Pattern of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in and Around Udaipur

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nirmal Kumar Bansal

1988-01-01

Full Text Available The patients who attended the STD clinic of our hospital during the last 10 years were studied retrospectively to work out the pattern of major sexually transmitted diseases viz. -syphilis, ionorrhoea, chancroid, lymphogranuloma vencreum and donovinosis. The total number of patients was 1093, The relative incidence of chancroid was found. higher (37.78% than syphilis (32.47%, gonorrhoea (24 79% mixed infections (3.38%, donovanosis (1.18% and lymphogranuloma venereum (0.36%.

Vaginal microbiota and viral sexually transmitted diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Nardis, C; Mosca, L; Mastromarino, P

2013-01-01

Healthy vaginal microbiota is an important biological barrier to pathogenic microorganisms. When this predominantly Lactobacillus community is disrupted, decreased in abundance and replaced by different anaerobes, bacterial vaginosis (BV) may occur. BV is associated with prevalence and incidence of several sexually transmitted infections. This review provides background on BV, discusses the epidemiologic data to support a role of altered vaginal microbiota for acquisition of sexually transmitted diseases and analyzes mechanisms by which lactobacilli could counteract sexually transmitted viral infections.

All Clinically-Relevant Blood Components Transmit Prion Disease following a Single Blood Transfusion: A Sheep Model of vCJD

Science.gov (United States)

de Wolf, Christopher; Tan, Boon Chin; Smith, Antony; Groschup, Martin H.; Hunter, Nora; Hornsey, Valerie S.; MacGregor, Ian R.; Prowse, Christopher V.; Turner, Marc; Manson, Jean C.

2011-01-01

Variant CJD (vCJD) is an incurable, infectious human disease, likely arising from the consumption of BSE-contaminated meat products. Whilst the epidemic appears to be waning, there is much concern that vCJD infection may be perpetuated in humans by the transfusion of contaminated blood products. Since 2004, several cases of transfusion-associated vCJD transmission have been reported and linked to blood collected from pre-clinically affected donors. Using an animal model in which the disease manifested resembles that of humans affected with vCJD, we examined which blood components used in human medicine are likely to pose the greatest risk of transmitting vCJD via transfusion. We collected two full units of blood from BSE-infected donor animals during the pre-clinical phase of infection. Using methods employed by transfusion services we prepared red cell concentrates, plasma and platelets units (including leucoreduced equivalents). Following transfusion, we showed that all components contain sufficient levels of infectivity to cause disease following only a single transfusion and also that leucoreduction did not prevent disease transmission. These data suggest that all blood components are vectors for prion disease transmission, and highlight the importance of multiple control measures to minimise the risk of human to human transmission of vCJD by blood transfusion. PMID:21858015

Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Blood-Borne Transmitted Infections among Male Patients with Antisocial Personality Disorder

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Hamza Yıldız

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the patients who have antisocial personality disorder (ASPD and the healthy individuals in terms of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs and Blood-Borne Transmitted Infections (BTIs prevalences. Methods: This study is a prospective, single-center, open-label, non-randomized controlled clinical study. There were two groups in the study. The patient group consistsed of 100 males who were diagnosed as ASPD with a clinical interview form. The control group consisted of 98 healthy males who did not have any psychiatric disorder. Dermatologic examination was performed, and clinical findings were recorded. Results: The mean age of the patient group was 21.96±2.40 (range 20-37 years. The mean age of the control group was 24.20±2.88 (21-36 years. The most common disease was gonorrhea (25% followed by genital wart (11%, molluskum contagiosum (5%, HBsAg (4%, and HSV-2 seropositivity (4% in the patients group. In the control group, HSV-2 seropositivity (4.08%, genital wart (3.06%, molluskum contagiosum (3.06%, and gonorrhe (1.02% were commonly seen in the control group. STDs and/or BVTIs were found more common in the patients group (82% than that in the control group (45.91% (X2=30.62, p=0.000. Conclusions: The patients with ASPD are at greater risk than normal population to catch a STDs or BTIs because of their lower educational levels and riskier behaviors. This condition entertains a risk in the general population and the patients themselves.

Computer Aided Medical Diagnosis for the Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Disease (Gonorrhea

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Adamu M. Ibrahim

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The World Health Organization (WHO report on the circumstances of clinical facilities in developing countries indicates that, there is considerable efficient delivery of medical services to the rural inhabitants where the services are available, these services are very expensive and not affordable to the average citizen. This has risen inadequacies such as prolonged suffering and even death. The slow process of diagnosis trial and error of diseases can be disastrous when a patient is at the advanced stage of a disease. Here we propose an automated system that can aid the diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases and suggest adequate drug prescriptions and treatment. To achieve this, an extensive review on related diseases were reevaluated and a common type (gonorrhea was used as an exemplary study. This is based on the Structure Systems Analysis and Design Methodology (SSADM. The paper as shown a system that is most effective and have a fast way of diagnosing and treating sexually transmitted diseases, which serves as a great relief for the doctors and even non-experts in the field.

Risk behaviors for sexually transmitted diseases among crack users

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Rafael Alves Guimarães

2015-08-01

Full Text Available AbstractObjectives: to investigate the prevalence and risk behaviors by means of reporting of sexually transmitted diseases among crack users.Method: cross-sectional study carried out with 588 crack users in a referral care unit for the treatment of chemical dependency. Data were collected by means of face-to-face interview and analyzed using Stata statistical software, version 8.0.Results: of the total participants, 154 (26.2%; 95% CI: 22.8-29.9 reported antecedents of sexually transmitted diseases. Ages between 25 and 30 years (RP: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.0-4.0 and over 30 years (RP: 3.8; 95% CI: 2.1-6.8, alcohol consumption (RP: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1-3.3, antecedents of prostitution (RP: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.3-2.9 and sexual intercourse with person living with human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS (RP: 2.7; 95% CI: 1.8-4.2 were independently associated with reporting of sexually transmitted diseases.Conclusion: the results of this study suggest high risk and vulnerability of crack users for sexually transmitted diseases.

Knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases among secondary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are a major health problem affecting mostly young people in both developed and developing countries. Insufficient knowledge about STDs is a major impediment to successfully prevent the diseases among adolescent populations in developing countries. Objective: To ...

Sexually Transmitted Diseases Surveillance, 2014: Syphilis

Science.gov (United States)

... 2014 Sexually Transmitted Diseases Surveillance Table of Contents Introductory Section Foreword Preface Acronyms Figures- National Profile Figures – ... GISP Profiles Related Links STD Home STD Data & Statistics NCHHSTP Atlas Interactive STD Data – 1996-2013 STD ...

The cost of implementing rapid HIV testing in sexually transmitted disease clinics in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Eggman, Ashley A; Feaster, Daniel J; Leff, Jared A; Golden, Matthew R; Castellon, Pedro C; Gooden, Lauren; Matheson, Tim; Colfax, Grant N; Metsch, Lisa R; Schackman, Bruce R

2014-09-01

Rapid HIV testing in high-risk populations can increase the number of persons who learn their HIV status and avoid spending clinic resources to locate persons identified as HIV infected. We determined the cost to sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics of point-of-care rapid HIV testing using data from 7 public clinics that participated in a randomized trial of rapid testing with and without brief patient-centered risk reduction counseling in 2010. Costs included counselor and trainer time, supplies, and clinic overhead. We applied national labor rates and test costs. We calculated median clinic start-up costs and mean cost per patient tested, and projected incremental annual costs of implementing universal rapid HIV testing compared with current testing practices. Criteria for offering rapid HIV testing and methods for delivering nonrapid test results varied among clinics before the trial. Rapid HIV testing cost an average of US $22/patient without brief risk reduction counseling and US $46/patient with counseling in these 7 clinics. Median start-up costs per clinic were US $1100 and US $16,100 without and with counseling, respectively. Estimated incremental annual costs per clinic of implementing universal rapid HIV testing varied by whether or not brief counseling is conducted and by current clinic testing practices, ranging from a savings of US $19,500 to a cost of US $40,700 without counseling and a cost of US $98,000 to US $153,900 with counseling. Universal rapid HIV testing in STD clinics with same-day results can be implemented at relatively low cost to STD clinics, if brief risk reduction counseling is not offered.

Three Co-Existing Sexually Transmitted Diseases in a Heterosexual Male Youth: A Case Report

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Theetat M. Surawan

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Most sexually transmitted diseases (STDs are asymptomatic, leading to widespread underdiagnoses estimated at 50% or higher. The presence of one STD significantly indicates an individual’s sexual health risk since an STD contributes to the transmission and acquisition of other STDs, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection. Multiple co-existing STDs, thus, further increase the susceptibility of acquiring and transmitting HIV by twofold or more. Therefore, the comprehensive STD prevention strategies play a major role in reducing the transmission of HIV infection. We report an interesting case of a heterosexual male youth who presented at dermatology clinic with three concurrent sexually transmitted diseases: gonococcal urethritis, genital wart, and late latent syphilis. The case demonstrated significant issues for appropriate approaches and management of multiple co-existing STDs. Also, it reinforced the necessity for STD counselling for the patient, his partners, and family.

The hidden epidemic: confronting sexually transmitted diseases

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Eng, Thomas R; Butler, William T

... of Sexually Transmitted Diseases INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE Division of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS Washington, D.C. 1997 Copyrightthe cannot be not from book, paper however, version for formatting, original authoritative the typesetting-specific the as from created publication files XML from other this ...

Sexually transmitted diseases during pregnancy: a synthesis of particularities.

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Costa, Mariana Carvalho; Bornhausen Demarch, Eduardo; Azulay, David Rubem; Périssé, André Reynaldo Santos; Dias, Maria Fernanda Reis Gavazzoni; Nery, José Augusto da Costa

2010-01-01

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have a significant prevalence in both the general population and pregnant women. Accordingly, we consider the physiological changes of the maternal organism that can alter the clinical course of these diseases. In addition, obstetric and neonatal complications may occur, resulting in increased maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. We explore features of the natural course and treatment during pregnancy of the major STDs: soft chancre, donovanosis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, viral hepatitis, genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, lymphogranuloma venereum, syphilis, and vulvovaginitis. We believe that health professionals should pay careful attention to STDs, particularly in relation to early diagnosis and precautions on the use of drugs during pregnancy. Prevention and partner treatment to achieve effective results are also extremely relevant.

Some models for epidemics of vector-transmitted diseases

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Fred Brauer

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Vector-transmitted diseases such as dengue fever and chikungunya have been spreading rapidly in many parts of the world. The Zika virus has been known since 1947 and invaded South America in 2013. It can be transmitted not only by (mosquito vectors but also directly through sexual contact. Zika has developed into a serious global health problem because, while most cases are asymptomatic or very light, babies born to Zika - infected mothers may develop microcephaly and other very serious birth defects.We formulate and analyze two epidemic models for vector-transmitted diseases, one appropriate for dengue and chikungunya fever outbreaks and one that includes direct transmission appropriate for Zika virus outbreaks. This is especially important because the Zika virus is the first example of a disease that can be spread both indirectly through a vector and directly (through sexual contact. In both cases, we obtain expressions for the basic reproduction number and show how to use the initial exponential growth rate to estimate the basic reproduction number. However, for the model that includes direct transmission some additional data would be needed to identify the fraction of cases transmitted directly. Data for the 2015 Zika virus outbreak in Barranquilla, Colombia has been used to fit parameters to the model developed here and to estimate the basic reproduction number.

Recommendation on vectors and vector-transmitted diseases

OpenAIRE

Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority

2009-01-01

In view of their increasing risk of introduction and their possible implications in causing major disease outbreaks, vectors, as well as vector-transmitted diseases like dengue, West Nile disease, Lyme disease and bluetongue need to be recognised as a threat to public and animal health and to the economy, also in the Netherlands. There has been an increase in the incidence of these diseases in the past two to three decades. Climate changes and changes in the use of land, water managemen...

Oral manifestations of sexually transmitted diseases identified in three stomatology services in South America

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Martha Carmona-Lorduy

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Sexually transmitted diseases are defined as a group of infections caused by various agents which are acquired during sexual intercourse. They also tend to generate manifestations in the mouth. Objective: To determine the typical lesions in oral cavity of sexually transmitted diseases. Materials and methods: A descriptive transversal study was conducted with 37 patients who attended the stomatology services of the University of Buenos Aires, University of Cartagena and the Aleman Hospital in Buenos Aires during 2015 and 2016. A complete clinical history was carried out with Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL and Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody Absortion (FTA-ABS tests in patients with presumption of syphilis. In addition, histopathological analysis and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR was made in patients with presumption of Human papillomavirus (HPV. Results: The average age of the patients was 38, where male sex predominated. 54.1% were diagnosed with syphilis and the most found lesion in them was the papule. The remaining 45.9% were diagnosed with HPV, the predominant lesion in them was a wart. Conclusions: The dentist should contribute to the early detection of sexually transmitted diseases by identifying manifestations of these in the mouth in order to prevent their evolution and prevent their transmission.

CDC WONDER: Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) morbidity

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Morbidity online databases on CDC WONDER contain case reports reported from the 50 United States and D.C., Puerto Rico, Virgin...

CDC WONDER: Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Morbidity

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Morbidity online databases on CDC WONDER contain case reports reported from the 50 United States and D.C., Puerto Rico, Virgin...

Knowledge of Sexually Transmitted Diseases among Secondary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study was carried out in three public secondary schools in Ogbondoroko and Laduba .... population live in the rural areas where information on sexually transmitted ..... Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009) Diagnoses of HIV ...

The other epidemics. Sexually transmitted diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobson, J L

1993-01-01

Around 70% of female infertility in developing countries is caused by sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that can be traced back to husbands or partners. STDs and reproductive tract infections cause 750,000 deaths and 75 million illnesses among women each year worldwide, and these deaths may more than double by the year 2000. Death rates are rising fastest in Africa, followed by Asia and Latin America. About 450,000 cases of potentially fatal reproductive tract cancers are diagnosed annually: an estimated 354,000 occur in Third World women, virtually all of whom die. Worldwide, roughly 250 million new infections of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and the human papillomavirus are sexually transmitted each year. Chlamydia and the human papillomavirus account for 50 million and 30 million new cases per year, respectively. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected 1 million people worldwide between April and December 1991, according to the World Health Organization. A study in the Indian state of Maharashtra revealed that 92% of the 650 rural women examined had an average of 3.6 infections of gynecological type or sexually transmitted type per women. Another study in 2 rural Egyptian villages found that half of 509 nonpregnant women aged 20 to 60 years had infections. Only 2 facilities for the diagnosis and treatment of STDs exist in all of Kenya. In Ibadan, Nigeria, with a population of 2 million, there is only 1 recognized STD clinic. The physical consequences of several STDs have been linked to increased risks of AIDS transmission. Early recognition and treatment of STDs in pregnant women would cut infant mortality. Maternal infections with chlamydia, gonorrhea, or herpes are transferred to infants at birth 25% to 50% of the time. In Africa, infant blindness caused by gonorrhea infection is 50 times more common than in industrial countries. The International Women's Health Coalition's March 1992 meeting of more than 50 Third World scientists, health advocates, and

Influence of sexually transmitted infections in a horse breeding

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Kosec Marjan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The most frequent problems in horses reproduction are generally divided into those of infectious and non infectious etiology. Common causes of infectious diseases are usual­ly viruses and bacteria, and less frequently protozoa, mykoplasma and fungi. In this work there are presented the most important fact about sexually transmitted diseases, their clinical picture, risk factors, preventive measures as well as measures to prevent and eradicate the diseases. The biggest risk factor for sexually transmitted diseases in horses are breeding stallions, both in natural mating and in artificial insemination. Therefore, in order to prevent genital infections in horses, it is essential that the stallions used for breeding are healthy (non-infected. That can be determined with certainty only if the stallions are examined (tested just before the breeding season on most frequent sexually transmitted diseases (CEM,EAV. It is well known that in most cases the clinical picture of sexually transmitted diseses is not manifested on genitals. As well, variations in clinical picture can be expected also in mares, depending on the stage of the disease and its etiology. Harms arising from sexually transmitted diseases can be divided into direct and indirect. Direct damage occurs in the form of endometritis, miscarriage, stillbirths and births of weak foals, and indirect in restricting the traffic of infected and suspicios animals, isolation of the infected ones as well as medical treatment and interrupting mating.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2015

Science.gov (United States)

Workowski, Kimberly A.; Bolan, Gail A.

2016-01-01

Summary These guidelines for the treatment of persons who have or are at risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were updated by CDC after consultation with a group of professionals knowledgeable in the field of STDs who met in Atlanta on April 30–May 2, 2013. The information in this report updates the Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2010 (MMWR Recomm Rep 2010;59 [No. RR–12]). These updated guidelines discuss 1) alternative treatment regimens for Neisseria gonorrhoeae; 2) the use of nucleic acid amplification tests for the diagnosis of trichomoniasis; 3) alternative treatment options for genital warts; 4) the role of Mycoplasma genitalium in urethritis/cervicitis and treatment-related implications; 5) updated HPV vaccine recommendations and counseling messages; 6) the management of persons who are transgender; 7) annual testing for hepatitis C in persons with HIV infection; 8) updated recommendations for diagnostic evaluation of urethritis; and 9) retesting to detect repeat infection. Physicians and other health-care providers can use these guidelines to assist in the prevention and treatment of STDs. PMID:26042815

Stochastic dynamics for reinfection by transmitted diseases

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Barros, Alessandro S.; Pinho, Suani T. R.

2017-06-01

The use of stochastic models to study the dynamics of infectious diseases is an important tool to understand the epidemiological process. For several directly transmitted diseases, reinfection is a relevant process, which can be expressed by endogenous reactivation of the pathogen or by exogenous reinfection due to direct contact with an infected individual (with smaller reinfection rate σ β than infection rate β ). In this paper, we examine the stochastic susceptible, infected, recovered, infected (SIRI) model simulating the endogenous reactivation by a spontaneous reaction, while exogenous reinfection by a catalytic reaction. Analyzing the mean-field approximations of a site and pairs of sites, and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations for the particular case of exogenous reinfection, we obtained continuous phase transitions involving endemic, epidemic, and no transmission phases for the simple approach; the approach of pairs is better to describe the phase transition from endemic phase (susceptible, infected, susceptible (SIS)-like model) to epidemic phase (susceptible, infected, and removed or recovered (SIR)-like model) considering the comparison with MC results; the reinfection increases the peaks of outbreaks until the system reaches endemic phase. For the particular case of endogenous reactivation, the approach of pairs leads to a continuous phase transition from endemic phase (SIS-like model) to no transmission phase. Finally, there is no phase transition when both effects are taken into account. We hope the results of this study can be generalized for the susceptible, exposed, infected, and removed or recovered (SEIRIE) model, for which the state exposed (infected but not infectious), describing more realistically transmitted diseases such as tuberculosis. In future work, we also intend to investigate the effect of network topology on phase transitions when the SIRI model describes both transmitted diseases (σ social contagions (σ >1 ).

A final size relation for epidemic models of vector-transmitted diseases

OpenAIRE

Fred Brauer

2017-01-01

We formulate and analyze an age of infection model for epidemics of diseases transmitted by a vector, including the possibility of direct transmission as well. We show how to determine a basic reproduction number. While there is no explicit final size relation as for diseases transmitted directly, we are able to obtain estimates for the final size of the epidemic.

Some Models for Epidemics of Vector-Transmitted Diseases

OpenAIRE

Brauer, Fred; Castillo-Chavez, Carlos; Mubayi, Anuj; Towers, Sherry

2016-01-01

Vector-transmitted diseases such as dengue fever and chikungunya have been spreading rapidly in many parts of the world. The Zika virus has been known since 1947 and invaded South America in 2013. It can be transmitted not only by (mosquito) vectors but also directly through sexual contact. Zika has developed into a serious global health problem because, while most cases are asymptomatic or very light, babies born to Zika - infected mothers may develop microcephaly and other very serious birt...

Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Fingerprinting for Identification of a Core Group of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Transmitters in the Population Attending a Clinic for Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

OpenAIRE

Spaargaren, Joke; Stoof, Jeroen; Fennema, Han; Coutinho, Roel; Savelkoul, Paul

2001-01-01

Amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis seems well suited for studying the epidemiology of isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae obtained from patients attending the Sexually Transmitted Disease Outpatient Clinic in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. It shows potential to identify the core group of transmitters.

Narrative Review: Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Homeless Youth-What Do We Know About Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevalence and Risk?

Science.gov (United States)

Caccamo, Alexandra; Kachur, Rachel; Williams, Samantha P

2017-08-01

Homelessness affects an estimated 1.6 million US youth annually. Compared with housed youth, homeless youth are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors, including inconsistent condom use, multiple sex partners, survival sex, and alcohol/drug use, putting them at increased sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk. However, there is no national estimate of STD prevalence among this population. We identified 10 peer-reviewed articles (9 unique studies) reporting STD prevalence among homeless US youth (2000-2015). Descriptive and qualitative analyses identified STD prevalence ranges and risk factors among youth. Eight studies reported specific STD prevalence estimates, mainly chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Overall STD prevalence among homeless youth ranged from 6% to 32%. STD rates for girls varied from 16.7% to 46%, and from 9% to 13.1% in boys. Most studies were conducted in the Western United States, with no studies from the Southeast or Northeast. Youths who experienced longer periods of homelessness were more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors. Girls had lower rates of condom use and higher rates of STDs; boys were more likely to engage in anal and anonymous sex. Additionally, peer social networks contributed to protective effects on individual sexual risk behavior. Sexually transmitted disease prevalence estimates among homeless youth fluctuated greatly by study. Sexually transmitted disease risk behaviors are associated with unmet survival needs, length of homelessness, and influence of social networks. To promote sexual health and reduce STD rates, we need better estimates of STD prevalence, more geographic diversity of studies, and interventions addressing the behavioral associations identified in our review.

[Diseases transmitted through water for human consumption].

Science.gov (United States)

Franco, E; Dentamaro, M

2003-01-01

The water for human consumption maintains a biological risk and can transmit diseases. The classical waterborne and the presently frequent diseases caused by protozoi Giardia and Cryptosporidium are considered and Arcobacter butzleri, a new waterborne pathogen, is described. Many measures have been adopted by institutions to ensure the quality of the drinking water. Managers and public health operators is working in order to verify the efficiency of more suitable indicators for its monitoring.

The Program Cost of a Brief Video Intervention Shown in Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic Waiting Rooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Gift, Thomas L; OʼDonnell, Lydia N; Rietmeijer, Cornelis A; Malotte, Kevin C; Klausner, Jeffrey D; Margolis, Andrew D; Borkowf, Craig B; Kent, Charlotte K; Warner, Lee

2016-01-01

Patients in sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic waiting rooms represent a potential audience for delivering health messages via video-based interventions. A controlled trial at 3 sites found that patients exposed to one intervention, Safe in the City, had a significantly lower incidence of STDs compared with patients in the control condition. An evaluation of the intervention's cost could help determine whether such interventions are programmatically viable. The cost of producing the Safe in the City intervention was estimated using study records, including logs, calendars, and contract invoices. Production costs were divided by the 1650 digital video kits initially fabricated to get an estimated cost per digital video. Clinic costs for showing the video in waiting rooms included staff time costs for equipment operation and hardware depreciation and were estimated for the 21-month study observation period retrospectively. The intervention cost an estimated $416,966 to develop, equaling $253 per digital video disk produced. Per-site costs to show the video intervention were estimated to be $2699 during the randomized trial. The cost of producing and implementing Safe in the City intervention suggests that similar interventions could potentially be produced and made available to end users at a price that would both cover production costs and be low enough that the end users could afford them.

A Study Of Sexually Transmitted Diseases With Application Of Syndromic Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Choudhury Hasan Hana

2000-01-01

Full Text Available The pattern of sexually transmitted diseases in Assam Medical College was studied for a period of one year. The incidence of sexually transmitted diseases was 1.43%. Out of 150 patients the number of patients with genitoulcerative diseases was syphilis 27 (18%, herpes genitalis 26(17.33%, condyloma acuminate 30 (20%, chancroid 11 (7.33%, donovanosis 2(1.33% and LGV 1(0.67%. Patients with urethral or vaginal discharge comprised of gonorrhoea 4(2.67% Vulvovaginitis 14 (9.33%, NGU 12(8.00%, trichomoniasis 2(1.33%, balanoposthitis 17(11.33%.

Vaccination strategies for SIR vector-transmitted diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz-Pacheco, Gustavo; Esteva, Lourdes; Vargas, Cristobal

2014-08-01

Vector-borne diseases are one of the major public health problems in the world with the fastest spreading rate. Control measures have been focused on vector control, with poor results in most cases. Vaccines should help to reduce the diseases incidence, but vaccination strategies should also be defined. In this work, we propose a vector-transmitted SIR disease model with age-structured population subject to a vaccination program. We find an expression for the age-dependent basic reproductive number R(0), and we show that the disease-free equilibrium is locally stable for R(0) ≤ 1, and a unique endemic equilibrium exists for R(0) > 1. We apply the theoretical results to public data to evaluate vaccination strategies, immunization levels, and optimal age of vaccination for dengue disease.

Nurses stigmatization of sufferers of sexually transmitted diseases ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study's objective is to assess nurses' stigmatization of sufferers of sexual transmitted diseases and its implications on treatment options. The study's method was the survey research through structured questionnaire and interview technique for selected sample of students and nurses. The multistage random sampling ...

Indigenous Healers’ beliefs and practices concerning sexually transmitted diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FM Mulaudzi

2006-09-01

Full Text Available A Grounded Theory study has been used, based on its Theory of Symbolic Interactionism, to explore indigenous healers’ beliefs and practices concerning sexually transmitted diseases amongst the Vhavenda. Initial data collection has been done, using purposive sampling and when categories started emerging, theoretical sampling was then used. Data were analysed by using three basic types of coding namely, open coding, axial coding and selective coding. The findings of the study revealed a variety of terms used to identify STDs. It then also became evident that there are similarities between gonorrhoea, syphilis and condylomata as shown in the orthodox Sexually transmitted diseases posters used in orthodox medicine with some of the STDs that the indigenous healers are familiar with. In accordance with the Grounded Theory, the description of types of diseases, disease patterns as well as signs and symptoms culminated in the emergence of the Dirt Theory. Based on the above findings, it was recommended that guidelines for designing a module for teaching health professionals be formulated to assist nurses in understanding the beliefs and practices of the people they serve.

Utilization of information and communication technology (ICT) among sexually transmitted disease clinics attendees with coexisting drinking problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Xingdi; Dodd, Virginia J; Oliverio, James C; Cook, Robert L

2014-03-26

Alcohol misuse remains a major risk factor for contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) not typically addressed in STD clinic settings. Information and communication technology (ICT) can offer new avenues to deliver evidence-based screening and treatment for problematic drinking, however, few data exists regarding the utilization of ICT among STD clinic attendees with coexisting drinking problems. The objectives of this study are to identify STD clinics attendees with hazardous drinking, to examine socio-demographic factors associated with ICT use, and to explore individuals' interests in engaging in ICT-based health interventions. Cross-sectional questionnaires examining alcohol consumption and ICT use were administered to 396 persons attending two non-urban STD clinics. Descriptive statistics for ICT use were calculated for both hazardous drinkers and the entire sample. Multivariable logistic regression models among hazardous drinkers identified factors significantly associated with use of each kind of ICT. The mean age of the 396 participants was 25 years, 66% were females and 60% were African-Americans. One third of the sample met the criteria of hazardous drinking. ICT use in hazardous drinkers included 94% reporting having internet access at least monthly, 82% reporting having an email account, 85% reporting currently owning a cell phone, and 91% reporting use of any cell phone application. More than two thirds (73%) of hazardous drinkers were willing to play health-related video games during clinic waiting time, slightly higher than the entire sample (69%). Multivariable analyses indicated that younger age were significantly related to monthly internet use, and multifunction cell phone use, while being males and younger age were significantly associated with monthly video game playing. Our study demonstrates commonality of ICT use among STD clinic attendees with hazardous drinking, indicating the viability of using ICT to assist screening and

Utilization of information and communication technology (ICT) among sexually transmitted disease clinics attendees with coexisting drinking problems

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Alcohol misuse remains a major risk factor for contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) not typically addressed in STD clinic settings. Information and communication technology (ICT) can offer new avenues to deliver evidence-based screening and treatment for problematic drinking, however, few data exists regarding the utilization of ICT among STD clinic attendees with coexisting drinking problems. The objectives of this study are to identify STD clinics attendees with hazardous drinking, to examine socio-demographic factors associated with ICT use, and to explore individuals’ interests in engaging in ICT-based health interventions. Methods Cross-sectional questionnaires examining alcohol consumption and ICT use were administered to 396 persons attending two non-urban STD clinics. Descriptive statistics for ICT use were calculated for both hazardous drinkers and the entire sample. Multivariable logistic regression models among hazardous drinkers identified factors significantly associated with use of each kind of ICT. Results The mean age of the 396 participants was 25 years, 66% were females and 60% were African-Americans. One third of the sample met the criteria of hazardous drinking. ICT use in hazardous drinkers included 94% reporting having internet access at least monthly, 82% reporting having an email account, 85% reporting currently owning a cell phone, and 91% reporting use of any cell phone application. More than two thirds (73%) of hazardous drinkers were willing to play health-related video games during clinic waiting time, slightly higher than the entire sample (69%). Multivariable analyses indicated that younger age were significantly related to monthly internet use, and multifunction cell phone use, while being males and younger age were significantly associated with monthly video game playing. Conclusions Our study demonstrates commonality of ICT use among STD clinic attendees with hazardous drinking, indicating the viability of

[Dutch Institute for Health Care Improvement revised guideline, 'Sexually transmitted diseases and neonatal herpes'

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bleker, O.P.; Meijden, W.I. van der; Wittenberg, J.; Bergen, J.E. van; Boeke, A.J.; Doornum, G.J.J. van; Henquet, C.J.; Galama, J.M.D.; Postma, M.J.; Prins, J.M.; Voorst Vader, P.C. van

2003-01-01

The Dutch Institute for Health Care Improvement revised guideline, 'Sexually transmitted diseases and neonatal herpes' summarises the current scientific position on the diagnosis and treatment of a great number of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and neonatal herpes. Symptomatic treatment of

Clinical laboratory assessments for Mycoplasma genitalium in a high-prevalence sexually-transmitted infection community reveal epidemiologic dichotomies with Trichomonas vaginalis.

Science.gov (United States)

Munson, Erik; Munson, Kimber L; Schell, Ronald F

2017-02-01

Mycoplasma genitalium is an emerging agent of sexually-transmitted infection and is responsible for clinically-significant genital tract disease in both females and males. Similar to scenarios recently experienced with the urogenital flagellate Trichomonas vaginalis, an evolving molecular diagnostic reference standard based on transcription-mediated amplification allows for accurate detection of the organism, plus additional insight into disease epidemiology. Areas covered. The basis for this article includes primary peer-reviewed literature plus compilations of data derived from routine clinical laboratory screening of females and males for agents of sexually-transmitted infection. Introductory laboratory and epidemiologic data related to T. vaginalis provides not only a foreshadowing to the dichotomies inherent to M. genitalium prevalence but also advocacy of a common non-invasive specimen source that could be used to screen females for both agents. This review also documents increased prevalence rates of M. genitalium in both females and males by way of transcription-mediated amplification. Expert commentary. Molecular detection of M. genitalium should be a consideration in the development of comprehensive sexually-transmitted infection screening programs for both females and males. Transcription-mediated amplification has additionally identified novel facets of M. genitalium and T. vaginalis epidemiology that warrant further investigation.

Sexually transmitted diseases: educational intervention among teenagers in a technical-professional teaching center

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Roberto Dair García de la Rosa

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Sexually transmitted diseases are among the leading health problems of humankind. They are highly prevalent diseases that cause distress, disability and significant severe complications. These infections do not have high mortality rates in general, with the exception of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, and Hepatitis B that cause a significant number of deaths. Objective. To improve the level of knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases among a group of teenagers of Bernabé Boza Technical School, county of Camagüey, and assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Methods. Knowledge assessments were conducted before and after the intervention in Bernabé Boza Technical School between January and June 2012. The sample universe was 120 students who comprised the complete second year enrollment. Results. There was a predominance of female sixteen-year-old teenagers. The knowledge level about features of sexually transmitted diseases increased significantly after the intervention among the teenagers in the study (71.7% versus 95.8% p<0.0001, route of infection (74.2% versus 100% p<0.0001, and prevention (20% versus 91.7% p<0.0001. Conclusion. The educational intervention increased significantly the level of knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases among the teenagers, Thus, this is an important educational tool in this age group.

Assessment of reactivity of three treponemal tests in non-treponemal non-reactive cases from sexually transmitted diseases clinic, antenatal clinic, integrated counselling and testing centre, other different outdoor patient departments/indoor patients of a tertiary care centre and peripheral health clinic attendees

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M Bala

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In India, many state reference centres for sexually transmitted infections perform only a single screening assay for syphilis diagnosis. In this study, Treponema pallidum haemagglutination (TPHA was performed on 1115 Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL/rapid plasma regain (RPR non-reactive and 107 reactive sera out of 10,489 tested by VDRL/RPR according to the National AIDS Control Organisation syphilis testing protocol. A total of 47 Specimens reactive in TPHA and non-reactive with VDRL test were subjected to fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption and enzyme-immunoassay. Seroprevalence considering both VDRL and TPHA positivity was highest (4.4% in sexually transmitted diseases clinic attendees than in other subject groups. Positivity by two treponemal tests in 24 (2.2% cases non-reactive by VDRL/RPR was representative of the fully treated patients or latent or late syphilis cases. The findings highlight that a suitable treponemal confirmatory test should be performed in all the diagnostic laboratories.

Update on oral Chagas disease outbreaks in Venezuela: epidemiological, clinical and diagnostic approaches

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de Noya, Belkisyolé Alarcón; Díaz-Bello, Zoraida; Colmenares, Cecilia; Ruiz-Guevara, Raiza; Mauriello, Luciano; Muñoz-Calderón, Arturo; Noya, Oscar

2015-01-01

Orally transmitted Chagas disease has become a matter of concern due to outbreaks reported in four Latin American countries. Although several mechanisms for orally transmitted Chagas disease transmission have been proposed, food and beverages contaminated with whole infected triatomines or their faeces, which contain metacyclic trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi, seems to be the primary vehicle. In 2007, the first recognised outbreak of orally transmitted Chagas disease occurred in Venezuela and largest recorded outbreak at that time. Since then, 10 outbreaks (four in Caracas) with 249 cases (73.5% children) and 4% mortality have occurred. The absence of contact with the vector and of traditional cutaneous and Romana’s signs, together with a florid spectrum of clinical manifestations during the acute phase, confuse the diagnosis of orally transmitted Chagas disease with other infectious diseases. The simultaneous detection of IgG and IgM by ELISA and the search for parasites in all individuals at risk have been valuable diagnostic tools for detecting acute cases. Follow-up studies regarding the microepidemics primarily affecting children has resulted in 70% infection persistence six years after anti-parasitic treatment. Panstrongylus geniculatus has been the incriminating vector in most cases. As a food-borne disease, this entity requires epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches that differ from those approaches used for traditional direct or cutaneous vector transmission. PMID:25946155

A review of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) of parasitic origin ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

fore a now recognized mode of transmission – sexual contact. This in turn has led to giardiasis being classified as a sexually transmitted disease by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. This review identifies its occurrence mainly in homosexual populations of the developed world ...

Added benefit of nucleic acid amplification testing for the diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis among men and women attending a sexually transmitted diseases clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Muzny, Christina A; Blackburn, Reaford J; Sinsky, Richard J; Austin, Erika L; Schwebke, Jane R

2014-09-15

Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) is the most common nonviral sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the world. However, TV is not a reportable STI and, with the exception of HIV-positive women, there are no guidelines for screening in women or men. The objective of this study was to determine the added value of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for detection of TV in men and women at high risk for infection as well as correlates of infection. This was a review of clinical and laboratory data of men and women presenting to the Jefferson County Department of Health Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Clinic and receiving a TV NAAT. During 2012-2013, 6335 patients (3821 women and 2514 men) received a TV NAAT on endocervical, urethral, or urine specimens. Overall TV prevalence was 20.2%; 27.0% in women and 9.8% in men. Correlates of TV among men included age >40 years, African American race, and ≥5 polymorphonuclear cells per high-power field on urethral Gram stain. Age >40 years, African American race, leukorrhea on wet mount, elevated vaginal pH, positive whiff test, and concurrent gonococcal infection were positively associated with TV among women. TV NAAT detected approximately one-third more infections among women than wet mount alone. TV prevalence among men and women was high in this study, suggesting that both groups should be routinely screened, including those aged >40 years. Improved detection of TV by routine implementation of NAATs should result in better control of this common, treatable STI. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Sexually transmitted diseases among adults who had been abused and neglected as children: a 30-year prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Helen W; Widom, Cathy S

2009-04-01

We examined associations between childhood abuse and neglect and the risk in adulthood for sexually transmitted diseases. In a prospective cohort design, we matched children aged 0 to 11 years with documented cases of abuse or neglect during 1967 to 1971 with a control group of children who had not been maltreated (754 participants in all) and followed them into adulthood. Information about lifetime history of sexually transmitted diseases was collected as part of a medical status examination when participants were approximately 41 years old. Childhood sexual abuse increased risk for any sexually transmitted disease (odds ratio [OR] = 1.94; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00, 3.77; P = .05) and more than 1 type of sexually transmitted disease (OR = 3.33; 95% CI = 1.33, 8.22; P = .01). Physical abuse increased risk for more than 1 type of sexually transmitted disease (OR = 3.61; 95% CI = 1.39, 9.38; P = .009). Our results provided the first prospective evidence that child physical and sexual abuse increases risk for sexually transmitted diseases. Early screening and interventions are needed to identify and prevent sexually transmitted diseases among child abuse victims.

Recent sexually transmitted disease prevention efforts and their implications for AIDS health education.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, M Z; DeJong, W

1986-01-01

In the absence of a cure or vaccine for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) educational and social marketing efforts to reduce the transmission of Human T-lymphotropic type III/lymphadenopathy-associated virus (HTLV-III/LAV) are currently our best hope for controlling the disease. Since 1983, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has funded a series of research studies to determine whether education efforts can successfully motivate the adoption of key behaviors relevant to the control of a variety of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Analysis of the first two studies which are now completed, and preliminary data from a third study, have documented dramatic changes in behavior, knowledge, and attitudes among clients in inner-city public health clinics. The authors describe the principles and underlying assumptions that have guided the design of their STD initiatives, drawing special attention to the implications for AIDS health education efforts.

GOOD HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOUR DECREASE PREVALENCE OF SEXUAL TRANSMITTED DISSEASE

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Purwaningsih Purwaningsih

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The homosexual behaviour were become indicators of sexually transmitted diseases’s (STDs prevalencies. Prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases in homosexual community was very high but until recently study it was conducted sporadically. The objective of this study was to analyze the correlation of homosexual behaviour with prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs in Mobile Clinic Community Centre of IGAMA collaborating with Public Health Centre Sumberpucung of Malang Regency. Method:  Analytic design with cross sectional methode was used in this study. The population were all visitors of Mobile Clinic Community Centre of IGAMA collaborating with Public Health Centre Sumberpucung of Malang Regency (353 people. Sample were 40 people who met to the inclusion criteria. The independent variable was homosexual behaviour and the dependent variable was prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs. Data for homosexual behaviour were collected by using questionnaire and indhept interview with content analyze and data for prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs were collected by using laboratorium test for STDs. Result: The research result was presented in the form diagram, table of cross tabulation and analyzed by using Spearman Rho with significance level ρ=0.005. The result showed that there was correlation of homosexual knowledge (ρ=0.001, attitude (ρ=0.000 and  practice (ρ=0.000 with prevalence of STDs. Dsicussion:  It can be concluded that the better knowledge, attitude and practice of homosexual could be decrease prevalence of STDs. Futher studies are recomended to analyze the correlation between homosexual behaviour and prevalence of STDs with Health Believe approach.

A clinical approach to Lyme disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Nadelman, R B; Wormser, G P

1990-05-01

Lyme disease (also known as Lyme borreliosis) is an emerging, newly described infectious disease with diverse clinical manifestations. The disease is caused by the spirochetal agent Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted to humans by the bite of certain species of Ixodes ticks harboring the organism. The most readily identifiable clinical feature is the distinctive skin lesion, erythema migrans. If recently infected patients go untreated, approximately 15% will develop neurologic conditions (most commonly facial nerve palsy), 8% will develop myocarditis (typically with heart block), and 60% will develop migratory mono- or pauci-articular arthritis. Diagnosis depends on clinical suspicion, recognition of the characteristic signs and symptoms, and appropriate testing for antibody to B. burgdorferi. Serology for Lyme disease, although in need of better standardization, is most useful in diagnosing patients with manifestations of Lyme disease other than erythema migrans. All manifestations of Lyme disease are potentially treatable with either a beta-lactam antibiotic (for instance penicillin, amoxicillin, or ceftriaxone) or a tetracycline preparation. However, the optimal antimicrobial regimen, including choice of drug, drug dose, route of administration, and length of therapy, is unknown. Other important areas for future research include Ixodes biology and control, improved laboratory tests for diagnosis and for assessing response to therapy, and vaccine development.

Profile Of Sexually Transmitted Diseases In And Around Lucknow

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Jaiswal A K

2002-01-01

Full Text Available A retrospective study was undertaken from the year 1988 to 1998 to study the pattern of sexually transmitted diseases in and around Lucknow. Among 1890 patients examined, chancroid predominated followed by syphilis, gonorrhoea, genital warts, herpes genitalis, LGV and non-specific urethritis. The incidence of donovanosis was the lowest.

A six-year follow-up survey of sexually transmitted diseases in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil

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Simões-Barbosa Augusto

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The notification of sexually transmitted diseases (STD is a prime component of well-designed public health policy. However, peculiar aspects of STD must be taken into account for the correct management of surveillance activities. Here, we describe the distribution of the most common sexually transmitted diseases among patients attended by the gynecological clinics of the principal public hospitals of Brasilia and the Federal District, Brazilian capital, during six years. A total of 142,158 patients had their cervicovaginal samples collected for Papanicolaou preparations and eventual biopsies. Diagnosis was made according to cytological and histological alterations, distinguishing among vaginal infections, and pre-cancerous and cancerous cervical lesions. We also looked at the annual prevalence of the various types of infections and alterations. There was a high prevalence of bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis and candidiasis, with suggestive changes over the years. Pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions increased 2.2 fold during the six years. A large proportion of the cases involved late stages of cervical cancer, indicating the necessity of prompt attendance of the population in a routine gynecological prevention program.

Climate Chage in Spain and its Influence on Vector-Transmitted Diseases

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Andres Iriso Calle

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In the past few decades Spain has experienced a resurgence of some vector-transmitted diseases which were thought to be under control and the appearance of new ones. Likewise, the arrival of new vectors and, in some cases, their establishment and expansion is creating to new public health risks. In general, these phenomena have been associated with complex ecological and climate-driven changes which have favored and increased the densities of vectors and their reservoirs, but they have also been affected by processes that have been triggered or accelerated by man such as globalization, urban development, deforestation and land-use changes.Changes in the distribution of vectors and their capacity to transmit pathogens owing to climate change will become more evident in areas that lie within their distribution limits, as is Spain’s case.This is compounded by Spain’s proximity to Africa and the potential entry of new vectors and pathogens from this continent.This scenario necessitates setting up action programs aimed at both identifying risks posed by vectors and preventing vector-borne diseases, and efficiently managing possible outbreaks that could occur in the future.We have reviewed the scenarios which Spain is expected to experience in connection with climate change and its impact on the incidence of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, phlebotomine sand flies, ticks and other arthropods, and rodents.

KNOWLEDGE, AWARENESS, PRACTICE AMONG ADOLESCENTS REGARDING SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES IN URBAN SLUMS

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Tushar Rai

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Sexually transmitted diseases are very important health challenges for adolescents. Many national and international governmental and nongovernmental health agencies are running programmes to reduce the incidence of these diseases. We can provide an insight to the reproductive and sexual health needs of adolescents by assessing their knowledge, attitude and practice about these diseases. Research Question: What is the level of knowledge awareness and practice among adolescents regarding sexually transmitted diseases?  Objectives: To assess the knowledge awareness and practice among adolescents regarding sexually transmitted diseases in an urban slum in Dehradun. Study Design: Cross-Sectional Settings and Participants: Adolescents belonging to registered families of Chandreshwar Nagar urban slum under the field practice area of Urban Health Training Centre (UHTC of department of Community Medicine, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences. Sample Size: 166 Adolescents i.e. Males-88 and Females-78. Study Period: May 2009 to October 2009 Study Variable: A predesigned, pretested, self-administered questionnaire was used for collecting information on Age, Sex, Knowledge and awareness regarding STDs, etc. Statistical Analysis: Standard statistical package i.e. SPSS, Microsoft Excel.  Results: 51.2% of the adolescents were having knowledge about STD’s. Majority of (91.4% the adolescents knew about AIDS as a type of STD. Their attitude cum practice towards prevention of STD was found to be 72.9% by use of condoms. Conclusions: Appropriate health care seeking behaviour and Information Education and Communication (IEC activities should be promoted.

Level of Knowledge of Pregnant women on Sexual Organs, Contraceptive Methods and Sexually Transmitted Diseases

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Nuray Bozkurt

2006-03-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: This study is designed to determine the level of knowledge of pregnant women on sexual organs, contraceptive methods and sexually transmitted diseases.\tMETHOD: 54 pregnant women who applied to Gazi University Obstetrics and Gynecology Department were included. They were applied a questionnaire including questions about their demographic properties and their level of knowledge related to sexual organs,contraceptive methods and sexually transmitted diseases.\tRESULTS: Mean age of the participants was 27.5±4.08. When they were asked about contraceptive methods, 61.2 % had knowledge about oral contraceptives, 78.7 % about preservatives, and 38 % had knowledge about tube ligation. 96.1 % of patients cited AIDS, 39.2 % hepatitis B and C, 29.4 % gonorrhea, 3.9 % chlamydia, 9.8 % herpes virus, 11.8 % HPV (genital wart and 27.5 % syphilisis as sexually transmitted diseases.\tCONCLUSION: The reason why this study is performed with pregnant women is that they have a sexual life, they are under the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and they need contraception. Finding out that pregnant women don’t have enough knowledge is important in regard to education of the population and preventive medicine.

1993 ABC of Sexually Transmitted Diseases· Introduction to Minimal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

covering the major sexually transmitted disease syndromes such as urethral and vaginal discharges and genital ... will certainly be a worthwhile investment. J. Terblanche. ABC of Brainstem Death· ... In the early 1980's the cultural implications of brainstem death were largely unexplored. Today the criteria must be.

Current socioclinical trend of sexually transmitted diseases and relevance of STD clinic: A comparative study from referral tertiary care center of Gwalior, India

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Sandeep Singh

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs are the major public health concern in both developed and developing countries regulated by the cultural pattern of gender expression in their society. Thus, it demanded a necessary action to review the changing pattern in (Gwalior, central India where health condition is not in a good fashion with poor socioeconomic status and awareness. Materials and Methods: This is a hospital based cross sectional questionnaire study with a sample size of 222 respondents attending sexually transmitted disease (STD clinic at JAH Gwalior from December 2011 to March 2012 using a random sampling method. Results: Most of the cases among females were in the age group of 20-40 years (152, 84.44% and males were in 18-40 years age group (35, 83.33%. Out of 180, 22 (12.22% females were having non-regular sexual partners. Out of 22 females frequency of consistent, non-consistent, and no condom use with non-regular sexual partners was three (13.63%, two (9.09%, and 17 (77.27%, respectively. Out of 42 males, 22 (52.38% reported having sex with non-regular sexual partners. None of the 15 (100% male subjects having friends or relatives as non-regular sexual partner were using condoms. Statistically significant differences were found as compared to a previous study from same STD clinic are discharge, lower abdominal pain, painful micturition, nodules in genitals as 106 (58.88%; P = 0.0001, 59 (32.77%; P = 0.0007, 25 (13.88%; P = 0.001, and one (0.5%; P = 0.005, respectively and in males with absence of abdominal pain and nodules in genitals as P = 0.016 and 0.03, respectively. Preferred place of treatment of STIs was government facility in both male and females with statistically significant 15.76% (P = 0.0001 of the population seeking no treatment. Discussions: Study suggests a changing trend of the STDs owing to the difference in the clinical presentation of the disease to a previous study from the same STD clinic few years

Pattern of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Chandigarh

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Bhushan Kumar

1987-01-01

Full Text Available A retrospective,data analysis of sexually transmitted diseases was carried out to study the pattern of these diseases prevalent in the region. One thousand′five hundred and seventy,one patients′were seen from January 1977 to October 1985. Maks constituted 95.5% of this group and females the remaining 4.5%. Commonest age group affected was 20-29 years in both sexes. Condytoma acuminata was the commonest STD (21.40/o, followed by gonorrhoea (16.9%, chancroid (12.2% genital herpes (11.4%, syphilis (10.4%, not′specific ulcers (7.1%, donovanosis (6.3%,mixed infections (5.3% and NSU (4.1% Secondary syphilis was the most common (48.6% presentation of syphik and in women it od 75.8% of all the cases of syphilis. In′more than a quarter of patients, psycho- problems were the reason for attendance.

Level of Knowledge of Pregnant women on Sexual Organs, Contraceptive Methods and Sexually Transmitted Diseases

OpenAIRE

Nuray Bozkurt; Aydan Biri; Ümit Korucuoglu; Nur Aksakal; Tuncay Nas; Onur Karabacak; Özdemir Himmetoglu

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVE: This study is designed to determine the level of knowledge of pregnant women on sexual organs, contraceptive methods and sexually transmitted diseases. METHOD: 54 pregnant women who applied to Gazi University Obstetrics and Gynecology Department were included. They were applied a questionnaire including questions about their demographic properties and their level of knowledge related to sexual organs,contraceptive methods and sexually transmitted diseases. RESULTS: Mean age of the ...

Lyme disease: clinical diagnosis and treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Hatchette, TF; Davis, I; Johnston, BL

2014-01-01

Background Lyme disease is an emerging zoonotic infection in Canada. As the Ixodes tick expands its range, more Canadians will be exposed to Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Objective To review the clinical diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease for front-line clinicians. Methods A literature search using PubMed and restricted to articles published in English between 1977 and 2014. Results Individuals in Lyme-endemic areas are at greatest risk, but not all tick bites transmit Lyme disease. The diagnosis is predominantly clinical. Patients with Lyme disease may present with early disease that is characterized by a “bull’s eye rash”, fever and myalgias or with early disseminated disease that can manifest with arthralgias, cardiac conduction abnormalities or neurologic symptoms. Late Lyme disease in North America typically manifests with oligoarticular arthritis but can present with a subacute encephalopathy. Antibiotic treatment is effective against Lyme disease and works best when given early in the infection. Prophylaxis with doxycyline may be indicated in certain circumstances. While a minority of patients may have persistent symptoms, evidence does not demonstrate that prolonged courses of antibiotics improve outcome. Conclusion Clinicians need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease. Knowing the regions where Borrelia infection is endemic in North America is important for recognizing patients at risk and informing the need for treatment. PMID:29769842

The effect of abortion legalization on sexual behavior: evidence from sexually transmitted diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Klick, Jonathan; Stratmann, Thomas

2003-06-01

Unwanted pregnancy represents a major cost of sexual activity. When abortion was legalized in a number of states in 1969 and 1970 (and nationally in 1973), this cost was reduced. We predict that abortion legalization generated incentives leading to an increase in sexual activity, accompanied by an increase in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Using Centers for Disease Control data on the incidence of gonorrhea and syphilis by state, we test the hypothesis that abortion legalization led to an increase in sexually transmitted diseases. We find that gonorrhea and syphilis incidences are significantly and positively correlated with abortion legalization. Further, we find a divergence in STD rates among early legalizing states and late legalizing states starting in 1970 and a subsequent convergence after the Roe v. Wade decision, indicating that the relation between STDs and abortion is casual. Abortion legalization accounts for about one-fourth of the average disease incidence.

HIV incidence on the increase among homosexual men attending an Amsterdam sexually transmitted disease clinic: using a novel approach for detecting recent infections

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dukers, Nicole H. T. M.; Spaargaren, Joke; Geskus, Ronald B.; Beijnen, Jos; Coutinho, Roel A.; Fennema, Han S. A.

2002-01-01

Objective: Dramatic increases have occurred in sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and in sexual risk behaviour among homosexual men in Amsterdam and internationally. We investigated whether these trends indicate a resurgence of the HIV epidemic. Methods: HIV incidence was determined among

«La vida alegre». How Important is Condom Used for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Prevention

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Emilio PINTOR HOLGUÍN

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Action takes place in Spain in the mid?eighties (1987 with the change in Spanish society and the appearance of the first cases of AIDS in our country. From a comical sight, the adventures of a dermatologist particularly interested on sexually transmitted diseases prevention; especially in patients with risk behaviors, such as homosexuals, prostitutes and drug addicts injecting. The entire film revolves around the importance of condom use in preventing all sexually transmitted diseases.

Prevalence of asymptomatic infections in sexually transmitted diseases attendees diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis, vaginal candidiasis, and trichomoniasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajalakshmi, R; Kalaivani, S

2016-01-01

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are a major health problem affecting mostly young people in both developing and developed countries. STD in women causes both acute morbidity and complications such as infertility, ectopic pregnancy, low-birth weight, and prematurity. The aim of the study is to assess the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis, vaginal candidiasis, and trichomoniasis among asymptomatic females attending STD outpatient department in a tertiary care hospital in South India. A retrospective analysis of data collected from clinical records of 3000 female patients of age 18 to 49 over a period of 12 months (July 2014 to June 2015) was carried out at the Institute of Venereology, Madras Medical College. Complete epidemiological, clinical, and investigational data were recorded and analyzed for the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis, vaginal candidiasis, and trichomoniasis among asymptomatic patients. About 48.37% (228/470) of bacterial vaginosis patients were asymptomatic. Nearly 45.38% (116/235) of vaginal candidiasis patients were asymptomatic and 30.35% (26/87) of trichomoniasis patients were asymptomatic. The above infections were common in the age group 25-35. Holistic screening protocol was incorporated for all female patients attending STD clinic even if asymptomatic and should be treated accordingly to prevent the acquisition of other serious sexually transmitted infections.

Incidence of herpes simplex virus type 2 infection in 5 sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics and the effect of HIV/STD risk-reduction counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

Gottlieb, Sami L; Douglas, John M; Foster, Mark; Schmid, D Scott; Newman, Daniel R; Baron, Anna E; Bolan, Gail; Iatesta, Michael; Malotte, C Kevin; Zenilman, Jonathan; Fishbein, Martin; Peterman, Thomas A; Kamb, Mary L

2004-09-15

The seroincidence of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection was determined among 1766 patients attending sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics and enrolled in a randomized, controlled trial of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/STD risk-reduction counseling (RRC). Arm 1 received enhanced RRC (4 sessions); arm 2, brief RRC (2 sessions); and arm 3, the control arm, brief informational messages. The overall incidence rate was 11.7 cases/100 person-years (py). Independent predictors of incidence of HSV-2 infection included female sex; black race; residence in Newark, New Jersey; new HSV-2 infections were diagnosed clinically. Incidence rates were 12.9 cases/100 py in the control arm, 11.8 cases/100 py in arm 2, and 10.3 cases/100 py in arm 1 (hazard ratio, 0.8 [95% confidence interval, 0.6-1.1], vs. controls). The possible benefit of RRC in preventing acquisition of HSV-2 infection offers encouragement that interventions more specifically tailored to genital herpes may be useful and should be an important focus of future studies.

Analytic calculation of finite-population reproductive numbers for direct- and vector-transmitted diseases with homogeneous mixing.

Science.gov (United States)

Keegan, Lindsay; Dushoff, Jonathan

2014-05-01

The basic reproductive number, R0, provides a foundation for evaluating how various factors affect the incidence of infectious diseases. Recently, it has been suggested that, particularly for vector-transmitted diseases, R0 should be modified to account for the effects of finite host population within a single disease transmission generation. Here, we use a transmission factor approach to calculate such "finite-population reproductive numbers," under the assumption of homogeneous mixing, for both vector-borne and directly transmitted diseases. In the case of vector-borne diseases, we estimate finite-population reproductive numbers for both host-to-host and vector-to-vector generations, assuming that the vector population is effectively infinite. We find simple, interpretable formulas for all three of these quantities. In the direct case, we find that finite-population reproductive numbers diverge from R0 before R0 reaches half of the population size. In the vector-transmitted case, we find that the host-to-host number diverges at even lower values of R0, while the vector-to-vector number diverges very little over realistic parameter ranges.

