Medical waste management in today’s healthcare: issues and progress

Background. In every region of the Russian Federation, medical waste management importantly relies on both safe and cost-effective decontamination.Objectives. The study aims to highlight the hygienic aspects of medical waste management in healthcare facilities of Krasnodar Krai and county-wide, as well as to prove the cost effectiveness of the physical decentralised decontamination/neutralisation method in a multi-specialty healthcare facility.Methods. A retrospective analysis of medical waste management over Krasnodar Krai and at a multi-specialty hospital has been conducted for period 2016–2018; cost effectiveness was calculated for the decentralised (physical) method of medical waste decontamination. Statistical analyses were performed with Statistica 10.Results. A high proportion of medical waste has been established for both Krasnodar Krai and country-wide. The cost effectiveness of the physical decentralised waste decontamination method has been demonstrated. The estimates with Ochapovsky Regional Clinical Hospital No. 1 Research Institute showed that a per-kilo deactivation cost for class B (epidemiological hazard) waste by a decentralised (physical) method is more effective amounting to average 38.42 ± 4.48 vs. 191.20 ± 20.46 (p < 0.01) for specialised commercial services of medical waste collection, transportation and neutralisation; the use of a reliable validated physical method warrants the staff epidemiological safety.Conclusion. The cost effectiveness of the physical decentralised method of medical waste decontamination/neutralisation has been demonstrated with a multi-specialty hospital. Better legal regulation and inter-department coordination of medical waste management will upgrade the disposal solutions to ensure compliance with epidemiological and environmental safety

Genome-Wide Mycobacterium tuberculosis Variation (GMTV) Database: A New Tool for Integrating Sequence Variations and Epidemiology

Background Tuberculosis (TB) poses a worldwide threat due to advancing multidrug-resistant strains and deadly co-infections with Human immunodeficiency virus. Today large amounts of Mycobacterium tuberculosis whole genome sequencing data are being assessed broadly and yet there exists no comprehensive online resource that connects M. tuberculosis genome variants with geographic origin, with drug resistance or with clinical outcome. Description Here we describe a broadly inclusive unifying Genome-wide Mycobacterium tuberculosis Variation (GMTV) database, (http://mtb.dobzhanskycenter.org) that catalogues genome variations of M. tuberculosis strains collected across Russia. GMTV contains a broad spectrum of data derived from different sources and related to M. tuberculosis molecular biology, epidemiology, TB clinical outcome, year and place of isolation, drug resistance profiles and displays the variants across the genome using a dedicated genome browser. GMTV database, which includes 1084 genomes and over 69,000 SNP or Indel variants, can be queried about M. tuberculosis genome variation and putative associations with drug resistance, geographical origin, and clinical stages and outcomes. Conclusions Implementation of GMTV tracks the pattern of changes of M. tuberculosis strains in different geographical areas, facilitates disease gene discoveries associated with drug resistance or different clinical sequelae, and automates comparative genomic analyses among M. tuberculosis strains

