Sample records for kato-katz thick smears

  1. A Comparison of the Sensitivity and Fecal Egg Counts of the McMaster Egg Counting and Kato-Katz Thick Smear Methods for Soil-Transmitted Helminths

    PubMed Central

    Levecke, Bruno; Behnke, Jerzy M.; Ajjampur, Sitara S. R.; Albonico, Marco; Ame, Shaali M.; Charlier, Johannes; Geiger, Stefan M.; Hoa, Nguyen T. V.; Kamwa Ngassam, Romuald I.; Kotze, Andrew C.; McCarthy, James S.; Montresor, Antonio; Periago, Maria V.; Roy, Sheela; Tchuem Tchuenté, Louis-Albert; Thach, D. T. C.; Vercruysse, Jozef

    2011-01-01

    Background The Kato-Katz thick smear (Kato-Katz) is the diagnostic method recommended for monitoring large-scale treatment programs implemented for the control of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in public health, yet it is difficult to standardize. A promising alternative is the McMaster egg counting method (McMaster), commonly used in veterinary parasitology, but rarely so for the detection of STH in human stool. Methodology/Principal Findings The Kato-Katz and McMaster methods were compared for the detection of STH in 1,543 subjects resident in five countries across Africa, Asia and South America. The consistency of the performance of both methods in different trials, the validity of the fixed multiplication factor employed in the Kato-Katz method and the accuracy of these methods for estimating ‘true’ drug efficacies were assessed. The Kato-Katz method detected significantly more Ascaris lumbricoides infections (88.1% vs. 75.6%, p<0.001), whereas the difference in sensitivity between the two methods was non-significant for hookworm (78.3% vs. 72.4%) and Trichuris trichiura (82.6% vs. 80.3%). The sensitivity of the methods varied significantly across trials and magnitude of fecal egg counts (FEC). Quantitative comparison revealed a significant correlation (Rs >0.32) in FEC between both methods, and indicated no significant difference in FEC, except for A. lumbricoides, where the Kato-Katz resulted in significantly higher FEC (14,197 eggs per gram of stool (EPG) vs. 5,982 EPG). For the Kato-Katz, the fixed multiplication factor resulted in significantly higher FEC than the multiplication factor adjusted for mass of feces examined for A. lumbricoides (16,538 EPG vs. 15,396 EPG) and T. trichiura (1,490 EPG vs. 1,363 EPG), but not for hookworm. The McMaster provided more accurate efficacy results (absolute difference to ‘true’ drug efficacy: 1.7% vs. 4.5%). Conclusions/Significance The McMaster is an alternative method for monitoring large-scale treatment

  2. Comparative cost assessment of the Kato-Katz and FLOTAC techniques for soil-transmitted helminth diagnosis in epidemiological surveys

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background The Kato-Katz technique is widely used for the diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in epidemiological surveys and is believed to be an inexpensive method. The FLOTAC technique shows a higher sensitivity for the diagnosis of light-intensity soil-transmitted helminth infections but is reported to be more complex and expensive. We assessed the costs related to the collection, processing and microscopic examination of stool samples using the Kato-Katz and FLOTAC techniques in an epidemiological survey carried out in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Methods We measured the time for the collection of a single stool specimen in the field, transfer to a laboratory, preparation and microscopic examination using standard protocols for the Kato-Katz and FLOTAC techniques. Salaries of health workers, life expectancy and asset costs of materials, and infrastructure costs were determined. The average cost for a single or duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears and the FLOTAC dual or double technique were calculated. Results The average time needed to collect a stool specimen and perform a single or duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears or the FLOTAC dual or double technique was 20 min and 34 sec (20:34 min), 27:21 min, 28:14 min and 36:44 min, respectively. The total costs for a single and duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears were US$ 1.73 and US$ 2.06, respectively, and for the FLOTAC double and dual technique US$ 2.35 and US$ 2.83, respectively. Salaries impacted most on the total costs of either method. Conclusions The time and cost for soil-transmitted helminth diagnosis using either the Kato-Katz or FLOTAC method in epidemiological surveys are considerable. Our results can help to guide healthcare decision makers and scientists in budget planning and funding for epidemiological surveys, anthelminthic drug efficacy trials and monitoring of control interventions. PMID:20707931

  3. Comparison of the Kato-Katz and FLOTAC techniques for the diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminth infections.

    PubMed

    Habtamu, Kassahun; Degarege, Abraham; Ye-Ebiyo, Yemane; Erko, Berhanu

    2011-12-01

    Decisions on individual or community treatment and evaluation of chemotherapy based control programs depend on parasitological diagnostic techniques. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of a single Kato-Katz thick smear and a single FLOTAC for the determination of the prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted helminth infections. A total of 271 faecal specimens were collected from schoolchildren in Ethiopia, and microscopically examined using the Kato-Katz method (41.7 mg stool per slide) and the FLOTAC technique. The combined results from the Kato-Katz and FLOTAC methods were used as diagnostic 'gold' standard for reference in the analysis. Agreement between the two methods showed kappa values of 0.74, 0.73 and 0.28 for Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm, respectively. A single FLOTAC revealed significantly more infections than a single Kato-Katz for each of the three soil-transmitted helminths (p<0.01). The sensitivities of a single Kato-Katz for diagnosis of T. trichiura, A. lumbricoides and hookworm infections were 76.6%, 67.8% and 19.6%, respectively, while the sensitivity of FLOTAC was 100% for all the three soil-transmitted helminth species. A single Kato-Katz yielded considerably higher mean faecal egg counts (FECs) (729.1, 145.2 and 60.7 eggs per gram of stool (EPG) for A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura and hookworm, respectively) compared with a single FLOTAC (142.5, 54.5 and 14.6 EPG, respectively) (p<0.05). Our study confirms that a single FLOTAC is more sensitive than a single Kato-Katz for the diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminth infections, but results in lower FECs. Further standardization and validation are still required in different epidemiological settings with varying levels of intensity of infections before recommending FLOTAC for large-scale community diagnosis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Mini-FLOTAC and Kato-Katz: helminth eggs watching on the shore of Lake Victoria.

    PubMed

    Barda, Beatrice; Zepherine, Henry; Rinaldi, Laura; Cringoli, Giuseppe; Burioni, Roberto; Clementi, Massimo; Albonico, Marco

    2013-07-31

    One of the challenges for monitoring helminth control programmes based on preventive chemotherapy is the lack of a copro-parasitological gold-standard method that combines good sensitivity with quantitative performance, low cost, and easy-to-learn technique.The aim of our study was to evaluate and compare, the WHO recommended quantitative diagnostic technique (Kato-Katz) and the Mini-FLOTAC. Mini-FLOTAC is an innovative method based on floatation of helminths eggs with two different solutions (FS2 and FS7) using a close system (Fill-FLOTAC) with 5% fixative. Kato-Katz was performed following WHO recommendation. The study was carried out in a rural part of Tanzania, close to Lake Victoria, where the laboratory facilities are fairly scarce, and the basic technique used in the local laboratory (direct smear) was taken as reference standard. 201 children were screened for intestinal helminths and 91% of them were found to be positive. The agreement among the three techniques was calculated with k Cohen coefficient and was fairly good (k = 0.4), although the Mini-FLOTAC results were more sensitive for hookworm (98%) with FS2, and for S.mansoni (90%) with FS7 followed by Kato-Katz (91% and 60% respectively) and direct smear (30% and 10% respectively). A good agreement was found between Mini-FLOTAC and Kato-Katz (k = 0.81) with FS7 (k = 0.76) for hookworm diagnosis and a fairly good one for S.mansoni diagnosis (k = 0.5). For both infections we had a poor agreement between the two quantitative techniques and the direct smear (k<0.3). Kato-Katz diagnosed a higher number of eggs (calculated by arithmetic mean) both for hookworm (455 vs 424 EPG) and for S.mansoni (71 vs 58 EPG) compared with the Mini-FLOTAC, but the differences were not significant (p = 0.4). Mini-FLOTAC is a promising technique, comparable and as sensitive as the Kato-Katz, which is the recommended method in intestinal helminthology for monitoring helminth control programmes. A comparative

  5. Comparison of Kato-Katz thick-smear and McMaster egg counting method for the assessment of drug efficacy against soil-transmitted helminthiasis in school children in Jimma Town, Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Bekana, Teshome; Mekonnen, Zeleke; Zeynudin, Ahmed; Ayana, Mio; Getachew, Mestawet; Vercruysse, Jozef; Levecke, Bruno

    2015-10-01

    There is a paucity of studies that compare efficacy of drugs obtained by different diagnostic methods. We compared the efficacy of a single oral dose albendazole (400 mg), measured as egg reduction rate, against soil-transmitted helminth infections in 210 school children (Jimma Town, Ethiopia) using both Kato-Katz thick smear and McMaster egg counting method. Our results indicate that differences in sensitivity and faecal egg counts did not imply a significant difference in egg reduction rate estimates. The choice of a diagnostic method to assess drug efficacy should not be based on sensitivity and faecal egg counts only. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  6. Quality control in the diagnosis of Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides using the Kato-Katz technique: experience from three randomised controlled trials.

    PubMed

    Speich, Benjamin; Ali, Said M; Ame, Shaali M; Albonico, Marco; Utzinger, Jürg; Keiser, Jennifer

    2015-02-05

    An accurate diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminthiasis is important for individual patient management, for drug efficacy evaluation and for monitoring control programmes. The Kato-Katz technique is the most widely used method detecting soil-transmitted helminth eggs in faecal samples. However, detailed analyses of quality control, including false-positive and faecal egg count (FEC) estimates, have received little attention. Over a 3-year period, within the frame of a series of randomised controlled trials conducted in Pemba, United Republic of Tanzania, 10% of randomly selected Kato-Katz thick smears were re-read for Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides eggs. In case of discordant result (i.e. positive versus negative) the slides were re-examined a third time. A result was assumed to be false-positive or false-negative if the result from the initial reading did not agree with the quality control as well as the third reading. We also evaluated the general agreement in FECs between the first and second reading, according to internal and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. From the 1,445 Kato-Katz thick smears subjected to quality control, 1,181 (81.7%) were positive for T. trichiura and 290 (20.1%) were positive for A. lumbricoides. During quality control, very low rates of false-positive results were observed; 0.35% (n = 5) for T. trichiura and 0.28% (n = 4) for A. lumbricoides. False-negative readings of Kato-Katz thick smears were obtained in 28 (1.94%) and 6 (0.42%) instances for T. trichiura and A. lumbricoides, respectively. A high frequency of discordant results in FECs was observed (i.e. 10.0-23.9% for T. trichiura, and 9.0-11.4% for A. lumbricoides). Our analyses show that the rate of false-positive diagnoses of soil-transmitted helminths is low. As the probability of false-positive results increases after examination of multiple stool samples from a single individual, the potential influence of false-positive results on

