyzed by SPSS (version 13 and chi-square tests were used, when appropriate.Results: Of 500 respondents, 94% agreed that they want to know whether their dentist is infectedwith HIV, HBV or HCV; 93.8% agreed that disclosure of HIV, HBV or HCV infection in a provider should be mandatory. However, 15.8% did not believe that HIV-infected dentists were more likely to infect patients than those dentists infected with HBV or HCV. Opinions were divided on whether HIV-infected providers should be able to care for patients as long as they use good infection control:only 41.6% thought that infected providers should be allowed to provide patient care.Conclusion: These findings suggest that improved public education and risk communication on health care-associated blood-borne infections is needed.

[Improvement of parodontitis therapy of patients with HIV-infection].

Science.gov (United States)

Soboleva, L A; Oseeva, A O; Shul'diakov, A A; Bulkina, N V

2010-01-01

For the purpose to determine the clinic-pathogenetic efficacy of cycloferon liniment in the combined therapy of periodontitis of patients with subclinical stage of HIV-infection medical examination and treatment of 40 patients was carried out. It was established that use of liniment cycloferon in the combined treatment of patients with subclinical stage of HIV-infection allowed to accelerate process of normalization of lipid peroxidation parameters and antioxidant potential of blood, to decrease infection load (herpes symplex virus I, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus) in parodontal recess and evidence of local inflammation with reduction of activity of the tumours necrosis factor and interleukin 1beta, what provided acceleration of recuperation processes, lowering the frequency of parodontitis relapses.

Pulmonary disease in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundgren, J D; Orholm, Marianne; Lundgren, B

1989-01-01

cause pulmonary disease alone or in combination. Bilateral interstitial infiltrates are the most frequent chest x-ray abnormality and are most frequently caused by infection with Pneumocystis carinii. Cytomegalovirus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis and pulmonary Kaposi......Pulmonary disease is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). All parts of the hospital system are expected to be involved in the diagnosis and treatment of HIV infected patients in the coming years. Many different processes......'s sarcoma are the most important parts of the differential diagnosis. An aggressive approach to the diagnosis of pulmonary disease in this patient population is indicated in order to provide optimal care and assess new therapies....

Hepatitis B surface antigen concentrations in patients with HIV/HBV co-infection.

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Jerzy Jaroszewicz

Full Text Available HBsAg clearance is associated with clinical cure of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV infection. Quantification of HBsAg may help to predict HBsAg clearance during the natural course of HBV infection and during antiviral therapy. Most studies investigating quantitative HBsAg were performed in HBV mono-infected patients. However, the immune status is considered to be important for HBsAg decline and subsequent HBsAg loss. HIV co-infection unfavorably influences the course of chronic hepatitis B. In this cross-sectional study we investigated quantitative HBsAg in 173 HBV/HIV co-infected patients from 6 centers and evaluated the importance of immunodeficiency and antiretroviral therapy. We also compared 46 untreated HIV/HBV infected patients with 46 well-matched HBV mono-infected patients. HBsAg levels correlated with CD4 T-cell count and were higher in patients with more advanced HIV CDC stage. Patients on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART including nucleos(tide analogues active against HBV demonstrated significant lower HBsAg levels compared to untreated patients. Importantly, HBsAg levels were significantly lower in patients who had a stronger increase between nadir CD4 and current CD4 T-cell count during cART. Untreated HIV/HBV patients demonstrated higher HBsAg levels than HBV mono-infected patients despite similar HBV DNA levels. In conclusion, HBsAg decline is dependent on an effective immune status. Restoration of CD4 T-cells during treatment with cART including nucleos(tide analogues seems to be important for HBsAg decrease and subsequent HBsAg loss.

Impaired Thymic Output in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hartling, Hans Jakob; Gaardbo, Julie Christine; Ronit, Andreas

2013-01-01

Altered T cell homeostasis in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been demonstrated. However, it is unknown if fibrosis is associated with more perturbed T cell homeostasis in chronic HCV infection. The aim of the present study was to examine and compare T cell subsets including recent...... thymic emigrants (RTE), naive, memory, senescent, apoptotic and IL-7 receptor α (CD127) expressing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells as well as telomere length and interferon-γ production in HCV-infected patients with (n=25) and without (n=26) fibrosis as well as in healthy controls (n=24). Decreased proportions...... of CD4+ and CD8+ RTE were found in HCV-infected patients, especially in HCV-infected patients with fibrosis (14.3% (9.7-23.0) and 28.8% (16.1-40.5), respectively) compared to healthy controls (24.2% (16.3-32.1), P=0.004, and 39.1% (31.6-55.0), P=0.010, respectively). Furthermore, HCV-infected patients...

[Renal transplantation in HIV-infected patients in Spain].

Science.gov (United States)

Mazuecos, A; Pascual, J; Gómez, E; Sola, E; Cofán, F; López, F; Puig-Hooper, C E; Baltar, J M; González-Molina, M; Oppenheimer, F; Marcén, R; Rivero, M

2006-01-01

HIV infection has experienced dramatic improvement in morbidity and mortality with the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). This prompted a reevaluation of organ-solid transplantation as a treatment option for HIV-infected patients. Some trials in the United States have shown that one- and 2-year graft and patient survival is comparable to HIV-negative transplant population. In Europe the experience is still scarce. The aim of this study is to analyse the outcome and the clinical characteristics of HIV-infected patients who received kidney transplantation in Spain in the HAART era. Ten patients were transplanted in our country since 2001. Only one patient was black. The main cause of end-stage renal disease reported was glomerulonephritis. Six of the recipients were coinfected by hepatitis C virus. Inclusion criteria included undetectable HIV viral load and CD4 counts greater than 200/pL. Immunosuppression consisted of steroids, tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil, with antibody induction in 4 cases. The median and mean follow-up was 11 and 16.3+/-15.6 (3-46) months, respectively. One recipient lost his graft because of early renal venous thrombosis. The remaining patients are functioning graft with mean serum creatinina level of 1.5 +/- 0.5 mg/dl. Biopsy-proven acute rejection was diagnosed in 4 recipients and was reversed in all cases with antirejection treatment. The plasma HIV RNA levels have remained controlled and CD4 counts have been stable in excess of 200 cell/microL. None of patients have developed AIDS complications. Recipients receiving protease inhibitor-based HAART regimens required significant dosing modification to maintain appropriate tacrolimus levels. Our results show that renal transplantation can be a safe and effective treatment in select HIV-infected patients. Like other series, the acute rejection rate was higher than in non-HIV recipients. The reasons of this rejection incidence remain unknown.

Clostridium difficile infection in Chilean patients submitted to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

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Javier Pilcante

2015-12-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Introduction: Patients submitted to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation have an increased risk of Clostridium difficile infection and multiple risk factors have been identi- fied. Published reports have indicated an incidence from 9% to 30% of transplant patients however to date there is no information about infection in these patients in Chile. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of patients who developed C. difficile infection after hematopoietic stem cell transplantations from 2000 to 2013. Statistical analysis used the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software. Results: Two hundred and fifty patients were studied (mean age: 39 years; range: 17-69, with 147 (59% receiving allogeneic transplants and 103 (41% receiving autologous trans- plants. One hundred and ninety-two (77% patients had diarrhea, with 25 (10% cases of C. difficile infection being confirmed. Twenty infected patients had undergone allogeneic trans- plants, of which ten had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, three had acute myeloid leukemia and seven had other diseases (myelodysplastic syndrome, chronic myeloid leukemia, severe aplastic anemia. In the autologous transplant group, five patients had C. difficile infection; two had multiple myeloma, one had amyloidosis, one had acute myeloid leukemia and one had germinal carcinoma. The overall incidence of C. difficile infection was 4% within the first week, 6.4% in the first month and 10% in one year, with no difference in overall survival between infected and non-infected groups (72.0% vs. 67.6%, respectively; p-value = 0.56. Patients infected after allogeneic transplants had a slower time to neutrophil engraftment compared to non-infected patients (17.5 vs. 14.9 days, respectively; p-value = 0.008. In the autologous transplant group there was no significant difference in the neutrophil engraftment time between infected and non-infected patients (12.5 days vs. 11.8 days, respectively; p

[Flesh-eating bacteria infection of an immunocompromised patient].

Science.gov (United States)

Slavei, K; Hauser, B; Pénzes, I; Ondrejka, P; Faller, J

2001-10-01

After years of steadily declining morbidity and mortality due to group A streptococcal infections, a resurgence of severe, invasive disease has been ongoing since 1980, leading to the recognition of streptococcal shock syndrome (STSS), necrotizing fasciitis, the most severe form of invasive infection. The patients suffer from rapid local deep soft tissue destruction, severe septic shock and multi organ failure. The increased incidence of these infections has been accompanied by remarkable vigor in virulence and severity of the disease. The reason for this impressive change in the epidemiology and clinical manifestation of group A streptococcal infections remains unknown. The possible etiological factor is changing in virulence factor or the lack of protective immunity of the population (immunocompromise) against the invasive strains. We describe a severe necrotizing fasciitis of a 41-year-old previously immunocompromised woman. The patient developed severe septic shock, multi organ failure and perineal and lower abdominal skin, fat and fascia necrosis due to mixed GAS (aerob, anaerob) infection of the perineum and the Bartholini glands. After an aggressive surgical debridement, antibiotic and supportive therapy the generalised and local infection was treated.

Infective endocarditis in chronic hemodialysis patients: Experience from Morocco

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Dina Montasser

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Since the 1960s, regular hemodialysis (HD was recognized as a risk factor for the development of infective endocarditis (IE, particularly at vascular access sites. The present report describes our experience at the Etat Major General Agadir, Morocco, of taking care of IE in patients on regular dialysis. A retrospective analysis was made of five cases of IE in patients receiving re-gular HD having arteriovenous fistula as vascular access. They were sent from four private centers and admitted in our formation between January 2004 and March 2009. Infective endocarditis was detected after 34.5 months following initiation of dialysis. The causative organisms included Sta-phylococcus and Enterococcus in two cases each and negative blood culture in one case. A recent history of infection (<3 months of the vascular access was found in three cases. Peripheric embolic phenomena were noted in two cases. A pre-existing heart disease was common and contributed to heart failure. Mortality was frequent due to valvular perforations and congestive heart failure, making the medical treatment alone unsatisfactory. Two patients survived and three of our patients received a prosthetic valve replacement, with a median survival after surgery of 10.3 months/person. The clinical diagnosis of infective endocarditis in regularly dialyzed patients remains difficult, with the presence of vascular calcification as a common risk factor. The vascular catheter infections are the cardinal gateway of pathogenic organisms, which are mainly Staphlococcus. The prognosis is bad and the mortality is significant, whereas medical and surgical treatments are often established in these patients who have many factors of comorbidity.

Cryptosporidiosis and other intestinal parasitic infections in patients with chronic diarrhea.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahdi, Nadham K; Ali, Naeel H

2004-09-01

To consider the relationship of the parasitic infections including cryptosporidium with chronic diarrhea. Also the effect of chronic disease as pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and nosocomial infection on the occurrence rate of parasites in cases of chronic diarrhea. Stool samples were collected from 205 patients in teaching, general, child and maternity hospitals in Basrah, Iraq, suffering from chronic diarrhea during 2000. Out of these patients, there were 40 patients with pulmonary TB and 50 inpatients with nosocomial infection. Also 175 apparently healthy individuals who have no episodes of diarrhea for at least 2-months were served as a control group. Direct smear method and then formalin ether sedimentation method were carried out for stool samples to detect intestinal parasites. Fecal smears were prepared from the sediment and stained by the modified Ziehl Neelsen stain for the recovery of red pink oocysts of cryptosporidium. Out of the 205 examined patients, cryptosporidium oocysts were found to be excreted in 20 (9.7%) patients in comparing to 1.1% of the control group. The difference is statistically significant. There were 109 (53.2%) patients found to be positive for intestinal parasitic infections compared to 26 (14.8%) of the control group. The difference is also statistically significant. Out of the 40 TB patients, 2 (5%) were found to excrete cryptosporidium oocysts and also 27 (67.3%) were positive for intestinal parasites. In addition, there were 4 (8%) excreting cryptosporidium oocysts and 23 (46%) infecting by intestinal parasites among the in patients with nosocomial infection. Both acid and non-acid fast parasites should be considered in the differential diagnosis of undiagnosed chronic diarrhea especially among patients with pulmonary TB or nosocomial infection.

PROFILE OF PULMONARY INFECTIONS IN RENAL TRANSPLANT PATIENTS

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Sundararajaperumal Anandhakrishnan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Renal transplantation is a successful therapy for patients with end-stage kidney disease. In a country like India, where tuberculosis is highly prevalent, it poses immense diagnostic challenge. Proper knowledge about the microbiological spectrum would help to start appropriate therapy empirically, awaiting confirmation. The aim of the study is to study the microbiological profile of lower respiratory tract infections in renal transplant recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Consecutive patients who presented to the transplant clinic with cardinal respiratory symptoms and fever were screened radiologically and an attempt to make a microbiological diagnosis was done with sputum or bronchial wash wherever needed. Setting- Prospective observational study conducted in the Department of Nephrology, Transplant Clinic, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and Madras Medical College. Post-renal transplant patients were followed up for 2 years between October 2014 - October 2016 and the development of pulmonary infection and the number of episodes were systematically recorded. RESULTS A total of 32 episodes of pulmonary infections were observed in 29 patients (23 males and 6 females. Bronchial wash had higher diagnostic yield than sputum. Triple drug immunosuppression comprising cyclosporine, prednisolone and azathioprine (75.8% and episodes of acute graft rejection requiring pulse methylprednisolone (37.93% were important prerequisites for developing pulmonary infection. Pseudomonas 12 (3%, Klebsiella 8 (25% and Mycobacterium tuberculosis 8 (25% were the most common organisms recovered. CONCLUSION Aggressive diagnostic modalities should be carried out for establishing the diagnosis. Empirical regimens should cover for Pseudomonas and Klebsiella. Tuberculosis should be sought for keenly. Mixed infections were also common in the study.

Schistosomiasis in patients in the Sultanate of Oman

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scrimgeour, Euan M.; Ahmed, A.; Sallam, J.; Khoul, R.; Al-Dhahry, Said H.S.; Daar, Abdallah S.; El-Khatim, Hussein S.; Idris, Mohamed A.; Date, A.