A Brief Review of Viral and Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Colorectal Practice

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Nabi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Context Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs are a common source of presentation to colorectal surgeons. Clinicians need to remain mindful of the possibility of STDs when faced with atypical clinical presentations. This article aims to provide surgeons with a synopsis of common pathogens, their clinical presentations, diagnostic investigations and treatment regimens. Evidence Acquisition The most common bacterial pathogens include Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhea with synchronous infections at presentation occurring frequently. Patients often present with proctitis. Gonorrhea patients can also experience bloody purulent perianal discharge. Less common bacterial pathogens include syphilis, chancroid and donovanosis. The commonest STD worldwide remains human papillomavirus. Given its vast array of subtypes its manifestations include benign hyperproliferative lesions like perianal warts and extend to anal intraepithelial neoplasia and squamous cell carcinoma. Other important viral infections of the anorectum include human immunodeficiency virus and subsequent acquired immune deficiency disease as well as herpes simplex virus and molluscum contangiosum. Results Debate exists whether the increasing incidence of STDs affecting the anorectum reported in western literature represents a real increase or a reflection of greater patient and clinician recognition and reporting. Conclusions Regardless, a broad understanding of common bacterial and viral pathogens remains important part of modern colorectal practice. Remaining mindful of the manifestations of these common pathogens, options for diagnosis and management are important in disease control to limit the impact of these pathogens across the wider community.

Sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. A female perspective.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Horgan, M

2012-02-03

Sexually transmitted diseases have the greatest impact on the health of women. They are frequently asymptomatic, so screening for infection is important in preventing the long-term sequelae which include infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. HIV continues to increase in the female population and the gynecologic complications associated with it are unique to this population. Use of zidovudine in pregnant HIV-infected women has substantially decreased the rate of vertical transmission of HIV infection. The epidemiologic synergy between HIV and STDs is well recognized and prevention of one is dependent on prevention of the other.

Retention of clinical trial participants in a study of nongonococcal urethritis (NGU), a sexually transmitted infection in men.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jeannette Y; Lensing, Shelly Y; Schwebke, Jane R

2012-07-01

Nongonococcal urethritis (NGU), an inflammation of the urethra not caused by gonorrhea, is the most common urethritis syndrome seen in men in the United States. It is a sexually transmitted infection commonly caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, a pathogen which occurs more frequently in African-American men compared to white men. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors related to retention of study participants in a randomized, double-blinded clinical trial that evaluated four treatment regimens for the treatment of NGU. After the one-week treatment period, follow-up visits were scheduled during days 15-19 and days 35-45. Participants were phoned prior to scheduled appointments to encourage attendance, and contacted after missed appointments to reschedule their clinic visits. Of the 305 male study participants, 298 (98%) were African-American, 164 (54%) were 25 years of age or younger, and 80 (31%) had a post-secondary school education. The overall retention rate was 75%. Factors associated with study completion were educational level attained and clinical center. Participants with higher levels of education were more likely to complete the study. Clinical centers with the highest retention rates also provided the highest monetary incentives for participation. The retention rate for this study suggests that strategies are needed for improving the proportion of study participants that complete a clinical trial among young men with a sexually transmitted disease. These strategies may include increasing contacts with study participants to remind them of scheduled study visits using text messaging or social media and the use of financial incentives. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phenotypic Detection of Genitourinary Candidiasis among Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic Attendees in Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oluranti J. Obisesan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The management of genitourinary candidiasis (GC is fraught with challenges, especially, in an era of increasing antifungal resistance. This descriptive cross-sectional study conducted between May 2013 and January 2014 determined the prevalence and characteristics of GC and the species of Candida among 369 attendees of a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD clinic of Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria. Appropriate urogenital specimen collected from each attendee was examined by microscopy and culture for Candida, with preliminary species identification by CHROMAgar Candida and confirmation by Analytical Profile Index (API 20C AUX. The age range of attendees was 1-80 years, mean age was 36.32±11.34 years, and male to female ratio was 1 to 3. The prevalence of genitourinary candidiasis was 47.4%, with 4.9% in males and 42.5% in females (p<0.0001. The age groups 31–45 and 16–30 have the highest prevalence of 23.3% and 16.8%, respectively. The species of Candida recovered include Candida glabrata 46.9%, Candida albicans 33.7%, Candida dubliniensis 9.7%, Candida tropicalis 5.7%, Candida krusei 1.7%, Candida lusitaniae 1.7%, and Candida utilis 0.6%. This study reported non-C. albicans Candida, especially C. glabrata, as the most frequently isolated species in GC, contrary to previous studies in this environment and elsewhere.

Phenotypic Detection of Genitourinary Candidiasis among Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic Attendees in Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Obisesan, Oluranti J.; Olowe, Olugbenga A.; Taiwo, Samuel S.

2015-01-01

The management of genitourinary candidiasis (GC) is fraught with challenges, especially, in an era of increasing antifungal resistance. This descriptive cross-sectional study conducted between May 2013 and January 2014 determined the prevalence and characteristics of GC and the species of Candida among 369 attendees of a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) clinic of Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria. Appropriate urogenital specimen collected from each attendee was examined by microscopy and culture for Candida, with preliminary species identification by CHROMAgar Candida and confirmation by Analytical Profile Index (API) 20C AUX. The age range of attendees was 1-80 years, mean age was 36.32 ± 11.34 years, and male to female ratio was 1 to 3. The prevalence of genitourinary candidiasis was 47.4%, with 4.9% in males and 42.5% in females (p < 0.0001). The age groups 31–45 and 16–30 have the highest prevalence of 23.3% and 16.8%, respectively. The species of Candida recovered include Candida glabrata 46.9%, Candida albicans 33.7%, Candida dubliniensis 9.7%, Candida tropicalis 5.7%, Candida krusei 1.7%, Candida lusitaniae 1.7%, and Candida utilis 0.6%. This study reported non-C. albicans Candida, especially C. glabrata, as the most frequently isolated species in GC, contrary to previous studies in this environment and elsewhere. PMID:26064140

Dynamic modeling and analysis of sexually transmitted diseases on heterogeneous networks

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shuping; Jin, Zhen

2015-06-01

Considering homosexual contacts and heterosexual contacts in the course of sexual contacts, double degrees which describe the numbers of homosexual contacts and heterosexual contacts are introduced, correlation coefficients about degrees based on the joint probability distribution are given, and an SIS mean-field model about sexually transmitted diseases is presented when degrees are uncorrelated. The basic reproduction number of diseases is studied by the method of next generation matrix. Results show that, when homosexual contacts and heterosexual contacts all exist, once the disease is epidemic in the interior of male (female) population which is caused by male (female) homosexual transmissions, or the disease is epidemic between the two species which is caused by heterosexual transmissions, the disease must be epidemic in the whole population. Numerical simulations confirm the theoretical results.

Preventing High-Risk Sexual Behavior, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Pregnancy among Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Sagrestano, Lynda M.; Paikoff, Roberta L.

Adolescent sexual activity and the resulting pregnancy and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases have been on the rise during the past several decades. This chapter addresses each of the three objectives regarding sexual behavior outlined in the Healthy People 2000 initiative. Background data and trends in adolescent sexual behavior are…

Higher variability in the number of sexual partners in males can contribute to a higher prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases in females

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oliveira, Rodrigo Gouveia; Pedersen, Anders Gorm

2009-01-01

, and on the probability of disease transmission. We note that in addition to humans, the variance phenomenon described here is likely to play a role for sexually transmitted diseases in other species also. We also show, again by examining published, empirical data, that the female to male prevalence ratio increases...... of sexually transmitted diseases: compared to the situation where the genders have identical sex partner distributions, men will reach a lower equilibrium value, while women will stay at the same level (meaning that female prevalence becomes higher than male). We carefully analyse model behaviour and derive...... with the overall prevalence of a sexually transmitted disease (i.e., the more widespread the disease, the more women are affected). We suggest that this pattern may be caused by the effect described above in highly prevalent sexually transmitted diseases, while its impact in low-prevalence epidemics is surpassed...

Social determinants and sexually transmitted disease disparities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hogben, Matthew; Leichliter, Jami S

2008-12-01

Social determinants of health play an important role in sexually transmitted disease (STD) transmission and acquisition; consequently, racial and ethnic disparities among social determinants are influences upon disparities in STD rates. In this narrative review, we outline a general model showing the relationship between social determinants and STD outcomes, mediated by epidemiologic context. We then review 4 specific social determinants relevant to STD disparities: segregation, health care, socioeconomics and correctional experiences, followed by 2 facets of the resultant epidemiologic context: core areas and sexual networks. This review shows that disparities exist among the social determinants and that they are related to each other, as well as to core areas, sexual networks, and STD rates. Finally, we discuss the implications of our review for STD prevention and control with particular attention to STD program collaboration and service integration.

[Lyme disease--clinical manifestations and treatment].

Science.gov (United States)

Stock, Ingo

2016-05-01

Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis) is a systemic infectious disease that can present in a variety of clinical manifestations. The disease is caused by a group of spirochaetes--Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato or Lyme borrelia--that are transmitted to humans by the bite of Ixodes ticks. Lyme disease is the most common arthropode-borne infectious disease in many European countries including Germany. Early localized infection is typically manifested by an erythema migrans skin lesion, in rarer cases as a borrelial lymphocytoma. The most common early disseminated manifestation is (early) neuroborreliosis. In adults, neuroborreliosis appears typically as meningoradiculoneuritis. Neuroborreliosis in children, however, is typically manifested by meningitis. In addition, multiple erythema migrans lesions and Lyme carditis occur relatively frequently. The most common manifestation oflate Lyme disease is Lyme arthritis. Early manifestations (and usually also late manifestations) of Lyme disease can be treated successfully by application of suitable antibacterial agents. For the treatment of Lyme disease, doxycycline, certain penicillins such as amoxicillin and some cephalosporins (ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, cefuroxime axetil) are recommended in current guidelines. A major challenge is the treatment of chronic, non-specific disorders, i. e., posttreatment Lyme disease syndrome and "chronic Lyme disease". Prevention of Lyme disease is mainly accomplished by protecting against tick bites. Prophylactic administration of doxycycline after tick bites is generally not recommended in Germany. There is no vaccine available for human beings.

HIV in Kenya: Sexual behaviour and quality of care of sexually transmitted diseases

NARCIS (Netherlands)

H.A.C.M. Voeten (Hélène)

2006-01-01

textabstractThis thesis describes three important determinants of HIV spread in Kenya: 1. Sexual behaviour of female sex workers, their clients, and young adults 2. Health care seeking behaviour for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) 3. Quality of STD care in the public and private health

Analysis of a general age-dependent vaccination model for a vertically transmitted disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Doma, M.

1995-05-01

A SIR epidemic model of a general age-dependent vaccination for a vertically as well as horizontally transmitted disease is investigated when the total population is time dependent, and fertility, mortality and removal rates depend on age. We establish the existence and the uniqueness of the solution and obtain the asymptotic behaviour for the solution. For the steady state solution a critical vaccination coverage which will eventually eradicate the disease is determined. (author). 18 refs

Trichomoniasis - are we giving the deserved attention to the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease worldwide?

Science.gov (United States)

Menezes, Camila Braz; Frasson, Amanda Piccoli; Tasca, Tiana

2016-01-01

Etiology: Trichomonas vaginalis is the etiologic agent of trichomoniasis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the world. Transmission: Trichomoniasis is transmitted by sexual intercourse and transmission via fomites is rare. Epidemiology, incidence and prevalence: The WHO estimates an incidence of 276 million new cases each year and prevalence of 187 million of infected individuals. However, the infection is not notifiable. Pathology/Symptomatology: The T. vaginalis infection results in a variety of clinical manifestations - in most cases the patients are asymptomatic, but some may develop signs typically associated to the disease. Importantly, the main issue concerning trichomoniasis is its relationship with serious health consequences such as cancer, adverse pregnancy outcomes, infertility, and HIV acquisition. Molecular mechanisms of infection: To achieve success in parasitism trichomonads develop a complex process against the host cells that includes dependent- and independent-contact mechanisms. This multifactorial pathogenesis includes molecules such as soluble factors, secreted proteinases, adhesins, lipophosphoglycan that culminate in cytoadherence and cytotoxicity against the host cells. Treatment and curability: The treatment with metronidazole or tinidazole is recommended; however, cure failures remain problematic due to noncompliance, reinfection and/or lack of treatment of sexual partners, inaccurate diagnosis, or drug resistance. Therefore, new therapeutic alternatives are urgently needed. Protection: Strategies for protection including sexual behavior, condom usage, and therapy have not contributed to the decrease on disease prevalence, pointing to the need for innovative approaches. Vaccine development has been hampered by the lack of long-lasting humoral immunity associated to the absence of good animal models. PMID:28357378

Hiv infection in patients of sexually transmitted disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

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.

[Biological factors influencing infectious diseases transmitted by invasive species of mosquitoes].

Science.gov (United States)

Boštíková, Vanda; Pasdiorová, Markéta; Marek, Jan; Prášil, Petr; Salavec, Miloslav; Sleha, Radek; Střtítecká, Hana; Blažek, Pavel; Hanovcová, Irena; Šošovičková, Renáta; Špliňo, Milan; Smetana, Jan; Chlíbek, Roman; Hytych, Václav; Kuča, Kamil; Boštík, Pavel

2016-06-01

Studies focused on arbovirus diseases transmitted by invasive species of mosquitoes have become increasingly significant in recent years, due to the fact that these vectors have successfully migrated to Europe and become established in the region. Mosquitoes, represented by more than 3 200 species, occur naturally worldwide, except in Antarctica. They feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals and by this route, they are capable of transmitting dangerous diseases. Some species can travel a distance of 10 km per night and can fly continuously for up to 4 hours at a speed of 1-2 km/h. Most species are active at night, in the evening or morning. It usually takes a mosquito female about 50 seconds to penetrate the skin of mammals and the subsequent blood meal usually takes about 2.5 minutes. Mosquitoes live for several weeks or months, depending on the environmental conditions. The VectorNet project is a European network of information exchange and sharing of data relating to the geographical distribution of arthropod vectors and transmission of infectious agents between human populations and animals. It aims at the development of strategic plans and vaccination policies which are the main tasks of this time, as well as the development and application of new disinfectants to control vector populations.

Implications of host genetic variation on the risk and prevalence of infectious diseases transmitted through the environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Doeschl-Wilson, Andrea B; Davidson, R; Conington, J; Roughsedge, T; Hutchings, M R; Villanueva, B

2011-07-01

Previous studies have shown that host genetic heterogeneity in the response to infectious challenge can affect the emergence risk and the severity of diseases transmitted through direct contact between individuals. However, there is substantial uncertainty about the degree and direction of influence owing to different definitions of genetic variation, most of which are not in line with the current understanding of the genetic architecture of disease traits. Also, the relevance of previous results for diseases transmitted through environmental sources is unclear. In this article a compartmental genetic-epidemiological model was developed to quantify the impact of host genetic diversity on epidemiological characteristics of diseases transmitted through a contaminated environment. The model was parameterized for footrot in sheep. Genetic variation was defined through continuous distributions with varying shape and degree of dispersion for different disease traits. The model predicts a strong impact of genetic heterogeneity on the disease risk and its progression and severity, as well as on observable host phenotypes, when dispersion in key epidemiological parameters is high. The impact of host variation depends on the disease trait for which variation occurs and on environmental conditions affecting pathogen survival. In particular, compared to homogeneous populations with the same average susceptibility, disease risk and severity are substantially higher in populations containing a large proportion of highly susceptible individuals, and the differences are strongest when environmental contamination is low. The implications of our results for the recording and analysis of disease data and for predicting response to selection are discussed.

Mitigating Diseases Transmitted by Aedes Mosquitoes: A Cluster-Randomised Trial of Permethrin-Impregnated School Uniforms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pattamaporn Kittayapong

2017-01-01

mosquitoes inside treatment schools immediately after impregnation and before insecticidal activity declined. However, there was no serological evidence of protection against dengue infections over the five months school term, best explained by the rapid washing-out of permethrin after 4 washes. If rapid washing-out of permethrin could be overcome by novel technological approaches, insecticide-treated clothes might become a potentially cost-effective and scalable intervention to protect against diseases transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01563640.

Mitigating Diseases Transmitted by Aedes Mosquitoes: A Cluster-Randomised Trial of Permethrin-Impregnated School Uniforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Kittayapong, Pattamaporn; Olanratmanee, Phanthip; Maskhao, Pongsri; Byass, Peter; Logan, James; Tozan, Yesim; Louis, Valérie; Gubler, Duane J; Wilder-Smith, Annelies

2017-01-01

treatment schools immediately after impregnation and before insecticidal activity declined. However, there was no serological evidence of protection against dengue infections over the five months school term, best explained by the rapid washing-out of permethrin after 4 washes. If rapid washing-out of permethrin could be overcome by novel technological approaches, insecticide-treated clothes might become a potentially cost-effective and scalable intervention to protect against diseases transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01563640.

[A survey on AIDS knowledge rate and sexual behavior among men who have sex with men population at sexually transmitted disease clinic].

Science.gov (United States)

Jian, Dan; Xie, Hongfu; Yi, Mei; Li, Ji; Chen, Mingliang; Feng, Hao; Cheng, Xiaoming; Zhang, Guiying

2010-07-01

To survey on men who have sex with men (MSM) population's sexual behaviors, condom-service condition, HIV related knowledge and other issues among MSM population at sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics to understand the characteristics of behaviors and offer suggestions for effective health education and behavior intervention. From January to December, 2009, we used anonymous questionnaires which involved in their mastery of demographic characteristics, sexual behavior, condom-service condition, HIV related knowledge, and so one, to investigate 200 MSM at 3 STD clinics of comprehensive hospital. The average age of informant was (26.7+/- 8.9) years and 121 individuals (62.6%) had confirmed with STD in recent one year. In the recent 6 months, the average number of homosexual partners was 9.2+/- 4.8 and 102 (52.8%) had heterosexual partners. In the sexual intercourse with homosexual, 123 individuals had anal intercourse (63.7 %) and 117 had oral intercourse (60.6%). In the sexual intercourse with heterosexual, 92 (90.2%) individuals had vaginal intercourse, 37 (36.2%) had anal intercourse, and 59 (57.8%) had oral sex behavior.There were a statistical difference between heterosexual and homosexual sex behaviors (Pcondom-using frequency had statistic difference in different sexual behaviors(χ²=188.396, Pcondom-using condition in sexual behaviors except the heterosexual anal intercourse. High AIDS knowledge mastery rate is found in our survey. The respondents get HIV/AIDS knowledge through various ways actively. There is no obvious relation between the mastery of HIV related knowledge and condom-using frequency. The ratio of non-protected sexual behaviors is high in heterosexuals. How to adopt effective methods for behavior intervention to MSM at STD clinic needs to be further studied.

Home screening for sexually transmitted diseases in high-risk young women: randomised controlled trial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cook, Robert L; Østergaard, Lars; Hillier, Sharon L

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Home screening tests could eliminate several barriers to testing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). AIM: To determine whether offering repeated home screening tests would increase the rate of testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea in a high-risk sample of young women. METHODS: In this...

Mycoplasma genitalium and Trichomonas vaginalis in France: a point prevalence study in people screened for sexually transmitted diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereyre, S; Laurier Nadalié, C; Bébéar, C

2017-02-01

Mycoplasma genitalium and Trichomonas vaginalis are common causes of sexually transmitted infections, but limited prevalence data are available in France. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of M. genitalium and T. vaginalis infections and to assess prevalence by gender, age, sample collection sites and clinical symptoms. A multicentre collection of specimens was intended to obtain a nationwide overview of the epidemiology. Between September 2014 and January 2015, a total of 2652 consecutive urogenital specimens submitted to the microbiology diagnostic departments of 16 French university hospitals for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae detection were collected. M. genitalium and T. vaginalis prevalence were evaluated using a commercial real-time PCR kit. Clinical data from patients were anonymously collected. T. vaginalis and M. genitalium prevalence were 1.7% (95% confidence interval 1.3-2.4) and 3.4% (95% confidence interval 2.8-4.2), respectively, and did not differ between gender or age groups, except M. genitalium prevalence between men and women in the 35- to 44-year age group (5.9 vs. 1.5%; p 0.03). M. genitalium prevalence was significantly higher in patients receiving care in sexually transmitted infection clinics, abortion centres, family planning clinics and prisons than in gynaecologic, obstetric and reproduction centres (4.0 vs. 1.7%, p 0.009). Among M. genitalium- and T. vaginalis-positive patients, 70.9 and 61.5% were asymptomatic, respectively. The low T. vaginalis prevalence does not justify systematic screening for this organism in France. Conversely, selective screening for M. genitalium may be warranted in care settings that receive presumably high-risk sexual behaviour patients, regardless of symptoms. Copyright © 2016 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases among visually impaired people: educational text validation 1

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Giselly Oseni Barbosa; Cavalcante, Luana Duarte Wanderley; Pagliuca, Lorita Marlena Freitag; de Almeida, Paulo César; Rebouças, Cristiana Brasil de Almeida

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: to validate an educational text in the context of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) for visually impaired persons, making it accessible to this population. Method: a validation study, in a virtual environment. Data collection occurred from May to September 2012 by emailing the subjects, and was composed by seven content experts about STDs. Analysis was based on the considerations of the experts about Objectives, Structure and Presentation, and Relevance. Results: on the Objectives and Structure and Presentation blocks, 77 (84.6%) and 48 (85.7%) were fully adequate or appropriate, respectively. In the Relevance block, items 3.2 - Allows transfer and generalization of learning, and 3.5 - Portrays aspects needed to clarify the family, showed bad agreement indices of 0.42 and 0.57, respectively. The analysis was followed by reformulating the text according to the relevant suggestions. Conclusion: the text was validated regarding the content of sexually transmitted diseases. A total of 35 stanzas were removed and nine others included, following the recommendations of the experts. PMID:27556880

Trichomoniasis – are we giving the deserved attention to the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease worldwide?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Camila Braz Menezes

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Etiology: Trichomonas vaginalis is the etiologic agent of trichomoniasis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease (STD in the world. Transmission: Trichomoniasis is transmitted by sexual intercourse and transmission via fomites is rare. Epidemiology, incidence and prevalence: The WHO estimates an incidence of 276 million new cases each year and prevalence of 187 million of infected individuals. However, the infection is not notifiable. Pathology/Symptomatology: The T. vaginalis infection results in a variety of clinical manifestations – in most cases the patients are asymptomatic, but some may develop signs typically associated to the disease. Importantly, the main issue concerning trichomoniasis is its relationship with serious health consequences such as cancer, adverse pregnancy outcomes, infertility, and HIV acquisition. Molecular mechanisms of infection: To achieve success in parasitism trichomonads develop a complex process against the host cells that includes dependent- and independent-contact mechanisms. This multifactorial pathogenesis includes molecules such as soluble factors, secreted proteinases, adhesins, lipophosphoglycan that culminate in cytoadherence and cytotoxicity against the host cells. Treatment and curability: The treatment with metronidazole or tinidazole is recommended; however, cure failures remain problematic due to noncompliance, reinfection and/or lack of treatment of sexual partners, inaccurate diagnosis, or drug resistance. Therefore, new therapeutic alternatives are urgently needed. Protection: Strategies for protection including sexual behavior, condom usage, and therapy have not contributed to the decrease on disease prevalence, pointing to the need for innovative approaches. Vaccine development has been hampered by the lack of long-lasting humoral immunity associated to the absence of good animal models.

Knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases and sexual behaviours among Malaysian male youths.

Science.gov (United States)

Awang, Halimah; Wong, Li Ping; Jani, Rohana; Low, Wah Yun

2014-03-01

This study examines the knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among male youths in Malaysia. A self-administered survey was carried out on a sample of 952 never-married males aged 15-24 years. The respondents were asked about their knowledge of STDs, how these diseases get transmitted and their sexual behaviours. The data showed that 92% of the respondents knew of at least one STD (syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, herpes, genital warts, yeast infection, trichomoniasis or HIV/AIDS). About 95% of them knew of at least one method of STD transmission. Urban and tertiary-educated male youths showed a substantially higher proportion of awareness of STDs and transmission methods compared with their rural and less-educated counterparts. The data also indicated that 10% of the study sample admitted to having had sexual experiences. There were still a large proportion of the respondents who were not aware of STDs other than syphilis and HIV/AIDS and the means of transmission, such as multiple sex partners, including those who claimed to be sexually active. Thus there is a need for more concerted efforts to disseminate information on STDs and transmission methods to a wider audience in Malaysia, especially youths in rural areas.

Fecal-orally transmitted diseases among travelers are decreasing due to better hygienic standards at travel destination.

Science.gov (United States)

Baaten, Gijs G; Sonder, Gerard J B; Van Der Loeff, Maarten F Schim; Coutinho, Roel A; Van Den Hoek, Anneke

2010-01-01

To evaluate whether changes in attack rates of fecal-orally transmitted diseases among travelers are related to changes in pretravel vaccination practices or better hygienic standards at travel destination. National surveillance data on all laboratory-confirmed cases of travel-related hepatitis A, shigellosis, and typhoid fever diagnosed in the Netherlands from 1995 to 2006 were matched with the number of Dutch travelers to developing countries to calculate region-specific annual attack rates. Trends in attack rates of non-vaccine-preventable shigellosis were compared with those of vaccine-preventable hepatitis A and typhoid fever. Trends were also compared with three markers for hygienic standards of the local population at travel destinations, drawn from the United Nations Development Programme database: the human development index, the sanitation index, and the water source index. Attack rates among Dutch travelers to developing regions declined for hepatitis A, shigellosis, and typhoid fever. Region-specific trends in attack rates of shigellosis resembled trends of hepatitis A and typhoid fever. Declining attack rates of the three fecal-orally transmitted diseases correlated with improvements in socioeconomic, sanitary, and water supply conditions of the local population at travel destination. These findings suggest that improved hygienic standards at travel destination strongly contributed to the overall decline in attack rates of fecal-orally transmitted diseases among visiting travelers. © 2010 International Society of Travel Medicine.

Stability analysis of a general age-dependent vaccination model of a vertically transmitted disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Doma, M.

1995-07-01

An SIR epidemic model of a general age-dependent vaccination of a vertically as well as horizontally transmitted disease is investigated when the population is in steady state and the fertility, mortality and removal rates depends on age. We determine the steady states and examine their stabilities. (author). 24 refs

Serum HSV-1 and 2 IgM in sexually transmitted diseases - more for screening less for diagnosis: An evaluation of clinical manifestation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dharmishtha G Tada

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2 is the cause of most genital herpes. Now, HSV-1 has become an important cause and represents even about 30% of genital herpes in some countries. So, study related to genital herpes should consider both HSV-1 and HSV-2. Aim: To examine trends in HSV-1 and 2 seroprevalence by Serum HSV-1 and 2 IgM in all type of sexually transmitted disease (STD patients and also to evaluate correlation of serum HSV-1 and 2 IgM in STD. Materials and Methods: 150 patients attending the STD clinic attached to a tertiary care hospital of Ahmedabad were included in the study. Serum HSV-1 and 2 IgM correlations with clinical manifestations of recurrent and non-recurrent type of genital herpes patients and other non-herpetic STD patients were studied. Results: The overall serum HSV-1 and 2 IgM in STD seroprevalence were 15.66%. Female has significant higher prevalence (P < 0.05. STD cases and HSV seroprevalence were specially concentrated in persons aged 21 to 30 years. Among those positive with HSV, the distribution of STD are wide spread and found in non-herpetic group at high frequency. Out of total 23 serum HSV-1 and 2 IgM positive, 12 and 11 are distributed in herpetic and non-herpetic STDs, respectively. Discussion and Conclusion: Though serum HSV-1 and 2 IgM in STDs are less diagnostic, they help to see the iceberg part of the infection among the population concerned in recent scenario or in another words, it provides recent infective burden.

The spatial context of clinic-reported sexually transmitted infection in Hong Kong

OpenAIRE

Lee, Shui-Shan; Ho, King-Man; Cheung, Georgiana MT

2010-01-01

Abstract Background The incidence and prevalence of sexually transmitted infection (STI) in China has been on the rise in the past decade. Delineation of epidemiologic pattern is often hampered by its uneven distribution. Spatial distribution is often a neglected aspect of STI research, the description of which may enhance epidemiologic surveillance and inform service development. Methods Over a one month-period, all first time attendees of 6 public STI clinics in Hong Kong were interviewed b...

Effectiveness of a risk-based visitor-prioritizing system at a sexually transmitted infection outpatient clinic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heijman, Titia L. J.; van der Bij, Akke K.; de Vries, Henry J. C.; van Leent, Edwin J. M.; Thiesbrummel, Harold F. J.; Fennema, Han S. A.

2007-01-01

The objective of this study was to study the efficacy/effectiveness of a risk-based visitor-prioritizing system at a sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic aimed to improve screening capacity by providing tailored service. In April 2004, a prioritizing system was implemented that classifies

Effectiveness of a risk-based visitor-prioritizing system at a sexually transmitted infection outpatient clinic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heijman, T.L.J.; van der Bij, A.K.; de Vries, H.J.C.; van Leent, E.J.M.; Thiesbrummel, H.F.J.; Fennema, H.S.A.

2007-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study was to study the efficacy/effectiveness of a risk-based visitor-prioritizing system at a sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic aimed to improve screening capacity by providing tailored service. Study Design: In April 2004, a prioritizing system was

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection among patients attending infertility and sexually transmitted diseases clinic (STD) in Kano, North Western Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Nwankwo, E O; Sadiq, Magaji N

2014-09-01

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease in the world with severe complications. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and possible risk factors of C. trachomatis in Kano. There is dearth of information on this subject in this locality. Urine samples, Endocervical swabs and Urethral swab were collected from consecutive patients attending the Infertility and STD clinics in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) between June and December 2012, after administering a questionnaire by the attending physician and also obtaining an informed consent.Samples were analyzed using Diaspot Chlamydia kit, a rapid immunoassay test for the detection of genital chlamydial antigen in urinogenital samples. A total of 125 consecutive samples were collected, comprising 69 females and 56 males aged between 14 - 55 years. Twelve samples tested positive for C. trachomatis antigen giving a prevalence rate of 9.6%. The age group prevalence were as follows 25 - 29 yrs (17.1%), 20 - 24 (16.7%), 15 - 19 (12.5%), 30 - 34 (11.1%) and > 49 years (9.0%). Married patients were associated with higher infection rate than single (8.3%), and divorced patients (33.3%). A higher percentage of the patients (95.2%) were not aware of the existence of C. trachomatis infection and its complications. Previous STD exposure was associated with increased risk of Chlamydia infection. C. trachomatis infection if unchecked will continue to pose a threat to reproductive life with its established complications. Since asymptomatic cases are common in the population regular screening should be encouraged for every adult especially before commencement of marital life.

[Knowledge of university students in Szeged, Hungary about reliable contraceptive methods and sexually transmitted diseases].

Science.gov (United States)

Devosa, Iván; Kozinszky, Zoltán; Vanya, Melinda; Szili, Károly; Fáyné Dombi, Alice; Barabás, Katalin

2016-04-03

Promiscuity and lack of use of reliable contraceptive methods increase the probability of sexually transmitted diseases and the risk of unwanted pregnancies, which are quite common among university students. The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge of university students about reliable contraceptive methods and sexually transmitted diseases, and to assess the effectiveness of the sexual health education in secondary schools, with specific focus on the education held by peers. An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire survey was carried out in a randomized sample of students at the University of Szeged (n = 472, 298 women and 174 men, average age 21 years) between 2009 and 2011. 62.1% of the respondents declared that reproductive health education lessons in high schools held by peers were reliable and authentic source of information, 12.3% considered as a less reliable source, and 25.6% defined the school health education as irrelevant source. Among those, who considered the health education held by peers as a reliable source, there were significantly more females (69.3% vs. 46.6%, p = 0.001), significantly fewer lived in cities (83.6% vs. 94.8%, p = 0.025), and significantly more responders knew that Candida infection can be transmitted through sexual intercourse (79.5% versus 63.9%, p = 0.02) as compared to those who did not consider health education held by peers as a reliable source. The majority of respondents obtained knowledge about sexual issues from the mass media. Young people who considered health educating programs reliable were significantly better informed about Candida disease.

Treatment outcomes and loss to follow-up rate of male patients with gonococcal and nongonococcal urethritis who attended the sexually transmitted disease clinic: An 8-year retrospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Leeyaphan, Charussri; Jiamton, Sukhum; Chanyachailert, Pattriya; Surawan, Theetat; Omcharoen, Viboon

2017-01-01

Poor follow-up compliance of patients with infectious urethritis is a recognized and serious public health problem in Thailand. The aim of this study was to determine treatment outcomes and loss to follow-up rate of male patients with gonococcal urethritis (GU) and non-GU (NGU) at a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic at Thailand's tertiary hospital. This retrospective chart review of male patients who sought treatment at STDs Clinic, Siriraj Hospital, and who were diagnosed with GU and/or NGU was conducted during January 2007 to December 2014 study period. Two hundred and twenty-seven male urethritis patients were included in this study with a mean age was 29.5 years. GU and NGU were found in 120 (52.9%) and 107 (47.1%) of patients, respectively. Overall prevalence of GU and NGU during the 8-year study period at STD Clinic, Siriraj Hospital, was 8.6% and 7.8%, respectively. Ninety-six patients (42.3%) were lost to follow-up. Recurrent urethritis was found in 23.8% of patients, and HIV infection was identified in 11.6%. Mean age of patients lost to follow-up was 29 years. Compared with patients who attended every scheduled follow-up visit, men who have sex with men had a significantly lower rate of loss to follow-up ( P = 0.012). Almost half of patients with GU or NGU were lost to follow-up, and one-quarter had recurrent urethritis. Fast and easy access to services that provide accurate diagnostic testing and effective treatment should be a public health priority to prevent complications and reduce rates of disease transmission.

Enteric disease episodes and the risk of acquiring a future sexually transmitted infection: a prediction model in Montreal residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Caron, Melissa; Allard, Robert; Bédard, Lucie; Latreille, Jérôme; Buckeridge, David L

2016-11-01

The sexual transmission of enteric diseases poses an important public health challenge. We aimed to build a prediction model capable of identifying individuals with a reported enteric disease who could be at risk of acquiring future sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Passive surveillance data on Montreal residents with at least 1 enteric disease report was used to construct the prediction model. Cases were defined as all subjects with at least 1 STI report following their initial enteric disease episode. A final logistic regression prediction model was chosen using forward stepwise selection. The prediction model with the greatest validity included age, sex, residential location, number of STI episodes experienced prior to the first enteric disease episode, type of enteric disease acquired, and an interaction term between age and male sex. This model had an area under the curve of 0.77 and had acceptable calibration. A coordinated public health response to the sexual transmission of enteric diseases requires that a distinction be made between cases of enteric diseases transmitted through sexual activity from those transmitted through contaminated food or water. A prediction model can aid public health officials in identifying individuals who may have a higher risk of sexually acquiring a reportable disease. Once identified, these individuals could receive specialized intervention to prevent future infection. The information produced from a prediction model capable of identifying higher risk individuals can be used to guide efforts in investigating and controlling reported cases of enteric diseases and STIs. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections

Science.gov (United States)

... Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth infections More about neglected tropical diseases News WHO recommends large-scale deworming to improve children’s health and nutrition 29 September 2017 About us ...

Fecal-orally transmitted diseases among travelers are decreasing due to better hygienic standards at travel destination

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baaten, Gijs G.; Sonder, Gerard J. B.; van der Loeff, Maarten F. Schim; Coutinho, Roel A.; van den Hoek, Anneke

2010-01-01

Objective. To evaluate whether changes in attack rates of fecal-orally transmitted diseases among travelers are related to changes in pretravel vaccination practices or better hygienic standards at travel destination. Methods. National surveillance data on all laboratory-confirmed cases of

Interventions to Increase Male Attendance and Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections at Publicly-Funded Family Planning Clinics.

Science.gov (United States)

Fine, David; Warner, Lee; Salomon, Sarah; Johnson, David M

2017-07-01

We assessed the impact of staff, clinic, and community interventions on male and female family planning client visit volume and sexually transmitted infection testing at a multisite community-based health care agency. Staff training, clinic environmental changes, in-reach/outreach, and efficiency assessments were implemented in two Family Health Center (San Diego, CA) family planning clinics during 2010-2012; five Family Health Center family planning programs were identified as comparison clinics. Client visit records were compared between preintervention (2007-2009) and postintervention (2010-2012) for both sets of clinics. Of 7,826 male client visits during the time before intervention, most were for clients who were aged male visits (4,004 to 8,385; Δ = +109%); for comparison clinics, male visits increased modestly (3,822 to 4,500; Δ = +18%). The proportion of male clinic visits where chlamydia testing was performed increased in intervention clinics (35% to 42%; p males yielded similar findings for male client volume and chlamydia testing. The number of female visits declined nearly 40% in both comparison (21,800 to 13,202; -39%) and intervention clinics (30,830 to 19,971; -35%) between preintervention and postintervention periods. Multilevel interventions designed to increase male client volume and sexually transmitted infection testing services in family planning clinics succeeded without affecting female client volume or services. Copyright © 2017 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.

[Vector transmitted diseases and climate changes in Europe].

Science.gov (United States)

Rossati, Antonella; Bargiacchi, Olivia; Kroumova, Vesselina; Garavelli, Pietro Luigi

2014-09-01

The increase in temperatures recorded since the mid-nineteenth century is unprecedented in the history of mankind. The consequences of climate changes are numerous and can affect human health through direct (extreme events, natural disasters) or indirect (alteration of the ecosystem) mechanisms. Climate changes have repercussions on ecosystems, agriculture, social conditions, migration, conflicts and the transmission mode of infectious diseases. Vector-borne diseases are infections transmitted by the bite of infected arthropods such as mosquitoes, ticks, triatomines, sand flies and flies. Epidemiological cornerstones of vector-borne diseases are: the ecology and behaviour of the host, the ecology and behaviour of the vector, and the population's degree of immunity. Mosquito vectors related to human diseases mainly belong to the genus Culex, Aedes and Mansonia. Climate changes in Europe have increased the spread of new vectors, such as Aedes albopictus, and in some situations have made it possible to sustain the autochthonous transmission of some diseases (outbreak of Chukungunya virus in northern Italy in 2007, cases of dengue in the South of France and in Croatia). Despite the eradication of malaria from Europe, anopheline carriers are still present, and they may allow the transmission of the disease if the climatic conditions favour the development of the vectors and their contacts with plasmodium carriers. The tick Ixodes ricinus is a vector whose expansion has been documented both in latitude and in altitude in relation to the temperature increase; at the same time the related main viral and bacterial infections have increased. In northern Italy and Germany, the appearance of Leishmaniasis has been associated to climatic conditions that favour the development of the vector Phlebotomus papatasi and the maturation of the parasite within the vector, although the increase of cases of visceral leishmaniasis is also related to host immune factors, particularly

[The effects of a sex education program on knowledge related to sexually transmitted diseases and sexual autonomy among university students].

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, YunHee; Chun, YoungKyung; Cho, SungMi; Cho, YeRyung

2005-12-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a sex education program, which was based on the Health Belief Model, on knowledge related to sexually transmitted diseases and sexual autonomy among university students. A non-equivalent control group, pretest-posttest design was used. The four session program was delivered to 18 students during 4 weeks; the control group consisted of 23 students. The theme of the first session was "sex, gender, and sexuality: all our concern", "dangerous sex" for the second session, "safe sex" for the third session, and "right sex for you and me" for the fourth session. At follow-up, the knowledge related to sexually transmitted diseases and sexual autonomy were significantly greater in the intervention group than in the control group. A sex education program with several sessions within the theoretical frame of HBM was effective to improve knowledge related to sexually transmitted diseases and sexual autonomy. The results suggest the potential of a systematic sexual education program to teach healthy sex and to extend the program for other various populations.

Emotional and social representations of future teachers about sexually transmitted diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aránzazu Cejudo Cortés Carmen María

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Health Education programs for young people have drastically increased in recent years in Spanish universities. In part, this is due to the fact that new cases of infection of a sexually transmitted disease continue happening, especially at this stage, and universities as an educational space in which a large number of young people are concentrated, must address this problem. Training young students in promoting healthy sexual habits will prevent not only new infections, but also facilitate the acquisition of competences in the students of the health and socio-educational areas, necessary for their later professional development. This research provides some information about the knowledge and attitudes of students of educational qualifications about HIV/AIDS, with particular relevance to the emotions and social representations that the students have about this fact and that can interfere in their lack of information making them more vulnerable to the disease.

The hidden epidemic: confronting sexually transmitted diseases

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Eng, Thomas R; Butler, William T

.... In addition, STDs increase the risk of HIV transmission. The Hidden Epidemic examines the scope of sexually transmitted infections in the United States and provides a critical assessment of the nation's response to this public health crisis...

EPA-Registered Repellents for Mosquitoes Transmitting Emerging Viral Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Radha V; Shaeer, Kristy M; Patel, Pooja; Garmaza, Aleksey; Wiangkham, Kornwalee; Franks, Rachel B; Pane, Olivia; Carris, Nicholas W

2016-12-01

In many parts of the United States, mosquitoes were previously nuisance pests. However, they now represent a potential threat in the spread of viral diseases. The Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, and Culex species mosquitoes are endemic to the United States and together may transmit a variety of viral diseases of growing concern, including West Nile virus, chikungunya, dengue fever, and Zika virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) as a first-line mosquito repellent, but for patients refusing to use DEET or other conventional repellents, guidance is limited to any EPA-registered product. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify which EPA-registered personal mosquito repellent provides the best protection from A. aegypti, A. albopictus, and Culex spp. mosquitoes. We abstracted data from 62 published reports of EPA-registered mosquito repellents. The conventional repellent picaridin has the strongest data to support its use as a second-line agent, while IR3535 and oil of lemon eucalyptus are reasonably effective natural products. Citronella, catnip, and 2-undecanone offer limited protection or have limited data. These results can be used by pharmacists and other health care professionals to advise patients on the selection of an EPA-registered mosquito repellent. Regardless of the repellent chosen, it is vital for patients to follow all instructions/precautions in the product labeling to ensure safe and effective use. © 2016 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

Clinical and demographic trends in a sexually transmitted infection clinic in Mumbai (1994-2006): an epidemiologic analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Setia, Maninder S; Jerajani, Hemangi R; Brassard, Paul; Boivin, Jean-Francois

2010-01-01

People presenting to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) clinics represent an important risk group for HIV infection; prevention strategies will depend on the clinical attendance. The demographic and clinical changes in clinic attendees in Mumbai, as well as the factors associated with HIV infection in this clinic over a 13-year period, were assessed. STI clinic data in 3417 individuals (1994 to 2006) were analyzed: clinical presentation, types of STIs, and serology over the 13-year period. We used a logistic regression model to assess socio-demographic and clinical associations with HIV infection. The clinic evaluated 689 patients in 1994 and the number had dropped to 97 in 2006. In 1994, the majority of STIs seen in the clinic were bacterial (53%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 50% to 57%); however, this proportion had dropped in 2006 (28%, 95% CI: 19% to 38%). There was a proportional increase in viral STIs during the same time period. Although women attending the clinic were younger than men, they were more likely to be married. The overall seropositivity for HIV was 28%. Viral STIs were more likely to be associated with HIV than bacterial infections (odds ratio: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.2 to 1.9). Viral infections were the most common STIs in recent years in a tertiary care center in Mumbai. HIV prevalence was high in this population. Thus, these clinical data suggest that STI patients were and continue to be an important group for HIV prevention in the country.

Abordagem nas doenças sexualmente transmissíveis Approach in sexually transmitted diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walter Belda Junior

2009-04-01

Full Text Available As doenças sexualmente transmissíveis estão entre os problemas de saúde pública mais comuns em todo o mundo. Entre suas consequências estão a infertilidade feminina e masculina, a transmissão de mãe para filho, determinando perdas gestacionais ou doença congênita, e o aumento do risco para a infecção pelo HIV. Dessa forma, este guideline tem o objetivo de contribuir para melhorar a qualidade de atenção às pessoas com infecções sexualmente transmissíveis mais frequentes no Brasil, trazendo de forma didática e concreta o estado atual dos conhecimentos para os dermatologistas e médicos em geral que atuam no atendimento dessas pessoas e as principais recomendações para o diagnóstico e tratamento das doenças sexualmente transmissíveis mais recorrentes.Nowadays, sexually transmitted diseases are one of the most common public health issues. Among its consequences are the possibility of transmission from mother to baby - which may cause miscarriages and congenital disease, male and female infertility, and the increase of HIV infection risk. Therefore, the main goal of these guidelines is to contribute to the improvement of the treatment for sexually transmitted diseases patients by presenting to the medical community how today's science stands on the matter and also what the recommendation for diagnosing and treating a patient are.

Occupational Hazards, Public Health Risks: Sex Work and Sexually Transmitted Infections, their Epidemiological Liaisons and Disease Control Challenges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R. Steen (Richard)

2014-01-01

markdownabstract__Abstract__ Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) represent a large and diverse category within communicable diseases, comprising more than thirty-five pathogens transmissible through sexual contact. [1] Common, curable bacterial and protozoal STIs manifest with

Internationalism in sexually transmitted infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Waugh, M A

1997-12-01

The International Union Against the Venereal Diseases and the Treponematoses (IUVDT) became the International Union Against Sexually Transmitted Infections (IUSTI) at the Union's 37th General Assembly, held in Melbourne, Australia. The name change reflects the increasing use by international donor organizations of the term sexually transmitted infections (STIs). STIs are a major problem in Africa, South East Asia, India, Russia, and the European countries which were formerly within the Communist bloc. The epidemic of syphilis together with HIV increases daily in Eastern Europe and Russia. There have, however, been some successes in developing countries with the syndromic method, the promotion of sexual health, and the prevention of STIs. While the UK has the largest body of fully trained sexually transmitted disease (STD) specialists in the world, comparatively few of them participate in large international commitments. These specialists should instead become more involved with STIs in areas of need. Furthermore, more aid should be provided by governmental, nongovernmental, and charitable sources. IUSTI is willing to cooperate with any efforts to fight STDs anywhere in the world.

A Survey of Current Knowledge on Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Sexual Behaviour in Italian Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Drago, Francesco; Ciccarese, Giulia; Zangrillo, Francesca; Gasparini, Giulia; Cogorno, Ludovica; Riva, Silvia; Javor, Sanja; Cozzani, Emanuele; Broccolo, Francesco; Esposito, Susanna; Parodi, Aurora

2016-04-13

Worldwide, 500 million people a year acquire a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Adolescents, accounting for 25% of the sexually active population, are the most affected. To analyze sexual behavior among Italian adolescents and their knowledge of STDs, with the goal of preventing their transmission, a questionnaire was administered to 2867 secondary school students (1271 males and 1596 females) aged 14-21 years. For the study, 1492 students were interviewed in Genoa (Northern Italy) and 1375 in Lecce (Southern Italy). For 37% of the respondents, parents and teachers were the main source of information on sex, and 95% believed that school should play the primary role in sex education. However, only 9% considered the sex education they received in school good. Noteworthy, only 0.5% of the teenagers recognized the sexually transmitted diseases from a list of diseases, and 54% of them did not know what a Pap test was. Confusion about the meaning of contraception and prevention was evident; only 22% knew that condoms and abstinence are the only methods for preventing STDs. Finally, a consistent number of students are exposed to risk factors for STDs transmission; e.g., alcohol and recreational drug use, promiscuity and improper condom use. On the basis of our study, there is an urgent need for the introduction of sex education as a proper subject in Italian schools.

A Survey of Current Knowledge on Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Sexual Behaviour in Italian Adolescents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesco Drago

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Worldwide, 500 million people a year acquire a sexually transmitted disease (STD. Adolescents, accounting for 25% of the sexually active population, are the most affected. To analyze sexual behavior among Italian adolescents and their knowledge of STDs, with the goal of preventing their transmission, a questionnaire was administered to 2867 secondary school students (1271 males and 1596 females aged 14–21 years. For the study, 1492 students were interviewed in Genoa (Northern Italy and 1375 in Lecce (Southern Italy. For 37% of the respondents, parents and teachers were the main source of information on sex, and 95% believed that school should play the primary role in sex education. However, only 9% considered the sex education they received in school good. Noteworthy, only 0.5% of the teenagers recognized the sexually transmitted diseases from a list of diseases, and 54% of them did not know what a Pap test was. Confusion about the meaning of contraception and prevention was evident; only 22% knew that condoms and abstinence are the only methods for preventing STDs. Finally, a consistent number of students are exposed to risk factors for STDs transmission; e.g., alcohol and recreational drug use, promiscuity and improper condom use. On the basis of our study, there is an urgent need for the introduction of sex education as a proper subject in Italian schools.

Diagnosis and Management of Uncomplicated Chlamydia trachomatis Infections in Adolescents and Adults: Summary of Evidence Reviewed for the 2015 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Geisler, William M

2015-12-15

In preparation for the 2015 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Treatment Guidelines, the CDC convened an advisory group in 2013 to examine recent abstracts and published literature addressing the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of STDs. This article summarizes the key questions, evidence, and recommendations for the diagnosis and management of uncomplicated Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection in adolescents and adults that were considered in development of the 2015 CDC STD Treatment Guidelines. The evidence reviewed primarily focused on CT infection risk factors in women, clinical significance of oropharyngeal CT detection, acceptability and performance of CT testing on self-collected specimens in men, performance of CT point-of-care tests, efficacy of recommended and investigational CT infection treatments, and timing of test of cure following CT infection treatment in pregnant women. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Antenatal marijuana use is unrelated to sexually transmitted infections during pregnancy.

OpenAIRE

Miller, J M; Goodridge, C

2000-01-01

Objective: This study evaluated the relationship between marijuana use and sexually transmitted diseases in pregnant women.Methods: A retrospective review of clinic records over a 12-1/2 month period identified all women entering prenatal care. Eighty-six women using no illicit substance other than marijuana were compared to 441 drug-free women. The prevalence of gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B surface antigen, human papilloma virus, and herpes was as...

Emergence of Arthropod Transmitted infections in Kennel Dogs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javed Jameel

Full Text Available Changing scenario of climate resulting from global warming and adversity of nature has also resulted in emergence and re-emergence of diseases transmitted by arthropods. Increasing trends of population growth of dogs has increased the chance of disease transmission due to readily available susceptible host. Babesiosis and Hepatozoonosis and Ehrlichiosis are the main arthropod borne diseases of dogs prevalent in India. The present article explains the importance of these arthropod transmitted infections in kennel dogs, research progress and reason for their emergence in the present scenario. [Vet. World 2011; 4(11.000: 522-528

[Sexually transmitted diseases and other risks in the adult film industry].

Science.gov (United States)

Kluger, N

2014-02-01

The adult film industry nowadays represents a legal multi-billion dollar business. The main health risks of adult performers are well known. They mainly include the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, hepatitis, gonorrhoea, Chlamydia, herpes and papillomavirus. However, despite regular follow-up, the frequency of STD remains significant in this high-risk population since a large part of the industry continues to reject systematic use of condoms. Besides, performers are also exposed to other physical and mental health issues often not known to the public. This article provides a comprehensive review of what is known about STD and other risks among the community of performers in the adult film industry. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Three methods of delivering clinic-based training on syndromic management of sexually transmitted diseases in South Africa: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Weaver, Marcia R; Pillay, Erushka; Jed, Suzanne L; de Kadt, Julia; Galagan, Sean; Gilvydis, Jennifer; Marumo, Eva; Mawandia, Shreshth; Naidoo, Evasen; Owens, Tamara; Prongay, Vickery; O'Malley, Gabrielle

2016-03-01

The South African National Department of Health sought to improve syndromic management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Continuing medical education on STIs was delivered at primary healthcare (PHC) clinics using one of three training methods: (1) lecture, (2) computer and (3) paper-based. Clinics with training were compared with control clinics. Ten PHC clinics were randomly assigned to control and 10 to each training method arm. Clinicians participated in on-site training on six modules; two per week for three weeks. Each clinic was visited by three or four unannounced standardised patient (SP) actors pre-training and post-training. Male SPs reported symptoms of male urethritis syndrome and female SPs reported symptoms of vaginal discharge syndrome. Quality of healthcare was measured by whether or not clinicians completed five tasks: HIV test, genital exam, correct medications, condoms and partner notification. An average of 31% of clinicians from each PHC attended each module. Quality of STI care was low. Pre-training (n=128) clinicians completed an average of 1.63 tasks. Post-training (n=114) they completed 1.73. There was no change in the number of STI tasks completed in the control arm and an 11% increase overall in the training arms relative to the control (ratio of relative risk (RRR)=1.11, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.84). Across training arms, there was a 26% increase (RRR=1.26, 95% CI 0.77 to 2.06) associated with lecture, 17% increase (RRR=1.17, 95% CI 0.59 to 2.28) with paper-based and 13% decrease (RRR=0.87, 95% CI 0.40 to 1.90) with computer arm relative to the control. Future interventions should address increasing training attendance and computer-based training effectiveness. AEARCTR-0000668. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Screening for sexually transmitted diseases in rural South African women.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, H; Coetzee, D J; Fehler, H G; Bellingan, A; Dangor, Y; Radebe, F; Ballard, R C

1998-06-01

This paper reports on a study undertaken in a rural area of South Africa, to develop a non-laboratory tool to screen for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among family planning clients. A cross sectional study was performed of 249 consecutive women attending a family planning service between November and December 1994. A questionnaire was administered, and a clinical examination and laboratory tests conducted. Sociodemographic, clinical, and other non-laboratory variables that were significantly associated with laboratory evidence of infection were combined to produce non-hierarchical scoring systems for three "syndromes": gonococcal and/or chlamydial cervical infection, trichomoniasis, and cervical infection and/or trichomoniasis combined. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the scoring systems as a screening tool were assessed against the gold standard of laboratory tests. The prevalence of reproductive tract infections among the study participants was as follows: Chlamydia trachomatis 12%, Neisseria gonorrhoeae 3%, Trichomonas vaginalis 18%, and bacterial vaginosis 29%. Although vaginal discharge and other symptoms were frequently reported, symptoms bore no relation to the presence of infection. The following independent associations with gonococcal/chlamydial cervical infection were found: age less than 25 years and cervical mucopus and/or friability. Abnormal discharge on examination, visible inflammatory changes of the cervix (increased redness), no recent travel, and unemployment were associated with trichomoniasis. The combination of trichomonas and/or cervical infection ("STD syndrome") was associated with cervical mucopus/friability, unemployment, lack of financial support, and increased redness of the cervix. Of the three scoring systems developed on the basis of these associations, that of the "STD syndrome" achieved the best performance characteristics as a screening tool, with a sensitivity of 62%, specificity of 74%, and

Demographic characteristics and prevalence of other sexually transmitted diseases in HIV-positive patients seen in the Dermatology cum Genitourinary Clinic, Hospital Sultanah Aminah, Johor Bahru.

Science.gov (United States)

Choon, S E; Mathew, M; Othman, B S

2000-06-01

The demographic characteristics, risk behaviourand prevalence of other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were determined in 132 HIV-infected individuals seen in a Dermatology cum Genitourinary Clinic, Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru. Sixty-one (46.2%) were Malays, 37.9% Chinese, 10.6% Indians and 5.3% were of other ethnic groups. The male to female ratio was 4.5:1. Most of the patients (82.5%) were between 20 to 40 years-old. Seventy (53.0%) were single, 34.1% were married and 7.5% were divorcees. The majority of them (97.7%) were heterosexual. Fifty seven (53.3%) of our male patients patronised commercial workers. Eighty-one (61.8%) were not intravenous drug users (IVDU). Of the 50 IVDUs, 24 had multiple sexual exposures. Fifty-three (48.2%) of the 109 patients screened for STDs had one or more other STDs. Thirty-four patients (31.9%) reported one STD in the past and 3.6% reported two STDs in the past. Fifty-six patients (42.4%) had developed AIDS. Thirteen had passed away. The main mode of transmission of HIV infection in this population is through heterosexual intercourse and the prevalence of STDs is high. These findings indicate a need to advocate responsible sexual behaviour and to detect as well as treat STDs early to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV.

Health Care Professionals’ Knowledge and Attitudes About Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Legal Aspects of Medical Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akpak Yaşam Kemal

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study aims to investigate healthcare professionals’ (HCPs general level of knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases, their attitudes towards these patients and legal aspects of medical services. Materials and Methods: This was a multi-centered study. The participants were given 28 questions that mainly asked their level of knowledge on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs patients, their attitudes towards such patients, and their legal as well as ethical views on them. Results: A total of 234 HCPs, 124 (53% female and 110 (47% male, participated in the study. The majority of married HCPs have reported monogamy as the most reliable protection method, whereas single participants have marked "condoms." The most commonly known STD has been reported as AIDS in all groups. Even though HCPs find it medically unethical not to offer a medical intervention to patients with STDs, more than one-third of the participants believe that HCPs should have the right not to do so. Conclusion: It has been concluded that HCPs need further education on STDs. Nevertheless, such high level of care and attention on HCPs’ part does not necessarily decrease their need for proper medico legal regulations on such issues.

Aerially transmitted human fungal pathogens: what can we learn from metagenomics and comparative genomics?

