Rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from sputum specimens using the FASTPlaqueTB test

OBJECTIVES: To determine the performance of the FASTPlaqueTB test, based on bacterlophage amplification technology, by comparison with the BACTEC 460 TB culture system, the Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium culture method and Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining

Correlation between broth microdilution and disk diffusion methods for antifungal susceptibility testing of caspofungin, voriconazole, amphotericin B, itraconazole and fluconazole against Candida glabrata

Candida glabrata is one of the most frequent organisms isolated from superficial and invasive fungal infections, after Candida albicans. This organism also exhibits intrinsically low susceptibility to azole antifungals and treatment often fails. The microdilution method is not very practical for use in routine susceptibility testing in the clinical laboratory, thus necessitating the use of other methods. In this study, we compared the in vitro activity of five antifungal agents in three different groups (echinocandin, polyene and azole) against 50 C glabrata isolates by broth microdilution and disk diffusion methods recommended by Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute CLSI M27-A3 and CLSI M44-A, respectively. All the isolates were susceptible to amphotericin B (100%) and 98% of the isolates were susceptible to caspofungin by the broth microdilution method. Within the azole group drugs, voriconazole was the most active followed by fluconazole and itraconazole in vitro. The highest rate of resistance was obtained against itraconazole with a high number of isolates defined as susceptible-dose dependent or resistant. Although the disk diffusion method is easy to use in clinical laboratories, it shows very poor agreement with the reference method for fluconazole and itraconazole against C glabrata (8% and 14%, respectively). (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

MALIGNANCY RISK IS INCREASED IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS

WOS: 000331587904039

Comparison of Methods Used for the Diagnosis of Epstein-Barr Virus Infections in Children

PMID = 3001542

Risk factors for malignancy in systemic sclerosis patients

Annual Meeting of Spondyloarthritis-Research-and-Treatment-Network (SPARTAN) -- JUL 25-26, 2015 -- Denver, COWOS: 000376281000017PubMed ID: 27118199Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease with multisystem involvement. An increased incidence of cancer in SSc patients compared with the general population has been reported in several reports. Our aims in this study were to determine the most common malignancies and to investigate the possible risk factors for the development of malignancy in patients with SSc. Three hundred forty SSc patients from 13 centers were included to the study. Data of the patients were obtained by evaluating their medical records retrospectively. A total of 340 patients with SSc were evaluated. Twenty-five of the patients had 19 different types of malignancy. Bladder cancer was the most common type of cancer with four patients and was followed by breast cancer with three patients, and cervix cancer and ovarian cancer with two patients each. Other types of cancers such as squamous cell skin cancer, adenocancer with an unknown origin, multiple myeloma, chronic myeloid leukemia, papillary thyroid cancer, larynx cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, follicular type non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), endometrium cancer, colon cancer, uterus cancer, neuroendocrine tumor, glioblastoma multiforme, and soft tissue sarcoma were diagnosed in one patient each. The only cancer type that showed an association with cyclophosphamide dose was bladder carcinoma. Other malignancies did not show a correlation with age, sex, smoking, type and duration of the disease, autoantibodies, organ involvement, and dose and duration of cyclophosphamide therapy. Cancer may develop in any organ in patients with SSc. Continuous screening of the patients during a follow-up period is necessary for the early detection of the tumor development.Spondyloarthritis Res & Treatment Networ

A RARE BUT LIFE-THREATENING PRESENTATION OF BEHCET'S DISEASE: INTRA-CARDIAC THROMBUS

15th Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR) -- JUN 11-14, 2014 -- Paris, FRANCEWOS: 00034691980311