2001-01-01

Following an intensive public health eradication program, the focus of schistosomiasis mansoni at Salalah in Southern Oman (the only focus of schistosomiasis in Oman), appeared to have been eradicated in 1994. Since the vector snails for schistosomiasis mansoni (and also for S. haematobium) were widely endemic in fresh water springs at Salalah, and reintroduction of introduction (or introduction in case of S.haematobium), was possible, we undertook a prospective study in 1995 for schistosomiasis in our patients at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) and to obtain evidence of visits by these patients to Salalah. From May 1995 to May 2000, Omani and expatriate patients presenting at SQUH were evaluated for possible schistosomiasis (residence in an endemic region, suggestive clinical features) by a search for ova in stool, urine, or in tissue biopsies, or when ova were absent, by serodiagnosis. A retrospective survey of schistosomiasis patients diagnosed in SQUH from 1990 to April 1995 was also performed. Ministry of Health (MOH) data on reports of schistosomiasis (a notifiable disease) in Oman from 1991 to 2000 were obtained. Thirty patients with schistosomiasis were identified, 10 retrospectively and 20 in prospective study. Patients were aged 9 to 60 years, and 25 of them (10 Omanis, 14 Egyptians, 1 Sudanese) contracted the infection in Africa, while 5 Omanis became infected in Salalah (3 in 99). Twelve patients had schistosomiasis mansoni, 6 had schistosomiasis. Haematobia, and in the rest, infection by both parasites was confirmed or possible. The most common presentation (23%) was hepatosplenic schistosomiasis with portal hypertension. No patient admitted to contaminating fresh water with excreta in Salalah. MOH data revealed 3 to 14 cases of schistosomiasis were reported annually between 1991 and 2000, and that all schistosomiasis cases reported from 1994 1998 originated from Africa. Schistosomiasis remains an important health problem in Oman. Many

Diabetes mellitus increases severity of thrombocytopenia in dengue-infected patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chung-Yuan; Lee, Mei-Yueh; Lin, Kun-Der; Hsu, Wei-Hao; Lee, Yaun-Jinn; Hsiao, Pi-Jung; Shin, Shyi-Jang

2015-02-10

Diabetes mellitus is known to exacerbate bacterial infection, but its effect on the severity of viral infection has not been well studied. The severity of thrombocytopenia is an indicator of the severity of dengue virus infection. We investigated whether diabetes is associated with thrombocytopenia in dengue-infected patients. We studied clinical characteristics of 644 patients with dengue infection at a university hospital during the epidemic on 1 June 2002 to 31 December 2002 in Taiwan. Platelet counts and biochemical data were compared between patients with and without diabetes. Potential risk factors associated with thrombocytopenia were explored using regression analyses. Dengue-infected patients with diabetes had lower platelet counts than patients without diabetes during the first three days (54.54±51.69 vs. 86.58±63.4 (p≤0.001), 43.98±44.09 vs. 64.52±45.06 (p=0.002), 43.86±35.75 vs. 62.72±51.2 (p=0.012)). Diabetes mellitus, death, dengue shock syndrome (DSS) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and increased glutamic-pyruvate transaminase (GPT) levels were significantly associated with lower platelet counts during the first day of hospitalization for dengue fever with regression β of -13.981 (95% confidence interval (CI) -27.587, -0.374), -26.847 (95% CI -37.562, -16.132), and 0.054 (95% CI 0.015, 0.094) respectively. Older age, hypoalbuminemia, and hypertriglyceridemia were independently correlated with thrombocytopenia in dengue patients with or without diabetes with regression β of -2.947 (p=0.004), 2.801 (p=0.005), and -3.568 (p≤0.001), respectively. Diabetic patients with dengue had a higher rate of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)/dengue shock syndrome (DSS) than non-diabetic patients. They also had lower blood albumin, were older, and higher triglyceride levels. Older age, hypoalbuminemia, and hypertriglyceridemia were independently correlated with thrombocytopenia in dengue patients. Dengue patients with diabetes tended to have more severe

Molecular characterization of viruses associated with gastrointestinal infection in HIV-positive patients

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Raquel C Silva

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Diarrhea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among HIV-infected patients worldwide. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the frequency of viral gastrointestinal infections among Brazilian HIV-infected patients with diarrhea. METHODS: A collection of 90 fecal specimens from HIV-infected individuals with diarrhea, previously tested for the presence of bacteria and parasite was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis for the presence of enteric viruses such as astrovirus, norovirus, rotavirus groups A, B and C, adenovirus, herpes simplex virus, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, and human bocavirus. RESULTS: Twenty patients (22.2%; n = 90 were infected with parasites (11 single infections and nine coinfected with virus. Enteropathogenic bacteria were not found. Virus infections were detected in 28.9% (26/90 of the specimens. Cytomegalovirus was the most common virus detected (24.4%; 22/90. Coinfections with viruses and/or parasite were observed in 10 (11.1% samples. CONCLUSION: Gastrointestinal virus infections were more frequent than parasitic or bacterial infections in this patient population.

Detection of very low level Plasmodium falciparum infections using the nested polymerase chain reaction and a reassessment of the epidemiology of unstable malaria in Sudan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roper, C; Elhassan, I M; Hviid, L

1996-01-01

We have used the nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to assay for low level Plasmodium falciparum infections that were below the threshold of detection of blood film examination. This revealed a substantial group of asymptomatic, submicroscopically patent infections within the population...... of a Sudanese village present throughout the year although clinical malaria episodes were almost entirely confined to the transmission season. In our September, January, April, and June surveys, the PCR-detected prevalences were 13%, 19%, 24%, and 19%, respectively. These figures reveal a much higher prevalence...... of dry season infection than previous microscopic surveys have indicated. Furthermore, 20% of a cohort of 79 individuals were healthy throughout the September to November transmission season but were PCR-positive for P. falciparum in a least one of a series of samples taken in the ensuing months. Levels...

Dental care associated with an outbreak of HIV infection among dialysis patients

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Leonelo E. Bautista

1997-09-01

Full Text Available An outbreak of 14 cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection was discovered by chance in May 1993 among hemodialysis patients at a university hospital in Bucaramanga, Colombia. The outbreak occurred in 1992. Stored sera were used to establish the probable period of infection (PPI for 10 of the 14 cases. A nested case-control study was carried out to evaluate possible transmission mechanisms. The health care experience of each HIV-positive patient during that patient’s PPI was compared to the experience of time-matched controls. Only invasive dental procedures were significantly associated with the risk of infection. Patients upon whom invasive dental procedures were performed during their PPIs had an average risk of HIV infection 8.15 times greater than comparable controls (P = 0.006, and seven out of nine cases of HIV infection with known PPIs in 1992 had an invasive dental procedure performed one to six months before seroconversion. None of the dental care personnel were found to be infected. Based on the available evidence, it seems most likely that the infection was transmitted from patient to patient by contaminated dental instruments.

Comparison between INAA and ICP-OES: analysis of Sudanese medicinal plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheikhaldin, Elsadig Abdelmoniem

2014-07-01

The aim of this study was to provide elemental concentrations in medicinal plants and mainly to compare the two different determination methods (INAA and ICP-OES after wet digestion) elemental analysis of 14 Sudanese medicinal plants was carried out using INAA and ICP-OES techniques. The selection of reported elements was done according to intersection of elements determined by both techniques. This intersecting element list contained Ca, K, Fe, Mn, Mg, Sr, Zn, Cu, Co, and Cr. INAA correlated well with ICP-OES measurements of the same plants as long as concentrations were sufficiently above LoQ. Correlation coefficients (R 2 ) in this case is close to 1. Generally, INAA results tended to be higher compared to ICP-OES. The performance and possible source of errors of both techniques was discussed also with respect to measurements of certified reference materials. INAA provided the advantage of having both, faster and non destructive sample preparation than ICP-OES. Therefore, INAA may be technique of choice for Ca, K, Zn, and Mg elements specifically when samples are needed for further investigations. Regarding the low concentrations e.g for Cr, Ni or Cu, ICP-OES is the superior technique over INAA due to the sufficiently low limits of determination and thus gaining more detectable results at low concentrations. (author)

Evaluation of some chemical and physical parameters of Sudanese crude oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed, Elsamoual Hamdn Alla

2001-05-01

In this study crude oil samples were collected from four fields, Higlieg, Alnar, Toma south, and Unity at Elmuglad basin. A total of 20 samples were analyzed for Na, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, Cd, and Pb, using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Aas). For these samples some physical parameters were determined using standard techniques employed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (Astm). The range of concentration for Na, Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb are 0.33-22.20, 0.0-3.29, 0.56-7.70, 0.13-0.74, 1.70-6.33, 0.43-1.21, 1.02-9.80, 0.16-7.05, 0.12-4.88, 0.09-0.58, 0.15-0.82. μg/g, respectively. The results were subjected to statistical analysis such multivariate regression and principal component analysis. These statistical techniques revealed that the element found in the crude oil can be considered as contributed by two sources the biological precursor of oil and surrounding rocks. Comparison of the data obtained in this work with the data reported in the literature showed that the trace elements contents of Sudanese crude oil in most cases has the lowest concentration of harmful element especially Ni, and Fe.(Author)

The implication of dihydrofolate reductase and dihydropteroate synthetase gene mutations in modification of Plasmodium falciparum characteristics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

A-Elbasit, Ishraga E; Alifrangis, Michael; Khalil, Insaf F

2007-01-01

the effects of dhfr/dhps mutations on parasite characteristics other than SP resistance. METHOD: Parasite infections obtained from 153 Sudanese patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria treated with SP or SP + chloroquine, were successfully genotyped at nine codons in the dhfr/dhps genes by PCR...... grades: wild-types (grade 0; frequency, 0.03) and infections with MOM grades of 1 to 5, with the following cumulative frequency; 0.97, 0.931, 0.866, 0.719, 0.121, respectively. There was no significant association between the MOM and SP response. Importantly, immunity, using age as a surrogate marker...

Clinical analysis of urinary tract infection in patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate.

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Li, Y-H; Li, G-Q; Guo, S-M; Che, Y-N; Wang, X; Cheng, F-T

2017-10-01

To analyze the related influencing factors of urinary tract infection in patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). A total of 343 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia admitted to this hospital from January 2013 to December 2016, were selected and treated by TURP. Patients were divided into infection group and non-infection group according to the occurrence of urinary tract infection after operation. The possible influencing factors were collected to perform univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. There were 53 cases with urinary tract infection after operation among 343 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, accounting for 15.5%. The univariate analysis displayed that the occurrence of urinary tract infection in patients undergoing TURP was closely associated with patient's age ≥ 65 years old, complicated diabetes, catheterization for urinary retention before operation, no use of antibiotics before operation and postoperative indwelling catheter duration ≥ 5 d (p urinary tract infection in patients receiving TURP (p urinary tract infection after TURP, while preoperative prophylactic utilization of anti-infective drugs can reduce the occurrence of postoperative urinary tract infection.

Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of HIV Infection/AIDS in Hospitalized Patients.

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Ahmetagic, Sead; Porobić-Jahic, Humera; Piljic, Dilista; Custovic, Amer; Sabitovic, Damir; Zepic, Denis

2015-02-01

More than three decades after recognition of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the United States, the pandemic of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has dramatically changed the global burden of disease. The main goal of this research is retrospective analysis of epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 28 HIV infected patients, who were diagnosed and treated at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases in University Clinical Center Tuzla in the period from 1996 until the end of 2013. Retrospective analysis was performed using the medical records of 28 HIV-infected persons. Two rapid tests were used for HIV testing: OraQuick Advance test, Vikia HIV1/2, Elisa combo test, HIV RNA test. AIDS disease was determined by using the criteria from WHO. Among a total of 28 HIV-infected persons, 23 (82.14%) were males and 5 (17.86%) were females, with the male: female ratio of 4,6:1. In terms of the transmission route, a large proportion of cases were infected through heterosexual contact 19 (67.86%). At the time of the first visit, 16 (57.15%) patients showed asymptomatic HIV infection, 4 (14.28%) HIV infection with symptoms other than the AIDS defining diseases, and 8 (28.57) had AIDS. At the time of first hospital visit, the CD4 + cells count ranged from 40 to 1795/µl (conducted in 19 patients), and mean value of CD4 + cells was 365,31/µl, and mean HIV RNA titer was 287 118 copies/ml³. Of 28 HIV-infected persons 39 cases of opportunistic diseases developed in 12 patients (42.9%). In terms of the frequency of opportunistic diseases, tuberculosis (12 cases, 42.9%). Among a total of 28 HIV-infected patients, 6 (21.4%) of them died. This study characterizes the epidemiological and clinical patterns of HIV-infected patients in Tuzla region of Bosnia and Herzegovina to accurately understand HIV infection/AIDS in our region, in the hope to contribute in the establishment of effective HIV guidelines in the Tuzla region of B&H in the future.

Consultation expectations among patients with respiratory tract infection symptoms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruun Lauridsen, Gitte; Sejr Sørensen, Mette; Hansen, Malene Plejdrup

2017-01-01

Introduction: Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat to public health, and antibiotic prescribing increases. About 90% of antibiotics are prescribed in general practice, mostly for acute respiratory tract infections. It is well known that patient expectations and general practitioners’ misinter......­pretation of patients’ expectations are associated with antibiotic overuse. The aim of this study was to explore Danish patients’ expectations when consulting a general prac­titioner with symptoms of acute respiratory tract infection, and to determine predictors for these expectations. Methods: A questionnaire survey...... was conducted in Danish primary care during 2014. Patients aged ≥ 18 years were asked about their expectations to the consultation when consulting with symptoms of acute respiratory tract infections. Associations between socio-demographic characteristics, self-reported antibiotic prescription and patients...

Patient safety and infection control: bases for curricular integration.

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Silva, Andréa Mara Bernardes da; Bim, Lucas Lazarini; Bim, Felipe Lazarini; Sousa, Alvaro Francisco Lopes; Domingues, Pedro Castania Amadio; Nicolussi, Adriana Cristina; Andrade, Denise de

2018-05-01

To analyze curricular integration between teaching of patient safety and good infection prevention and control practices. Integrative review, designed to answer the question: "How does curricular integration of content about 'patient safety teaching' and content about 'infection prevention and control practices' occur in undergraduate courses in the health field?". The following databases were searched for primary studies: CINAHL, LILACS, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Scopus, Europe PMC and MEDLINE. The final sample consisted of 13 studies. After content analysis, primary studies were grouped into two subject categories: "Innovative teaching practices" and "Curricular evaluation. Patient safety related to infection prevention and control practices is present in the curriculum of health undergraduate courses, but is not coordinated with other themes, is taught sporadically, and focuses mainly on hand hygiene.

Differential metabonomic profiles of primary hepatocellular carcinoma tumors from alcoholic liver disease, HBV-infected, and HCV-infected cirrhotic patients

OpenAIRE

Cao, Ding; Cai, Can; Ye, Mingxin; Gong, Junhua; Wang, Menghao; Li, Jinzheng; Gong, Jianping

2017-01-01

Our objective was to comparatively profile the metabolite composition of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumors from alcoholic liver disease (ALD), hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected, and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected cirrhotic patients. Primary HCC tumors were collected from ALD, HBV-infected, and HCV-infected cirrhotic patients (n=20 each). High-resolution magic-angle spinning proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and metabonomic data analysis were performed to compare HCC ...

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of hepatitis B virus in HIV-infected patients in Guangdong, China.

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Huang, S M; Cai, W P; Hu, F Y; Lan, Y; Liao, B L; Chen, Y P; Tang, X P

2016-09-01

This study investigated the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in HIV-infected adults at the time of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in Guangdong province, China. A total of 2793 HIV-infected adults were enrolled between January 2004 and September 2011. Demographic data and laboratory parameters were collected, HBV-DNA levels were measured, and HBV genotypes were identified before ART initiation. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in HIV-infected patients was 13.2%. A total of 266 HIV/HBV co-infected patients and 1469 HIV mono-infected patients were recruited. The median alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels of HIV/HBV co-infected patients were higher than HIV mono-infected patients (32 U/L vs. 22 U/L, p HIV/HBV co-infected patients was lower than HIV mono-infected patients (59 cells/mm(3) vs. 141 cells/mm(3), p study indicates a high prevalence of HBsAg in HIV-infected adults in Guangdong. The level of CD4 cell count in HIV/HBV co-infected patients was much lower than HIV mono-infected patients, especially in patients who were HBeAg-positive and had a high level of HBV-DNA. The predominant HBV genotype in HIV/HBV co-infected patients is genotype B. © The Author(s) 2015.

Infectivity of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes in patients ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To examine the patients presenting at rural health centers for the potential to carry sexual stage malaria parasite and test their infectivity to Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes. Setting: Mbita Health Centre, Mbita Town Ship, Suba District, western Kenya. Methodology: Routine survey of all patients attending Mbita ...

Extracutaneous atypical syphilis in HIV-infected patients.

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Prieto, Paula; Imaz, Arkaitz; Calatayud, Laura; García, Olga; Saumoy, María; Podzamczer, Daniel

2017-12-07

We describe a series of cases of syphilis with atypical extracutaneous clinical presentation diagnosed in HIV-infected patients. Retrospective observational study. All cases of syphilis diagnosed in HIV-infected patients during the period between June 2013 and June 2016 in a tertiary hospital of the Barcelona metropolitan area were analysed. A total of 71 cases of syphilis were diagnosed, 32 of them presenting with clinical signs or symptoms. Seven of these cases (9.8% of the total and 21.8% of the symptomatic cases) had atypical presentations with extracutaneous involvement: ocular (4), gastric (1), multiple hepatic abscesses (1) and generalised adenopathies (1). Patients were treated with intramuscular or intravenous penicillin and the clinical and serological evolution was good in all of them. Extracutaneous atypical clinical presentations were observed in 21.8% of symptomatic cases of syphilis in HIV+ patients with ocular involvement being the most freqent. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Patient-centered hand hygiene: the next step in infection prevention.