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Aliouat-Denis, Cécile-Marie; Chabé, Magali; Delhaes, Laurence; Dei-Cas, Eduardo

2014-01-01

In the last few decades, aerially transmitted human fungal pathogens have been increasingly recognized to impact the clinical course of chronic pulmonary diseases, such as asthma, cystic fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Thanks to recent development of culture-free high-throughput sequencing methods, the metagenomic approaches are now appropriate to detect, identify and even quantify prokaryotic or eukaryotic microorganism communities inhabiting human respiratory tract and to access the complexity of even low-burden microbe communities that are likely to play a role in chronic pulmonary diseases. In this review, we explore how metagenomics and comparative genomics studies can alleviate fungal culture bottlenecks, improve our knowledge about fungal biology, lift the veil on cross-talks between host lung and fungal microbiota, and gain insights into the pathogenic impact of these aerially transmitted fungi that affect human beings. We reviewed metagenomic studies and comparative genomic analyses of carefully chosen microorganisms, and confirmed the usefulness of such approaches to better delineate biology and pathogenesis of aerially transmitted human fungal pathogens. Efforts to generate and efficiently analyze the enormous amount of data produced by such novel approaches have to be pursued, and will potentially provide the patients suffering from chronic pulmonary diseases with a better management. This manuscript is part of the series of works presented at the "V International Workshop: Molecular genetic approaches to the study of human pathogenic fungi" (Oaxaca, Mexico, 2012). Copyright © 2013 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Impacts of Abstinence Education on Teen Sexual Activity, Risk of Pregnancy, and Risk of Sexually Transmitted Diseases

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Trenholm, Christopher; Devaney, Barbara; Fortson, Kenneth; Clark, Melissa; Bridgespan, Lisa Quay; Wheeler, Justin

2008-01-01

This paper examines the impacts of four abstinence-only education programs on adolescent sexual activity and risks of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Based on an experimental design, the impact analysis uses survey data collected in 2005 and early 2006 from more than 2,000 teens who had been randomly assigned to either a…

How effective is integrated vector management against malaria and lymphatic filariasis where the diseases are transmitted by the same vector?

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Stone, C.; Lindsay, S.W.; Chitnis, N.

2014-01-01

Background: The opportunity to integrate vector management across multiple vector-borne diseases is particularly plausible for malaria and lymphatic filariasis (LF) control where both diseases are transmitted by the same vector. To date most examples of integrated control targeting these diseases have been unanticipated consequences of malaria vector control, rather than planned strategies that aim to maximize the efficacy and take the complex ecological and biological interactions between th...

Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention Policies in the United States: Evidence and Opportunities.

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Leichliter, Jami S; Seiler, Naomi; Wohlfeiler, Dan

2016-02-01

Policies are an important part of public health interventions, including in the area of sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention. Similar to other tools used in public health, policies are often evaluated to determine their usefulness. Therefore, we conducted a nonsystematic review of policy evidence for STD prevention. Our review considers assessments or evaluations of STD prevention-specific policies, health care system policies, and other, broader policies that have the potential to impact STD prevention through social determinants of health. We also describe potential policy opportunity in these areas. It should be noted that we found gaps in policy evidence for some areas; thus, additional research would be useful for public health policy interventions for STD prevention.

Decreasing Prevalence of Transfusion Transmitted Infection in Indian Scenario

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Tulika Chandra

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Transfusion transmitted infections are major problem associated with blood transfusion. Accurate estimates of risk of TTIs are essential for monitoring the safety of blood supply and evaluating the efficacy of currently employed screening procedures. The present study was carried out to assess the percentage of voluntary donors and replacement donors and to find out prevalence and changing trends of various TTIs blood donors in recent years. A study was carried out on blood units of voluntary and replacement donors which were collected from January 2008 to December 2012. On screening of 180,371 replacement units, seropositivity of transfusion transmitted disease in replacement donors was 0.15% in HIV, 1.67% in hepatitis B surface antigen, 0.49% in hepatitis C virus, 0.01% in VDRL, and 0.009% in malaria. Of 11,977 voluntary units, seropositivity of transfusion transmitted disease in voluntary donors was 0.08% in HIV, 0.24% in hepatitis B surface antigen, 0.001% in hepatitis C virus, 0.008% in VDRL (sexually transmitted disease, and 0.01% in malaria. From results it has been concluded that prevalence of transfusion transmitted infection (HIV, HBV, HCV, VDRL, and malaria was more in replacement donors in comparison to voluntary donors. Extensive donor selection and screening procedures will help in improving the blood safety.

Inguinal and anorectal Lymphogranuloma Venereum: a case series from a sexually transmitted disease center in Rome, Italy.

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Latini, Alessandra; Zaccarelli, Mauro; Paglia, Maria Grazia; Donà, Maria Gabriella; Giglio, Amalia; Moretto, Domenico; Vulcano, Antonella; Giuliani, Massimo; Colafigli, Manuela; Ambrifi, Marina; Pimpinelli, Fulvia; Cristaudo, Antonio

2017-06-02

Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a sexually transmitted infection caused by L1, L2, L3 serovars of C. trachomatis (CT). Since 2003, LGV cases have been increasing in Europe. Aim of this report is to describe the LGV cases diagnosed in the largest STI center in Rome, Italy, from 2000 to 2016. This report shows that two clinically and epidemiologically different series of cases exist, and that, at present, the ano-rectal LGV represents the clinical variant occurring more frequently among men having sex with men (MSM), particularly those HIV-infected. Ten cases of LGV were observed. Three were diagnosed in 2009 in HIV-negative heterosexuals patients that presented the classical genito-ulcerative form with lymphadenopathy. Seven cases were observed in 2015-2016 in HIV-infected MSM, that presented the rectal variant and L2b serovar infection; 4 of these had been misclassified as a chronic bowel disease. Chlamydia infection was confirmed by CT-specific PCR (ompA gene nested PCR), followed by sequence analysis to identify the serovar. All the patients were treated with doxycycline for 3 weeks, obtaining a complete response with healing of both clinical symptoms and dermatological lesions. Our findings suggest that, in case of persistent rectal symptoms in HIV-infected MSM, LGV should be taken into account and investigated through molecular analyses, in order to achieve a correct diagnosis and management of the patients.

A Survey of Texas HIV, Sexually Transmitted Disease, Tuberculosis, and Viral Hepatitis Providers' Billing and Reimbursement Capabilities.

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Flynn, Matthew B; Atwood, Robin; Greenberg, Jennifer B; Ray, Tara; Harris, Karol Kaye

2015-11-01

The Affordable Care Act presents financial challenges and opportunities for publicly funded service providers. We assessed billing practices and anticipated barriers to third-party billing among organizations in Texas that provide publicly funded HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, and viral hepatitis services. One third to one half of the organizations did not bill for medical services. The most common barrier to third-party billing was lack of staff knowledge about billing and coding. Future research must evaluate options for organizations and communities to maintain access to infectious disease services for vulnerable populations.

A Survey of Texas HIV, Sexually Transmitted Disease, Tuberculosis, and Viral Hepatitis Providers’ Billing and Reimbursement Capabilities

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Atwood, Robin; Greenberg, Jennifer B.; Ray, Tara; Harris, Karol Kaye

2015-01-01

The Affordable Care Act presents financial challenges and opportunities for publicly funded service providers. We assessed billing practices and anticipated barriers to third-party billing among organizations in Texas that provide publicly funded HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, and viral hepatitis services. One third to one half of the organizations did not bill for medical services. The most common barrier to third-party billing was lack of staff knowledge about billing and coding. Future research must evaluate options for organizations and communities to maintain access to infectious disease services for vulnerable populations. PMID:26447911

Diseases Transmitted by Birds.

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Levison, Matthew E

2015-08-01

Although many people these days actually work very hard at leisure time activities, diseases are most commonly acquired from birds during the course of work in the usual sense of the term, not leisure. However, travel for pleasure to areas where the diseases are highly endemic puts people at risk of acquiring some of these bird-related diseases (for example, histoplasmosis and arbovirus infections), as does ownership of birds as pets (psittacosis).

Primary care management of sexually transmitted urethritis in adolescent males.

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Lindberg, Claire E

2003-04-01

To describe current knowledge about diagnosis, screening, and treatment of sexually transmitted urethritis among adolescent and young adult males. Current research, systematic reviews, consensus guidelines and the author's clinical experience. Urethritis, the most common sexually transmitted syndrome in young males, is most frequently caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and/or Neisseria gonorrhea. Symptoms include dysuria and penile discharge, although up to 50% of males are asymptomatic. Risky sexual behaviors and lack of access to healthcare increase incidence of this infection. Transmission to female partners can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and neonatal infection. Young males with urethritis must be treated as soon as diagnosis is established. Consensus guidelines exist for diagnosis and treatment of gonococcal and non-gonococcal urethritis. Careful patient education is necessary to ensure successful treatment. Prevention of repeat infections requires partner treatment and detailed education about safer sexual practices. Improved access to preventive services for young males should be a healthcare priority.

Celiac disease: clinical observations

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Yu. A. Emel’yanova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Presented clinical cases of patients with a diagnosis of gluten enteropathy in treatment in the department of gastroenterology Regional Clinical Hospital. The case is of interest to doctors of different specialties for the differential diagnosis of anemia and malabsorption syndrome, demonstrate both the classic version, and atypical forms of the disease course. Diagnosis of celiac disease is based on three key positions: clinical findings, histology and serological markers. The clinical picture of celiac disease is characterized by pronounced polymorphism, by going beyond the a gastroenterological pathology. For screening of gluten sensitive celiac typically used an antibody to tissue transglutaminase. Morphological research of the mucous membrane of the small intestine is the determining criterion in the diagnosis of celiac disease. The use of specific gluten-free diet leads to the positive dynamics of the disease and improve the quality of life of patients.

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF REPRODUCTIVE DISORDERS IN MEN AFTER PREVIOUS SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES

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S. N. Kalininа

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Study of the efficacy and safety of natural complex multi-component biologically active additives (BAA to food Spermstrong and Testogenona in the diagnosis and treating 63 men with reproductive disorders after illness, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs. During the 12 weeks 41 patients the primary group assigned Spermstrongom combination therapy in combination with Testogenonom, 22 patient control group received only Spermstrong. Immediate treatment results evaluated through 4 weeks and distant through 12 weeks after stopping treatment. It has been established that the appointment of a combination therapy of complex components Spermstrong and Testogenon was statistically significantly increases the effectiveness of treatment. In the main group was marked by a more pronounced positive clinical effect through 12 weeks after treatment in 84.5 % of patients receiving combination therapy (increase the concentration and mobility of spermatozoa to normozoospermii, increase testosterone levels to normal values, improving the quality of erections, improve blood flow in the prostate gland, testes, in the control group who received Spermstrong, the effect is achieved in two times fewer patients, i. e. normozoospermija in 40.9 % have patients. The results confirm that the components of the Spermstrong complexes and Testogenon in combination therapy is effective, safe, have no side effects and can be used in complex treatment of reproductive disorders in men who have STDs, as well as for prophylaxis of incremental sexual glands: prostate, testicules and improve sexual function. 

The spatial context of clinic-reported sexually transmitted infection in Hong Kong.

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Lee, Shui-Shan; Ho, King-Man; Cheung, Georgiana M T

2010-09-21

The incidence and prevalence of sexually transmitted infection (STI) in China has been on the rise in the past decade. Delineation of epidemiologic pattern is often hampered by its uneven distribution. Spatial distribution is often a neglected aspect of STI research, the description of which may enhance epidemiologic surveillance and inform service development. Over a one month-period, all first time attendees of 6 public STI clinics in Hong Kong were interviewed before clinical consultation using a standard questionnaire to assess their demographic, clinical and behavioural characteristics. A GIS (geographic information system)-based approach was adopted with mapping performed. The cases attending the clinics in different locations were profiled. A comparison was made between neighbourhood cases (patients living near a clinic) and distant cases (those farther off), by calculating the odds ratio for demographic, behavioural and geographic characteristics. Of the 1142 STI patients evaluated, the residence locations of 1029 (90.1%) could be geocoded, of which 95.6% were ethnic Chinese and 63.4% male. Geographically only about a quarter lived in the same district as the clinic. STI patients aged 55 or above were more likely to be living in the vicinity of the clinic, located in the same or adjacent tertiary planning unit (a small geographic unit below district level). A majority of patients came from locations a few kilometers from the clinic, the distance of which varies between clinics. Overall, more syphilis cases were reported in patients residing in the same or adjacent tertiary planning unit, while distant cases tended to give a higher risk of inconsistent condom use. There were otherwise no significant clinical and epidemiologic differences between neighbourhood and distant STI cases. There was no specific relationship between STI and the residence location of patients as regards their clinical and epidemiologic characteristics in the territory of Hong Kong

The spatial context of clinic-reported sexually transmitted infection in Hong Kong

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Cheung Georgiana MT

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The incidence and prevalence of sexually transmitted infection (STI in China has been on the rise in the past decade. Delineation of epidemiologic pattern is often hampered by its uneven distribution. Spatial distribution is often a neglected aspect of STI research, the description of which may enhance epidemiologic surveillance and inform service development. Methods Over a one month-period, all first time attendees of 6 public STI clinics in Hong Kong were interviewed before clinical consultation using a standard questionnaire to assess their demographic, clinical and behavioural characteristics. A GIS (geographic information system-based approach was adopted with mapping performed. The cases attending the clinics in different locations were profiled. A comparison was made between neighbourhood cases (patients living near a clinic and distant cases (those farther off, by calculating the odds ratio for demographic, behavioural and geographic characteristics. Results Of the 1142 STI patients evaluated, the residence locations of 1029 (90.1% could be geocoded, of which 95.6% were ethnic Chinese and 63.4% male. Geographically only about a quarter lived in the same district as the clinic. STI patients aged 55 or above were more likely to be living in the vicinity of the clinic, located in the same or adjacent tertiary planning unit (a small geographic unit below district level. A majority of patients came from locations a few kilometers from the clinic, the distance of which varies between clinics. Overall, more syphilis cases were reported in patients residing in the same or adjacent tertiary planning unit, while distant cases tended to give a higher risk of inconsistent condom use. There were otherwise no significant clinical and epidemiologic differences between neighbourhood and distant STI cases. Conclusions There was no specific relationship between STI and the residence location of patients as regards their clinical and

Mortality from selected diseases that can be transmitted by water - United States, 2003-2009.

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Gargano, J W; Adam, E A; Collier, S A; Fullerton, K E; Feinman, S J; Beach, M J

2017-06-01

Diseases spread by water are caused by fecal-oral, contact, inhalation, or other routes, resulting in illnesses affecting multiple body systems. We selected 13 pathogens or syndromes implicated in waterborne disease outbreaks or other well-documented waterborne transmission (acute otitis externa, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Escherichia coli (E. coli), free-living ameba, Giardia, Hepatitis A virus, Legionella (Legionnaires' disease), nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), Pseudomonas-related pneumonia or septicemia, Salmonella, Shigella, and Vibrio). We documented annual numbers of deaths in the United States associated with these infections using a combination of death certificate data, nationally representative hospital discharge data, and disease-specific surveillance systems (2003-2009). We documented 6,939 annual total deaths associated with the 13 infections; of these, 493 (7%) were caused by seven pathogens transmitted by the fecal-oral route. A total of 6,301 deaths (91%) were associated with infections from Pseudomonas, NTM, and Legionella, environmental pathogens that grow in water system biofilms. Biofilm-associated pathogens can cause illness following inhalation of aerosols or contact with contaminated water. These findings suggest that most mortality from these 13 selected infections in the United States does not result from classical fecal-oral transmission but rather from other transmission routes.

[Clinical, laboratory and uretroscopic evaluation of the effectiveness of Safocid in the complex treatment of urethritis associated with sexually transmitted infections by using endoscopic techniques].

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Abdrakhmanov, R M; Khalilov, B V; Abdrakhmanov, A R

2013-01-01

The study included 110 men suffering from sexually transmitted infections. Clinical diagnosis was made using modern hardware and instrumental methods of examination. It is shown that the combined preparation "Safocid" is a high-effective drug for the etiotropic treatment of specific and non-specific urethritis, with elimination of causative microorganisms of sexually transmitted infections in 96.4% of cases.

Nematode infections: soil-transmitted helminths and trichinella.

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Knopp, Stefanie; Steinmann, Peter; Keiser, Jennifer; Utzinger, Jürg

2012-06-01

Infection with soil-transmitted helminths occurs via ingestion of nematode eggs with contaminated food and water, via hands, or inhalation of dust, or by penetration of larvae through the skin. Trichinella infections are caused by the ingestion of larvae contained in undercooked meat. In highly endemic areas, preventive chemotherapy (ie, regular administration of anthelmintic drugs to at-risk populations) is the key strategy against soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Integrated control approaches, including improved hygiene, sanitation, and water, are required for lasting effects. Because of growing tourism, travel, and migration, clinicians and specialized travel clinics must remain aware of the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of soil-transmitted helminth and Trichinella infections. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genital Herpes: Insights into Sexually Transmitted Infectious Disease

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Jaishankar, Dinesh; Shukla, Deepak

2016-01-01

Etiology, transmission and protection: Herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) is a leading cause of sexually transmitted infections with recurring manifestations throughout the lifetime of infected hosts. Currently no effective vaccines or prophylactics exist that provide complete protection or immunity from the virus, which is endemic throughout the world. Pathology/Symptomatology: Primary and recurrent infections result in lesions and inflammation around the genital area and the latter accounts for majority of genital herpes instances. Immunocompromised patients including neonates are susceptible to additional systemic infections including debilitating consequences of nervous system inflammation. Epidemiology, incidence and prevalence: More than 500 million people are infected worldwide and most reported cases involve the age groups between 16-40 years, which coincides with an increase in sexual activity among this age group. While these numbers are an estimate, the actual numbers may be underestimated as many people are asymptomatic or do not report the symptoms. Treatment and curability: Currently prescribed medications, mostly nucleoside analogs, only reduce the symptoms caused by an active infection, but do not eliminate the virus or reduce latency. Therefore, no cure exists against genital herpes and infected patients suffer from periodic recurrences of disease symptoms for their entire lives. Molecular mechanisms of infection: The last few decades have generated many new advances in our understanding of the mechanisms that drive HSV infection. The viral entry receptors such as nectin-1 and HVEM have been identified, cytoskeletal signaling and membrane structures such as filopodia have been directly implicated in viral entry, host motor proteins and their viral ligands have been shown to facilitate capsid transport and many host and HSV proteins have been identified that help with viral replication and pathogenesis. New understanding has emerged on the role of

Genital Herpes: Insights into Sexually Transmitted Infectious Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaishankar, Dinesh; Shukla, Deepak

2016-06-27

Etiology, transmission and protection: Herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) is a leading cause of sexually transmitted infections with recurring manifestations throughout the lifetime of infected hosts. Currently no effective vaccines or prophylactics exist that provide complete protection or immunity from the virus, which is endemic throughout the world. Pathology/Symptomatology: Primary and recurrent infections result in lesions and inflammation around the genital area and the latter accounts for majority of genital herpes instances. Immunocompromised patients including neonates are susceptible to additional systemic infections including debilitating consequences of nervous system inflammation. Epidemiology, incidence and prevalence: More than 500 million people are infected worldwide and most reported cases involve the age groups between 16-40 years, which coincides with an increase in sexual activity among this age group. While these numbers are an estimate, the actual numbers may be underestimated as many people are asymptomatic or do not report the symptoms. Treatment and curability: Currently prescribed medications, mostly nucleoside analogs, only reduce the symptoms caused by an active infection, but do not eliminate the virus or reduce latency. Therefore, no cure exists against genital herpes and infected patients suffer from periodic recurrences of disease symptoms for their entire lives. Molecular mechanisms of infection: The last few decades have generated many new advances in our understanding of the mechanisms that drive HSV infection. The viral entry receptors such as nectin-1 and HVEM have been identified, cytoskeletal signaling and membrane structures such as filopodia have been directly implicated in viral entry, host motor proteins and their viral ligands have been shown to facilitate capsid transport and many host and HSV proteins have been identified that help with viral replication and pathogenesis. New understanding has emerged on the role of

Case report: lymphogranuloma venereum proctitis-from rapid screening to molecular confirmation of a masked sexually transmitted disease.

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Markowicz, Mateusz; Grilnberger, Evelyn; Huber, Florian; Leibl, Gabriele; Abrahamian, Heidemarie; Gartner, Manfred; Huber, Monika; Chott, Andreas; Reiter, Michael; Stanek, Gerold

2013-08-01

Proctitis caused by Chlamydia trachomatis L2b can manifest with very mild, nonspecific symptoms, and appropriate diagnostic evaluation is crucial. The case report demonstrates that rapid screening test, detection of specific antibodies in serum, and direct pathogen identification by PCR performed on tissue sample or rectal swab allow successful diagnosis of the still emerging sexually transmitted disease among homosexual patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Profile of sexually transmitted infections (STI in patients attending ‘SURAKSHA’ clinics of Madhya Pradesh

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R Dubey

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Reproductive tract infections (RTIs and sexually transmitted infections (STIs present a huge burden of disease amongst youth in India (approx. 6%. Methods: To study the profile of population affected by STI/RTI and spread amongst both sexes and classify STI according to its various types the present cross sectional study was conducted from Jan 2011 to September 2011.  A 12 days training was imparted followed by 3 days refresher training every quarter to counselors. The information was entered in a standardized Computerized Monitoring and Information System format designed by NACO and modified by state AIDS control society on daily basis. Results: There were 1, 22, 000 patients of STI/RTI in designated clinics of the state. Out of which females were 75.49% and males 24.4%. Vaginal Cervical Discharge contributed for 59.94% among the STI/RTI patients. The second major cause of STI/RTI is Lower abdominal pain 20.36%. Genital ulcer (Herpitic 2%, Non-Herpitic ulcer is 3%. The overall prevalence in MP is 5.95%. Conclusions: STI/RTI is more prevalent in females as compared to males possibly because of certain established biological factors. Vaginal Cervical Discharge remains the commonest presenting complaint in STD OPD’s amongst females followed by Lower Abdominal Pain. Indore, Bhopal, Sagar, Jabalpur and Dewas are amongst the high STI prevalent districts.

Description of an oral Chagas disease outbreak in Venezuela, including a vertically transmitted case.

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Noya, Belkisyolé Alarcón de; Pérez-Chacón, Gladymar; Díaz-Bello, Zoraida; Dickson, Sonia; Muñoz-Calderón, Arturo; Hernández, Carlos; Pérez, Yadira; Mauriello, Luciano; Moronta, Eyleen

2017-08-01

We describe the eleventh major outbreak of foodborne Trypanosoma cruzi transmission in urban Venezuela, including evidence for vertical transmission from the index case to her fetus. After confirming fetal death at 24 weeks of gestation, pregnancy interruption was performed. On direct examination of the amniotic fluid, trypomastigotes were detected. T. cruzi specific-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) also proved positive when examining autopsied fetal organs. Finally, microscopic fetal heart examination revealed amastigote nests. Acute orally transmitted Chagas disease can be life threatening or even fatal for pregnant women and unborn fetuses owing to vertical transmission. There is therefore an urgent need to improve national epidemiologic control measures.

Demographic and behavioral characteristics of non-sex worker females attending sexually transmitted disease clinics in Japan: a nationwide case-control study

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Kato Hideko

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs reported in STI surveillance increased rapidly for women in Japan during the 1990s, the sexual behavior of women potentially at risk of STI infection remains unknown. Methods In order to determine the demographic and behavioral characteristics of non-sex worker (SW females attending STI clinics, female attendees (n = 145, excluding SW, from nine clinics across Japan and female controls from the general population (n = 956, both aged 18-50 years, were compared using two data sets of nationwide sexual behavior surveys conducted in 1999. Results Although the occupation-type and education level were unrelated to STI clinic attendance in multivariate analysis, non-SW females attending STI clinics were younger (adjusted odds ratios [AOR] = 0.94, 95%CI: 0.89, 0.99, and more likely to be unmarried (AOR = 4.11, 95% CI: 1.73, 9.77 than the controls from the general population. In the previous year, STI clinic attendees were more likely to have had multiple partnerships (AOR = 3.09, 95% CI: 1.42, 6.71 and unprotected vaginal sex with regular partners (AOR = 3.59, 95% CI: 1.49, 8.64, and tended to have had their first sexual intercourse at a younger age (AOR = 1.77, 95%CI: 0.89, 3.54 and more unprotected vaginal and/or oral sex with casual partners (AOR = 2.08, 95%CI: 0.75, 5.71. Identical sexual behavior patterns were observed between the female attendees with a current diagnosis of STI (n = 72 and those before diagnosis (n = 73 and between those with a past history of STI (n = 66 and those without (n = 79. Conclusion These results indicate that not only multiple partnerships or unprotected sex with casual partners, but also unprotected vaginal sex within a regular partnership is prevalent among non-SW female STI clinic attendees. The identical sexual behavior patterns observed between female attendees with a current STI diagnosis and those without, and between those attendees

Young academics and the knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases - contribution to care in nursing

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Karla Temístocles de Brito Dantas

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Objetivos: Analisar conhecimentos dos graduandos de enfermagem acerca das doenças sexualmente transmissíveis, identificar as práticas que os jovens adotam para prevenção de DST. Métodos: Estudo descritivo, quantitativo. Realizado em instituição de ensino superior pública, no Rio de Janeiro, com graduandos de enfermagem que responderam um questionário. Pesquisa aprovada pelo parecer 063/2012 CEP/UERJ. Os dados foram tabulados com emprego da estatística descritiva simples, armazenados no software Microsoft Excel 2003. Resultados: Os estudantes reconhecem a importância do uso do preservativo para a prevenção das doenças sexualmente transmissíveis, mas não o utilizam de maneira contínua. Entre os participantes muitos desconhecem as formas de transmissão das DST. Conclusão: Os jovens investigados apresentam déficit de informações acerca das doenças sexualmente transmissíveis e medidas preventivas. Os profissionais de saúde devem contribuir com esclarecimentos e ações educativas ressaltando a importância da prática sexual segura para a saúde dos jovens. Descritores: Graduando de enfermagem, Jovem, Sexualidade, DST/HIV/AIDS, Prevenção. YOUNG ACADEMICS AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES - CONTRIBUTION TO CARE IN NURSING Objective: Analyze the knowledge of undergraduates of nursing about sexually transmitted diseases and identify practices that young people adopt for STD prevention. Methods: Descriptive, quantitative, exploratory study. Held in public higher education institution in Rio de Janeiro, with nursing graduates who answered a questionnaire. Researched was approved by CEP/UERJ n. 063/2012. The data were tabulated with use of simple descriptive statistics and stored of Microsoft Excel 2003 software. Results: Students recognize the importance of the use of condoms for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases but don’t use it continuously. Many students are unaware of the transmission of STD

Prevalence of HIV and syphilis co-infection and associated factors among non-commercial men who have sex with men attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic in Shenzhen, China.

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Dai, Wenjie; Luo, Zhenzhou; Xu, Ruiwei; Zhao, Guanglu; Tu, Dan; Yang, Lin; Wang, Feng; Cai, Yumao; Lan, Lina; Hong, Fuchang; Yang, Tubao; Feng, Tiejian

2017-01-18

Although HIV and syphilis co-infection has been frequently observed in men who have sex with men (MSM), only few studies have focused on it. Different subgroups of MSM might exhibit heterogeneous HIV and syphilis risk profiles, indicating that interventions for HIV and HIV-related co-infections may vary with different subgroups of MSM. However, no previous study has investigated HIV and syphilis co-infection among non-commercial MSM (ncMSM) attending a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the prevalence of HIV and syphilis co-infection and associated factors among ncMSM attending an STD clinic in Shenzhen, China. NcMSM attending the STD clinic of Shenzhen Center for Chronic Disease Control were recruited in this cross-sectional study every Monday between March 2013 and August 2015 using a site based convenience sampling method. An anonymous questionnaire was used to collect data regarding socio-demographic characteristics, risky sexual behaviors and HIV-related knowledge. Blood samples were collected to perform HIV and syphilis tests. Totally 533 participants were enrolled in this study and the prevalence of HIV and syphilis co-infection among them was 13.13%. Multivariable analyses indicated that having lived in Shenzhen for less than one year (aOR = 2.80, 95% CI = 1.30-6.05), having first anal sexual intercourse before the age of 18 (aOR = 2.78, 95% CI = 1.29-5.89), having 3 to 5 anal sexual partners in the past six months (aOR = 2.54, 95% CI = 1.19-5.40), playing exclusively receptive (aOR = 6.87, 95% CI = 3.02-15.61) or both insertive and receptive (aOR = 3.65, 95% CI = 1.64-8.09) roles in anal sexual intercourse and not always using condom in anal sexual intercourse (aOR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.08-4.19) were associated risk factors for HIV and syphilis co-infection, relative to the non-infected ncMSM. Compared with the mono-infected ncMSM, associated risk factors for the co

Avatars using computer/smartphone mediated communication and social networking in prevention of sexually transmitted diseases among North-Norwegian youngsters.

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Gabarron, Elia; Serrano, J Artur; Wynn, Rolf; Armayones, Manuel

2012-10-30

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), especially the Chlamydia trachomatis bacterial infection, a common cause of infertility, are highly prevalent in developed countries, and a worrying problem in North Norway, where the incidence of chlamydia twice the Norwegian average. Seventy percent of reported chlamydia cases are found in people below 25 years of age, and although its spread could be controlled with proper prevention, young people are more aware of the risks of unwanted pregnancy than their risk of acquiring a STD. Information and Communication Technologies, including, the Internet, social media and/or smartphones, should be valued for sexual health promotion for their potential to engage young audiences. And in these media, avatars guarantee anonymity to users when handling sensitive information. The main objective of this project is to achieve that North Norwegian youngsters become more aware of STDs through the use of popular technologies among young people. A Virtual Clinic for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (VCSTD) will be developed. The VCSTD will provide early guidance and reliable information sources concerning reproductive health, delivered in a novel and innovative way to the younger population. The VCSTD consists of an "avatar" supported intervention in a serious gaming and e-learning environment, which will bypass direct physical access (in person) to reliable medical information, as well as allowing the youngsters to share that information in social media, and thus helping the VCSTD to be disseminated to more people.Data analyses will be conducted on publically available health data relevant to STDs in Troms and Finnmark, like the absolute number of chlamydia tests, the amount of emergency contraception medication sold, and the number of abortions. Also, usage data of the system and experiences of usefulness will be explored through participants' voluntary responses to a feedback form available in the VCSTD. This study will examine the usefulness

Mitochondrial Diseases: Clinical Features- Management of Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filiz Koc

2003-02-01

Full Text Available Mitochondria are unique organells which their own DNA in cells. Human mitochondrial DNA is circular, double-stranded molecule and small. Because all mitochondria are contributed by the ovum during the formation of the zygote, the mitochondrial genom is transmitted by maternal inheritance. Multisystem disorders such as deafness, cardiomyopathy, miyopathy can be seen in mitochondrial diseases. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2003; 12(0.100: 14-31

Knowledge and attitude of sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents in Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, in South-Western Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Akokuwebe, M E; Daini, B; Falayi, E O; Oyebade, O

2016-09-01

Globally, sexually transmitted disease (STD) is a public health problem. In Nigeria, adolescents form a substantial proportion (22%) of the population and are particularly prone to STDs because of the influence of peer pressure and urge to experiment sexual activity. The study examined the knowledge and attitude of adolescents towards the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. The survey study was descriptive cross- sectional and carried out among consenting secondary school students aged 10-24 years completing a self- administered questionnaire on knowledge and attitude in relation to sexually transmitted diseases in Ikeji- Arakeji, Oriade Local government, Osun State, Nigeria. The proportionate sampling technique was used to recruit 341 participants into the study. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Male-Female distributions were 46.3% and 53.7% respectively. Mean age at first sex (sex initiation) was 16.8 years (approximately 17years) and about 97% of the respondents knew about STDs. The media/ magazine was the major source of information about STDs, accounting for more than half (57%) of the responses on sources of STD information followed closely from that from friends with 31%. Parent's source of information was about 11%. Knowledge of STDs centred mainly on HIV/AIDS with 83% and there was a poor knowledge (78%) of its symptoms. About 40% of all respondents had initiated sex at the time of the study and 46% of the adolescents, as against 54%, thought it was bad to initiate sex before marriage. There was a significant association between perception about initiating sex before marriage and ever having sex using bivariate analysis x(2)=268.4, Psex initiation (F=318.47 and P=0.000). Post-hoc analysis showed that each of the different groups (sources of information) was distinct. Adolescents' knowledge of STDs generally limited to HIV/AIDS and perception about sex significantly influenced the decision to initiate sex. There is

Pattern Of Sexually Transmitted Infections In A Reference Clinic Of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Methods: A prospective study with respect to the spectrum of STIs among patients who attended the Skin/STI clinic and who were physically examined and ... of STI recorded followed by HIV/AIDS 13 (14.44%), pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) 12 (13.33%), genital warts 9 (10%) and non – gonococcal urethritis (NGU), ...

Syndromes Associated with Sexually Transmitted Infections

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Max Chernesky

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Excellent technologies have been developed to identify the specific microbial agents of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, chancroid, trichomoniasis, human papillomavirus and HIV infection. However, it is also crucial to recognize syndromes that may be caused by one or more sexually transmitted pathogens. When laboratory services are lacking or are inadequate to provide timely results to enable appropriate treatment, some patients must be managed and treated syndromically. Most Canadian laboratories should be able to provide diagnostic services to determine the etiology of syndromes such as cervicitis, urethritis, pelvic inflammatory disease, prostatitis, genital ulcers, sexually transmitted infection (STI-related enteric infections, epididymitis, hepatitis, ophthalmia neonatorum, vulvovaginitis and vaginosis.

Global risk mapping for major diseases transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.

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Leta, Samson; Beyene, Tariku Jibat; De Clercq, Eva M; Amenu, Kebede; Kraemer, Moritz U G; Revie, Crawford W

2018-02-01

The objective of this study was to map the global risk of the major arboviral diseases transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus by identifying areas where the diseases are reported, either through active transmission or travel-related outbreaks, as well as areas where the diseases are not currently reported but are nonetheless suitable for the vector. Data relating to five arboviral diseases (Zika, dengue fever, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Rift Valley fever (RVF)) were extracted from some of the largest contemporary databases and paired with data on the known distribution of their vectors, A. aegypti and A. albopictus. The disease occurrence data for the selected diseases were compiled from literature dating as far back as 1952 to as recent as 2017. The resulting datasets were aggregated at the country level, except in the case of the USA, where state-level data were used. Spatial analysis was used to process the data and to develop risk maps. Out of the 250 countries/territories considered, 215 (86%) are potentially suitable for the survival and establishment of A. aegypti and/or A. albopictus. A. albopictus has suitability foci in 197 countries/territories, while there are 188 that are suitable for A. aegypti. There is considerable variation in the suitability range among countries/territories, but many of the tropical regions of the world provide high suitability over extensive areas. Globally, 146 (58.4%) countries/territories reported at least one arboviral disease, while 123 (49.2%) reported more than one of the above diseases. The overall numbers of countries/territories reporting autochthonous vector-borne occurrences of Zika, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and RVF, were 85, 111, 106, 43, and 39, respectively. With 215 countries/territories potentially suitable for the most important arboviral disease vectors and more than half of these reporting cases, arboviral diseases are indeed a global public health threat. The increasing proportion of

Does patient-delivered partner treatment improve disclosure for treatable sexually transmitted diseases?

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammed, Hamish; Leichliter, Jami S; Schmidt, Norine; Farley, Thomas A; Kissinger, Patricia

2010-03-01

The objective of this research was to determine the factors associated with disclosure of three treatable sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Data were obtained from two intervention trials to determine the ideal means of partner referral. Men diagnosed with urethritis and women diagnosed with trichomoniasis at public clinics in New Orleans, Louisiana were randomly assigned to partner referral (PR), booklet-enhanced partner referral (BEPR), or patient-delivered partner treatment (PDPT). Participants were asked about sex partners at baseline, then whether they disclosed to them at follow-up. The male trial was conducted from December 2001 to March 2004 and the female trial from December 2001 to August 2004. Data on men and women were analyzed separately. Nine hundred seventy-seven men and 463 women-reporting information on 1991 and 521 sex partners-were respectively enrolled in each trial. Disclosure occurred to 57.8% and 87.3% of their partners, respectively. Most men (68.3%) reported having two or more partners and disclosure was more likely to occur in: those who reported only one sex partner (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.54 [1.10, 2.16]); those in steady relationships (OR [95% CI]: 1.37 [1.08,1.74]); and those assigned PDPT [OR [95% CI]: 2.71 [1.93,3.82]). Most women reported having only one partner (86.8%) and disclosure was more likely to occur in steady relationships (OR [95% CI]: 2.65 [1.24,5.66]), and when sex was reinitiated with partners during the follow-up period (OR [95% CI]: 3.30 [1.54,7.09]). The provision of PDPT was associated with increased STD disclosure among men but not among women. Both men and women were less likely to disclose to casual partners. Women had high rates of disclosure irrespective of intervention arm.

High HIV prevalence among a high-risk subgroup of women attending sexually transmitted infection clinics in Pune, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, Shruti H; Gupta, Amita; Sahay, Seema; Godbole, Sheela V; Joshi, Smita N; Reynolds, Steven J; Celentano, David D; Risbud, Arun; Mehendale, Sanjay M; Bollinger, Robert C

2006-01-01

To investigate changes over a decade in prevalence and correlates of HIV among high-risk women attending sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics in Pune, India, who deny a history of commercial sex work (CSW). Cross-sectional. From 1993 to 2002, 2376 women attending 3 STI clinics in Pune were offered HIV screening. Women who denied CSW were included (n = 1020). Of 1020 women, 21% were HIV infected. The annual HIV prevalence increased from 14% in 1993 to 29% in 2001-2002 (P women were older, more often employed, less likely to be currently married, and more likely to report condom use. In multivariate analysis, factors independently associated with HIV were calendar period (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.9 for 1997-1999 vs. 1993-1996; 95% CI, 1.2-3.0; AOR, 2.3 for 2000-2002 vs. 1993-1996; 95% CI, 1.5-3.6), lack of formal education (AOR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.4-2.9), having been widowed (AOR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.6-6.1), current employment (AOR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.2-2.6), and genital ulcer disease on examination (AOR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.2-2.7). Women attending STI clinics in India who deny a history of CSW represent a small, hidden subgroup, likely put at risk for HIV because of high-risk behavior of their male partners, generally their husbands. Educational and awareness efforts that have targeted other subgroups in India (men and CSWs) should also focus on these hard-to-reach women. Risk reduction in this subgroup of Indian women would also be expected to reduce perinatal infections in India.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS ABOUT SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES/AIDS

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Elisângela de Souza Marques

2006-04-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT. The purpose of this research was to verify the knowledge of the school adolescents, of a public school in Goiânia – Goiás, about STD/Aids. The research is characterized as descriptive and was made from 2003 January to October, with students of the related school 7th and 8th classes’ and 2nd and 3rd high school classes. The data had been collected by structuralized questionnaire. The research had evaluated 113 students and 46% of them were male and 54% were female. The age goes to 12 to 19 years old. 15% of the students told that they already had sexual relations. It was observed that, although 90,43% of the students have showed previous knowledge of the subject, when they were asked about how much they knew about DST/AIDS, many of them had answered incorrectly. The research suggests an effective implementation of educative programs about the theme in all the schools and school levels. KEYWORDS: Public Health Nursing; Teen Health; Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

A Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Survey regarding Sex, Contraception and Sexually Transmitted Diseases among Commerce College Students in Mumbai.

Science.gov (United States)

Mutha, Amit S; Mutha, Sonali A; Baghel, Paritosh J; Patil, Ramanand J; Bhagat, Sagar B; Patel, Sadiq B; Watsa, Mahinder C

2014-08-01

One in four Indians is a juvenile. Sexual crimes, pre marital sex, sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies are on the rise. It has been shown that lack of sexuality education can significantly contribute to the above. We conducted this study to determine the knowledge and awareness of college students regarding sex and related matters and the factors affecting the prevalent outlook and practices of youth towards the same. A prospective cross-sectional survey was conducted amongst 500 students of the K.P.B. Hinduja College of Commerce from December 2012 to March 2013 as per the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. 1. Sex knowledge scores of males and females regarding contraception, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. 2. Percentage response of males and females to questions depicting attitudes and perceptions regarding premarital sex and promiscuity, sexual fantasy and masturbation, unwanted pregnancies and contraception. 3. Responses depicting participant's premarital and high risk sexual activities. The mean age was 18.6 ±1.6 years, 46% of participants were female. The total sex related knowledge scores of males and females were 8.2±1.2 and 6.2±2.4 (ppractices.

Clinical presentation of juvenile Huntington disease

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Ruocco Heloísa H.

2006-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical presentation a group of patients with juvenile onset of Huntington disease. METHOD: All patients were interviewed following a structured clinical questioner. Patients were genotyped for the trinucleotide cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG repeat in the Huntington Disease gene. High resolution brain MRI was performed in all patients. RESULTS: We identified 4 patients with juvenile onset of disease among 50 patients with Huntington disease followed prospectively in our Neurogenetics clinic. Age at onset varied from 3 to 13 years, there were 2 boys, and 3 patients had a paternal inheritance of the disease. Expanded Huntington disease allele sizes varied from 41 to 69 trinucleotide repeats. The early onset patients presented with rigidity, bradykinesia, dystonia, dysarthria, seizures and ataxia. MRI showed severe volume loss of caudate and putamen nuclei (p=0.001 and reduced cerebral and cerebellum volumes (p=0.01. CONCLUSION: 8% of Huntington disease patients seen in our clinic had juvenile onset of the disease. They did not present with typical chorea as seen in adult onset Huntington disease. There was a predominance of rigidity and bradykinesia. Two other important clinical features were seizures and ataxia, which related with the imaging findings of early cortical atrophy and cerebellum volume loss.

Longitudinal prediction of sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents: results from a national survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Crosby, R; Leichliter, J S; Brackbill, R

2000-05-01

Although adolescent use of condoms has been increasing, incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among young people remains high. To identify adolescent behavioral risk factors for acquiring STDs, this study assessed adolescent self-reports of acquired chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis within 1 year after a baseline interview. We used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health for this study. Data were collected in the homes of survey respondents, using audio-computer-assisted self-interview (audio-CASI) technology and interviews. Participants were enrolled in grades 7-11 from 134 U.S. schools. A cohort of 4593 sexually experienced adolescents was followed for 1 year. We conducted separate analyses for both genders. About 3.1% of the male adolescents and nearly 4.7% of the female adolescents reported having had at least one STD after the baseline interview. For both genders, self-reported STD infection before baseline interview was the best predictor of self-reported STD infection 1 year after baseline interview. Female adolescents were more likely to report diagnosis with an STD after baseline if they self-identified as a minority race (other than Asian) and perceived that their mother did not disapprove of their having sex. Female adolescents were less likely to report STDs if they perceived that adults care about them. No additional variables predicted STD diagnosis after baseline for male adolescents. We conclude that past history of STD infection is the most important indicator of subsequent STD infection among adolescents. Thus, this study suggests the benefit of specific clinical efforts designed to promote preventive behavior among adolescents newly diagnosed with an STD.

Clinical patterns in Parkinson's disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rooden, Stephanie Maria van

2012-01-01

The clinical heterogeneity of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients may reflect the existence of subtypes of the disease. PD subtypes have often been defined by a classification according to researcher-specified criteria, such as age-at-onset or predominant clinical motor features. The general objective

Clinical heterogeneity in Fabry disease

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G. N. Salogub

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Fabry disease is an X-linked, lysosomal storage disease (OMIM: 301500, caused by α-galactosidase A deficiency, resulting in accumulation of its substrates, glycosphingolipids, primarily – globotriaosylceramide, in the lysosomes of multiple cell types with multi-system clinical manifestations, even within the same family, including abnormalities of the central and peripheral nervous system, kidneys, heart, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, organ of vision. Clinical heterogeneity is often the reason of the delayed diagnosis. Nowadays enzyme replacement therapy has proved its efficiency in the treatment of Fabry disease. Including Fabry disease in the differential diagnosis of a large range of disorders is important because of its wide clinical heterogeneity and the possibility of an earlier intervention with a beneficial treatment.

Geospatial forecast model for tsetse-transmitted animal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Results indicate that GIS model developed for parasitic diseases based on growing degree day (GDD) concept can be applied to tsetse-transmitted trypanosomosis. GIS for animal trypanosomosis was created using Food and Agriculture Organization – Crop Production System Zones (FAO-CPSZ) database and Normalized ...

Could home sexually transmitted infection specimen collection with e-prescription be a cost-effective strategy for clinical trials and clinical care?

Science.gov (United States)

Blake, Diane R; Spielberg, Freya; Levy, Vivian; Lensing, Shelly; Wolff, Peter A; Venkatasubramanian, Lalitha; Acevedo, Nincoshka; Padian, Nancy; Chattopadhyay, Ishita; Gaydos, Charlotte A

2015-01-01

Results of a recent demonstration project evaluating feasibility, acceptability, and cost of a Web-based sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and e-prescription treatment program (eSTI) suggest that this approach could be a feasible alternative to clinic-based testing and treatment, but the results need to be confirmed by a randomized comparative effectiveness trial. We modeled a decision tree comparing (1) cost of eSTI screening using a home collection kit and an e-prescription for uncomplicated treatment versus (2) hypothetical costs derived from the literature for referral to standard clinic-based STI screening and treatment. Primary outcome was number of STIs detected. Analyses were conducted from the clinical trial perspective and the health care system perspective. The eSTI strategy detected 75 infections, and the clinic referral strategy detected 45 infections. Total cost of eSTI was $94,938 ($1266/STI detected) from the clinical trial perspective and $96,088 ($1281/STI detected) from the health care system perspective. Total cost of clinic referral was $87,367 ($1941/STI detected) from the clinical trial perspective and $71,668 ($1593/STI detected) from the health care system perspective. Results indicate that eSTI will likely be more cost-effective (lower cost/STI detected) than clinic-based STI screening, both in the context of clinical trials and in routine clinical care. Although our results are promising, they are based on a demonstration project and estimates from other small studies. A comparative effectiveness research trial is needed to determine actual cost and impact of the eSTI system on identification and treatment of new infections and prevention of their sequelae.

Prevalence and direct costs of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for selected diseases that can be transmitted by water, United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Adam, E A; Collier, S A; Fullerton, K E; Gargano, J W; Beach, M J

2017-10-01

National emergency department (ED) visit prevalence and costs for selected diseases that can be transmitted by water were estimated using large healthcare databases (acute otitis externa, campylobacteriosis, cryptosporidiosis, Escherichia coli infection, free-living ameba infection, giardiasis, hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection, Legionnaires' disease, nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection, Pseudomonas-related pneumonia or septicemia, salmonellosis, shigellosis, and vibriosis or cholera). An estimated 477,000 annual ED visits (95% CI: 459,000-494,000) were documented, with 21% (n = 101,000, 95% CI: 97,000-105,000) resulting in immediate hospital admission. The remaining 376,000 annual treat-and-release ED visits (95% CI: 361,000-390,000) resulted in $194 million in annual direct costs. Most treat-and-release ED visits (97%) and costs ($178 million/year) were associated with acute otitis externa. HAV ($5.5 million), NTM ($2.3 million), and salmonellosis ($2.2 million) were associated with next highest total costs. Cryptosporidiosis ($2,035), campylobacteriosis ($1,783), and NTM ($1,709) had the highest mean costs per treat-and-release ED visit. Overall, the annual hospitalization and treat-and-release ED visit costs associated with the selected diseases totaled $3.8 billion. As most of these diseases are not solely transmitted by water, an attribution process is needed as a next step to determine the proportion of these visits and costs attributable to waterborne transmission.

Association between sexually transmitted disease and church membership. A retrospective Cohort study of two Danish Religious minorities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kørup, Alex Kappel; Thygesen, Lau Caspar; Christensen, René dePont

2016-01-01

Objectives: Studies comprising Danish Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs) and Danish Baptists found that members have a lower risk of chronic diseases including cancer. Explanations have pointed to differences in lifestyle, but detailed aetiology has only been sparsely examined. Our objective was to in...... may partly explain the lower incidence of cancers of the cervix, rectum, anus, head and neck.......Objectives: Studies comprising Danish Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs) and Danish Baptists found that members have a lower risk of chronic diseases including cancer. Explanations have pointed to differences in lifestyle, but detailed aetiology has only been sparsely examined. Our objective...... was to investigate the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among Danish SDAs and Baptists as a proxy for cancers related to sexual behaviour.  Methods: We followed the Danish Cohort of Religious Societies from 1977 to 2009, and linked it with national registers of all inpatient and outpatient care...

[Awareness and education regarding sexually transmitted diseases among undergraduate students].

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, Eneida Lazzarini de; Caldas, Tânia Alencar de; Morcillo, André Moreno; Pereira, Elisabete Monteiro de Aguiar; Velho, Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira

2016-06-01

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are the main global cause of acute illness and death and represent a high socioeconomic cost. Undergraduate students are highly exposed to STDs. The research developed at UNICAMP sought to quantify and generate self-perception of knowledge(or lack thereof) about STDs, as well as evaluate the interest of the students in a course on the topic. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire sent electronically to students about to graduate at the end of 2011 and to freshmen in 2012. The questionnaire was answered by 1,448 seniors and 371 freshmen. Twenty percent of seniors and 38% of freshmen had no sexual activity. Among sexually active students, 26.9% had no regular partner and 28.2% more than two partners per year. The condom was used by 99% of students, but less than 20% used them appropriately. About 80% were unaware that condoms do not provide protection outside the barrier area; they intended to read more about STDs and learnt something about the subject. Nearly half of the students considered that a course should be offered to all undergraduates. These findings will be of use in defining strategies for prevention and the teaching tool could be used in other learning environments.

Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among women attending antenatal clinics in Tanga, north eastern Tanzania

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chiduo, M; Theilgaard, Z P; Bakari, V

2012-01-01

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among HIV-infected and uninfected pregnant women in Tanga, Tanzania. Retrospective data on syphilis and HIV status during 2008-2010 were collected from antenatal clinic (ANC) records. Prospective data were...... collected from HIV-infected (n = 105) and HIV-uninfected pregnant women (n = 100) attending ANCs between April 2009 and August 2010. Syphilis prevalence showed a declining trend (3.1%, 1.4% and 1.3%), while HIV prevalence was stable (6.1%, 6.4% and 5.4%) during 2008-2010. HIV-infected women had...... significantly higher prevalence of trichomoniasis (18.8% versus 5.0%; P HIV-uninfected women. There were no statistically significant...

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

Science.gov (United States)

... caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Examples include gonorrhea, genital herpes, human papillomavirus infection, HIV/AIDS, chlamydia, ... genomic sequencing of pathogens responsible for trichomoniasis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and human genital ulcer disease (chancroid). The sequencing ...

Sexually transmitted disease partner notification among African-American, adolescent women.

Science.gov (United States)

Buchsbaum, Anna; Gallo, Maria F; Whiteman, Maura K; Cwiak, Carrie; Goedken, Peggy; Kraft, Joan Marie; Jamieson, Denise J; Kottke, Melissa

2014-01-01

To better understand preferences and practices regarding partner notification of sexually transmitted infection (STI) among female, African-American adolescents. Participants completed a questionnaire and STI testing at baseline. Those diagnosed with Chlamydia or gonorrhea were recruited for a follow-up study, involving another questionnaire and repeat STI testing after three months. At baseline, most participants (85.1%) preferred to tell their partner about an STI diagnosis themselves instead of having a health care provider inform him, and 71.0% preferred to bring their partner for clinic treatment instead of giving him pills or a prescription. Two-thirds of participants were classified as having high self-efficacy for partner notification of a positive STI diagnosis. In the multivariable analysis, older participants and those with fewer lifetime sexual partners were more likely to have high self-efficacy. Ninety-three participants (26.6%) had Chlamydia or gonorrhea and, of this subset, 55 participated in the follow-up study. Most adolescents in the follow-up study (76.4%) notified their partner about their infection. Although participants were willing to use most methods of partner notification, most preferred to tell partners themselves and few preferred expedited partner therapy. Traditional methods for partner notification and treatment may not be adequate for all adolescents in this population.

Management of whitefly-transmitted viruses in open-field production systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Lapidot, Moshe; Legg, James P; Wintermantel, William M; Polston, Jane E

2014-01-01

Whiteflies are a key pest of crops in open-field production throughout the tropics and subtropics. This is due in large part to the long and diverse list of devastating plant viruses transmitted by these vectors. Open-field production provides many challenges to manage these viruses and in many cases adequate management has not been possible. Diseases caused by whitefly-transmitted viruses have become limiting factors in open-field production of a wide range of crops, i.e., bean golden mosaic disease in beans, tomato yellow leaf curl disease in tomato, cassava mosaic disease and cassava brown streak disease in cassava, and cotton leaf crumple disease in cotton. While host resistance has proven to be the most cost-effective management solution, few examples of host resistance have been developed to date. The main strategy to limit the incidence of virus-infected plants has been the application of insecticides to reduce vector populations aided to some extent by the use of selected cultural practices. However, due to concerns about the effect of insecticides on pollinators, consumer demand for reduced pesticide use, and the ability of the whitefly vectors to develop insecticide-resistance, there is a growing need to develop and deploy strategies that do not rely on insecticides. The reduction in pesticide use will greatly increase the need for genetic resistance to more viruses in more crop plants. Resistance combined with selected IPM strategies could become a viable means to increase yields in crops produced in open fields despite the presence of whitefly-transmitted viruses.

Avatars using computer/smartphone mediated communication and social networking in prevention of sexually transmitted diseases among North-Norwegian youngsters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabarron Elia

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs, especially the Chlamydia trachomatis bacterial infection, a common cause of infertility, are highly prevalent in developed countries, and a worrying problem in North Norway, where the incidence of chlamydia twice the Norwegian average. Seventy percent of reported chlamydia cases are found in people below 25 years of age, and although its spread could be controlled with proper prevention, young people are more aware of the risks of unwanted pregnancy than their risk of acquiring a STD. Information and Communication Technologies, including, the Internet, social media and/or smartphones, should be valued for sexual health promotion for their potential to engage young audiences. And in these media, avatars guarantee anonymity to users when handling sensitive information. The main objective of this project is to achieve that North Norwegian youngsters become more aware of STDs through the use of popular technologies among young people. Methods A Virtual Clinic for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (VCSTD will be developed. The VCSTD will provide early guidance and reliable information sources concerning reproductive health, delivered in a novel and innovative way to the younger population. The VCSTD consists of an “avatar” supported intervention in a serious gaming and e-learning environment, which will bypass direct physical access (in person to reliable medical information, as well as allowing the youngsters to share that information in social media, and thus helping the VCSTD to be disseminated to more people. Data analyses will be conducted on publically available health data relevant to STDs in Troms and Finnmark, like the absolute number of chlamydia tests, the amount of emergency contraception medication sold, and the number of abortions. Also, usage data of the system and experiences of usefulness will be explored through participants’ voluntary responses to a feedback form available

Alaska Native and Rural Youths' Views of Sexual Health: A Focus Group Project on Sexually Transmitted Diseases, HIV/AIDS, and Unplanned Pregnancy

Science.gov (United States)

Leston, Jessica D.; Jessen, Cornelia M.; Simons, Brenna C.

2012-01-01

Background: The disparity in rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV/AIDS, and unplanned pregnancy between Alaska Native (AN) and non-AN populations, particularly among young adults and females, is significant and concerning. Focus groups were conducted to better understand the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of rural Alaska youth…

Human health improvement in Sub-Saharan Africa through integrated management of arthropod transmitted diseases and natural resources

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Baumgärtner Johann

2001-01-01

Full Text Available A concept of an ecosystem approach to human health improvement in Sub-Saharan Africa is presented here. Three factors mainly affect the physical condition of the human body: the abiotic environment, vector-transmitted diseases, and natural resources. Our concept relies on ecological principles embedded in a social context and identifies three sets of subsystems for study and management: human disease subsystems, natural resource subsystems, and decision-support subsystems. To control human diseases and to secure food from resource subsystems including livestock or crops, integrated preventive approaches are preferred over exclusively curative and sectorial approaches. Environmental sustainability - the basis for managing matter and water flows - contributes to a healthy human environment and constitutes the basis for social sustainability. For planning and implementation of the human health improvement scheme, participatory decision-support subsystems adapted to the local conditions need to be designed through institutional arrangements. The applicability of this scheme is demonstrated in urban and rural Ethiopia.

Human health improvement in Sub-Saharan Africa through integrated management of arthropod transmitted diseases and natural resources

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Johann Baumgärtner

Full Text Available A concept of an ecosystem approach to human health improvement in Sub-Saharan Africa is presented here. Three factors mainly affect the physical condition of the human body: the abiotic environment, vector-transmitted diseases, and natural resources. Our concept relies on ecological principles embedded in a social context and identifies three sets of subsystems for study and management: human disease subsystems, natural resource subsystems, and decision-support subsystems. To control human diseases and to secure food from resource subsystems including livestock or crops, integrated preventive approaches are preferred over exclusively curative and sectorial approaches. Environmental sustainability - the basis for managing matter and water flows - contributes to a healthy human environment and constitutes the basis for social sustainability. For planning and implementation of the human health improvement scheme, participatory decision-support subsystems adapted to the local conditions need to be designed through institutional arrangements. The applicability of this scheme is demonstrated in urban and rural Ethiopia.