Prisoners co-infected with tuberculosis and HIV: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Almost from the beginning of the HIV epidemic in 1981, an association with tuberculosis (TB) was recognized. This association between HIV and TB co-infection has been particularly evident amongst prisoners. However, despite this, few studies of TB in prisons have stratified results by HIV status. Given the high prevalence of HIV-positive persons and TB-infected persons in prisons and the documented risk of TB in those infected with HIV, it is of interest to determine how co-infection varies amongst prison populations worldwide. For this reason we have undertaken a systematic review of studies of co-infected prisoners to determine the incidence and/or prevalence of HIV/TB co-infection in prisons, as well as outcomes in this group, measured as treatment success or death. METHODS: A literature search was undertaken using the online databases PubMed, Embase, IBSS, Scopus, Web of Science, Global Health and CINAHL Plus. No restrictions were set on language or publication date for article retrieval, with articles included if indexed up to 18 October 2015. A total of 1975 non-duplicate papers were identified. For treatment and outcome data all eligible papers were appraised for inclusion; for incidence/prevalence estimates papers published prior to 2000 were excluded from full text review. After full text appraisal, 46 papers were selected for inclusion in the review, 41 for incidence/prevalence estimates and nine for outcomes data, with four papers providing evidence for both outcomes and prevalence/incidence. RESULTS: Very few studies estimated the incidence of TB in HIV positive prisoners, with most simply reporting prevalence of co-infection. Co-infection is rarely explicitly measured, with studies simply reporting HIV status in prisoners with TB, or a cross-sectional survey of TB prevalence amongst prisoners with HIV. Estimates of co-infection prevalence ranged from 2.4 to 73.1% and relative risks for one, given the other, ranged from 2.0 to 10.75, although some studies reported no significant association between HIV and TB. Few studies provided a comparison with the risk of co-infection in the general population. CONCLUSIONS: Prisoners infected with HIV are at high risk of developing TB. However, the magnitude of risk varies between different prisons and countries. There is little evidence on treatment outcomes in co-infected prisoners, and the existing evidence is conflicting in regards to HIV status influence on prisoner treatment outcomes.PROSPERO Number: CRD42016034068

Siliceous microfossil distribution in the surficial sediments of Lake Baikal

Examination of surficial sediments at 16 stations shows minor, but consistent differences in the numbers and kinds of siliceous microfossils deposited in different regions of Lake Baikal. There is a general north-south decreasing trend in total microfossil abundance on a weight basis. Endemic plankton diatom species are the most abundant component of assemblages at all stations. Chrysophyte cysts are present at all stations, but most forms are more abundant at northern stations. Non-endemic plankton diatom species are most abundant at southern stations. Small numbers of benthic diatoms and sponge spicules are found in all samples. Although low numbers are present in offshore sediments, the benthic diatom flora is very diverse. Principal components analysis confirms primary north-south abundance trends and suggests further differentiation by station location and depth.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43071/1/10933_2004_Article_BF00682594.pd

Сравнительная эффективность и безопасность биоаналога инфликсимаба (BCD-055) и оригинального инфликсимаба у пациентов с анкилозирующим спондилитом (результаты международных многоцентровых рандомизированных двойных слепых клинических исследований I и III фазы)

