In vitro susceptibility of gram-negative bacterial isolates to chlorhexidine gluconate

Objective: To investigate the susceptibility of clinical isolates of gram-negative bacteria to chlorhexidine gluconate. Design: Prospective laboratory study. Setting: Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Subjects: Clinical specimens from 443 hospital patients. Main outcome measures: Significant number of gram negative bacteria were not inhibited by chlorhexidine gluconate (0.02-0.05%) used for antisepsis. Results: Four hundred and forty three strains of gram-negative bacteria were isolated from Tikur Anbessa Hospital patients. Escherichia coli (31.6%) and Klebsiella pneumoniue (23%) were the most frequently isolated bacteria followed by Proteus species (13.3%), Pseudomonas species (9.2%), and Citrobacter species (6.1%). Each organism was tested to chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG), minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 0.0001% to l%w/v. All Salmonella species and E. coli were inhibited by CHG, MIC I 0.01%. Twenty nine per cent of Acinetobacter, 28% of K. pneumoniae and Enterobacter species and 19-25% of Pseudomonas, Proteus and Providenciu species were only inhibited at high concentrations of CHG (2 0.1%). Conclusion: Our results showed that a significant number of the gram-negative bacterial isolates were not inhibited by CHG at the concentration used for disinfection of wounds or instruments (MIC 0.02-0.05% w/v). It is therefore important to select appropriate concentration of this disinfectant and rationally use it for disinfection and hospital hygiene. Continuing follow up and surveillance is also needed to detect resistant bacteria to chlorhexidine or other disinfectants in time.East African Medical Journal, May 1999, 234-24

Longitudinal Assessment of an ELISPOT Test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

Philip Hill and colleagues report that both ELISPOT conversion and reversion occur afterM. tuberculosis exposure in an endemic country and that the ELISPOT results agree poorly with results from the tuberculin skin test

Lymphocyte proliferation to mycobacterial antigens is detectable across a spectrum of HIV-associated tuberculosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Identifying novel TB diagnostics is a major public health priority. We explored the diagnostic characteristics of antimycobacterial lymphocyte proliferation assays (LPA) in HIV-infected subjects with latent or active TB.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>HIV-infected subjects with bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG) scars and CD4 counts ≥ 200 cells/mm³entering a TB booster vaccine trial in Tanzania had baseline in vivo and in vitro immune tests performed: tuberculin skin tests (TST), LPA and five day assays of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) release. Assay antigens were early secreted antigenic target 6 (ESAT-6), antigen 85 (Ag85), and <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis </it>whole cell lysate (WCL). Subjects were screened for active TB at enrollment by history, exam, sputum smear and culture. We compared antimycobacterial immune responses between subjects with and without latent or active TB at enrollment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among 1885 subjects screened, 635 had latent TB and 13 had active TB. Subjects with latent TB were more likely than subjects without TB to have LPA responses to ESAT-6 (13.2% vs. 5.5%, P < 0.0001), Ag85 (18.7% vs. 3.1%, P < 0.0001), and WCL (45.7% vs. 17.1%, P < 0.0001). Subjects with active TB also were more likely than those without active TB to have detectable LPA responses to ESAT-6 (38.5% vs. 8.1%, P = 0.0001), Ag85 (46.2% vs. 8.5%, P < 0.0001), and WCL (61.5% vs. 27.0%, P = 0.0053). In subjects with a positive TST, LPA responses to ESAT-6, Ag85 and WCL were more common during active TB (p < 0.0001 for all tests). In diagnosing active TB, in vivo and in vitro tests of mycobacterial immune responses had sensitivity and specificity as follows: TST 84.6% and 65.5%, ESAT-6 LPA 38.5% and 92.0%, Ag85 LPA 46.2% and 91.5%, and WCL LPA 61.5% and 73.0%. Detectable LPA responses were more common in patients with higher CD4 counts, and higher HIV viral loads.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Lymphoproliferative responses to mycobacteria are detectable during HIV-associated active TB, and are less sensitive but more specific than TST.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00052195.</p