Human health improvement in Sub-Saharan Africa through integrated management of arthropod transmitted diseases and natural resources.

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Baumgärtner, J; Bieri, M; Buffoni, G; Gilioli, G; Gopalan, H; Greiling, J; Tikubet, G; Van Schayk, I

2001-01-01

A concept of an ecosystem approach to human health improvement in Sub-Saharan Africa is presented here. Three factors mainly affect the physical condition of the human body: the abiotic environment, vector-transmitted diseases, and natural resources. Our concept relies on ecological principles embedded in a social context and identifies three sets of subsystems for study and management: human disease subsystems, natural resource subsystems, and decision-support subsystems. To control human diseases and to secure food from resource subsystems including livestock or crops, integrated preventive approaches are preferred over exclusively curative and sectorial approaches. Environmental sustainability - the basis for managing matter and water flows - contributes to a healthy human environment and constitutes the basis for social sustainability. For planning and implementation of the human health improvement scheme, participatory decision-support subsystems adapted to the local conditions need to be designed through institutional arrangements. The applicability of this scheme is demonstrated in urban and rural Ethiopia.

Use of Expedited Partner Therapy for Sexually Transmitted Diseases in College and University Health Centers in the United States, 2011-2012.

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Cramer, Ryan; Martinez, Nina; Roberts, Craig; Habel, Melissa A; Leino, E Victor; Leichliter, Jami S

2015-10-01

We examined expedited partner therapy for chlamydia and gonorrhea in college and university health centers by institutional and policy characteristics. Expedited partner therapy awareness and use was low (44.1% used), did not differ by institutional characteristics, and differed by policy environment. Our findings suggest missed opportunities for sexually transmitted disease prevention in college and university health centers.

The Effect of Peer-Education on Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Safer Sexual Life Knowledge and Behaviour of Young People.

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Evin Kirmizitoprak; Zeynep Simsek

2011-01-01

Aim: To determine the effect of peer education on the knowledge and attitudes of the young about safe sexual life and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Method: In this intervention type epidemiologic study, 1100 youngs were reached at 95% level of significance by probability sampling method. These young people were given education by peer trainers; level of knowledge and attitudes of the young were evaluated before and after education. ‘Young’s Health Information Form’ p...

Partner notification of sexually transmitted diseases: practices and preferences.

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Gursahaney, Priya R; Jeong, Kwonho; Dixon, Bruce W; Wiesenfeld, Harold C

2011-09-01

Timely notification and treatment of sex partners exposed to a sexually transmitted disease (STD) is essential to reduce reinfection and transmission. Our objectives were to determine factors associated with patient-initiated notification of sex partners and preferences regarding standard partner referral versus expedited partner therapy (EPT). Participants diagnosed with gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, or nongonococcal urethritis within the previous year were administered a baseline survey asking about demographics, sexual history, and partner treatment preferences (standard partner referral vs. EPT). They identified up to 4 sex partners within the past 2 months, and answered questions on relationship characteristics, quality, and notification self-efficacy. At follow-up, participants with a current STD were asked whether they notified their partners. Generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate the associations between predictor variables and partner notification. Of the 201 subjects enrolled, 157 had a current STD diagnosis, and 289 sex partners were identified. The rate of successful partner notification was 77.3% (157/203 sex partners). Partner notification was increased if the subject had a long-term relationship with a sex partner (odds ratio: 3.07; 95% confidence interval: 1.43, 6.58), considered the partner to be a main partner (odds ratio: 2.53; 95% confidence interval: 1.43, 6.58), or had increased notification self-efficacy. Overall, participants did not prefer EPT over standard referral; however, females, those with higher education levels, and those with a prior STD preferred EPT. Patient-initiated partner referral is more successful in patients with increased self-efficacy who have stronger interpersonal relationships with their sex partners.

A syphilis co-infection study in human papilloma virus patients attended in the sexually transmitted infection ambulatory clinic, Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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Lúcia Maria de Sena Souza

Full Text Available Despite the prevalence of syphilis worldwide, little is known about its manifestations when associated with other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI, specifically the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV. Current epidemiological studies show that there is a high incidence of both diseases in ambulatory clinics all over Brazil. This study aims to estimate the incidence of syphilis - HPV co-infections, among patients from the STI ambulatory clinic at the Santa Casa da Misericórdia Hospital, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Two-hundred and seven patients were seen in the clinic between March and December 2005, of which 113 (54.6% sought care for an HPV infection. Blood samples were taken from all patients to check syphilis serology using the flocculation and the non-treponemic test or VDRL (Venereal Disease Research Laboratory and the TPHA (Treponema Pallidum Hemagglutination Assay treponemic and confirmatory method. Of the 207 patients, 113 (54.6% consulted referring to HPV as their primary complaint, and of these, 18 (15.9% also presented with positive syphilis serology, demonstrating a high incidence of coinfection. The average age of the patients varied between 20 and 25 years, 203 (98.1% were male and 4 (1.9% were female. The predominance of the male sex in this sample confirms the profile usually treated in STI clinics across the country, and the age range is that of typically high sexually activity. Conclusion: The results demonstrated the need for a differentiated examination of all STD patients.

Knowledge and attitudes of the third year medical students in a university about sexually transmitted diseases and prevention methods

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Bünyamin Akça

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The passage from childhood to adulthood is the period when health habits and sexual behaviors start to form. Thus, the topics of sexual health and reproductive health should be approached with priority during this period. The objective of the study is to evaluate the knowledge and behavior of students of the medical faculty with respect to sexually transmitted diseases and prevention methods.Methods: The questionnaire that contains 23 headings created by the researchers after relevant literature reviews was administered to the third-semester students of the Izmir Katip Celebi University Medical Faculty in face-to-face interviews after obtaining their verbal consent. The study data was analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 demo software bundle. Conditions in which the p-value was under 0.05 were regarded as statistically significant.Results: The mean age of the students that participated in the study (n=104 was 21.88 ± 1.9 years of age, 51% (n=53 of the students were female, and 49.0% (n=51 were male. Among the students, 93% stated that they had received education about preventing pregnancy. Two of the  most well-known prevention methods by the participants were condoms in 99.0% (n=103 and oral contraceptives in 95.2% (n=99. The rate of correct answers given about all of the risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases (sex workers, polygamy, homosexuality, being sexually active, substance addiction was 22.1% (n=23.Conclusion: Identifying the level of knowledge in the youth about STDs in early periods, determining the services they require, cooperating with related institutions to review the adequacy of information online, and educating youth about STDs are important in preventing these diseases and also in the treatment of existing diseases before they lead to more problems.

Paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Clinical Presentation and Disease Location.

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Aziz, Danish Abdul; Moin, Maryum; Majeed, Atif; Sadiq, Kamran; Biloo, Abdul Gaffar

2017-01-01

To determine different clinical presentationsand disease location demarcatedby upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopyand relevant histopathologyin children diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This is 5 years (2010 to 2015) retrospective studyconducted at the Aga Khan University Hospitalenrolling65admitted children between 6 months to 15years from either gender, diagnosed with IBD on clinical presentation, endoscopy and biopsy. Different clinical presentations at the time of diagnosis were noted in different categories of the disease. All patients underwent upper and lower (up to the terminal ileum) endoscopy with multiple punch biopsies and histologic assessment of mucosal specimens. All endoscopies were done by paediatric gastroenterologists at endoscopy suite of the hospital and all specimens were reported by the pathology department. ESPGHAN revised criteria for the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease in children and an adolescent was used to standardize our diagnosis. Extent of disease on endoscopy and relevant histopathology of the biopsy samples were noted at the time of diagnosis. Data was summarized using mean, standard deviation, numbers and percentages for different variables. Total 56 children were enrolled according to inclusion criteria. There were 34children (61.53%) diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), 10 patients (16.92%) had Crohn'sDisease (CD) and 11 (21.53%) patients were labeled as Indeterminate colitis (IC). Mean age at onset of symptoms was10.03±2.44 and mean age at diagnosis was11.10±2.36. Abdominal pain (80%) and chronic diarrhea (70%) were common symptoms in CD whereas bloody diarrhea (79.41%) and rectal bleeding(64.70%)were common presentation in UC. Patients diagnosed with indeterminate colitis(IC) had similar clinical features as in UC patients. Only 7% patients had some extra-intestinal features in the form of joint pain and/or uveitis. Aspartate aminotransferase level (95.18 ±12.89) was relatively high in

HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases among female prostitutes in Kinshasa.

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Nzila, N; Laga, M; Thiam, M A; Mayimona, K; Edidi, B; Van Dyck, E; Behets, F; Hassig, S; Nelson, A; Mokwa, K

1991-06-01

In 1988, 1233 prostitutes from different geographic areas of Kinshasa participated in a cross-sectional survey on HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Despite relatively good knowledge about AIDS and STDs, the reported preventive behaviour was poor. Only 12% of the women reported regular use of condoms, while greater than 50% of the women reported regular use of antibiotics and 38% reported doing nothing specific to prevent STDs. Thirty-five per cent of the women were HIV-positive compared with 27% in a similar survey in Kinshasa in 1986. The prevalence of other STDs was very high, ranging from 5% for genital ulcer disease (GUD) to 23% for gonococcal infection. HIV-positive women were older than HIV-negative women (26.9 versus 25.4 years; P less than 0.001), had a significantly lower level of reported condom use (9 versus 14%, P = 0.009), and reported more frequent use of antibiotics to prevent STDs (55 versus 42%, P = less than 0.001). The prevalence of syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydial infection and trichomoniasis was not higher in HIV-positive women compared with HIV-negative women. However, HIV-positive women had a higher prevalence of GUD (9 versus 3%, P less than 0.001), antibodies against Haemophilus ducreyi (82 versus 57%, P less than 0.001), antibodies against herpes simplex virus type 2 (96 versus 76%, P less than 0.001), condylomata accuminata (5 versus 1%, P = 0.003) and cytologic evidence of human papilloma virus on Papaniclaou cervical smear (11 versus 5%, P = 0.006). This study confirms the high incidence of HIV and other STDs among prostitutes in Africa.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Sexually Transmitted Disease Partner Notification among African-American, Adolescent Women

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Anna Buchsbaum

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To better understand preferences and practices regarding partner notification of sexually transmitted infection (STI among female, African-American adolescents. Methods. Participants completed a questionnaire and STI testing at baseline. Those diagnosed with Chlamydia or gonorrhea were recruited for a follow-up study, involving another questionnaire and repeat STI testing after three months. Results. At baseline, most participants (85.1% preferred to tell their partner about an STI diagnosis themselves instead of having a health care provider inform him, and 71.0% preferred to bring their partner for clinic treatment instead of giving him pills or a prescription. Two-thirds of participants were classified as having high self-efficacy for partner notification of a positive STI diagnosis. In the multivariable analysis, older participants and those with fewer lifetime sexual partners were more likely to have high self-efficacy. Ninety-three participants (26.6% had Chlamydia or gonorrhea and, of this subset, 55 participated in the follow-up study. Most adolescents in the follow-up study (76.4% notified their partner about their infection. Conclusion. Although participants were willing to use most methods of partner notification, most preferred to tell partners themselves and few preferred expedited partner therapy. Traditional methods for partner notification and treatment may not be adequate for all adolescents in this population.

Clinically Unsuspected Prion Disease Among Patients With Dementia Diagnoses in an Alzheimer's Disease Database.

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Maddox, Ryan A; Blase, J L; Mercaldo, N D; Harvey, A R; Schonberger, L B; Kukull, W A; Belay, E D

2015-12-01

Brain tissue analysis is necessary to confirm prion diseases. Clinically unsuspected cases may be identified through neuropathologic testing. National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) Minimum and Neuropathologic Data Set for 1984 to 2005 were reviewed. Eligible patients had dementia, underwent autopsy, had available neuropathologic data, belonged to a currently funded Alzheimer's Disease Center (ADC), and were coded as having an Alzheimer's disease clinical diagnosis or a nonprion disease etiology. For the eligible patients with neuropathology indicating prion disease, further clinical information, collected from the reporting ADC, determined whether prion disease was considered before autopsy. Of 6000 eligible patients in the NACC database, 7 (0.12%) were clinically unsuspected but autopsy-confirmed prion disease cases. The proportion of patients with dementia with clinically unrecognized but autopsy-confirmed prion disease was small. Besides confirming clinically suspected cases, neuropathology is useful to identify unsuspected clinically atypical cases of prion disease. © The Author(s) 2015.

Sexually transmitted parasites and host mating behavior in the decorated cricket

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Lien T. Luong; Harry K. Kaya

2005-01-01

Sexually transmitted diseases play a potentially important role in the ecology and evolution of host mating behavior. Here, we use a sexually transmitted nematode-cricket (Mehdinema alii--Gryllodes sigillatus) system to examine the effects of parasitism on host mating activity and female choice. Previous work has shown that infected male crickets produce a significantly smaller nuptial gift (spermatophylax) than uninfected males. This is expected to result in reduced spermatophylax feeding du...

Sexually transmitted nematodes affect spermatophylax production in the cricket, Gryllodes sigillatus

OpenAIRE

Lien T. Luong; Harry K. Kaya

2005-01-01

Parasites can influence various aspects of host reproduction and mating, including spermatophore production. In the cricket, Gryllodes sigillatus, males transfer to females a two-part spermatophore containing a sperm-filled ampulla and a gelatinous spermatophylax (nuptial gift). Here we investigate the effects of a sexually transmitted nematode on male spermatophylax production. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have the potential to reduce host fertility or fecundity in insect hosts. To o...

Sexually transmitted infections and mate-finding Allee effects

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Berec, Luděk; Janoušková, E.; Theuer, M.

2017-01-01

Roč. 114, APR 01 (2017), s. 59-69 ISSN 0040-5809 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Allee effect * mating * sexually transmitted disease Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour OBOR OECD: Ecology Impact factor: 1.613, year: 2016 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040580916301186

Molecular studies with Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762), mosquito transmitting the dengue virus.

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Pereira, Luciana Patrícia Lima Alves; Brito, Maria Cristiane Aranha; Araruna, Felipe Bastos; de Andrade, Marcelo Souza; Moraes, Denise Fernandes Coutinho; Borges, Antônio Carlos Romão; do Rêgo Barros Pires Leal, Emygdia Rosa

2017-08-01

Dengue is an infectious viral disease, which can present a wide clinical picture, ranging from oligo or asymptomatic forms, to bleeding and shock, and can progress to death. The disease problem has increased in recent years, especially in urban and suburban areas of tropical and subtropical regions. There are five dengue viruses, called serotypes (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, DEN-4, and DEN-5), which belong to the Flaviviridae family and are transmitted to humans through infected mosquito bites, with the main vector the Aedes aegypti mosquito (Linnaeus, 1762). Studies performed with Ae. aegypti, aimed at their identification and analysis of their population structure, are fundamental to improve understanding of the epidemiology of dengue, as well for the definition of strategic actions that reduce the transmission of this disease. Therefore, considering the importance of such research to the development of programs to combat dengue, the present review considers the techniques used for the molecular identification, and evaluation of the genetic variability of Ae. aegypti.

Negotiating Ability of Using Condom to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Disease and HIV/AIDS of Commercial Sex Worker Woman in Region Surakarta

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Arif Widodo

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The data from Board of Health in Surakarta City, on 8 September 2005, from 155 commercial sex worker woman had blood examined, there were 7 persons positive in HIV. One of factor affecting the high infection HIV/AIDS in women commercial sex worker was low use of condom. Aims of this research was to know factor-factor associated with didn’t use of condom and social aspect negotiations about using condom (education, economics status, working experience, devilling place, occupation, ethnic, religious, and income. This research is qualitative research using guided group discussion technique, in-depth interview, and participatory observation. Subject for this research were 30 persons, consist of 25 commercial sex worker, 3 guest, 1 room owner, and 1 parent. Independent variables in this research are social economics characteristic, demography and community characteristics. Dependent variables as PPSK capability in condom using negotiating to prevent sexually transmitted disease and HIV/AIDS. Commonly, despite knowing that everyone, including themselves, is vulnerable to AIDS infection, the respondents ignore asking the guest/partners for condom use. Most of them don’t ask for condom use due to their fear of either being the target of the guest anger and bad words, or losing money from them. Women commercial sex worker Silir in using condom and prevent sexual transmitted disease had free education from Board of Health in Surakarta City. In the street prostitutes are low support from peer, room owner, hotel owner, or guest about using condom for women commercial sex worker in illegal place, caused women commercial sex worker in the street more potential and high risk to spread sexual transmitted diseases than they were operated in Silir. The low capability of the street prostitutes for negotiating condom use with the guest customers results from: misperception on "safe-sex" behavior for seeking "help", economic and psychology pressure, free and

Disparities in sexually transmitted disease rates across the "eight Americas".

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Chesson, Harrell W; Kent, Charlotte K; Owusu-Edusei, Kwame; Leichliter, Jami S; Aral, Sevgi O

2012-06-01

The purpose of this study was to examine rates of 3 bacterial sexually transmitted diseases (STDs; syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia) in 8 subpopulations (known as the "eight Americas") defined by race and a small number of county-level sociodemographic and geographical characteristics. The eight Americas are (1) Asians and Pacific Islanders in specific counties; (2) Northland low-income rural white; (3) Middle America; (4) Low-income whites in Appalachia and Mississippi Valley; (5) Western Native American; (6) Black middle America; (7) Southern low-income rural black; and (8) High-risk urban black. A list of the counties comprising each of the eight Americas was obtained from the corresponding author of the original eight Americas project, which examined disparities in mortality rates across the eight Americas. Using county-level STD surveillance data, we calculated syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia rates (new cases per 100,000) for each of the eight Americas. Reported STD rates varied substantially across the eight Americas. STD rates were generally lowest in Americas 1 and 2 and highest in Americas 6, 7, and 8. Although disparities in STDs across the eight Americas are generally similar to the well-established disparities in STDs across race/ethnicity, the grouping of counties into the eight Americas does offer additional insight into disparities in STDs in the United States. The high STD rates we found for black Middle America are consistent with the assertion that sexual networks and social factors are important drivers of racial disparities in STDs.

The production of knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases in young people: a bibliometric research

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Thelma Spindola

2015-07-01

  ABSTRACT Objective: To identify and characterize the scientific production of nurses related to young people's vulnerability to sexually transmitted diseases (STD. Method: Descriptive study of transverse cutting (2009-2013, bibliometric research, conducted through the search of publications on the Health Virtual Library and the catalog of theses and dissertations of Brazilian Association of Nursing. The sample consisted of 40 articles, 05 theses and 05 dissertations. Results: The most of the publications were carried out by nurses’ teachers with doctoral degree. The theme of HIV/aids, focus of health education, field research and qualitative analysis of the findings had greater representativeness in the sample analyzed. Conclusion: Although STD have been manifested in young people and the Health Ministry of Brazil showing the increased incidence of HIV/aids in this group, the scientific literature on the subject in the studied timeframe is irregular and reduced. Descriptors: Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Adolescent, Young adult, Bibliometrics.   RESUMEN Objetivo: Identificar y caracterizar la producción científica de enfermería relacionado a la vulnerabilidad de los jóvenes con enfermedades de transmisión sexual. Método: Estudio descriptivo de tipo bibliométrico (2009-2013, de corte transversal realizado en la Biblioteca Virtual de salud y en el catálogo de tesis y disertaciones de la Asociación Brasileña de enfermería. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 40 artículos, 05 tesis y 05 disertaciones. Resultados: La mayoría de las publicaciones se llevó a cabo por enfermeras docentes con grado de doctorado. El tema del VIH/SIDA, el enfoque de educación para la salud, la investigación de campo y análisis cualitativo de los resultados tuvieron mayor representatividad en la muestra analizada. Conclusión: Aunque las enfermedades de transmisión sexual si manifiesta en los jóvenes y los documentos del Ministerio de salud de Brasil demostra el aumento

Observations of sexually transmitted disease consultations in India.

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Mertens, T E; Smith, G D; Kantharaj, K; Mugrditchian, D; Radhakrishnan, K M

1998-03-01

To assess the quality of sexually transmitted disease (STD) case management provided in public and private health facilities in selected areas of Madras, Tamil Nadu, India, in order to make recommendations for improving the quality of care and promote the syndromic approach to STD treatment. Structured observations of consultations for STDs in health care facilities. Scoring of the observations according to standards for history taking, examination, treatment and provision of basic health promotion advice allows evaluation of STD case management. With STD treatment adequacy scored against Indian national guidelines (which recommend aetiologic treatment), history taking, examination and treatment were satisfactory in 76 out of 108 (70%) of observed consultations. However, if STD treatment adequacy is scored with respect to the syndrome approach towards selected STD (male urethritis and non herpetic genital ulcer for both sexes), only 8 out of 81 (10%) of the patients were satisfactory managed. During 32 out of 108 (30%) of the consultations, advice on the use of condoms in order to prevent STD or HIV/AIDS was given. Instructions regarding how to use condoms were offered to seven (6%) patients and condoms were only provided to one patient (1%). Patients were urged to refer their partner(s) for treatment during 29 (27%) of consultations. A criterion of adequate use of the STD consultation for health promotion, requiring both promotion of condoms and encouragement to refer partner(s) for treatment, was met during 13 (12%) of consultations. Monitoring and improving the standards of care at facilities at which STDs are treated have become key roles of STD/HIV/AIDS programmes. The present report suggests that in Madras the activities of medical practitioners who treat STD patients are far from ideal at present. Improvements would involve simplifying existing treatment guidelines by promoting the syndromic approach to STD management, continuing education programmes for

Recruitment of subjects into clinical trials for Alzheimer disease.

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Knebl, Janice A; Patki, Deepti

2010-09-01

Alzheimer disease is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder affecting millions of Americans. It reduces the ability of the individual to remain independent, places a burden on caregivers, and substantially increases healthcare costs. New treatments are being tested in numerous clinical trials with the goal of preventing or delaying the onset of Alzheimer disease, slowing or modifying the disease's course, or finding a cure for patients with the disease. Alzheimer disease research can successfully proceed only if individuals who have this illness are willing to participate in clinical trials. However, recruitment and retention of subjects in clinical trials for Alzheimer disease is a challenging task. Furthermore, because of reductions in decision-making capacities of individuals with Alzheimer disease, clinical trials also need to involve caregivers. The present article delineates unique hurdles encountered in the recruitment process for Alzheimer disease clinical trials. The article also identifies strategies for effective recruitment of subjects in Alzheimer disease clinical trials, including guidelines to help principal investigators and clinical research coordinators reach recruitment goals.

AACE/ACE Disease State Clinical Review: Medical Management of Cushing Disease.

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Hamrahian, Amir H; Yuen, Kevin C J; Hoffman, Andrew R

2014-07-01

To review available medical therapies for patients with Cushing disease and to provide a roadmap for their use in clinical practice. PubMed searches were performed to identify all of the available published data on medical management of Cushing disease. Medical therapy is usually not the first-line treatment for patients with Cushing disease but may be used to improve clinical manifestations of Cushing disease in patients who are not suitable candidates for surgery, following unsuccessful surgery or recurrence, or as a "bridge therapy" in those who have undergone radiotherapy. Medical therapy may also be used in preoperative preparation of patients with severe disease. Current available medical options for patients with Cushing disease include centrally acting agents, steroidogenesis inhibitors, and a glucocorticoid receptor antagonists. At present, there are no head-to-head studies comparing the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of different U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)- and non-FDA-approved drugs in patients with Cushing disease. With the initiation of new studies and the completion of ongoing clinical trials, the number of FDA-approved drugs for medical treatment of Cushing disease is expected to increase. Medical therapy has an important adjunctive role in the management of patients with Cushing disease. The decision to initiate medical treatment depends on many factors, including patient characteristics and preference. Long-term studies are needed to better define the clinical efficacy, safety, and tolerability of medical treatment of Cushing disease, including the role of combination therapies.

Clinical and Histologic Mimickers of Celiac Disease.

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Kamboj, Amrit K; Oxentenko, Amy S

2017-08-17

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder of the small bowel, classically associated with diarrhea, abdominal pain, and malabsorption. The diagnosis of celiac disease is made when there are compatible clinical features, supportive serologic markers, representative histology from the small bowel, and response to a gluten-free diet. Histologic findings associated with celiac disease include intraepithelial lymphocytosis, crypt hyperplasia, villous atrophy, and a chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate in the lamina propria. It is important to recognize and diagnose celiac disease, as strict adherence to a gluten-free diet can lead to resolution of clinical and histologic manifestations of the disease. However, many other entities can present with clinical and/or histologic features of celiac disease. In this review article, we highlight key clinical and histologic mimickers of celiac disease. The evaluation of a patient with serologically negative enteropathy necessitates a carefully elicited history and detailed review by a pathologist. Medications can mimic celiac disease and should be considered in all patients with a serologically negative enteropathy. Many mimickers of celiac disease have clues to the underlying diagnosis, and many have a targeted therapy. It is necessary to provide patients with a correct diagnosis rather than subject them to a lifetime of an unnecessary gluten-free diet.

Sexually transmitted diseases among female commercial sex workers in Finote Selam town, northwest Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study

OpenAIRE

Anteneh, Zelalem Alamrew; Agumas, Yirdaw Amare; Tarekegn, Molalign

2017-01-01

Zelalem Alamrew Anteneh,1 Yirdaw Amare Agumas,2 Molalign Tarekegn3 1School of Public Health, Bahir Dar University, 2Networks of Charitable Societies of HIV Positive Association in Amhara Region (NAP+), 3Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia Background: Female commercial sex workers (FCSWs) are considered a high-risk group for acquiring sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), yet the reported prevalence varies in studies around the world. The aim of this study was...

Clinical observation of radiation urinary bladder disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin Yuke; Liu Libo; Zhang Haiying; Liang Shuo; Chen Dawei; Wu Zhenfeng; Dong Lihua; Lu Xuejun

2004-01-01

Objective: Clinical characteristic, diagnosis and treatment of radiation urinary bladder disease induced by radiation therapy for cancers in the pelvis were inquired into for providing diagnostic basis. Methods: Statistical analysis for the clinical cases was carried out. Results: The incidence of radiation bladder diseases induced by radiation therapy of cervix cancer are about 0.8%-2.96%, with an average of 2.14%. Radiation bladder disease is divided into acute radiation cystitis, chronic radiation cystitis and radiation vesical fistula. Chronic radiation cystitis is seen most often in the clinic and its main clinical symptom is painless macroscopic hematuria, which is again subdivided into slight and severe degrees. Diagnosis should include history of exposure to radiation, which dose exceed the dose threshold, and typical clinical characteristics. Conclusion: The characteristics, types and diagnostic basis of radiation urinary bladder disease analyzed in this study can provide the reference for drawing up diagnostic standard

Impact of water supply, domiciliary water reservoirs and sewage on faeco-orally transmitted parasitic diseases in children residing in poor areas in Juiz de Fora, Brazil.

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Teixeira, J C; Heller, L

2006-08-01

The objectives of this study were to characterize faeco-orally transmitted parasitic diseases and to identify the factors associated with these diseases, with emphasis on environmental factors, in children ranging from 1 up to 5 years old residing in substandard settlement areas. A population-based cross-sectional epidemiological design was used in a non-random selection of 29 out of the 78 substandard settlement areas in the municipality of Juiz de Fora, Brazil. A sample of 753 children were assessed from the target population consisting of all children of the appropriate age range residing in the selected areas. Data were collected by means of domiciliary interviews with their mothers or with the person responsible for them. The Hoffmann-Pons-Janer method was used in the parasitological examination of faeces. Binary logistic regression models were used to identify the factors associated with the diseases. A total of 319 sample children presented faeco-orally transmitted parasitic diseases. The factors associated with these parasitic diseases included the children's age, family income, number of dwellers in the domicile, consumption of water from shallow wells, consumption of water from natural sources, absence of covered domiciliary water reservoirs, and the presence of sewage flowing in the street.

The traditional use of Vachellia nilotica for sexually transmitted diseases is substantiated by the antiviral activity of its bark extract against sexually transmitted viruses.

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Donalisio, Manuela; Cagno, Valeria; Civra, Andrea; Gibellini, Davide; Musumeci, Giuseppina; Rittà, Massimo; Ghosh, Manik; Lembo, David

2018-03-01

Vachellia (Acacia) nilotica and other plants of this genus have been used in traditional medicine of Asian and African countries to treat many disorders, including sexually transmitted diseases, but few studies were performed to validate their anti-microbial and anti-viral activity against sexually transmitted infections. The present study was undertaken to explore whether the ethnomedical use of V.nilotica to treat genital lesions is substantiated by its antiviral activity against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the herpes simplex virus (HSV) and the human papillomavirus (HPV). The antiviral activity of V.nilotica was tested in vitro by virus-specific inhibition assays using HSV-2 strains, sensible or resistant to acyclovir, HIV-1IIIb strain and HPV-16 pseudovirion (PsV). The potential mode of action of extract against HSV-2 and HPV-16 was further investigated by virus inactivation and time-of-addition assays on cell cultures. V.nilotica chloroform, methanolic and water bark extracts exerted antiviral activity against HSV-2 and HPV-16 PsV infections; among these, methanolic extract showed the best EC50s with values of 4.71 and 1.80µg/ml against HSV-2 and HPV-16, respectively, and it was also active against an acyclovir-resistant HSV-2 strain with an EC50 of 6.71µg/ml. By contrast, no suppression of HIV infection was observed. Investigation of the mechanism of action revealed that the methanolic extract directly inactivated the infectivity of the HPV-16 particles, whereas a partial virus inactivation and interference with virus attachment (EC50 of 2.74µg/ml) were both found to contribute to the anti-HSV-2 activity. These results support the traditional use of V.nilotica applied externally for the treatment of genital lesions. Further work remains to be done in order to identify the bioactive components. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Soil-transmitted Helminthiasis in the United States: a systematic review--1940-2010.

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Starr, Michelle C; Montgomery, Susan P

2011-10-01

The epidemiology of soil-transmitted helminth infections (hookworm, Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Strongyloides stercoralis) in the United States is poorly understood. To gain understanding of the status of disease, a systematic review was performed to assess the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections in the United States. Of all studies reviewed, 14 were designated as high-quality. High-quality studies were published from 1942 to 1982 and showed that infection was prevalent throughout the southern United States and Appalachia as recently as 1982, finding that hookworm (19.6%), T. trichiura (55.2%), A. lumbricoides (49.4%), and S. stercoralis (3.8%) affected significant percentages of the population. However, because the most recent high-quality studies were published over 25 years ago, the literature does not provide sufficient data to assess current endemic transmission. Because the status of disease remains unclear, there is a need for additional studies to determine if soil-transmitted helminths remain endemic in the United States.

Failure to transmit avian vacuolar myelinopathy to mallard ducks

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Larsen, R.S.; Nutter, F.B.; Augspurger, T.; Rocke, T.E.; Thomas, N.J.; Stoskopf, M.K.

2003-01-01

Avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM) is a neurologic disease that has been diagnosed in free-ranging birds in the southeastern United States. Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leuocephalus), American coots (Fulica americana), and mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) have been affected. Previous investigations have not determined the etiology of this disease. In November and December 2002, we attempted to induce AVM in game-farmed mallards through four, 7-day exposure trials. Mallards were housed in six groups of eight, with two of these groups serving as controls. One group was housed with AVM-affected coots; one group was tube fed daily with water from the lake where affected coots were captured; one group was tube fed daily with aquatic vegetation (Hydrilla verticillata) from the same lake; and another group was tube fed daily with sediment from the lake. No ducks exhibited clinical neurologic abnormalities consistent with AVM and no evidence of AVM was present at histopathologic examination of brain tissue. Although limitations in sample size, quantity of individual doses, frequency of dose administration, duration of exposure, and timing of these trials restrict the interpretation of the findings, AVM was not readily transmitted by direct contact, water, hydrilla, or sediment in this investigation.

Searching for unknown transfusion-transmitted hepatitis viruses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Edgren, G.; Hjalgrim, H.; Rostgaard, K.

2018-01-01

Background: Both hepatitis B and C viruses were transmitted through blood transfusion before implementation of donor screening. The existence of additional, yet unknown transfusion transmittable agents causing liver disease could have important public health implications. Methods: Analyses were...... 1992 to account for the effect of screening for hepatitis C virus. Results: A total of 1 482 922 transfused patients were included in the analyses. Analyses showed evidence of transfusion transmission of liver diseases before, but not after the implementation of hepatitis C virus screening in 1992...... for transfusion transmission of agents causing liver disease after the implementation of screening for hepatitis B and C, and suggest that if such transmission does occur, it is rare....

Distribution of sexually transmitted diseases and risk factors by work locations among female sex workers in Tijuana, Mexico.

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Rusch, Melanie L A; Brouwer, Kimberly C; Lozada, Remedios; Strathdee, Steffanie A; Magis-Rodríguez, Carlos; Patterson, Thomas L

2010-10-01

Sex work is regulated in the Zona Roja (red light district) in Tijuana, Mexico, where HIV and sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevalence is high among female sex workers (FSWs). We examined the spatial distribution of STDs by work venue among FSWs in Tijuana. FSWs aged 18 years and older who reported unprotected sex with ≥ 1 client in the past 2 months underwent testing for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and Chlamydia. HIV/STDs were mapped by venue (i.e., bar, hotel) and Getis-Ord Gi statistics were used to identify geographic hotspots. High-risk venues were then identified using a standardized STD ratio (high risk defined as a ratio ≥ 1.25). Logistic regression was used to assess correlates of working at a high risk venue. Of 474 FSWs, 176 (36.4%) had at least 1 bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI); 36 (7.6%) were HIV-positive. Within the Zona Roja, 1 venue was identified as a geographic "hotspot," with a higher than expected number of HIV/STD-positive FSW (P Tijuana. Structural interventions that focus on sex work venues could help increase STI diagnosis, prevention, and treatment among FSWs in Tijuana.

High rate of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

There is increased in teenage pregnancy despite the presence of dual protection practice and health care awareness programmes related to health and sexuality education in South Africa. The present study explores the underlying causes of high teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases rates, including HIV ...

Frequency of sexually transmitted diseases and main methodological implications

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Zaleida Napoli

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Background. High risk Human Papillomavirus (HR-HPV persistence is the most important cervical cancer risk factor, while Chlamydia trachomatis (CT, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG, Mycoplasma hominis (MH, Mycoplasma genitalium(MG, Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU and parvum (UP are sexually transmitted diseases (STDs causing infertility, pregnancy complication, lung problems in newborns. Methods. 135 urine, 135 urethral swabs, 553 cervical swabs, 110 seminal fluids and 1440 Thin Prep, were tested with culture methods, Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR and multiplex SYBR Green PCR-endpoint to detect STDs. PCR- endpoint was performed to detect HPV. Results. Culture methods showed the lowest sensitivity: for MH it was only 24% (compared to RT-PCR. UP/UU were the most frequent pathogens (13% with culture, 29% with PCR-endpoint, 41,67% with RT-PCR. Turn Around Time was respectively: 48h, 6h and 2h. RT-PCR cervical frequencies for CT, MH, MG, UU, UP were: 5.42%, 11.03%, 1.81%, 11.21% and 35.08%. HPV positivity in primary and secondary screening was 17.33% and 51.14%. Highes t positivity age group was: 23-32 years for CT (17%, and 18-27 years for HPV (33%. Conclusions. RT-PCR is more sensitive, faster, less expensive than other molecular tests like PCR-endpoint and microarrays. It allows more efficient laboratory organization: pre-analytical phase is more automated and enable the implementation of further diagnostic tests for pathologies that need rapid identification, such as meningitidis and sepsis, with reduced human and instrumental resource. Regarding STDs screening, it should be performed in women: for CT at least up to 27 years; for HPV between 35-50 years, since persisting HR-HPV infection is responsible of high-grade lesions.

[Current situation of soil-transmitted nematodiasis monitoring in China and working keys in future].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ying-dan; Zang, Wei

2015-04-01

Soil-transmitted nematodiasis is widely epidemic in rural areas in China. It was showed that the infection rate of soil-transmitted nematodes was 19.56% while the overall number of persons infected was 129,000,000, which was supported by the results of the National Survey of Current Situation of Major Human Parasitic Diseases in China in 2005 published by former Ministry of Health. Therefore, soil-transmitted nematodiasis was included in the national infectious diseases and pathogenic media monitoring system by Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2006, and subsequently 22 monitoring spots were established nationwide. From 2006 to 2013, the human infection rate of intestinal nematodes in national monitoring spots decreased from 20.88% to 3.12%, which showed a declining trend year by year. Meanwhile, the infection rates of Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, hookworm, Enterobius vermicularis decreased from 10.10%, 5.88%, 8.88%, 10.00% in 2006 to 0.76%, 0.42%, 2.04%, 6.78% in 2013 respectively. In this paper, the current situation of soil-transmitted nematodiasis is overviewed based on a summary of the 8 years' monitoring work, as well as the experiences, challenges and key of monitoring work in the future.

Sexually Transmitted Infections: Experience in a Multidisciplinary Clinic in a Tertiary Hospital (2010-2013).

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno-Ribera, N; Fuertes-de Vega, I; Blanco-Arévalo, J L; Bosch-Mestres, J; González-Cordón, A; Estrach-Panella, T; García-de Olalla, P; Alsina-Gibert, M

2016-04-01

The number of consultations for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is increasing in Spain. The aim of this study was to describe and analyze the epidemiological, behavioral, clinical, and microbiological characteristics of patients registered at the STI unit of a tertiary hospital. This was a retrospective, single-center descriptive study carried out between 2010 and 2013 in a multidisciplinary unit specialized in STIs, situated in a tertiary hospital. Epidemiological, clinical, and behavioral data were gathered using a face-to-face interview and a standardized questionnaire. Samples were collected for microbiology analysis. The study included 546 patients: 96% were men, 41% had human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and 56% were men who have sex with men. The reasons for consultation were the following: urethritis; genital, anal, or perianal ulcers; proctitis; oral ulcers; sexual contact with a person with a known STI; and high-risk sexual contact. The most common microbiological diagnoses were Neisseria gonorrhoeae in urethritis, Treponema pallidum in genital and anal or perianal ulcers, and Chlamydia trachomatis lymphogranuloma venereum serovars in proctitis. The highest prevalences of the main STIs studied occurred in homosexual men with HIV infection. This study confirms the increase in the incidence of STIs in recent years and the epidemiological characteristics of the HIV/STI epidemic in Spain. Copyright © 2015 AEDV. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Cost and efficiency of public sector sexually transmitted infection clinics in Andhra Pradesh, India

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Ramesh YK

2005-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Control of sexually transmitted infections (STIs is an important part of the effort to reduce the risk of HIV/AIDS. STI clinics in the government hospitals in India provide services predominantly to the poor. Data on the cost and efficiency of providing STI services in India are not available to help guide efficient use of public resources for these services. Methods Standardised methods were used to obtain detailed cost and output data for the 2003–2004 fiscal year from written records and interviews in 14 government STI clinics in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The economic cost per patient receiving STI treatment was calculated, and the variations of total and unit costs across the STI clinics analysed. Multivariate regression technique was used to estimate incremental unit costs. The optimal number of STIs that could be handled by the clinics was estimated. Results 18807 STIs were diagnosed and treated at the 14 STI clinics in fiscal year 2003–2004 (range 323–2784, median 1199. The economic cost of treating each STI varied 5-fold from Indian Rupees (INR 225.5 (US$ 4.91 to INR 1201.5 (US$ 26.15 between 13 clinics, with one other clinic having a very high cost of INR 2478.5 (US$ 53.94. The average cost per STI treated for all 14 clinics combined was INR 729.5 (US$ 15.88. Personnel salaries made up 76.2% of the total cost. The number of STIs treated per doctor full-time equivalent and cost-efficiency for each STI treated had a significant direct non-linear relation (p 2 = 0.81; power function. With a multiple regression model, apart from the fixed costs, the incremental cost for each STI detected and cost of treatment was INR 55.57 (US$ 1.21 and for each follow-up visit was INR 3.75 (US$ 0.08. Based on estimates of optimal STI cases that could be handled without compromising quality by each doctor full-time equivalent available, it was projected that at 8 of the 14 clinics substantially more STI cases could be

Sexually transmitted diphtheria.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Anja; Lensing, Carmen; Konrad, Regina; Huber, Ingrid; Hogardt, Michael; Sing, Andreas

2013-03-01

Diphtheria is caused by diphtheria toxin-producing Corynebacterium species. While classical respiratory diphtheria is transmitted by droplets, cutaneous diphtheria often results from minor trauma. This report concerns the first case of sexually transmitted diphtheria in a patient with non-gonococcal urethritis after orogenital contact.

Extensive genetic diversity, unique population structure and evidence of genetic exchange in the sexually transmitted parasite Trichomonas vaginalis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melissa D Conrad

Full Text Available Trichomonas vaginalis is the causative agent of human trichomoniasis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection world-wide. Despite its prevalence, little is known about the genetic diversity and population structure of this haploid parasite due to the lack of appropriate tools. The development of a panel of microsatellite makers and SNPs from mining the parasite's genome sequence has paved the way to a global analysis of the genetic structure of the pathogen and association with clinical phenotypes.Here we utilize a panel of T. vaginalis-specific genetic markers to genotype 235 isolates from Mexico, Chile, India, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Italy, Africa and the United States, including 19 clinical isolates recently collected from 270 women attending New York City sexually transmitted disease clinics. Using population genetic analysis, we show that T. vaginalis is a genetically diverse parasite with a unique population structure consisting of two types present in equal proportions world-wide. Parasites belonging to the two types (type 1 and type 2 differ significantly in the rate at which they harbor the T. vaginalis virus, a dsRNA virus implicated in parasite pathogenesis, and in their sensitivity to the widely-used drug, metronidazole. We also uncover evidence of genetic exchange, indicating a sexual life-cycle of the parasite despite an absence of morphologically-distinct sexual stages.Our study represents the first robust and comprehensive evaluation of global T. vaginalis genetic diversity and population structure. Our identification of a unique two-type structure, and the clinically relevant phenotypes associated with them, provides a new dimension for understanding T. vaginalis pathogenesis. In addition, our demonstration of the possibility of genetic exchange in the parasite has important implications for genetic research and control of the disease.

Extensive genetic diversity, unique population structure and evidence of genetic exchange in the sexually transmitted parasite Trichomonas vaginalis.

Science.gov (United States)

Conrad, Melissa D; Gorman, Andrew W; Schillinger, Julia A; Fiori, Pier Luigi; Arroyo, Rossana; Malla, Nancy; Dubey, Mohan Lal; Gonzalez, Jorge; Blank, Susan; Secor, William E; Carlton, Jane M

2012-01-01

Trichomonas vaginalis is the causative agent of human trichomoniasis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection world-wide. Despite its prevalence, little is known about the genetic diversity and population structure of this haploid parasite due to the lack of appropriate tools. The development of a panel of microsatellite makers and SNPs from mining the parasite's genome sequence has paved the way to a global analysis of the genetic structure of the pathogen and association with clinical phenotypes. Here we utilize a panel of T. vaginalis-specific genetic markers to genotype 235 isolates from Mexico, Chile, India, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Italy, Africa and the United States, including 19 clinical isolates recently collected from 270 women attending New York City sexually transmitted disease clinics. Using population genetic analysis, we show that T. vaginalis is a genetically diverse parasite with a unique population structure consisting of two types present in equal proportions world-wide. Parasites belonging to the two types (type 1 and type 2) differ significantly in the rate at which they harbor the T. vaginalis virus, a dsRNA virus implicated in parasite pathogenesis, and in their sensitivity to the widely-used drug, metronidazole. We also uncover evidence of genetic exchange, indicating a sexual life-cycle of the parasite despite an absence of morphologically-distinct sexual stages. Our study represents the first robust and comprehensive evaluation of global T. vaginalis genetic diversity and population structure. Our identification of a unique two-type structure, and the clinically relevant phenotypes associated with them, provides a new dimension for understanding T. vaginalis pathogenesis. In addition, our demonstration of the possibility of genetic exchange in the parasite has important implications for genetic research and control of the disease.

[Clinical Tests Testing New Therapies for Stargardt Disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Kousal, B; Ďuďáková, Ľ; Hlavatá, L; Lišková, P

2016-02-01

To provide information on currently ongoing clinical trials for Stargardt disease. We have searched the clinical trial register (www.clinicaltrials.gov) for the keyword "Stargardt" and list active ongoing studies. There are currently eight registered clinical trials enrolling patients with Stargardt disease; all in phase I or II aiming at four mechanisms of action: inhibition of the production of vitamin A toxic dimers, gene therapy restoring wild type transcription of the ABCA4 gene, neuroprotection preventing retinal cells from oxidative damage, and replacement of the damaged retinal pigment epithelium using stem cell therapy. The basic prerequisite for enrolment in the vast majority of clinical trials is confirmation of the clinical diagnosis by mutational analysis. The wide variety of therapies that are registered as clinical trials for Stargardt disease significantly raises the possibility that effective treatments will be available in the near future for this currently incurable condition and that molecular genetic testing should be increasingly considered. Stargardt disease, clinical trial, ABCA4, mutation.

Cervicitis aetiology and case definition: a study in Australian women attending sexually transmitted infection clinics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lusk, M Josephine; Garden, Frances L; Rawlinson, William D; Naing, Zin W; Cumming, Robert G; Konecny, Pam

2016-05-01

Studies examining cervicitis aetiology and prevalence lack comparability due to varying criteria for cervicitis. We aimed to outline cervicitis associations and suggest a best case definition. A cross-sectional study of 558 women at three sexually transmitted infection clinics in Sydney, Australia, 2006-2010, examined pathogen and behavioural associations of cervicitis using three cervicitis definitions: 'microscopy' (>30 pmnl/hpf (polymorphonuclear leucocytes per high-powered field on cervical Gram stain)), 'cervical discharge' (yellow and/or mucopurulent cervical discharge) or 'micro+cervical discharge' (combined 'microscopy' and 'cervical discharge'). Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Mycoplasma genitalium (MG), Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) had the strongest associations with cervicitis definitions 'micro+cervical discharge': CT adjusted prevalence ratio (APR)=2.13 (95% CI 1.38 to 3.30) p=0.0006, MG APR=2.21 (1.33 to 3.69) p=0.002, TV APR=2.37 (1.44 to 3.90) p=0.0007 NG PR=4.42 (3.79 to 5.15) pdefinitions with best clinical utility and pathogen prediction were 'cervical discharge' and 'micro+cervical discharge'. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Recreational Drug Use During Sex and Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Clients of a City Sexually Transmitted Infections Clinic in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heiligenberg, Marlies; Wermeling, Paulien R.; van Rooijen, Martijn S.; Urbanus, Anouk T.; Speksnijder, Arjen G. C. L.; Heijman, Titia; Prins, Maria; Coutinho, Roel A.; Schim van der Loeff, Maarten F.

2012-01-01

Background: Recreational drug use is associated with high-risk sexual behavior and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We assessed the prevalence of drug use during sex and the associations between such use and STI (chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis). Methods: During 3 periods in 2008 and 2009,

[Adolescents' knowledge and behavior on sexuality, infectious transmitted diseases, and human papillomavirus vaccination: results of a survey in a French high school].

Science.gov (United States)

Grondin, C; Duron, S; Robin, F; Verret, C; Imbert, P

2013-08-01

Teenager sexuality is a public health issue. In teenagers attending a high school, we assessed their knowledge and behavior on sexuality, infectious transmitted diseases, human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination, and cervical cancer. Then in girls, we estimated the anti-HPV vaccination coverage and focused on factors associated with poor knowledge of these topics. This was a knowledge, attitudes, and practices cross-sectional study conducted at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year in the Saint-Cyr military high school, using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. Among 669 adolescents (M/F sex-ratio, 2.3; mean age, 17 years [IC 95%, 15-20]), 40% had already had sex and 92% had used contraception. Boys and girls had a poor level of knowledge on infectious transmitted diseases. Regarding knowledge on HPV and cervical cancer, a better level was significantly associated with female gender (P=10(-4)). In multivariate analysis, male gender, age under 18 years, lack of dialogue with parents on these subjects, low socioeconomic status of parents, and absence of health education were significantly associated with poor knowledge on these topics. These data should help healthcare providers better target access and content of sexual health education training. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effect of self-care training program based on Orem's model on the behaviors leading to sexually transmitted disease in vulnerable women.

Science.gov (United States)

Baghersad, Zahra; Alimohammadi, Nasrollah; Boroumandfar, Zahra; Golshiri, Parastoo

2016-01-01

Vulnerable women are prone to sexually transmitted diseases due to their high-risk behaviors. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of self-care training program based on Orem's model on the behaviors leading to sexually transmitted diseases in vulnerable women. This field trial was initially conducted on 100 women covered under health services and welfare organization in Isfahan city, who were selected by rationing ssampling. For needs assessment, they filled the self-care needs assessment questionnaire in three domains of knowledge, attitude, and practice. Then, at the stage of intervention (self-care training), 64 subjects were selected through convenient sampling and were assigned to experimental and control groups by random allocation. Data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistical tests through SPSS 18. Results showed that mean scores of knowledge ( P < 0.001), attitude ( P < 0.001), practice ( P = 0.04), and behavior change ( P = 0.01) were significantly higher immediately after and 3 months after intervention, compared to before intervention, but there was no significant difference in mean scores between immediately after and 3 months after intervention. With regard to these results, it can be concluded that if the educational programs are planned based on clients' real needs assessment, the learners follow the educational materials, related to their problems, more seriously and it results in a notable behavior change in them.

Transmission of infectious diseases from internationally adopted children to their adoptive families.

Science.gov (United States)

Sciauvaud, J; Rigal, E; Pascal, J; Nourrisson, C; Poirier, P; Poirier, V; Vidal, M; Mrozek, N; Laurichesse, H; Beytout, J; Labbe, A; Lesens, O

2014-08-01

Internationally adopted children may suffer from different pathologies, including infectious diseases contracted in the country of origin. We evaluated the frequency of infectious diseases that may disseminate from adoptees to adoptive families on their arrival in France. All children who attended the clinic for international adoption in Clermont-Ferrand from January 2009 through to December 2011 were eligible for inclusion in the study. Standardized medical records dedicated to international adoption were retrospectively reviewed for demographic data, clinical diagnosis, and biological and radiological results. Data were completed by phone interviews with adoptive families after informed consent. One hundred and forty-two medical records were retrospectively reviewed and 86% of families agreed to be interviewed. One hundred and seventy-one potentially transmissible infections were diagnosed in 142 children, 12% (n = 20) of which were transmitted to adoptive families. Most of these infections were benign and transmission was restricted to the close family. Tinea was diagnosed in 44 adoptees and transmitted in 15 cases. Panton Valentine leukocidin producing methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) was transmitted to an adoptive father who required hospitalization for bursitis. Transmission also occurred for CMV (n = 1), hepatitis A (n = 1), giardiasis (n = 1), scabies (n = 1), Moluscum (n = 2) and pediculosis (n = 2). Two cases of chronic hepatitis B and latent tuberculosis were diagnosed without subsequent transmission. In conclusion, infectious diseases are common in internationally adopted children and should be detected shortly after arrival to avoid transmission. © 2013 The Authors Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2013 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

A Network Analysis of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Online Hookup Sites Among Men Who Have Sex With Men.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Philip A; Crowley, Christina; Rose, Jennifer S; Kershaw, Trace; Tributino, Alec; Montgomery, Madeline C; Almonte, Alexi; Raifman, Julia; Patel, Rupa; Nunn, Amy

2018-07-01

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are increasing among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). Little is known about the use of websites and mobile phone applications to meet sexual partners ("hookup sites") and association with STD diagnoses. We performed a demographic and behavioral assessment of 415 MSM presenting to the Rhode Island STD clinic. Bivariate and multivariable analyses assessed associations between using hookup sites and testing positive for syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia. Venue-based affiliation networks were created to evaluate hookup sites and their association with STD diagnoses. Among 415 MSM, 78% reported meeting a partner online in the last 12 months, and 25% tested positive for at least one STD. Men who met partners online were more likely to be white (67% vs. 54%, P = 0.03) and have more than 10 lifetime partners (87% vs. 58%, P Tinder (22%). In the multivariable analysis, only Scruff use was associated with testing positive for an STD (odds ratio, 2.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-4.94). However, among men who met partners online, 75% of men diagnosed as having an STD had met a sexual partner on Grindr, including 100% of those who were diagnosed as having gonorrhea. Use of hookup sites was nearly ubiquitous among MSM undergoing STD screening. Specific hookup sites were significantly associated with STD diagnoses among MSM. Greater efforts are needed to promote STD screening and prevention among MSM who meet partners online.

Erectile dysfunction drug receipt, risky sexual behavior and sexually transmitted diseases in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Robert L; McGinnis, Kathleen A; Samet, Jeffrey H; Fiellin, David A; Rodriguez-Barradas, Maria C; Rodriquez-Barradas, Maria C; Kraemer, Kevin L; Gibert, Cynthia L; Braithwaite, R Scott; Goulet, Joseph L; Mattocks, Kristin; Crystal, Stephen; Gordon, Adam J; Oursler, Krisann K; Justice, Amy C

2010-02-01

Health care providers may be concerned that prescribing erectile dysfunction drugs (EDD) will contribute to risky sexual behavior. To identify characteristics of men who received EDD prescriptions, determine whether EDD receipt is associated with risky sexual behavior and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and determine whether these relationships vary for certain sub-groups. Cross-sectional study. Two thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven sexually-active, HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men recruited from eight Veterans Health Affairs outpatient clinics. Data were obtained from participant surveys, electronic medical records, and administrative pharmacy data. EDD receipt was defined as two or more prescriptions for an EDD, risky sex as having unprotected sex with a partner of serodiscordant or unknown HIV status, and STDs, according to self-report. Overall, 28% of men received EDD in the previous year. Eleven percent of men reported unprotected sex with a serodiscordant/unknown partner in the past year (HIV-infected 15%, HIV-uninfected 6%, P sexual behavior (11% vs. 10%, p = 0.9) and STDs (7% vs 7%, p = 0.7). In multivariate analyses, EDD receipt was not significantly associated with risky sexual behavior or STDs in the entire sample or in subgroups of substance users or men who had sex with men. EDD receipt was common but not associated with risky sexual behavior or STDs in this sample of HIV-infected and uninfected men. However, risky sexual behaviors persist in a minority of HIV-infected men, indicating ongoing need for prevention interventions.

Knowledge of Married Women in Kohgilouyeh & Boyerahmad Urban Areas on AIDS and Sexualy Transmitted Infections

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A Goshtasbi

2006-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Introduction & Objective: Sexualy transmitted infections (STIs and AIDS are the most common diseases worldwide. Women are more affected by STIs and AIDS due to gender-related factors such as biological, cultural and so on. This study was conducted to investigate knowledge about AIDS and STIs among married women in Kohgilouyeh & BoyerAhmad Province/Iran. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the urban areas of Kohgilouyeh and Boyerahmad province. Using stratifed cluster sampling, a valid questionnaire covering demographic variables and items related to knowledge about AIDS and STIs was administered to 1379 women covered by the urban PHC clinics. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 33.3 (SD=±9.3. Most were household (%85 and the mean level of their formal education was 7.2 years (SD=±4.8. The results also showed that women had the most knowledge with the statements that "using condom protects against AIDS" (%63.9 and "asymptomatic persons would be as AIDS vectors" (%65.1. There was a significant relation between education and recognizing AIDS as a sexualy transmitted infection (p=0.004. Albeit, women were poorly familiar with the STIs, the most knowledge was found with gonorrhea (%40.5 and the least with chlamydia (%12.2. The most knowledge was observed with the statements that "STIs would induce PID in women" and "using condom protects against all the venereal diseases" (both %61.1. A significant corelation was found between education and job and fimiliarity with STIs (p<0.001. Conclusion: Findings showed limited knowledge on sexualy transmitted infections and fairely good knowledge on AIDS. There is need for the promotion of women's knowledge in sexual health field.

Canadian Laboratory Standards for Sexually Transmitted Infections: Best Practice Guidelines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Max A Chernesky

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Sexually transmitted infections (STI continue to spread, and show no international boundaries. Diseases such as gonorrhea and syphilis, which we thought were under control in Canadian populations, have increased in incidence. Sexually transmitted or associated syndromes such as cervicitis, enteric infections, epididymitis, genital ulcers, sexually related hepatitis, ophthalmia neonatorum, pelvic inflammatory disease, prostatitis and vulvovaginitis present a challenge for the physician to identify the microbial cause, treat the patient and manage contacts. During the past 10 years, new technologies developed for the diagnosis of STIs have provided a clearer understanding of the real accuracy of traditional tests for the diagnosis of infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, herpes simplex viruses, hepatitis B virus, human papillomaviruses, HIV, Haemophilus ducreyi, Trichomonas vaginalis and mycoplasmas. This has presented a major challenge to the diagnostic laboratory, namely, selecting the most sensitive and specific test matched with the most appropriate specimens to provide meaningful and timely results to facilitate optimal patient care.