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Landers, Timothy; Abusalem, Said; Coty, Mary-Beth; Bingham, James

2012-05-01

Hand hygiene has been recognized as the most important means of preventing the transmission of infection, and great emphasis has been placed on ways to improve hand hygiene compliance by health care workers (HCWs). Despite increasing evidence that patients' flora and the hospital environment are the primary source of many infections, little effort has been directed toward involving patients in their own hand hygiene. Most previous work involving patients has included patients as monitors or auditors of hand hygiene practices by their HCWs. This article reviews the evidence on the benefits of including patients more directly in hand hygiene initiatives, and uses the framework of patient-centered safety initiatives to provide recommendations for the timing and implementation of patient hand hygiene protocols. It also addresses key areas for further research, practice guideline development, and implications for training of HCWs. Copyright © 2012 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring the English Language Teachers’ Attitudes Towards the Use of Pedagogical Dictionaries in their Classes (Sudanese Perspective

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Nauman Al-Amin Ali El-Sayed

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The dictionary should always be present in language education. It is the tool with which EFL teachers can effectively perform teaching tasks in their classes. Good teachers should take on the habit of consulting their dictionaries to assimilate the lexical, syntactical, phonological, morphological, etymological and more other features of one word or expression that a good dictionary can provide. This paper is investigating the attitudes of English language teachers in the use of this important teaching aid. It is an additional viewpoint from EL teachers in four Sudanese State Universities on the use of dictionary in their classes. The findings of this research might be of significance to other researchers, teachers, language learners and textbook designers; and the results may be applicable in many similar EFL environments round the globe.

Factors influencing Sudanese microfinance intention to adopt mobile banking

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Anwar Ammar

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Access to financial service has become a key phenomenon for economic development and poverty alleviation .Microfinance is one way of fighting poverty in Sudan, where most citizens are in need of it. However, despite the initial results showing a positive impact of microfinance on the livelihood of low-income people in Sudan, around 8 million of the Sudanese poor people are excluded from microfinance services. One potential remedy for the limited outreach of microfinance in Sudan may lie within enhancing the capacity of microfinance services providers (MFPs in the utilization of modern technology. Recent innovation in providing financial services in a convenient and efficient way is the use of mobile banking (m-banking technology in microfinance. M-banking promises to increase the efficiency and outreach of microfinance services in developing countries. This paper tries to examine the factors that influence the adoption of m-banking by microfinance sector in Sudan. In this respect, hypotheses were developed guided by Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT and Technology-organization-Environment (TOE models. Primary data were collected from MFPs and microfinance customers in Sudan using questionnaires and interviews. The study contributes to knowledge in terms of methods used by extending aforementioned theories through adding new variables to both models by putting both models in one study to fill the gaps in past studies; via examination of the demand (customers and supply (institutions through modifying them to include new variables related to m-banking in microfinance.

Physical Trauma and Infection as Precipitating Factors in Patients with Fibromyalgia.

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Jiao, Juan; Vincent, Ann; Cha, Stephen S; Luedtke, Connie A; Kim, Chul H; Oh, Terry H

2015-12-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate both precipitating factors in patients with fibromyalgia and any differences in clinical presentation, symptom severity, and quality-of-life between those with and without precipitating physical trauma or infection. In a retrospective cross-sectional study, the authors compared patient characteristics and fibromyalgia symptom severity and quality-of-life with the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire and the Short Form-36 Health Survey in patients seen in a fibromyalgia treatment program. Of 939 patients, 27% reported precipitating factors (trauma, n = 203; infection, n = 53), with the rest having idiopathic fibromyalgia (n = 683). Patients with precipitating trauma were more likely to have worse Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire physical function than patients with idiopathic onset (P = 0.03). Compared with patients with idiopathic onset and precipitating trauma, patients with precipitating infection were more likely to have worse Short Form-36 Health Survey physical component summary (P = 0.01 and P = 0.003) but better role emotional (P = 0.04 and P = 0.005), mental health index (P = 0.02 and P = 0.007), and mental component summary (P = 0.03 and P = 0.004), respectively. One-fourth of this study's patients with fibromyalgia had precipitating physical trauma or infection. Patients with precipitating infection had different sociodemographic characteristics, clinical presentation, and quality-of-life from the idiopathic and trauma groups. Further studies are needed to look into the relationships between precipitating events and fibromyalgia.

Endocrine alterations in HIV-infected patients

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Sujit Kumar Tripathy

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Aims and objectives: To study the frequency of thyroid, adrenal and gonadal dysfunction in newly diagnosed HIV-infected patients and to correlate them at different levels of CD4 cell counts. Materials and Methods: Forty-three HIV-positive cases were included in the study group. Cases were divided into three groups on the basis of CD4 cell count. Serum free T3, free T4, TSH, Cortisol, FSH, LH, testosterone and estradiol were estimated by the radioimmunoassay method. Hormone levels between cases were compared and their correlation with CD4 count was analyzed. Results: Prevalence of gonadal dysfunction (88.3% was the most common endocrine dysfunction followed by thyroid (60.4% and adrenal dysfunction (27.9%. Secondary hypogonadism (68.4% was more common than primary (31.6%. Low T3 syndrome, that is, isolated low free T3, was the most common (25.6% thyroid dysfunction followed by secondary hypothyroidism (16.2% and subclinical hypothyroidism (11.6%. Adrenal excess (16.3% was more common than adrenal insufficiency (11.6%. The difference in hormonal dysfunction between male and female was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05. 27.9% of patients had multiple hormone deficiency. There was negligible or no correlation between CD4 count and serum hormone level. Conclusion: In our study, endocrine dysfunction was quite common among HIV-infected patients but there was no correlation between hormone levels and CD4 count. Endocrine dysfunctions and role of hormone replacement therapy in HIV-infected patient needs to be substantiated by large longitudinal study, so that it will help to reduce morbidity, improve quality of life.

Streptococcus agalactiae infection in cancer patients: a five-year study.

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Pimentel, B A S; Martins, C A S; Mendonça, J C; Miranda, P S D; Sanches, G F; Mattos-Guaraldi, A L; Nagao, P E

2016-06-01

Although the highest burden of Streptococcus agalactiae infections has been reported in industrialized countries, studies on the characterization and epidemiology are still limited in developing countries and implementation of control strategies remains undefined. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological aspects of S. agalactiae infections in cancer patients treated at a Reference Brazilian National Cancer Institute - INCA, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We reviewed the clinical and laboratory records of all cancer patients identified as having invasive S. agalactiae disease during 2010-2014. The isolates were identified by biochemical analysis and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. A total of 263 strains of S. agalactiae were isolated from cancer patients who had been clinically and microbiologically classified as infected. S. agalactiae infections were mostly detected among adults with solid tumors (94 %) and/or patients who have used indwelling medical devices (77.2 %) or submitted to surgical procedures (71.5 %). Mortality rates (in-hospital mortality during 30 days after the identification of S. agalactiae) related to invasive S. agalactiae infections (n = 28; 31.1 %) for the specific category of neoplasic diseases were: gastrointestinal (46 %), head and neck (25 %), lung (11 %), hematologic (11 %), gynecologic (4 %), and genitourinary (3 %). We also found an increase in S. agalactiae resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin and the emergence of penicillin-less susceptible isolates. A remarkable number of cases of invasive infections due to S. agalactiae strains was identified, mostly in adult patients. Our findings reinforce the need for S. agalactiae control measures in Brazil, including cancer patients.

Diabetes Mellitus Increases Severity of Thrombocytopenia in Dengue-Infected Patients

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Chung-Yuan Chen

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Diabetes mellitus is known to exacerbate bacterial infection, but its effect on the severity of viral infection has not been well studied. The severity of thrombocytopenia is an indicator of the severity of dengue virus infection. We investigated whether diabetes is associated with thrombocytopenia in dengue-infected patients. Methods: We studied clinical characteristics of 644 patients with dengue infection at a university hospital during the epidemic on 1 June 2002 to 31 December 2002 in Taiwan. Platelet counts and biochemical data were compared between patients with and without diabetes. Potential risk factors associated with thrombocytopenia were explored using regression analyses. Results: Dengue-infected patients with diabetes had lower platelet counts than patients without diabetes during the first three days (54.54 ± 51.69 vs. 86.58 ± 63.4 (p ≤ 0.001, 43.98 ± 44.09 vs. 64.52 ± 45.06 (p = 0.002, 43.86 ± 35.75 vs. 62.72 ± 51.2 (p = 0.012. Diabetes mellitus, death, dengue shock syndrome (DSS and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF and increased glutamic-pyruvate transaminase (GPT levels were significantly associated with lower platelet counts during the first day of hospitalization for dengue fever with regression β of −13.981 (95% confidence interval (CI −27.587, −0.374, −26.847 (95% CI −37.562, −16.132, and 0.054 (95% CI 0.015, 0.094 respectively. Older age, hypoalbuminemia, and hypertriglyceridemia were independently correlated with thrombocytopenia in dengue patients with or without diabetes with regression β of −2.947 (p = 0.004, 2.801 (p = 0.005, and −3.568 (p ≤ 0.001, respectively. Diabetic patients with dengue had a higher rate of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF/dengue shock syndrome (DSS than non-diabetic patients. They also had lower blood albumin, were older, and higher triglyceride levels. Older age, hypoalbuminemia, and hypertriglyceridemia were independently correlated with thrombocytopenia in

SEROPREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS ‘B’ CO-INFECTION AMONG HIV INFECTED PATIENTS IN GOVERNMENT MEDICAL COLLEGE, KOTA AND ASSOCIATED HOSPITALS

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Vandana Meena, Anita E Chand, Harshad Singh Naruka

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV shares routes of transmission with Hepatitis B virus (HBV, so HIV patients have more chance to get co-infected with HBV and this type of concurrent infection with both viruses may alter the disease progression, natural history and treatment response. Material & Method The study was carried out at the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC of Department of Microbiology, MBS Hospital, Government Medical College, Kota. The present study included 100 patients, diagnosed as HIV positive. Results Among the 100 HIV positive patients we found 35 patients co-infected with HBV. Among the 100 cases of HIV, 65 (65% were male, 34 (34% were female and 1 (1% was intersexual. In HIV +HBV co-infected cases 22 (62.8% were male and 13 (37.1% were female. Of the 100 HIV patients most were married 73 (73% followed by unmarried 16 (16%, widow 7 (7%, separate 4 (4%. Among HIV+HBV co-infection most was married 28 (80% as compared to separate 3 (8.5%, unmarried, 2 (5.7% and widow 2 (5.7%. Among the HIV patients route of transmission was mainly sexual 69 (69%.

Papillary necrosis with invasive fungal infections: a case series of 29 patients

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Krishan L.; Muthukumar, Thangamani; Joshi, Kusum; Chakrbarti, Arunaloke; Kohli, Harbir S.; Jha, Vivekanand; Sakhuja, Vinay

2013-01-01

Background Renal papillary necrosis (RPN) is associated with a number of comorbid conditions. However, it has been rarely reported in patients with fungal infections of the kidney. Methods We analyzed medical records of our hospital for the last two decades and identified 29 patients with fungal infections and RPN. Results Among the 29 patients, there were 24 men and 5 women. The median (range) age at presentation was 31.2 years (2 days–73 years). Three patients (10%) were kidney transplant recipients. The remaining had varied co-existing medical conditions that included diabetes mellitus in 16 (55%) and septicemia in 4 (14%). Clinical features at presentation were fever and oliguric kidney failure in 17 patients and loin pain accompanied by passage of fleshy material per urethra in 11 (38%). Diagnosis was made ante-mortem in 17 (59%) patients. Twenty patients (69%) had infection limited to the kidneys, while in the rest, it was disseminated. Kidney involvement was bilateral in 17 patients (59%). Urinalysis showed pyuria in 23 (79%) and microhematuria in 8 (28%) patients. Fungal infections included candidiasis (69%), aspergillosis (21%) and zygomycosis (10%). Of the 17 patients in whom the diagnoses was made ante-mortem, 12 survived and 5 died. Overall mortality was observed in 48% of cases. Conclusions We herein report a series of patients with RPN associated with fungal infections of the kidney. Presentation varies from asymptomatic urinary tract infection to severe kidney failure with poor outcome. High index of suspicion is necessary to reduce the associated high mortality in these patients. PMID:27293566

Surgical Site Infection in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butt, U. I.; Khan, A.; Nawaz, A.; Mansoor, R.; Malik, A. A.; Sher, F.; Ayyaz, M.

2016-01-01

Objective: To compare the frequency of surgical site infections in patients with type II diabetes undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy as compared with non-diabetic patients. Study Design: Cohort study. Place and Duration of Study: Surgical Unit 2, Services Hospital, Lahore, from May to October 2012. Methodology: Patients were divided into two groups of 60 each, undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Group A comprised non-diabetic patients and group B comprised type II diabetic patients. Patients were followed postoperatively upto one month for the development of SSIs. Proportion of patients with surgical site infections or otherwise was compared between the groups using chi-square test with significance of p < 0.05. Results: In group A, 35 patients were above the age of 40 years. In group B, 38 patients were above the age of 40 years. Four patients in group A developed a surgical site infection. Seven patients in group B developed SSIs (p = 0.07). Conclusion: Presence of diabetes mellitus did not significantly affect the onset of surgical site infection in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. (author)

Clinical and epidemiological features of patients with chronic hepatitis C co-infected with HIV

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Braga Eduardo Lorens

Full Text Available Co-infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV is increasingly common and affects the clinical course of chronic hepatitis C. Highly active antiretroviral therapy has improved the life expectancy of HIV infected patients, but, by extending survival, it permits the development of HCV cirrhosis. This study tried to evaluate clinical and epidemiological features of patients with chronic hepatitis C co-infected with HIV. We evaluated 134 HCV-infected patients: i group A - 65 co-infected HCV/HIV patients, ii group B - 69 mono-infected HCV patients. The impact of HIV infection on HCV liver disease was analyzed using Child's score, ultrasound findings and liver histology. Patients were subjected to HCV genotyping and anti-HBs dosage. Patients mean age was 42.4 years (±9.1 and 97 (72.4% were males. Injected drug use and homo/bisexual practice were more frequently encountered in the co-infected group: 68.3% and 78.0%, respectively. Antibodies against hepatitis B virus (anti-HBs were found in only 38.1% of the patients (66.7% group A x 33.3% group B. Ten out of 14 individuals (71.4% who had liver disease (Child B or C and 25 out of 34 (73.5% who showed ultrasound evidence of chronic liver disease were in the co-infection group. HCV genotype-2/3 was more frequently encountered in co-infected patients (36.9% group A vs. 21.8% group B. Conclusions: a HIV infection seems to adversely affect the clinical course of chronic hepatitis C, b injected drug use, bi/homosexual practice and genotype-2/3 were more frequently encountered in co-infected patients, c immunization against HBV should be encouraged in these patients.

Differences of serum procalcitonin levels between bacterial infection and flare in systemic lupus erythematosus patients

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Patrick, J.; Marpaung, B.; Ginting, Y.

2018-03-01

Differentiate bacterial infections from flare in SLE patients is difficult to do because clinical symptoms of infection is similar to flare. SLE patients with infection require antibiotic therapy with decreased doses of immunosuppressant while in flare diseases require increased immunosuppressant. Procalcitonin (PCT), a biological marker, increased in serum patients with bacterial infections and expected to be a solution of problem. The aim of this study was to examine the function of PCT serum as marker to differentiate bacterial infection and flare in SLE patients. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Adam Malik Hospital from January-July 2017. We examined 80 patients SLE flare (MEX-SLEDAI>5), screen PCT and culture according to focal infection. Data were statistically analyzed. 80 SLE patients divided into 2 groups: bacterial infection group (31 patients) and non-infection/flare group (49 patients). Median PCT levels of bacterial infection group was 1.66 (0.04-8.45)ng/ml while flare group was 0.12 (0.02-0.81)ng/ml. There was significant difference of serum Procalcitonin level between bacterial infection and flare group in SLE patients (p=0.001). Procalcitonin serum levels can be used as a biomarker to differentiate bacterial infections and flare in SLE patients.