  7. More Poop, More Precision: Improving Epidemiologic Surveillance of Soil-Transmitted Helminths with Multiple Fecal Sampling using the Kato-Katz Technique.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chengfang; Lu, Louise; Zhang, Linxiu; Bai, Yu; Medina, Alexis; Rozelle, Scott; Smith, Darvin Scott; Zhou, Changhai; Zang, Wei

    2017-09-01

    Soil-transmitted helminths, or parasitic intestinal worms, are among the most prevalent and geographically widespread parasitic infections in the world. Accurate diagnosis and quantification of helminth infection are critical for informing and assessing deworming interventions. The Kato-Katz thick smear technique, the most widely used laboratory method to quantitatively assess infection prevalence and infection intensity of helminths, has often been compared with other methods. Only a few small-scale studies, however, have considered ways to improve its diagnostic sensitivity. This study, conducted among 4,985 school-age children in an area of rural China with moderate prevalence of helminth infection, examines the effect on diagnostic sensitivity of the Kato-Katz technique when two fecal samples collected over consecutive days are examined and compared with a single sample. A secondary aim was to consider cost-effectiveness by calculating an estimate of the marginal costs of obtaining an additional fecal sample. Our findings show that analysis of an additional fecal sample led to increases of 23%, 26%, and 100% for Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura , and hookworm prevalence, respectively. The cost of collecting a second fecal sample for our study population was approximately USD4.60 per fecal sample. Overall, the findings suggest that investing 31% more capital in fecal sample collection prevents an underestimation of prevalence by about 21%, and hence improves the diagnostic sensitivity of the Kato-Katz method. Especially in areas with light-intensity infections of soil-transmitted helminths and limited public health resources, more accurate epidemiological surveillance using multiple fecal samples will critically inform decisions regarding infection control and prevention.

  8. Comparing concentration methods: parasitrap® versus Kato-Katz for studying the prevalence of Helminths in Bengo province, Angola.

    PubMed

    Mirante, Clara; Clemente, Isabel; Zambu, Graciette; Alexandre, Catarina; Ganga, Teresa; Mayer, Carlos; Brito, Miguel

    2016-09-01

    Helminth intestinal parasitoses are responsible for high levels of child mortality and morbidity. Hence, the capacity to diagnose these parasitoses and consequently ensure due treatment represents a factor of great importance. The main objective of this study involves comparing two methods of concentration, parasitrap and Kato-Katz, for the diagnosis of intestinal parasitoses in faecal samples. Sample processing made recourse to two different concentration methods: the commercial parasitrap® method and the Kato-Katz method. We correspondingly collected a total of 610 stool samples from pre-school and school age children. The results demonstrate the incidence of helminth parasites in 32.8% or 32.3% of the sample collected depending on whether the concentration method applied was either the parasitrap method or the Kato-Katz method. We detected a relatively high percentage of samples testing positive for two or more species of helminth parasites. We would highlight that in searching for larvae the Kato-Katz method does not prove as appropriate as the parasitrap method. Both techniques prove easily applicable even in field working conditions and returning mutually agreeing results. This study concludes in favour of the need for deworming programs and greater public awareness among the rural populations of Angola.

  9. Comparison of a new multiplex real-time PCR with the Kato Katz thick smear and copro-antigen ELISA for the detection and differentiation of Taenia spp. in human stools

    PubMed Central

    Stevenson, Mark A.; Dorny, Pierre; Gabriël, Sarah; Vo, Tinh Van; Nguyen, Van-Anh Thi; Phan, Trong Van; Hii, Sze Fui; Traub, Rebecca J.

    2017-01-01

    Background Taenia solium, the cause of neurocysticercosis (NCC), has significant socioeconomic impacts on communities in developing countries. This disease, along with taeniasis is estimated to infect 2.5 to 5 million people globally. Control of T. solium NCC necessitates accurate diagnosis and treatment of T. solium taeniasis carriers. In areas where all three species of Taenia tapeworms (T. solium, Taenia saginata and Taenia asiatica) occur sympatrically, conventional microscope- and copro-antigen based diagnostic methods are unable to distinguish between these three Taenia species. Molecular diagnostic tools have been developed to overcome this limitation; however, conventional PCR-based techniques remain unsuitable for large-scale deployment in community-based surveys. Moreover, a real-time PCR (qPCR) for the discrimination of all three species of Taenia in human stool does not exist. This study describes the development and validation of a new triplex Taq-Man probe-based qPCR for the detection and discrimination of all three Taenia human tapeworms in human stools collected from communities in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The diagnostic characteristics of the test are compared with conventional Kato Katz (KK) thick smear and copro-antigen ELISA (cAgELISA) method utilizing fecal samples from a community based cross-sectional study. Using this new multiplex real-time PCR we provide an estimate of the true prevalence of taeniasis in the source population for the community based cross-sectional study. Methodology/Principal findings Primers and TaqMan probes for the specific amplification of T. solium, T. saginata and T. asiatica were designed and successfully optimized to target the internal transcribed spacer I (ITS-1) gene of T. solium and the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COX-1) gene of T. saginata and T. asiatica. The newly designed triplex qPCR (T3qPCR) was compared to KK and cAgELISA for the detection of Taenia eggs in stool samples collected from 342

  10. Comparison of a new multiplex real-time PCR with the Kato Katz thick smear and copro-antigen ELISA for the detection and differentiation of Taenia spp. in human stools.

    PubMed

    Ng-Nguyen, Dinh; Stevenson, Mark A; Dorny, Pierre; Gabriël, Sarah; Vo, Tinh Van; Nguyen, Van-Anh Thi; Phan, Trong Van; Hii, Sze Fui; Traub, Rebecca J

    2017-07-01

    Taenia solium, the cause of neurocysticercosis (NCC), has significant socioeconomic impacts on communities in developing countries. This disease, along with taeniasis is estimated to infect 2.5 to 5 million people globally. Control of T. solium NCC necessitates accurate diagnosis and treatment of T. solium taeniasis carriers. In areas where all three species of Taenia tapeworms (T. solium, Taenia saginata and Taenia asiatica) occur sympatrically, conventional microscope- and copro-antigen based diagnostic methods are unable to distinguish between these three Taenia species. Molecular diagnostic tools have been developed to overcome this limitation; however, conventional PCR-based techniques remain unsuitable for large-scale deployment in community-based surveys. Moreover, a real-time PCR (qPCR) for the discrimination of all three species of Taenia in human stool does not exist. This study describes the development and validation of a new triplex Taq-Man probe-based qPCR for the detection and discrimination of all three Taenia human tapeworms in human stools collected from communities in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The diagnostic characteristics of the test are compared with conventional Kato Katz (KK) thick smear and copro-antigen ELISA (cAgELISA) method utilizing fecal samples from a community based cross-sectional study. Using this new multiplex real-time PCR we provide an estimate of the true prevalence of taeniasis in the source population for the community based cross-sectional study. Primers and TaqMan probes for the specific amplification of T. solium, T. saginata and T. asiatica were designed and successfully optimized to target the internal transcribed spacer I (ITS-1) gene of T. solium and the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COX-1) gene of T. saginata and T. asiatica. The newly designed triplex qPCR (T3qPCR) was compared to KK and cAgELISA for the detection of Taenia eggs in stool samples collected from 342 individuals in Dak Lak province, Central

  11. Economic Considerations for Moving beyond the Kato-Katz Technique for Diagnosing Intestinal Parasites As We Move Towards Elimination.

    PubMed

    Turner, Hugo C; Bettis, Alison A; Dunn, Julia C; Whitton, Jane M; Hollingsworth, T Déirdre; Fleming, Fiona M; Anderson, Roy M

    2017-06-01

    While the need for more sensitive diagnostics for intestinal helminths is well known, the cost of developing and implementing new tests is considered relatively high compared to the Kato-Katz technique. Here, we review the reported costs of performing the Kato-Katz technique. We also outline several economic arguments we believe highlight the need for further investment in alternative diagnostics, and considerations that should be made when comparing their costs. In our opinion, we highlight that, without new diagnostic methods, it will be difficult for policy makers to make the most cost-effective decisions and that the potentially higher unit costs of new methods can be outweighed by the long-term programmatic benefits they have (such as the ability to detect the interruption of transmission). Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  12. Comparing the performance of circulating cathodic antigen and Kato-Katz techniques in evaluating Schistosoma mansoni infection in areas with low prevalence in selected counties of Kenya: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Okoyo, Collins; Simiyu, Elses; Njenga, Sammy M; Mwandawiro, Charles

    2018-04-11

    Kato-Katz technique has been the mainstay test in Schistosoma mansoni diagnosis in endemic areas. However, recent studies have documented its poor sensitivity in evaluating Schistosoma mansoni infection especially in areas with lower rates of transmission. It's the primary diagnostic tool in monitoring impact of the Kenya national school based deworming program on infection transmission, but there is need to consider a more sensitive technique as the prevalence reduces. Therefore, this study explored the relationship between results of the stool-based Kato-Katz technique with urine-based point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) test in view to inform decision-making by the program in changing from Kato-Katz to POC-CCA test. We used two cross-sectional surveys conducted pre- and post- mass drug administration (MDA) using praziquantel in a representative random sample of children from 18 schools across 11 counties. A total of 1944 children were randomly sampled for the study. Stool and urine samples were tested for S. mansoni infection using Kato-Katz and POC-CCA methods, respectively. S. mansoni prevalence using each technique was calculated and 95% confidence intervals obtained using binomial regression model. Specificity (Sp) and sensitivity (Sn) were determined using 2 × 2 contingency tables and compared using the McNemar's chi-square test. A total of 1899 and 1878 children were surveyed at pre- and post-treatment respectively. S. mansoni infection prevalence was 26.5 and 21.4% during pre- and post-treatment respectively using POC-CCA test, and 4.9 and 1.5% for pre- and post-treatment respectively using Kato-Katz technique. Taking POC-CCA as the gold standard, Kato-Katz was found to have significantly lower sensitivity both at pre- and post-treatment, Sn = 12.5% and Sn = 5.2% respectively, McNemar test χ 2 m  = 782.0, p < 0.001. In overall, the results showed a slight/poor agreement between the two methods, kappa index (k

  13. Comparison of Kato-Katz, ethyl-acetate sedimentation, and Midi Parasep® in the diagnosis of hookworm, Ascaris and Trichuris infections in the context of an evaluation of rural sanitation in India.