Clinical presentation of adult coeliac disease.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Tajuddin, T

2012-02-01

The mode of presentation of coeliac disease has been changing to more atypical or silent disease. Few studies described the clinical presentation of adult coeliac disease in Ireland in recent years. We retrospectively collected the clinical data for all patients who had a diagnosis of coeliac disease made in our centre between January 07 and December 08. Forty seven adults, predominantly females (n = 30), had a confirmed diagnosis of coeliac disease made during the study period. In our patient cohort, the presenting symptom was diarrhoea in 19 (40%) patients, while 16 patients (34%) did not have any G.I. symptoms, 10 (21%) presented with anaemia. Females presented at a significantly younger age compared to males, with median ages at diagnosis of 44.5 and 57 years, respectively (p = 0.04). Females also presented more commonly with non G.I. symptoms (p = 0.07). The reasons behind this gender difference need further study.

Risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases among sex workers in the interior of Piaui, Brazil

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Jardeliny Corrêa da Penha

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To identify the risk factors for STD among female sex workers and the characteristics of this population, and to verify the association between condom use by their male partners and clients. METHOD: Cross-sectional and correlational study conducted with 73 sex workers registered at the Sex Workers´ Association of the municipality of Picos -PI, Brazil. Data were collected in September and October 2010 using a questionnaire to obtain sociodemographic information and the participants´ background in the sex industry. Ethical aspects were observed. RESULTS: There was no significant association between most of the sociodemographic variables and background in the sex industry and condom use by male partners or clients. However, there was a significant association with years in the sex industry (p = 0.029. Sex workers who had been in the industry for the longest used condoms for protection against sexually transmitted diseases. CONCLUSION: It is essential to create health promotion strategies that observe the real-life experiences of sex workers.

Emerging sexually transmitted viral infections: 1. Review of Ebola virus disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Caswell, Rachel J; Manavi, Kaveh

2017-11-01

This is the first in a series of articles reviewing four viral infections, Ebola virus, Zika virus, human T-cell lymphotropic virus, type 1 and hepatitis C virus, with an emphasis on recent advances in our understanding of their sexual transmission. With current day speed and ease of travel it is important for staff in sexual healthcare services to know and understand these infections when patients present to them and also to be able to advise those travelling to endemic regions. Following the recent resurgence in West Africa, this first article looks at Ebola virus disease (EVD). EVD has a high mortality rate and, of note, has been detected in the semen of those who have cleared the virus from their blood and have clinically recovered from the disease. As the result of emerging data, the WHO now recommends safe sex practices for all male survivors of EVD for 12 months after the onset of the disease or after having had two consecutive negative tests of semen specimens for the virus. This review provides an up-to-date summary of what is currently known about EVD and its implications for sexual health practice.

Dopaminreceptorscintigraphy in Parkinson's disease - Clinical correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riklund Aahlstroem, K.E.; Hietala, S.-O.; Johansson, F.

2002-01-01

Parkinson's disease is a severe, progressive neuro degenerative disorder which is characterised by a degeneration of the dopamine containing cells and loss of dopamine transporters (DA) in substantia nigra. Earlier 123 I-β-CIT SPECT studies have demonstrated this loss of DA content in Parkinson's disease. Recently a new radioligand 123 I-FP-CIT, with faster kinetics than b-CIT became available for imaging of the DA transporter. The applicability of this radioligand was tested in a large clinical material with early and advanced Parkinson's disease using a one day protocol. 123 I-FP-CIT uptake was decreased in patients with Parkinson's disease and this was seen three hours after injection of the radioligand. In the Parkinson's disease group the uptake in the putamen was reduced more than in the caudate nucleus. Specific to non-specific striatal uptake ratios correlated with the Hoehn and Yahr stage. It appeared that 123 I-FP-CIT SPECT allows a significant discrimination between patients with Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. The scintigraphic observations were correlated to clinical findings. The results will be presented and discussed

Global numbers of infection and disease burden of soil transmitted helminth infections in 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Pullan, Rachel L; Smith, Jennifer L; Jasrasaria, Rashmi; Brooker, Simon J

2014-01-21

Quantifying the burden of parasitic diseases in relation to other diseases and injuries requires reliable estimates of prevalence for each disease and an analytic framework within which to estimate attributable morbidity and mortality. Here we use data included in the Global Atlas of Helminth Infection to derive new global estimates of numbers infected with intestinal nematodes (soil-transmitted helminths, STH: Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and the hookworms) and use disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) to estimate disease burden. Prevalence data for 6,091 locations in 118 countries were sourced and used to estimate age-stratified mean prevalence for sub-national administrative units via a combination of model-based geostatistics (for sub-Saharan Africa) and empirical approaches (for all other regions). Geographical variation in infection prevalence within these units was approximated using modelled logit-normal distributions, and numbers of individuals with infection intensities above given thresholds estimated for each species using negative binomial distributions and age-specific worm/egg burden thresholds. Finally, age-stratified prevalence estimates for each level of infection intensity were incorporated into the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 analytic framework to estimate the global burden of morbidity and mortality associated with each STH infection. Globally, an estimated 438.9 million people (95% Credible Interval (CI), 406.3 - 480.2 million) were infected with hookworm in 2010, 819.0 million (95% CI, 771.7 - 891.6 million) with A. lumbricoides and 464.6 million (95% CI, 429.6 - 508.0 million) with T. trichiura. Of the 4.98 million years lived with disability (YLDs) attributable to STH, 65% were attributable to hookworm, 22% to A. lumbricoides and the remaining 13% to T. trichiura. The vast majority of STH infections (67%) and YLDs (68%) occurred in Asia. When considering YLDs relative to total populations at risk however, the burden

Determinants of Behavior Change Intention Among Heterosexual Thai Males Diagnosed with Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Thato, Ratsiri; Daengsaard, Ekkachai

2016-11-01

This study sought to identify factors associated with intention to change sexual practices among heterosexual Thai males diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STIs). STI clinic patients (n = 247) reported their sexual behaviors and condom use during the previous 3 months. STI and HIV knowledge, motivation to change sexual practices, and behavioral skills were assessed. Then, self-reported behavior change intention, including consistent condom use, reducing number of sexual partners, not using drugs and alcohol when having sex, and refusal of condomless sex, was examined. Consistent condom use in the past 3 months by Thai males diagnosed with STIs was low across all types of sexual partners (lover 13.8%, casual partner 14.9%, and sex worker 2.5%). Risk reduction self-efficacy (p behavior change intention. Significant predictors of behavior change intention were risk reduction self-efficacy (p behavior change intention variance. Intervention aimed at enhancing motivation and behavioral skills to adopt preventive behaviors should be developed to prevent recurrent STIs, including HIV infection, among heterosexual Thai males diagnosed with STIs.

Teen clinics: missing the mark? Comparing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections rates among enrolled and non-enrolled adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Souradet Y; Metge, Colleen; Taylor, Carole; Chartier, Mariette; Charette, Catherine; Lix, Lisa; Santos, Rob; Sarkar, Joykrishna; Nickel, Nathan C; Burland, Elaine; Chateau, Dan; Katz, Alan; Brownell, Marni; Martens, Patricia J

2016-06-21

In Manitoba, Canada, school-based clinics providing sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents have been implemented to address high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancies. The objectives of this population-based study were to compare pregnancy and STI rates between adolescents enrolled in schools with school-based clinics, those in schools without clinics, and those not enrolled in school. Data were from the PATHS Data Resource held in the Population Health Research Data Repository housed at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. Adolescents aged 14 to 19 between 2003 and 2009 were included in the study. Annualized rates of pregnancies and positive STI tests were estimated and Poisson regression models were used to test for differences in rates amongst the three groups. As a proportion, pregnancies among non-enrolled female adolescents accounted for 55 % of all pregnancies in this age group during the study period. Pregnancy rates were 2-3 times as high among non-enrolled female adolescents. Compared to adolescents enrolled in schools without school-based clinics, age-adjusted STI rates were 3.5 times (p pregnancies and STIs were observed among non-enrolled adolescents. Although provision of reproductive and health services to in-school adolescents should remain a priority, program planning and design should consider optimal strategies to engage out of school youth.

Clinical profile of sexual transmitted diseases in cuttack

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohanty J

1995-01-01

Full Text Available Out of total 2330 patients, 516 patients with STD i.e., 22.14%, were analysed during the period 1993 to 1994. Frequency of different STDs observed in order were herpes progenitalis (21.89%, syphilis (16.27%, chancroid (11.82% and granuloma inguinale (7.55%, gonococcal urethritis and genital warts (3.87% each. L G V was found in 0.58% of cases, HIV infection in 3 cases only (0.56%. Other miscellaneous infections like candidiasis (13.75%, trichomoniasis (2.7% and molluscum (2.14% were responsible in 18% as a whole and nonspecific infection in 14%. Most of the patients were married, were from low socio-economic status and there was always a male preponderance with a peak age between 20 to 30 years.

Demographic and Behavioral Determinants of Self-Reported History of Sexually-Transmitted Diseases (STDs) among Young Migrant Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Beijing, China

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yan; Li, Xiaoming; Zhang, Liying; Liu, Yingjie; Jiang, Shulin; Stanton, Bonita

2012-01-01

Background: Sexually-transmitted disease (STD) is a facilitating cofactor that contributes to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. Previous studies indicated a high prevalence of STDs among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. To date, limited data are available for correlates of STD infection among young migrant MSM in China. The…

Nurses’ knowledge levels and Behaviours about Sexually Transmitted diseases and AIDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isil Irem Budakoglu

2006-12-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: In this study we aimed to determine the knowledge level and behaviors of nurses towards AIDS and sexually transmitted disease (STD who are working at Baskent University Ankara Hospital\tDesign: There were 321 nurses at Baskent University Ankara Hospital at January 2005. Two hundred fifty six (79.7% of them participated the study. The data was collected with a questionnaire.\tMain outcome measures: The nurses who were answered the question “Are you using any method in order to prevent STD?” as\t“needless” were accepted as “sexually inactive”. The level of AIDS knowledge was evaluated over 100 point scale.\tRESULTS: The mean age of nurses was 25.8±0.2 (19-38, while 69.8% of them were college or faculty graduate and 71.1% of them were single. AIDS (94.4%, syphilis (70.6% and gonorrhea (60.2% were the first three STD implicated by nurses. The average value of AIDS knowledge of nurses was 83.8±0.8. The average value of nurses who had bachelor’s degree or doctorate, who were\tat the 26-27 age group, who were married or widowed and sexually inactive group, but these differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05. Only 31 nurses (20.1% declared that they have been using any preventive method for STD.\tCONCLUSIONS: It is determined, although the status of STD and AIDS knowledge of nurses are high, but the percentage of usage of any preventive method is low.

Changing Beliefs and Behaviors Related to Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Vulnerable Women: A Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Boroumandfar, Zahra; Kianpour, Masoud; Zargham, Ali; Abdoli, Samereh; Tayeri, Katayoun; Salehi, Mehrdad; Momeni, Godratollah; Khorvash, Farzin

2017-01-01

The first step in health education is awareness of the people and their acceptance to change their behavior. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of empowerment program towards the concept of self-care and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in women at risk of STDs. The present study was conducted as a qualitative approach (step of action and observation of an action) by using conventional content analysis method. An empowerment program regarding STDs (Action) was performed among 32 (with convenient sample) drug user women with addicted husbands referring to the counseling center for vulnerable women (drop in enter) in Isfahan in 2015. The knowledge of quiddity, transmission, and prevention of STDs, as well as some items of life skills such as self-awareness, interpersonal communication, and assertive behavior were taught in an educational program. Teaching methods were lectures, group, and individual training and role play. The impact of the program on modified belief and behavior change regarding STDs was evaluated with structured interviews. Analysis of the obtained results yielded three categories. The categories were awareness of STD, believing in being at risk, and decision and change. Promoting self-care and prevention through education programs based on action research can make a significant reduction in the incidence of problems and cause a behavior change in women with the disease or those at risk for STDs.

Web 2.0 Tools in the Prevention of Curable Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Scoping Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanz-Lorente, María; Wanden-Berghe, Carmina; Castejón-Bolea, Ramón; Sanz-Valero, Javier

2018-03-22

The internet is now the primary source of information that young people use to get information on issues related to sex, contraception, and sexually transmitted infections. The goal of the research was to review the scientific literature related to the use of Web 2.0 tools as opposed to other strategies in the prevention of curable sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). A scoping review was performed on the documentation indexed in the bibliographic databases MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, Literatura Latinoamericana y del Caribe en Ciencias de la Salud, PsycINFO, Educational Resources Information Center, the databases of Centro Superior de Investigaciones Científicas in Spain, and the Índice Bibliográfico Español de Ciencias de la Salud from the first available date according to the characteristics of each database until April 2017. The equation search was realized by means of the using of descriptors together with the consultation of the fields of title register and summary with free terms. Bibliographies of the selected papers were searched for additional articles. A total of 627 references were retrieved, of which 6 papers were selected after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The STDs studied were chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. The Web 2.0 tools used were Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. The 6 papers used Web 2.0 in the promotion of STD detection. Web 2.0 tools have demonstrated a positive effect on the promotion of prevention strategies for STDs and can help attract and link youth to campaigns related to sexual health. These tools can be combined with other interventions. In any case, Web 2.0 and especially Facebook have all the potential to become essential instruments for public health. ©María Sanz-Lorente, Carmina Wanden-Berghe, Ramón Castejón-Bolea, Javier Sanz-Valero. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http

Neuro degenerative diseases: clinical concerns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibanez, V.

2005-01-01

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are the main neuro-degenerative diseases (NDDs) seen clinically. They share some common clinical symptoms and neuro-pathological findings. The increase of life expectancy in the developed countries will inevitably contribute to enhance the prevalence of these diseases. Behavioral disorders, common in NDDs, will produce major care management challenges. Idiopathic Parkinson's disease corresponds to a histopathological diagnosis, based on the observation of a de-pigmentation and a neuronal loss in the substantia nigra, as well as on the presence of intra-neuronal inclusion bodies. AD is insidious with slowly progressive dementia in which the decline in memory constitutes the main complaint. The diagnosis of definite AD requires the presence of clinical criteria as well as the histopathological confirmation of brain lesions. The two main lesions are the presence of senile plaques and neuro-fibrillary tangles. Positron emission tomography (PET) explores cerebral metabolism and neurotransmitter kinetics in NDDs using principally [ 18 F]-deoxyglucose and [ 18 F]-dopa. Nigrostriatal dopaminergic function is altered in PD, as evidenced by the low uptake of [ 18 F]-dopa in the posterior putamen as compared to anterior putamen and caudate nucleus. In contrast, [ 18 F]-dopa uptake is equally depressed in all striatal structures in progressive supra-nuclear palsy. Regional glucose metabolism at rest is preserved in elderly once cerebral atrophy is taken into account. On the contrary, glucose metabolism is globally reduced in AD, with marked decrease in the parietal and temporal regions. PET has proved to be useful to study in vivo neurochemical processes in patients suffering from NDDs. The potential of this approach is still largely unexploited, and depends on new ligand production to establish early diagnosis and treatment follow-up. (author)

Sexually transmitted infection testing of adult film performers: is disease being missed?

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez-Hart, Cristina; Chitale, Rohit A; Rigg, Robert; Goldstein, Binh Y; Kerndt, Peter R; Tavrow, Paula

2012-12-01

Undiagnosed sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may be common in the adult film industry because performers frequently engage in unprotected oral and anal intercourse, STIs are often asymptomatic, and the industry relies on urine-based testing. Between mid-May and mid-September 2010, a consecutive sample of adult film industry performers recruited from a clinic in Los Angeles, California, that provides medical care to performers was offered oropharyngeal, rectal, and urogenital testing for Gonorrhea, and rectal and urogenital testing for Chlamydia. During the 4-month study period, 168 participants were enrolled: 112 (67%) were female and 56 (33%) were male. Of the 47 (28%) who tested positive for Gonorrhea and/or Chlamydia, 11 (23%) cases would not have been detected through urogenital testing alone. Gonorrhea was the most common STI (42/168; 25%) and the oropharynx the most common site of infection (37/47; 79%). Thirty-five (95%) oropharyngeal and 21 (91%) rectal infections were asymptomatic. Few participants reported using condoms consistently while performing or with their personal sex partners. Adult film industry performers had a high burden of STIs. Undiagnosed asymptomatic rectal and oropharyngeal STIs were common and are likely reservoirs for transmission to sexual partners inside and outside the workplace. Performers should be tested at all anatomical sites irrespective of symptoms, and condom use should be enforced to protect workers in this industry.

Effects of a transmitted light device for pediatric peripheral venipuncture and intravenous cannulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yamazaki S

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Shinya Yamazaki1, Shu Tomita1, Masahiro Watanabe1, Hiroyoshi Kawaai1, Kazuhiro Shimamura2 1Department of Dental Anesthesiology; 2Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Ohu University Dental Hospital, Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan Abstract: Pediatric peripheral venipuncture and intravenous cannulation are difficult. However, successful venipuncture and intravenous cannulation are absolutely required for pediatric clinical risk management. This study assessed the success rate of venipuncture and intravenous cannulation when transmitted light was applied to the pediatric dorsum manus. The subjects included 100 young children who were scheduled for dental treatment or oral surgery under general anesthesia. Anesthesia was induced, and insertion of an intravenous catheter into the dorsum manus was attempted with or without using transmitted light. The patients were evaluated to determine whether the venipuncture was successful, and whether the intravenous cannulation of the external catheter was successful. The success rate of venipuncture was 100% when transmitted light was used, and 83% when the transmitted light was not used (P = 0.000016. In addition, the success rate of intravenous cannulation was 88% when transmitted light was used, and 55% when the transmitted light was not used (P = 0.0000002. The shape of the vein in the dorsum manus can be clearly recognized when transmitted light is used. The use of light significantly increased the success rate of intravenous cannulation, because it allowed direct confirmation of the direction to push the intravenous catheter forward. The use of transmitted light allows for more successful venipuncture and intravenous cannulation in young children. Keywords: transmitted light, pediatric peripheral venipuncture, pediatric peripheral intravenous cannulation

Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis and Schistosomiasis in Children of Poor Families in Leyte, Philippines: Lessons for Disease Prevention and Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Liwanag, Harvy Joy; Uy, Jhanna; Bataller, Ramil; Gatchalian, Janis Ruth; De La Calzada, Betty; Uy, Justine Alessandra; Dayrit, Manuel

2017-10-01

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) continue to be a public health problem in the Philippines. We assessed the association of soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and schistosomiasis with selected health-related and socioeconomic variables in four villages in Leyte, Philippines. Stool specimens from 418 adults and 533 of their children from 209 families were examined through the Kato-Katz technique. STH and schistosomiasis were present in 64.6% and 12.5%, respectively, of study participants. Analysis through the generalized linear mixed model revealed a number of associations between infection in parents and their children. Findings indicate that years of disease prevention and control efforts in these areas have been unable to bring down prevalence in children and their parents. Eliminating NTDs as public health problems will require a systems thinking approach beyond implementation of vertical control programs alone. © The Author [2017]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

The Influence of Knowledge and Awareness of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) on Change in Sexual Behaviour of Fresh Undergraduates of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Adeniyi, W. O.; Okewole, J. O.

2014-01-01

The study examined the influence of knowledge and awareness of sexually transmitted diseases on change in sexual behaviour of fresh undergraduates with a view to providing useful suggestions for positive sexual behaviour of adolescents. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. A sample of 600 fresh undergraduates was selected from the…

Trends in receipt of sexually transmitted disease services among women 15 to 44 years old in the United States, 2002 to 2006-2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Haderxhanaj, Laura T; Gift, Thomas L; Loosier, Penny S; Cramer, Ryan C; Leichliter, Jami S

2014-01-01

To describe recent trends in the receipt of sexually transmitted disease (STD) services among women (age, 15-44 years) from 2002 to 2006-2010 using the National Survey of Family Growth. We analyzed trends in demographics, health insurance, and visit-related variables of women reporting receipt of STD services (counseling, testing, or treatment) in the past 12 months. We also analyzed trends in the source of STD services and the payment method used. Receipt of STD services reported by women in the past 12 months increased from 2002 (12.6%) to 2006-2010 (16.0%; P < 0.001). Receipt of services did not increase among adolescents (P = 0.592). Among women receiving STD services from a private doctor/HMO, the percentage with private insurance decreased over time (74.6%-66.8%), whereas the percentage with Medicaid increased (12.8%-19.7%; P = 0.020). For women receiving STD services at a public clinic or nonprimary care facility, there were no statistically significant differences by demographics, except that fewer adolescents but more young adults reported using a public clinic over time (P = 0.038). Among women who reported using Medicaid as payment, receipt of STD services at a public clinic significantly decreased (36.8%-25.4%; P = 0.019). For women who paid for STD services with private insurance, the only significant difference was an increase in having a copay over time (61.3%-70.1%; P = 0.012). Despite a significant increase in receipt of STD services over time, many women at risk for STDs did not receive services including adolescents. In addition, we identified important shifts in payment methods during this time frame.

An interactive internet-based continuing education course on sexually transmitted diseases for physicians and midwives in Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Canchihuaman, Fredy A; Garcia, Patricia J; Gloyd, Stephen S; Holmes, King K

2011-05-09

Clinicians in developing countries have had limited access to continuing education (CE) outside major cities, and CE strategies have had limited impact on sustainable change in performance. New educational tools could improve CE accessibility and effectiveness. The objective of this study was to evaluate an interactive Internet-based CE course on Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) management for clinicians in Peru. Participants included physicians and midwives in private practice drawn from a census of 10 Peruvian cities. The CE included a three-hour workshop for improving Internet skills, followed by a 22-hour online course on STD-syndrome-management, with subsequent educational support. The course used case-based clinical vignettes tailored to local STD problems. Knowledge and reported practices on STD management were assessed before, immediately after and at four months after completion of the course. Statistical analysis included parametric tests-linear regression multivariate analysis, paired t-test and repeated measures ANOVA using SPSS 14.0. Of 1,071 eligible clinicians, 510 agreed to participate, as did an additional 132 public sector clinicians. Of these 642 participants, 619 (96.4%) completed the course, and 596 (96.3%) took the four-month follow-up evaluation. Physician and midwife scores improved from 64.2% correct answers on the pre-test to 77.9% correct on the four-month follow-up test (pPeru, an Internet-based CE course was feasible, acceptable with high participation rates, and led to sustained improvement in knowledge at four months. Further studies are needed to test it as a model for improving the training of physicians, midwives, and other health care providers.

Clinical outcome of Crohn's disease according to the Vienna classification: disease location is a useful predictor of disease course

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oostenbrug, Liekele E.; van Dullemen, Hendrik M.; te Meerman, Gerard J.; Jansen, Peter L. M.; Kleibeuker, Jan H.

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Crohn's disease (CD) is a complex genetic disease with multiple clinical patterns. Clinical classifications may help to identify subgroups of patients that have a distinct pattern of disease, and they are also a prerequisite for the conduction of genetic and therapeutic studies. The aim

Clinical outcome of Crohn's disease according to the Vienna classification : disease location is a useful predictor of disease course

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oostenbrug, Liekele E.; van Dullemen, Hendrik M.; te Meerman, Gerard J.; Jansen, Peter L. M.; Kleibeuker, Jan H.

Objectives Crohn's disease (CD) is a complex genetic disease with multiple clinical patterns. Clinical classifications may help to identify subgroups of patients that have a distinct pattern of disease, and they are also a prerequisite for the conduction of genetic and therapeutic studies. The aim

Parkinsonian syndroms: Clinical phenotype, differential diagnosis and disease progression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Storch, A.

2002-01-01

Parkinsonian syndromes include idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD), other neurodegenerative diseases with parkinsonism, the so-called atypical parkinsonian syndromes, and symptomatic parkinsonian syndromes, such as Wilson's disease. IPD is the most frequent disease with parkinsonism as the main clinical feature and is responsible for approx. 80% of all parkinsonian syndromes. Atypical parkinsonian syndromes are the most important differential diagnoses of IPD. The two most frequent types are multiple system atrophy (MSA) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). For clinical diagnosis it is essential to take a careful medical history and to examine the patients physically in regular intervals. However, various clinico-pathological studies have shown that approx. 25% of patients with clinical diagnosis of IPD may have other causes of parkinsonism. Selected technical investigations, in particular functional imaging of the central dopaminergic system using PET or SPECT, may help to make clinical diagnosis more secure. This paper reviews the clinical features and diagnostic findings in diseases with parkinsonism and summarises the difficulties in establishing early and differential diagnoses. (orig.) [de

[Lymphogranuloma venereum. An old disease in a new dress].

Science.gov (United States)

de Roche, M; Sawatzki, M; Degen, L; Itin, P; Flückiger, U; Frei, R; Goldenberger, D

2011-05-01

Lymphogranuloma venereum is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, serotypes L1, L2 and L3. The classical clinical manifestation is a painful inguinal lymphadenopathy, resulting without treatment in severe complications. Over the last years, however, the emergence of massive ulcerative proctitis has been observed, especially in men who have sex with men. Because the clinical symptoms are unspecific, Chlamydia trachomatis should actively be looked for. Reliable and rapid molecular tests have now been established to diagnose lymphogranuloma venereum. The therapeutic recommendation is tetracycline for 3 weeks. We present 5 cases to illustrate this disease.

Trichinella infection and clinical disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, M R; Meyer, C N; Krantz, T

1996-01-01

Trichinellosis is caused by ingestion of insufficiently cooked meat contaminated with infective larvae of Trichinella species. The clinical course is highly variable, ranging from no apparent infection to severe and even fatal disease. We report two illustrative cases of trichinellosis. Returning....... Life-threatening cardiopulmonary, renal and central nervous system complications developed. The patient recovered after several months. Her husband, who also ate the pork, did not have clinical symptoms, but an increased eosinophil count and a single larva in a muscle biopsy confirmed infection....... The epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of trichinellosis are reviewed....

The impact of school water, sanitation, and hygiene improvements on infectious disease using serum antibody detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Chard, Anna N; Trinies, Victoria; Moss, Delynn M; Chang, Howard H; Doumbia, Seydou; Lammie, Patrick J; Freeman, Matthew C

2018-04-01

Evidence from recent studies assessing the impact of school water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions on child health has been mixed. Self-reports of disease are subject to bias, and few WASH impact evaluations employ objective health measures to assess reductions in disease and exposure to pathogens. We utilized antibody responses from dried blood spots (DBS) to measure the impact of a school WASH intervention on infectious disease among pupils in Mali. We randomly selected 21 beneficiary primary schools and their 21 matched comparison schools participating in a matched-control trial of a comprehensive school-based WASH intervention in Mali. DBS were collected from 20 randomly selected pupils in each school (n = 807). We analyzed eluted IgG from the DBS using a Luminex multiplex bead assay to 28 antigens from 17 different pathogens. Factor analysis identified three distinct latent variables representing vector-transmitted disease (driven primarily by dengue), food/water-transmitted enteric disease (driven primarily by Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae), and person-to-person transmitted enteric disease (driven primarily by norovirus). Data were analyzed using a linear latent variable model. Antibody evidence of food/water-transmitted enteric disease (change in latent variable mean (β) = -0.24; 95% CI: -0.53, -0.13) and person-to-person transmitted enteric disease (β = -0.17; 95% CI: -0.42, -0.04) was lower among pupils attending beneficiary schools. There was no difference in antibody evidence of vector-transmitted disease (β = 0.11; 95% CI: -0.05, 0.33). Evidence of enteric disease was lower among pupils attending schools benefitting from school WASH improvements than students attending comparison schools. These findings support results from the parent study, which also found reduced incidence of self-reported diarrhea among pupils of beneficiary schools. DBS collection was feasible in this resource-poor field setting and provided objective evidence

Computer-assisted self interviewing in sexual health clinics.

Science.gov (United States)

Fairley, Christopher K; Sze, Jun Kit; Vodstrcil, Lenka A; Chen, Marcus Y

2010-11-01

This review describes the published information on what constitutes the elements of a core sexual history and the use of computer-assisted self interviewing (CASI) within sexually transmitted disease clinics. We searched OVID Medline from 1990 to February 2010 using the terms "computer assisted interviewing" and "sex," and to identify published articles on a core sexual history, we used the term "core sexual history." Since 1990, 3 published articles used a combination of expert consensus, formal clinician surveys, and the Delphi technique to decide on what questions form a core sexual health history. Sexual health histories from 4 countries mostly ask about the sex of the partners, the number of partners (although the time period varies), the types of sex (oral, anal, and vaginal) and condom use, pregnancy intent, and contraceptive methods. Five published studies in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom compared CASI with in person interviews in sexually transmitted disease clinics. In general, CASI identified higher risk behavior more commonly than clinician interviews, although there were substantial differences between studies. CASI was found to be highly acceptable and individuals felt it allowed more honest reporting. Currently, there are insufficient data to determine whether CASI results in differences in sexually transmitted infection testing, diagnosis, or treatment or if CASI improves the quality of sexual health care or its efficiency. The potential public health advantages of the widespread use of CASI are discussed.

Changing beliefs and behaviors related to sexually transmitted diseases in vulnerable women: A qualitative study

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Zahra Boroumandfar

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The first step in health education is awareness of the people and their acceptance to change their behavior. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of empowerment program towards the concept of self-care and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs in women at risk of STDs. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted as a qualitative approach (step of action and observation of an action by using conventional content analysis method. An empowerment program regarding STDs (Action was performed among 32 (with convenient sample drug user women with addicted husbands referring to the counseling center for vulnerable women (drop in enter in Isfahan in 2015. The knowledge of quiddity, transmission, and prevention of STDs, as well as some items of life skills such as self-awareness, interpersonal communication, and assertive behavior were taught in an educational program. Teaching methods were lectures, group, and individual training and role play. The impact of the program on modified belief and behavior change regarding STDs was evaluated with structured interviews. Results: Analysis of the obtained results yielded three categories. The categories were awareness of STD, believing in being at risk, and decision and change. Conclusions: Promoting self-care and prevention through education programs based on action research can make a significant reduction in the incidence of problems and cause a behavior change in women with the disease or those at risk for STDs.

Chikungunya fever. Rheumatic manifestations of an emerging disease in Europe.

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Horcada, M Loreto; Díaz-Calderón, Carlos; Garrido, Laura

2015-01-01

Chikungunya fever is a viral disease caused by an alphavirus belonging to the Togaviridae family, transmitted by several species of Aedes mosquitoes: Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (A. albopictus). It is endemic in Africa and Asia with recurrent outbreaks. It is an emerging disease and cases in Europe transmitted by A. albopictus have been established in Mediterranean areas. The first autochthonous cases detected on the Caribbean islands suppose a serious threat of spreading disease to America, which so far has been disease free. Clinical symptoms begin abruptly with fever, skin rash and polyarthritis. Although mortality is low, a high percentage of patients develop a chronic phase defined by persistent arthritis for months or even years. A severe immune response is responsible for joint inflammation. The absence of specific treatment and lack of vaccine requires detailed studies about its immunopathogenesis in order to determine the most appropriate target. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Transmission and epidemiology of bluetongue and epizootic hemorrhagic disease in North America: current perspectives, research gaps, and future directions

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Bluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) are arthropod-transmitted viruses in the genus Orbivirus of the family Reoviridae. These viruses infect a variety of domestic and wild ruminant hosts, although the susceptibility to clinical disease associated with BTV or EHDV inf...

Liver involvement in Gaucher disease - Review and clinical approach.

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Adar, Tomer; Ilan, Yaron; Elstein, Deborah; Zimran, Ari

2018-02-01

Gaucher disease (GD), one of the most prevalent lysosomal storage diseases, is associated with glucocerebroside accumulation in cells of the monocyte-macrophage system in various organs, including the liver. Evaluating and managing liver disease in patients with Gaucher disease may be challenging. While hepatic involvement is common in Gaucher disease, its severity, and clinical significance span a wide spectrum, ranging from sub-clinical involvement to liver cirrhosis with its associated complications including portal hypertension. Apart from liver involvement in Gaucher disease, patients with may also suffer from other comorbidities involving the liver. That Gaucher disease itself can mimic hepatic lesions, affect laboratory tests used to characterize liver disease, and may be associated with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension, complicates the diagnostic approach even more. Better understanding of liver involvement in Gaucher disease can spare patients unnecessary invasive testing, and assist physicians in decision making when evaluating patients with Gaucher disease suspected for significant liver disease. This review describes the various clinical manifestations, laboratory and imaging abnormalities that may be encountered when following patients with Gaucher disease for liver involvement. The mechanism for liver disease are discussed, as well as the possible hepato-protective effect of glucocerebroside, and the a diagnostic and treatment approaches. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Periodontal disease in pregnant patients with rheumatic valvular disease: clinical and microbiological study.

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Avila, Walkiria Samuel; Timerman, Lilia; Romito, Giuseppe Alexandre; Marcelino, Sílvia Linard; Neves, Itamara Lúcia Itagiba; Zugaib, Marcelo; Grinberg, Max

2011-04-01

The periodontal disease during pregnancy of women with rheumatic valve disease imply infective endocarditis risks and higher rate of preterm birth and low birth weight. To study the periodontal disease rate of women with rheumatic valve disease during pregnancy. We studied 140 pregnant women who included 70 patients with rheumatic valve disease and 70 healthy women. The periodontal examination included: 1) periodontal clinical exam regard the follow variables: a) probing depth; b) gingival margin; c) clinical attachment level; d) bleeding on probing; e) plaque index and f) gingival index; and 2) microbiological test was performed in samples serum and gingival crevicular fluid and considered positive controls to Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsithia e Aggregobacter actinomycetemcomitans. Age and parity were similar between groups; as single or combined the mitral valve disease was prevalent among the rheumatic valve lesion in 45 (32.1%) e 20 (28.5%) cases, respectively. Among the periodontal variables gingival margin (p=0.01) and plaque index (p=0.04) were different between groups. The periodontal disease was identified in 20 (14,3%) pregnant women, seven (10%) of them were patients with valve rheumatic disease and the remain 13 (18,6%) were healthy women, its percentual was not different between groups (p=0,147). Microbiological analyses of oral samples showed higher percentual of P. gingivalis in healthy pregnant women (p=0.004). The clinical and microbiological study during pregnancy showed comparable incidence of periodontal disease between women with rheumatic valve disease and healthy women.

Clinical trial network for the promotion of clinical research for rare diseases in Japan: muscular dystrophy clinical trial network.

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Shimizu, Reiko; Ogata, Katsuhisa; Tamaura, Akemi; Kimura, En; Ohata, Maki; Takeshita, Eri; Nakamura, Harumasa; Takeda, Shin'ichi; Komaki, Hirofumi

2016-07-11

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most commonly inherited neuromuscular disease. Therapeutic agents for the treatment of rare disease, namely "orphan drugs", have recently drawn the attention of researchers and pharmaceutical companies. To ensure the successful conduction of clinical trials to evaluate novel treatments for patients with rare diseases, an appropriate infrastructure is needed. One of the effective solutions for the lack of infrastructure is to establish a network of rare diseases. To accomplish the conduction of clinical trials in Japan, the Muscular dystrophy clinical trial network (MDCTN) was established by the clinical research group for muscular dystrophy, including the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, as well as national and university hospitals, all which have a long-standing history of research cooperation. Thirty-one medical institutions (17 national hospital organizations, 10 university hospitals, 1 national center, 2 public hospitals, and 1 private hospital) belong to this network and collaborate to facilitate clinical trials. The Care and Treatment Site Registry (CTSR) calculates and reports the proportion of patients with neuromuscular diseases in the cooperating sites. In total, there are 5,589 patients with neuromuscular diseases in Japan and the proportion of patients with each disease is as follows: DMD, 29 %; myotonic dystrophy type 1, 23 %; limb girdle muscular dystrophy, 11 %; Becker muscular dystrophy, 10 %. We work jointly to share updated health care information and standardized evaluations of clinical outcomes as well. The collaboration with the patient registry (CTSR), allows the MDCTN to recruit DMD participants with specific mutations and conditions, in a remarkably short period of time. Counting with a network that operates at a national level is important to address the corresponding national issues. Thus, our network will be able to contribute with international research activity, which can lead to

Trichomoniasis as sexually transmitted disease in sex partners

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Parvathi C

1998-01-01

Full Text Available Study of 30 male consorts of 30 cases of vaginal trichomoniasis with high levels of parasitic infection was undertaken to evaluate the sexually transmitted role of trichomoniasis in sex partners. There were 20 symptomatic and 10 asymptomatic male partners, who revealed T. vaginalis in 80.0% and 60.0 of the cases respectively and the overall prevalence was 73.3% (22 Of 30. T. vaginalis was detected in 83.3% male with urethritis and 50.0% males with prostatitis. Detection of trichomonas in urethral discharge, morning drop secretion, urine deposit and prostatic fluid was 80.0%, 50.0% 35.7% and 21.4% in that order. It is evident from these results that the sex consorts of all cases of trichomoniasis should be considered as harbouring T. vaginalis in their genito-urinary tract as carriers and be treated to break the chain of transmission. Fontanna smear was superior to culture and wet mount in the detection of T. vaginalis, the success rates being 73.3%, 63.3% and 53.3%. A good correlation was observed between smear and culture at high levels of parasitic infection.

An interactive internet-based continuing education course on sexually transmitted diseases for physicians and midwives in Peru.

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Fredy A Canchihuaman

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Clinicians in developing countries have had limited access to continuing education (CE outside major cities, and CE strategies have had limited impact on sustainable change in performance. New educational tools could improve CE accessibility and effectiveness.The objective of this study was to evaluate an interactive Internet-based CE course on Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs management for clinicians in Peru. Participants included physicians and midwives in private practice drawn from a census of 10 Peruvian cities. The CE included a three-hour workshop for improving Internet skills, followed by a 22-hour online course on STD-syndrome-management, with subsequent educational support. The course used case-based clinical vignettes tailored to local STD problems. Knowledge and reported practices on STD management were assessed before, immediately after and at four months after completion of the course. Statistical analysis included parametric tests-linear regression multivariate analysis, paired t-test and repeated measures ANOVA using SPSS 14.0. Of 1,071 eligible clinicians, 510 agreed to participate, as did an additional 132 public sector clinicians. Of these 642 participants, 619 (96.4% completed the course, and 596 (96.3% took the four-month follow-up evaluation. Physician and midwife scores improved from 64.2% correct answers on the pre-test to 77.9% correct on the four-month follow-up test (p<0.001. Most participants (95% found the online course useful for their work needs. Self reported STD management practices did not change.Among physicians and midwives in Peru, an Internet-based CE course was feasible, acceptable with high participation rates, and led to sustained improvement in knowledge at four months. Further studies are needed to test it as a model for improving the training of physicians, midwives, and other health care providers.

IMPULSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDERS IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE. CLINICAL CASES

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N. V. Fedorova; A. V. Nikitina

2015-01-01

Objective – a description of clinical cases of impulsive­compulsive disorders in Parkinson,s disease. The first clinical case. Patient N., 75 years old, suffering for 15 years from Parkinson,s disease, akinetic­rigid form of the disease, stage 4 by Hyun–Yar. Since 2009, he received levodopa/carbidopa 250/25 mg 5 times/day (daily dose of 1250 mg of levodopa); pramipexole 3.5 mg per day (daily dose 3.5 mg), amantadine sulfate 100 mg 5 times/day (daily dose 500 mg). While taking antiparkinsonian...

Primary health clinic toilet/bathroom surface swab sampling can indicate community profile of sexually transmitted infections

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Philip M. Giffard

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background The microbiome of built environment surfaces is impacted by the presence of humans. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that analysis of surface swabs from clinic toilet/bathroom yields results correlated with sexually transmitted infection (STI notifications from corresponding human populations. We extended a previously reported study in which surfaces in toilet/bathroom facilities in primary health clinics in the Australian Northern Territory (NT were swabbed then tested for nucleic acid from the STI agents Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis. This was in the context of assessing the potential for such nucleic acid to contaminate specimens collected in such facilities. STIs are notifiable in the NT, thus allowing comparison of swab and notification data. Methods An assumption in the design was that while absolute built environment loads of STI nucleic acids will be a function of patient traffic density and facility cleaning protocols, the relative loads of STI nucleic acids from different species will be largely unaffected by these processes. Another assumption was that the proportion of swabs testing positive for STIs provides a measure of surface contamination. Accordingly, “STI profiles” were calculated. These were the proportions that each of the three STIs of interest contributed to the summed STI positive swabs or notifications. Three comparisons were performed, using swab data from clinics in remote Indigenous communities, clinics in small-medium towns, and a single urban sexual health clinic. These data were compared with time and place-matched STI notifications. Results There were significant correlations between swab and notifications data for the both the remote Indigenous and regional data. For the remote Indigenous clinics the p values ranged from 0.041 to 0.0089, depending on data transformation and p value inference method. Further, the swab data appeared to strongly indicate

A forgotten disease reminds itself with a rare complication

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Meetu Agrawal

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Diagnosed cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STD represent tip of the iceberg and Donovanosis in one of them. Donovanosis, in most cases is obvious clinically, but rely for its confirmation on the demonstration of donovan bodies in histological sections and cytological preparation. In an extremely rare setting, this disease may get complicated by the development of squamous cell carcinoma. We report this occurrence in an 18-year-old girl to review the currently forgotten status of donovanosis amongst the STDs and the poor outcome of the disease if left untreated.

[Study on the pathogens correlated to sexually transmitted diseases in 285 pre-pubertal girls with vulvovaginitis in Beijing].

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Liu, Xiao-Yan; Sun, Hong-Mei; Feng, Yan-Ling; Hu, Jin; Zhao, Han-Qing; Zhang, Li-Ya

2007-08-01

To study the relationship between vulvovaginitis in pre-pubertal girls and pathogens as Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct), N. gonorrhoeae (Ng), Mycoplasma, Ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu), Mycoplasma hominis (Mh), M. genitalium (Mg), M. fermentans (Mf) and M. penetrans (Mpe), as well as to find out the proportion of mycoplasma which is correlated to sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and AIDS. METHODS Vulvae swab specimens from 285 pre-pubertal girls with vulvovaginitis (case group) and 128 healthy girls (control group) were collected and detected by nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) to identify the existence of pathogens as Ct, Ng, Uu, Mh, Mg, Mf and Mpe. nPCR with both high specificity and sensitivity, would not be influenced by the amount of pathogens in specimens or inactivated during the process of storage or transportation. The rate of detection on pathogens was 59.65% in the 285 specimens from case group including 'one kind of pathogen in one specimen' as 37.54% and 'two kinds' as 16.84% and 'three kinds' as 5.26%. However, in the 128 specimens from control group, the detectable rate of pathogen was 6.25%. Relationships were found between Ng (P vulvovaginitis in pre-pubertal girls. In control group the pathogens were detected from 7 specimens including 5 Uu and 2 Mh. Some of the pathogens were correlated to STD and were important in causing vulvovaginitis in pre-pubertal girls. Vulvovaginitis might have been caused by more than one kind of pathogen in pre-pubertal girls. The locations of Mg, Mf and Ng in outer genital tracts were correlated to seasonal change. Macrolide seemed to be quite effective clinically in treating urogenital tract infection caused by mycoplasma and Ct.

Unexpected MRI findings in clinically suspected Legg-Calve-Perthes disease

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Lobert, Philip F.; Dillman, Jonathan R.; Strouse, Peter J.; Hernandez, Ramiro J. [University of Michigan Health System, Department of Radiology, Section of Pediatric Radiology, C.S. Mott Children' s Hospital/F3503, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

2011-03-15

In the setting of clinically suspected Legg-Calve-Perthes (LCP) disease and negative/equivocal radiographs, contrast-enhanced MRI can be performed to confirm the diagnosis. To determine the frequency of unexpected causes of hip pain as identified by MRI in children with clinically suspected LCP disease and negative/equivocal radiographs. All pediatric contrast-enhanced MRI examinations of the pelvis and hips performed between January 2000 and February 2009 to evaluate for possible LCP disease in the setting of negative/equivocal radiographs were identified. MRI examinations performed to evaluate for secondary avascular necrosis were excluded. Imaging reports were retrospectively reviewed for unexpected clinically important causes of hip pain. Thirty-six pediatric patients underwent contrast-enhanced MRI examinations for clinically suspected LCP disease in the setting of negative/equivocal radiographs. Twenty-two (61%) imaging studies were normal, while four (11%) imaging studies demonstrated findings consistent with LCP disease. Ten (28%) imaging studies revealed unexpected clinically important causes of hip pain, including nonspecific unilateral joint effusion and synovitis (n = 7, juvenile chronic arthritis was eventually diagnosed in 3 patients), sacral fracture (n = 1), apophyseal injury (n = 1), and femoral head subluxation (n = 1). MRI frequently reveals unexpected clinically important causes of hip pain in children with suspected LCP disease and negative/equivocal radiographs. (orig.)

Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program (IDCRP)

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Federal Laboratory Consortium — Our mission is to conduct infectious disease clinical research of importance to the military through a unique, adaptive, and collaborative network, to inform health...

DNA-abzymes in autoimmune diseases in clinic and experiment

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T E Naumova

2003-01-01

Full Text Available DNA-abzymes enzymes in autoimmune diseases in clinic and experiment T.E. Naumova, O.M. Durova, A.G. Gabibov, Z.S. Alekberova, S. V. Suchkov DNA-hydrolyzing autoantibodies (AAB or DNA-abzymes can be found in autoimmune diseases in clinic and experiment. Technology of serum express screening for presence of DNA abzymes is described. Comparative study of DNA-hydrolising activity in patients with different forms of systemic and organ-specific autoimmune diseases was performed. Blood of clinically healthy donors was usually free of IgG DNA-abzymes. DNA-abzymes were most often revealed in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE and rheumatoid arthritis (RA less often in patients with organ-specific forms of autoimmune disturbances. The results of the study confirm the hypothesis of autoimmune origin of IgG DNA abzymes and demonstrate the possibility to use them in clinical practice for monitoring to disease activity in SLE and RA.

Providing Mailing Cost Reimbursements: The Effect on Reporting Timeliness of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Virginia.

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Vasiliu, Oana E; Stover, Jeffrey A; Mays, Marissa J E; Bissette, Jennifer M; Dolan, Carrie B; Sirbu, Corina M

2009-01-01

We investigated the effect of providing mailing cost reimbursements to local health departments on the timeliness of the reporting of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in Virginia. The Division of Disease Prevention, Virginia Department of Health, provided mailing cost reimbursements to 31 Virginia health districts from October 2002 to December 2004. The difference (in days) between the diagnosis date (or date the STD paperwork was initiated) and the date the case/STD report was entered into the STD surveillance database was used in a negative binomial regression model against time (as divided into three periods-before, during, and after reimbursement) to estimate the effect of providing mailing cost reimbursements on reporting timeliness. We observed significant decreases in the number of days between diagnosis and reporting of a case, which were sustained after the reimbursement period ended, in 25 of the 31 health districts included in the analysis. We observed a significant initial decrease (during the reimbursement period) followed by a significant increase in the after-reimbursement phase in one health district. Two health districts had a significant initial decrease, while one health district had a significant decrease in reporting timeliness in the period after reimbursement. Two health districts showed no significant changes in the number of days to report to the central office. Providing reimbursements for mailing costs was statistically associated with improved STD reporting timeliness in almost all of Virginia's health districts. Sustained improvement after the reimbursement period ended is likely indicative of improved local health department reporting habits.

Phenotype and Clinical Course of Inflammatory Bowel Disease with Co-Existent Celiac Disease.

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Tse, Chung Sang; Deepak, Parakkal; De La Fuente, Jaime; Bledsoe, Adam C; Larson, Joseph J; Murray, Joseph A; Papadakis, Konstantinos A

2018-05-07

Inflammatory bowel diseases, principally Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and celiac disease are among the most common immune-mediated gastrointestinal diseases. We aim to elucidate the clinical course and outcomes of patients with concomitant inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease, a unique population that remains scarcely studied to date. A retrospective matched case-control study of adults with coexistent inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease was performed at a tertiary referral institution in North America. Logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier curves compared disease characteristics and clinical outcomes of the two groups. A total of 342 inflammatory bowel disease patients were included in this study, of which 114 had coexistent celiac disease and 228 did not. Patients with coexistent inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease had higher rates of primary sclerosing cholangitis (19.3% vs 5.7%; odds ratio, 4.4; 95% confidence interval, 2.1-9.4; pceliac disease (10.5% vs 3.5%; odds ratio 3.2; 95% confidence interval 1.3-8.2; p=0.01), compared to patients without concomitant celiac disease. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease with concomitant celiac disease have unique phenotypic features compared to non-celiac inflammatory bowel disease, with higher risks for colitis-related hospitalizations, extensive colitis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Increased recognition of coexistent IBD and celiac disease can prompt clinicians to investigate for concomitant disease sooner, particularly in patients with seemingly refractory disease.

The role of the local microenvironment in regulating susceptibility and immune responses to sexually transmitted viruses in the female genital tract.

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Kaushic, Charu

2009-12-01

Sexually transmitted viruses cause chronic infections that have serious long-term health consequences. Based on the evidence from clinical and epidemiological studies, women carry a disproportionately higher burden of sexually transmitted diseases. The reasons for this are not well understood and possibly relate to a variety of social, behavioral and economic factors. In addition to these factors there are biological reasons that contribute to the higher prevalence in women. In this context it is critical to focus on and understand the local microenvironment of the female genital tract, since the majority of viral infections in women occur by heterosexual transmission. The genital tract is also the target site for initiation and maintenance of protective immune responses that could prevent or eliminate viral infections. The epithelial cells of the genital tract provide the first line of defense against viral entry. The interactions between each sexually transmitted virus and the genital epithelium are distinct and determine the outcome of exposure. They are also influenced by a number of factors in the local genital milieu. Among these factors are the female sex hormones that regulate both the susceptibility as well as immune responses to viral infections in the genital tract. Better understanding of the interactions of viruses with the local environment in the female genital tract will lead to development of novel methods to prevent sexually transmitted infections as well as to enhance innate and adaptive immunity.

Spatio-temporal distribution of soil-transmitted helminth infections in Brazil.

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Chammartin, Frédérique; Guimarães, Luiz H; Scholte, Ronaldo Gc; Bavia, Mara E; Utzinger, Jürg; Vounatsou, Penelope

2014-09-18

In Brazil, preventive chemotherapy targeting soil-transmitted helminthiasis is being scaled-up. Hence, spatially explicit estimates of infection risks providing information about the current situation are needed to guide interventions. Available high-resolution national model-based estimates either rely on analyses of data restricted to a given period of time, or on historical data collected over a longer period. While efforts have been made to take into account the spatial structure of the data in the modelling approach, little emphasis has been placed on the temporal dimension. We extracted georeferenced survey data on the prevalence of infection with soil-transmitted helminths (i.e. Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm and Trichuris trichiura) in Brazil from the Global Neglected Tropical Diseases (GNTD) database. Selection of the most important predictors of infection risk was carried out using a Bayesian geostatistical approach and temporal models that address non-linearity and correlation of the explanatory variables. The spatial process was estimated through a predictive process approximation. Spatio-temporal models were built on the selected predictors with integrated nested Laplace approximation using stochastic partial differential equations. Our models revealed that, over the past 20 years, the risk of soil-transmitted helminth infection has decreased in Brazil, mainly because of the reduction of A. lumbricoides and hookworm infections. From 2010 onwards, we estimate that the infection prevalences with A. lumbricoides, hookworm and T. trichiura are 3.6%, 1.7% and 1.4%, respectively. We also provide a map highlighting municipalities in need of preventive chemotherapy, based on a predicted soil-transmitted helminth infection risk in excess of 20%. The need for treatments in the school-aged population at the municipality level was estimated at 1.8 million doses of anthelminthic tablets per year. The analysis of the spatio-temporal aspect of the risk of infection

Hematologic manifestations of Crohn's disease: two clinical cases

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O. V. Taratina

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD are commonly associated with extraintestinal manifestations, hematological disorders being the most special among them. In some cases, they dominate the clinical picture masking the intestinal manifestations of the underlying disease. Aplastic anemia is an extremely rare extraintestinal IBD manifestation. There are only two clinical cases of aplastic anemia associated with ulcerative colitis and non with Crohn's disease reported in the literature. Combination of Crohn's disease and В₁₂-deficient anemia is more prevalent, but is seen usually only after more than 20 cm of the ileus has been resected. The first clinical case presented in this paper is a  combination of severe fistula-forming Crohn's disease with a constriction in the terminal part of the ileus and profound pancytopenia as an outcome of aplastic anemia. This profound pancytopenia is associated with an extremely high risk of life-threatening complications both of surgical treatment, as well as of several chemotherapeutic agents, which made the management of this patient difficult. The second clinical case demonstrates the manifestation of Crohn's disease as ileocolitis starting from the symptoms of cobalamin deficiency: severe В₁₂-deficient anemia, funicular myelosis and sensory ataxia, with blunted intestinal symptoms. This made the initial diagnosis and timely treatment difficult. Replacement therapy with cobalamin injections and treatment with glucocorticoids and antibacterials led to endoscopically confirmed remission of Crohn's disease and normalization of hematological parameters, with persistent polyneuropathy. Thus, management of patients with Crohn's disease should be multidisciplinary. In the case of anemia, leucopenia and/or thrombocytopenia in IBD patients it is necessary to exclude potential myelodysplasia and bone marrow aplasia. In the event of megaloblastic anemia and/or progressive polyneuropathy one should bear in mind

AABB Committee Report: reducing transfusion-transmitted cytomegalovirus infections.

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Heddle, Nancy M; Boeckh, Michael; Grossman, Brenda; Jacobson, Jessica; Kleinman, Steven; Tobian, Aaron A R; Webert, Kathryn; Wong, Edward C C; Roback, John D

2016-06-01

Transfusion-transmitted cytomegalovirus (TT-CMV) is often asymptomatic, but certain patient populations, such as very low birth weight neonates, fetuses requiring intrauterine transfusion, pregnant women, patients with primary immunodeficiencies, transplant recipients, and patients receiving chemotherapy or transplantation for malignant disease, may be at risk of life-threatening CMV infection. It is unclear whether leukoreduction of cellular blood components is sufficient to reduce TT-CMV or whether CMV serological testing adds additional benefit to leukoreduction. The AABB CMV Prevention Work Group commissioned a systematic review to address these issues and subsequently develop clinical practice guidelines. However, the data were of poor quality, and no studies of significant size have been performed for over a decade. Rather than creating guidelines of questionable utility, the Work Group (with approval of the AABB Board of Directors) voted to prepare this Committee Report. There is wide variation in practices of using leukoreduced components alone or combining CMV-serology and leukoreduction to prevent TT-CMV for at-risk patients. Other approaches may also be feasible to prevent TT-CMV, including plasma nucleic acid testing, pathogen inactivation, and patient blood management programs to reduce the frequency of inappropriate transfusions. It is unlikely that future large-scale clinical trials will be performed to determine whether leukoreduction, CMV-serology, or a combination of both is superior. Consequently, alternative strategies including pragmatic randomized controlled trials, registries, and collaborations for electronic data merging, nontraditional approaches to inform evidence, or development of a systematic approach to inform expert opinion may help to address the issue of CMV-safe blood components. © 2016 AABB.

Fatal outcome after reactivation of inherited chromosomally integrated HHV-6A (iciHHV-6A) transmitted through liver transplantation.

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Bonnafous, P; Marlet, J; Bouvet, D; Salamé, E; Tellier, A-C; Guyetant, S; Goudeau, A; Agut, H; Gautheret-Dejean, A; Gaudy-Graffin, C

2018-06-01

HHV-6A and HHV-6B are found as inherited and chromosomally integrated forms (iciHHV-6A and -6B) into all germinal and somatic cells and vertically transmitted in a Mendelian manner in about 1% of the population. They were occasionally shown to be horizontally transmitted through hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Here, we present a clinical case of horizontal transmission of iciHHV-6A from donor to recipient through liver transplantation. Molecular analysis performed on three viral genes (7.2 kb) in the recipient and donor samples supports transmission of iciHHV-6A from the graft. Transmission was followed by reactivation, with high viral loads in several compartments. The infection was uncontrollable, leading to severe disease and death, despite antiviral treatments and the absence of resistance mutations. This case highlights the fact that physicians should be aware of the possible horizontal transmission of iciHHV-6 and its consequences in case of reactivation in immunocompromised patients. © 2018 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Female genital schistosomiasis--a differential diagnosis to sexually transmitted disease: genital itch and vaginal discharge as indicators of genital Schistosoma haematobium morbidity in a cross-sectional study in endemic rural Zimbabwe.