This article presents results from two clinical trials of infliximab biosimilar, BCD-055, including comparative data on the pharmacokinetics (PK), efficacy and safety of BCD-055 and innovator infliximab (IFX) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).Objective: The purpose of phase I clinical study ASART-1 was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and safety profile of BCD-055 and to prove its equivalence with Remicade®, phase III study ASART-2 was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of BCD-055 in comparison with Remicade® in patients with active AS.Patients and methods: Both studies were conducted as international multi-center randomized double-blind studies in direct comparison with innovator IFX. Inclusion and exclusion criteria, main examination methods, and drug regimens were the same in both trials. A total of 199 patients were enrolled in the studies. After the screening, the patients were stratified by CRP and BASDAI score, randomized (1:1 ratio in ASART-1; 2:1 ratio in ASART-2) into 2 arms and received BCD-055 or innovator IFX at a dose 5 mg/kg IV at 0, 2, 6 and then every 8 weeks (up to week 54). The primary endpoint for PK profile evaluation was the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC(0-tau)), maximum serum concentration of infliximab at steady state Cmax,ss. Efficacy was assessed by achieving ASAS20 at week 30, the endpoints for safety profile were the incidence of adverse events and serious adverse events during the maintenance-dosing phase and withdrawals from the study due to the safety reasons.Results: A total of 81 patients (ASART-1 study) were included in PK analysis, 199 patients were in efficacy and safety analysis. AUC(0-tau) value were 25,420,996.25±11,635,015.74 (ng/ml) Cmax,ss for BCD-055 and 26,114,705.71±12,102,376.9 (ng/ml)⋅h for INF innovator (p>0.05). Cmax,ss for BCD-055/Remicade® was 122,752 [99,401–151,553] ng/ml and 119,844 [98,120–132,772] ng/ml, respectively (p>0.05). ASAS20 was achieved at week 30 by 81.30% of the patients in the BCD-055 group, and 67.74% in the INF innovator group (p=0.061). The analysis of secondary endpoints (BASDAI, BASMI, BASFI, MASES, quality of life, chest excursion, and number of pathologically changed joints) showed no difference between the biosimilar and innovator groups. BCD-055 and innovator IFX showed highly similar safety profiles in both studies without cases of unexpected toxicity. The rates of AEs were equivalent for both drugs and were 48.48% and 58.21% of patients in the BCD-055 and Remicade®, respectively.Conclusion: BCD-055 is found to be equivalent in terms of PK, and showed the similarity in efficacy and safety profile compared with innovator IFX in patients with active AS.В статье приведены результаты международных, многоцентровых рандомизированных двойных слепых клинических исследований (КИ) I и III фазы биоаналога инфликсимаба (ИНФ) – BCD-055. Представлены сравнительные данные о фармакокинетике (ФК), эффективности и безопасности BCD-055 и оригинального препарата у пациентов с активным анкилозирующим спондилитом (АС).Цель исследования: КИ I фазы ASART-1 проводилось для доказательства фармакокинетической эквивалентности и равной безопасности препаратов BCD-055 и Ремикейд® (РЕМ), КИ III фазы ASART-2 – для установления не меньшей эффективности и равной безопасности препарата BCD-055 в сравнении с препаратом РЕМ у больных активным АС.Пациенты и методы. Критерии включения и невключения в обоих исследованиях, основные методики обследования, схема применения препаратов были аналогичными. Всего в анализ включенно 199 пациентов. В результате рандомизации (1:1 в ASART-1, 2:1 в ASART-2) пациенты были распределены на две группы и получали BCD-055 или оригинальный препарат в дозе 5 мг/кг на 0–2–6-й неделе, затем каждую 8-ю неделю. Первичной конечной точкой для оценки ФК были: площадь под кривой «концентрация – время» до достижения равновесного состояния (AUC(0-tau)), максимальная концентрация ИНФ в равновесном состоянии (Cmax,ss). Эффективность оценивалась по достижению критерия ASAS20 на 30-й неделе. Безопасность препаратов определяли по общей частоте случаев развития серьезных нежелательных явлений (СНЯ) и нежелательных явлений (НЯ), частоте случаев НЯ 3–4-й степени токсичности, случаев досрочного прекращения участия в исследовании по причине развития НЯ и СНЯ.Результаты. В анализ ФК (ASART-1) был включен 81 пациент, в анализ эффективности и безопасности (ASART-2) – 199. Значения AUC(0-tau) составляли 25 420 996,25±11 635 015,74 (нг/мл) ⋅ ч для BCD-055 и 26 114 705,71±121 02 376,9 (нг/мл) ⋅ ч для оригинального ИНФ (p>0,05). Cmax,ss после введения BCD-055/РЕМ равнялась 122 752 [99 401–151 553] и 119 844 [98 120–132 772] нг/мл соответственно (p>0,05). ASAS20 на 30-й неделе достигли 81,30 и 67,74% пациентов в группе BCD-055 и РЕМ соответственно (р=0,061). При анализе дополнительных конечных точек (индексы BASDAI, BASMI, BASFI, MASES, показатели качества жизни, экскурсия грудной клетки, счет патологически измененных суставов) достоверных различий в эффективности между группами биоаналога и оригинального препарата не выявлено. На протяжении исследования какие-либо НЯ зарегистрированы у 48,48 и 58,21% пациентов в группах BCD-055 и РЕМ соответственно. Инфузионная реакция развилась у 1 (0,76%) пациента в группе BCD-055 и у 1 (1,49%) в группе препарата сравнения (р=1,000). Выводы. Параметры ФК были эквивалентны для BCD-055 и оригинального ИНФ, препарат BCD-055 характеризовался не меньшей эффективностью и равной безопасностью по сравнению с оригинальным ИНФ при применении у пациентов с АС