    PubMed

    Funk, Anna L; Boisson, Sophie; Clasen, Thomas; Ensink, Jeroen H J

    2013-06-01

    The Kato-Katz, conventional ethyl-acetate sedimentation, and Midi Parasep(®) methods for diagnosing infection with soil-transmitted helminths were compared. The Kato-Katz technique gave the best overall diagnostic performance with the highest results in all measures (prevalence, faecal egg count, sensitivity) followed by the conventional ethyl-acetate and then the Midi Parasep(®) technique. The Kato-Katz technique showed a significantly higher faecal egg count and sensitivity for both hookworm and Trichuris as compared to the Midi Parasep(®) technique. The conventional ethyl-acetate technique produced smaller pellets and showed lower pellet mobility as compared to the Midi Parasep(®). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Estimating the sensitivity and specificity of Kato-Katz stool examination technique for detection of hookworms, Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections in humans in the absence of a 'gold standard'.

    PubMed

    Tarafder, M R; Carabin, H; Joseph, L; Balolong, E; Olveda, R; McGarvey, S T

    2010-03-15

    The accuracy of the Kato-Katz technique in identifying individuals with soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections is limited by day-to-day variation in helminth egg excretion, confusion with other parasites and the laboratory technicians' experience. We aimed to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of the Kato-Katz technique to detect infection with Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm and Trichuris trichiura using a Bayesian approach in the absence of a 'gold standard'. Data were obtained from a longitudinal study conducted between January 2004 and December 2005 in Samar Province, the Philippines. Each participant provided between one and three stool samples over consecutive days. Stool samples were examined using the Kato-Katz technique and reported as positive or negative for STHs. In the presence of measurement error, the true status of each individual is considered as latent data. Using a Bayesian method, we calculated marginal posterior densities of sensitivity and specificity parameters from the product of the likelihood function of observed and latent data. A uniform prior distribution was used (beta distribution: alpha=1, beta=1). A total of 5624 individuals provided at least one stool sample. One, two and three stool samples were provided by 1582, 1893 and 2149 individuals, respectively. All STHs showed variation in test results from day to day. Sensitivity estimates of the Kato-Katz technique for one stool sample were 96.9% (95% Bayesian Credible Interval [BCI]: 96.1%, 97.6%), 65.2% (60.0%, 69.8%) and 91.4% (90.5%, 92.3%), for A. lumbricoides, hookworm and T. trichiura, respectively. Specificity estimates for one stool sample were 96.1% (95.5%, 96.7%), 93.8% (92.4%, 95.4%) and 94.4% (93.2%, 95.5%), for A. lumbricoides, hookworm and T. trichiura, respectively. Our results show that the Kato-Katz technique can perform with reasonable accuracy with one day's stool collection for A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura. Low sensitivity of the Kato-Katz for detection

  15. Agreement of the Kato-Katz test established by the WHO with samples fixed with sodium acetate analyzed at 6 months to diagnose intestinal geohelminthes.

    PubMed

    Alfredo Fernández-Niño, Julián; David Ramírez, Juan; Consuelo López, Myriam; Inés Moncada, Ligia; Reyes, Patricia; Darío Heredia, Rubén

    2015-06-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the Kato-Katz test (WHO version) with stool samples from a rural area, fixed with sodium acetate (SAF). The Kato-Katz test was used to compare unfixed samples (conventional test) with the same samples containing SAF fixative at time 0 and at 6 months. The study included stools from 154 subjects. A marginally statistically significant decrease in prevalence was estimated only for hookworm, when comparing unfixed samples versus the SAF fixed samples read at 6 months (p=0.06). A significant reduction in parasite load was found for hookworm (p<0.01) and Trichuris trichiura (p<0.01) between the unfixed and the fixed sample read at 6 months, but not for Ascaris lumbricoides (p=0.10). This research suggests that the SAF fixative solution is a good option for transporting samples for diagnosis, especially in rural areas in developing countries. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Comparison of individual and pooled stool samples for the assessment of intensity of Schistosoma mansoni and soil-transmitted helminth infections using the Kato-Katz technique.

    PubMed

    Kure, Ashenafi; Mekonnen, Zeleke; Dana, Daniel; Bajiro, Mitiku; Ayana, Mio; Vercruysse, Jozef; Levecke, Bruno

    2015-09-24

    Our group has recently provided a proof-of-principle for the examination of pooled stool samples using McMaster technique as a strategy for the rapid assessment of intensity of soil-transmitted helminth infections (STH, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm). In the present study we evaluated this pooling strategy for the assessment of intensity of both STH and Schistosoma mansoni infections using the Kato-Katz technique. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 360 children aged 5-18 years from six schools in Jimma Zone (southwest Ethiopia). We performed faecal egg counts (FECs) in both individual and pooled samples (pools sizes of 5, 10 and 20) to estimate the number of eggs per gram of stool (EPG) using the Kato-Katz technique. We also assessed the time to screen both individual and pooled samples. Except for hookworms, there was a significant correlation (correlation coefficient = 0.53-0.95) between the mean of individual FECs and the FECs of pooled samples for A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura and S. mansoni, regardless of the pool size. Mean FEC were 2,596 EPG, 125 EPG, 47 EPG, and 41 EPG for A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura, S. mansoni and hookworm, respectively. There was no significant difference in FECs between the examination of individual and pooled stool samples, except for hookworms. For this STH, pools of 10 resulted in a significant underestimation of infection intensity. The total time to obtain individual FECs was 65 h 5 min. For pooled FECs, this was 19 h 12 min for pools of 5, 14 h 39 min for pools of 10 and 12 h 42 min for pools of 20. The results indicate that pooling of stool sample holds also promise as a rapid assessment of infections intensity for STH and S. mansoni using the Kato-Katz technique. In this setting, the time in the laboratory was reduced by 70 % when pools of 5 instead of individual stool samples were screened.

  17. Comparing Diagnostic Accuracy of Kato-Katz, Koga Agar Plate, Ether-Concentration, and FLOTAC for Schistosoma mansoni and Soil-Transmitted Helminths

    PubMed Central

    Glinz, Dominik; Silué, Kigbafori D.; Knopp, Stefanie; Lohourignon, Laurent K.; Yao, Kouassi P.; Steinmann, Peter; Rinaldi, Laura; Cringoli, Giuseppe; N'Goran, Eliézer K.; Utzinger, Jürg

    2010-01-01

    Background Infections with schistosomes and soil-transmitted helminths exert a considerable yet underappreciated economic and public health burden on afflicted populations. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for patient management, drug efficacy evaluations, and monitoring of large-scale community-based control programs. Methods/Principal Findings The diagnostic accuracy of four copromicroscopic techniques (i.e., Kato-Katz, Koga agar plate, ether-concentration, and FLOTAC) for the detection of Schistosoma mansoni and soil-transmitted helminth eggs was compared using stool samples from 112 school children in Côte d'Ivoire. Combined results of all four methods served as a diagnostic ‘gold’ standard and revealed prevalences of S. mansoni, hookworm, Trichuris trichiura, Strongyloides stercoralis and Ascaris lumbricoides of 83.0%, 55.4%, 40.2%, 33.9% and 28.6%, respectively. A single FLOTAC from stool samples preserved in sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin for 30 or 83 days showed a higher sensitivity for S. mansoni diagnosis (91.4%) than the ether-concentration method on stool samples preserved for 40 days (85.0%) or triplicate Kato-Katz using fresh stool samples (77.4%). Moreover, a single FLOTAC detected hookworm, A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura infections with a higher sensitivity than any of the other methods used, but resulted in lower egg counts. The Koga agar plate method was the most accurate diagnostic assay for S. stercoralis. Conclusion/Significance We have shown that the FLOTAC method holds promise for the diagnosis of S. mansoni. Moreover, our study confirms that FLOTAC is a sensitive technique for detection of common soil-transmitted helminths. For the diagnosis of S. stercoralis, the Koga agar plate method remains the method of choice. PMID:20651931

  18. Performance evaluation of direct saline stool microscopy, Formol ether concentration and Kato Katz diagnostic methods for intestinal parasitosis in the absence of gold standard methods.

    PubMed

    Hailu, Tadesse; Abera, Bayeh

    2015-07-01

    The parasite load within the sample and the amount of sample taken during examination greatly compromise the sensitivity of direct saline stool microscopy. A cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2011 in Bahir Dar city among 778 fresh single stool samples to evaluate the performance of direct saline (DS), Kato Katz (KK) and Formol ether concentration (FEC) methods against the 'Gold' standard. Among 778 stool samples from school age children, the highest prevalence of intestinal parasites was recorded by FEC (55.1%). The sensitivity of DS, FEC and KK were 61.1%, 92.3% and 58.7%, respectively. FEC is more sensitive than DS and KK. Hence, use of the latter is preferred. © The Author(s) 2015.

  19. Effect of sampling and diagnostic effort on the assessment of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis and drug efficacy: a meta-analysis of six drug efficacy trials and one epidemiological survey.

    PubMed

    Levecke, Bruno; Brooker, Simon J; Knopp, Stefanie; Steinmann, Peter; Sousa-Figueiredo, Jose Carlos; Stothard, J Russell; Utzinger, Jürg; Vercruysse, Jozef

    2014-12-01

    It is generally recommended to perform multiple stool examinations in order to improve the diagnostic accuracy when assessing the impact of mass drug administration programmes to control human intestinal worm infections and determining efficacy of the drugs administered. However, the collection and diagnostic work-up of multiple stool samples increases costs and workload. It has been hypothesized that these increased efforts provide more accurate results when infection and drug efficacy are summarized by prevalence (proportion of subjects infected) and cure rate (CR, proportion of infected subjects that become egg-negative after drug administration), respectively, but not when these indicators are expressed in terms of infection intensity and egg reduction rate (ERR). We performed a meta-analysis of six drug efficacy trials and one epidemiological survey. We compared prevalence and intensity of infection, CR and ERR based on collection of one or two stool samples that were processed with single or duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears. We found that the accuracy of prevalence estimates and CR was lowest with the minimal sampling effort, but that this was not the case for estimating infection intensity and ERR. Hence, a single Kato-Katz thick smear is sufficient for reporting infection intensity and ERR following drug treatment.

  20. How Long Can Stool Samples Be Fixed for an Accurate Diagnosis of Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infection Using Mini-FLOTAC?