[A comparison of chest radiographs between patients with pulmonary Mycobacterium kansasii infection and those with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in the initial stage of disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, Eri; Senoo, Mami; Nagayama, Naohiro; Masuda, Kimihiko; Matsui, Hirotoshi; Tamura, Atsuhisa; Nagai, Hideaki; Akagawa, Shinobu; Toyoda, Emiko; Oota, Ken

2013-08-01

To elucidate the differences in affected lung segments between patients with pulmonary M. kansasii infection and those with M. tuberculosis infection in the initial stage of disease, we examined chest radiography images and CT scans. The initial stage of disease was defined as the period when less than one-sixth of the total lung area was affected by the infection, as visualized on chest radiography and CT. One hundred eighty-four patients were diagnosed with M.kansasii infection between 1996 and 2010 and 835 patients, with M.tuberculosis infection between 2008 and 2009 at our hospital. The diagnosis was made on the basis of the results of sputum culture and/or bronchial washing. After excluding the patients with underlying lung diseases such as chronic pulmonary emphysema, interstitial pneumonia, and old pulmonary tuberculosis as well as those in advanced stages, 24 patients with M. kansasii infection and 62 patients with M. tuberculosis infection were included in this study. The affected segments of the lungs and the rates of cavity development were determined by using CT scans. In patients with M.kansasii, 17 had an infected right lung, while 7 had an infected left lung. Additionally, in patients with M.tuberculosis, 58 had an infected right lung, 3 had an infected left lung, and 1 had a bilateral infection. In patients infected with M. kansasii, the upper lobes were affected in 22 cases and the lower lobes in 3 cases. In patients infected with M. tuberculosis, the upper, middle, and lower lobes and the lingular segment were affected in 41, 8, 24, and 1 cases, respectively. Upper lobe lesions were seen more frequently in patients with M. kansasii infection than in those with M. tuberculosis infection (p formation was identified more frequently in patients infected with M. kansasii (91.7%) than in those infected with M. tuberculosis (32.3%) (p < 0.001). Cavitary lesions were more frequently localized to the apical, posterior, and apico-posterior regions (S1, S2

[Computed tomographic semiotics of respiratory tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Gavrilov, P V; Lazareva, A S; Malashenkov, E A

2013-01-01

to study the computed tomographic (CT) semiotics of respiratory tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients in relation to the degree of immunosuppression. The study enrolled 74 patients with verified respiratory tuberculosis in the presence of HIV infection. According to the degree of immunosuppression and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention classification (Atlanta, USA, 1993), the patients were divided into 3 groups: (1) CD4 > or = 500 cells/microl (n = 10); 2) CD4 200-499 cells/microl (n = 28); (3) CD4 <200 cells/microl (n = 36). With spiral CT, focal changes with a predominance of clear-cut foci are visualized at a high frequency in the patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in the presence of HIV infection. In progressive immunosuppression, the CT pattern displays atypical syndromes (frosted glass-type foci, interstitial infiltration, and thin-walled cavities) with the lower rate of alveolar infiltration with confluent foci, as well as lung tissue decay. Enlarged intrathoracic lymph nodes are characteristic of 70.0% of the patients with HIV infection and tuberculosis regardless of the level of CD4 cells. As immunosuppression progresses, the CT pattern of respiratory tuberculosis in the presence of HIV infection shows as atypical syndromes (unclearly defined frosted glass-type focal changes, interstitial infiltrations, and thin-walled cavernous masses). A marked polymorphism in changes and a high rate of lymph node involvement are characteristic.

Efficacy of Antibiotic Suppressive Therapy in Patients with a Prosthetic Joint Infection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wouthuyzen-Bakker, Marjan; Nijman, Jasperina M; Kampinga, Greetje A; van Assen, Sander; Jutte, Paul C

2017-01-01

Introduction: For chronic prosthetic joint infections (PJI), complete removal of the infected prosthesis is necessary in order to cure the infection. Unfortunately, a subgroup of patients is not able to undergo a revision surgery due to high surgical risk. Alternatively, these patients can be

Efficacy of Antibiotic Suppressive Therapy in Patients with a Prosthetic Joint Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wouthuyzen-Bakker, Marjan; Nijman, Jasperina M; Kampinga, Greetje A; van Assen, Sander; Jutte, Paul C

2017-01-01

Introduction: For chronic prosthetic joint infections (PJI), complete removal of the infected prosthesis is necessary in order to cure the infection. Unfortunately, a subgroup of patients is not able to undergo a revision surgery due to high surgical risk. Alternatively, these patients can be treated with antibiotic suppressive therapy (AST) to suppress the infection. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of AST. Methods: We retrospectively collected data (period 2009-2015) from patients with a PJI (of hip, knee or shoulder) who were treated with AST at the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands. AST was defined as antibiotic treatment for PJI that was started after the usual 3 months of antibiotic treatment. The time of follow-up was defined from the time point AST was started. Treatment was considered as failed, when the patient still experienced joint pain, when surgical intervention (debridement, removal, arthrodesis or amputation) was needed to control the infection and/or when death occurred due to the infection. Results: We included 21 patients with a median age of 67 years (range 21 - 88) and with a median follow-up of 21 months (range 3 - 81). Coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) (n=6), S. aureus (n=6) and polymicrobial flora (n=4) were the most frequently found causative pathogens. Most patients with CNS and S. aureus were treated with minocycline (67%) and clindamycin (83%) as AST, respectively. Overall, treatment was successful in 67% of patients. Failure was due to persistent joint pain (n=1), surgical intervention because of an uncontrolled infection (n=3), and death due the infection (n=3). We observed a treatment success of 90% in patients with a 'standard' prosthesis (n=11), compared to only 50% in patients with a tumor-prosthesis (n=10). Also, treatment was successful in 83% of patients with a CNS as causative microorganism for the infection, compared to 50% in patients with a S. aureus . Patients who failed on AST had a

Dual-Lumen Chest Port Infection Rates in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer

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Bos, Aaron, E-mail: abos1210@gmail.com; Ahmed, Osman [University of Chicago Medical Center (United States); Jilani, Danial [Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine (United States); Giger, Maryellen; Funaki, Brian S.; Zangan, Steven M. [University of Chicago Medical Center (United States)

2015-06-15

PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate dual-lumen chest port infection rates in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) compared to those with other malignancies (non-HNC).Materials and MethodsAn IRB-approved retrospective study was performed on 1,094 consecutive chest ports placed over a 2-year period. Patients with poor follow-up (n = 53), no oncologic history (n = 13), or single-lumen ports (n = 183) were excluded yielding a study population of 845 patients. The electronic medical records were queried for demographic information, data regarding ports and infections, and imaging review.ResultsHNC patients experienced more infections (42 vs. 30), an increased infection rate per 1,000 catheter days (0.68 vs. 0.21), and more early infections within 30 days compared to non-HNC patients (10 vs. 6) (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.02, respectively). An existing tracheostomy at the time of port placement was associated with infection in the HNC group (p = 0.02) but was not an independent risk factor for infection in the study population overall (p = 0.06). There was a significant difference in age, male gender, and right-sided ports between the HNC and non-HNC groups (p < 0.01, p < 0.001, and p = 0.01), although these were not found to be independent risk factors for infection (p = 0.32, p = 0.76, p = 0.16).ConclusionHNC patients are at increased risk for infection of dual-lumen chest ports placed via a jugular approach compared to patients with other malignancies. Tracheostomy is associated with infection in HNC patients but is not an independent risk factor for infection in the oncologic population as a whole.

Dual-Lumen Chest Port Infection Rates in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bos, Aaron; Ahmed, Osman; Jilani, Danial; Giger, Maryellen; Funaki, Brian S.; Zangan, Steven M.

2015-01-01

PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate dual-lumen chest port infection rates in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) compared to those with other malignancies (non-HNC).Materials and MethodsAn IRB-approved retrospective study was performed on 1,094 consecutive chest ports placed over a 2-year period. Patients with poor follow-up (n = 53), no oncologic history (n = 13), or single-lumen ports (n = 183) were excluded yielding a study population of 845 patients. The electronic medical records were queried for demographic information, data regarding ports and infections, and imaging review.ResultsHNC patients experienced more infections (42 vs. 30), an increased infection rate per 1,000 catheter days (0.68 vs. 0.21), and more early infections within 30 days compared to non-HNC patients (10 vs. 6) (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.02, respectively). An existing tracheostomy at the time of port placement was associated with infection in the HNC group (p = 0.02) but was not an independent risk factor for infection in the study population overall (p = 0.06). There was a significant difference in age, male gender, and right-sided ports between the HNC and non-HNC groups (p < 0.01, p < 0.001, and p = 0.01), although these were not found to be independent risk factors for infection (p = 0.32, p = 0.76, p = 0.16).ConclusionHNC patients are at increased risk for infection of dual-lumen chest ports placed via a jugular approach compared to patients with other malignancies. Tracheostomy is associated with infection in HNC patients but is not an independent risk factor for infection in the oncologic population as a whole

The role of infection models and PK/PD modelling for optimising care of critically ill patients with severe infections.

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Tängdén, T; Ramos Martín, V; Felton, T W; Nielsen, E I; Marchand, S; Brüggemann, R J; Bulitta, J B; Bassetti, M; Theuretzbacher, U; Tsuji, B T; Wareham, D W; Friberg, L E; De Waele, J J; Tam, V H; Roberts, Jason A

2017-07-01

Critically ill patients with severe infections are at high risk of suboptimal antimicrobial dosing. The pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of antimicrobials in these patients differ significantly from the patient groups from whose data the conventional dosing regimens were developed. Use of such regimens often results in inadequate antimicrobial concentrations at the site of infection and is associated with poor patient outcomes. In this article, we describe the potential of in vitro and in vivo infection models, clinical pharmacokinetic data and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic models to guide the design of more effective antimicrobial dosing regimens. Individualised dosing, based on population PK models and patient factors (e.g. renal function and weight) known to influence antimicrobial PK, increases the probability of achieving therapeutic drug exposures while at the same time avoiding toxic concentrations. When therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is applied, early dose adaptation to the needs of the individual patient is possible. TDM is likely to be of particular importance for infected critically ill patients, where profound PK changes are present and prompt appropriate antibiotic therapy is crucial. In the light of the continued high mortality rates in critically ill patients with severe infections, a paradigm shift to refined dosing strategies for antimicrobials is warranted to enhance the probability of achieving drug concentrations that increase the likelihood of clinical success.

Dyslipidemia among HIV‑infected patients Translation from research ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Rodríguez-Carranza SI, Aguilar-Salinas CA. Metabolic abnormalities in patients with HIV infection. Rev Invest. Clin 2004;56:193-208. 3. Samaras K. The burden of diabetes and hyperlipidemia in treated HIV infection and approaches for cardiometabolic care. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 2012;9:206-17. Access this article online.

Suboptimal Addiction Interventions for Patients Hospitalized with Injection Drug Use-Associated Infective Endocarditis.

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Rosenthal, Elana S; Karchmer, Adolf W; Theisen-Toupal, Jesse; Castillo, Roger Araujo; Rowley, Chris F

2016-05-01

Infective endocarditis is a serious infection, often resulting from injection drug use. Inpatient treatment regularly focuses on management of infection without attention to the underlying addiction. We aimed to determine the addiction interventions done in patients hospitalized with injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis. This is a retrospective review of patients hospitalized with injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis from January, 2004 through August, 2014 at a large academic tertiary care center in Boston, Massachusetts. For the initial and subsequent admissions, data were collected regarding addiction interventions, including consultation by social work, addiction clinical nurse and psychiatry, documentation of addiction in the discharge summary plan, plan for medication-assisted treatment and naloxone provision. There were 102 patients admitted with injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis, 50 patients (49.0%) were readmitted and 28 (27.5%) patients had ongoing injection drug use at readmission. At initial admission, 86.4% of patients had social work consultation, 23.7% had addiction consultation, and 24.0% had psychiatry consultation. Addiction was mentioned in 55.9% of discharge summary plans, 7.8% of patients had a plan for medication-assisted treatment, and naloxone was never prescribed. Of 102 patients, 26 (25.5%) are deceased. The median age at death was 40.9 years (interquartile range 28.7-48.7). We found that patients hospitalized with injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis had high rates of readmission, recurrent infective endocarditis and death. Despite this, addiction interventions were suboptimal. Improved addiction interventions are imperative in the treatment of injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Atypical mycobacterial infection mimicking carbuncle in an elderly patient: A case report

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Terlinda Barros

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Atypical mycobacterium infection occurs under certain skin conditions, namely the disruption of skin integrity and mucous membranes accompanied by the reduction of cellular immunity. However, atypical mycobacterial infection in elderly patients is rarely reported. Case: A 64 years old male patient, complained of red lumps on the upper-backfor a month, accompanied by mild fever and minimal pain. Three months before, the patient had accupuncture on the neck and upper back. Physical examination showed multiple miliar to lenticular sized papules and pustules on an erythematous-violaceus base with hard and immobile palpable nodes and infiltrate. After clinical and laboratory workup, the patient was diagnosed withcarbuncle with Candida spp colonization. The treatment consisted of systemicantibiotics and topical antifungals. There was no clinical improvement after 3 weeks. Histopathology and laboratory results suggested atypical mycobacterium infection. Discussion: Atypical mycobacterium infection should be considered in elderly patients with skin and soft tissue infections that show no clinical improvement tostandard therapy.

Hypovitaminosis D increases TB co-infection risk on HIV patients

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Gayatri, Y. A. A. A.; Sukmawati, D. D.; Utama, S. M.; Somia, I. K. A.; Merati, T. P.

2018-03-01

Tuberculosis is causes of mortality and morbidity in patients with HIV. Hypovitaminosis D, a defective cell-mediated immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection has been extensively described in HIV patients, but studies assessing the role of vitamin D in TB-HIV co-infection are lacking. We, therefore, conducted a 1:1 pair- matched case-control study to verify hypovitaminosis D possible risk factor of TB- HIV co- infection. Consecutive HIV patients starting ARV and sex, age and CD4 cell count matched were by recruiting. Tuberculosis has confirmed by thepresence of acid-fast bacilli in sputum or mycobacterium detected in specimens culture/Gene Xpert/PCR. Vitamin D levels were by measuring direct chemiluminescent immunoassay on a LIAISON®25OH analyzer. The study comprised 25 cases and 25 controls, median (interquartile range) 25(OH)D3 serum concentration were 19.80 (12.15-27.45) ng/mL in cases and 33.30 (27.2-39.4) ng/mL in controls (PHIV patients.(OR 26.154 (90% CI: 4.371-156.541); p HIV co-infection.

Relapse of Legionella longbeachae infection in an immunocompromised patient

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van't Hullenaar, N. G.; van Ketel, R. J.; Kuijper, E. J.; Bakker, P. J.; Dankert, J.

