Extensive Cross-contamination Of Specimens With Mycobacterium Tuberculosis In A Reference Laboratory

A striking increase in the numbers of cultures positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis was noticed in a mycobacterial reference laboratory in Campinas, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, in May 1995. A contaminated bronchoscope was the suspected cause of the increase. All 91 M. tuberculosis isolates grown from samples from patients between 8 May and 18 July 1995 were characterized by spoligotyping and IS6110 fingerprinting. Sixty-one of the 91 isolates had identical spoligotype patterns, and the pattern was arbitrarily designated S36. The 61 specimens containing these isolates had been processed and cultured in a 21-day period ending on 1 June 1995, but only 1 sample was smear positive for acid-fast bacilli. The patient from whom this sample was obtained was considered to be the index case patient and had a 4+ smear- positive lymph node aspirate that had been sent to the laboratory on 10 May. Virtually all organisms with spoligotype S36 had the same IS6110 fingerprint pattern. Extensive review of the patients' charts and investigation of laboratory procedures revealed that cross-contamination of specimens had occurred. Because the same strain was grown from all types of specimens, the bronchoscope was ruled out as the outbreak source. The most likely source of contamination was a multiple-use reagent used for specimen processing. The organism was cultured from two of the solutions 3 weeks after mock contamination. This investigation strongly supports the idea that M. tuberculosis grown from smear-negative specimens should be analyzed by rapid and reliable strain differentiation techniques, such as spoligotyping, to help rule out laboratory contamination.374916919Tuberculosis notification update (1996) Weekly Epidemiol. Rec., 71, pp. 65-72Bauer, J., Thomsen, V.O., Poulsen, S., Andersen, A.B., False-positive results from cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis due to laboratory cross-contamination confirmed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (1997) J. Clin. Microbiol., 35, pp. 988-991Bhattacharya, M., Dietrich, S., Mosher, L., Siddiqui, F., Reisberg, B.E., Paul, W.S., Warren, J.R., Cross contamination of specimens with Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Clinical significance, causes, and prevention (1997) Microbiol. Infect. Dis., 109, pp. 324-330Braden, C.R., Templeton, G.L., Stead, W.W., Bates, J.H., Cave, M.D., Valway, S.E., Retrospective detection of laboratory cross-contamination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures with use of DNA fingerprint analysis (1997) Clin. Infect. Dis., 24, pp. 35-40Dunlap, N.E., Harris, R.H., Benjamin W.H., Jr., Harden, J.W., Hafner, D., Laboratory contamination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures (1995) Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., 152, pp. 1702-1704Groenen, P.M.A., Bunschoten, A.E., Van Soolingen, D., Van Embden, J.D.A., Nature of DNA polymorphism in the direct repeat cluster of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Application for strain differentiation by a novel typing method (1993) Mol. Microbiol., 10, pp. 1057-1065Jones W.D., Jr., Bacteriophage typing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures from incidents of suspected laboratory cross-contamination (1988) Tubercle, 69, pp. 43-49Kamerbeek, J., Schouls, L., Kolk, A., Van Agterveld, M., Van Soolingen, D., Kuijper, S., Bunschoten, A., Van Embden, J., Simultaneous detection and strain differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis for diagnosis and epidemiology (1997) J. Clin. Microbiol., 35, pp. 907-914MacGregor, R.R., Clark, L.W., Bass, F., The significance of isolating low numbers of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in culture of sputum specimens Chest, 68, pp. 518-523Maurer, J.R., Desmond, E.P., Lesser, M.D., Jones, W.D., False-positive cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (1984) Chest, 86, pp. 439-442Murray, P.R., Mycobacterial cross-contamination with the modified BACTEC 460 TB system (1991) Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis., 14, pp. 33-35Small, P.M., McClenny, N.B., Singh, S.P., Schoolnik, G.K., Tompkins, L.S., Mickelsen, P.A., Molecular strain typing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to confirm cross-contamination in the mycobacteriology laboratory and modification of procedures to minimize occurrence of false-positive cultures (1993) J. Clin. Microbiol., 31, pp. 1677-1682Smith, W.B., Vance D.W., Jr., Specimen cross-contamination by a strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis lacking nitrate reductase activity (1991) Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis., 14, pp. 523-526Van Embden, J.D.A., Cave, M.D., Crawford, J.T., Dale, J.W., Eisenach, K.D., Gicquel, B., Hermans, P., Small, P.M., Strain identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by DNA fingerprinting: Recommendations for a standardized methodology (1993) J. Clin. Microbiol., 31, pp. 406-409Wurtz, R., Demarais, P., Trainor, W., McAuley, J., Kocka, F., Mosher, L., Dietrich, S., Specimen contamination in mycobacteriology laboratory detected by pseudo-outbreak of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: Analysis by routine epidemiology and confirmation by molecular technique (1996) J. Clin. Microbiol., 34, pp. 1017-101