Fitoquímica e quimiossistemática de Conchocarpus marginatus e C. inopinatus (Rutaceae)

Phytochemical studies of the leaves and stem have led to the identification of the known acridone alkaloids arborinine, methyl-arborinine, 1-hydroxy-3-methoxy-N-methyl acridone, xanthoxoline, 1,2,3,5-tetramethoxy-N-methylacridone, toddaliopsin C and the new seco acridone alkaloid inopinatin. The known quinoline alkaloids 2-phenyl-1-methyl-quinolin-4(1H)-one, 2-phenyl-1-methyl-7-methoxy-quinolin-4(1H)-one, dictamnine, and the coumarins scopoletin and marmesin were also isolated. The isolated compounds and the distribution of secondary metabolites, which are systematically important, obtained from literature, clearly confirmed that some species formerly described in the genera Angostura and Galipea in fact shall belong to the genus Conchocarpus

Community-based cross-sectional survey of latent tuberculosis infection in Afar pastoralists, Ethiopia, using QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube and tuberculin skin test

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is little information concerning community-based prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) using T-cell based interferon-γ (IFN-γ) release assays (IGRAs), particularly in TB endemic settings. In this study, the prevalence of LTBI in the Afar pastoral community was assessed using QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFTGIT) and tuberculin skin tests (TST).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A community-based cross-sectional survey of LTBI involving 652 apparently healthy adult pastoralists was undertaken in the pastoral community of Amibara District of the Afar Region between April and June 2010.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence of LTBI was estimated as 63.7% (363/570) using QFTGIT at the cut-off point recommended by the manufacturer (≥ 0.35 IU/ml IFN-γ), while it was 74.9% (427/570) using a cut-off point ≥ 0.1 IU/ml IFN-γ. The QFTGIT-based prevalence of LTBI was not significantly associated with the gender or age of the study participants. However, the prevalence of LTBI was 31.2% (183/587) using TST at a cut-off point ≥ 10 mm of skin indurations, and it was higher in males than females (36.8% vs. 23.5%, X²= 11.76; p < 0.001). There was poor agreement between the results of the tests (k = 0.098, 95% CI, 0.08 - 0.13). However, there was a positive trend between QFTGIT and TST positivity (X²= 96.76, P < 0.001). Furthermore, individuals with skin indurations ≥ 10 mm were 13.6 times more likely to have positive results using QFTGIT than individuals with skin indurations of 0 mm (adjusted OR = 13.6; 95%CI, 7.5 to 24.7, p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>There is currently no agreed gold standard for diagnosis of LTBI. However, the higher prevalence of LTBI detected using QFTGIT rather than TST suggests that QFTGIT could be used for epidemiological studies concerning LTBI at the community level, even in a population unreactive to TST. Further studies of adults and children will be required to assess the effects of factors such as malnutrition, non-tuberculosis mycobacterial infections, HIV and parasitic infections on the performance of QFTGIT.</p

Electrical stimulation with non-implanted electrodes for overactive bladder in adults

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

EDE-Q

This project focuses on education's effect on women's EDE-Q sub-scale scores (weight concern, shape concern, eat concern and constraint)

Reflecting on Relationships: The Effect of Priming Biological Family and Friendship Formation Ideals on Altruism Towards Strangers

Although altruism tends to occur more frequently for biological family members than for friends, it is unclear how characteristics associated with either of these groups shape altruistic behavior in other settings. This experiment explored how being explicitly primed with normative ideas about family members (genetic similarities, intergenerational transmission of traditions) or friendship formation (coincidentally shared interests, forming connections with new people) influences altruism towards strangers. Participants answered questions about their relationship with a close biological relative or a friend before playing a public goods game, an economic decision-making task used to measure cooperation. They also completed measures of mood, empathy, and individualism-collectivism. It was hypothesized that friendship formation priming would induce more altruism, or greater contribution amounts in the game. While differences in public goods game contribution amounts and personality measure scores between the conditions were not significant, participants generally reciprocated contributions from group members. These results imply that family- and friendship-related ideals do not consistently induce altruism. Ideas for obtaining a larger and more robust sample are discussed