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Kjetland, Eyrun Floerecke; Kurewa, Edith Nyaradzai; Ndhlovu, Patricia D; Midzi, Nicholas; Gwanzura, Lovemore; Mason, Peter R; Gomo, Exnevia; Sandvik, Leiv; Mduluza, Takafira; Friis, Henrik; Gundersen, Svein Gunnar

2008-12-01

To examine the association between schistosomiasis and reproductive tract symptoms. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a Schistosoma haematobium-endemic area of rural Zimbabwe. A total of 483 permanently resident adult women of Mupfure Ward aged 20-49 were interviewed and examined clinically, each providing three consecutive urine samples. Logistic regression analysis was used to control for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Women with genital sandy patches had significantly more genital itch (P = 0.009) and perceived their discharge as abnormal (P = 0.003). Eighty percent of the women who had genital itch, yellow discharge, and childhood or current waterbody contact had sandy patches. Fifty-two percent of the women with genital sandy patches did not have detectable S. haematobium ova in urine. Genital schistosomiasis was associated with stress incontinence and pollakisuria, but not with menstrual irregularities, current or previous ulcers, or tumours. Genital schistosomiasis may be a differential diagnosis to the STDs in women who have been exposed to fresh water in endemic areas. Because of the chronic nature of the disease in adults, we suggest to pay special attention to the prevention of morbidity.

From slavery to incarceration: social forces affecting the epidemiology of sexually transmitted diseases in the rural South.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, James C

2006-07-01

The high rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the southeastern United States have been shaped by historic and contemporary social forces. More than other regions of the country, the South was defined by slavery, an extremely hierarchical relationship between whites and blacks. Emancipation left much of the racial hierarchy intact with whites as farm owners and blacks as hired workers or sharecroppers. Agricultural policies that favored mechanization caused blacks to leave farm work and move into segregated towns, leading to the advent of the rural ghetto. Post-World War II mass migration, mostly by young men, to the industrial north altered the sex ratio and social capital of the southern towns left behind. The cocaine epidemic of the 1990s, followed by the high incarceration rates of the "War on Drugs," disproportionately affected low-income blacks. Each of these forces led to sexual and care-seeking behaviors that favor transmission of STDs.

Celiac disease in non-clinical populations of Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukunaga, Mai; Ishimura, Norihisa; Fukuyama, Chika; Izumi, Daisuke; Ishikawa, Nahoko; Araki, Asuka; Oka, Akihiko; Mishiro, Tomoko; Ishihara, Shunji; Maruyama, Riruke; Adachi, Kyoichi; Kinoshita, Yoshikazu

2018-02-01

Celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune enteropathy caused by gluten ingestion. While its prevalence in Western countries is reported to be as high as 1%, the prevalence has not been evaluated in a large-scale study of a Japanese population. The aim of our study was to clarify the possible presence of celiac disease in a Japanese non-clinical population as well as in patients showing symptoms suggestive of the disease. Serum samples were collected from 2008 non-clinical adults and 47 patients with chronic unexplained abdominal symptoms between April 2014 and June 2016. The anti-tissue transglutaminase (TTG) immunoglobulin A antibody titer was determined as a screening test for celiac disease in all subjects, and individuals with a value of >2 U/mL subsequently underwent testing for the presence of serum endomysial IgA antibody (EMA) as confirmation. Those testing positive for EMA or with a high concentration (>10 U/mL) of TTG were further investigated by histopathological examinations of duodenal mucosal biopsy specimens and HLA typing tests. Of the 2008 non-clinical adults from whom serum samples were collected, 161 tested positive for TTG, and all tested negative for EMA. Four subjects who had a high TTG titer were invited to undergo confirmatory testing, and the histopathological results confirmed the presence of celiac disease in only a single case (0.05%). Of the 47 symptomatic patients, one (2.1%) was found to have a high TTG titer and was diagnosed with celiac disease based on duodenal histopathological findings. The presence of celiac disease in a non-clinical Japanese population was low at 0.05% and was rarely found in patients with unexplained chronic abdominal symptoms.

Clinical evaluation of guidelines and two-test approach for lyme disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blaauw, A. A.; van Loon, A. M.; Schellekens, J. F.; Bijlsma, J. W.

1999-01-01

The diagnosis of Lyme disease should be based on objective clinical signs and symptoms. In a clinical study, we have evaluated whether the recommended two-step approach for serodiagnosis of Lyme disease is useful in daily clinical practice and can influence clinical decision making. The signs and

Clinical Application of 18F-FDG PET in Alzheimer's Disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, Young Hoon

2008-01-01

PET of the cerebral metabolic rate of glucose is increasingly used to support the clinical diagnosis in the examination of patients with suspected major neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease. 18 F-FDG PET has been reported to have high diagnostic performance, especially, very high sensitivity in the diagnosis and clinical assessment of therapeutic efficacy. According to clinical research data hitherto, 18 F-FDG PET is expected to be an effective diagnostic tool in early and differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Since 2004, Medicare covers 18 F-FDG PET scans for the differential diagnosis of fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) under specific requirements; or, its use in a CMS approved practical clinical trial focused on the utility of 18 F-FDG PET in the diagnosis or treatment of dementing neurodegenerative diseases

Sexually transmitted disease (STD) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in South East Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail, R

1999-01-01

This article reports on the prevalence of AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in Southeast Asia. The spread of HIV infection in this region has been predicted to be worse than that of Africa. The high-prevalence countries are Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar, where prevalence rates in the population at risk (15-49 year olds) are up to 2%; while low prevalence countries with rates of 0.1% include the Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Brunei, and Singapore. Heterosexual transmission in Southeast Asia is the main mode of spread of HIV. Another route is through migration, rural-to-urban or international migration of people seeking jobs; with concurrent loneliness and anonymity, they become vulnerable to STDs and HIV infection. Intravenous drug use poses an increasing risk of transmission. The unavailability of data in some countries makes it difficult to evaluate the extent of the epidemic or if there's an impending epidemic. There are a number of caveats to the data compilation from various countries. These include the following: under-reporting of cases; underdiagnosis; missed diagnosis; and differences in the time of data collection. It is clear that poverty, illiteracy, and poor access to educational information in most countries in this region facilitate the rapid spread of HIV. These coupled with lack of primary health care services, and in most instances, enormously high cost of drugs make the pain and suffering due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic a human disaster far worse than the ravages of war.

Influencing risk behavior of sexually transmitted infection clinic visitors: efficacy of a new methodology of motivational preventive counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuyper, Lisette; de Wit, John; Heijman, Titia; Fennema, Han; van Bergen, Jan; Vanwesenbeeck, Ine

2009-06-01

A quasi-experimental study was conducted at a Dutch sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic to compare the effects of educational counseling and motivational interviewing (MI)-based HIV/STI counseling on determinants of condom use and partner notification at 6-month follow-up. It also examined the feasibility of MI-based counseling in a busy real-life clinic. The counseling approaches were historically compared: respondents in the control condition were recruited between April and July 2005, those in the experimental condition between September and December 2005. The study involved 428 participants. These were all high-risk clients of the STI clinic. Their mean age was 33.7 years, and 39.6% were female. The study showed that MI-based counseling had a more positive effect on self-efficacy, intentions to use condoms with casual partners, and long-term condom use with steady partners. It had no adversarial outcomes on other social cognitions or behaviors compared to educational counseling. Furthermore, MI-based counseling is experienced as a more respectful and structured way of counseling. MI-based counseling was relatively easily implemented into the current clinic procedures. In addition to the implementation of the training, neither specialized staff nor additional or longer client visits were needed. However, some nurses indicated that the new method required more personal investment and effort. Limitations of the current study are the low response rates, the high educational level of most participants, and the small sample size regarding partner notification. Nonetheless, we conclude that MI-based counseling was a more effective approach to preventive counseling compared to educational counseling and feasible in the busy real-life setting.

Larvae of Ixodes ricinus transmit Borrelia afzelii and B. miyamotoi to vertebrate hosts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Duijvendijk, van Gilian; Coipan, Claudia; Wagemakers, Alex; Fonville, Manoj; Ersöz, Jasmin; Oei, Anneke; Földvári, Gábor; Hovius, Joppe; Takken, Willem; Sprong, Hein

2016-01-01

Background: Lyme borreliosis is the most common tick-borne human disease and is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.). Borrelia miyamotoi, a relapsing fever spirochaete, is transmitted transovarially, whereas this has not been shown for B. burgdorferi (s.l). Therefore, B. burgdorferi

Risk perception of sexually transmitted infections and HIV in Nigerian commercial sex workers living in Barcelona: a study protocol

Science.gov (United States)

Coma Auli, Núria; Mejía-Lancheros, Cília; Berenguera, Anna; Mayans, Martí Vall; Lasagabaster, Maider Arando; Pujol-Ribera, Enriqueta

2013-01-01

Introduction Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV are a serious global public health issue. These diseases are largely preventable, as they are directly and indirectly associated with potentially modifiable factors, including socioeconomic conditions. Sexual transmission is responsible for over 75% of new HIV infections worldwide. Moreover, commercial sex workers and their clients are two of the groups at the highest risk of acquiring and transmitting these infectious diseases, due to an extensive number of sexual encounters and the various factors related to commercial sex situations. This qualitative study aims to deepen the understanding of the risk perception of STIs and HIV and their associated factors in Nigerian commercial sex workers in the city of Barcelona. Methods and analysis This is a qualitative, descriptive, interpretive study based on a social constructivist and phenomenological perspective conducted on a saturated sample of Nigerian commercial sex workers in the city of Barcelona. Data will be collected through semistructured individual and triangular group interviews. Information will be examined using a sociological discourse analysis, allowing us to understand the social and individual factors related to the risk perception of STIs and HIV in commercial sex workers. Discussion Qualitative studies are an important element in identifying individual, social and contextual factors directly or indirectly related to the health/disease process. This qualitative study will provide essential knowledge to improve health promotion, prevention strategies and effective management of STIs both for commercial sex workers and their clients. Ethics This study has been approved by the clinical research ethics committee (CEIC) of IDIAP Jordi Gol in Barcelona, 2012. PMID:23901029

How effective is integrated vector management against malaria and lymphatic filariasis where the diseases are transmitted by the same vector?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher M Stone

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The opportunity to integrate vector management across multiple vector-borne diseases is particularly plausible for malaria and lymphatic filariasis (LF control where both diseases are transmitted by the same vector. To date most examples of integrated control targeting these diseases have been unanticipated consequences of malaria vector control, rather than planned strategies that aim to maximize the efficacy and take the complex ecological and biological interactions between the two diseases into account.We developed a general model of malaria and LF transmission and derived expressions for the basic reproductive number (R0 for each disease. Transmission of both diseases was most sensitive to vector mortality and biting rate. Simulating different levels of coverage of long lasting-insecticidal nets (LLINs and larval control confirms the effectiveness of these interventions for the control of both diseases. When LF was maintained near the critical density of mosquitoes, minor levels of vector control (8% coverage of LLINs or treatment of 20% of larval sites were sufficient to eliminate the disease. Malaria had a far greater R0 and required a 90% population coverage of LLINs in order to eliminate it. When the mosquito density was doubled, 36% and 58% coverage of LLINs and larval control, respectively, were required for LF elimination; and malaria elimination was possible with a combined coverage of 78% of LLINs and larval control.Despite the low level of vector control required to eliminate LF, simulations suggest that prevalence of LF will decrease at a slower rate than malaria, even at high levels of coverage. If representative of field situations, integrated management should take into account not only how malaria control can facilitate filariasis elimination, but strike a balance between the high levels of coverage of (multiple interventions required for malaria with the long duration predicted to be required for filariasis elimination.

How effective is integrated vector management against malaria and lymphatic filariasis where the diseases are transmitted by the same vector?

Science.gov (United States)

Stone, Christopher M; Lindsay, Steve W; Chitnis, Nakul

2014-12-01

The opportunity to integrate vector management across multiple vector-borne diseases is particularly plausible for malaria and lymphatic filariasis (LF) control where both diseases are transmitted by the same vector. To date most examples of integrated control targeting these diseases have been unanticipated consequences of malaria vector control, rather than planned strategies that aim to maximize the efficacy and take the complex ecological and biological interactions between the two diseases into account. We developed a general model of malaria and LF transmission and derived expressions for the basic reproductive number (R0) for each disease. Transmission of both diseases was most sensitive to vector mortality and biting rate. Simulating different levels of coverage of long lasting-insecticidal nets (LLINs) and larval control confirms the effectiveness of these interventions for the control of both diseases. When LF was maintained near the critical density of mosquitoes, minor levels of vector control (8% coverage of LLINs or treatment of 20% of larval sites) were sufficient to eliminate the disease. Malaria had a far greater R0 and required a 90% population coverage of LLINs in order to eliminate it. When the mosquito density was doubled, 36% and 58% coverage of LLINs and larval control, respectively, were required for LF elimination; and malaria elimination was possible with a combined coverage of 78% of LLINs and larval control. Despite the low level of vector control required to eliminate LF, simulations suggest that prevalence of LF will decrease at a slower rate than malaria, even at high levels of coverage. If representative of field situations, integrated management should take into account not only how malaria control can facilitate filariasis elimination, but strike a balance between the high levels of coverage of (multiple) interventions required for malaria with the long duration predicted to be required for filariasis elimination.

Motor outcome measures in Huntington disease clinical trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Reilmann, Ralf; Schubert, Robin

2017-01-01

Deficits in motor function are a hallmark of Huntington disease (HD). The Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale Total Motor Score (UHDRS-TMS) is a categoric clinical rating scale assessing multiple domains of motor disability in HD. The UHDRS-TMS or subsets of its items have served as primary or secondary endpoints in numerous clinical trials. In spite of a well-established video-based annual online certification system, intra- and interrater variability, subjective error, and rater-induced placebo effects remain a concern. In addition, the UHDRS-TMS was designed to primarily assess motor symptoms in manifest HD. Recently, advancement of technology resulted in the introduction of the objective Q-Motor (i.e., Quantitative-Motor) assessments in biomarker studies and clinical trials in HD. Q-Motor measures detected motor signs in blinded cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of manifest, prodromal, and premanifest HD cohorts up to two decades before clinical diagnosis. In a multicenter clinical trial in HD, Q-Motor measures were more sensitive than the UHDRS-TMS and exhibited no placebo effects. Thus, Q-Motor measures are currently explored in several multicenter trials targeting both symptomatic and disease-modifying mechanisms. They may supplement the UHDRS-TMS, increase the sensitivity and reliability in proof-of-concept studies, and open the door for phenotype assessments in clinical trials in prodromal and premanifest HD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

IMPULSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDERS IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE. CLINICAL CASES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. V. Fedorova

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective – a description of clinical cases of impulsive­compulsive disorders in Parkinson,s disease. The first clinical case. Patient N., 75 years old, suffering for 15 years from Parkinson,s disease, akinetic­rigid form of the disease, stage 4 by Hyun–Yar. Since 2009, he received levodopa/carbidopa 250/25 mg 5 times/day (daily dose of 1250 mg of levodopa; pramipexole 3.5 mg per day (daily dose 3.5 mg, amantadine sulfate 100 mg 5 times/day (daily dose 500 mg. While taking antiparkinsonian drugs the patient developed behavioral disorders such as dopamine disregulatory syndrome combined with punding, hypersexuality and compulsive shopping accompanied by visual hallucinations. The total equivalent dose of levodopa was 1600 mg per day. The second clinical case. Patient R., 52 years old, suffers from Parkinson,s disease about 5 years, a mixed form. She complained of slowness of movement, tremor in her left hand, sleep disturbances, poor mood. The clinic was appointed piribedil 50 mg 3 times per day. Despite the fact that the patient took only one of dopaminergic drugs in a therapeutic daily dose, she developed impulsive­compulsive disorder as hyper­ sexuality, compulsive shopping and binge eating. Results. In the first clinical case for correction of behavioral disorders in patients with Parkinson,s disease levodopa/carbidopa dose was reduced to 750 mg per day (3/4 Tab. 4 times a day; added to levodopa/benserazide dispersible 100 mg morning and levodopa/benserazide 100 mg before sleep (total dose of levodopa of 950 mg per day. Amantadine sulfate and pramipexole were canceled. It was added to the therapy of atypical neuroleptic clozapine dose 6,25 mg overnight. After 3 months marked improvement, regressed visual hallucina­ tions, improved family relationships, background mood became more stable. The patient continue to sing karaoke, but this hobby has be­ come less intrusive. In the second clinical event correction impulsive

Alzheimer's disease: Cerebrovascular dysfunction, oxidative stress, and advanced clinical therapies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marlatt, M.W.; Lucassen, P.J.; Perry, G.; Smith, M.A.; Zhu, X.

2008-01-01

Many lines of independent research have provided convergent evidence regarding oxidative stress, cerebrovascular disease, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Clinical studies spurred by these findings engage basic and clinical communities with tangible results regarding molecular targets and

Men’s Perception of Raped Women: Test of the Sexually Transmitted Disease Hypothesis and the Cuckoldry Hypothesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prokop Pavol

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Rape is a recurrent adaptive problem of female humans and females of a number of non-human animals. Rape has various physiological and reproductive costs to the victim. The costs of rape are furthermore exaggerated by social rejection and blaming of a victim, particularly by men. The negative perception of raped women by men has received little attention from an evolutionary perspective. Across two independent studies, we investigated whether the risk of sexually transmitted diseases (the STD hypothesis, Hypothesis 1 or paternity uncertainty (the cuckoldry hypothesis, Hypothesis 2 influence the negative perception of raped women by men. Raped women received lower attractiveness score than non-raped women, especially in long-term mate attractiveness score. The perceived attractiveness of raped women was not influenced by the presence of experimentally manipulated STD cues on faces of putative rapists. Women raped by three men received lower attractiveness score than women raped by one man. These results provide stronger support for the cuckoldry hypothesis (Hypothesis 2 than for the STD hypothesis (Hypothesis 1. Single men perceived raped women as more attractive than men in a committed relationship (Hypothesis 3, suggesting that the mating opportunities mediate men’s perception of victims of rape. Overall, our results suggest that the risk of cuckoldry underlie the negative perception of victims of rape by men rather than the fear of disease transmission.

Advanced and controlled drug delivery systems in clinical disease management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwers, JRBJ

1996-01-01

Advanced and controlled drug delivery systems are important for clinical disease management. In this review the most important new systems which have reached clinical application are highlighted. Microbiologically controlled drug delivery is important for gastrointestinal diseases like ulcerative

Increased clinical anticipation with maternal transmission in benign adult familial myoclonus epilepsy in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Hitomi, Takefumi; Kobayashi, Katsuya; Jingami, Naoto; Nakagawa, Tomokazu; Imamura, Hisaji; Matsumoto, Riki; Kondo, Takayuki; Chin, Kazuo; Takahashi, Ryosuke; Ikeda, Akio

2013-12-01

We recently reported clinical anticipation in Japanese families with benign adult familial myoclonus epilepsy (BAFME). However, it remains unknown whether clinical anticipation is predominantly associated with paternal or maternal transmission. We investigated the relationship between gender of the transmitting parent and clinical anticipation in nine BAFME families. Clinical anticipation regarding either cortical tremor or generalised seizures was observed in all 12 parent/child pairs (8 mother/child pairs and 4 father/child pairs). Moreover, a higher degree of clinical anticipation was associated with maternal transmission than with paternal transmission (p=0.03). Although a causative gene for BAFME still remains unknown, our finding suggests that BAFME and diseases with unstable expanding repeats, including those in non-coding regions, might share a similar molecular mechanism because such diseases often show clinical anticipation with maternal transmission.

Hunter disease eClinic: interactive, computer-assisted, problem-based approach to independent learning about a rare genetic disease

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Moldovan Laura

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Computer-based teaching (CBT is a well-known educational device, but it has never been applied systematically to the teaching of a complex, rare, genetic disease, such as Hunter disease (MPS II. Aim To develop interactive teaching software functioning as a virtual clinic for the management of MPS II. Implementation and Results The Hunter disease eClinic, a self-training, user-friendly educational software program, available at the Lysosomal Storage Research Group (http://www.lysosomalstorageresearch.ca, was developed using the Adobe Flash multimedia platform. It was designed to function both to provide a realistic, interactive virtual clinic and instantaneous access to supporting literature on Hunter disease. The Hunter disease eClinic consists of an eBook and an eClinic. The eClinic is the interactive virtual clinic component of the software. Within an environment resembling a real clinic, the trainee is instructed to perform a medical history, to examine the patient, and to order appropriate investigation. The program provides clinical data derived from the management of actual patients with Hunter disease. The eBook provides instantaneous, electronic access to a vast collection of reference information to provide detailed background clinical and basic science, including relevant biochemistry, physiology, and genetics. In the eClinic, the trainee is presented with quizzes designed to provide immediate feedback on both trainee effectiveness and efficiency. User feedback on the merits of the program was collected at several seminars and formal clinical rounds at several medical centres, primarily in Canada. In addition, online usage statistics were documented for a 2-year period. Feedback was consistently positive and confirmed the practical benefit of the program. The online English-language version is accessed daily by users from all over the world; a Japanese translation of the program is also available. Conclusions The

Hunter disease eClinic: interactive, computer-assisted, problem-based approach to independent learning about a rare genetic disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Jasmi, Fatma; Moldovan, Laura; Clarke, Joe T R

2010-10-25

Computer-based teaching (CBT) is a well-known educational device, but it has never been applied systematically to the teaching of a complex, rare, genetic disease, such as Hunter disease (MPS II). To develop interactive teaching software functioning as a virtual clinic for the management of MPS II. The Hunter disease eClinic, a self-training, user-friendly educational software program, available at the Lysosomal Storage Research Group (http://www.lysosomalstorageresearch.ca), was developed using the Adobe Flash multimedia platform. It was designed to function both to provide a realistic, interactive virtual clinic and instantaneous access to supporting literature on Hunter disease. The Hunter disease eClinic consists of an eBook and an eClinic. The eClinic is the interactive virtual clinic component of the software. Within an environment resembling a real clinic, the trainee is instructed to perform a medical history, to examine the patient, and to order appropriate investigation. The program provides clinical data derived from the management of actual patients with Hunter disease. The eBook provides instantaneous, electronic access to a vast collection of reference information to provide detailed background clinical and basic science, including relevant biochemistry, physiology, and genetics. In the eClinic, the trainee is presented with quizzes designed to provide immediate feedback on both trainee effectiveness and efficiency. User feedback on the merits of the program was collected at several seminars and formal clinical rounds at several medical centres, primarily in Canada. In addition, online usage statistics were documented for a 2-year period. Feedback was consistently positive and confirmed the practical benefit of the program. The online English-language version is accessed daily by users from all over the world; a Japanese translation of the program is also available. The Hunter disease eClinic employs a CBT model providing the trainee with realistic

Refractory coeliac disease in a country with a high prevalence of clinically-diagnosed coeliac disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Ilus, T; Kaukinen, K; Virta, L J; Huhtala, H; Mäki, M; Kurppa, K; Heikkinen, M; Heikura, M; Hirsi, E; Jantunen, K; Moilanen, V; Nielsen, C; Puhto, M; Pölkki, H; Vihriälä, I; Collin, P

2014-02-01

Refractory coeliac disease (RCD) is thought to be a rare disorder, but the accurate prevalence is unknown. We aimed to identify the prevalence of and the risk factors for developing RCD in a Finnish population where the clinical detection rate of coeliac disease is high. The study involved 11 hospital districts in Finland where the number of treated RCD patients (n = 44), clinically diagnosed coeliac disease patients (n = 12 243) and adult inhabitants (n = 1.7 million) was known. Clinical characteristics at diagnosis of coeliac disease between the RCD patients and patients with uncomplicated disease were compared. The prevalence of RCD was 0.31% among diagnosed coeliac disease patients and 0.002% in the general population. Of the enrolled 44 RCD patients, 68% had type I and 23% type II; in 9% the type was undetermined. Comparing 886 patients with uncomplicated coeliac disease with these 44 patients that developed RCD later in life, the latter were significantly older (median 56 vs 44 years, P coeliac disease. Patients with evolving RCD had more severe symptoms at the diagnosis of coeliac disease, including weight loss in 36% (vs. 16%, P = 0.001) and diarrhoea in 54% (vs. 38%, P = 0.050). Refractory coeliac disease is very rare in the general population. Patients of male gender, older age, severe symptoms or seronegativity at the diagnosis of coeliac disease are at risk of future refractory coeliac disease and should be followed up carefully. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Larvae of Ixodes ricinus transmit Borrelia afzelii and B. miyamotoi to vertebrate hosts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Duijvendijk, Gilian; Coipan, Claudia; Wagemakers, Alex; Fonville, Manoj; Ersöz, Jasmin; Oei, Anneke; Földvári, Gábor; Hovius, Joppe; Takken, Willem; Sprong, Hein

2016-01-01

Lyme borreliosis is the most common tick-borne human disease and is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.). Borrelia miyamotoi, a relapsing fever spirochaete, is transmitted transovarially, whereas this has not been shown for B. burgdorferi (s.l). Therefore, B. burgdorferi (s.l) is

Nosocomial Legionnaires’ Disease: Clinical and Radiographic Patterns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas J Marrie

1992-01-01

Full Text Available From 1981 to 1991, 55 patients (33 males, 22 females, mean age 58.6 years with nosocomial Legionnaires’ disease were studied. The mortality rate was 64%. One-half of the patients developed nosocomial Legionnaires’ disease within three weeks of admission. A surprising clinical feature was the low rate of findings of consolidation on physical examination, despite the fact that 52% of patients had this finding on chest radiograph. More than one-half of patients had pre-existing lung disease, rendering a radiographic diagnosis of pneumonia due to Legionella pneumophila impossible in 16% of cases despite microbiological confirmation. Nineteen per cent of patients who had blood cultures done had a pathogen other than L pneumophila isolated, suggesting dual infection in at least some of the patients. When the clinical and radiographic findings were combined it was noted that 40% of patients had one of three patterns suggestive of nosocomial Legionnaires’ disease: rapidly progressive pneumonia, lobar opacity and multiple peripheral opacities. However, in 60% of patients there were no distinctive features.

Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases among visually impaired people: educational text validation.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Giselly Oseni Barbosa; Cavalcante, Luana Duarte Wanderley; Pagliuca, Lorita Marlena Freitag; Almeida, Paulo César de; Rebouças, Cristiana Brasil de Almeida

2016-08-18

to validate an educational text in the context of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) for visually impaired persons, making it accessible to this population. a validation study, in a virtual environment. Data collection occurred from May to September 2012 by emailing the subjects, and was composed by seven content experts about STDs. Analysis was based on the considerations of the experts about Objectives, Structure and Presentation, and Relevance. on the Objectives and Structure and Presentation blocks, 77 (84.6%) and 48 (85.7%) were fully adequate or appropriate, respectively. In the Relevance block, items 3.2 - Allows transfer and generalization of learning, and 3.5 - Portrays aspects needed to clarify the family, showed bad agreement indices of 0.42 and 0.57, respectively. The analysis was followed by reformulating the text according to the relevant suggestions. the text was validated regarding the content of sexually transmitted diseases. A total of 35 stanzas were removed and nine others included, following the recommendations of the experts. validar texto educativo no contexto das doenças sexualmente transmissíveis para pessoas com deficiência visual para torná-lo acessível a essa população. estudo de validação, em ambiente virtual. Coleta de dados de maio a setembro de 2012, por meio da utilização dos e-mails eletrônicos dos sujeitos, compostos por sete especialistas em conteúdo na temática, através de instrumento próprio. Análise ocorreu com base nas considerações dos especialistas sobre os Objetivos, Estrutura e Apresentação e Relevância. nos blocos de Objetivos e Estrutura e Apresentação, 77 (84,6%) e 48 (85,7%) eram totalmente adequados ou adequados, respectivamente. No bloco de Relevância, os itens 3.2 - Permite transferência e generalização da aprendizagem, e 3.5 - Mostra aspectos necessários para informar a família, revelaram índices de concordância ruins de 0,42 e 0,57, respectivamente. Após a análise, o texto foi

Effectiveness of the VOICES/VOCES sexually transmitted disease/human immunodeficiency virus prevention intervention when administered by health department staff: does it work in the "real world"?

Science.gov (United States)

Neumann, Mary Spink; O'Donnell, Lydia; Doval, Alexi San; Schillinger, Julia; Blank, Susan; Ortiz-Rios, Elizabeth; Garcia, Trinidad; O'Donnell, Carl R

2011-02-01

Prevention providers wonder whether benefits achieved in the original, researcher-led, efficacy trials of interventions are replicated when the intervention is delivered in real-world settings by their agency's staff. A replication study was conducted at 2 public sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics (New York City and San Juan, PR). Using a controlled trial design, intervention (VOICES/VOCES) and comparison conditions (regular clinic services) were assigned in alternating 4-week blocks. Trained agency staff delivered the intervention. Effectiveness was assessed for incident STDs, redemption of coupons for condoms at neighborhood location after the visit, and improved knowledge and attitudes about STDs and condoms. A total of 3365 patients were recruited, completed the protocol, and followed through STD surveillance systems for an average of 17 months. Of 397 with an incident infection, 226 (13.4%) were among those enrolled during comparison blocks; 171 were among those in the intervention condition (10.2%). Controlling for site and gender, participants enrolled during intervention blocks were significantly less likely to have an incident STD reported to the surveillance system (hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.64-0.96). Intervention block participants scored higher on scales of STD knowledge (4.89 vs. 3.87, P VOCES redeemed condoms (P < 0.05). Positive effects were more consistent in New York, which may be related to fidelity of implementation. A packaged human immunodeficiency virus prevention intervention can be delivered by agencies, with benefits similar to those achieved in the research setting.

Clinical significance of adrenal computed tomography in Addison's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Zhong-Hua; Nomura, Kaoru; Toraya, Shohzoh; Ujihara, Makoto; Horiba, Nobuo; Suda, Toshihiro; Tsushima, Toshio; Demura, Hiroshi; Kono, Atsushi

1992-01-01

Adrenal computed tomographic (CT) scanning was conducted in twelve patients with Addison's disease during the clinical course. In tuberculous Addison's disease (n=8), three of four patients examined during the first two years after disease onset had bilaterally enlarged adrenals, while one of four had a unilaterally enlarged one. At least one adrenal gland was enlarged after onset in all six patients examined during the first four years. Thereafter, the adrenal glands was atrophied bilaterally, in contrast to adrenal glands in idiopathic Addison's disease which was atrophied bilaterally from disease onset (n=2). Adrenal calcification was a less sensitive clue in tracing pathogenesis, i.e., adrenal calcification was observed in five of eight patients with tuberculous Addison's disease, but not idiopathic patients. Thus, adrenal CT scanning could show the etiology of Addison's disease (infection or autoimmunity) and the phase of Addison's disease secondary to tuberculosis, which may be clinically important for initiating antituberculous treatment. (author)

Emerging Vector-Borne Diseases.

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Huntington, Mark K; Allison, Jay; Nair, Dilip

2016-10-01

Several mosquito-borne viral infections have recently emerged in North America; West Nile virus is the most common in the United States. Although West Nile virus generally causes a self-limited, flulike febrile illness, a serious neuroinvasive form may occur. Dengue is the most common vector-borne viral disease worldwide, and it has been a significant public health threat in the United States since 2009. Known as breakbone fever for its severe myalgias and arthralgias, dengue may cause a hemorrhagic syndrome. Chikungunya also causes flulike febrile illness and disabling arthralgias. Although meningoencephalitis may occur with chikungunya, bleeding is uncommon. Symptoms of Zika virus infection are similar to those of dengue, but milder. Zika virus increases the risk of fetal brain abnormalities, including microcephaly, if a pregnant woman is infected. Zika virus is spread through Aedes albopictus mosquito bites, is transmitted sexually, and may rarely spread nonsexually from person to person. Diagnosis of these vectorborne infections is clinical and serologic, and treatment is supportive. Other, well-established vector-borne diseases are also important. Ehrlichiosis is a tick-borne bacterial disease that presents as a nonspecific syndrome of fever, headache, malaise, and myalgias. It is diagnosed via blood smear testing, with confirmatory serology. Ehrlichiosis is treated with doxycycline. Rickettsial infections are transmitted by fleas, mites, and ticks, and severity ranges from mild to life threatening. Rocky Mountain spotted fever, the most significant rickettsial infection, is primarily a clinical diagnosis that presents as fever, headache, myalgias, petechial rash, and tick exposure. Doxycycline is effective for rickettsial infections if administered promptly. Vector avoidance strategies are critical to the prevention of all of these infections.

Hotspots in clinical management of severe liver diseases

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LYU Jiayu

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Severe liver diseases such as liver failure and acute decompensated cirrhosis have critical conditions and high mortality rates, and the prognosis of such patients is closely associated with early warning, timely dynamic assessment, and comprehensive and effective therapy. The patients require a series of effective clinical management measures for elimination of causative factors, organ support, and prevention and treatment of complications. Medical treatment-artificial liver-liver transplantation is an important modality for severe liver diseases. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, stem cell therapy, and bioartificial liver have a promising future, while there are still controversies over non-selective β-blocker. This article reviews the hotspots in the clinical management of severe liver diseases.

Word-of-mouth marketing: low-cost technique proves an effective way to promote teen clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

2006-01-01

From the outset, the team at the Longmont (CO) Teen Clinic faced a two-fold marketing dilemma. The first problem was a small budget. As a nonprofit with limited funds, the staff knew that they would have to get creative to effectively reach their target audience and fulfill the clinic's mission of battling unwanted teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) among area women aged 19 and younger.

A 16-channel receive, forced current excitation dual-transmit coil for breast imaging at 7T.

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Samantha By

Full Text Available To enable high spatial and temporal breast imaging resolution via combined use of high field MRI, array coils, and forced current excitation (FCE multi channel transmit.A unilateral 16-channel receive array insert was designed for use in a transmit volume coil optimized for quadrature operation with dual-transmit RF shimming at 7 T. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR maps, g-factor maps, and high spatial and temporal resolution in vivo images were acquired to demonstrate the utility of the coil architecture.The dual-transmit FCE coil provided homogeneous excitation and the array provided an increase in average SNR of 3.3 times (max 10.8, min 1.5 compared to the volume coil in transmit/receive mode. High resolution accelerated in vivo breast imaging demonstrated the ability to achieve isotropic spatial resolution of 0.5 mm within clinically relevant 90 s scan times, as well as the ability to perform 1.0 mm isotropic resolution imaging, 7 s per dynamics, with the use of bidirectional SENSE acceleration of up to R = 9.The FCE design of the transmit coil easily accommodates the addition of a sixteen channel array coil. The improved spatial and temporal resolution provided by the high-field array coil with FCE dual-channel transmit will ultimately be beneficial in lesion detection and characterization.

Clinical evaluation of oropharyngeal dysphagia in Machado-Joseph disease

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Sabrina Mello Alves Corrêa

2010-12-01

Full Text Available CONTEXT: In Machado-Joseph disease, poor posture, dystonia and peripheral neuropathy are extremely predisposing to oropharyngeal dysphagia, which is more commonly associated with muscular dystrophy. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of oropharyngeal dysphagia in Machado-Joseph disease patients. METHOD: Forty individuals participated in this study, including 20 with no clinical complaints and 20 dysphagic patients with Machado-Joseph disease of clinical type 1, who were all similar in terms of gender distribution, average age, and cognitive function. The medical history of each patient was reviewed and each subject underwent a clinical evaluation of deglutition. At the end, the profile of dysphagia in patients with Machado-Joseph disease was classified according to the Severity Scale of Dysphagia, as described by O'Neil and collaborators. RESULTS: Comparison between dysphagic patients and controls did not reveal many significant differences with respect to the clinical evaluation of the oral phase of deglutition, since afflicted patients only demonstrated deficits related to the protrusion, retraction and tonus of the tongue. However, several significant differences were observed with respect to the pharyngeal phase. Dysphagic patients presented pharyngeal stasis during deglutition of liquids and solids, accompanied by coughing and/or choking as well as penetration and/or aspiration; these signs were absent in the controls. CONCLUSIONS: Oropharyngeal dysphagia is part of the Machado-Joseph disease since the first neurological manifestations. There is greater involvement of the pharyngeal phase, in relation to oral phase of the deglutition. The dysphagia of these patients is classified between mild and moderate.

Meningococcal disease, a clinical and epidemiological review.

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Batista, Rodrigo Siqueira; Gomes, Andréia Patrícia; Dutra Gazineo, Jorge Luiz; Balbino Miguel, Paulo Sérgio; Santana, Luiz Alberto; Oliveira, Lisa; Geller, Mauro

2017-11-01

Meningococcal disease is the acute infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis, which has humans as the only natural host. The disease is widespread around the globe and is known for its epidemical potential and high rates of lethality and morbidity. The highest number of cases of the disease is registered in the semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa. In Brazil, it is endemic with occasional outbreaks, epidemics and sporadic cases occurring throughout the year, especially in the winter. The major epidemics of the disease occurred in Brazil in the 70's caused by serogroups A and C. Serogroups B, C and Y represent the majority of cases in Europe, the Americas and Australia. However, there has been a growing increase in serogroup W in some areas. The pathogen transmission happens for respiratory route (droplets) and clinically can lead to meningitis and sepsis (meningococcemia). The treatment is made with antimicrobial and supportive care. For successful prevention, we have some measures like vaccination, chemoprophylaxis and droplets' precautions. In this review, we have described and clarify clinical features of the disease caused by N. meningitidis regarding its relevance for healthcare professionals. Copyright © 2017 Hainan Medical University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

What public school teachers teach about preventing pregnancy, AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases.

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Forrest, J D; Silverman, J

1989-01-01

Ninety-three percent of public school teachers in five specialties-biology, health education, home economics, physical education and school nursing--who teach grades 7-12 report that their schools offer sex education or AIDS education in some form. Almost all the teachers believe that a wide range of topics related to the prevention of pregnancy, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) should be taught in the public schools, and most believe these topics should be covered by grades 7-8 at the latest. In practice, however, sex education tends not to occur until the ninth or 10th grades. Moreover, there is often a gap between what teachers think should be taught and what actually is taught. For example, virtually all the teachers say that school sex education should cover sexual decision-making, abstinence and birth control methods, but only 82-84 percent of the teachers are in schools that provide instruction in those topics. The largest gap occurs in connection with sources of birth control methods: Ninety-seven percent of teachers say that sex education classes should address where students can go to obtain a method, but only 48 percent are in schools where this is done. Forty-five percent of teachers in the five specialties currently provide sex education in some form. The messages they most want to give to their students are responsibility regarding sexual relationships and parenthood, the importance of abstinence and ways of resisting pressures to become sexually active, and information about AIDS and other STDs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infection in Teenage Pregnancy in Rajavithi Hospital, Thailand.

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Asavapiriyanont, Suvanna; Chaovarindr, Udom; Kaoien, Surasak; Chotigeat, Uraiwan; Kovavisarach, Ekachai

2016-02-01

Behavioral and social changes in the modern era have triggered an increase in the incidence of early sexual contact and teenage pregnancy. Since there is no routine Gonococcal & Chlamydial (GC & CT) screening in teens in antenatal clinics in Thailand, the present study was performed to find the prevalence of STI, especially Chlamydial infection, in teenage pregnancy. To evaluate the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), especially Chlamydial infection (CT), in teenage pregnancy and its related factors. One hundred and twenty-one teenage pregnancies were recruited at the ANC in Rajavithi Hospital from October 2006 to May 2007. After signing informed consent forms, they were asked to answer questionnaires about baseline data, sexual information and risk factors, after which urine specimens were collected for screening for GC and CT using the PCR technique (AMPLICOR by Roche). Later, pelvic examination was per formed by the gynecologist at the STD (sexually transmitted disease) clinic. All the data and LAB results were recorded and analyzed by the SPSS program. Numbers, percentages, means with SD, Chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test and odds ratio were used. Potential risk factors were analyzed using binary logistic regression. The prevalence of STI in pregnant teenagers was 28.1% (CT = 19.8%, GC = 1.7%, hepatitis B = 3.3%, trichomoniasis 1.7%, Herpes simplex = 0.8% and condyloma acuminata = 0.8%). No Syphilis, chancroid or HIV were found in the present study Other non-STI like candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis were found in 45.5% of participants (candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis at 19.0% and 24.8%, respectively). The risk of CT infection was significantly related (6.9 times higher) to having previous sexual contact before the current partner (95% CI, 1.8-27.0). STI, especially Chlamydial infection, was found in a significant number of teenage pregnancies. Measures should be taken to prevent this resulting in complicated outcomes in the future.

Sexually transmitted infections

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AJRH Managing Editor

Sexually transmitted infections constitute economic burden for developing countries, exposure to causative agents is an occupational hazard ... In Nigeria, the deteriorating economic situation has led to ..... female sex workers from Mexico City.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Travel: From Boudoir to Bordello.

Science.gov (United States)

Avery, Ann K; Zenilman, Jonathan M

2015-10-01

Travel has historically been an important risk factor for acquisition of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Travel is often associated with a sense of adventure, periods of loneliness, and exploration away from one's home environment-which often form a milieu in which sexual activity can occur with new partners. Survey data clearly demonstrate that out-of-country travel is associated with recruitment of new sex partners and increased STI risk. Pretravel counseling to prevent STI risk is variable, and there is little evidence that it modifies risk behavior. Some travel occurs specifically for sexual purposes, such as the sexual tourism junkets to Southeast Asian destinations which became popular during the 1980s or the more recent rise in the popularity of circuit parties for men who have sex with men. Some travel situations pose particularly high risks. For example, military deployments and assignments to work camps such as those for oil extraction occur in the context of large groups of individuals of reproductive age, often predominantly males, exposed to high levels of stress in unfamiliar environments. Additionally, over the past decade, the Internet has dramatically changed the ability to identify sexual partners while traveling.

[Educational intervention for preventing unwanted pregnancies and sexually-transmitted diseases among teenagers in the city of Toledo, Spain].

Science.gov (United States)

Callejas Pérez, Sonsoles; Fernández Martínez, Beatriz; Méndez Muñoz, Paloma; León Martín, M Teresa; Fábrega Alarcón, Carmen; Villarín Castro, Alejandro; Rodríguez Rodríguez, Oscar; de Quirós Lorenzana, Rodrigo Bernaldo; Fortuny Tasias, Ana; López de Castro, Francisco; Fernández Rodríguez, Olga

2005-01-01

No-one doubts the need of effectively providing teenagers with information about birth control and sexually-transmitted diseases. This study is aimed at evaluating the results of an educational intervention related to these matters. Before-and-after study of an educational intervention (based on lectures and handing out documentation) without a control group. A questionnaire was passed out before and after the intervention to assess changes in knowledge and attitudes of the 4th-year Compulsory Secondary Education students at five schools in Toledo. The questionnaire was answered by 238 of the 268 students. The average age was 15.59. A total of 54.66% were females. In all, 24.03% had had some sexual relation. The birth control method used most often was the condom (98.24%). The girls more refuse more unprotected relations (76.5% vs. 48.6%; pbirth control methods and AIDS transmission and a more positive attitude regarding HIV.

Huntington's disease: a clinical review

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Roos Raymund AC

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Huntington disease (HD is a rare neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system characterized by unwanted choreatic movements, behavioral and psychiatric disturbances and dementia. Prevalence in the Caucasian population is estimated at 1/10,000-1/20,000. Mean age at onset of symptoms is 30-50 years. In some cases symptoms start before the age of 20 years with behavior disturbances and learning difficulties at school (Juvenile Huntington's disease; JHD. The classic sign is chorea that gradually spreads to all muscles. All psychomotor processes become severely retarded. Patients experience psychiatric symptoms and cognitive decline. HD is an autosomal dominant inherited disease caused by an elongated CAG repeat (36 repeats or more on the short arm of chromosome 4p16.3 in the Huntingtine gene. The longer the CAG repeat, the earlier the onset of disease. In cases of JHD the repeat often exceeds 55. Diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms and signs in an individual with a parent with proven HD, and is confirmed by DNA determination. Pre-manifest diagnosis should only be performed by multidisciplinary teams in healthy at-risk adult individuals who want to know whether they carry the mutation or not. Differential diagnoses include other causes of chorea including general internal disorders or iatrogenic disorders. Phenocopies (clinically diagnosed cases of HD without the genetic mutation are observed. Prenatal diagnosis is possible by chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis. Preimplantation diagnosis with in vitro fertilization is offered in several countries. There is no cure. Management should be multidisciplinary and is based on treating symptoms with a view to improving quality of life. Chorea is treated with dopamine receptor blocking or depleting agents. Medication and non-medical care for depression and aggressive behavior may be required. The progression of the disease leads to a complete dependency in daily life, which

Ethical clinical translation of stem cell interventions for neurologic disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cote, David J; Bredenoord, Annelien L; Smith, Timothy R

2017-01-01

The application of stem cell transplants in clinical practice has increased in frequency in recent years. Many of the stem cell transplants in neurologic diseases, including stroke, Parkinson disease, spinal cord injury, and demyelinating diseases, are unproven-they have not been tested...... in prospective, controlled clinical trials and have not become accepted therapies. Stem cell transplant procedures currently being carried out have therapeutic aims, but are frequently experimental and unregulated, and could potentially put patients at risk. In some cases, patients undergoing such operations...... are not included in a clinical trial, and do not provide genuinely informed consent. For these reasons and others, some current stem cell interventions for neurologic diseases are ethically dubious and could jeopardize progress in the field. We provide discussion points for the evaluation of new stem cell...

Bridging the Gap between Research and Clinical Practice in Asymptomatic Alzheimer's Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Downing, A M; Yaari, R; Ball, D E; Selzler, K J; Devous, M D

2016-01-01

Due to the growing global health impact of Alzheimer's disease (AD), there is a greater need for interventions that prevent or delay the onset of clinical symptoms of this debilitating disease. Clinical trials for disease-modifying compounds in AD have shifted towards earlier stages in the spectrum of illness, including the stage prior to cognitive symptoms. A population of specific interest for clinical research includes individuals with evidence of Alzheimer's disease pathology who are asymptomatic (ADPa). The challenges and barriers regarding medical treatment of ADPa must be identified and addressed prior to the completion of a positive clinical trial in order to accelerate the translation of research findings to clinical practice. This report applies an existing public health impact model from Spencer and colleagues (2013) to evaluate the readiness of the clinical practice environment to treat ADPa individuals if a disease-modifying agent achieves approval. We contrast the current clinical practice environment with a potential future state through investigating the effectiveness, reach, feasibility, sustainability, and transferability of the practice of treating ADPa individuals.

Infertility etiologies are genetically and clinically linked with other diseases in single meta-diseases.

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Tarín, Juan J; García-Pérez, Miguel A; Hamatani, Toshio; Cano, Antonio

2015-04-15

The present review aims to ascertain whether different infertility etiologies share particular genes and/or molecular pathways with other pathologies and are associated with distinct and particular risks of later-life morbidity and mortality. In order to reach this aim, we use two different sources of information: (1) a public web server named DiseaseConnect ( http://disease-connect.org ) focused on the analysis of common genes and molecular mechanisms shared by diseases by integrating comprehensive omics and literature data; and (2) a literature search directed to find clinical comorbid relationships of infertility etiologies with only those diseases appearing after infertility is manifested. This literature search is performed because DiseaseConnect web server does not discriminate between pathologies emerging before, concomitantly or after infertility is manifested. Data show that different infertility etiologies not only share particular genes and/or molecular pathways with other pathologies but they have distinct clinical relationships with other diseases appearing after infertility is manifested. In particular, (1) testicular and high-grade prostate cancer in male infertility; (2) non-fatal stroke and endometrial cancer, and likely non-fatal coronary heart disease and ovarian cancer in polycystic ovary syndrome; (3) osteoporosis, psychosexual dysfunction, mood disorders and dementia in premature ovarian failure; (4) breast and ovarian cancer in carriers of BRCA1/2 mutations in diminished ovarian reserve; (5) clear cell and endometrioid histologic subtypes of invasive ovarian cancer, and likely low-grade serous invasive ovarian cancer, melanoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in endometriosis; and (6) endometrial and ovarian cancer in idiopathic infertility. The present data endorse the principle that the occurrence of a disease (in our case infertility) is non-random in the population and suggest that different infertility etiologies are genetically and clinically

Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and high risk behaviors among women who have referred to a de-addiction center in Kermanshah

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Fariba Teimouri

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Drug addiction is one of the social health problems at the present century. The high risk sexual behaviors as well as drug abusing are factors of sexually transmitted infections. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and high risk behaviors among women who have referred to a de-addiction center. Methods: In this descriptive study, 76 women who have referred to Niloofar de-addiction center in Kermanshah-Western Iran, were recruited using convenience sampling method. Questionnaire was completed by all subjects and blood sample were taken to determine Hepatitis B, Syphilis, and Herpes simplex virus infection. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t- test, Chi-2 and the Fisher exact test. Results: The mean age of women was 35.22±0.99 year. 51.3% of subjects were illiterate and 48.7% were supported by social welfare system. There were not common needle using and multiple sexual contacts in the subjects. None of the subjects had positive test for hepatitis B and syphilis but HSV antibody was determined in 91.6% of subjects.Conclusion: In this study, high-risk behaviors and sexually transmitted diseases were less than expected. This study was carried out in a state governmental clinic, future studies in different populations of addicted women referred to prison and private sectors are recommended.

Genital elephantiasis and sexually transmitted infections - revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Somesh; Ajith, C; Kanwar, Amrinder J; Sehgal, Virendra N; Kumar, Bhushan; Mete, Uttam

2006-03-01

Genital elephantiasis is an important medical problem in the tropics. It usually affects young and productive age group, and is associated with physical disability and extreme mental anguish. The majority of cases are due to filariasis; however, a small but significant proportion of patients develop genital elephantiasis due to bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs), mainly lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) and donovanosis. STI-related genital elephantiasis should be differentiated from elephantiasis due to other causes, including filariasis, tuberculosis, haematological malignancies, iatrogenic, or dermatological diseases. Laboratory investigations like microscopy of tissue smear and nucleic acid amplification test for donovanosis, and serology and polymerase chain reaction for LGV may help in the diagnosis, but in endemic areas, in the absence of laboratory facilities, diagnosis largely depends on clinical characteristics. The causative agent of LGV, Chlamydia trachomatis serovar L1-L3, is a lymphotropic organism which leads to the development of thrombolymphangitis and perilymphangitis, and lymphadenitis. Long-standing oedema, fibrosis and lymphogranulomatous infiltration result in the final picture of elephantiasis. Elephantiasis in donovanosis is mainly due to constriction of the lymphatics which are trapped in the chronic granulomatous inflammatory response generated by the causative agent, Calymmatobacterium (Klebsiella) granulomatis. The LGV-associated genital elephantiasis should be treated with a prolonged course of doxycycline given orally, while donovanosis should be treated with azithromycin or trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole combination given for a minimum of three weeks. Genital elephantiasis is not completely reversible with medical therapy alone and often needs to be reduced surgically.

A systematic literature review of evidence-based clinical practice for rare diseases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rath, Ana; Salamon, Valérie; Peixoto, Sandra

2017-01-01

diseases comprise the difficulty to recruit participants because of rarity, scattering of patients, limited knowledge on natural history of diseases, difficulties to achieve accurate diagnosis and identify patients in health information systems, and difficulties choosing clinically relevant outcomes....... CONCLUSIONS: Evidence-based clinical practice for rare diseases should start by collecting clinical data in databases and registries; defining measurable patient-centred outcomes; and selecting appropriate study designs adapted to small study populations. Rare diseases constitute one of the most paradigmatic...

Management approaches for suspected and established Lyme disease used at the Lyme disease diagnostic center.

Science.gov (United States)

Wormser, Gary P; McKenna, Donna; Nowakowski, John

2016-01-14

2015 marks the 27th year that the Lyme Disease Diagnostic Center, located in New York State in the United States, has provided care for patients with suspected or established deer tick-transmitted infections. There are five deer tick-transmitted infectious in this geographic area of which Lyme disease is the most common.For patients with erythema migrans, we do not obtain any laboratory testing. However, if the patient is febrile at the time of the visit or reports rigors and high-grade fevers, we consider the possibility of a co-infection and order pertinent laboratory tests.Our preferred management for Lyme disease-related facial palsy and/or radiculopathy is a 2-week course of doxycycline. Patients who are hospitalized for Lyme meningitis are usually treated at least initially with ceftriaxone. We have not seen convincing cases of encephalitis or myelitis solely due to Borrelia burgdorferi infection in the absence of laboratory evidence of concomitant deer tick virus infection (Powassan virus). We have also never seen Lyme encephalopathy or a diffuse axonal peripheral neuropathy and suggest that these entities are either very rare or nonexistent.We have found that Lyme disease rarely presents with fever without other objective clinical manifestations. Prior cases attributed to Lyme disease may have overlooked an asymptomatic erythema migrans skin lesion or the diagnosis may have been based on nonspecific IgM seroreactivity. More research is needed on the appropriate management and significance of IgG seropositivity in asymptomatic patients who have no history of Lyme disease.

Sexually transmitted bacteria affect female cloacal assemblages in a wild bird

Science.gov (United States)

White, Joël; Mirleau, Pascal; Danchin, Etienne; Mulard, Hervé; Hatch, Scott A.; Heeb, Phillipp; Wagner, Richard H.

2010-01-01

Sexual transmission is an important mode of disease propagation, yet its mechanisms remain largely unknown in wild populations. Birds comprise an important model for studying sexually transmitted microbes because their cloaca provides a potential for both gastrointestinal pathogens and endosymbionts to become incorporated into ejaculates. We experimentally demonstrate in a wild population of kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) that bacteria are transmitted during copulation and affect the composition and diversity of female bacterial communities. We used an anti-insemination device attached to males in combination with a molecular technique (automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis) that describes bacterial communities. After inseminations were experimentally blocked, the cloacal communities of mates became increasingly dissimilar. Moreover, female cloacal diversity decreased and the extinction of mate-shared bacteria increased, indicating that female cloacal assemblages revert to their pre-copulatory state and that the cloaca comprises a resilient microbial ecosystem.

Prevention and Control of Zika as a Mosquito-Borne and Sexually Transmitted Disease: A Mathematical Modeling Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Daozhou; Lou, Yijun; He, Daihai; Porco, Travis C.; Kuang, Yang; Chowell, Gerardo; Ruan, Shigui

2016-06-01

The ongoing Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic in the Americas poses a major global public health emergency. While ZIKV is transmitted from human to human by bites of Aedes mosquitoes, recent evidence indicates that ZIKV can also be transmitted via sexual contact with cases of sexually transmitted ZIKV reported in Argentina, Canada, Chile, France, Italy, New Zealand, Peru, Portugal, and the USA. Yet, the role of sexual transmission on the spread and control of ZIKV infection is not well-understood. We introduce a mathematical model to investigate the impact of mosquito-borne and sexual transmission on the spread and control of ZIKV and calibrate the model to ZIKV epidemic data from Brazil, Colombia, and El Salvador. Parameter estimates yielded a basic reproduction number 0 = 2.055 (95% CI: 0.523-6.300), in which the percentage contribution of sexual transmission is 3.044% (95% CI: 0.123-45.73). Our sensitivity analyses indicate that 0 is most sensitive to the biting rate and mortality rate of mosquitoes while sexual transmission increases the risk of infection and epidemic size and prolongs the outbreak. Prevention and control efforts against ZIKV should target both the mosquito-borne and sexual transmission routes.

Combined spatial prediction of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Sierra Leone: a tool for integrated disease control.

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Mary H Hodges

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: A national mapping of Schistosoma haematobium was conducted in Sierra Leone before the mass drug administration (MDA with praziquantel. Together with the separate mapping of S. mansoni and soil-transmitted helminths, the national control programme was able to plan the MDA strategies according to the World Health Organization guidelines for preventive chemotherapy for these diseases. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 52 sites/schools were selected according to prior knowledge of S. haematobium endemicity taking into account a good spatial coverage within each district, and a total of 2293 children aged 9-14 years were examined. Spatial analysis showed that S. haematobium is heterogeneously distributed in the country with significant spatial clustering in the central and eastern regions of the country, most prevalent in Bo (24.6% and 8.79 eggs/10 ml, Koinadugu (20.4% and 3.53 eggs/10 ml and Kono (25.3% and 7.91 eggs/10 ml districts. By combining this map with the previously reported maps on intestinal schistosomiasis using a simple probabilistic model, the combined schistosomiasis prevalence map highlights the presence of high-risk communities in an extensive area in the northeastern half of the country. By further combining the hookworm prevalence map, the at-risk population of school-age children requiring integrated schistosomiasis/soil-transmitted helminth treatment regimens according to the coendemicity was estimated. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The first comprehensive national mapping of urogenital schistosomiasis in Sierra Leone was conducted. Using a new method for calculating the combined prevalence of schistosomiasis using estimates from two separate surveys, we provided a robust coendemicity mapping for overall urogenital and intestinal schistosomiasis. We also produced a coendemicity map of schistosomiasis and hookworm. These coendemicity maps can be used to guide the decision making for MDA strategies in combination

Combined spatial prediction of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Sierra Leone: a tool for integrated disease control.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodges, Mary H; Soares Magalhães, Ricardo J; Paye, Jusufu; Koroma, Joseph B; Sonnie, Mustapha; Clements, Archie; Zhang, Yaobi

2012-01-01

A national mapping of Schistosoma haematobium was conducted in Sierra Leone before the mass drug administration (MDA) with praziquantel. Together with the separate mapping of S. mansoni and soil-transmitted helminths, the national control programme was able to plan the MDA strategies according to the World Health Organization guidelines for preventive chemotherapy for these diseases. A total of 52 sites/schools were selected according to prior knowledge of S. haematobium endemicity taking into account a good spatial coverage within each district, and a total of 2293 children aged 9-14 years were examined. Spatial analysis showed that S. haematobium is heterogeneously distributed in the country with significant spatial clustering in the central and eastern regions of the country, most prevalent in Bo (24.6% and 8.79 eggs/10 ml), Koinadugu (20.4% and 3.53 eggs/10 ml) and Kono (25.3% and 7.91 eggs/10 ml) districts. By combining this map with the previously reported maps on intestinal schistosomiasis using a simple probabilistic model, the combined schistosomiasis prevalence map highlights the presence of high-risk communities in an extensive area in the northeastern half of the country. By further combining the hookworm prevalence map, the at-risk population of school-age children requiring integrated schistosomiasis/soil-transmitted helminth treatment regimens according to the coendemicity was estimated. The first comprehensive national mapping of urogenital schistosomiasis in Sierra Leone was conducted. Using a new method for calculating the combined prevalence of schistosomiasis using estimates from two separate surveys, we provided a robust coendemicity mapping for overall urogenital and intestinal schistosomiasis. We also produced a coendemicity map of schistosomiasis and hookworm. These coendemicity maps can be used to guide the decision making for MDA strategies in combination with the local knowledge and programme needs.