Los primeros 1000 días: una oportunidad para reducir la carga de las enfermedades no transmisibles

El crecimiento y desarrollo de un individuo está determinado desde la etapa embrionaria por su genética y los factores ambientales con los que interactúa. Los riesgos para la salud infantil y adulta pueden programarse durante las etapas fetal-neonatal y esta programación metabólica precoz puede afectar al desarrollo posterior de enfermedades como la obesidad y otras enfermedades no transmisibles (ENT) asociadas. La vida temprana, por la gran plasticidad que la caracteriza, constituye el momento ideal para intervenir y prevenir el riesgo de ENT (ventana de oportunidad). Una nutrición óptima durante los primeros 1000 días, que comprende desde la concepción hasta los dos años, es clave para la salud a lo largo de la vida. El rápido crecimiento y desarrollo del organismo y sus funciones durante el embarazo, la lactancia y el niño de corta edad conlleva requisitos nutricionales específicos en cada una de estas etapas. La microbiota del tracto gastrointestinal desempeña una labor fundamental en la función y el desarrollo del sistema inmune. Las interacciones entre el hospedador y su microbiota intestinal se consideran factores potenciales en la programación temprana de las funciones intestinales, con una evidencia creciente de que las alteraciones de la colonización bacteriana en el neonato se asocian con un mayor riesgo de enfermedad, incluidas las enfermedades alérgicas. La evidencia científica acumulada muestra que los primeros 1000 días son cruciales para alcanzar el mejor desarrollo y salud a largo plazo, y constituyen un periodo estratégico en términos de prevención y salud pública. Growth and development are determined by genetic and environmental factors since the very early embryonic life. Long-term health risks, as obesity and other non-communicable diseases (NCD), could be programmed since these early stages. Early life, characterized by plasticity, is the ideal time to intervene and to prevent the risk of suffering a NCD (window of opportunity). Optimal nutrition during the first 1, 000 days, since conception to the end of the second year of life, has a determinant role for long-term health. Pregnancy, infancy and toddler periods have specific nutritional requirements. Intestinal microbiota enhances maturation and functioning of the immune system. The interactions between host and intestinal microbiota are potential factors influencing early programming of the intestinal function. Alterations in intestinal colonization are associated to a higher risk of allergic diseases in childhood. Scientific evidence supports the fact that the first 1,000 days are crucial to achieve a better long-term health and represents a strategic period to intervene under the perspective of prevention and public health

Biochemical parameters of silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) after transport with eugenol or essential oil of Lippia alba added to the water

The transport of live fish is a routine practice in aquaculture and constitutes a considerable source of stress to the animals. The addition of anesthetic to the water used for fish transport can prevent or mitigate the deleterious effects of transport stress. This study investigated the effects of the addition of eugenol (EUG) (1.5 or 3.0 mu L L-1) and essential oil of Lippia alba (EOL) (10 or 20 mu L L-1) on metabolic parameters (glycogen, lactate and total protein levels) in liver and muscle, acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE) in muscle and brain, and the levels of protein carbonyl (PC), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and nonprotein thiol groups (NPSH) and activity of glutathione-S-transferase in the liver of silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen; Quoy and Gaimard, 1824) transported for four hours in plastic bags (loading density of 169.2 g L-1). The addition of various concentrations of EUG (1.5 or 3.0 mu L L-1) and EOL (10 or 20 mu L L-1) to the transport water is advisable for the transportation of silver catfish, since both concentrations of these substances increased the levels of NPSH antioxidant and decreased the TBARS levels in the liver. In addition, the lower liver levels of glycogen and lactate in these groups and lower AChE activity in the brain (EOL 10 or 20 mu L L-1) compared to the control group indicate that the energetic metabolism and neurotransmission were lower after administration of anesthetics, contributing to the maintenance of homeostasis and sedation status.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS/PRONEX) [10/0016-8]; Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Cientifico (CNPq) [470964/2009-0]; Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES); CNPqinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Los primeros 1000 días: una oportunidad para reducir la carga de las enfermedades no transmisibles