    PubMed Central

    Barda, Beatrice; Albonico, Marco; Ianniello, Davide; Ame, Shaali M.; Keiser, Jennifer; Speich, Benjamin; Rinaldi, Laura; Cringoli, Giuseppe; Burioni, Roberto; Montresor, Antonio; Utzinger, Jürg

    2015-01-01

    Background Kato-Katz is a widely used method for the diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminth infection. Fecal samples cannot be preserved, and hence, should be processed on the day of collection and examined under a microscope within 60 min of slide preparation. Mini-FLOTAC is a technique that allows examining fixed fecal samples. We assessed the performance of Mini-FLOTAC using formalin-fixed stool samples compared to Kato-Katz and determined the dynamics of prevalence and intensity estimates of soil-transmitted helminth infection over a 31-day time period. Methodology The study was carried out in late 2013 on Pemba Island, Tanzania. Forty-one children were enrolled and stool samples were subjected on the day of collection to a single Kato-Katz thick smear and Mini-FLOTAC examination; 12 aliquots of stool were fixed in 5% formalin and subsequently examined by Mini-FLOTAC up to 31 days after collection. Principal Findings The combined results from Kato-Katz and Mini-FLOTAC revealed that 100% of children were positive for Trichuris trichiura, 85% for Ascaris lumbricoides, and 54% for hookworm. Kato-Katz and Mini-FLOTAC techniques found similar prevalence estimates for A. lumbricoides (85% versus 76%), T. trichiura (98% versus 100%), and hookworm (42% versus 51%). The mean eggs per gram of stool (EPG) according to Kato-Katz and Mini-FLOTAC was 12,075 and 11,679 for A. lumbricoides, 1,074 and 1,592 for T. trichiura, and 255 and 220 for hookworm, respectively. The mean EPG from day 1 to 31 of fixation was stable for A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura, but gradually declined for hookworm, starting at day 15. Conclusions/Significance The findings of our study suggest that for a qualitative diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminth infection, stool samples can be fixed in 5% formalin for at least 30 days. However, for an accurate quantitative diagnosis of hookworm, we suggest a limit of 15 days of preservation. Our results have direct implication for integrating soil

  1. Thick Smear is a Good Substitute for the Thin Smear in Parasitological Confirmation of Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis.

    PubMed

    de Mello, Cintia Xavier; Figueiredo, Fabiano Borges; Mendes Júnior, Artur Augusto Velho; Miranda, Luciana de Freitas Campos; de Oliveira, Raquel de Vasconcellos Carvalhaes; Madeira, Maria de Fátima

    2016-07-06

    Although direct examination methods are important for diagnosing leishmaniasis, such methods are often neglected because of their low sensitivity relative to other techniques. Our study aimed to evaluate the performance of bone marrow (BM) thick smears and cytocentrifugation tests as alternatives to direct examination for diagnosing canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL). Ninety-two dogs exhibiting leishmaniasis seroreactivity were evaluated. The animals were euthanized; and healthy skin, spleen, popliteal lymph node, and BM puncture samples were cultured. BM cultures were used as the reference standard. Of the 92 dogs studied, 85.9% exhibited positive cultures, and Leishmania infantum (synonym Leishmania chagasi) was confirmed in all positive culture cases. The sensitivity rates for cytocentrifugation as well as thin and thick smears were 47.1%, 52.8%, and 77%, respectively. However, no association between the dogs' clinical status and culture or direct examination results was found. To our knowledge, this was the first study to use thick smears and cytocentrifugation for diagnosing CVL. Our results indicate that BM thick smears have a good sensitivity and their use reduces the time required to read slides. Therefore, thick smears can provide a rapid and safe alternative to parasitological confirmation of seroreactive dogs. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  2. Morphological diversity of Trichuris spp. eggs observed during an anthelminthic drug trial in Yunnan, China, and relative performance of parasitologic diagnostic tools.

    PubMed

    Steinmann, Peter; Rinaldi, Laura; Cringoli, Giuseppe; Du, Zun-Wei; Marti, Hanspeter; Jiang, Jin-Yong; Zhou, Hui; Zhou, Xiao-Nong; Utzinger, Jürg

    2015-01-01

    The presence of large Trichuris spp. eggs in human faecal samples is occasionally reported. Such eggs have been described as variant Trichuris trichiura or Trichuris vulpis eggs. Within the frame of a randomised controlled trial, faecal samples collected from 115 Bulang individuals from Yunnan, People's Republic of China were subjected to the Kato-Katz technique (fresh stool samples) and the FLOTAC and ether-concentration techniques (sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin (SAF)-fixed stool samples). Large Trichuris spp. eggs were noted in faecal samples with a prevalence of 6.1% before and 21.7% after anthelminthic drug administration. The observed prevalence of standard-sized T. trichiura eggs was reduced from 93.0% to 87.0% after treatment. Considerably more cases of large Trichuris spp. eggs and slightly more cases with normal-sized T. trichiura eggs were identified by FLOTAC compared to the ether-concentration technique. No large Trichuris spp. eggs were observed on the Kato-Katz thick smears. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Intestinal Parasite Infections and Accuracy of Direct Thin and Thick Smear, Formol-Ether Sedimentation, Centrifugal Flotation, and Mini-FLOTAC Techniques Among Patients with Gastrointestinal Tract Disorders from the Greater Cairo Region, Egypt

    PubMed Central

    Hussein, Atef H.; Rashed, Samia M.; El-Hayawan, Ibrahim A.; Aly, Nagwa S. M.; Abou Ouf, Eman A.; Ali, Amira T.

    2017-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to assess the frequency of intestinal parasitic infection among patients with gastrointestinal tract disorders from the Greater Cairo region, Egypt. In addition, a comparison was made of the accuracy of direct thin and thick smear, formol-ether sedimentation (FEC), centrifugal flotation (CF), and mini-FLOTAC techniques in the diagnosis of infection. Out of 100 patients, the overall prevalence of parasitic infection was 51%. Only 6% had dual infection. Giardia lamblia was the most common parasite (26%), followed by Hymenolepis nana (20%), Entamoeba coli (8%), and Enterobius vermicularis (3%). Except the statistically significant association between E. vermicularis infection and perianal itching and insomnia (P < 0.001), age, gender, and complaints of the examined individuals had no association with prevalence of parasitic infection. Both FEC and CF were equally the most accurate techniques (accuracy = 98.2%, confidence interval [CI] = 0.95–1.0, and κ index = 0.962), whereas the Kato-Katz method was the least accurate (accuracy = 67.5%, CI = 0.57–0.78, and κ index = 0.333). However, mini-FLOTAC-ZnSO4 was the most accurate for diagnosis of helminthic infection, and FEC was more accurate for diagnosis of protozoal infection (accuracy = 100%, CI = 1.0–1.0, and κ index = 1). PMID:28093543

  4. Diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in an Amazonic community of Peru using multiple diagnostic techniques.

    PubMed

    Machicado, Jorge D; Marcos, Luis A; Tello, Raul; Canales, Marco; Terashima, Angelica; Gotuzzo, Eduardo

    2012-06-01

    An observational descriptive study was conducted in a Shipibo-Conibo/Ese'Eja community of the rainforest in Peru to compare the Kato-Katz method and the spontaneous sedimentation in tube technique (SSTT) for the diagnosis of intestinal parasites as well as to report the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in this area. A total of 73 stool samples were collected and analysed by several parasitological techniques, including Kato-Katz, SSTT, modified Baermann technique (MBT), agar plate culture, Harada-Mori culture and the direct smear examination. Kato-Katz and SSTT had the same rate of detection for Ascaris lumbricoides (5%), Trichuris trichiura (5%), hookworm (14%) and Hymenolepis nana (26%). The detection rate for Strongyloides stercoralis larvae was 16% by SSTT and 0% by Kato-Katz, but 18% by agar plate culture and 16% by MBT. The SSTT also had the advantage of detecting multiple intestinal protozoa such as Blastocystis hominis (40%), Giardia intestinalis (29%) and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar (16%). The most common intestinal parasites found in this community were B. hominis, G. intestinalis, H. nana, S. stercoralis and hookworm. In conclusion, the SSTT is not inferior to Kato-Katz for the diagnosis of common STH infections but is largely superior for detecting intestinal protozoa and S. stercoralis larvae. Copyright © 2012 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Latent class analysis to evaluate performance of point-of-care CCA for low-intensity Schistosoma mansoni infections in Burundi.

    PubMed

    Clements, Michelle N; Corstjens, Paul L A M; Binder, Sue; Campbell, Carl H; de Dood, Claudia J; Fenwick, Alan; Harrison, Wendy; Kayugi, Donatien; King, Charles H; Kornelis, Dieuwke; Ndayishimiye, Onesime; Ortu, Giuseppina; Lamine, Mariama Sani; Zivieri, Antonio; Colley, Daniel G; van Dam, Govert J

    2018-02-23

    Kato-Katz examination of stool smears is the field-standard method for detecting Schistosoma mansoni infection. However, Kato-Katz misses many active infections, especially of light intensity. Point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) is an alternative field diagnostic that is more sensitive than Kato-Katz when intensity is low, but interpretation of CCA-trace results is unclear. To evaluate trace results, we tested urine and stool specimens from 398 pupils from eight schools in Burundi using four approaches: two in Burundi and two in a laboratory in Leiden, the Netherlands. In Burundi, we used Kato-Katz and point-of-care CCA (CCAB). In Leiden, we repeated the CCA (CCAL) and also used Up-Converting Phosphor Circulating Anodic Antigen (CAA). We applied Bayesian latent class analyses (LCA), first considering CCA traces as negative and then as positive. We used the LCA output to estimate validity of the prevalence estimates of each test in comparison to the population-level infection prevalence and estimated the proportion of trace results that were likely true positives. Kato-Katz yielded the lowest prevalence (6.8%), and CCAB with trace considered positive yielded the highest (53.5%). There were many more trace results recorded by CCA in Burundi (32.4%) than in Leiden (2.3%). Estimated prevalence with CAA was 46.5%. LCA indicated that Kato-Katz had the lowest sensitivity: 15.9% [Bayesian Credible Interval (BCI): 9.2-23.5%] with CCA-trace considered negative and 15.0% with trace as positive (BCI: 9.6-21.4%), implying that Kato-Katz missed approximately 85% of infections. CCAB underestimated disease prevalence when trace was considered negative and overestimated disease prevalence when trace was considered positive, by approximately 12 percentage points each way, and CAA overestimated prevalence in both models. Our results suggest that approximately 52.2% (BCI: 37.8-5.8%) of the CCAB trace readings were true infections. Whether measured in the laboratory or the

  6. Schistosoma mansoni and other intestinal parasitic infections in schoolchildren and vervet monkeys in Lake Ziway area, Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Teklemariam, Dejene; Legesse, Mengistu; Degarege, Abraham; Liang, Song; Erko, Berhanu

    2018-02-20

    To assess Schistosoma mansoni and other intestinal parasitic infections in schoolchildren and vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) in Bochessa Village, Ziway, Ethiopia. Fecal specimens from selected schoolchildren and droppings of the vervet monkeys were collected and microscopically examined for intestinal parasites using the Kato-Katz thick smear and formol-ether concentration techniques. The prevalences of S. mansoni, Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, Enterobius vermicularis, hookworms, Hymenolepis nana and Taenia species among the children were 35.7, 26.9, 24.1, 2.1, 2.1, 1.07 and 2.1%, respectively (by Kato-Katz) and 39.3, 36.1, 35.6, 2.9, 10.0, 4.3, and 2.9%, respectively (by formol-ether concentration). Prevalence of S. mansoni in vervet monkeys ranged from 10 to 20%. B. pfeifferi snails were exposed to S. mansoni miracidia from vervet origin, shed cercariae were then used to infect lab-bred albino mice. Adult worms were harvested from the mice 5 weeks post-exposure to cercariae to establish the schistosome life cycle and confirm the infection in the vervet monkeys. The natural infection of S. mansoni in vervet monkeys suggests that the non-human primate is likely to be implicated in the local transmission of schistosomiasis. Further epidemiological and molecular studies are needed to fully elucidate zoonotic role of non-human primate in the area.