Forensic Luminol Blood Test for Preventing Cross-contamination in Dentistry: An Evaluation of a Dental School Clinic

OpenAIRE

Marcelo Carlos Bortoluzzi; Peterson Cadore; Andrea Gallon; Soraia Almeida Watanabe Imanishi

2014-01-01

Background: More than 200 different diseases may be transmitted from exposure to blood in the dental setting. The aim of this study is to identify possible faults in the cross-contamination chain control in a dental school clinic searching for traces of blood in the clinical contact surfaces (CCS) through forensic luminol blood test. Methods: Traces of invisible blood where randomly searched in CCS of one dental school clinic. Results: Forty eight surfaces areas in the CCS were tes...

Using a whole-body 31P birdcage transmit coil and 16-element receive array for human cardiac metabolic imaging at 7T.

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Ladislav Valkovič

Full Text Available Cardiac phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS provides unique insight into the mechanisms of heart failure. Yet, clinical applications have been hindered by the restricted sensitivity of the surface radiofrequency-coils normally used. These permit the analysis of spectra only from the interventricular septum, or large volumes of myocardium, which may not be meaningful in focal disease. Löring et al. recently presented a prototype whole-body (52 cm diameter transmit/receive birdcage coil for 31P at 7T. We now present a new, easily-removable, whole-body 31P transmit radiofrequency-coil built into a patient-bed extension combined with a 16-element receive array for cardiac 31P-MRS.A fully-removable (55 cm diameter birdcage transmit coil was combined with a 16-element receive array on a Magnetom 7T scanner (Siemens, Germany. Electro-magnetic field simulations and phantom tests of the setup were performed. In vivo maps of B1+, metabolite signals, and saturation-band efficiency were acquired across the torsos of eight volunteers.The combined (volume-transmit, local receive array setup increased signal-to-noise ratio 2.6-fold 10 cm below the array (depth of the interventricular septum compared to using the birdcage coil in transceiver mode. The simulated coefficient of variation for B1+ of the whole-body coil across the heart was 46.7% (surface coil 129.0%; and the in vivo measured value was 38.4%. Metabolite images of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate clearly resolved the ventricular blood pools, and muscle tissue was visible in phosphocreatine (PCr maps. Amplitude-modulated saturation bands achieved 71±4% suppression of phosphocreatine PCr in chest-wall muscles. Subjects reported they were comfortable.This easy-to-assemble, volume-transmit, local receive array coil combination significantly improves the homogeneity and field-of-view for metabolic imaging of the human heart at 7T.

Evaluation of medication treatment for Alzheimer's disease on clinical evidence

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Meng-qiu LI

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Objective To formulate the best treatment plan for Alzheimer's disease patients by evaluating the therapeutic efficacy and side effect of various evidence-based programs. Methods Alzheimer's disease, donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, memantine, rosiglitazone, etc. were defined as retrieval words. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Wanfang Data and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI databases were used with applying of manual searching. Systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials (RCT, controlled clinical trials and case-observation studies were collected and evaluated by Jadad Scale. Results After screening, 33 selected resources included 14 systematic reviews, 14 randomized controlled trials, 4 controlled clinical trials and 1 case-observation study. According to Jadad Scale, total 28 articles were evaluated to be high quality (12 with score 4, 10 score 5, 6 score 7, and 5 were low quality with score 3. It was summarized as follows: 1 Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease for which no cure exists. To date, only symptomatic treatments with cholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine and an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA receptor noncompetitive antagonist (memantine, are effective and well tolerated to counterbalance the neurotransmitter disturbance, but cannot limit or impact on disease progression. 2 Disease modifying drug is an potential agent, with persistent effect on slowing the progression of structural damage, and can be detected even after withdrawing the treatment. Many types of disease modifying drugs are undergoing clinical trials. Conclusions Using evidence-based medicine methods can provide best clinical evidence on Alzheimer's disease treatment. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2014.03.009

Mobile phone applications for the care and prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases: a review.

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Muessig, Kathryn E; Pike, Emily C; Legrand, Sara; Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B

2013-01-04

Mobile phone applications (apps) provide a new platform for delivering tailored human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention and care. To identify and evaluate currently available mobile phone apps related to the prevention and care of HIV and other STDs. We searched the Apple iTunes and Android Google Play stores for HIV/STD-related apps, excluding apps that exclusively targeted industry, providers, and researchers. Each eligible app was downloaded, tested, and assessed for user ratings and functionality as well as 6 broad content areas of HIV prevention and care: HIV/STD disease knowledge, risk reduction/safer sex, condom promotion, HIV/STD testing information, resources for HIV-positive persons, and focus on key populations. Search queries up to May 2012 identified 1937 apps. Of these, 55 unique apps met the inclusion criteria (12 for Android, 29 for iPhone, and 14 for both platforms). Among these apps, 71% provided disease information about HIV/STDs, 36% provided HIV/STD testing information or resources, 29% included information about condom use or assistance locating condoms, and 24% promoted safer sex. Only 6 apps (11%) covered all 4 of these prevention areas. Eight apps (15%) provided tools or resources specifically for HIV/STD positive persons. Ten apps included information for a range of sexual orientations, 9 apps appeared to be designed for racially/ethnically diverse audiences, and 15 apps featured interactive components. Apps were infrequently downloaded (median 100-500 downloads) and not highly rated (average customer rating 3.7 out of 5 stars). Most available HIV/STD apps have failed to attract user attention and positive reviews. Public health practitioners should work with app developers to incorporate elements of evidence-based interventions for risk reduction and improve app inclusiveness and interactivity.

Clinical investigation in Wilson's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mizutani, Naoki; Maehara, Mitsuo; Negoro, Tamiko; Watanabe, Kazuyoshi

1983-01-01

Wilson's disease of cerebral type with a chief complaint of tremor occurred in 3 brothers and sisters of a certain family line. Treatment with D-penicillamine produced remarkable clinical improvement as shown by the disappearance of tremor and Kayser-Fleischer ring. Cranial CT scans made before the treatment revealed abnormal findings such as low density areas in the (bilateral) thalamus and the lenticular nucleus, atrophy of the cerebral cortex, and enlargement of the ventricles. After the treatment, cranial CT revealed that the low density areas in the thalamus and the lenticular nucleus disappeared corresponding to the clinical improvement. However, the atrophy of the cerebral cortex and the enlargement of the ventricles were not ameliorated. (Ueda, J.)

Pharmacogenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Implications for Clinical Trials.

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Tortelli, Rosanna; Seripa, Davide; Panza, Francesco; Solfrizzi, Vincenzo; Logroscino, Giancarlo

2016-01-01

Pharmacogenetics has become extremely important over the last 20 years for identifying individuals more likely to be responsive to pharmacological interventions. The role of genetic background as a predictor of drug response is a young and mostly unexplored field in neurodegenerative diseases. Mendelian mutations in neurodegenerative diseases have been used as models for early diagnosis and intervention. On the other hand, genetic polymorphisms or risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) or other neurodegenerative diseases, probably influencing drug response, are hardly taken into account in randomized clinical trial (RCT) design. The same is true for genetic variants in cytochrome P450 (CYP), the principal enzymes influencing drug metabolism. A better characterization of individual genetic background may optimize clinical trial design and personal drug response. This chapter describes the state of the art about the impact of genetic factors in RCTs on neurodegenerative disease, with AD, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington's disease as examples. Furthermore, a brief description of the genetic bases of drug response focusing on neurodegenerative diseases will be conducted. The role of pharmacogenetics in RCTs for neurodegenerative diseases is still a young, unexplored, and promising field. Genetic tools allow increased sophistication in patient profiling and treatment optimization. Pharmaceutical companies are aware of the value of collecting genetic data during their RCTs. Pharmacogenetic research is bidirectional with RCTs: efficacy data are correlated with genetic polymorphisms, which in turn define subjects for treatment stratification. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Normative evaluation of blood banks in the Brazilian Amazon region in respect to the prevention of transfusion-transmitted malaria

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Daniel Roberto Coradi Freitas

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Objective:To evaluate blood banks in the Brazilian Amazon region with regard to structure and procedures directed toward the prevention of transfusion-transmitted malaria (TTM.Methods:This was a normative evaluation based on the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA Resolution RDC No. 153/2004. Ten blood banks were included in the study and classified as 'adequate' (≥80 points, 'partially adequate' (from 50 to 80 points, or 'inadequate' (<50 points. The following components were evaluated: 'donor education' (5 points, 'clinical screening' (40 points, 'laboratory screening' (40 points and 'hemovigilance' (15 points.Results:The overall median score was 49.8 (minimum = 16; maximum = 78. Five blood banks were classified as 'inadequate' and five as 'partially adequate'. The median clinical screening score was 26 (minimum = 16; maximum = 32. The median laboratory screening score was 20 (minimum = 0; maximum = 32. Eight blood banks performed laboratory tests for malaria; six tested all donations. Seven used thick smears, but only one performed this procedure in accordance with Ministry of Health requirements. One service had a Program of External Quality Evaluation for malaria testing. With regard to hemovigilance, two institutions reported having procedures to detect cases of transfusion-transmitted malaria.Conclusion:Malaria is neglected as a blood–borne disease in the blood banks of the Brazilian Amazon region. None of the institutions were classified as 'adequate' in the overall classification or with regard to clinical screening and laboratory screening. Blood bank professionals, the Ministry of Health and Health Surveillance service managers need to pay more attention to this matter so that the safety procedures required by law are complied with.

Infections Disease in the Dental Clinical Nigerian Dentists ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The dental clinic is a potential source of transmission of infectious disease due to the invasive nature of many dental procedures. Infectious disease therefore constitutes serious occupational hazards to all oral health care workers. This descriptive study aims to assess the knowledge of dentists on common transmissible ...

Clinical neurorestorative progress in Parkinson's disease

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Chen L

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Lin Chen,1,2 Hongyun Huang,3–5 Wei-Ming Duan,6 Gengsheng Mao3 1Department of Neurosurgery, Yuquan Hospital, Tsinghua University, 2Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center, Tsinghua University, 3Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, 4Center of Cell Research, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital of Capital Medical University, 5Beijing Hongtianji Neuroscience Academy, 6Department of Anatomy, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China Abstract: Parkinson’s disease (PD is one of the common neurodegenerative diseases. Besides the symptomatic therapies, the increasing numbers of neurorestorative therapies have shown the potential therapeutic value of reversing the neurodegenerative process and improving the patient's quality of life. Currrently available novel clinical neurorestorative strategies include pharmacological managements (glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor, selegiline, recombinant human erythropoietin, neuromodulation intervention (deep brain stimulation, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation, tissue and cell transplantation (fetal ventral mesencephalic tissue, sympathetic neurons, carotid body cells, bone marrow stromal cells, retinal pigment epithelium cells, gene therapy, and neurorehabilitative therapy. Herein, we briefly review the progress in this field and describe the neurorestorative mechanisms of the above-mentioned therapies for PD. Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, clinical study, neurorestorative treatment, cell transplantation, neuromodulation

Lyme disease (image)

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Lyme disease is an acute inflammatory disease characterized by skin changes, joint inflammation and symptoms similar to the ... that is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi . Lyme disease is transmitted by the bite of a deer ...

Chlamydia trachomatis serovar distribution and other sexually transmitted coinfections in subjects attending an STD outpatients clinic in Italy.

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Marangoni, Antonella; Foschi, Claudio; Nardini, Paola; D'Antuono, Antonietta; Banzola, Nicoletta; Di Francesco, Antonietta; Ostanello, Fabio; Russo, Incoronata; Donati, Manuela; Cevenini, Roberto

2012-04-01

We studied the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) urogenital infection and the distribution of different genotypes in a non-selected STD population of 1625 patients, evaluating presence of coinfections with other sexually transmitted diseases. Each patient was bled to perform serological tests for syphilis and HIV, then urethral or endocervical swabs were obtained for the detection of CT and Neisseria gonorrhoeae by culture. DNA extracted from remnant positive swabs was amplified by omp1 Nested PCR and products were sequenced. Total prevalence of CT infection was 6.3% (103/1625), with strong differences between men and women (11.4% vs 3.9%, Pmen than in women (Pmen and women (P=0.042) and among patients with or without coinfection (P=0.035); patients infected by serovar D/Da showed the highest coinfection rate. This study can be considered a contribution in increasing knowledge on CT serovar distribution in Italy. Further studies are needed to better define molecular epidemiology of CT infection and to investigate its correlation with other STDs.

Geostatistical modelling of soil-transmitted helminth infection in Cambodia: do socioeconomic factors improve predictions?

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Karagiannis-Voules, Dimitrios-Alexios; Odermatt, Peter; Biedermann, Patricia; Khieu, Virak; Schär, Fabian; Muth, Sinuon; Utzinger, Jürg; Vounatsou, Penelope

2015-01-01

Soil-transmitted helminth infections are intimately connected with poverty. Yet, there is a paucity of using socioeconomic proxies in spatially explicit risk profiling. We compiled household-level socioeconomic data pertaining to sanitation, drinking-water, education and nutrition from readily available Demographic and Health Surveys, Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys and World Health Surveys for Cambodia and aggregated the data at village level. We conducted a systematic review to identify parasitological surveys and made every effort possible to extract, georeference and upload the data in the open source Global Neglected Tropical Diseases database. Bayesian geostatistical models were employed to spatially align the village-aggregated socioeconomic predictors with the soil-transmitted helminth infection data. The risk of soil-transmitted helminth infection was predicted at a grid of 1×1km covering Cambodia. Additionally, two separate individual-level spatial analyses were carried out, for Takeo and Preah Vihear provinces, to assess and quantify the association between soil-transmitted helminth infection and socioeconomic indicators at an individual level. Overall, we obtained socioeconomic proxies from 1624 locations across the country. Surveys focussing on soil-transmitted helminth infections were extracted from 16 sources reporting data from 238 unique locations. We found that the risk of soil-transmitted helminth infection from 2000 onwards was considerably lower than in surveys conducted earlier. Population-adjusted prevalences for school-aged children from 2000 onwards were 28.7% for hookworm, 1.5% for Ascaris lumbricoides and 0.9% for Trichuris trichiura. Surprisingly, at the country-wide analyses, we did not find any significant association between soil-transmitted helminth infection and village-aggregated socioeconomic proxies. Based also on the individual-level analyses we conclude that socioeconomic proxies might not be good predictors at an

NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PROGRAM IN AMPANGAN HEALTH CLINIC

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MASTURA I

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Non-communicable diseases (NCDs represent among the most common and debilitating conditions seen in primary care. Patients’ care will often involves multiple providers and follow-up requires persistence by patients and clinicians alike, therefore ideal outcomes are often difficult to achieve. The need for better disease management policies and practice is growing. This is due to the changing demographic profile of the population, the increasing cost of managing people in acute care hospitals and the availability of new technologies and services. All these changes enable a different care paradigm which is more cost effective and provides people with chronic conditions an improved quality of life. Management of the NCDs therefore offers an excellent opportunity to practice chronic disease management - a systems approach designed to ensure excellent care. The NCD team has developed a comprehensive approach to chronic disease care. We would like to describe the NCD Program in Ampangan Health Clinic which represents many typical government health clinics in Malaysia and the processes by which it was developed. Included are specific examples of the tools and how they can be used by individual clinicians incaring for patients. The integration of Chronic Disease Management Services into health care systems is the direction being undertaken to tackle the burden of chronic disease. Disease management supports the shift in healthcare from an emphasis on managing the acute episode to managing the entire disease course, highlighting both prevention and maintenance of wellbeing for patients with chronic diseases. Disease management promotes better integration and coordination of care across all aspects of the health sector.

Canine babesiosis: a perspective on clinical complications, biomarkers, and treatment

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Köster LS

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Liza S Köster,1 Remo G Lobetti,2 Patrick Kelly1 1Department of Clinical Sciences, One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, St Kitts, West Indies; 2Bryanston Veterinary Hospital, Bryanston, South Africa Abstract: Canine babesiosis is a common tick transmitted disease of dogs worldwide. A number of Babesia sp. can infect dogs and the spectrum is increasing as molecular methods are developed to differentiate organisms. Clinical signs are generally attributed to hemolysis caused by the organisms in the erythrocytes but in some animals with some Babesia spp. there can be an immune mediated component to the anemia and/or a severe inflammatory reaction associated. This complicated form of canine babesiosis is associated with high morbidity and mortality. A variety of clinical markers has been investigated to enable clinicians to provide more accurate prognoses and adapt their treatments which vary according to the infecting species. In this review, we discuss the taxonomy, clinical signs, diagnostic imaging, clinical biomarkers, treatment, and prophylaxis of one of the most common and important diseases of dogs worldwide. Keywords: babesiosis, vector-borne disease, dog

Clinical course of Crohn's disease first diagnosed at surgery for acute abdomen.

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Latella, G; Cocco, A; Angelucci, E; Viscido, A; Bacci, S; Necozione, S; Caprilli, R

2009-04-01

The severity of clinical activity of Crohn's disease is high during the first year after diagnosis and decreases thereafter. Approximately 50% of patients require steroids and immunosuppressants and 75% need surgery during their lifetime. The clinical course of patients with Crohn's disease first diagnosed at surgery has never been investigated. To assess the clinical course of Crohn's disease first diagnosed at surgery for acute abdomen and to evaluate the need for medical and surgical treatment in this subset of patients. Hospital clinical records of 490 consecutive Crohn's disease patients were reviewed. Patients were classified according to the Vienna criteria. Sex, extraintestinal manifestations, family history of inflammatory bowel diseases, appendectomy, smoking habit and medical/surgical treatments performed during the follow-up period were assessed. Kaplan-Meier survival method and Cox proportional hazards regression model. Of the 490 Crohn's disease patients, 115 had diagnosis of Crohn's disease at surgery for acute abdomen (Group A) and 375 by conventional clinical, radiological, endoscopic and histologic criteria (Group B). Patients in Group A showed a low risk of further surgery (Log Rank test pacute abdomen showed a low risk for reintervention and less use of steroids and immunosuppressants during follow-up than those not operated upon at diagnosis. Early surgery may represent a valid approach in the initial management of patients with Crohn's disease, at least in the subset of patients with ileal and complicated disease.

High Levels of Transmitted HIV Drug Resistance in a Study in Papua New Guinea.

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Lavu, Evelyn; Kave, Ellan; Mosoro, Euodia; Markby, Jessica; Aleksic, Eman; Gare, Janet; Elsum, Imogen A; Nano, Gideon; Kaima, Petronia; Dala, Nick; Gurung, Anup; Bertagnolio, Silvia; Crowe, Suzanne M; Myatt, Mark; Hearps, Anna C; Jordan, Michael R

2017-01-01

Papua New Guinea is a Pacific Island nation of 7.3 million people with an estimated HIV prevalence of 0.8%. ART initiation and monitoring are guided by clinical staging and CD4 cell counts, when available. Little is known about levels of transmitted HIV drug resistance in recently infected individuals in Papua New Guinea. Surveillance of transmitted HIV drug resistance in a total of 123 individuals recently infected with HIV and aged less than 30 years was implemented in Port Moresby (n = 62) and Mount Hagen (n = 61) during the period May 2013-April 2014. HIV drug resistance testing was performed using dried blood spots. Transmitted HIV drug resistance was defined by the presence of one or more drug resistance mutations as defined by the World Health Organization surveillance drug resistance mutations list. The prevalence of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor transmitted HIV drug resistance was 16.1% (95% CI 8.8%-27.4%) and 8.2% (95% CI 3.2%-18.2%) in Port Moresby and Mount Hagen, respectively. The prevalence of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor transmitted HIV drug resistance was 3.2% (95% CI 0.2%-11.7%) and 3.3% (95% CI 0.2%-11.8%) in Port Moresby and Mount Hagen, respectively. No protease inhibitor transmitted HIV drug resistance was observed. The level of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor drug resistance in antiretroviral drug naïve individuals recently infected with HIV in Port Moresby is amongst the highest reported globally. This alarming level of transmitted HIV drug resistance in a young sexually active population threatens to limit the on-going effective use of NNRTIs as a component of first-line ART in Papua New Guinea. To support the choice of nationally recommended first-line antiretroviral therapy, representative surveillance of HIV drug resistance among antiretroviral therapy initiators in Papua New Guinea should be urgently implemented.

Survey of UK horse owners' knowledge of equine arboviruses and disease vectors.

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Chapman, Gail Elaine; Baylis, Matthew; Archer, Debra C

2018-05-15

Increased globalisation and climate change have led to concern about the increasing risk of arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) outbreaks globally. An outbreak of equine arboviral disease in northern Europe could impact significantly on equine welfare, and result in economic losses. Early identification of arboviral disease by horse owners may help limit disease spread. In order to determine what horse owners understand about arboviral diseases of horses and their vectors, the authors undertook an open, cross-sectional online survey of UK horse owners. The questionnaire was distributed using social media and a press release and was active between May and July 2016. There were 466 respondents, of whom 327 completed the survey in full. High proportions of respondents correctly identified photographic images of biting midges (71.2 per cent) and mosquitoes (65.4 per cent), yet few were aware that they transmit equine infectious diseases (31.4 per cent and 35.9 per cent, respectively). Of the total number of respondents, only 7.4 per cent and 16.2 per cent correctly named a disease transmitted by biting midges and mosquitoes, respectively. Only 13.1 per cent and 12.5 per cent of participants identified specific clinical signs of African horse sickness (AHS) and West Nile virus (WNV), respectively. This study demonstrates that in the event of heightened disease risk educational campaigns directed towards horse owners need to be implemented, focussing on disease awareness, clinical signs and effective disease prevention strategies. © British Veterinary Association (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Study on clinical symptoms in canine cardiac diseases

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F. Karlette Anne

Full Text Available Cardiac diseases in canines are an extensively studied phenomenon all over the world but meagre information has been reported in India. Certain problems, including historical, physical, and laboratory abnormalities, are associated with cardiovascular or pulmonary disease. In India however, the recognition of canine cardiac diseases has been delayed, and ignored on account of lack of awareness and knowledge by the owner and inadequate diagnostic facility to a field veterinarian. Considering the above facts, the present study was undertaken in Gujarat to survey the prevalence of common cardiac diseases in hospital population of dogs along with the clinical symptoms which often goes undetected due to lack of proper diagnostic techniques to be implied and the most forms of heart disease may be present for many years before any evidence of failure develops. In the present study most of the clinical cases of cardiac diseases were presented with a history of nocturnal coughing (seven cases; 2.55%, exercise intolerance (five cases; 1.82%, partial or complete anorexia (five cases; 1.82%, swelling in abdominal area (four cases; 1.45%, dullness and depression (two cases; 0.72%, cachexia and hepatojugular pulsation (one case each; 0.36% each at times. [Vet World 2009; 2(8.000: 307-309

Intervention for the control of Soil -transmitted helminthiasis in the community

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Albonico, Marco; Montresor, Antonio; Crompton, DWT; Savioli, Lorenzo

2017-01-01

The global strategy for the control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis, based on regular anthelminthic treatment, health education, and improved sanitation standards, is reviewed. The reasons for the development of a control strategy based on population intervention rather than on individual treatment are explained. The evidence and experience from control programmes that created the basis for i) the definition of the intervention package, ii) the identification of the groups at risk, iii) the standardization of the community diagnosis, and iv) the selection of the appropriate intervention for each category in the community are discussed. How to best deliver the appropriate intervention, the impact of the control measures on morbidity and on indicators such as school attendance, cognitive development and productivity are presented. The factors influencing the cost-benefits of helminth control are also considered. The recent progress on the control of soil-transmitted helminth infections is illustrated. Research needs are analysed in relation to the most recent perceptions from private-public partnerships involved in helminth control. The way forward for the control of soil-transmitted helminth infections is described as a multi-disease approach that goes beyond deworming and fosters a pro-poor strategy that supports the aims of the Millennium Development Goals. PMID:16735168

Alzheimer biomarkers and clinical Alzheimer disease were not associated with increased cerebrovascular disease in a memory clinic population.

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Spies, Petra E; Verbeek, Marcel M; Sjogren, Magnus J C; de Leeuw, Frank-Erik; Claassen, Jurgen A H R

2014-01-01

Preclinical and post-mortem studies suggest that Alzheimer disease (AD) causes cerebrovascular dysfunction, and therefore may enhance susceptibility to cerebrovascular disease (CVD). The objective of this study was to investigate this association in a memory clinic population. The AD biomarkers CSF amyloid β42, amyloid β40 and APOE-ε4 status have all been linked to increased CVD risk in AD, and therefore the first aim of this study was to analyze the association between these biomarkers and CVD. In 92 memory clinic patients the cross-sectional association between AD biomarkersand the severity of CVD was investigated with linear regression analysis. Additionally, we studied whether AD biomarkers modified the relation between vascular risk factors and CVD. CVD was assessed on MRI through a visual rating scale.Analyses were adjusted for age. The second aim of this study was to investigate the association between clinical AD and CVD, where 'clinical AD' was defined as follows: impairment in episodic memory, hippocampal atrophy and an aberrant concentration of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. 47 of the 92 patients had AD. No association between CSF amyloid β42, amyloid β40 or APOE-ε4 status and CVD severity was found, nor did these AD biomarkers modify the relation between vascular risk factors and CVD. Clinical AD was not associated with CVD severity (p=0.83). Patients with more vascular risk factors had more CVD, but this relationship was not convincingly modified by AD (p=0.06). In this memory clinic population, CVD in patients with AD was related to vascular risk factors and age, comparable to patients without AD. Therefore, in our study, the preclinical and post-mortem evidence that AD would predispose to CVD could not be translated clinically. Further work, including replication of this work in a different and larger sample, is warranted.

Knowledge and perceptions of sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, and reproductive health among female students in Dhaka, Bangladesh

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Sabrina Zaman Mou

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Young people are most vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh. Lack of knowledge about reproductive health issues is also common in this group. Aims: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and perceptions of STDs, HIV/AIDS, and reproductive health of young female university students (19-27 years in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 402 female students from seven universities in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire on sociodemographic information, knowledge, and perceptions of STDs, HIV/AIDS, and reproductive health. Descriptive analysis was used, and data were presented as frequencies and percentages. Results: The majority of the participants were young, unmarried, undergraduate students. Most of the participants reported that they knew about STDs (79% and HIV/AIDS (66%. However, knowledge about the modes of transmission and prevention of the diseases was poor. HIV/AIDS was considered by 90% participants as a public health threat to Bangladesh, mostly due to illiteracy (76%, increased mortality (20%, existence of risky sexual behavior (18%, and aggression of Western culture (31%. About 65% of the participants mentioned that AIDS can be prevented by safe sexual practice, 55% mentioned prevention through upholding religious values and moral education, and 59% mentioned that education about AIDS would help prevent transmission. Conclusions: Although a majority of young Bangladeshi female students reported knowing about HIV/AIDS, their knowledge regarding transmission and prevention of the diseases was poor. Strategies for creating reproductive health education targeted at young female students are essential for the prevention of STDs and HIV/AIDS.

Clinical applications of 7 T MRI in the brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolk, Anja G. van der; Hendrikse, Jeroen; Zwanenburg, Jaco J.M.; Visser, Fredy; Luijten, Peter R.

2013-01-01

This review illustrates current applications and possible future directions of 7 Tesla (7 T) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the field of brain MRI, in clinical studies as well as clinical practice. With its higher signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) compared to lower field strengths, high resolution, contrast-rich images can be obtained of diverse pathologies, like multiple sclerosis (MS), brain tumours, aging-related changes and cerebrovascular diseases. In some of these diseases, additional pathophysiological information can be gained compared to lower field strengths. Because of clear depiction of small anatomical details, and higher lesion conspicuousness, earlier diagnosis and start of treatment of brain diseases may become possible. Furthermore, additional insight into the pathogenesis of brain diseases obtained with 7 T MRI could be the basis for new treatment developments. However, imaging at high field comes with several limitations, like inhomogeneous transmit fields, a higher specific absorption rate (SAR) and, currently, extensive contraindications for patient scanning. Future studies will be aimed at assessing the advantages and disadvantages of 7 T MRI over lower field strengths in light of clinical applications, specifically the additional diagnostic and prognostic value of 7 T MRI

Clinical applications of 7 T MRI in the brain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolk, Anja G. van der, E-mail: A.G.vanderKolk@umcutrecht.nl [Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht (Netherlands); Hendrikse, Jeroen, E-mail: J.Hendrikse@umcutrecht.nl [Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht (Netherlands); Zwanenburg, Jaco J.M., E-mail: J.J.M.Zwanenburg@umcutrecht.nl [Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht (Netherlands); Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht (Netherlands); Visser, Fredy, E-mail: F.Visser-2@umcutrecht.nl [Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht (Netherlands); Philips Healthcare, Best (Netherlands); Luijten, Peter R., E-mail: P.Luijten@umcutrecht.nl [Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht (Netherlands)

2013-05-15

This review illustrates current applications and possible future directions of 7 Tesla (7 T) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the field of brain MRI, in clinical studies as well as clinical practice. With its higher signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) compared to lower field strengths, high resolution, contrast-rich images can be obtained of diverse pathologies, like multiple sclerosis (MS), brain tumours, aging-related changes and cerebrovascular diseases. In some of these diseases, additional pathophysiological information can be gained compared to lower field strengths. Because of clear depiction of small anatomical details, and higher lesion conspicuousness, earlier diagnosis and start of treatment of brain diseases may become possible. Furthermore, additional insight into the pathogenesis of brain diseases obtained with 7 T MRI could be the basis for new treatment developments. However, imaging at high field comes with several limitations, like inhomogeneous transmit fields, a higher specific absorption rate (SAR) and, currently, extensive contraindications for patient scanning. Future studies will be aimed at assessing the advantages and disadvantages of 7 T MRI over lower field strengths in light of clinical applications, specifically the additional diagnostic and prognostic value of 7 T MRI.

The influence of smoking on clinical periodontal disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ina Hendiani

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Periodontal disease has very complex and multi factor etiology. Plaque bacteria is the main cause of periodontal disease and another risk factor that also plays a role is a smoking habit. Cigarette product such as nicotine can influence the development of periodontal disease that can directly and systemically damage the function of PMN cell. The research was conducted by taking a clinical examination on the smoking influence that covers the number of cigarettes and the period of smoking, and kind of cigarette to the worse of periodontal disease, and by measuring the epithelial attachment loss and the bleeding index. The research was conducted to 152 male aged 20-45 years old, comprised 80 smokers and 72 nonsmokers at the Clinic of Faculty of Dentistry Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta. The result of the research showed that smoking gave influence on the worse of the periodontal disease. There was a profound relationship between the smoking period and the number of cigarettes consumed everyday indicated by the epithelial attachment loss. Smoking did not enhance gingival bleeding. The relationship between kinds of cigarette and the gingival bleeding score and the epithelial attachment loss did not show a significant bleeding.

Advances in clinical application of optical coherence tomography in vitreomacular interface disease

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Xiao-Li Xing

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Vitreous macular interface disease mainly includes vitreomacular traction syndrome, idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane and idiopathic macular hole. Optical coherence tomography(OCTas a new tool that provides high resolution biopsy cross section image non traumatic imaging inspection, has a unique high resolution, no damage characteristics, and hence clinical widely used, vitreous macular interface for clinical disease diagnosis, differential diagnosis and condition monitoring and quantitative evaluation, treatment options, etc provides important information and reference value. Vitreous macular interface disease in OCT image of anatomical morphology characteristics, improve the clinical on disease occurrence and development of knowledge. We reviewed the advances in the application of OCT in vitreomacular interface disease.

Fluid biomarkers in clinical trials of Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics

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Aaron eRitter

2015-08-01

Full Text Available With the demographic shift of the global population towards longer life expectancy, the number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD has rapidly expanded and is projected to triple by the year 2050. Current treatments provide symptomatic relief but do not affect the underlying pathology of the disease. Therapies that prevent or slow the progression of the disease are urgently needed to avoid this growing public health emergency. Insights gained from decades of research have begun to unlock the pathophysiology of this complex disease and have provided targets for disease modifying therapies. In the last decade, few therapeutic agents designed to modify the underlying disease process have progressed to clinical trials and none have been brought to market. With the focus on disease modification, biomarkers promise to play an increasingly important role in clinical trials. Six biomarkers have now been included in diagnostic criteria for AD and are regularly incorporated into clinical trials. Three biomarkers are neuroimaging measures—hippocampal atrophy measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, amyloid uptake as measured by Pittsburg compound B positron emission tomography (PiB PET, and decreased fluorodeoxyglucose (18F uptake as measured by positron emission tomography (FDG PET—and three are sampled from fluid sources—cerebrospinal fluid (CSF levels

Recent clinical trials in valvular heart disease.

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Kiss, Daniel; Anwaruddin, Saif

2017-07-01

With widespread adoption of transcatheter aortic valve replacement, there has been a change in the approach to management of valvular heart disease. New interest has taken hold in transcatheter therapies for valvular heart disease, as well as research into pathophysiology and progression of disease. Additionally, several key trials have further refined our understanding of surgical management of valvular heart disease. This review will elucidate recent clinical trial data leading to changes in practice. There have been several landmark trials expanding the indications for transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Additionally, although still early, trials are beginning to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of transcatheter mitral valves. Options for transcatheter management of right-sided valvular disease continue to evolve, and these are areas of active investigation. The emergence of novel therapies for valvular heart disease has expanded the management options available, allowing physicians to better individualize treatment of patients with valvular heart disease. This review will focus on the recent (within 2 years) trials in this field of interest.

Incidence and Trends of Infections with Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food and the Effect of Increasing Use of Culture-Independent Diagnostic Tests on Surveillance - Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, 10 U.S. Sites, 2013-2016.

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Marder, Ellyn P; Cieslak, Paul R; Cronquist, Alicia B; Dunn, John; Lathrop, Sarah; Rabatsky-Ehr, Therese; Ryan, Patricia; Smith, Kirk; Tobin-D'Angelo, Melissa; Vugia, Duc J; Zansky, Shelley; Holt, Kristin G; Wolpert, Beverly J; Lynch, Michael; Tauxe, Robert; Geissler, Aimee L

2017-04-21

Foodborne diseases represent a substantial public health concern in the United States. CDC's Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) monitors cases reported from 10 U.S. sites* of laboratory-diagnosed infections caused by nine enteric pathogens commonly transmitted through food. This report describes preliminary surveillance data for 2016 on the nine pathogens and changes in incidences compared with 2013-2015. In 2016, FoodNet identified 24,029 infections, 5,512 hospitalizations, and 98 deaths caused by these pathogens. The use of culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs) by clinical laboratories to detect enteric pathogens has been steadily increasing since FoodNet began surveying clinical laboratories in 2010 (1). CIDTs complicate the interpretation of FoodNet surveillance data because pathogen detection could be affected by changes in health care provider behaviors or laboratory testing practices (2). Health care providers might be more likely to order CIDTs because these tests are quicker and easier to use than traditional culture methods, a circumstance that could increase pathogen detection (3). Similarly, pathogen detection could also be increasing as clinical laboratories adopt DNA-based syndromic panels, which include pathogens not often included in routine stool culture (4,5). In addition, CIDTs do not yield isolates, which public health officials rely on to distinguish pathogen subtypes, determine antimicrobial resistance, monitor trends, and detect outbreaks. To obtain isolates for infections identified by CIDTs, laboratories must perform reflex culture † ; if clinical laboratories do not, the burden of culturing falls to state public health laboratories, which might not be able to absorb that burden as the adoption of these tests increases (2). Strategies are needed to preserve access to bacterial isolates for further characterization and to determine the effect of changing trends in testing practices on surveillance.

Current clinical research of immunoglobulin G4-related orbital disease

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Yang Wang

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Immunoglobulin G4-related disease(IgG4-related diseasehas received lots of attention in medical community as a recently recognized fibro-inflammatory condition. It is characterized by infiltration of IgG4-immunopositive plasmacytes and concentration of elevated serum IgG4. IgG4-related disease shows organ enlargement or nodular/hyperplastic lesions in various organs including the pancreas, hepatobiliary tract and orbit, which is called IgG4-related orbital disease. The diagnostic criteria for IgG4-related disease and IgG4-related orbital disease has recently been established, which is based on clinical, imaging and histopathologic features of the orbital lesions. Besides, attention should be drawn to the differentiation from other diseases. The treatment is empirical including corticosteroids, immunosuppressive drugs, radiotherapy, and rituximab. This article reviews clinical progression of IgG4-related orbital disease.

Toxoplasmosis can be a sexually transmitted infection with serious clinical consequences. Not all routes of infection are created equal.

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Flegr, J; Klapilová, K; Kaňková, S

2014-09-01

Toxoplasma gondii infects about 30% of the human population. Common sources of infection are oocysts in cat faeces contaminating drinking water or unwashed vegetables, undercooked meat containing tissue cysts, and organ transplants from infected donors containing tissue cysts. However, very often, it is not possible to identify any potential source of infection in mothers of children with congenital toxoplasmosis. Here we present a hypothesis suggesting that toxoplasmosis is transmitted from infected men to noninfected women during unprotected sexual intercourse, which can result in the most serious form of disease, congenital toxoplasmosis. Arguments for the hypothesis: (1) Toxoplasma tachyzoites are present in the seminal fluid and tissue of the testes of various animals including humans. In some species infection of females by artificial insemination with semen from infected males has been observed. (2) Up to two thirds of Toxoplasma infections in pregnant women cannot be explained by the known risk factors. (3) Prevalence of toxoplasmosis in women in child-bearing age covaries with the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases in particular countries. (4) In some countries, an increased incidence of toxoplasmosis has been reported in women (but not men) aged 25-35 years. This second peak of infection could be associated with women having regular unprotected sex after marriage. (5) Toxoplasmosis triggers schizophrenia in predisposed subjects. Onset of schizophrenia is about 2-3 years earlier in men than in women. However, this difference in the onset can be found only between Toxoplasma-infected patients. The increased onset of schizophrenia in infected women could be associated with the already mentioned second peak of toxoplasmosis incidence. (6) The prevalence of toxoplasmosis decreases in developed countries in last 20 years. This trend could be a result of decrease in promiscuity and increase in safe sex practices, both associated with the AIDS pandemics

Norrie disease: extraocular clinical manifestations in 56 patients.

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Smith, Sharon E; Mullen, Thomas E; Graham, Dionne; Sims, Katherine B; Rehm, Heidi L

2012-08-01

Norrie disease (ND) is an X-linked recessive disorder characterized by congenital blindness, progressive sensorineural hearing loss and cognitive impairment. The ocular phenotype has been well described, while the extraocular manifestations of the disorder are not well understood. We present the data from the Norrie Disease Registry, which consists of 56 patients with detailed clinical histories and genotype data. This study represents the largest, detailed investigation into the phenotypic spectrum of ND to date and more importantly expands knowledge of the extraocular clinical manifestations. We identify several novel aspects of the syndrome that will improve the management of these patients. In particular, we expand our understanding of the neurologic manifestations in ND and identify a chronic seizure disorder in approximately 10% of all patients. In addition, details of the hearing phenotype are described including the median age of onset (12 years of age) and how genotype affects onset. Moreover, we find vascular disease to be a significant component of ND; and vascular health should be, in the future, a component of patient clinical care. In summary, the results expand our understanding of the phenotypic variability and genotypic heterogeneity in ND patients. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and the sexual behavior of elderly people presenting to health examination centers in Korea.

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Choe, Hyun-Sop; Lee, Seung-Ju; Kim, Chul Sung; Cho, Yong-Hyun

2011-08-01

Sexually transmitted infections are diseases provoking a great social and economic burden as well as health-related problems, and with the aging of society and the extension of life expectancy sexually transmitted infections in the elderly have drawn more attention these days. For the management of sexually transmitted infections in this population, basic epidemiological data need to be established. In this study, 1,804 persons from the general population aged over 60 years visiting health examination centers were tested for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, and interviewed about the patterns of sexual behavior of elderly people through questionnaires. The prevalence rates of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia recorded were 0.222% (4/1804), 0 (none), and 0.776% (14/1804), respectively. The results of the survey showed that the sexual life of the elderly people was currently active, and the sexual behavior of chlamydia patients was distinguished in some characteristics from that of the general participants. Political management to prevent sexually transmitted infections needs to be continued in elderly people as it is in other age groups. More detailed follow-up studies are necessary to determine the incidence and prevalence rates of the diseases in the elderly population in future, and the results of this study are considered to be useful as basic data for such studies.

Inductive reasoning about causally transmitted properties.

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Shafto, Patrick; Kemp, Charles; Bonawitz, Elizabeth Baraff; Coley, John D; Tenenbaum, Joshua B

2008-11-01

Different intuitive theories constrain and guide inferences in different contexts. Formalizing simple intuitive theories as probabilistic processes operating over structured representations, we present a new computational model of category-based induction about causally transmitted properties. A first experiment demonstrates undergraduates' context-sensitive use of taxonomic and food web knowledge to guide reasoning about causal transmission and shows good qualitative agreement between model predictions and human inferences. A second experiment demonstrates strong quantitative and qualitative fits to inferences about a more complex artificial food web. A third experiment investigates human reasoning about complex novel food webs where species have known taxonomic relations. Results demonstrate a double-dissociation between the predictions of our causal model and a related taxonomic model [Kemp, C., & Tenenbaum, J. B. (2003). Learning domain structures. In Proceedings of the 25th annual conference of the cognitive science society]: the causal model predicts human inferences about diseases but not genes, while the taxonomic model predicts human inferences about genes but not diseases. We contrast our framework with previous models of category-based induction and previous formal instantiations of intuitive theories, and outline challenges in developing a complete model of context-sensitive reasoning.

[Outbreak of gastroenteritis caused by Campylobacter jejuni transmitted through drinking water].

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Godoy, Pere; Artigues, Antoni; Nuín, Carmen; Aramburu, Jesús; Pérez, Montse; Domínguez, Angela; Salleras, Lluís

2002-11-23

The aim of this study was to conduct a clinical-epidemiological and microbiological investigation into an outbreak of waterborne disease caused by Campylobacter jejuni due to the consumption of drinking water. A historical cohort study was carried out among 237 residents of Torres de Segre (Lleida, Spain) who were selected using a systematic sample. We conducted a telephone interview about water consumption, symptoms and the onset of disease. We investigated samples of drinking water and stools from 14 patients. The risk associated with each water source was assessed by applying relative risk (RR) analysis at 95% confidence (CI) intervals. The overall attack rate was 18.3% (43/237). The symptoms were: diarrhoea, 93.0% (18/43); abdominal pain, 80.9% (34/42); nausea; 56,1% (23/41); vomits, 42.9% (18/42), and fever, 11.9% (5/42). Only 5.8% of patients contact with his physician. The consumption of drinking water was statistically associated with the disease (RR = 3.0; 95% CI, 1.7-5.3), while the consumption of bottled water (RR = 0.6; 95% CI 0.3-1.0) and water from other villages (RR = 0.3; 95% CI, 0.1-1.1) were a protection factor. The day of outbreak notification we did not detect any residual chlorine in the drinking water: it was qualified as no potable and we isolated Campylobacter jejuni in 8 samples stools. This research highlights the potential importance of waterborne outbreaks of gastroenteritis due to Campylobacter jejuni transmitted through untreated drinking water and suggests to need systematic controls over drinking water and the proper register of their results.

Autoinflammatory diseases in adults. Clinical characteristics and prognostic implications.

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González García, A; Patier de la Peña, J L; Ortego Centeno, N

2017-03-01

Autoinflammatory diseases are clinical conditions with inflammatory manifestations that present in a periodic or persistent manner and are caused by acquired or hereditary disorders of the innate immune response. In general, these diseases are more common in childhood, but cases have been reported in adults and are therefore important for all specialists. There are few references on these diseases in adults due to their low prevalence and underdiagnosis. The aim of this study is to review the scientific literature on these disorders to systematise their clinical, prognostic and treatment response characteristics in adults. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI). All rights reserved.

Bilingualism delays clinical manifestation of Alzheimer's disease

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Woumans, Evy; Santens, Patrick; Sieben, Anne; Versijpt, Jan; Stevens, Michaël; Duyck, Wouter

2015-01-01

The current study investigated the effects of bilingualism on the clinical manifestation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a European sample of patients. We assessed all incoming AD patients in two university hospitals within a specified timeframe. Sixty-nine monolinguals and 65 bilinguals diagnosed with probable AD were compared for time of clinical AD manifestation and diagnosis. The influence of other potentially interacting variables was also examined. Results indicated a significant delay f...

Clinical pharmacy activities in chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease patients: a systematic literature review

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Stemer Gunar

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD and end-stage renal disease (ESRD represent worldwide health problems with an epidemic extent. Therefore, attention must be given to the optimisation of patient care, as gaps in the care of CKD and ESRD patients are well documented. As part of a multidisciplinary patient care strategy, clinical pharmacy services have led to improvements in patient care. The purpose of this study was to summarise the available evidence regarding the role and impact of clinical pharmacy services for these patient populations. Methods A literature search was conducted using the Medline, Embase and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts databases to identify relevant studies on the impact of clinical pharmacists on CKD and ESRD patients, regarding disease-oriented and patient-oriented outcomes, and clinical pharmacist interventions on drug-related problems. Results Among a total of 21 studies, only four (19% were controlled trials. The majority of studies were descriptive (67% and before-after studies (14%. Interventions comprised general clinical pharmacy services with a focus on detecting, resolving and preventing drug-related problems, clinical pharmacy services with a focus on disease management, or clinical pharmacy services with a focus on patient education in order to increase medication knowledge. Anaemia was the most common comorbidity managed by clinical pharmacists, and their involvement led to significant improvement in investigated disease-oriented outcomes, for example, haemoglobin levels. Only four of the studies (including three controlled trials presented data on patient-oriented outcomes, for example, quality of life and length of hospitalisation. Studies investigating the number and type of clinical pharmacist interventions and physician acceptance rates reported a mean acceptance rate of 79%. The most common reported drug-related problems were incorrect dosing, the need for additional

Effect of changes in human ecology and behavior on patterns of sexually transmitted diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus infection.

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Wasserheit, J N

1994-01-01

The last 20 years have witnessed six striking changes in patterns of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs): emergence of new STD organisms and etiologies, reemergence of old STDs, shifts in the populations in which STDs are concentrated, shifts in the etiological spectra of STD syndromes, alterations in the incidence of STD complications, and increases in antimicrobial resistance. For example, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) emerged to devastate the United States with a fatal pandemic involving at least 1 million people. The incidence of syphilis rose progressively after 1956 to reach a 40-year peak by 1990. In both cases, disease patterns shifted from homosexual men to include minority heterosexuals. Over the last decade, gonorrhea became increasingly concentrated among adolescents, and several new types of antimicrobial resistance appeared. Three interrelated types of environments affect STD patterns. The microbiologic, hormonal, and immunologic microenvironments most directly influence susceptibility, infectiousness, and development of sequelae. These microenvironments are shaped, in part, by the personal environments created by an individual's sexual, substance-use, and health-related behaviors. The personal environments are also important determinants of acquisition of infection and development of sequelae but, in addition, they mediate risk of exposure to infection. These are, therefore, the environments that most directly affect changing disease patterns. Finally, individuals' personal environments are, in turn, molded by powerful macroenvironmental forces, including socioeconomic, demographic, geographic, political, epidemiologic, and technological factors. Over the past 20 years, the profound changes that have occurred in many aspects of the personal environment and the macroenvironment have been reflected in new STD patterns. PMID:8146135

Parental perspectives on vaccinating children against sexually transmitted infections.

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Mays, Rose M; Sturm, Lynne A; Zimet, Gregory D

2004-04-01

Several vaccines for sexually transmitted infections (STI) are presently in development and the eventual availability of such vaccines is expected to result in the prevention of a significant number of burdensome conditions. Young adolescents are presumed to be likely targets for these vaccines since adolescents' risk for STI increases as they age and become sexually active. It is unclear, however, to what extent parents will agree to having adolescents receive STI vaccines. Inasmuch as acceptance is the foundation for effective immunization programs, an understanding of parental perspectives about this issue is required to inform future STI vaccine program strategies. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study that used in-depth interviews to elicit attitudes from 34 parents about accepting vaccines for genital herpes, human immunodeficiency virus, human papillomavirus and gonorrhea for their children (aged 8-17). Data were collected from parents bringing their children for care at an urban clinic and a suburban private office. Content analysis of the responses revealed that most parents (>70%) approved the administration of all four of the STI vaccines proposed. Parents' reasons for acceptance included wanting to protect their children, being concerned about specific disease characteristics, and previous experience with the infections. Parents who declined the vaccines did so primarily because they perceived their children to be at low risk for the infections or they had low concern about features of the diseases. Most parents thought they should be the decision-maker regarding children receiving an STI vaccine. Results from this study will be used to plan subsequent investigations of the determinants of STI vaccine acceptance by parents.

miRNAs in inflammatory skin diseases and their clinical implications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Løvendorf, Marianne B; Skov, Lone

2015-01-01

biological processes. The clinical implications of miRNAs are intriguing, both from a diagnostic and a therapeutic perspective. Accordingly, there is emerging evidence for the clinical potential of miRNAs as both biomarkers and possible therapeutic targets in skin diseases. Future studies will hopefully...... incomplete; however, it is known that miRNAs are implicated in various cellular processes of both normal and diseased skin. Some miRNAs appear to be consistently deregulated in several different inflammatory skin diseases, including psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, indicating a common role in fundamental...

MDS clinical diagnostic criteria for Parkinson's disease in China.

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Li, Jun; Jin, Miao; Wang, Li; Qin, Bin; Wang, Kang

2017-03-01

The Movement Disorder Society Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for Parkinson's disease (MDS-PD Criteria) was introduced by the Movement Disorder Society in 2015 for research purposes. However, its use for clinical diagnosis of Parkinson disease still needs further revision. This study compares the UK-Criteria versus MDS-PD Criteria in the clinical diagnosis of Parkinson disease referred to the China-Japan Friendship Hospital of Beijing, China. To compare the MDS-PD Criteria with the UK-Criteria and discuss the feasibility of the clinical application of MDS-PD Criteria as a general guide to clinical diagnosis of PD in Chinese PD patients. 150 patients of neurology clinic of China-Japan Friendship Hospital of Beijing were recruited in our research. They were divided into three groups: UK-Criteria group, MDS-PD Criteria group and a combined group of UK and MDS-PD Criteria. Clinical history was collected while physical and auxiliary examinations were done by a trained neurologist according to the corresponding criteria. An interrater reliability analysis using the Kappa statistic claimed substantial agreement (κ = 0.626) between the MDS-PD Criteria and the UK-Criteria. The differences between the diagnostic results of these two criteria were statistically significant by paired Chi-square test (p = 0.000). It was found that levodopa-induced dyskinesia had a good positive predictive value, while early bulbar impairment and inspiratory dysfunction presented a negative predictive value. The MDS-PD Criteria emphasize the importance of non-motor symptoms, keeping the motor symptoms as the core for the clinical diagnosis of PD, and establish categories of diagnosis features and levels of certainty which are more complete and organized to be used and replicated by non specialized physicians to evaluated patients with Parkinsonism. The higher sensitivity of MDS-PD Criteria compared with UK-Criteria is worth being widely used in clinical work.

Vaginal DNA vaccination against infectious diseases transmitted through the vagina.

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Kanazawa, Takanori; Takashima, Yuuki; Okada, Hiroaki

2012-06-01

There is an urgent need for the development of vaccines against genital virus infections that are transmitted through heterosexual intercourse, including the HIV and HPV. In general, the surface of female genital mucosa, including vaginal mucosa, is the most common site of initiation of these infections. Thus, it is becoming clear that successful vaccines must induce both cellular and humoral immune responses in both the local genital tract and systemically. We believe that a strong vaginal immune response could be obtained by inducing strong gene expression of antigen-coding DNA in the local targeted tissue. In order to improve transfection efficiency in the vagina, it is important that methods allowing breakthrough of the various barriers, such as the epithelial layer, cellular and nuclear membrane, are developed. Therefore, systems providing less invasive and more effective delivery into the subepithelial layer are required. In this review, we will introduce our studies into efficient vaginal DNA vaccination methods, focusing on the effects of the menstrual cycle, utilization of the combination of functional peptides, and use of a needle-free injector.

Association between sexually transmitted disease and church membership. A retrospective cohort study of two Danish religious minorities

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Kørup, Alex Kappel; Thygesen, Lau Caspar; Christensen, René dePont; Johansen, Christoffer; Søndergaard, Jens; Hvidt, Niels Christian

2016-01-01

Objectives Studies comprising Danish Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs) and Danish Baptists found that members have a lower risk of chronic diseases including cancer. Explanations have pointed to differences in lifestyle, but detailed aetiology has only been sparsely examined. Our objective was to investigate the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among Danish SDAs and Baptists as a proxy for cancers related to sexual behaviour. Methods We followed the Danish Cohort of Religious Societies from 1977 to 2009, and linked it with national registers of all inpatient and outpatient care contacts using the National Patient Register. We compared the incidence of syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia among members of the cohort with the general population. Results The cohort comprised 3119 SDA females, 1856 SDA males, 2056 Baptist females and 1467 Baptist males. For the entire cohort, we expected a total of 32.4 events of STD, and observed only 9. Female SDAs and Baptists aged 20–39 years had significant lower incidence of chlamydia (both p<0.001). Male SDAs and Baptists aged 20–39 years also had significant lower incidence of chlamydia (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). No SDA members were diagnosed with gonorrhoea, when 3.4 events were expected, which, according to Hanley's ‘rule of three’, is a significant difference. No SDA or Baptist was diagnosed with syphilis. Conclusions The cohort shows significant lower incidence of STD, most likely including human papillomavirus, which may partly explain the lower incidence of cancers of the cervix, rectum, anus, head and neck. PMID:27016243

A Review of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Guidelines for the Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis of Lyme Disease.

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Miraglia, Caterina M

2016-12-01

The purpose of this paper is to review information regarding the current guidelines for the clinical laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease as set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to chiropractic physicians and to discuss the clinical utility of this testing. The CDC's website was reviewed to determine what their current recommendations are for the clinical laboratory testing of Lyme disease. The CDC's established guidelines recommend the use of a 2-tiered serologic testing algorithm for the evaluation of patients with suspected Lyme disease. This review provides doctors of chiropractic with information to remain current with the CDC's recommended guidelines for Lyme disease testing because patients may present to their office with the associated signs and symptoms of Lyme disease.

Mitochondrial disease patient motivations and barriers to participate in clinical trials.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zarazuela Zolkipli-Cunningham

Full Text Available Clinical treatment trials are increasingly being designed in primary mitochondrial disease (PMD, a phenotypically and genetically heterogeneous collection of inherited multi- system energy deficiency disorders that lack effective therapy. We sought to identify motivating factors and barriers to clinical trial participation in PMD.A survey study was conducted in two independent mitochondrial disease subject cohorts. A discovery cohort invited subjects with well-defined biochemical or molecularly- confirmed PMD followed at a single medical center (CHOP, n = 30/67 (45% respondents. A replication cohort included self-identified PMD subjects in the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network (RDCRN national contact registry (n = 290/1119 (26% respondents. Five-point Likert scale responses were analyzed using descriptive and quantitative statistics. Experienced and prioritized symptoms for trial participation, and patient attitudes toward detailed aspects of clinical trial drug features and study design.PMD subjects experienced an average of 16 symptoms. Muscle weakness, chronic fatigue, and exercise intolerance were the lead symptoms encouraging trial participation. Motivating trial design factors included a self-administered study drug; vitamin, antioxidant, natural or plant-derivative; pills; daily treatment; guaranteed treatment access during and after study; short travel distances; and late-stage (phase 3 participation. Relative trial participation barriers included a new study drug; discontinuation of current medications; disease progression; daily phlebotomy; and requiring participant payment. Treatment trial type or design preferences were not influenced by population age (pediatric versus adult, prior research trial experience, or disease severity.These data are the first to convey clear PMD subject preferences and priorities to enable improved clinical treatment trial design that cuts across the complex diversity of disease. Partnering with rare

Periodontal disease in diabetic patients - clinical and histopathological aspects.