1996-01-01

We describe the first known case of Legionella longbeachae infection in the Netherlands in a patient with myasthenia gravis. Infection with L. longbeachae relapsed after prolonged therapy with erythromycin. No environmental source of L. longbeachae could be traced

Coagulation system changes associated with susceptibility to infection in trauma patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Cole, Elaine; Davenport, Ross; De'Ath, Henry; De-Ath, Henry; Manson, Joanna; Brockamp, Thomas; Brohi, Karim

2013-01-01

Infection following trauma is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and is common following severe hemorrhage. There is a strong interaction between the coagulation and immunity. The objective of this study was to establish if there was an association between changes in coagulation status after hemorrhage and the subsequent incidence of infection. Prospective cohort study of adult injured patients presenting to a major trauma center during a 2-year period. Blood was drawn at 24 hours following admission and analyzed using functional thromboelastography testing and laboratory defined tests of coagulation and blood count. Patients were followed up for infectious episodes while in the hospital using Center for Disease Control definitions. A total of 158 patients were recruited; 71 (45%) developed infection and were older (44 years vs. 32 years, p = 0.01) and more severely injured (Injury Severity Score [ISS], 25 vs.10; p < 0.01). White blood cell counts at 24 hours were normal, and there was no difference between groups (both 9.6 × 10/(9)L). Protein C was lower in those with infection (70.2 IU/dL vs. 83.3 IU/dL, p = 0.02), with a dose-dependent increase in infection as levels of protein C decreased. Plasmin activation at 24 hours was also strongly associated with infection plasmin-antiplasmin (infection vs. no infection, 6,156 μg/L vs. 3,324 μg/L, p = 0.03). The infection cohort had overall 12% lower procoagulant levels (varied between factor VIII 6.4% and factor II 16.2%). There is a strong association between the status of the coagulation system after 24 hours and the development of infection following trauma. Improved early coagulation management may decrease infection rates in this patient group. Prognostic prospective study, level III.

Spontaneous neutrophil activation in HTLV-1 infected patients

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Jaqueline B. Guerreiro

Full Text Available Human T cell lymphotropic Virus type-1 (HTLV-1 induces lymphocyte activation and proliferation, but little is known about the innate immune response due to HTLV-1 infection. We evaluated the percentage of neutrophils that metabolize Nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT to formazan in HTLV-1 infected subjects and the association between neutrophil activation and IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha levels. Blood was collected from 35 HTLV-1 carriers, from 8 patients with HAM/TSP (HTLV-1- associated myelopathy; 22 healthy individuals were evaluated for spontaneous and lipopolysaccharide (LPS-stimulated neutrophil activity (reduction of NBT to formazan. The production of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha by unstimulated mononuclear cells was determined by ELISA. Spontaneous NBT levels, as well as spontaneous IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha production, were significantly higher (p<0.001 in HTLV-1 infected subjects than in healthy individuals. A trend towards a positive correlation was noted, with increasing percentage of NBT positive neutrophils and levels of IFN-gamma. The high IFN-gamma producing HTLV-1 patient group had significantly greater NBT than healthy controls, 43±24% and 17±4.8% respectively (p< 0.001, while no significant difference was observed between healthy controls and the low IFN-gamma-producing HTLV-1 patient group (30±20%. Spontaneous neutrophil activation is another marker of immune perturbation resulting from HTLV-1 infection. In vivo activation of neutrophils observed in HTLV-1 infected subjects is likely to be the same process that causes spontaneous IFN-gamma production, or it may partially result from direct IFN-gamma stimulation.

Clinical management of rapidly growing mycobacterial cutaneous infections in patients after mesotherapy.

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Regnier, Stéphanie; Cambau, Emmanuelle; Meningaud, Jean-Paul; Guihot, Amelie; Deforges, Lionel; Carbonne, Anne; Bricaire, François; Caumes, Eric

2009-11-01

Increasing numbers of patients are expressing an interest in mesotherapy as a method of reducing body fat. Cutaneous infections due to rapidly growing mycobacteria are a common complication of such procedures. We followed up patients who had developed cutaneous infections after undergoing mesotherapy during the period October 2006-January 2007. Sixteen patients were infected after mesotherapy injections performed by the same physician. All patients presented with painful, erythematous, draining subcutaneous nodules at the injection sites. All patients were treated with surgical drainage. Microbiological examination was performed on specimens that were obtained before and during the surgical procedure. Direct examination of skin smears demonstrated acid-fast bacilli in 25% of the specimens that were obtained before the procedure and 37% of the specimens obtained during the procedure; culture results were positive in 75% of the patients. Mycobacterium chelonae was identified in 11 patients, and Mycobacterium frederiksbergense was identified in 2 patients. Fourteen patients were treated with antibiotics, 6 received triple therapy as first-line treatment (tigecycline, tobramycin, and clarithromycin), and 8 received dual therapy (clarithromycin and ciprofloxacin). The mean duration of treatment was 14 weeks (range, 1-24 weeks). All of the patients except 1 were fully recovered 2 years after the onset of infection, with the mean time to healing estimated at 6.2 months (range, 1-15 months). This series of rapidly growing mycobacterial cutaneous infections highlights the difficulties in treating such infections and suggests that in vitro susceptibility to antibiotics does not accurately predict their clinical efficacy.

Tubuloreticular inclusions in skin biopsies from patients with HIV infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, C; Horn, T; Junge, Jette

1989-01-01

Skin biopsies obtained from apparently normal skin from 15 HIV infected patients and 6 anti-HIV negative patients were examined by electron microscopy. Tubuloreticular inclusions (TRI) were detected within the cytoplasm of capillary endothelial cells in 5/5 AIDS patients and in 2/5 patients...... of the patients without TRI, interferon activity was below detection level. The occurrence of TRI was not dependent on the presence of free p24 antigen in serum. It is concluded that the occurrence of TRI in entothelial cells of skin capillaries is associated with late stages of HIV infection and this may...

Lipid Profile of Anti Retroviral Treatment Naive HIV Infected Patients ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

hypercholesterolemia [22.4% (22/98) vs. 10.4% (11/106), P = 0.02]. Lower HDL.C was associated with CD4+ cell count < 200 cells/ƒÊL (P = 0.02). Conclusion: Lipid abnormalities are common in treatment.naive HIV.infected patients even in the absence of major host.related risk factors for dyslipidemia. HIV.infected patients ...

Ascending infection of foot tendons in diabetic patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Mismar, Ayman; Yousef, Mohammad; Badran, Darwish; Younes, Nidal

2013-12-01

Bone and soft tissue infection in the foot of diabetic patients is a well-described issue in the literature. A sound anatomical knowledge of the foot anatomy and compartments is mandatory to understand the mechanisms of infection spread. We describe four cases of diabetic foot infection complicated by long ascending infection. All did not respond initially to antibiotic treatment and the usual surgical debridement and were cured only after excision of the infected tendons. We highlight a rare but serious complication of the diabetic foot disease not commonly seen by the surgical community. We hope that this report raises the awareness of this condition so that a prompt diagnosis is made and appropriate treatment started, thereby reducing the risk of major lower limb amputations.

Prevalence of HIV infection among trauma patients admitted to ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Prevalence of HIV infection among trauma patients admitted to Bugando Medical Centre, ... This was a descriptive cross sectional study involving trauma patients aged 11 years and ... A total of 250 trauma patients were recruited and studied.

Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein as markers of bacterial infection in patients with solid tumours

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Diness, Laura V; Maraldo, Maja V; Mortensen, Christiane E

2014-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The diagnosis of bacterial infections in patients with solid tumours can be difficult as both the tumour and its treatment can cause symptoms and signs similar to those of infections. Many patients with solid tumours therefore receive antibiotic treatment without having a bacterial......, but with no signs of infection. RESULTS: Of the 41 admitted patients, 25 were classified as having an infection (either microbiologically or radioo-gically verified). Among the 25 cases with infection, PCT was within the normal range in 11 cases and only elevated in 14. As nearly half of the patients with infection...... had PCT within the normal range, PCT is not suited to exclude an infection. CRP was elevated in 20 patients out of the 25. CONCLUSION: PCT within the normal range cannot exclude an infection and does not appear to be superior to CRP to exclude an infection in patients with solid tumours. FUNDING...

Helicobacter pylori gastritis in HIV-infected patients: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Nevin, Daniel T; Morgan, Christopher J; Graham, David Y; Genta, Robert M

2014-10-01

The risk factors for acquiring Helicobacter pylori and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections are different: H. pylori is transmitted by gastro- or fecal-oral routes and is associated with low socioeconomic conditions, while HIV is transmitted through sexual intercourse, infected body fluids, and transplacentally. If the host responses to these infections were independent, the prevalence of H. pylori should be similar in HIV-infected and non-infected patients. Yet, several studies have detected a lower prevalence of H. pylori in patients with HIV infection, whereas other studies found either no differences or greater rates of H. pylori infection in HIV-positive subjects. To review studies that addressed the issue of these two simultaneous infections and attempt to determine whether reliable conclusions can be drawn from this corpus of often contrasting evidence. Electronic literature search for relevant publications, followed by manual search of additional citations from extracted articles. The initial search yielded 44 publications; after excluding case reports, reviews, narrowly focused articles, and duplicate reports, there remained 29 articles, which are the corpus of this review. With one exception, all studies reported higher rates of H. pylori infection in HIV-negative subjects. Five studies also examined the CD4 lymphocyte counts and found an inverse correlation between the degree of immunosuppression and the prevalence of active H. pylori infection. Current evidence suggests that it is likely that H. pylori needs a functional immune system to successfully and persistently colonize the human gastric mucosa. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Recurrence rate of clostridium difficile infection in hospitalized pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelsen, Judith R; Kim, Jason; Latta, Dan; Smathers, Sarah; McGowan, Karin L; Zaoutis, Theodore; Mamula, Petar; Baldassano, Robert N

2011-01-01

The incidence and associated morbidity of Clostridium difficile (CD) infection has been increasing at an alarming rate in North America. Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) is the leading cause of nosocomial diarrhea in the USA. Patients with CDAD have longer average hospital admissions and additional hospital costs. Evidence has demonstrated that patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have a higher incidence of CD in comparison to the general population. The aim of this study was to compare the rate of recurrence of CD in hospitalized pediatric patients with IBD compared to hospitalized controls. The secondary aim was to evaluate whether infection with CD resulted in a more severe disease course of IBD. This was a nested case control retrospective study of hospitalized pediatric patients. Diagnosis of CD was confirmed with stool Toxin A and B analysis. The following data were obtained from the medical records: demographic information, classification of IBD including location of disease, IBD therapy, and prior surgeries. In addition, prior hospital admissions within 1 year and antibiotic exposure were recorded. The same information was recorded following CD infection. Cases were patients with IBD and CD; two control populations were also studied: patients with CD but without IBD, and patients with IBD but without CD. For aim 1, a total of 111 eligible patients with IBD and CD infection and 77 eligible control patients with CD infection were included. The rate of recurrence of CD in the IBD population was 34% compared to 7.5% in the control population (P < 0.0001). In evaluating the effect of CD infection on IBD disease severity, we compared the 111 IBD patients with CD to a second control population of 127 IBD patients without CD. 57% of IBD-CD patients were readmitted with an exacerbation of disease within 6 months of infection with CD and 67% required escalation of therapy following CD infection, compared to 30% of IBD patients without CD (P

[Respiratory infections caused by metapneumovirus in elderly patients].

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Fica C, Alberto; Hernández C, Loreto; Porte T, Lorena; Castro S, Marcelo; Weitzel, Thomas

2011-04-01

Human metapneumovirus infections are increasingly recognized among adult patients and the aim of this report is to present a series of 4 cases admitted during the winter of 2010. All were detected by direct fluorescence anti-bodies assay of respiratory samples and all were female patients with an age range of 79 to 95 years, including two bedridden cases, one with dementia and three with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. One patient presented with parainfluenza 3 virus coinfection. Patients presented with pneumonía in 3 cases (interstitial pattern in 2 and lobar consolidation in the other) or acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis in the remaining case. Symptoms were present for 3 to 7 days before admission and 3 have wheezing. All had hypoxemic or global respiratory failure and lymphopenia (ventilation. Human metapneumovirus infections can decompensate elderly patients with chronic respiratory diseases generating hospital admission and a prolonged morbidity marked by obstructive manifestations and sometimes can become into death.

Pulmonary fungal infection: Imaging findings in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chong, Semin; Lee, Kyung Soo; Yi, Chin A; Chung, Myung Jin; Kim, Tae Sung; Han, Joungho

2006-01-01

Histoplasmosis is the most common endemic mycosis in North America, and is followed by coccidioidomycosis and blastomycosis. Although the majority of these infections in immunocompetent persons are self-limited, some patients can develop severe pneumonitis or various forms of chronic pulmonary infection. Cryptococcoci, Aspergillus, Candidas, and Mucorals are ubiquitous organisms, which may affect immunocompromised patients. Specific imaging findings can be expected, depending on the organisms involved, underlying patients' conditions (immune status), and specific situations after immune depleting procedures

Factors associated with tooth loss and prosthodontic status among Sudanese adults.

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Khalifa, Nadia; Allen, Patrick F; Abu-bakr, Neamat H; Abdel-Rahman, Manar E

2012-01-01

A study was conducted to determine the degree of tooth loss, factors influencing tooth loss, and the extent of prosthodontic rehabilitation in Sudanese adults (≥ 16 years old) attending outpatient clinics in Khartoum State. Pearson and multivariate analyses were used to examine the relationships between tooth loss and specific characteristics determined through interviews and clinical examinations. The mean number of missing teeth was 3.6 (SD, 4.9) and the prevalence of edentulism was 0.1%. The prevalence of tooth loss (missing at least one tooth) was 78%; 66.9% of tooth loss was due to caries, and 11.2% was attributable to other reasons. Prosthetic replacement of missing teeth was evident in 3%, whereas a need for prosthetic replacement was evident in 57%. Having teeth was associated with age, gender, and socioeconomic status; tooth loss due to caries was associated with age, tribe, frequency of tooth-brushing, and a low rate of dental consultation. Tooth loss due to other reasons was associated with age, tribe, education, periodontal pocketing, tobacco use, tooth wear, and prosthetic status. The results of the present study indicated that the major cause of tooth loss was dental caries, thus emphasizing the importance of a public prevention-based healthcare program. Replacement of missing teeth was uncommon in the study subjects, which may reflect lack of access to this type of oral healthcare.

Nosocomial infections among acute leukemia patients in China: An economic burden analysis.

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Wu, Xiaohui; Yan, Tianyuan; Liu, Yunhong; Wang, Jingna; Li, Yingxia; Wang, Shuhui

2016-10-01

The economic burden associated nosocomial infections (NIs) in patients with acute leukemia (AL) in China was unclear. A prospective study was conducted to quantify the medical cost burden of NIs among AL patients. Nine hundred ninety-four patients diagnosed with AL between January 2011 and December 2013 were included. Relevant necessary information was extracted from the hospital information system and hospital infection surveillance system. The primary outcome was incidence of NIs and the secondary was economic burden results, including extra medical costs and prolonged length of stay (LOS). We estimated the total incremental cost of NIs by comparing all-cause health care costs in patients with versus without infections. Prolonged duration of stay was compared in patients with different infections. Of 994 patients with AL, 277 (27.9%) experienced NIs. NI was associated with a total incremental cost of $3,092 per patient ($5,227 vs $2,135; P economic burden on patients with AL. The study highlights the influence of NIs on LOS and health care costs and appeal to the establishment of prophylactic measures for NIs to reduce the unnecessary waste of medical resources in the long run. Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MYCOPLASMA GENITALIUM INFECTION PREVALENCE IN PATIENTS WITH HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS

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Rini Rasianti

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: To determine the prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium (M. genitalium infection in HIV positive patients by PCR examination in Teratai Clinic of Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung in order to reduce sexually transmitted diseases, especially M. genitalium infection in HIV positive patients. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study with consecutive sampling methods. Eighty one HIV positive patients attending the Teratai Clinic of Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung were recruited to be the subjects of this study. All subjects underwent history taking, physical examination, and PCR examination for M. genitalium. Specimens were taken from cervical smear in females and first void urine in male. Results: The prevalence of M. genitalium based on the PCR examination in HIV positive patients attended to Teratai Clinic Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital Bandung was 9%. Conclusions: Mycoplasmal infection identification based on PCR examination should be considered for routine screening test to reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases in HIV positive patients.

The association of pagophagia with Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with iron-deficiency anemia.