  7. A field survey using LAMP assay for detection of Schistosoma mansoni in a low-transmission area of schistosomiasis in Umbuzeiro, Brazil: Assessment in human and snail samples.

    PubMed

    Gandasegui, Javier; Fernández-Soto, Pedro; Muro, Antonio; Simões Barbosa, Constança; Lopes de Melo, Fabio; Loyo, Rodrigo; de Souza Gomes, Elainne Christine

    2018-03-01

    In Brazil, schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease of public health relevance, mainly in poor areas where Schistosoma mansoni is the only human species encountered and Biomphalaria straminea is one of the intermediate host snails. A nested-PCR based on a specific mitochondrial S. mansoni minisatellite DNA region has been successfully developed and applied as a reference method in Brazil for S. mansoni detection, mainly in host snails for epidemiological studies. The amplification efficiency of LAMP is known to be higher than PCR. The present work aimed to assess the utility of our previously described SmMIT-LAMP assay for S. mansoni detection in human stool and snail samples in a low-transmission area of schistosomiasis in the municipality of Umbuzeiro, Paraíba State, Northeast Region of Brazil. A total of 427 human stool samples were collected during June-July 2016 in the municipality of Umbuzeiro and an overall prevalence of 3.04% (13/427) resulted positive by duplicate Kato-Katz thick smear. A total of 1,175 snails identified as Biomphalaria straminea were collected from 14 breeding sites along the Paraíba riverbank and distributed in 46 pools. DNA from human stool samples and pooled snails was extracted using the phenol/chloroform method. When performing the SmMIT-LAMP assay a total of 49/162 (30.24%) stool samples resulted positive, including 12/13 (92.31%) that were Kato-Katz positive and 37/149 (24.83%) previously Kato-Katz negative. By nested-PCR, only 1/46 pooled DNA snail samples was positive. By SmMIT-LAMP assay, the same sample also resulted positive and an additional one was positive from a different breeding site. Data of human and snail surveys were used to build risk maps of schistosomiasis incidence using kernel density analysis. This is the first study in which a LAMP assay was evaluated in both human stool and snail samples from a low-transmission schistosomiasis-endemic area. Our SmMIT-LAMP proved to be much more efficient in detection of S

  8. A comparative study of the TF-Test®, Kato-Katz, Hoffman-Pons-Janer, Willis and Baermann-Moraes coprologic methods for the detection of human parasitosis.

    PubMed

    Carvalho, Gabriela Lanna Xavier de; Moreira, Luciano Evangelista; Pena, João Luiz; Marinho, Carolina Coimbra; Bahia, Maria Terezinha; Machado-Coelho, George Luiz Lins

    2012-02-01

    This study compares the diagnostic accuracy of the TF-Test(®) (TFT) for human parasitosis with results obtained using the traditional Kato-Katz (KK), Hoffman-Pons-Janer (HPJ), Willis and Baermann-Moraes (BM) techniques. Overall, four stool samples were taken from each individual; three alternate-day TFT stool samples and another sample that was collected in a universal container. Stool samples were taken from 331 inhabitants of the community of Quilombola Santa Cruz. The gold standard (GS) for protozoa detection was defined as the combined results for TFT, HPJ and Willis coproscopic techniques; for helminth detection, GS was defined as the combined results for all five coproscopic techniques (TFT, KK, HPJ, Willis and BM). The positivity rate of each method was compared using the McNemar test. While the TFT exhibited similar positivity rates to the GS for Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (82.4%) and Giardia duodenalis (90%), HPJ and Willis techniques exhibited significantly lower positivity rates for these protozoa. All tests exhibited significantly lower positivity rates compared with GS for the diagnosis of helminths. The KK technique had the highest positivity rate for diagnosing Schistosoma mansoni (74.6%), while the TFT had the highest positivity rates for Ascaris lumbricoides (58.1%) and hookworm (75%); HPJ technique had the highest positivity rate for Strongyloides stercoralis (50%). Although a combination of tests is the most accurate method for the diagnosis of enteral parasites, the TFT reliably estimates the prevalence of protozoa and selected helminths, such as A. lumbricoides and hookworm. Further studies are needed to evaluate the detection accuracy of the TFT in samples with varying numbers of parasites.

  9. A survey of helminthic infections in the residents of rural areas near Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Do-Sung; Chung, Byung-Ha; Lee, Nam-Seok; Kim, Joong-Ho

    1999-01-01

    A total of 738 samples was collected to survey the helminthic infections of residents in two rural areas near Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia for 2 weeks from July 23 to August 2, 1998. Among 391 scotch-taped slides of anal swabs of children and of young teenagers, Enterobius vermicularis eggs were detected in 138 cases (35.3%). With the fecal samples of 206 Kato-Katz thick smear slides from adults, the eggs of E. vermicularis were observed in 9 cases and Taenia sp. in one case, respectively. And by ELISA on 141 blood samples absorbed to blood sampling paper, 12 cases (8.5%) were found to be positive against the hydatid cyst antigen. Enterobiasis and hydatidosis are two major endemic diseases which are related closely to the life style of Mongolian. PMID:10507221

  10. Jessica Katz | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    , Arizona State University (2006-2008) Featured Publications Katz, J.; Cochran, J. (2015). Integrating Variable Renewable Energy to the Grid: Key Issues. 2pp. NREL Report No. NREL/FS-6A20-63033. Katz, J .; Cochran, J. (2015). Scaling Up Renewable Energy Generation: Aligning Targets and Incentives with Grid

  11. Shrinking risk profiles after deworming of children in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, with special reference to Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura.

    PubMed

    Müller, Ivan; Gall, Stefanie; Beyleveld, Lindsey; Gerber, Markus; Pühse, Uwe; Du Randt, Rosa; Steinmann, Peter; Zondie, Leyli; Walter, Cheryl; Utzinger, Jürg

    2017-11-27

    Risk maps facilitate discussion among different stakeholders and provide a tool for spatial targeting of health interventions. We present maps documenting shrinking risk profiles after deworming with respect to soil-transmitted helminthiasis among schoolchildren from disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Children were examined for soil-transmitted helminth infections using duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears in March 2015, October 2015 and May 2016, and subsequently treated with albendazole after each survey. The mean infection intensities for Ascaris lumbricoides were 9,554 eggs per gram of stool (EPG) in March 2015, 4,317 EPG in October 2015 and 1,684 EPG in March 2016. The corresponding figures for Trichuris trichiura were 664 EPG, 331 EPG and 87 EPG. Repeated deworming shrank the risk of soil-transmitted helminthiasis, but should be complemented by other public health measures.

  12. Effect of smear layer thickness and pH of self-adhesive resin cements on the shear bond strength to dentin.

    PubMed

    Ebrahimi Chaharom, Mohammad Esmaeel; Ajami, Amir Ahmad; Bahari, Mahmoud; Rezazadeh, Haleh

    2017-01-01

    There are concerns in relation to the bonding efficacy of self-adhesive resin cements to dentin covered with the smear layer. This study aims to evaluate the effect of smear layer thickness and different pH values of self-adhesive resin cements on the shear bond strength to dentin. The dentin on the buccal and lingual surfaces of 48 sound human premolars were abraded with 60- and 600-grit silicon carbide papers to achieve thick and thin smear layers, respectively. The samples were divided into three groups (n = 16) based on the cement pH: Rely-X Unicem (RXU) (pH < 2); Clearfil SA Luting (CSL) (pH = 3); and Speed CEM (SPC) (pH = 4.5). In each group, composite resin blocks were bonded to the buccal and lingual surfaces. After 24 h, the shear bond strength values were measured in MPa, and the failure modes were evaluated under a stereomicroscope. Data were analyzed with two-way ANOVA and post hoc least significant difference tests (P < 0.05). Cement pH had a significant effect on the shear bond strength (P = 0.02); however, the smear layer thickness had no significant effect on the shear bond strength (P > 0.05). The cumulative effect of these variables was not significant, either (P = 0.11). The shear bond strengths of SPC and CSL self-adhesive resin cements were similar and significantly lower than that of RXU. The smear layer thickness was not a determining factor for the shear bond strength value of self-adhesive resin cements.

  13. Diagnostic Accuracy and Cost-Effectiveness of Alternative Methods for Detection of Soil-Transmitted Helminths in a Post-Treatment Setting in Western Kenya

    PubMed Central

    Kepha, Stella; Kihara, Jimmy H.; Njenga, Sammy M.; Pullan, Rachel L.; Brooker, Simon J.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness of the Kato-Katz and Mini-FLOTAC methods for detection of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in a post-treatment setting in western Kenya. A cost analysis also explores the cost implications of collecting samples during school surveys when compared to household surveys. Methods Stool samples were collected from children (n = 652) attending 18 schools in Bungoma County and diagnosed by the Kato-Katz and Mini-FLOTAC coprological methods. Sensitivity and additional diagnostic performance measures were analyzed using Bayesian latent class modeling. Financial and economic costs were calculated for all survey and diagnostic activities, and cost per child tested, cost per case detected and cost per STH infection correctly classified were estimated. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the impact of various survey parameters on cost estimates. Results Both diagnostic methods exhibited comparable sensitivity for detection of any STH species over single and consecutive day sampling: 52.0% for single day Kato-Katz; 49.1% for single-day Mini-FLOTAC; 76.9% for consecutive day Kato-Katz; and 74.1% for consecutive day Mini-FLOTAC. Diagnostic performance did not differ significantly between methods for the different STH species. Use of Kato-Katz with school-based sampling was the lowest cost scenario for cost per child tested ($10.14) and cost per case correctly classified ($12.84). Cost per case detected was lowest for Kato-Katz used in community-based sampling ($128.24). Sensitivity analysis revealed the cost of case detection for any STH decreased non-linearly as prevalence rates increased and was influenced by the number of samples collected. Conclusions The Kato-Katz method was comparable in diagnostic sensitivity to the Mini-FLOTAC method, but afforded greater cost-effectiveness. Future work is required to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of STH surveillance in different settings. PMID

  14. Diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness of alternative methods for detection of soil-transmitted helminths in a post-treatment setting in western Kenya.

