Case report: melioidosis imported from West Africa to Europe

We report the first case of imported melioidosis in Spain from a diabetic immigrant who visited West Africa during the rainy season. Because of the unusual presentation of this disease in Africa, clinical and microbiological diagnosis of imported melioidosis from this continent can be very elusive.S

The aetiology of paediatric inflammatory vulvovaginitis

5 p.Vulvovaginitis is the most common gynaecological problem in prepubertal girls and clear-cut data on the microbial aetiology of moderate to severe infections are lacking. Many microorganisms have been reported in several studies, but frequently the paediatrician does not know the pathogenic significance of an isolate reported in vaginal specimens of girls with vulvovaginitis. A multicentre study was performed, selecting 74 girls aged 2 to 12 years old with a clinical picture of vulvovaginitis and inflammatory cells on Gram stain. All the specimens were cultured following standard microbiological techniques and the paediatricians completed a questionnaire to highlight risk factors after interviewing the parents or tutors. The data were compared with those obtained in a control group of 11 girls without vulvovaginitis attending a clinic. Streptococcus pyogenesand Haemophilus spp.were isolated in 47 and 12 cases, respectively. Upper respiratory infection in the previous month ( P<0.001) and vulvovaginitis in the previous year ( P<0.05) were identified as significant risk factors. Foreign bodies, sexual abuse, poor hygiene and bad socioeconomic situation were not identified as risk factors for the infection

Diagnostic performance of CerTest and Panbio antigen rapid diagnostic tests to diagnose SARS-CoV-2 infection

Objectives Antigen rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDT) have been developed as reliable tools to control the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The objective of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of two Ag-RDTs. Methods We evaluated CerTest SARS-CoV-2 Ag One Step Card Test and Panbio COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test Device Ag-RDTs. We included 320 nasopharyngeal samples: 150 PCR negative samples to assess the specificity and 170 PCR positive samples to evaluate the sensitivity. We also evaluated their sensitivity according to cycle threshold (Ct) values and the time from the onset of symptoms. Tests were compared using the McNemar?s test and agreement was evaluated using the kappa score (k). Results Both Ag-RDTs showed a specificity of 100 %. Overall sensitivity was 53.5 % for CerTest and 60.0 % for Panbio. For samples with 25, sensitivity was 94.0 % for CerTest and 96.4 % for Panbio (p = 0.500). Regarding samples with Ct>25, sensitivity was 14.0 % for CerTest and 24.4 % for Panbio (p = 0.004). Sensitivity for samples within the first 5 days after the onset of symptoms were 84.8 % for CerTest and 91.3 % for Panbio (p = 0.250) and notably decreased for samples taken after the fifth day. Both Ag-RDTs showed an excellent agreement between them (agreement = 96.7 %, k = 0.920). Agreement with PCR was also excellent for high viral load samples (Ct<25) for CerTest (98.0 %, k = 0.954) and Panbio (98.8 %, k = 0.973). Conclusions CerTest SARS-CoV-2 and Panbio COVID-19 Ag showed excellent performance and agreement results for samples with high viral loads (Ct 25) or samples taken within the first 5 days after the onset of symptoms

Aspergillus tamarii keratitis in a contact lens wearer

Keratitis produced by Aspergillus tamarii has been previously described associated to an ocular injury. We report a case in a contact lens wearer with a history of previous bilateral myopic LASIK ablation, bilateral intracorneal rings and vitrectomy and scleral buckling in his left eye. The fungus could be quickly identified combining phenotype, microscopy and mass spectrometry. Treatment with intravenous amphotericin, oral voriconazole, and topical amphotericin and natamycin and voriconazole was needed for corneal preservation

MOESM3 of LAMP kit for diagnosis of non-falciparum malaria in Plasmodium ovale infected patients

Additional file 3. Results of the LoD study

MOESM2 of LAMP kit for diagnosis of non-falciparum malaria in Plasmodium ovale infected patients

Additional file 2. Abnormal curves obtained by turbidimetry

MOESM1 of LAMP kit for diagnosis of non-falciparum malaria in Plasmodium ovale infected patients

Additional file 1. Raw data of the study comparing turbidimeter and naked eyed readings