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Asma, Suheyl; Boga, Can; Ozdogu, Hakan; Serin, Ender

2009-07-01

This study aimed to determine the relationship between pagophagia (compulsive ice eating) and H. pylori infection in patients with iron-deficiency anemia. We identified H. pylori infection using the (13)C-urea breath test in 45 patients with iron-deficiency anemia (group 1) and 55 patients with iron-deficiency anemia and pagophagia (group 2). Subgroups for testing oral intestinal iron absorption were randomly assigned from both groups. These subgroups consisted of (a) 10 patients with iron-deficiency anemia, (b) 10 patients with iron-deficiency anemia and pagophagia, (c) 10 patients with iron-deficiency anemia, pagophagia, and H. pylori infection before the eradication of H. pylori and (d) subgroup c after eradication therapy. There was no difference in the rate of H. pylori infection in the iron-deficiency anemia groups, with or without pagophagia. Furthermore, oral intestinal iron absorption was not influenced by pagophagia and/or H. pylori infection. Pagophagia did not increase the risk of H. pylori infection in patients with iron-deficiency anemia. Pagophagia and H. pylori infection do not synergistically affect the development of intestinal iron absorption abnormalities.

A Case of Odontogenic Infection by Streptococcus constellatus Leading to Systemic Infection in a Cogan’s Syndrome Patient

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Masanobu Abe

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Odontogenic infection in immunocompromised patients tends to extend systemically beyond the oral cavity. Our case report presents a patient with sepsis due to a Streptococcus constellatus (S. constellatus odontogenic infection in a 64-year-old-immunocompromised woman with Cogan’s syndrome. She had been suffering from chronic mandibular osteomyelitis which was thought to have been caused by dental caries and/or chronic periodontitis with furcation involvement of the left mandibular first molar. We suspect that the acute symptoms of the chronic osteomyelitis due to S. constellatus led to the systemic infection. This infection could be accelerated by the use of a corticosteroid and an alendronate. This is the first report which represents the potential association between odontogenic infection and Cogan’s syndrome.

Epidemiology of tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dragsted, Ulrik Bak; Bauer, J; Poulsen, S

1999-01-01

increased in the younger age groups, indicating more newly infected persons. This study was performed in order to assess the impact of the HIV epidemic and immigration on TB incidence among native Danes. The study was also designed to reveal transmission patterns of TB among HIV-positive patients. Data from......Denmark is an area of low incidence of HIV and tuberculosis (TB). The number of newly reported cases of HIV has been stable during the 1990s, whereas the number of TB cases has doubled in Denmark in the past decade, mainly due to immigration. However, among native Danes the incidence of TB has...... HIV-TB co-infected patients identified in the national registers of TB and AIDS from 1992-95 were collected retrospectively from medical records. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses of TB isolates from co-infected patients were compared with all patterns registered...

Engaging patients in the prevention of health care-associated infections: a survey of patients' awareness, knowledge, and perceptions regarding the risks and consequences of infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile.

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Ottum, Andrew; Sethi, Ajay K; Jacobs, Elizabeth; Zerbel, Sara; Gaines, Martha E; Safdar, Nasia

2013-04-01

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections and Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) are major health care-associated infections (HAIs). Little is known about patients' knowledge of these HAIs. Therefore, we surveyed patients to determine awareness, knowledge, and perceptions of MRSA infections and CDI. An interviewer-administered questionnaire. A tertiary care academic medical center. Adult patients who met at least one of the following criteria: at risk of CDI or MRSA infection, current CDI or colonization or current MRSA infection or colonization, or history of CDI or MRSA infection. Two unique surveys were developed and administered to 100 patients in 2011. Overall, 76% of patients surveyed were aware of MRSA, whereas 44% were aware of C difficile. The strongest predictor of patients' awareness of these infections was having a history of HAI. Patients with a history of HAI were significantly more likely to have heard of both MRSA (odds ratio, 13.29; 95% confidence interval, 2.84-62.14; P = .001) and C difficile (odds ratio, 9.78; 95% confidence interval, 2.66-35.95; P = .001), than those patients without a history of HAI. There was also a significant positive association between having a history of HAI and greater knowledge of the risk factors, health consequences, and prevention techniques relative to CDI and MRSA infections. There are additional opportunities to engage patients about the risks and consequences of MRSA and CDIs, particularly those without a history of HAI. Copyright © 2013 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Detection of periprosthetic joint infections in presumed aseptic patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Yijuan; Lorenzen, Jan; Thomsen, Trine Rolighed

2016-01-01

Title: Detection of periprosthetic joint infections in presumed aseptic patients Yijuan Xu1, Jan Lorenzen1, Trine Rolighed Thomsen1,2, Kathrin Kluba3, Kathrin Chamaon3, Christoph Lohmann3 1. Danish Technological Institute, Aarhus, Denmark 2. Center for Microbial Communities, Department of Biotech......Title: Detection of periprosthetic joint infections in presumed aseptic patients Yijuan Xu1, Jan Lorenzen1, Trine Rolighed Thomsen1,2, Kathrin Kluba3, Kathrin Chamaon3, Christoph Lohmann3 1. Danish Technological Institute, Aarhus, Denmark 2. Center for Microbial Communities, Department...... of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, Denmark 3. Department of Orthopaedics, Otto-von-Guericke University of Magdeburg, Germany Aim: ”The HypOrth project (New approaches in the development of Hypoallergenic implant material in Orthopaedics: Steps to personalised medicine......) aims to investigate adverse immune reactions to implant materials. For this project, it is of utmost importance to exclude patients with periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs). The aim of this study was to rule out PJIs in included patients using prolonged culture and next generation sequencing (NGS...

INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS IN INTRAVENOUS DRUGS ABUSED PATIENT

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E. Y. Ponomareva

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Three-year observation of acute tricuspid infective endocarditis in intravenous drug abused patient: diagnosis, clinical features, visceral lesions, the possibility of cardiac surgery and conservative treatment, outcome.

INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS IN INTRAVENOUS DRUGS ABUSED PATIENT

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E. Y. Ponomareva

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Three-year observation of acute tricuspid infective endocarditis in intravenous drug abused patient: diagnosis, clinical features, visceral lesions, the possibility of cardiac surgery and conservative treatment, outcome.

Systolic function evaluated with cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in HIV-infected patients

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Leonie Scholtz

2016-11-01

Objectives: To ascertain whether there were any morphological abnormalities or systolic functional impairments on CMR in untreated asymptomatic HIV-infected patients, compared with HIV-uninfected control individuals. Methods: The CMR studies were performed using a 1.5-T whole-body clinical magnetic resonance 16-channel scanner (Achieva, Philips Medical Systems, Best, The Netherlands, using a cardiac five-element phased-array receiver coil (SENSE coil. Functional assessment was performed on 36 HIV-infected patients and the findings compared with 35 HIV-uninfected control patients who were matched for age and sex. Results: There was no significant difference in systolic function between the HIV-uninfected and the HIV-infected patients. The left ventricular end diastolic mass (LVEDM was slightly higher in the HIV-infected group, but this was statistically insignificant. Conclusion: No significant differences were found regarding the CMR systolic functional analysis and morphological parameters between the HIV-infected and the healthy volunteers.

Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Anti-HBc (Total Positivity in CKD Patients before Dialysis

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Fareha Jesmin Rabbi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background: CKD patients are associated with HBV infection both as a cause and complication of treatment. CKD patients before starting dialysis therapy are considered as a high risk group because of impaired immune response compared with healthy individuals and also other risk factors related with treatment and management. Only HBsAg marker does not always follow the presence or absence of HBV infection. Anti-HBc (total alone positivity indicates previous exposure to HBV infection, window period and even after reactivation of resolved HBV infection. In some cases only anti-HBc positivity is interpreted as possible chronic low dose HBV infection (chronic carriage. Predialytic CKD patients were tested with three serological markers [HBsAg, anti-HBc (total and anti-HBs] for screening HBV infection. Proper diagnosis before dialysis and knowing the infection status would help both the patient and doctor to choose proper treatment approach. Objective: This cross-sectional study was done in the CKD patients before starting dialysis therapy to find out the HBV infection and to evaluate the infection by minimal serological markers as for screening. Materials and Methods: A total of 211 patients with chronic kidney disease stage five (CKD-V before starting dialysis therapy were included as subjects of this cross-sectional study. Among the CKD patients HBsAg was tested to see the prevalence. Other serological markers, i.e., anti-HBc (total and anti-HBs were tested in combination with HBsAg in 89 randomly selected patients among the subjects. The patients were also tested for anti-HCV to assess co-infection. After collecting all the data of different test results analyses were done by SPSS version 15.0. Results: Among total study population 10 (4.7% patients were found HBsAg positive. No patient was found positive for both HBsAg and anti-HCV. Among the 89 CKD patients only 2 (2.2% patients were HBsAg positive, and only one patient (0.9% was found positive

Effects of Clostridium difficile infection in patients with alcoholic hepatitis.

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Sundaram, Vinay; May, Folasade P; Manne, Vignan; Saab, Sammy

2014-10-01

Infection increases mortality in patients with alcoholic hepatitis (AH). Little is known about the association between Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) and AH. We examined the prevalence and effects of CDI in patients with AH, compared with those of other infections. We performed a cross-sectional analysis using data collected from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, from 2008 through 2011. International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification codes were used to identify patients with AH. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine risk factors that affect mortality, negative binomial regression to evaluate the effects of CDI on predicted length of stay (LOS), and Poisson regression to determine the effects of CDI on predicted hospital charges. Chi-square and Wilcoxon rank-sum analyses were used to compare mortality, LOS, and hospital charges associated with CDI with those associated with urinary tract infection (UTI) and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). Of 10,939 patients with AH, 177 had CDI (1.62%). Patients with AH and CDI had increased odds of inpatient mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.75; P = .04), a longer predicted LOS (10.63 vs 5.75 d; P effects appear similar to those for UTI and SBP. We propose further studies to determine the cost effectiveness of screening for CDI among patients with AH. Copyright © 2014 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Evaluation of Nosocomial Infections in Pediatric Patients with Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support

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Pelin Ayyıldız

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO has become a standard technique over the past few decades in intensive care unit (ICU. Objective: A review of pediatric patients who received ECMO support in the pediatric cardiac ICU was conducted to determine the incidence, risk factors and causal organisms related to acquired infections and assess the survival rates of ECMO patients with nosocomial infections. Methods: Sixty-six patients who received ECMO support in the pediatric cardiac ICU between January 2011 and June 2014 were included in the study. Demographic, echocardiographic, hemodynamic features and surgical procedures were reviewed. Results: Sixty-six patients received a total of 292.5 days of venoarterial ECMO support. Sixty were postoperative patients. Forty-five patients were weaned from ECMO support with an ECMO survival rate of 68.2%. The rate of infection was 116.2/1000 ECMO days. Prolonged ICU stay, duration of ventilation and ECMO were found associated with development of nosocomial infection and only the duration of ECMO was an independent risk factor for nosocomial infections in ECMO patients. Conclusion: The correction of the underlying process leading to ECMO support and shortening the length of ECMO duration together with stricter application of ECMO indications would improve the infection incidence and hospital surveillance of the patient group.

Differentiated treatment of patients with acne and concomitant candida infection

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Yaakubi Randa

2016-12-01

Full Text Available There are a lot of works, which are devoted to the study of acne, but these data are often contradictory on the issue of interrelationship and interdependence of clinical manifestations, course and some factors in the pathogenesis of acne and candida infection. Aim of the research was to study the effect of the recommended differentiated therapy on the pathogenetic disorders in patients with acne and concomitant Candida infection. Methods and results. 120 patients with acne were examined. In 100 of them concomitant skin malasseziosis was set in the form of pityriasis rosea, kerosis, comedones, folliculitis, seborrhea, multicolored zoster, with some features, as well as candidiasis. Methods of the research – bacterioscopic, bacteriological, study of skin oiliness and moisture, skin pH, the level of Ca ++, parathyroid hormone and calcitonin. In patients with acne significant shifts in the composition of water-lipid mantle, increased oiliness and decreased moisture of skin, pH changes with a shift to the alkaline side were revealed, the most pronounced – in acne patients with Candida infection. The content of Ca ++ in the organism, as well as parathyroid hormone and calcitonin was increased and also the most indicative it was in patients with acne and concomitant Candida infection. After the comparative analysis on the basis of different levels of clinical and laboratory violations two clinical-therapeutic groups were distinguished, in accordance with that the differentiated therapy offered by us was conducted. Increased oiliness and Рh of skin, decline of moisture before the treatment, especially in patients with III and IV stages of acne, complicated by Candida infection, were normalized after treatment, unlike in patients treated traditionally. Conclusion. After treatment intensity of microbal colonization and also microbal associations of skin was diminished, the level of Ca++, parathyroid hormone and calcitonin went down.

Impact of Glycemic Control on Risk of Infections in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

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Mor, Anil; Dekkers, Olaf M; Nielsen, Jens S

2017-01-01

Infections are a major clinical challenge for type 2 diabetes patients, but little is known about the impact of glycemic control. We used Cox regression analyses to examine the association between baseline and time-varying HbA1c values and development of community antiinfective-treated and hospital.......51, 1.79) for the latest updated HbA1c. Our findings provide evidence for an association of current hyperglycemia with infection risk in type 2 diabetes patients.......-treated infections in 69,318 patients with type 2 diabetes diagnosed between 2000 and 2012 in Northern Denmark. Incidence rates were 394/1,000 patient-years for community-treated infections and 63/1,000 patient-years for hospital-treated infections. The adjusted hazard ratios for community-treated infection at an Hb...

Stroke in a patient with tuberculous meningitis and HIV infection

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Maria Bruna Pasticci

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Tuberculous meningitis (TBM is a devastating disease. TBM occurs more commonly in HIV infected patients. The influence of HIV co-infection on clinical manifestations and outcome of TBM is not well defined. Yet, some differences have been observed and stroke has been recorded to occur more frequently. This study reports on an HIV infected Caucasian female with lung, meningeal tuberculosis and stroke due to a cortical sub-cortical ischemic lesion.TBM was documented in the absence of neurologic symptoms. At the same time, miliary lung TB caused by multi-susceptible Mycobacterium tuberculosis was diagnosed. Anti-TB therapy consisting of a combination of four drugs was administered. The patient improved and was discharged five weeks later. In conclusion, TBM and multiple underling pathologies including HIV infection, as well as other risk factors can lead to a greater risk of stroke. Moreover, drug interactions and their side effects add levels of complexity. TBM must be included in the differential diagnosis of HIV infected patients with stroke and TBM treatment needs be started as soon as possible before the onset of vasculopathy.

Management of Infection and Febrile Neutropenia in Patients with Solid Cancer.

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Aguado, José María; Cruz, Juan Jesús; Virizuela, Juan Antonio; Aguilar, Manuela; Carmona, Alberto; Cassinello, Javier; Gudiol, Carlota; Jiménez Fonseca, Paula; Lizasoain, Manuel; Marco, Francesc; Ruiz, Isabel; Ruiz, Maribel; Salavert, Miguel; Vicente, David; Carratalà, Jordi

A group of experts from the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC) and the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) have reviewed in this paper the main aspects to be considered in the evaluation of patients with solid cancer and infectious diseases. They have established a series of recommendations on the prevention of the most prevalent infections in these patients, the use of vaccines, the control measures of vascular catheter infection and prevention of infections before certain surgical procedures. Also the criteria for management of febrile neutropenia and the use of colony-stimulating factors were revised. Finally they provide a series of recommendations for the treatment of cancer patients with severe infection. The document is completed with a series of measures for the control of hospital infection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Positron emission tomography in patients suffering from HIV-1 infection

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Sathekge, Mike [University Hospital of Pretoria, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Pretoria (South Africa); Goethals, Ingeborg; Wiele, Christophe van de [University Hospital Ghent, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ghent (Belgium); Maes, Alex [AZ Groening, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Kortrijk (Belgium)

2009-07-15

This paper reviews currently available PET studies performed either to improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection or to assess the value of PET imaging in the clinical decision making of patients infected with HIV-1 presenting with AIDS-related opportunistic infections and malignancies. FDG PET has shown that HIV-1 infection progresses by distinct anatomical steps, with involvement of the upper torso preceding involvement of the lower part of the torso, and that the degree of FDG uptake relates to viral load. The former finding suggests that lymphoid tissues are engaged in a predictable sequence and that diffusible mediators of activation might be important targets for vaccine or therapeutic intervention strategies. In lipodystrophic HIV-infected patients, limited available data support the hypothesis that stavudine-related lipodystrophy is associated with increased glucose uptake by adipose tissue as a result of the metabolic stress of adipose tissue in response to highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART). Finally, in early AIDS-related dementia complex (ADC), striatal hypermetabolism is observed, whereas progressive ADC is characterized by a decrease in subcortical and cortical metabolism. In the clinical setting, PET has been shown to allow the differentiation of AIDS-related opportunistic infections and malignancies, and to allow monitoring of side effects of HAART. However, in patients suffering from HIV infection and presenting with extracerebral lymphoma or other human malignancies, knowledge of viraemia is essential when interpreting FDG PET imaging. (orig.)