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Corlan Puşcu, Dorina; Ciuluvică, Radu Constantin; Anghel, Andreea; Mălăescu, Gheorghe Dan; Ciursaş, Adina Nicoleta; Popa, Gabriel Valeriu; Agop Forna, Doriana; Busuioc, Cristina Jana; Siloşi, Izabela

2016-01-01

Periodontal disease is one of the most frequent diseases affecting people all over the world. The relation between periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus raised the interest both of dentists and doctors treating metabolic diseases, as the two conditions influence one another. In our study, we analyzed a number of 75 patients with diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease that presented to the medical consultory for conditions of the dental maxillary system. The clinical study showed that periodontal disease and diabetes may affect young adults as well, still this pathological association more frequently appears after the age of 50. The disease was identified especially in the women living in urban area. The clinical examination of the dental maxillary system identified the presence of gingival ulcerations, dental calculus, gingival bleeding, radicular leftovers with anfractuous margins, fixed prostheses with an inappropriate cervical adjustment. Of the systemic diseases associated to periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus, there was observed that 66.66% of the patients also suffered from cardiovascular diseases (high blood pressure, ischemic cardiopathy, heart failure), and 37.33% suffered from obesity. The histopathological and immunohistochemical tests highlighted the presence of an inflammatory chronic, intense reaction, mainly formed of lymphocytes, plasmocytes, macrophages and granulocytes, heterogeneously disseminated and alteration of the structure of marginal and superficial periodontium. The inflammatory reaction in the patients with periodontal disease and diabetes was more intense than in the patients with periodontal disease without diabetes.

Clinic Attendance of Youth With Sickle Cell Disease on Hydroxyurea Treatment.

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Ingerski, Lisa M; Arnold, Trisha L; Banks, Gabrielle; Porter, Jerlym S; Wang, Winfred C

2017-07-01

The objective of this study is to describe rates of clinic attendance of youth with sickle cell disease prescribed hydroxyurea and examine potential demographic and medical factors related to consistent clinic attendance. Participants included 148 youth diagnosed with sickle cell disease and prescribed hydroxyurea during a single calendar year. Clinic attendance and potential demographic and medical factors related to attendance were extracted via systematic retrospective medical chart review. Youth attended 90.3% of scheduled appointments and 85.1% of youth attended at least 80% of scheduled clinic appointments during the study window. Adjusting for other factors, multivariate analysis revealed families with fewer children in the household, families with private insurance, youth experiencing fever, and youth not experiencing pain during the calendar year were more likely to consistently attend clinic visits. Adherence to clinic appointments is critical to optimizing health outcomes for youth with sickle cell disease and integral for adequate monitoring of youth prescribed hydroxyurea, in particular. Findings may aid providers in appropriately identifying possible barriers to clinic attendance to develop attendance promotion interventions.

Etiology of genital ulcer disease. A prospective study of 278 cases seen in an STD clinic in Paris.

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Hope-Rapp, Emilie; Anyfantakis, Vassili; Fouéré, Sebastien; Bonhomme, Philippe; Louison, Jean B; de Marsac, Thibault Tandeau; Chaine, Benedicte; Vallee, Pascale; Casin, Isabelle; Scieux, Catherine; Lassau, François; Janier, Michel

2010-03-01

The goal of this study was to identify the causes and factors associated with genital ulcer disease (GUD) among patients attending a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic in Paris. This study was a prospective investigation of GUD cases. Data were collected from 1995 to 2005. In each case, a Dark Field Examination (DFE), Gram stain, inoculation onto Thayer Martin agar, Columbia agar and chocolate agar with 1% isovitalex and 20% fetal calf serum, PCR Chlamydia trachomatis (Amplicor Roche), culture for herpes simplex virus (HSV) on MRC 5 cells and PCR HSV (Argene Biosoft) were obtained from the ulceration. First Catch Urine (FCU) PCR for Chlamydia trachomatis and syphilis, HIV, HSV, and HBV serologies were also performed. A total 278 cases of GUD were investigated, 244 (88%) in men and 34 (12%) in women. Primary syphilis accounted for 98 cases (35%), genital herpes for 74 (27%), chancroid for 8 (3%), other infections for 12 (5%). In 91 (32%) patients, no identifiable microorganism was documented. Primary syphilis was more prevalent in MSMs (P chancroid were significantly associated with heterosexuality (both P 10 mm (OR: 9.2 [95% CI: 2.9-30.7], P chancroid and reemergence of infectious syphilis have led to a new distribution of pathogens, genital herpes, primary syphilis and GUD from unknown origin, accounting each for one third of cases. No clinical characteristic is predictive of the etiology, underlining the importance of performing a thorough microbiologic evaluation. Close association with HIV is still a major public health problem.

An Automated Medical Information Management System (OpScan-MIMS) in a Clinical Setting

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Margolis, S.; Baker, T.G.; Ritchey, M.G.; Alterescu, S.; Friedman, C.

1981-01-01

This paper describes an automated medical information management system within a clinic setting. The system includes an optically scanned data entry system (OpScan), a generalized, interactive retrieval and storage software system(Medical Information Management System, MIMS) and the use of time-sharing. The system has the advantages of minimal hardware purchase and maintenance, rapid data entry and retrieval, user-created programs, no need for user knowledge of computer language or technology and is cost effective. The OpScan-MIMS system has been operational for approximately 16 months in a sexually transmitted disease clinic. The system's application to medical audit, quality assurance, clinic management and clinical training are demonstrated.

Gender differences in health care-seeking behavior for sexually transmitted diseases: a population-based study in Nairobi, Kenya.

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Voeten, Hélène A C M; O'hara, Hilda B; Kusimba, Judith; Otido, Julius M; Ndinya-Achola, Jeckoniah O; Bwayo, Job J; Varkevisser, Corlien M; Habbema, J Dik F

2004-05-01

Health care-seeking behavior for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is important in STD/HIV control. The goal of this study was to describe the proportion seeking care, patient delay, and choice of provider among men and women with STD-related complaints in Nairobi, Kenya. A population-based questionnaire was administered in 7 randomly selected clusters (small geographic areas covering approximately 150 households each). Of the 291 respondents reporting complaints, 20% of men versus 35% of women did not seek care, mainly because symptoms were not considered severe, symptoms had disappeared, or as a result of lack of money. Of those who sought care, women waited longer than men (41 vs. 16 days). Most men and women went to the private sector (72% and 57%, respectively), whereas the informal sector was rarely visited (13% and 16%, respectively). Relatively more women visited the government sector (28% vs. 15%). Because women were mostly monogamous, they did not relate their complaints to sexual intercourse, which hampered prompt care-seeking. Women should be convinced to seek care promptly, eg, through health education in communities.

[Anorectal manifestations of sexually transmitted infections].

Science.gov (United States)

Lautenschlager, Stephan

2013-07-01

The incidence of sexually transmitted infections is rising in Europe and in Switzerland since the beginning of the third millenium. Many organisms may affect the perianal skin and the anorectum. While some of these infections are a result of contigous spread from genital infection, most result from receptive anal intercourse affecting males who have sex with males but is seen increasingly in females as well since there is evidence of the increasing popularity of anal sex among heterosexuals. The symptoms of specific infections are largely dependent on the route and site of inoculation. Organisms that cause typical genital symptoms - such as syphilis, chancroid, herpes simplex or HPV-infection - result in similar symptoms when the perianal skin, the anoderm or the distal anal canal are the site of infection. Patients with proctitis may have unspecific signs in various degrees including mucous discharge, rectal bleeding, anorectal pain, superficial ulcers and sometimes generalized lymphadenopathy and fever. It is of utmost importance to include STIs (e. g. lymphogranuloma venereum, gonorrhea, non-LGV-chlamydia and herpes simplex) in the differential diagnosis in these patients. Unfortunately rectal infection with chlamydia and gonorrhea is asymptomatic in the majority of cases of men having sex with men and in high-risk females. A careful history and physical examination is essential in establishing a correct diagnosis, usually supported by proctoscopy, culture, PCR, serology and histology. Certain organisms, more commonly thought of as food- or water-borne disease may be sexually transmitted by direct or indirect fecal-oral contact from various sexual practices.

Wilson's disease: cranial MRI observations and clinical correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinha, S.; Taly, A.B.; Prashanth, L.K.; Venugopal, K.S.; Arunodaya, G.R.; Swamy, H.S.; Ravishankar, S.; Vasudev, M.K.

2006-01-01

Study of MRI changes may be useful in diagnosis, prognosis and better understanding of the pathophysiology of Wilson's disease (WD). We aimed to describe and correlate the MRI abnormalities of the brain with clinical features in WD. MRI evaluation was carried out in 100 patients (57 males, 43 females; mean age 19.3±8.9 years) using standard protocols. All but 18 patients were on de-coppering agents. Their history, clinical manifestations and scores for severity of disease were noted. The mean duration of illness and treatment were 8.3±10.8 years and 7.5±7.1 years respectively. MRI of the brain was abnormal in all the 93 symptomatic patients. The most conspicuous observations were atrophy of the cerebrum (70%), brainstem (66%) and cerebellum (52%). Signal abnormalities were also noted: putamen (72%), caudate (61%), thalami (58%), midbrain (49%), pons (20%), cerebral white matter (25%), cortex (9%), medulla (12%) and cerebellum (10%). The characteristic T2-W globus pallidal hypointensity (34%), ''Face of giant panda'' sign (12%), T1-W striatal hyperintensity (6%), central pontine myelinosis (7%), and bright claustral sign (4%) were also detected. MRI changes correlated with disease severity scores (P<0.001) but did not correlate with the duration of illness. MRI changes were universal but diverse and involved almost all the structures of the brain in symptomatic patients. A fair correlation between MRI observations and various clinical features provides an explanation for the protean manifestations of the disease. (orig.)

Awareness and knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs among school-going adolescents in Europe: a systematic review of published literature

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Spallek Lena

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs are a major health problem affecting mostly young people, not only in developing, but also in developed countries. We conducted this systematic review to determine awareness and knowledge of school-going male and female adolescents in Europe of STDs and if possible, how they perceive their own risk of contracting an STD. Results of this review can help point out areas where STD risk communication for adolescents needs to be improved. Methods Using various combinations of the terms "STD", "HIV", "HPV", "Chlamydia", "Syphilis", "Gonorrhoea", "herpes", "hepatitis B", "knowledge", "awareness", and "adolescents", we searched for literature published in the PubMed database from 01.01.1990 up to 31.12.2010. Studies were selected if they reported on the awareness and/or knowledge of one or more STD among school-attending adolescents in a European country and were published in English or German. Reference lists of selected publications were screened for further publications of interest. Information from included studies was systematically extracted and evaluated. Results A total of 15 studies were included in the review. All were cross-sectional surveys conducted among school-attending adolescents aged 13 to 20 years. Generally, awareness and knowledge varied among the adolescents depending on gender. Six STDs were focussed on in the studies included in the review, with awareness and knowledge being assessed in depth mainly for HIV/AIDS and HPV, and to some extent for chlamydia. For syphilis, gonorrhoea and herpes only awareness was assessed. Awareness was generally high for HIV/AIDS (above 90% and low for HPV (range 5.4%-66%. Despite knowing that use of condoms helps protect against contracting an STD, some adolescents still regard condoms primarily as an interim method of contraception before using the pill. Conclusion In general, the studies reported low levels of awareness and knowledge of

A generic model for a single strain mosquito-transmitted disease with memory on the host and the vector.

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Sardar, Tridip; Rana, Sourav; Bhattacharya, Sabyasachi; Al-Khaled, Kamel; Chattopadhyay, Joydev

2015-05-01

In the present investigation, three mathematical models on a common single strain mosquito-transmitted diseases are considered. The first one is based on ordinary differential equations, and other two models are based on fractional order differential equations. The proposed models are validated using published monthly dengue incidence data from two provinces of Venezuela during the period 1999-2002. We estimate several parameters of these models like the order of the fractional derivatives (in case of two fractional order systems), the biting rate of mosquito, two probabilities of infection, mosquito recruitment and mortality rates, etc., from the data. The basic reproduction number, R0, for the ODE system is estimated using the data. For two fractional order systems, an upper bound for, R0, is derived and its value is obtained using the published data. The force of infection, and the effective reproduction number, R(t), for the three models are estimated using the data. Sensitivity analysis of the mosquito memory parameter with some important responses is worked out. We use Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) to identify the best model among the three proposed models. It is observed that the model with memory in both the host, and the vector population provides a better agreement with epidemic data. Finally, we provide a control strategy for the vector-borne disease, dengue, using the memory of the host, and the vector. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dependency Traits, Relationship Power, and Health Risks in Women Receiving Sexually-Transmitted Infection Clinic Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Benotsch, Eric G; Sawyer, Ashlee N; Martin, Aaron M; Allen, Elizabeth S; Nettles, Christopher D; Richardson, Doug; Rietmeijer, Cornelis A

2017-01-01

In prior research, having traits consistent with a personality disorder has been shown to be related to substance use and high-risk sexual activity; however, few studies have examined relationships between dependency traits and health-jeopardizing behaviors. Individuals with traits consistent with dependent personality disorder may be more likely to be in a primary relationship characterized by unhealthy conditions, including physical abuse from a partner, low assertiveness in sexual situations, and partner infidelity. In addition, dependency traits may be associated with unhealthy coping (e.g., through substance use). To examine associations between dependent personality traits and these types of health-related behaviors, 198 women seeking sexually transmitted infection clinic services completed a computer-assisted assessment of dependent personality traits, substance use, unhealthy conditions in primary relationships, perceived sexual and relationship power, and sexual risk related to condom use. Dependency trait scores were correlated with the use of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. Participants high in dependency traits reported low perceived power within their relationships and less say in sexual behaviors, including condom use. In a series of multivariate analyses, dependency traits significantly predicted having been hit by a partner, staying with a partner after he cheated, having sex because of threats, and fear of asking a partner to use a condom. Dependency traits were also associated with lower past condom use and lower future condom use intentions. Results suggest that dependent personality traits may place women at higher risk for physical abuse and harmful health behaviors.

Maryland Alcohol Sales Tax and Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Natural Experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Staras, Stephanie A S; Livingston, Melvin D; Wagenaar, Alexander C

2016-03-01

Sexually transmitted infections are common causes of morbidity and mortality, including infertility and certain types of cancer. Alcohol tax increases may decrease sexually transmitted infection rates overall and differentially across population subgroups by decreasing alcohol consumption in general and prior to sex, thus decreasing sexual risk taking and sexually transmitted infection acquisition. This study investigated the effects of a Maryland increase in alcohol beverage sales tax on statewide gonorrhea and chlamydia rates overall and within age, gender, and race/ethnicity subpopulations. This study used an interrupted time series design, including multiple cross-state comparisons, to examine the effects of the 2011 alcohol tax increase in Maryland on chlamydia and gonorrhea cases reported to the U.S. National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System for January 2003 to December 2012 (N=120 repeated monthly observations, analyzed in 2015). Effects were assessed with Box-Jenkins autoregressive moving average models with structural parameters. After the alcohol-specific sales tax increase, gonorrhea rates decreased 24% (95% CI=11%, 37%), resulting in 1,600 fewer statewide gonorrhea cases annually. Cohen's d indicated a substantial effect of the tax increase on gonorrhea rates (range across control group models, -1.25 to -1.42). The study did not find evidence of an effect on chlamydia or differential effects across age, race/ethnicity, or gender subgroups. Results strengthen the evidence from prior studies of alcohol taxes influencing gonorrhea rates and extend health prevention effects from alcohol excise to sales taxes. Alcohol tax increases may be an efficient strategy for reducing sexually transmitted infections. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparing Clinical Profiles in Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease Dementia

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Martin R. Farlow

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Greater understanding of differences in baseline impairment and disease progression in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD and Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD may improve the interpretation of drug effects and the design of future studies. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of three randomized, double-blind rivastigmine databases (one in PDD, two in AD. Impairment on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog, Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL scale, 10-item Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-10 and the ADCS-Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGIC was compared [standardized difference (Cohen's d, similar if Results: Patients with AD or PDD had similar levels of impairment on the ADAS-cog and NPI-10. Scores on the ADCS-ADL scale (standardized difference = 0.47 and the ADAS-cog memory domain (total, 0.33; items, 0.10-0.58 were higher in AD; PDD patients were more impaired in the language (0.23 and praxis (0.34 domains. AD patients receiving placebo showed greater deterioration on the ADAS-cog (0.14 and improvement on the NPI-10 (0.11 compared with patients with PDD. Conclusion: Differing patterns of impairment occur in AD and PDD.

Comparing clinical profiles in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Farlow, Martin R; Schmitt, Frederick; Aarsland, Dag; Grossberg, George T; Somogyi, Monique; Meng, Xiangyi

2013-01-01

Greater understanding of differences in baseline impairment and disease progression in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) may improve the interpretation of drug effects and the design of future studies. This was a retrospective analysis of three randomized, double-blind rivastigmine databases (one in PDD, two in AD). Impairment on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog), Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL) scale, 10-item Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-10) and the ADCS-Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGIC) was compared [standardized difference (Cohen's d), similar if <0.1]. Patients with AD or PDD had similar levels of impairment on the ADAS-cog and NPI-10. Scores on the ADCS-ADL scale (standardized difference = 0.47) and the ADAS-cog memory domain (total, 0.33; items, 0.10-0.58) were higher in AD; PDD patients were more impaired in the language (0.23) and praxis (0.34) domains. AD patients receiving placebo showed greater deterioration on the ADAS-cog (0.14) and improvement on the NPI-10 (0.11) compared with patients with PDD. Differing patterns of impairment occur in AD and PDD.

Clinical application of SPECT and PET in cerebrovascular disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ra, Young Shin

2003-01-01

Single photon emission computed tomography(SPECT) and positron emission tomography(PET) are modern imaging techniques that allow for both qualitative are quantitative assessment of hemodynamic changes in cerebrovascular diseases. SPECT has been becoming an indispensable method to investigate regional cerebral blood flow because equipment and isotope are easily available in most general hospitals. Acetazolamide stress SPECT has also been proved to be useful to evaluate the cerebrovascular reserve of occlusive cerebrovascular diseases and to select surgical candidate. PET has gained wide spread clinical use in the evaluation of the hemodynamic and metabolic consequences of extracranial or intracranial arterial obstructive disease despite its complexity and limited availability. PET has been established as an invaluable tool in the pathophysilogy investigation of acute ischemic stroke. The potentials, limitations, and clinical applications of SPECT and PET in various cerebrovascular diseases will be discussed in this article with reviews of literatures

Clinical application of SPECT and PET in cerebrovascular disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ra, Young Shin [Ulsan University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2003-02-01

Single photon emission computed tomography(SPECT) and positron emission tomography(PET) are modern imaging techniques that allow for both qualitative are quantitative assessment of hemodynamic changes in cerebrovascular diseases. SPECT has been becoming an indispensable method to investigate regional cerebral blood flow because equipment and isotope are easily available in most general hospitals. Acetazolamide stress SPECT has also been proved to be useful to evaluate the cerebrovascular reserve of occlusive cerebrovascular diseases and to select surgical candidate. PET has gained wide spread clinical use in the evaluation of the hemodynamic and metabolic consequences of extracranial or intracranial arterial obstructive disease despite its complexity and limited availability. PET has been established as an invaluable tool in the pathophysilogy investigation of acute ischemic stroke. The potentials, limitations, and clinical applications of SPECT and PET in various cerebrovascular diseases will be discussed in this article with reviews of literatures.

Streptococcus agalactie como agente etiológico de Doença Sexualmente Transmissível Streptococcus agalactie involved in the etiology of Sexually Transmitted Diseases

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Marcos Noronha Frey

2011-12-01

Full Text Available O Streptococcus agalactie é um importante micro-organismo causador de doenças em gestantes, neonatos, idosos (maiores de 65 anos de idade, e portadores de doenças crônicas debilitantes, sendo um patógeno incomum em pacientes que não se enquadrem nestas faixas etárias ou perfil clínico (1-5, e, raramente, é descrito como agente causador de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis. Descrevemos o caso de um adulto jovem hígido de 19 anos, apresentando lesões ulceradas genitais e oral, assim como corrimento uretral e ocular, sugestivas de terem sido causadas pelo Streptococcus agalactie, e adquiridas através do contato sexual (doenças sexualmente transmissíveis.Streptococcus agalactiae is an important microorganism involved in a number of conditions in pregnant women, newborns, elderly people (over 65 years of age and individuals with chronic disabling illnesses. This pathogen is infrequently found among patients outside this age range or clinical profile(1-5 and is rarely reported in the etiology of sexually transmitted diseases. Here we describe a case of an otherwise healthy 19 year-old male, who presented with ulcerative genital and oral lesions in association with urethral and ocular discharge, suggestive of Streptococcus agalactiae infection acquired through sexual contact.

Tick-borne disease.

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Bratton, Robert L; Corey, Ralph

2005-06-15

Tick-borne diseases in the United States include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, tularemia, babesiosis, Colorado tick fever, and relapsing fever. It is important for family physicians to consider these illnesses when patients present with influenza-like symptoms. A petechial rash initially affecting the palms and soles of the feet is associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever, whereas erythema migrans (annular macule with central clearing) is associated with Lyme disease. Various other rashes or skin lesions accompanied by fever and influenza-like illness also may signal the presence of a tick-borne disease. Early, accurate diagnosis allows treatment that may help prevent significant morbidity and possible mortality. Because 24 to 48 hours of attachment to the host are required for infection to occur, early removal can help prevent disease. Treatment with doxycycline or tetracycline is indicated for Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and relapsing fever. In patients with clinical findings suggestive of tick-borne disease, treatment should not be delayed for laboratory confirmation. If no symptoms follow exposure to tick bites, empiric treatment is not indicated. The same tick may harbor different infectious pathogens and transmit several with one bite. Advising patients about prevention of tick bites, especially in the summer months, may help prevent exposure to dangerous vector-borne diseases.

Encephalitis Caused by Pathogens Transmitted through Organ Transplants, United States, 2002–2013

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2014-10-21

Dr. Mike Miller reads an abridged version of the article, Encephalitis Caused by Pathogens Transmitted through Organ Transplants, United States, 2002–2013.  Created: 10/21/2014 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 10/23/2014.

Current Guidelines, Common Clinical Pitfalls, and Future Directions for Laboratory Diagnosis of Lyme Disease, United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Andrew; Nelson, Christina; Molins, Claudia; Mead, Paul; Schriefer, Martin

2016-07-01

In the United States, Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted to humans by blacklegged ticks. Patients with an erythema migrans lesion and epidemiologic risk can receive a diagnosis without laboratory testing. For all other patients, laboratory testing is necessary to confirm the diagnosis, but proper interpretation depends on symptoms and timing of illness. The recommended laboratory test in the United States is 2-tiered serologic analysis consisting of an enzyme-linked immunoassay or immunofluorescence assay, followed by reflexive immunoblotting. Sensitivity of 2-tiered testing is low (30%-40%) during early infection while the antibody response is developing (window period). For disseminated Lyme disease, sensitivity is 70%-100%. Specificity is high (>95%) during all stages of disease. Use of other diagnostic tests for Lyme disease is limited. We review the rationale behind current US testing guidelines, appropriate use and interpretation of tests, and recent developments in Lyme disease diagnostics.

Transmitted drug resistance in the CFAR network of integrated clinical systems cohort: prevalence and effects on pre-therapy CD4 and viral load.

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Art F Y Poon

Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 genomes often carry one or more mutations associated with drug resistance upon transmission into a therapy-naïve individual. We assessed the prevalence and clinical significance of transmitted drug resistance (TDR in chronically-infected therapy-naïve patients enrolled in a multi-center cohort in North America. Pre-therapy clinical significance was quantified by plasma viral load (pVL and CD4+ cell count (CD4 at baseline. Naïve bulk sequences of HIV-1 protease and reverse transcriptase (RT were screened for resistance mutations as defined by the World Health Organization surveillance list. The overall prevalence of TDR was 14.2%. We used a Bayesian network to identify co-transmission of TDR mutations in clusters associated with specific drugs or drug classes. Aggregate effects of mutations by drug class were estimated by fitting linear models of pVL and CD4 on weighted sums over TDR mutations according to the Stanford HIV Database algorithm. Transmitted resistance to both classes of reverse transcriptase inhibitors was significantly associated with lower CD4, but had opposing effects on pVL. In contrast, position-specific analyses of TDR mutations revealed substantial effects on CD4 and pVL at several residue positions that were being masked in the aggregate analyses, and significant interaction effects as well. Residue positions in RT with predominant effects on CD4 or pVL (D67 and M184 were re-evaluated in causal models using an inverse probability-weighting scheme to address the problem of confounding by other mutations and demographic or risk factors. We found that causal effect estimates of mutations M184V/I (-1.7 log₁₀pVL and D67N/G (-2.1[³√CD4] and 0.4 log₁₀pVL were compensated by K103N/S and K219Q/E/N/R. As TDR becomes an increasing dilemma in this modern era of highly-active antiretroviral therapy, these results have immediate significance for the clinical management of HIV-1

Clinical-histopathological correlation in a case of Coats' disease

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Zajdenweber Moyses E

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Coats' disease is a non-hereditary ocular disease, with no systemic manifestation, first described by Coats in 1908. It occurs more commonly in children and has a clear male predominance. Most patients present clinically with unilateral decreased vision, strabismus or leukocoria. The most important differential diagnosis is unilateral retinoblastoma, which occurs in the same age group and has some overlapping clinical manifestations. Case presentation A 4 year-old girl presented with a blind and painful right eye. Ocular examination revealed neovascular glaucoma, cataract and posterior synechiae. Although viewing of the fundus was impossible, computed tomography disclosed total exsudative retinal detachment in the affected eye. The eye was enucleated and subsequent histopathological evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of Coats' disease. Conclusion General pathologists usually do not have the opportunity to receive and study specimens from patients with Coats' disease. Coats' disease is one of the most important differential diagnoses of retinoblastoma. Therefore, It is crucial for the pathologist to be familiar with the histopathological features of the former, and distinguish it from the latter.

[Clinical and morphological variants of diverticular disease in colon].

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Levchenko, S V; Lazebnik, L B; Potapova, V B; Rogozina, V A

2013-01-01

Our own results of two-stage research are presented in the article. The first stage contains the retrospective analysis of 3682 X-ray examining of large bowel which were conducted in 2002-2004 to define the structure of colon disease and to determine gender differences. The second stage is prospective research which took place from 2003 to 2012 and 486 patients with diverticular disease were regularly observed. Following parameters were estimated: dynamics of complaints, life quality, clinical symptoms. Multiple X-ray and endoscopic examining were done with estimation of quantity and size of diverticula, changes of colon mucosa, comparison of X-ray and endoscopic methods in prognosis of complications. Two basic clinical morphological variants of diverticular disease (DD) of colon are made out as a result of our research. There are IBD-like and DD with ischemic component. The variants differ by pain characteristics, presence of accompanying diseases, life quality parameters and description of colon mucosa morphological research. We suppose that different ethiopathogenetic factors of development of both variants mentioned above influence the disease prognosis and selection of treatment.

Genetics of liver disease: From pathophysiology to clinical practice.

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Karlsen, Tom H; Lammert, Frank; Thompson, Richard J

2015-04-01

Paralleling the first 30 years of the Journal of Hepatology we have witnessed huge advances in our understanding of liver disease and physiology. Genetic advances have played no small part in that. Initial studies in the 1970s and 1980s identified the strong major histocompatibility complex associations in autoimmune liver diseases. During the 1990 s, developments in genomic technologies drove the identification of genes responsible for Mendelian liver diseases. Over the last decade, genome-wide association studies have allowed for the dissection of the genetic susceptibility to complex liver disorders, in which also environmental co-factors play important roles. Findings have allowed the identification and elaboration of pathophysiological processes, have indicated the need for reclassification of liver diseases and have already pointed to new disease treatments. In the immediate future genetics will allow further stratification of liver diseases and contribute to personalized medicine. Challenges exist with regard to clinical implementation of rapidly developing technologies and interpretation of the wealth of accumulating genetic data. The historical perspective of genetics in liver diseases illustrates the opportunities for future research and clinical care of our patients. Copyright © 2015 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The burden of disease attributable to sexually transmitted infections ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Years of life lost (YLL) and years lived with disability (YLD) were estimated using different approaches for HIV I AIDS, other STis and cervical cancer. Burden in respect of HIV I AIDS was estimated using the ASSA2002 model, and for the other diseases the revised national burden of disease estimates for 2000 based on ...

Pilonidal sinus disease - Etiological factors, pathogenesis and clinical features

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Kazim Duman

2016-12-01

Full Text Available and lsquo;Pilonidal sinus' disease, which is most commonly seen in reproductive populations, such as young adults - mostly in males who are in their twenties - is actually a controversial disease in that there is no consensus on its many facets. It is sometimes seen as an infected abscess draining from an opening or a lesion extending to the perineum. It may also present as a draining fistula opening to skin. In terms of etiological factors, various theories (main theories being congenital and acquired have been established since it was first described, no universal understanding achieved. A long and significant post-operative care period with different lengths of recovery depending on the type of operation are quite prevalent with regards to recurrence and complication status. In order to prevent recurrence and improve the quality of life, etiological and predisposing factors as well as clinical features of sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease should be well known, a detailed differential diagnosis should be made, and a suitable and timely intervention should be performed. It was aimed here to explain the etiological factors, pathogenesis and clinical features of the disease that may present with various clinical symptoms. [Arch Clin Exp Surg 2016; 5(4.000: 228-232

Automated interpretable computational biology in the clinic: a framework to predict disease severity and stratify patients from clinical data

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Soumya Banerjee

2017-10-01

Full Text Available We outline an automated computational and machine learning framework that predicts disease severity and stratifies patients. We apply our framework to available clinical data. Our algorithm automatically generates insights and predicts disease severity with minimal operator intervention. The computational framework presented here can be used to stratify patients, predict disease severity and propose novel biomarkers for disease. Insights from machine learning algorithms coupled with clinical data may help guide therapy, personalize treatment and help clinicians understand the change in disease over time. Computational techniques like these can be used in translational medicine in close collaboration with clinicians and healthcare providers. Our models are also interpretable, allowing clinicians with minimal machine learning experience to engage in model building. This work is a step towards automated machine learning in the clinic.

Health Care in Mozambique: Wartime clinics confront shortages, parasites, and terror

OpenAIRE

Williams, Betsy

1992-01-01

Mozambique has been in a state of near civil war since 1980, which has prevented the country from providing any health care at all to most of its rural citizens. Medications are scarce, and the range of diagnostic tools is limited. The health clinics treat illnesses that include severe anemia, tuberculosis, malnutrition, sexually transmitted diseases, and injuries that are a result of the war, but the biggest killer of all remains malaria.

Clinical presentation of late haemorrhagic disease of newborn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majeed, R.; Memon, Y.; Majeed, F.

2008-01-01

To observe the clinical presentation of late haemorrhagic disease of the newborn (LHDNB), and clinical improvement after the administration of vitamin K/sub 1/. This is a prospective descriptive study. All the children older than seven days who presented with bleeding were admitted in pediatrics ward of Isra University Hyderabad from April 2006 to April 2007 were included. Data collection was done by means of detailed proforma. Analysis was done on SPSS version 11. Thirty five cases were included. Commonest site of bleeding was subcutaneous followed by oral and injection site. Mean age of late haemorrhagic disease of newborn was 109 days and minimum age of presentation was 28 days. Common clinical presentations were irritability, convulsions, poor reflexes and poor feeding. Mostly recovery was within 24 hours after vit K. Late HDN results in severe hemorrhage especially hemorrhage in the central nervous system. Administration of Vitamin K (1mg, 1M) at birth can present these severe complications. (author)

Clinical heterogeneity in newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Post, Bart; Speelman, Johannes D.; de Haan, Rob J.

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine clinical heterogeneity in newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease using cluster analysis and to describe the subgroups in terms of impairment, disability, perceived quality of life, and use of dopaminergic therapy. METHODS: We conducted a k-means cluster analysis in a prospective

Idiopathic Canalicular Inflammatory Disease: New Disease Description of Clinical Patterns, Investigations, Management, and Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Mohammad Javed

2018-01-25

The objective of this perspective is to present a separate disease description of "idiopathic canalicular inflammatory disease" and outline the diagnostic criteria and early experiences with its investigations and management. Retrospective case series of 44 canaliculi of 22 eyes of 11 patients presenting at a tertiary care Dacryology service over a period of 2 years with typical clinical patterns of inflammatory canaliculitis and its outcomes were studied. All the patients underwent microbiological work-up with culture and sensitivity, dacryoendoscopy imaging, serial Fourier domain ocular coherence tomography, and collagen vascular profiles. Stages in the evolution of the disease were studied. All patients were treated initially with topical steroids followed by punctal dilatation and placement of mini-monoka stents. Five patients in addition had a small biopsy from the inflamed portion of the vertical canaliculus. Stents were extubated at 6 weeks. Forty-four canaliculi were diagnosed to have idiopathic canalicular inflammatory disease during the study period. There was a female preponderance (81.8%, 9/11) and the mean age at presentation was 57 years. All patients presented with unilateral epiphora without any discharge, pain, or swelling. Collagen vascular profiles and screening for autoimmune diseases were negative. Clinical picture ranged from stages 1 to 5, consisting of edema, progressive centripetal vascularization, pouting of vascularized mucosa, membrane formation, and progressive scarring. The presentation begins in 1 eye and usually involves the other eye at a mean of 6 months. Ocular coherence tomography and dacryoendoscopy were of adjunctive value in the diagnosis. Histopathological examination was suggestive of a chronic inflammation. All patients had relentless progression to end-stage disease, although delayed significantly by steroids and monoka intubation. Idiopathic canalicular inflammatory disease has a distinct and typical clinical behavior and

Update on the clinical management of Wilson's disease

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Hedera P

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Peter Hedera Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA Abstract: Wilson’s disease (WD, albeit relatively rare, is an important genetic metabolic disease because of highly effective therapies that can be lifesaving. It is a great imitator and requires a high index of suspicion for correct and timely diagnosis. Neurologic, psychiatric and hepatologic problems in WD are very nonspecific, and we discuss the most common clinical phenotypes. The diagnosis remains laboratory based, and here we review the most important challenges and pitfalls in laboratory evaluation of WD, including the emerging role of genetic testing in WD diagnosis. WD is a monogenic disorder but has very high allelic heterogeneity with >500 disease-causing mutations identified, and new insights into phenotype–genotype correlations are also reviewed. The gold standard of therapy is chelation of excessive copper, but many unmet needs exist because of possible clinical deterioration in treated patients and potential adverse effects associated with currently available chelating medications. We also review the most promising novel therapeutic approaches, including chelators targeting specific cell types, cell transplantation and gene therapy. Keywords: Wilson’s disease, copper, ATP7B, chelation, gene therapy

The Infectious Diseases Society of America emerging infections network: bridging the gap between clinical infectious diseases and public health.

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Pillai, Satish K; Beekmann, Susan E; Santibanez, Scott; Polgreen, Philip M

2014-04-01

In 1995, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention granted a Cooperative Agreement Program award to the Infectious Diseases Society of America to develop a provider-based emerging infections sentinel network, the Emerging Infections Network (EIN). Over the past 17 years, the EIN has evolved into a flexible, nationwide network with membership representing a broad cross-section of infectious disease physicians. The EIN has an active electronic mail conference (listserv) that facilitates communication among infectious disease providers and the public health community, and also sends members periodic queries (short surveys on infectious disease topics) that have addressed numerous topics relevant to both clinical infectious diseases and public health practice. The article reviews how the various functions of EIN contribute to clinical care and public health, identifies opportunities to further link clinical medicine and public health, and describes future directions for the EIN.

Clinical outcomes for young people with screening-detected and clinically-diagnosed rheumatic heart disease in Fiji.

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Engelman, Daniel; Mataika, Reapi L; Ah Kee, Maureen; Donath, Susan; Parks, Tom; Colquhoun, Samantha M; Carapetis, Jonathan R; Kado, Joseph H; Steer, Andrew C

2017-08-01

Echocardiographic screening is under consideration as a disease control strategy for rheumatic heart disease (RHD). However, clinical outcomes of young people with screening-detected RHD are unknown. We aimed to describe the outcomes for a cohort with screening-detected RHD, in comparison to patients with clinically-diagnosed RHD. A retrospective cohort study included all young people with screening-detected RHD in the Central Division of Fiji in the primary cohort. Screen-negative and clinically-diagnosed comparison groups were matched 1:1 to the primary cohort. Data were collected on mortality, clinical complications and healthcare utilisation from the electronic and paper health records and existing databases. Seventy participants were included in each group. Demographic characteristics of the groups were similar (median age 11years, 69% female, median follow-up 7years). There were nine (12.9%) RHD-related deaths in the clinically-diagnosed group and one (1.4%) in the screening-detected group (Incident Rate Ratio: 9.6, 95% CI 1.3-420.6). Complications of RHD were observed in 39 (55.7%) clinically-diagnosed cases, four (20%) screening-detected cases and one (1.4%) screen-negative case. There were significant differences in the cumulative complication curves of the groups (pFiji. The prognosis of clinically-diagnosed RHD remains poor, with very high mortality and complication rates. Further studies in other settings will inform RHD screening policy. Comprehensive control strategies are required for disease prevention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Drug resistance in the sexually transmitted protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

REBECCA L DUNNE; LINDA A DUNN; PETER UPCROFT; PETER J O'DONOGHUE; JACQUELINE A UPCROFT

2003-01-01

Trichomoniasis is the most common, sexually transmitted infection. It is caused by the flagellated protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis. Symptoms include vaginitis and infections have been associated with preterm delivery, low birth weight and increased infant mortality, as well as predisposing to HIV/AIDS and cervical cancer. Trichomoniasis has the highest prevalence and incidence of any sexually transmitted infection. The 5-nitroimidazole drugs, of which metronidazole is the most prescribed, are the only approved,effective drugs to treat trichomoniasis. Resistance against metronidazole is frequently reported and crossresistance among the family of 5-nitroimidazole drugs is common, leaving no alternative for treatment, with some cases remaining unresolved. The mechanism of metronidazole resistance in T. vaginalis from treatment failures is not well understood, unlike resistance which is developed in the laboratory under increasing metronidazole pressure. In the latter situation, hydrogenosomal function which is involved in activation of the prodrug, metronidazole, is down-regulated. Reversion to sensitivity is incomplete after removal of drug pressure in the highly resistant parasites while clinically resistant strains, so far analysed, maintain their resistance levels in the absence of drug pressure. Although anaerobic resistance has been regarded as a laboratory induced phenomenon, it clearly has been demonstrated in clinical isolates. Pursuit of both approaches will allow dissection of the underlying mechanisms. Many alternative drugs and treatments have been tested in vivo in cases of refractory trichomoniasis, as well as in vitro with some successes including the broad spectrum anti-parasitic drug nitazoxanide. Drug resistance incidence in T. vaginalis appears to be on the increase and improved surveillance of treatment failures is urged.

Lyme Disease Transmission

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... not known to transmit Lyme disease include Lone star ticks ( Amblyomma americanum ), the American dog tick ( Dermacentor ... of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD) Email Recommend Tweet YouTube Instagram Listen Watch RSS ABOUT About CDC Jobs ...

Service delivery through public health care system to control sexually transmitted infections in Himachal pradesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunite A Ganju

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The National AIDS Control Organization has designed multiple synergistic interventions to identify and control curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs. Objective: To assess the impact of services offered at designated STI clinics in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India and the profile of the attending clients. Materials and Methods: This was a two-year prospective study, conducted from April 2011 to March 2013. Training on delivering STI/RTI services was imparted to the staff of 16 designated STI clinics including recording of data. The staff in each STI clinic comprises of one doctor, one counselor, one nurse, and one laboratory technician. The clients attending these designated clinics were offered counseling, syndromic case management (SCM, and diagnostic services wherever possible. Monthly data of STI clinic attendees was collected, compiled, and analyzed. Results: A total of 65,760 clinic visits were reported, of which 32,385 (49% visits were for index STI/RTI complaint(s. The ratio of male to female attendees was 1:2. The commonest age group accessing the STI clinics was 25-44 years (n = 38,966; 59.3%. According to SCM, 52.9% clients were managed. The commonest presenting syndrome was urethral discharge (n = 4,500; 41% in males, and vaginal discharge (n = 13,305; 56% in females. Genital ulcer disease was treated in 2099 cases. Laboratory tests were performed only in 6466 patients, and 39,597 antenatal mothers were screened for syphilis. Counseling services were provided to 51,298 (f = 34,804; 68%: m = 16,494; 32% clients and of these, 48% (n = 25,056 of the clients were referred to integrated counseling and testing centers. Forty-three clients (m = 24: f = 19 were detected positive for HIV infection. Conclusion: Uniform and standardized services delivered to clients attending public health clinics can gather reliable data to monitor trends of STI infection.

[Advanced Parkinson's disease: clinical characteristics and treatment (part 1)].

Science.gov (United States)

Kulisevsky, J; Luquin, M R; Arbelo, J M; Burguera, J A; Carrillo, F; Castro, A; Chacón, J; García-Ruiz, P J; Lezcano, E; Mir, P; Martinez-Castrillo, J C; Martínez-Torres, I; Puente, V; Sesar, A; Valldeoriola-Serra, F; Yañez, R

2013-10-01

A large percentage of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) develop motor fluctuations, dyskinesias, and severe non-motor symptoms within 3 to 5 years of starting dopaminergic therapy, and these motor complications are refractory to treatment. Several authors refer to this stage of the disease as advanced Parkinson's disease. To define the clinical manifestations of advanced PD and the risk factors for reaching this stage of the disease. This consensus document has been prepared by using an exhaustive literature search and by discussion of the contents by an expert group on movement disorders of the Sociedad Española de Neurología (Spanish Neurology Society), coordinated by two of the authors (JK and MRL). Severe motor fluctuations and dyskinesias, axial motor symptoms resistant to levodopa, and cognitive decline are the main signs in the clinical phenotype of advanced PD. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Rethinking dry eye disease: a perspective on clinical implications.

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Bron, Anthony J; Tomlinson, Alan; Foulks, Gary N; Pepose, Jay S; Baudouin, Christophe; Geerling, Gerd; Nichols, Kelly K; Lemp, Michael A

2014-04-01

Publication of the DEWS report in 2007 established the state of the science of dry eye disease (DED). Since that time, new evidence suggests that a rethinking of traditional concepts of dry eye disease is in order. Specifically, new evidence on the epidemiology of the disease, as well as strategies for diagnosis, have changed the understanding of DED, which is a heterogeneous disease associated with considerable variability in presentation. These advances, along with implications for clinical care, are summarized herein. The most widely used signs of DED are poorly correlated with each other and with symptoms. While symptoms are thought to be characteristic of DED, recent studies have shown that less than 60% of subjects with other objective evidence of DED are symptomatic. Thus the use of symptoms alone in diagnosis will likely result in missing a significant percentage of DED patients, particularly with early/mild disease. This could have considerable impact in patients undergoing cataract or refractive surgery as patients with DED have less than optimal visual results. The most widely used objective signs for diagnosing DED all show greater variability between eyes and in the same eye over time compared with normal subjects. This variability is thought to be a manifestation of tear film instability which results in rapid breakup of the tearfilm between blinks and is an identifier of patients with DED. This feature emphasizes the bilateral nature of the disease in most subjects not suffering from unilateral lid or other unilateral destabilizing surface disorders. Instability of the composition of the tears also occurs in dry eye disease and shows the same variance between eyes. Finally, elevated tear osmolarity has been reported to be a global marker (present in both subtypes of the disease- aqueous-deficient dry eye and evaporative dry eye). Clinically, osmolarity has been shown to be the best single metric for diagnosis of DED and is directly related to

Design and Evaluation of a Bacterial Clinical Infectious Diseases Ontology

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Claire L.; Pouch, Stephanie; Cowell, Lindsay G.; Boland, Mary Regina; Platt, Heather L.; Goldfain, Albert; Weng, Chunhua

2013-01-01

With antimicrobial resistance increasing worldwide, there is a great need to use automated antimicrobial decision support systems (ADSSs) to lower antimicrobial resistance rates by promoting appropriate antimicrobial use. However, they are infrequently used mostly because of their poor interoperability with different health information technologies. Ontologies can augment portable ADSSs by providing an explicit knowledge representation for biomedical entities and their relationships, helping to standardize and integrate heterogeneous data resources. We developed a bacterial clinical infectious diseases ontology (BCIDO) using Protégé-OWL. BCIDO defines a controlled terminology for clinical infectious diseases along with domain knowledge commonly used in hospital settings for clinical infectious disease treatment decision-making. BCIDO has 599 classes and 2355 object properties. Terms were imported from or mapped to Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine, Unified Medical Language System, RxNorm and National Center for Bitechnology Information Organismal Classification where possible. Domain expert evaluation using the “laddering” technique, ontology visualization, and clinical notes and scenarios, confirmed the correctness and potential usefulness of BCIDO. PMID:24551353

Sexonomics: a commentary and review of selected sexually transmitted disease studies in the economics literature.

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Chesson, Harrell W

2012-03-01

The purpose of this review is to highlight selected studies in the economics literature that address sexually transmitted disease (STD)-related topics that are typically not examined in the STD literature. Two databases (EconLit and Web of Science) were searched to locate STD-related articles in the economics journals. Relevant articles were also identified in other ways, such as informal discussions with colleagues familiar with the literature. To maintain a focus on unique STD-related topics, studies with topics common in the STD literature (e.g., cost-effectiveness, transmission modeling) were excluded. Selected STD-related studies in the economics literature were grouped into the following 8 topics: impact of abortion laws and policies on sexual health outcomes; same-sex marriage and syphilis rates; alcohol policy and STD rates; welfare laws and STD rates; discounting the future; HIV disclosure laws; the impact of tolerance for gays on HIV incidence; and economic versus epidemiologic models of HIV dynamics. A general theme of STD-related studies in the economics literature is that laws and policies that increased the "cost" of risky sex tended to reduce the demand for risky sex, and therefore reduce the incidence of STDs. Economic research can contribute in novel ways to our understanding of influences on risky sexual behavior at the individual level and STD incidence at the population level. Economists and STD experts could mutually benefit from increased collaboration.

Clinical Syndromes Associated with Cardiovascular Diseases: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xing Sheng Yang, MD, PhD, FACC, FAHA

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In clinical practice, a variety of syndromes are associated with cardiovascular disease and have characteristic findings. Most of them are an autosomal dominant genetic disorder and have different types of cardiovascular abnormalities, including electrocardiographic conduction defects, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, vascular and valvular diseases, cardiac septal defects, and pulmonary problems. There is a growing need for physicians to pay more attention to these syndromes.

Occupational Lung Disease: Clinical-Pathological-Radiological Correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carrillo Bayona, Jorge Alberto; Rivera Bernal, Aura Lucia; Ojeda Paulina; Paez Garcia, Diana Sofia

2008-01-01

People are exposed to hundreds of substances daily, some of which may induce pulmonary injury. Occupational Lung Disease diagnosis requires 4 elements: Exposure to the harmful agent, adequate latency between exposure and beginning of the symptoms, syndrome with post-exposure abnormalities, and exclusion of other conditions which may otherwise explain signs and symptoms. Several occupational lung disease classifications based on structural or functional injury, type of agent, or both have been proposed. Generally, 5 groups are considered: Pneumoconiosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, toxic fumes exposure, asthma, and occupational lung infections. Conventional radiographs and in specific situations, CT, are crucial elements for the diagnosis of Occupational Lung Disease. In the patient with respiratory symptoms and altered imaging studies, the possibility of Occupational Lung Disease should be considered. Radiologist should be familiar the variety of substances that cause these entities and their radiological features. In this article Occupational Lung diseases are reviewed, including diagnostic criteria, classification, physiopathology, clinical and radiological manifestations as well as their corresponding histopathological features.

Professional challenges and opportunities in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Read, Robert C; Cornaglia, Giuseppe; Kahlmeter, Gunnar

2011-05-01

The two closely linked specialties of clinical microbiology and infectious diseases face important challenges. We report the consensus of clinical microbiologists and infectious disease physicians assembled by the European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Both specialties have different training requirements in different European countries and are not universally recognised as professions. The specialties are rapidly evolving as they adapt to the changing demands within hospital practice, including the need to deal with emerging infections, rapidly increasing internationalisation, and immigration. Clinical microbiology needs to develop and master technological advances such as laboratory automation and an avalanche of new methods for rapid diagnostics. Simultaneously, the pressure for concentration, amalgamation, and out-sourcing of laboratory services is ever-increasing. Infectious disease physicians have to meet the professional challenge of subspecialisation and the continual need to find new niches for their skills. Despite these challenges, each of these specialties continues to thrive in Europe and will enjoy important opportunities over the next few years. The recently formed European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in Stockholm, Sweden, will increase demands in areas of surveillance of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance on both specialties. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DIAGNOSTIC ASPECTS OF PAGET’S DISEASE OF BONE IN CLINICAL PRACTICE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. B. Bashkova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Paget’s disease of bone (PDB is a chronic localized skeletal disease that belongs to a group of metabolic osteopathies and is characterized by impaired bone remodeling to form foci of increased bone resorption followed by replacement with an excessive amount of defective, less durable bone that is prone to deformities and pathologic fractures. The course of PDB shows three stages: rarefaction, compaction, and coarse-trabecular remodeling – each of which is characterized by certain clinical, biochemical, and radiological manifestations. The majority of the clinical manifestations of the disease are associated with skeletal injury. The disease is characterized by the appearance of bone and joint pain in case of secondary osteoarthritis, bone deformities, pathological fractures, hearing loss due to damage to the skull bones, etc. In many patients, the disease is asymptomatic and detected incidentally after finding a high serum alkaline phosphatase activity or during bone X-ray for any pathological processes, but it can be diagnosed fairly late in the development of complications, as shown in the clinical examples. A combination of clinical, biochemical, morphological data and radiological findings allows for a diagnosis. The use of bisphosphonates is the method of choice for the treatment of PDB. 

UPLC-based metabonomic applications for discovering biomarkers of diseases in clinical chemistry.

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Zhao, Ying-Yong; Cheng, Xian-Long; Vaziri, Nosratola D; Liu, Shuman; Lin, Rui-Chao

2014-10-01

Metabonomics is a powerful and promising analytic tool that allows assessment of global low-molecular-weight metabolites in biological systems. It has a great potential for identifying useful biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognosis and assessment of therapeutic interventions in clinical practice. The aim of this review is to provide a brief summary of the recent advances in UPLC-based metabonomic approach for biomarker discovery in a variety of diseases, and to discuss their significance in clinical chemistry. All the available information on UPLC-based metabonomic applications for discovering biomarkers of diseases were collected via a library and electronic search (using Web of Science, Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Springer, Google Scholar, etc.). Metabonomics has been used in clinical chemistry to identify and evaluate potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in various diseases affecting the liver (hepatocarcinoma and liver cirrhosis), lung (lung cancer and pneumonia), gastrointestinal tract (colorectal cancer) and urogenital tract (prostate cancer, ovarian cancer and chronic kidney disease), as well as metabolic diseases (diabetes) and neuropsychiatric disorders (Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia), etc. The information provided highlights the potential value of determination of endogenous low-molecular-weight metabolites and the advantages and potential drawbacks of the application of UPLC-based metabonomics in clinical setting. Copyright © 2014 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical Prediction Models for Cardiovascular Disease: Tufts Predictive Analytics and Comparative Effectiveness Clinical Prediction Model Database.

Science.gov (United States)

Wessler, Benjamin S; Lai Yh, Lana; Kramer, Whitney; Cangelosi, Michael; Raman, Gowri; Lutz, Jennifer S; Kent, David M

2015-07-01

Clinical prediction models (CPMs) estimate the probability of clinical outcomes and hold the potential to improve decision making and individualize care. For patients with cardiovascular disease, there are numerous CPMs available although the extent of this literature is not well described. We conducted a systematic review for articles containing CPMs for cardiovascular disease published between January 1990 and May 2012. Cardiovascular disease includes coronary heart disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, stroke, venous thromboembolism, and peripheral vascular disease. We created a novel database and characterized CPMs based on the stage of development, population under study, performance, covariates, and predicted outcomes. There are 796 models included in this database. The number of CPMs published each year is increasing steadily over time. Seven hundred seventeen (90%) are de novo CPMs, 21 (3%) are CPM recalibrations, and 58 (7%) are CPM adaptations. This database contains CPMs for 31 index conditions, including 215 CPMs for patients with coronary artery disease, 168 CPMs for population samples, and 79 models for patients with heart failure. There are 77 distinct index/outcome pairings. Of the de novo models in this database, 450 (63%) report a c-statistic and 259 (36%) report some information on calibration. There is an abundance of CPMs available for a wide assortment of cardiovascular disease conditions, with substantial redundancy in the literature. The comparative performance of these models, the consistency of effects and risk estimates across models and the actual and potential clinical impact of this body of literature is poorly understood. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Travel-associated sexually transmitted infections: an observational cross-sectional study of the GeoSentinel surveillance database

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Matteelli, Alberto; Schlagenhauf, Patricia; Carvalho, Anna C. C.; Weld, Leisa; Davis, Xiaohong M.; Wilder-Smith, Annelies; Barnett, Elizabeth D.; Parola, Philippe; Pandey, Prativa; Han, Pauline; Castelli, Francesco; Murphy, Holly; Weber, Rainer; Steffen, Robert; von Sonnenburg, Frank; Jenks, Nancy Piper; Kerr, Christine A.; Borwein, Sarah; Leder, Karin; Torresi, Joseph; Brown, Graham V.; Keystone, Jay S.; Kain, Kevin C.; Jensenius, Mogens; Wang, Andy; Eason, Jane; MacDonald, Susan; McCarthy, Anne E.; Anderson, Nicole L.; Batchelor, Trish; Meisch, Dominique; López-Vélez, Rogelio; Pérez-Molina, Jose A.; Field, Vanessa; Schwartz, Eli; Gkrania-Klotsas, Effrossyni; Loutan, Louis; Chappuis, François; Caumes, Eric; Pérignon, Alice; Lim, Poh Lian; Burchard, Gerd-Dieter; Libman, Michael D.; Ward, Brian J.; Maclean, J. Dick; Stauffer, William M.; Walker, Patricia F.; Hale, Devon C.; Anand, Rahul; de Vries, Peter J.

2013-01-01

Travel is thought to be a risk factor for the acquisition of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but no multicentre analyses have been done. We aimed to describe the range of diseases and the demographic and geographical factors associated with the acquisition of travel-related STIs through

Updated clinical diagnostic criteria for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

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Kallenberg, K.; Summers, D. M.; Romero, C.; Taratuto, A.; Heinemann, U.; Breithaupt, M.; Varges, D.; Meissner, B.; Ladogana, A.; Schuur, M.; Haik, S.; Collins, S. J.; Jansen, Gerard H.; Stokin, G. B.; Pimentel, J.; Hewer, E.; Collie, D.; Smith, P.; Roberts, H.; Brandel, J. P.; van Duijn, C.; Pocchiari, M.; Begue, C.; Cras, P.; Will, R. G.; Sanchez-Juan, P.

2009-01-01

Several molecular subtypes of sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease have been identified and electroencephalogram and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers have been reported to support clinical diagnosis but with variable utility according to subtype. In recent years, a series of publications have demonstrated a potentially important role for magnetic resonance imaging in the pre-mortem diagnosis of sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. Magnetic resonance imaging signal alterations correlate with distinct sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease molecular subtypes and thus might contribute to the earlier identification of the whole spectrum of sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease cases. This multi-centre international study aimed to provide a rationale for the amendment of the clinical diagnostic criteria for sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. Patients with sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease and fluid attenuated inversion recovery or diffusion-weight imaging were recruited from 12 countries. Patients referred as ‘suspected sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease’ but with an alternative diagnosis after thorough follow up, were analysed as controls. All magnetic resonance imaging scans were assessed for signal changes according to a standard protocol encompassing seven cortical regions, basal ganglia, thalamus and cerebellum. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were evaluated in 436 sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease patients and 141 controls. The pattern of high signal intensity with the best sensitivity and specificity in the differential diagnosis of sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease was identified. The optimum diagnostic accuracy in the differential diagnosis of rapid progressive dementia was obtained when either at least two cortical regions (temporal, parietal or occipital) or both caudate nucleus and putamen displayed a high signal in fluid attenuated inversion recovery or diffusion-weight imaging magnetic resonance imaging. Based on our analyses, magnetic