El crecimiento y desarrollo de un individuo está determinado desde la etapa embrionaria por su genética y los factores ambientales con los que interactúa. Los riesgos para la salud infantil y adulta pueden programarse durante las etapas fetal-neonatal y esta programación metabólica precoz puede afectar al desarrollo posterior de enfermedades como la obesidad y otras enfermedades no transmisibles (ENT) asociadas. La vida temprana, por la gran plasticidad que la caracteriza, constituye el momento ideal para intervenir y prevenir el riesgo de ENT (ventana de oportunidad). Una nutrición óptima durante los primeros 1000 días, que comprende desde la concepción hasta los dos años, es clave para la salud a lo largo de la vida. El rápido crecimiento y desarrollo del organismo y sus funciones durante el embarazo, la lactancia y el niño de corta edad conlleva requisitos nutricionales específicos en cada una de estas etapas. La microbiota del tracto gastrointestinal desempeña una labor fundamental en la función y el desarrollo del sistema inmune. Las interacciones entre el hospedador y su microbiota intestinal se consideran factores potenciales en la programación temprana de las funciones intestinales, con una evidencia creciente de que las alteraciones de la colonización bacteriana en el neonato se asocian con un mayor riesgo de enfermedad, incluidas las enfermedades alérgicas. La evidencia científica acumulada muestra que los primeros 1000 días son cruciales para alcanzar el mejor desarrollo y salud a largo plazo, y constituyen un periodo estratégico en términos de prevención y salud pública.Growth and development are determined by genetic and environmental factors since the very early embryonic life. Long-term health risks, as obesity and other non-communicable diseases (NCD), could be programmed since these early stages. Early life, characterized by plasticity, is the ideal time to intervene and to prevent the risk of suffering a NCD (window of opportunity). Optimal nutrition during the first 1,000 days, since conception to the end of the second year of life, has a determinant role for long-term health. Pregnancy, infancy and toddler periods have specific nutritional requirements. Intestinal microbiota enhances maturation and functioning of the immune system. The interactions between host and intestinal microbiota are potential factors influencing early programming of the intestinal function. Alterations in intestinal colonization are associated to a higher risk of allergic diseases in childhood. Scientific evidence supports the fact that the first 1,000 days are crucial to achieve a better long-term health and represents a strategic period to intervene under the perspective of prevention and public health

RICORS2040 : The need for collaborative research in chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a silent and poorly known killer. The current concept of CKD is relatively young and uptake by the public, physicians and health authorities is not widespread. Physicians still confuse CKD with chronic kidney insufficiency or failure. For the wider public and health authorities, CKD evokes kidney replacement therapy (KRT). In Spain, the prevalence of KRT is 0.13%. Thus health authorities may consider CKD a non-issue: very few persons eventually need KRT and, for those in whom kidneys fail, the problem is 'solved' by dialysis or kidney transplantation. However, KRT is the tip of the iceberg in the burden of CKD. The main burden of CKD is accelerated ageing and premature death. The cut-off points for kidney function and kidney damage indexes that define CKD also mark an increased risk for all-cause premature death. CKD is the most prevalent risk factor for lethal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the factor that most increases the risk of death in COVID-19, after old age. Men and women undergoing KRT still have an annual mortality that is 10- to 100-fold higher than similar-age peers, and life expectancy is shortened by ~40 years for young persons on dialysis and by 15 years for young persons with a functioning kidney graft. CKD is expected to become the fifth greatest global cause of death by 2040 and the second greatest cause of death in Spain before the end of the century, a time when one in four Spaniards will have CKD. However, by 2022, CKD will become the only top-15 global predicted cause of death that is not supported by a dedicated well-funded Centres for Biomedical Research (CIBER) network structure in Spain. Realizing the underestimation of the CKD burden of disease by health authorities, the Decade of the Kidney initiative for 2020-2030 was launched by the American Association of Kidney Patients and the European Kidney Health Alliance. Leading Spanish kidney researchers grouped in the kidney collaborative research network Red de Investigación Renal have now applied for the Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS) call for collaborative research in Spain with the support of the Spanish Society of Nephrology, Federación Nacional de Asociaciones para la Lucha Contra las Enfermedades del Riñón and ONT: RICORS2040 aims to prevent the dire predictions for the global 2040 burden of CKD from becoming true

Effects of diet and exercise training on neurovascular control during mental stress in obese women

Since neurovascular control is altered in obese subjects, we hypothesized that weight loss by diet (D) or diet plus exercise training (D + ET) would improve neurovascular control during mental stress in obese women. In a study with a dietary reduction of 600 kcal/day with or without exercise training for 4 months, 53 obese women were subdivided in D (N = 22, 33 ± 1 years, BMI 34 ± 1 kg/m²), D + ET (N = 22, 33 ± 1 years, BMI 33 ± 1 kg/m²), and nonadherent (NA, N = 9, 35 ± 2 years, BMI 33 ± 1 kg/m²) groups. Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) was measured by microneurography and forearm blood flow by venous occlusion plethysmography. Mental stress was elicited by a 3-min Stroop color word test. Weight loss was similar between D and D + ET groups (87 ± 2 vs 79 ± 2 and 85 ± 2 vs 76 ± 2 kg, respectively, P < 0.05) with a significant reduction in MSNA during mental stress (58 ± 2 vs 50 ± 2, P = 0.0001, and 59 ± 3 vs 50 ± 2 bursts/100 beats, P = 0.0001, respectively), although the magnitude of the response was unchanged. Forearm vascular conductance during mental stress was significantly increased only in D + ET (2.74 ± 0.22 vs 3.52 ± 0.19 units, P = 0.02). Weight loss reduces MSNA during mental stress in obese women. The increase in forearm vascular conductance after weight loss provides convincing evidence for D + ET interventions as a nonpharmacologic therapy of human obesity