Positron emission tomography in patients suffering from HIV-1 infection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sathekge, Mike; Goethals, Ingeborg; Wiele, Christophe van de; Maes, Alex

2009-01-01

This paper reviews currently available PET studies performed either to improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection or to assess the value of PET imaging in the clinical decision making of patients infected with HIV-1 presenting with AIDS-related opportunistic infections and malignancies. FDG PET has shown that HIV-1 infection progresses by distinct anatomical steps, with involvement of the upper torso preceding involvement of the lower part of the torso, and that the degree of FDG uptake relates to viral load. The former finding suggests that lymphoid tissues are engaged in a predictable sequence and that diffusible mediators of activation might be important targets for vaccine or therapeutic intervention strategies. In lipodystrophic HIV-infected patients, limited available data support the hypothesis that stavudine-related lipodystrophy is associated with increased glucose uptake by adipose tissue as a result of the metabolic stress of adipose tissue in response to highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART). Finally, in early AIDS-related dementia complex (ADC), striatal hypermetabolism is observed, whereas progressive ADC is characterized by a decrease in subcortical and cortical metabolism. In the clinical setting, PET has been shown to allow the differentiation of AIDS-related opportunistic infections and malignancies, and to allow monitoring of side effects of HAART. However, in patients suffering from HIV infection and presenting with extracerebral lymphoma or other human malignancies, knowledge of viraemia is essential when interpreting FDG PET imaging. (orig.)

Plasmodium Parasitemia Associated With Increased Survival in Ebola Virus–Infected Patients

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Rosenke, Kyle; Adjemian, Jennifer; Munster, Vincent J.; Marzi, Andrea; Falzarano, Darryl; Onyango, Clayton O.; Ochieng, Melvin; Juma, Bonventure; Fischer, Robert J.; Prescott, Joseph B.; Safronetz, David; Omballa, Victor; Owuor, Collins; Hoenen, Thomas; Groseth, Allison; Martellaro, Cynthia; van Doremalen, Neeltje; Zemtsova, Galina; Self, Joshua; Bushmaker, Trenton; McNally, Kristin; Rowe, Thomas; Emery, Shannon L.; Feldmann, Friederike; Williamson, Brandi N.; Best, Sonja M.; Nyenswah, Tolbert G.; Grolla, Allen; Strong, James E.; Kobinger, Gary; Bolay, Fatorma K.; Zoon, Kathryn C.; Stassijns, Jorgen; Giuliani, Ruggero; de Smet, Martin; Nichol, Stuart T.; Fields, Barry; Sprecher, Armand; Massaquoi, Moses; Feldmann, Heinz; de Wit, Emmie

2016-01-01

Background. The ongoing Ebola outbreak in West Africa has resulted in 28 646 suspected, probable, and confirmed Ebola virus infections. Nevertheless, malaria remains a large public health burden in the region affected by the outbreak. A joint Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Institutes of Health diagnostic laboratory was established in Monrovia, Liberia, in August 2014, to provide laboratory diagnostics for Ebola virus. Methods. All blood samples from suspected Ebola virus–infected patients admitted to the Médecins Sans Frontières ELWA3 Ebola treatment unit in Monrovia were tested by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction for the presence of Ebola virus and Plasmodium species RNA. Clinical outcome in laboratory-confirmed Ebola virus–infected patients was analyzed as a function of age, sex, Ebola viremia, and Plasmodium species parasitemia. Results. The case fatality rate of 1182 patients with laboratory-confirmed Ebola virus infections was 52%. The probability of surviving decreased with increasing age and decreased with increasing Ebola viral load. Ebola virus–infected patients were 20% more likely to survive when Plasmodium species parasitemia was detected, even after controlling for Ebola viral load and age; those with the highest levels of parasitemia had a survival rate of 83%. This effect was independent of treatment with antimalarials, as this was provided to all patients. Moreover, treatment with antimalarials did not affect survival in the Ebola virus mouse model. Conclusions. Plasmodium species parasitemia is associated with an increase in the probability of surviving Ebola virus infection. More research is needed to understand the molecular mechanism underlying this remarkable phenomenon and translate it into treatment options for Ebola virus infection. PMID:27531847

Neoplasms-associated deaths in HIV-1 infected and non-infected patients in Bahia, Brazil.

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Marques, Marinho; Luz, Estela; Leal, Mateus; Oliveira, João Vitor; Patrício, Rejane; Netto, Eduardo Martins; Brites, Carlos

2018-05-01

HIV-infected patients are at a higher risk to develop malignancies than general population. Although AIDS-related malignancies are a common feature of late-stage disease, patients under successful antiretroviral therapy also have an increased risk for development of non-AIDS malignancies. To compare the frequency and characteristics of adults HIV-infected patients and general population who died of malignancies in Bahia, Brazil from January 2000 to December 2010. National Information System on Mortality (SIM) was searched to identify all deaths in the study period caused by malignancies in general population and in HIV patients. The frequency of malignancies in these two groups was compared. For HIV patients we also recorded the last HIV-1 RNA plasma viral load and CD4+ cells count, retrieved from oficial databases on laboratory monitoring for HIV patients. In the study period 733,645 deaths were reported, 677,427 (92.3%) of them in individual older than 13 years. Malignancies were the cause of death in 77,174 (11.4%) of them, and 5156 (0.8%) were associated to HIV/Aids. Among deaths of HIV/Aids patients, Kaposi´s sarcoma was the most prevalent malignancy (OR: 309.7; 95% CI: 177-544), followed by non-Hodgkin lymphoma (OR: 10.1; 95% CI: 5.3-19.3), Hodgkin´s lymphoma (OR: 4.3; 95% CI: 2.2-8.4), and cranial nervous malignancies (OR: 3.3; 95% CI:1.6-7.0). HIV patients died at a significantly lower age (43.7 years), than general population (64.5 years, p HIV infection is a clear risk fator for development of some malignancies, and is associated with early mortality, compared to general population. The level of CD4+ cells count predicts the type of malignancies causing death in this population. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oral Manifestations of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients

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Atessa Pakfetrat

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Oral lesions are among the earliest clinical manifestations of human immunodeficiency (HIV infection and are important in early diagnosis and for monitoring the progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of oral lesions and their relationship with a number of factors in HIV/AIDS patients attending an HIV center.     Methods: A total of 110 HIV-positive patients were examined to investigate the prevalence of oral lesions according to the criteria established by the European Community Clearing House on Oral Problems Related to HIV Infection. An independent T-test was used for correlation of oral lesions with CD4+ count and a χ2 test was used for analysis of the relationship of co-infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV, sexual contact, route of transmission, history of drug abuse, and history of incarceration.   Results: Most of the cases were male patients (82.7%. The mean age across all participants was 36.2±8.1 years. Rampant carries, severe periodontitis and oral candidiasis were the most notable oral lesions. Oral lesions were more prevalent in patients between 26–35 years of age. There was a significant difference between patients with and without pseudomembranous candidiasis and angular cheilitis according to mean level of CD4+.   Conclusion: The most common oral presentations were severe periodontitis, pseudomembranous candidiasis and xerostomia.

Oral Manifestations of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients

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Atessa Pakfetrat

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Oral lesions are among the earliest clinical manifestations of human immunodeficiency (HIV infection and are important in early diagnosis and for monitoring the progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of oral lesions and their relationship with a number of factors in HIV/AIDS patients attending an HIV center.     Methods: A total of 110 HIV-positive patients were examined to investigate the prevalence of oral lesions according to the criteria established by the European Community Clearing House on Oral Problems Related to HIV Infection. An independent T-test was used for correlation of oral lesions with CD4+ count and a χ2 test was used for analysis of the relationship of co-infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV, sexual contact, route of transmission, history of drug abuse, and history of incarceration.   Results: Most of the cases were male patients (82.7%. The mean age across all participants was 36.2±8.1 years. Rampant carries, severe periodontitis and oral candidiasis were the most notable oral lesions. Oral lesions were more prevalent in patients between 26–35 years of age. There was a significant difference between patients with and without pseudomembranous candidiasis and angular cheilitis according to mean level of CD4+.   Conclusion: The most common oral presentations were severe periodontitis, pseudomembranous candidiasis and xerostomia. 

Characterization of wound infections among patients injured during the 2011 Libyan conflict.

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Dau, A A; Tloba, S; Daw, M A

2013-04-01

Few studies have analysed the bacterial pathogenesis of infections associated with war-wound in the Eastern Mediterranean region. We analysed surgical wound infections of 1200 patients injured during the Libyan conflict in 2011 and admitted to the emergency services at Tripoli medical centre. Culture swabs or surgical wound debridement samples were collected and cultures were identified and tested for antimicrobial resistance. Of the 1200 patients studied, 498 (42%) were infected with at least 1 pathogen and 57 with >2 pathogens. The most common species were Acinetobacter spp. (isolated from 144 patients), coagulase-negative staphylococci (122), Escherichia coli (107), Pseudomnonas aeruginosa (92) and Klebsiella spp. (86). A high level of resistance to the antibiotics tested was found, especially among Acinetobacter spp. Multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli were an important complicating factor in wound infections associated with war injuries among injured patients in Libya. Effective policies are needed to control and treat such infections particularly in trauma and emergency services.

Oxidative Stress in Patients with HIV-Infection

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L.V. Moroz

2013-11-01

Full Text Available In the study we investigated the frequency and depth of liver injury in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, depending on age, sex, duration of disease, effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART. It is found that in patients with HIV-infection with the III degree of hepatotoxicity, antioxidant defense system is more depleted under the influence of HAART.

Quantitative Simulations Predict Treatment Strategies Against Fungal Infections in Virtual Neutropenic Patients.

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Timme, Sandra; Lehnert, Teresa; Prauße, Maria T E; Hünniger, Kerstin; Leonhardt, Ines; Kurzai, Oliver; Figge, Marc Thilo

2018-01-01

The condition of neutropenia, i.e., a reduced absolute neutrophil count in blood, constitutes a major risk factor for severe infections in the affected patients. Candida albicans and Candida glabrata are opportunistic pathogens and the most prevalent fungal species in the human microbiota. In immunocompromised patients, they can become pathogenic and cause infections with high mortality rates. In this study, we use a previously established approach that combines experiments and computational models to investigate the innate immune response during blood stream infections with the two fungal pathogens C. albicans and C. glabrata . First, we determine immune-reaction rates and migration parameters under healthy conditions. Based on these findings, we simulate virtual patients and investigate the impact of neutropenic conditions on the infection outcome with the respective pathogen. Furthermore, we perform in silico treatments of these virtual patients by simulating a medical treatment that enhances neutrophil activity in terms of phagocytosis and migration. We quantify the infection outcome by comparing the response to the two fungal pathogens relative to non-neutropenic individuals. The analysis reveals that these fungal infections in neutropenic patients can be successfully cleared by cytokine treatment of the remaining neutrophils; and that this treatment is more effective for C. glabrata than for C. albicans .

Gonococcal arthritis in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients. Review of the literature.

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Sena Corrales, Gabriel; Mora Navas, Laura; Palacios Muñoz, Rosario; García López, Victoria; Márquez Solero, Manuel; Santos González, Jesús

We report a case of gonococcal arthritis in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and review 17 previously published cases; only one patient presented urethritis, and blood cultures were positive in one case. Gonococcal arthritis is rare in HIV-infected patients and is not usually associated with other symptoms. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute arthritis in patients with HIV infection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights reserved.

Subcutaneous infection by Ochroconis mirabilis in an immunocompetent patient

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Dongmei Shi

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Recently, the taxonomy of Ochroconis (Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Venturiales, Sympoventuriaceae has been revised with the recognition of an additional genus, Verruconis. Ochroconis comprises mesophilic saprobes that occasionally infect vertebrates which mostly are cold-blooded, while Verruconis contains thermophilic species which is a neurotrope in humans and birds. On the basis of molecular data it is noted that only a single Ochroconis species regularly infects immunocompetent human hosts. Here we report a subcutaneous infection due to Ochroconis mirabilis in a 50-year-old immunocompetent female patient. In vitro antifungal susceptibility tests revealed that terbinafine was the most effective drug. The patient was successfully cured with oral administration of terbinafine 250 mg daily in combination with 3 times of topical ALA-photodynamic therapy for 9 months.

Catheter-Related Urinary Tract Infection in Patients Suffering from Spinal Cord Injuries

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Amela Dedeić-Ljubović

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Urinary tract infection is commoner in patients with spinal cord injuries because of incomplete bladder emptying and the use of catheters that can result in the introduction of bacteria into the bladder. 145 patients suffering from spinal cord injuries, admitted to the Institute for physical medicine and rehabilitation, Centre for paraplegia of the Clinical Centre of the University of Sarajevo, were included. The patients were divided in three groups according to the method of bladder drainage: Group A (n=61 consisted of patients on clean intermittent catheterization; Group B (n=54 consisted of patients with indwelling catheters; Group C (n=30 consisted of patients who had performed self-catheterization. From a total of 4539 urine samples, 3963 (87,3% were positive and 576 (12,7% were sterile. More than 90% of the infected patients were asymptomatic.The overall rate of urinary infection amounted to about 2,1 episodes, and bacteriuria to 8,1 episodes per patient. 77% of infections (113/145 were acquired within seven days from catheterization.Infection was usually polymicrobial; the greatest number of urine samples 1770/3943 (44,9% included more than one bacterium.The vast majority of cases of urinary tract infection and bacteriuria are caused by Gram-negative bacilli and enterococci, commensal organisms of the bowel and perineum, representative of those from the hospital environment. Providencia stuarti (18,9% being the most common, followed by Proteus mirabilis (16,3%, Escherichia coli (11,8%, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (10,2%, Klebsiella pneumoniae (8,1%, Morganella morgani (5,4%, Acinetobacter baumannii (4,6%, Providencia rettgeri (3,5%. 15,7% of isolates were Gram-positive with Enterococcus faecalis (8,6% as the most common. 55,3% of isolates were multidrug-resistant, and the highest rates of resistance were found among Acinetobacter baumannii (87,8%, Providencia rettgeri (86,7%, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (85,4%, Providencia stuarti (84,3% and

Three cases of severely disseminated Staphylococcus aureus infection in patients treated with tocilizumab

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nguyen, Mai; Pødenphant, Jan; Ravn, Pernille

2013-01-01

-intensive diagnostic work-up and early treatment should be performed. Systematic postmarketing studies are needed to clarify if there is a true increased risk of disseminated S aureus infections. We suggest caution when prescribing tocilizumab to patients with prosthetic joints and/or prior invasive S aureus......We report three cases of severe disseminated Staphylococcus aureus infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with tocilizumab. Tocilizumab is a new drug, unknown to most internists, and injections given weeks before admission may not be considered by the patient as part...... of their 'current medical treatment', and the physician may not be aware that the patient is severely immunosuppressed. Severe infections in RA patients treated with tocilizumab may present with mild symptoms despite severe and disseminated infection and, as these patients are severely immunodeficient...