    PubMed

    Assefa, Liya M; Crellen, Thomas; Kepha, Stella; Kihara, Jimmy H; Njenga, Sammy M; Pullan, Rachel L; Brooker, Simon J

    2014-05-01

    This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness of the Kato-Katz and Mini-FLOTAC methods for detection of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in a post-treatment setting in western Kenya. A cost analysis also explores the cost implications of collecting samples during school surveys when compared to household surveys. Stool samples were collected from children (n = 652) attending 18 schools in Bungoma County and diagnosed by the Kato-Katz and Mini-FLOTAC coprological methods. Sensitivity and additional diagnostic performance measures were analyzed using Bayesian latent class modeling. Financial and economic costs were calculated for all survey and diagnostic activities, and cost per child tested, cost per case detected and cost per STH infection correctly classified were estimated. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the impact of various survey parameters on cost estimates. Both diagnostic methods exhibited comparable sensitivity for detection of any STH species over single and consecutive day sampling: 52.0% for single day Kato-Katz; 49.1% for single-day Mini-FLOTAC; 76.9% for consecutive day Kato-Katz; and 74.1% for consecutive day Mini-FLOTAC. Diagnostic performance did not differ significantly between methods for the different STH species. Use of Kato-Katz with school-based sampling was the lowest cost scenario for cost per child tested ($10.14) and cost per case correctly classified ($12.84). Cost per case detected was lowest for Kato-Katz used in community-based sampling ($128.24). Sensitivity analysis revealed the cost of case detection for any STH decreased non-linearly as prevalence rates increased and was influenced by the number of samples collected. The Kato-Katz method was comparable in diagnostic sensitivity to the Mini-FLOTAC method, but afforded greater cost-effectiveness. Future work is required to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of STH surveillance in different settings.

  15. A cross-sectional study on schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths in Mbita district, western Kenya using different copromicroscopic techniques.

    PubMed

    Ng'etich, Annette I; Rawago, Fredrick O; Jura, Walter G Z O; Mwinzi, Pauline N; Won, Kimberly Y; Odiere, Maurice R

    2016-02-16

    Identification of populations to be targeted for individual treatment and broad-spectrum therapy in schistosomiasis-endemic areas, assessment of therapy efficacy, morbidity, and evaluation of control strategies need to be based on reliable diagnostic tools. Kato-Katz is routinely used and remains the standard diagnostic technique for schistosomiasis, despite its many challenges. This study was conducted in Nyamanga village, Mbita, western Kenya, and evaluated the diagnostic performance of Kato-Katz, Mini-Parasep and modified Mini-FLOTAC techniques in detection of Schistosoma mansoni and soil-transmitted helminths (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm) ova. Stool samples from 132 individuals were screened for eggs of S. mansoni by the 3 techniques. Mini-Parasep faecal parasite concentrator (Apacor Ltd, England), a single-use diagnostic device with a built-in filter for faecal concentration of helminth eggs by sedimentation was employed on stool samples fixed in 10% formalin. A modified Mini-FLOTAC (University of Naples, Italy) was based on floatation of helminths eggs with two different solutions (FS2 and FS7) using a closed system (Fill-FLOTAC) with 5% formalin. Kato-Katz was performed following WHO recommendation. Prevalence of S. mansoni and STH, sensitivity and degree of agreement among the 3 techniques were determined. Prevalence of S. mansoni was 47.0%, 34.1% and 20.5% by Mini-Parasep, Kato-Katz and modified Mini-FLOTAC FS7 techniques, respectively. Prevalence of any STH infection was 6.1%, 3.0%, 6.1% and 6.8% by Mini-Parasep, Kato-Katz, modified Mini-FLOTAC FS2 and modified Mini-FLOTAC FS7 techniques, respectively. Considering the pooled results of the three methods (Mini-Parasep, Kato-Katz and modified Mini-FLOTAC FS7) as diagnostic 'gold' standard, the sensitivity of Mini-Parasep, Kato-Katz and modified Mini-FLOTAC FS7 for S. mansoni was 77.5%, 56.1%, and 33.8%, respectively. Mini-Parasep and modified Mini-FLOTAC FS7 techniques had

  16. Kato type operators and Weyl's theorem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duggal, B. P.; Djordjevic, S. V.; Kubrusly, Carlos

    2005-09-01

    A Banach space operator T satisfies Weyl's theorem if and only if T or T* has SVEP at all complex numbers [lambda] in the complement of the Weyl spectrum of T and T is Kato type at all [lambda] which are isolated eigenvalues of T of finite algebraic multiplicity. If T* (respectively, T) has SVEP and T is Kato type at all [lambda] which are isolated eigenvalues of T of finite algebraic multiplicity (respectively, T is Kato type at all [lambda][set membership, variant]iso[sigma](T)), then T satisfies a-Weyl's theorem (respectively, T* satisfies a-Weyl's theorem).

  17. Evaluation performance of diagnostic methods of intestinal parasitosis in school age children in Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Yimer, Mulat; Hailu, Tadesse; Mulu, Wondemagegn; Abera, Bayeh

    2015-12-26

    Although the sensitivity of Wet mount technique is questionable, it is the major diagnostic technique for routine diagnosis of intestinal parasitosis in Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study was the evaluation performance of diagnostic methods of intestinal parasitosis in school age children in Ethiopia. A cross sectional study was conducted from May to June 2013. Single stool sample was processed for direct, Formol ether concentration (FEC) and Kato Katz methods. The sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) of diagnostic tests were calculated in terms of the "Gold" standard method (the combined result of the three methods altogether). A total of 422 school age children were participated in this study. The prevalence of intestinal parasites was high (74.6%) with Kato Katz technique. The sensitivity of Wet mount, FEC and Kato Katz tests against the Gold standard test was 48.9, 63.1 and 93.7%, respectively. Kato Katz technique revealed a better NPV 80.4 (80.1-80.6) as compared to the Wet mount (33.7%) and FEC techniques (41.3%). In this study, the Kato Katz technique outperformed the other two methods but the true values for sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic values are not known. Moreover, it is labor intensive and not easily accessible. Hence, it is preferable to use FEC technique to complement the Wet mount test.

  18. Surveillance of intestinal schistosomiasis during control: a comparison of four diagnostic tests across five Ugandan primary schools in the Lake Albert region.

    PubMed

    Al-Shehri, Hajri; Koukounari, Artemis; Stanton, Michelle C; Adriko, Moses; Arinaitwe, Moses; Atuhaire, Aaron; Kabatereine, Narcis B; Stothard, J Russell

    2018-03-21

    Programmatic surveillance of intestinal schistosomiasis during control can typically use four diagnostic tests, either singularly or in combination, but these have yet to be cross-compared directly. Our study assembled a complete diagnostic dataset, inclusive of infection intensities, from 258 children from five Ugandan primary schools. The schools were purposely selected as typical of the endemic landscape near Lake Albert and reflective of high- and low-transmission settings. Overall prevalence was: 44.1% (95% CI 38.0-50.2) by microscopy of duplicate Kato-Katz smears from two consecutive stools, 56.9% (95% CI 50.8-63.0) by urine-circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) dipstick, 67.4% (95% CI 61.6-73.1) by DNA-TaqMan® and 75.1% (95% CI 69.8-80.4) by soluble egg antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (SEA-ELISA). A cross-comparison of diagnostic sensitivities, specificities, positive and negative predictive values was undertaken, inclusive of a latent class analysis (LCA) with a LCA-model estimate of prevalence by each school. The latter ranged from 9.6% to 100.0%, and prevalence by school for each diagnostic test followed a static ascending order or monotonic series of Kato-Katz, urine-CCA dipstick, DNA-TaqMan® and SEA-ELISA. We confirm that Kato-Katz remains a satisfactory diagnostic standalone in high-transmission settings but in low-transmission settings should be augmented or replaced by urine-CCA dipsticks. DNA-TaqMan® appears suitable in both endemic settings though is only implementable if resources permit. In low-transmission settings, SEA-ELISA remains the method of choice to evidence an absence infection. We discuss the pros and cons of each method concluding that future surveillance of intestinal schistosomiasis would benefit from a flexible, context-specific approach both in choice and application of each diagnostic method, rather than a single one-size fits all approach.

  19. Evaluating a point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen test (POC-CCA) to detect Schistosoma mansoni infections in a low endemic area in north-eastern Brazil.

    PubMed

    Bezerra, Fernando Schemelzer Moraes; Leal, Joames Kauffimann Freitas; Sousa, Mariana Silva; Pinheiro, Marta Cristhiany Cunha; Ramos, Alberto Novaes; Silva-Moraes, Vanessa; Katz, Naftale

    2018-06-01

    Schistosomiasis is still a public health problem in Brazil. The Kato-Katz test is the most frequently used diagnostic method for Schistosoma mansoni infection. However, it lacks sensitivity in areas of low prevalence. We have assessed the positivity rate of S. mansoni infection in Bananeiras, a village on Capistrano, Ceara, Brazil by performing a point-of-care test in urine to determine the circulating cathodic antigens (POC-CCA), and we compared the findings with those of the Kato-Katz technique for egg detection in stool and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for specific antibodies against adult worms (SWAP-ELISA) in serum before treatment (baseline). Additionally, the POC-CCA and Kato-Katz test results were compared at one and two years post-treatment, and only POC-CCA strips were utilised for follow-up testing on urine samples at 3-6 weeks. Only one sample of stool and urine was collected per event. Overall, 258 individuals were investigated at the baseline. The POC-CCA test detected 10 (3.9%) positive cases; however, this amount increased to 30 (11.6%) when considering trace readings as positive (t + ), whereas the Kato-Katz method found only 4 (1.6%) positive cases and the SWAP-ELISA detected 105 (40.7%) positive cases. The consistency observed between a single POC-CCA (t + ) or (t-) and the Kato-Katz (three slides) was poor (Kappa indexes <0.20). The highest positivity rate as determined by CCA and Kato-Katz was found in adults. At the baseline, a praziquantel treatment was administered to all individuals regardless of their infection status. According to the POC-CCA test, 93% of the previous positive cases became negative by the third week after the treatment; this rate reached 100% at the sixth week assessment. The follow-up showed that of the 175 individuals evaluated at one year post-treatment, only one (0.6%) showed 'trace' results, and all the individuals were negative for eggs in the stool. At two years, all 185 examined individuals were

  20. Detection of selected intestinal helminths and protozoa at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia using multiplex real-time PCR.

