Diagnostic Accuracy of Notified Cases as Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Private Sectors of Korea

The diagnostic accuracy of the data reported in the Korean tuberculosis surveillance system (KTBS) has not been adequately investigated. We reviewed the clinical data of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cases notified from private medical facilities through KTBS between January and June, 2004. PTB cases were classified into definite (culture-proven), probable (based on smear, polymerase chain reaction, histology, bronchoscopic finding, computed tomography, or both chest radiograph and symptoms) or possible (based only on chest radiograph) tuberculosis. Of the 1126 PTB cases, sputum AFB smear and culture were requested in 79% and 51% of the cases, respectively. Positive results of sputum smear and culture were obtained in 43% and 29% of all the patients, respectively. A total of 73.2% of the notified PTB cases could be classified as definite or probable and 81.7% as definite, probable, or possible. However, where infection was not confirmed bacteriologically or histologically, only 60.1% of the patients were definite, probable, or possible cases. More than 70% of PTB notified from private sectors in Korea can be regarded as real TB. The results may also suggest the possibility of over-estimation of TB burden in the use of the notification-based TB data

Factors Associated with Pregnancies among HIV-positive Women in a Prevention of Mother-to-child Transmission Programme

Objective: This study identified factors contributing to pregnancies in HIV-positive women who were on a prevention of HIV from mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programme in Letlhakeng Subdistrict, Botswana. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was employed using an interviewer administered (face-toface) questionnaire to obtain information from 35 HIV-positive pregnant women registered for a PMTCT programme. Use was made of a non-probability sampling method to obtain information from all the pregnant women who sought antenatal care (ANC) during the survey period. Results: The age of the participants ranged between 18 and 37 years with a modal age of 30 years and a mean of 29.02 years (standard deviation of 5.29). The majority of the participants were single (66%) and had two or more children (74%). About half of the participants (49%) had secondary school education and a high proportion of them knew their HIV-positive status for more than one year prior to the interview day (77%) while the same number of them were unemployed. Pregnant participants seemed to know their HIV status prior to pregnancy. Sharing information about the HIV status of their partners and the participant’s financial dependence on their partners did not show any significant association with their pregnancy status. However, the partner’s desire for parenthood (p < 0.05, 95% CI), the age difference between them and their partners (p < 0.05, 95%CI) and the use of condoms (p < 0.05, 95% CI) indicated significant associations between decision-making and the pregnancies. Conclusion: Pregnancy is common among HIV-positive women who are on a PMTCT at Letlhakeng sub-district as was shown by this study and this may constitute a serious health risk to the child and to the population in general. Key words: Botswana, economic dependence, HIV-positive status, knowledge, influence pregnancy. "Factores Asociados con Embarazos entre Mujeres VIH Positivas en un Programa de Prevención de la Transmisión de Madre a Hijo" RESUMEN Objetivo: Este estudio identificó factores que contribuyen a los embarazos en mujeres VIH positivas que tomaban parte en un programa de prevención de la transmisión del VIH de madre a hijo (PMTCT) en el subdistrito Letlhakeng, Botswana. Método: Se empleo un estudio descriptivo transversal, usando un cuestionario (cara a cara) administrado por el entrevistador para obtener información de 35 mujeres VIH positivas en estado de gestación, registradas para un programa PMTCT. Se usó un método de muestreo no probabilístico para obtener la información de todas las mujeres embarazadas que buscaron atención prenatal (APN) durante el periodo de estudio. Resultados: La edad de las participantes fue entre 18 y 37 años, con una edad modal de 30 años y una media de 29.02 años (desviación estándar de 5.29). La mayoría de las participantes eran solteras (66%) y tenían dos o más niños (74%). Alrededor de la mitad de las participantes (49%) habían alcanzado la enseñanza media y una alta proporción de ellas conocían su condición de VIH positiva desde hacía más de un año antes del día de la entrevista (77%), mientras el mismo número de ellas se hallaban desempleadas. Las participantes embarazadas parecían conocer su estado VIH con anterioridad al embarazo. Compartir la información sobre el estado de VIH de sus parejas y la dependencia financiera de las participantes respecto de sus parejas, no mostró ninguna asociación significativa con su estado de embarazo. Sin embargo, el deseo de paternidad de sus parejas (

Factors associated with pregnancies among HIV-positive women in a prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme

Objective: This study identified factors contributing to pregnancies in HIV-positive women who were on a prevention of HIV from mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programme in Letlhakeng Subdistrict, Botswana. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was employed using an interviewer administered (face-toface) questionnaire to obtain information from 35 HIV-positive pregnant women registered for a PMTCT programme. Use was made of a non-probability sampling method to obtain information from all the pregnant women who sought antenatal care (ANC) during the survey period. Results: The age of the participants ranged between 18 and 37 years with a modal age of 30 years and a mean of 29.02 years (standard deviation of 5.29). The majority of the participants were single (66%) and had two or more children (74%). About half of the participants (49%) had secondary school education and a high proportion of them knew their HIV-positive status for more than one year prior to the interview day (77%) while the same number of them were unemployed. Pregnant participants seemed to know their HIV status prior to pregnancy. Sharing information about the HIV status of their partners and the participant’s financial dependence on their partners did not show any significant association with their pregnancy status. However, the partner’s desire for parenthood (p < 0.05, 95% CI), the age difference between them and their partners (p < 0.05, 95%CI) and the use of condoms (p < 0.05, 95% CI) indicated significant associations between decision-making and the pregnancies. Conclusion: Pregnancy is common among HIV-positive women who are on a PMTCT at Letlhakeng sub-district as was shown by this study and this may constitute a serious health risk to the child and to the population in general

Cryopreservation of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) zygotic embryos does not induce morphological, cytological or molecular changes in recovered seedlings

The present study aimed at exploring the fidelity of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) plants recovered from cryopreservation. Zygotic embryos from various different cultivars were cryopreserved following four successive steps, namely: rapid dehydration, rapid freezing, rapid thawing and in vitro recovery followed by acclimatization. At the end of the acclimatization period, the seedlings were compared to counterparts of the same age, which were produced from non-cryopreserved embryos. Both series were submitted to morphological, cytological and molecular comparisons. No significant differences in terms of growth rates could be measured. In addition, no morphological variation could be detected through the measurement of shoot elongation rates, production of opened leaves, and the number and total length of primary roots. Karyotype analysis revealed the same chromosome number (2n = 32) in all studied cultivars independently of cryopreservation. No significant differences could be observed between control and cryopreserved material concerning the type of chromosomes, the length of the long and short arms, the arm length ratio and the centromeric index. However, idiogram analysis did show a greater number of black banding on chromosomes isolated from cryopreserved material. Genetic and epigenetic fidelity was assessed through microsatellite (SSR) analysis and global DNA methylation rates; no significant differences would be observed between genomic DNAs isolated from seedlings originating from cryopreserved embryos and respective controls. In conclusion, our results suggest that the method of cryopreservation under study did not induce gross morphological, genetic or epigenetic changes, thus suggesting that it is an appropriate method to efficiently preserve coconut germplasm