Treatment of lung infection in patients with cystic fibrosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Döring, Gerd; Flume, Patrick; Heijerman, Harry

2012-01-01

In patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) lung damage secondary to chronic infection is the main cause of death. Treatment of lung disease to reduce the impact of infection, inflammation and subsequent lung injury is therefore of major importance. Here we discuss the present status of antibiotic...

Antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of Salmonella: comparison of isolates from HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolday, D; Erge, W

1998-07-01

A retrospective analysis of all cases of Salmonella infections occurring between 1991 and 1995 was undertaken in order to evaluate the antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of the isolates from both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected and uninfected Ethiopian patients. During the 5-year study period, we identified 147 cases of Salmonella infections. Only in 49 cases was the HIV serostatus known; 22 (44.9%) of the infections were in HIV seronegative patients while 27 (55.9%) were in HIV seropositive patients. The strains were isolated from blood (71.4%), urine (18.4%) and stool (8.2%). Salmonella infection was found to be more frequent (55.15% versus 44.9%) among HIV positive than HIV-negative patients. Moreover, Salmonella isolates recovered from HIV-seropositive patients were significantly resistant to many of the antibiotics tested when compared to the isolates from HIV-seronegative patients. The only chloramphenicol resistant Salmonella typhi occurred in a patient who was seropositive for HIV. According to these results, Ethiopian patients infected with HIV may be at risk of acquiring infections, especially non-typhoidal salmonellas, that are multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains than HIV-uninfected subjects. The emergence of MDR Salmonella infection among HIV-positive patients requires reassessment of chemotherapeutic approaches in this patient population, and warrants continued laboratory surveillance.

Biochemical studies on gestational diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance in Sudanese pregnant women

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shalayel, Mohammed Helmy Faris

1998-01-01

To detect the effect of some maternal risk factors such as age, parity, previous heavy babies and family history of diabetes, in glucose tolerance impairment and to stand on the state of insulin resistance which occurs in pregnancy and the possible role of cortisol, human placental lactogen and prolactin in augmentation of this state of insulin resistance as well as to show the effect of glucose tolerance deterioration on lipid metabolism, a study was carried out on Sudanese pregnant women. The study included thirty gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) pregnant women, thirty impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and thirty women with normal glucose tolerance as a control group. The GDM, IGT and the control group were screened from about 2000 Sudanese pregnant women in the different gestational weeks. The GDM and IGT women were all discovered in the third trimester of pregnancy, they found to be significantly older than the control group. The IGT group was found to have a first degree family history of diabetes incidence significantly more than that of the control group while the GDM group has significantly much higher results when compared with the normal control group. The incidence of previous heavy babies was significantly higher in the IGT group when compared with the control while that of GDM was significantly much higher. The GDM group was found to have significantly higher mean levels of fasting blood plasma glucose sugar than that of the IGT and the control groups. It was found that the serum cholestrol mean level and the serum triglycerides mean level of the IGT and that of the GDM were significantly higher than that of the control group. Also, there were no significant differences among serum fasting insulin mean levels of the three studied groups. Results of serum anti-insulin antibodies of the three studied groups were significantly different. Results of serum cortisol of the control group in the first, second and third trimesters revealed that cortisol

Smoking prolongs the infectivity of patients with tuberculosis.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Siddiqui, U A

2010-10-01

We sought to establish if smokers on anti-tuberculosis treatment are more likely to have a prolonged period of infectivity, compared to non-smoking tuberculosis patients, in a low tuberculosis prevalence country. We conducted a cross-sectional, retrospective study in Ireland that recruited 53 microbiologically confirmed cases of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). The age-sex adjusted odds ratios (AOR) suggest that the infectivity status of PTB on treatment was four times more likely to be prolonged beyond 6-8 weeks, if the cases had a smoking history (AOR: 4.42; 95% CI: 1.23; 15.9). Smoking was associated with delayed sputum smear conversion in PTB patients on treatment.

Serum Lactate Predicts Adverse Outcomes in Emergency Department Patients With and Without Infection

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Kimie Oedorf

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Lactate levels are increasingly used to risk stratify emergency department (ED patients with and without infection. Whether a serum lactate provides similar prognostic value across diseases is not fully elucidated. This study assesses the prognostic value of serum lactate in ED patients with and without infection to both report and compare relative predictive value across etiologies. Methods: We conducted a prospective, observational study of ED patients displaying abnormal vital signs (AVS (heart rate ≥130 bpm, respiratory rate ≥24 bpm, shock index ≥1, and/or systolic blood pressure 4.0mmol/L. Trended stratified lactate levels were associated with deterioration for both infected (p 4mmol/L was an independent predictor of deterioration for patients with infection (OR 4.8, 95% CI: 1.7 – 14.1 and without infection (OR 4.4, 1.7 – 11.5. Conclusion: Lactate levels can risk stratify patients with AVS who have increased risk of adverse outcomes regardless of infection status. [West J Emerg Med. 2017;18(2258-266.

Peristomal infection after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: a 7-year surveillance of 297 patients

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Helena Duarte

2012-12-01

Full Text Available CONTEXT: Healthcare-associated infection represents the most frequent adverse event during care delivery. Medical advances like percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy have brought improvement on quality of life to patients but an increased risk of healthcare-associated infection. Predictive risk factors for peristomal wound infection are largely unknown but evidence suggests that antibiotic prophylaxis and preventive strategies related to infection control may reduce infection rates. OBJECTIVES: The primary aim was to evaluate the global prevalence rate of peristomal infection. Secondary objectives were to characterise the positive culture results, to evaluate the prophylactic antibiotic protocol and to identify potential risk factors for peristomal infection. METHODS: Retrospective study of 297 patients with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy performed at a general hospital between January 2004 and September 2010. Patients received prophylactic cefazolin before the endoscopic gastrostomy procedure. Medical records were reviewed for demographic data, underling disease conditions to percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and patient potential intrinsic risk factors. Statistical analysis was made with the statistical program SPSS 17.0. RESULTS: A total of 297 percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes were inserted. Wound infection occurred in 36 patients (12.1%. Staphylococcus aureus methicillin resistant was the most frequently isolated microorganism (33.3% followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (30.6%. The incidence rate had been rising each year and differ from 4.65% in 2004/2007 to 17.9% in 2008/2010. This finding was consistent with the increasing of prevalence global infection rates of the hospital. Most of the infections (55.6% were detected in the first 10 days post procedure. There was no significant difference in age, body mass index values, mean survival time and duration of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy feeding between patients with and

Treatment of Prolapsing Hemorrhoids in HIV-Infected Patients with Tissue-Selecting Technique

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Zhe Fan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the outcome of a tissue-selecting therapy stapler (TST for prolapsing hemorrhoids in HIV-infected patients. Sixty-two patients with stage III-IV hemorrhoidal prolapse were treated with TST by a single surgeon between June and November 2014. The TST group comprised 32 patients (4 females, and the TST + HIV group comprised 30 HIV-infected patients (3 females. Age, gender, and preoperative examination as well as intraoperative and postoperative features were assessed. There was no marked difference in hemorrhoidal prolapse between the TST and HIV + TST groups, except for patient satisfaction at 12 months. TST is an effective and safe technique for treatment of prolapsing hemorrhoids in HIV-infected patients.

Serodiagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, H; Andersen, L P

1995-01-01

In contrast to the established role of Helicobacter pylori gastritis in gastritis and duodenal ulcer in general, conflicting results have been reported in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The seroprevalence during early HIV...

Productivity costs and determinants of productivity in HIV-infected patients.

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Sendi, Pedram; Schellenberg, Fabian; Ungsedhapand, Chaiwat; Kaufmann, Gilbert R; Bucher, Heiner C; Weber, Rainer; Battegay, Manuel

2004-05-01

In HIV-infected patients, reduced ability to work may be an important component of the societal costs of this disease. Few data about productivity costs in HIV-infected patients are available. The goals of this study were to estimate productivity costs in the HIV-infected population in Switzerland and to identify characteristics that may influence patient productivity. This cross-sectional study included all patients younger than retirement age (65 years for men and 62 years for women) who were enrolled in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study in 2002. Measures of productivity losses in this population were based on patients' ability to work and the median monthly wage rates adjusted for age, sex, and educational level in Switzerland. Factors associated with ability to work were analyzed in a multivariate ordinary logistic regression (proportional odds) model. As of July 1, 2002, the exchange rate for US dollars to Swiss francs (CHF) was US $1.00 approximately equal to CHF 1.48. A total of 5319 HIV-infected patients (3665 men [68.9%] and 1655 women [31.1%]; mean [SD] age, 40.6 [8.4] years; range, 17-64 years) were included in the study. The mean annual productivity loss per patient was estimated at CHF 22,910 (95% CI, CHF 22,064-CHF 23, 756). Ability to work was independently associated with the following (P increase: odds ratio [OR], 0.60 [95% CI, 0.54-0.62]), sex (female/male: OR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.63-0.84]), history of IV drug use (OR, 0.22 [95% CI, 0.19-0.26]), time since first positive HIV test (>10 years vs or =501 vs 0-200 cells/microL: OR, 2.01 [95%, CI, 1.64-2.46]), history of AIDS-indicator disease (OR, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.41-0.55]), stable partnership during the last 6 months (OR, 1.63 [95% CI, 1.43-1.86]), and educational level (higher vs basic: OR, 1.68 [95% CI, 1.45-1.95]). Productivity losses to society for the HIV-infected population appeared to be substantial in this analysis. Given a patient's clinical health status, a higher education level and a stable

A European survey relating to cancer therapy and neutropenic infections: Nurse and patient viewpoints.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Leonard, Kay

2011-09-25

PURPOSE: Severe neutropenia and febrile neutropenia (FN) are the major causes of morbidity, treatment interruptions and dose reductions in patients undergoing chemotherapy. The European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS) conducted an European survey to evaluate nurse perspectives on prevention of infection and FN in this setting, and how much they educate their patients about this. A separate survey explored these issues in patients receiving chemotherapy. METHODS: 217 nurse participants were identified by EONS from the membership database and 473 cancer patients who were receiving\\/had received chemotherapy were identified through patient advocacy groups. Questionnaires were completed anonymously online for both surveys. RESULTS: More than 90% of the nurses agreed that preventing infections including FN is extremely\\/very important for a successful chemotherapy outcome and said that they, or other health professionals in their practice, advised patients about these issues. Most (90%) indicated that they favoured giving treatment to protect against FN and infections in chemotherapy patients at risk, rather than treating infection after it develops, but 82% expressed concern over patient concordance with measures employed. A substantial proportion of patients reported emergency room visits, hospitalization and\\/or chemotherapy delays or changes as a result of neutropenia, infection or FN. However, only 44% said that their infection risk was discussed with them before starting chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that nurses recognise the importance of reducing the risk of infection and FN in patients undergoing chemotherapy, as well as the need to educate patients. However, results of the patient survey suggest a need for better patient education.

Cryptosporidium parvum and Isopora belli infections among patients ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To assess the importance of Cryptosporidium parvum and Isospora belli infections as a cause of diarrhoea among patients admitted to the Medical Wards in Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre, Malawi. Design: Prospective case control study. Subjects: One hundred and twenty one patients with ...

HIV and parasitic co-infections in tuberculosis patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Range, N.; Magnussen, Pascal; Mugomela, A.

2007-01-01

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Mwanza, Tanzania, to determine the burden of HIV and parasitic co-infections among patients who were confirmed or suspected cases of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Of the 655 patients investigated, 532 (81.2%) had been confirmed as PTB cases, by microscopy...

Sexual and reproductive health communication among Sudanese and Eritrean women: an exploratory study from Brisbane, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Claire; Earnest, Jaya

2015-01-01

This exploratory study piloted in Brisbane, Australia, reports on findings from in-depth focus-group discussions conducted with Sudanese and Eritrean women in Brisbane. We investigated and documented their experiences and knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and contraception, and explored their views on sexuality and relationships education within the family environment of minority ethnic communities in Australia. Underpinned by a qualitative psychosocial framework, the study also involved key-informant interviews with health and multicultural not-for-profit sector professionals. Through the knowledge and experiences shared by the participants, the key themes of cultural insensitivity, exclusion and poor communication within the family were highlighted by participants as determining factors in the achievement of sexual and reproductive health and good quality sex and relationships education. Participants proposed recommendations for how minority ethnic communities in Australia can more effectively support and communicate within the family environment to increase their own and their children's knowledge and understanding.

The Host Response in Patients with Sepsis Developing Intensive Care Unit-acquired Secondary Infections.

Science.gov (United States)

van Vught, Lonneke A; Wiewel, Maryse A; Hoogendijk, Arie J; Frencken, Jos F; Scicluna, Brendon P; Klein Klouwenberg, Peter M C; Zwinderman, Aeilko H; Lutter, Rene; Horn, Janneke; Schultz, Marcus J; Bonten, Marc M J; Cremer, Olaf L; van der Poll, Tom

2017-08-15

Sepsis can be complicated by secondary infections. We explored the possibility that patients with sepsis developing a secondary infection while in the intensive care unit (ICU) display sustained inflammatory, vascular, and procoagulant responses. To compare systemic proinflammatory host responses in patients with sepsis who acquire a new infection with those who do not. Consecutive patients with sepsis with a length of ICU stay greater than 48 hours were prospectively analyzed for the development of ICU-acquired infections. Twenty host response biomarkers reflective of key pathways implicated in sepsis pathogenesis were measured during the first 4 days after ICU admission and at the day of an ICU-acquired infection or noninfectious complication. Of 1,237 admissions for sepsis (1,089 patients), 178 (14.4%) admissions were complicated by ICU-acquired infections (at Day 10 [6-13], median with interquartile range). Patients who developed a secondary infection showed higher disease severity scores and higher mortality up to 1 year than those who did not. Analyses of biomarkers in patients who later went on to develop secondary infections revealed a more dysregulated host response during the first 4 days after admission, as reflected by enhanced inflammation, stronger endothelial cell activation, a more disturbed vascular integrity, and evidence for enhanced coagulation activation. Host response reactions were similar at the time of ICU-acquired infectious or noninfectious complications. Patients with sepsis who developed an ICU-acquired infection showed a more dysregulated proinflammatory and vascular host response during the first 4 days of ICU admission than those who did not develop a secondary infection.

Evaluation of concurrent malaria and dengue infections among febrile patients

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Parul D Shah

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Context: Despite a wide overlap between endemic areas for two important vector-borne infections, malaria and dengue, published reports of co-infections are scarce till date. Aims: To find the incidence of dengue and malaria co-infection as well as to ascertain the severity of such dengue and malaria co-infection based on clinical and haematological parameters. Setting and Design: Observational, retrospective cross-sectional study was designed including patients who consulted the tertiary care hospital of Ahmedabad seeking treatment for fever compatible with malaria and/or dengue. Subjects and Methods: A total of 8364 serum samples from clinically suspected cases of fever compatible with malaria and/or dengue were collected. All samples were tested for dengue NS-1 antigen before 5 days of onset of illness and for dengue IgM after 5 days of onset of illness. In all samples, malaria diagnosis was based on the identification of Plasmodium parasites on a thin and thick blood films microscopy. Results: Only 10.27% (859 patients with fever were tested positive for dengue and 5.1% (434 were tested positive for malaria. 3.14% (27 dengue cases show concurrent infection with malarial parasites. Hepatomegaly and jaundice 37.03% (10, haemorrhagic manifestations 18.51% (5 and kidney failure 3.7% (1, haemoglobin <12 g/dl 100% (27 and thrombocytopenia (platelet count <150,000/cmm 96.29% (26 were common in malaria and dengue co-infections and were much more common in Plasmodium falciparum infections. Conclusion: All febrile patients must be tested for malaria and dengue, both otherwise one of them will be missed in case of concurrent infections which could lead to severe diseases with complications.