    PubMed

    Basuni, M; Mohamed, Z; Ahmad, M; Zakaria, N Z; Noordin, R

    2012-09-01

    Intestinal parasites are the causative agents of a number of important human infections in developing countries. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of selected helminths and protozoan infections among patients admitted with gastrointestinal disorders at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia using multiplex real-time PCR. In addition microscopic examination was also performed following direct smear, zinc sulphate concentration and Kato-Katz thick smear techniques; and the presence of protozoan parasites was confirmed using trichrome and acid-fast stains. Of the 225 faecal samples analysed, 26.2% were positive for intestinal parasites by the multiplex real-time PCR, while 5.3% were positive by microscopy. As compared to microscopy, the multiplex real-time PCR detected 5.8 and 4.5 times more positives for the selected helminth and protozoan infections respectively. Among the selected helminths detected in this study, hookworm was the most prevalent by real-time PCR, while Ascaris lumbricoides was detected the most by microscopy. Meanwhile, among the selected protozoa detected in this study, Entamoeba histolytica was the most prevalent by real-time PCR, however microscopy detected equal number of cases with E. histolytica and Giardia lamblia. This study showed that real-time PCR can be used to obtain a more accurate prevalence data on intestinal helminths and protozoa.

  1. Field Evaluation of a Coproantigen Detection Test for Fascioliasis Diagnosis and Surveillance in Human Hyperendemic Areas of Andean Countries

    PubMed Central

    Valero, María Adela; Periago, María Victoria; Pérez-Crespo, Ignacio; Angles, René; Villegas, Fidel; Aguirre, Carlos; Strauss, Wilma; Espinoza, José R.; Herrera, Patricia; Terashima, Angelica; Tamayo, Hugo; Engels, Dirk; Gabrielli, Albis Francesco; Mas-Coma, Santiago

    2012-01-01

    Background Emergence of human fascioliasis prompted a worldwide control initiative including a pilot study in a few countries. Two hyperendemic areas were chosen: Huacullani, Northern Altiplano, Bolivia, representing the Altiplanic transmission pattern with high prevalences and intensities; Cajamarca valley, Peru, representing the valley pattern with high prevalences but low intensities. Coprological sample collection, transport and study procedures were analyzed to improve individual diagnosis and subsequent treatments and surveillance activities. Therefore, a coproantigen-detection technique (MM3-COPRO ELISA) was evaluated, using classical techniques for egg detection for comparison. Methodology and Findings A total of 436 and 362 stool samples from schoolchildren of Huacullani and Cajamarca, respectively, were used. Positive samples from Huacullani were 24.77% using the MM3-COPRO technique, and 21.56% using Kato-Katz. Positive samples from Cajamarca were 11.05% using MM3-COPRO, and 5.24% using rapid sedimentation and Kato-Katz. In Huacullani, using Kato-Katz as gold standard, sensitivity and specificity were 94.68% and 98.48%, respectively, and using Kato-Katz and COPRO-ELISA test together, they were 95.68% and 100%. In Cajamarca, using rapid sedimentation and Kato-Katz together, results were 94.73% and 93.58%, and using rapid sedimentation, Kato-Katz and copro-ELISA together, they were 97.56% and 100%, respectively. There was no correlation between coproantigen detection by optical density (OD) and infection intensity by eggs per gram of feces (epg) in Cajamarca low burden cases (<400 epg), nor in Huacullani high burden cases (≥400 epg), although there was in Huacullani low burden cases (<400 epg). Six cases of egg emission appeared negative by MM3-COPRO, including one with a high egg count (1248 epg). Conclusions The coproantigen-detection test allows for high sensitivity and specificity, fast large mass screening capacity, detection in the chronic phase

  2. Efficacy and Safety of Praziquantel in Preschool-Aged Children in an Area Co-Endemic for Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium

    PubMed Central

    Coulibaly, Jean T.; N'Gbesso, Yve K.; Knopp, Stefanie; Keiser, Jennifer; N'Goran, Eliézer K.; Utzinger, Jürg

    2012-01-01

    Background In sub-Saharan Africa the recommended strategy to control schistosomiasis is preventive chemotherapy. Emphasis is placed on school-aged children, but in high endemicity areas, preschool-aged children are also at risk, and hence might need treatment with praziquantel. Since a pediatric formulation (e.g., syrup) is not available outside of Egypt, crushed praziquantel tablets are used, but the efficacy and safety of this treatment regimen is insufficiently studied. Methodology We assessed the efficacy and safety of crushed praziquantel tablets among preschool-aged children (<6 years) in the Azaguié district, south Côte d'Ivoire, where Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium coexist. Using a cross-sectional design, children provided two stool and two urine samples before and 3 weeks after treatment. Crushed praziquantel tablets, mixed with water, were administered at a dose of 40 mg/kg. Adverse events were assessed and graded 4 and 24 hours posttreatment by interviewing mothers/guardians. Principal Findings Overall, 160 preschool-aged children had at least one stool and one urine sample examined with duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears and a point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) cassette for S. mansoni, and urine filtration for S. haematobium diagnosis before and 3 weeks after praziquantel administration. According to the Kato-Katz and urine filtration results, we found high efficacy against S. mansoni (cure rate (CR), 88.6%; egg reduction rate (ERR), 96.7%) and S. haematobium (CR, 88.9%; ERR, 98.0%). POC-CCA revealed considerably lower efficacy against S. mansoni (CR, 53.8%). Treatment was generally well tolerated, but moderately severe adverse events (i.e., body and face inflammation), were observed in four Schistosoma egg-negative children. Conclusions/Significance Crushed praziquantel administered to preschool-aged children at a dose of 40 mg/kg is efficacious against S. mansoni and S. haematobium in a co-endemic setting of Côte d

  3. Comparison of novel and standard diagnostic tools for the detection of Schistosoma mekongi infection in Lao People's Democratic Republic and Cambodia.

    PubMed

    Vonghachack, Youthanavanh; Sayasone, Somphou; Khieu, Virak; Bergquist, Robert; van Dam, Govert J; Hoekstra, Pytsje T; Corstjens, Paul L A M; Nickel, Beatrice; Marti, Hanspeter; Utzinger, Jürg; Muth, Sinuon; Odermatt, Peter

    2017-08-10

    Given the restricted distribution of Schistosoma mekongi in one province in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) and two provinces in Cambodia, together with progress of the national control programmes aimed at reducing morbidity and infection prevalence, the elimination of schistosomiasis mekongi seems feasible. However, sensitive diagnostic tools will be required to determine whether elimination has been achieved. We compared several standard and novel diagnostic tools in S. mekongi-endemic areas. The prevalence and infection intensity of S. mekongi were evaluated in 377 study participants from four villages in the endemic areas in Lao PDR and Cambodia using Kato-Katz stool examination, antibody detection based on an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and schistosome circulating antigen detection by lateral-flow tests. Two highly sensitive test systems for the detection of cathodic and anodic circulating antigens (CCA, CAA) in urine and serum were utilized. Stool microscopy revealed an overall prevalence of S. mekongi of 6.4% (one case in Cambodia and 23 cases in Lao PDR), while that of Opisthorchis viverrini, hookworm, Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides and Taenia spp. were 50.4%, 28.1%, 3.5%, 0.3% and 1.9%, respectively. In the urine samples, the tests for CCA and CAA detected S. mekongi infections in 21.0% and 38.7% of the study participants, respectively. In the serum samples, the CAA assay revealed a prevalence of 32.4%, while a combination of the CAA assay in serum and in urine revealed a prevalence of 43.2%. There was a difference between the two study locations with a higher prevalence reached in the samples from Lao PDR. The CCA, CAA and ELISA results showed substantially higher prevalence estimates for S. mekongi compared to Kato-Katz thick smears. Active schistosomiasis mekongi in Lao PDR and Cambodia might thus have been considerably underestimated previously. Hence, sustained control efforts are still needed to break transmission

  4. A comparative study of blood smear, QBC and antigen detection for diagnosis of malaria.

    PubMed

    Parija, S C; Dhodapkar, Rahul; Elangovan, Subashini; Chaya, D R

    2009-01-01

    Rapid diagnosis is prerequisite for effective treatment and reducing mortality and morbidity of malaria. This study was taken up to compare the efficacy of various methods available, i.e., thick and thin smear, quantitative buffy coat (QBC), plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase and aldolase in blood of patient. A total of 411 samples were collected from patients presenting with classic symptoms of malaria. For traditional microscopy; thick and thin smears were prepared and stained with Leishman's stain, taking thick smear as gold standard, thin smear had a sensitivity and specificity of 54.8% and 100%, respectively. QBC and antigen detection was done using commercially available kits; out of 411 samples, QBC and Malariagen were positive in 66 and 62 cases, with a sensitivity of 78% and 75%, respectively. Leishman's thick smear, although cost effective, is difficult to interpret for inexperienced microscopists; so if facilities are available, QBC should be used for routine diagnosis. In places where facilities are not available, rapid, simple and easy to interpret antigen detection test can be used despite low sensitivity.

  5. [Evaluation (assessment) of three tests for diagnosis of geohelmints in Colombia].

    PubMed

    López, Myriam Consuelo; Moncada, Ligia Inés; Ariza-Araújo, Yoseth; Fernández-Niño, Julián Alfredo; Reyes, Patricia; Nicholls, Rubén Santiago

    2013-01-01

    Soil-transmitted helminth infections are considered a public health problem in developing countries. The diagnostic tests, both for individual parient diagnosis as for population studies should be evaluated in terms of validity and reliability. To compare the direct examination, the modified Ritchie-Frick method, a Kato-Katz designed by a Brazilian group and one designed by the WHO, for the diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminthes. A diagnostic test reliability study was performed. The same stool sample was analyzed by the same observer using four diagnostic tests. 204 samples were obtained, 194 of those fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The observers did not know the participants' identity neither the other tests results. For the analysis the Kato-Katz (WHO) was considered as the gold standard. For the reliability assessment percent agreement, positive percent agreement, Kappa statistic, and intraclass correlation were performed. The Brazilian Kato-Katz showed a good performance with high sensitivity and specificity for T. trichiura and Hookworm with values of 0.97 and 0.96 respectively, and a high specificity with mild sensitivity for A. lumbricoides (0.95 and 0.79) meanwhile the direct examination and the Ritche-Frick method showed a performance between mild and poor. The differences were higher for hookworm and Trichiuris trichiura than for Ascaris lumbricoides. The Brazilian Kato Katz test could be implemented, but further studies are needed to correlate its operative capacity with its feasibility, availability and cost.

  6. Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among children under five years of age with emphasis on Schistosoma mansoni in Wonji Shoa Sugar Estate, Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    G/hiwot, Yirgalem; Degarege, Abraham; Erko, Berhanu

    2014-01-01

    Intestinal parasite infections are major public health problems of children in developing countries causing undernutrition, anemia, intestinal obstruction and mental and physical growth retardation. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of intestinal helminthic infections among children under five years of age with emphasis on Schistosoma mansoni in Wonji Shoa Sugar Estate, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional parasitological survey was conducted in under-five children living in Wonji Shoa Sugar Estate Ethiopia, April, 2013. Stool samples were collected and examined for intestinal parasites using single Kato-Katz and single Sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin (SAF) solution concentration methods. Out of 374 children examined using single Kato-Katz and single SAF-concentration methods, 24.3% were infected with at least one intestinal parasite species. About 10.4%, 8.8%, 4.6%, 2.9%, 1.6% and 0.8% of the children were infected with Hymenolepis nana, Schistosoma mansoni, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis and hookworm, respectively. Prevalence of double, triple and quadruple intestinal helminthic infection was 6.4%, 0.54% and 1.1%, respectively. A significant increase in prevalence of S. mansoni (8.3% versus 3.2%) and T. trichiura (2.7% versus 0.5%) infection was observed when determined via the single Kato-Katz method compared to the prevalence of the parasites determined via the single SAF-concentration method. On the other hand, the single SAF-concentration method (9.1%) revealed a significantly higher prevalence of H. nana infection than the single Kato-Katz (1.6%) does. In conclusion, intestinal helminths infections particularly S. mansoni and H. nana were prevalent in under-five children of Wonji Shoa Sugar Estate. Including praziquantel treatment in the deworming program as per the World Health Organization guidelines would be vital to reduce the burden of these diseases in areas where S. mansoni and H. nana infections are

  7. Sustaining the Control of Schistosoma mansoni in Western Côte d'Ivoire: Baseline Findings before the Implementation of a Randomized Trial

    PubMed Central

    Assaré, Rufin K.; Hürlimann, Eveline; Ouattara, Mamadou; N'Guessan, Nicaise A.; Tian-Bi, Yves-Nathan T.; Yapi, Ahoua; Yao, Patrick K.; Coulibaly, Jean T.; Knopp, Stefanie; N'Goran, Eliézer K.; Utzinger, Jürg

    2016-01-01

    We report baseline findings before the implementation of a 4-year intervention trial designed to assess the impact of three different school-based treatment schedules with praziquantel to sustain the control of intestinal schistosomiasis. The baseline survey was conducted in 75 schools of western Côte d'Ivoire previously identified with moderate Schistosoma mansoni endemicity (prevalence: 10–24% in children aged 13–14 years). Three stool samples collected over consecutive days were subjected to duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears each. A questionnaire was administered to collect village-specific information that is relevant for schistosomiasis transmission. Overall, 4,953 first graders (aged 5–8 years) and 7,011 school children (aged 9–12 years) had complete parasitologic data. The overall prevalence of S. mansoni was 5.4% among first graders and 22.1% in 9- to 12-year-old children. Open defecation was practiced in all villages. The current baseline findings will be important to better understand the dynamics of S. mansoni prevalence and intensity over the course of this trial that might be governed by village characteristics and specific treatment interventions. PMID:26598571

  8. The accuracy of formol-ether concentration in diagnosing soiltransmitted helminths in elementary school 27 Peusangan in Bireuen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fitriani, C. L.; Panggabean, M.; Pasaribu, A. P.

    2018-03-01

    Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) or a group of parasitic nematode worms causing human infection through contact with moist soil may contribute to anemia, nutritional disorders, physical and intellectual growth retardation. School-age children are at high risk of STH infection due to frequent contact with soil. Reliable, sensitive, and practical diagnostic are the test series for detecting STH. This study aimed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the formol-ether concentration (FEC) in the diagnosis of STH when compared to the Kato-Katz technique. The study was designed at state elementary school 27 Peusangan, Bireuen. The FEC study on a total of 80 (100%) elementary students showed that 12 (15%) sample had the STH infection, while Kato-Katz technique (Gold standard) showed that 31 (38.75%) sample had the STH infection. The FEC technique has the sensitivity of (38.71%), specificity of (100%) and accuracy of (76.25%). The Kato-Katz technique is better than the FEC technique for assessing STH in Bireuen due to mild infection.

  9. Use of Occult Blood Detection Cards for Real-Time PCR-Based Diagnosis of Schistosoma Mansoni Infection

    PubMed Central

    Schunk, Mirjam; Kebede Mekonnen, Seleshi; Wondafrash, Beyene; Mengele, Carolin; Fleischmann, Erna; Herbinger, Karl-Heinz; Verweij, Jaco J.; Geldmacher, Christof; Bretzel, Gisela; Löscher, Thomas; Zeynudin, Ahmed

    2015-01-01

    Background In Schistosoma mansoni infection, diagnosis and control after treatment mainly rely on parasitological stool investigations which are laborious and have limited sensitivity. PCR methods have shown equal or superior sensitivity but preservation and storage methods limit their use in the field. Therefore, the use of occult blood detection cards (fecal cards) for easy sampling and storage of fecal samples for further PCR testing was evaluated in a pilot study. Methodology Stool specimens were collected in a highly endemic area for S. mansoni in Ethiopia and submitted in an investigator-blinded fashion to microscopic examination by Kato-Katz thick smear as well as to real-time PCR using either fresh frozen stool samples or stool smears on fecal cards which have been stored at ambient temperature for up to ten months. Principal Findings Out of 55 stool samples, 35 were positive by microscopy, 33 and 32 were positive by PCR of frozen samples and of fecal card samples, respectively. When microscopy was used as diagnostic “gold standard”, the sensitivity of PCR on fresh stool was 94.3% (95%-CI: 86.6; 100) and on fecal cards 91.4% (95%-CI: 82.2; 100). Conclusions The use of fecal cards proved to be a simple and useful method for stool collection and prolonged storage prior to PCR based diagnosis of S. mansoni infection. This technique may be a valuable approach for large scale surveillance and post treatment assessments PMID:26360049

  10. Use of Occult Blood Detection Cards for Real-Time PCR-Based Diagnosis of Schistosoma Mansoni Infection.

    PubMed

    Schunk, Mirjam; Kebede Mekonnen, Seleshi; Wondafrash, Beyene; Mengele, Carolin; Fleischmann, Erna; Herbinger, Karl-Heinz; Verweij, Jaco J; Geldmacher, Christof; Bretzel, Gisela; Löscher, Thomas; Zeynudin, Ahmed

    2015-01-01

    In Schistosoma mansoni infection, diagnosis and control after treatment mainly rely on parasitological stool investigations which are laborious and have limited sensitivity. PCR methods have shown equal or superior sensitivity but preservation and storage methods limit their use in the field. Therefore, the use of occult blood detection cards (fecal cards) for easy sampling and storage of fecal samples for further PCR testing was evaluated in a pilot study. Stool specimens were collected in a highly endemic area for S. mansoni in Ethiopia and submitted in an investigator-blinded fashion to microscopic examination by Kato-Katz thick smear as well as to real-time PCR using either fresh frozen stool samples or stool smears on fecal cards which have been stored at ambient temperature for up to ten months. Out of 55 stool samples, 35 were positive by microscopy, 33 and 32 were positive by PCR of frozen samples and of fecal card samples, respectively. When microscopy was used as diagnostic "gold standard", the sensitivity of PCR on fresh stool was 94.3% (95%-CI: 86.6; 100) and on fecal cards 91.4% (95%-CI: 82.2; 100). The use of fecal cards proved to be a simple and useful method for stool collection and prolonged storage prior to PCR based diagnosis of S. mansoni infection. This technique may be a valuable approach for large scale surveillance and post treatment assessments.

  11. Field evaluation of a rapid, visually-read colloidal dye immunofiltration assay for Schistosoma japonicum for screening in areas of low transmission.

    PubMed Central

    Xiao, Xiang; Wang, Tianping; Ye, Hongzhuan; Qiang, Guangxiang; Wei, Haiming; Tian, Zhigang

    2005-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To determine the validity of a recently developed rapid test--a colloidal dye immunofiltration assay (CDIFA)--used by health workers in field settings to identify villagers infected with Schistosoma japonicum. METHODS: Health workers in the field used CDIFA to test samples from 1553 villagers in two areas of low endemicity and an area where S. japonicum was not endemic in Anhui, China. All the samples were then tested in the laboratory by laboratory staff using a standard parasitological method (Kato-Katz), an indirect haemagglutination assay (IHA), and CDIFA. The results of CDIFA performed by health workers were compared with those obtained by Kato-Katz and IHA. FINDINGS: Concordance between the results of CDIFA performed in field settings and in the laboratory was high (kappa index, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.93-0.97). When Kato-Katz was used as the reference test, the overall sensitivity and specificity of CDIFA were 98.5% and 83.6%, respectively in the two villages in areas of low endemicity, while the specificity was 99.8% in the nonendemic village. Compared with IHA, the overall specificity and sensitivity of CDIFA were greater than 99% and 96%, respectively. With the combination of Kato-Katz and IHA as the reference standard, CDIFA had a sensitivity of 95.8% and a specificity of 99.5%, and an accuracy of 98.6% in the two areas of low endemicity. CONCLUSION: CDIFA is a specific, sensitive, and reliable test that can be used for rapid screening for schistosomiasis by health workers in field settings. PMID:16175827

  12. Standardization of blood smears prepared in transparent acetate: an alternative method for the microscopic diagnosis of malaria.

    PubMed

    Mello, Marcia B C; Luz, Francisco C; Leal-Santos, Fabio A; Alves, Eduardo R; Gasquez, Thamires M; Fontes, Cor J F

    2014-06-17

    Due to students' initial inexperience, slides are frequently broken and blood smears are damaged in microscopy training, leading to the need for their constant replacement. To minimize this problem a method of preparing blood smears on transparent acetate sheets was developed with the goal of implementing appropriate and more readily available teaching resources for the microscopic diagnosis of malaria. Acetate sheets derived from polyester were used to standardize the preparation and staining of thin and thick blood smears on transparent acetate sheets. Thick and thin blood smears were also prepared using the conventional method on glass slides. The staining was conducted using Giemsa staining for the thick and thin smears. Microscopic examination (1,000x) of the thin and thick blood smears prepared on transparent acetate produced high-quality images for both the parasites and the blood cells. The smears showed up on a clear background and with minimal dye precipitation. It was possible to clearly identify the main morphological characteristics of Plasmodium, neutrophils and platelets. After 12 months of storage, there was no change in image quality or evidence of fungal colonization. Preparation of thin and thick blood smears in transparent acetate for the microscopic diagnosis of malaria does not compromise the morphological and staining characteristics of the parasites or blood cells. It is reasonable to predict the applicability of transparent acetate in relevant situations such as the training of qualified professionals for the microscopic diagnosis of malaria and the preparation of positive specimens for competency assessment (quality control) of professionals and services involved in the diagnosis of malaria.

  13. Comparison of specimen adequacy and smear quality in oral smears prepared by manual liquid-based cytology and conventional methods

    PubMed Central

    Shukla, Surabhi; Einstein, A; Shukla, Abhilasha; Mishra, Deepika

    2015-01-01

    Background: Liquid-based cytology (LBC), recommended in the mass screening of potentially malignant cervical and oral lesions, suffers from high cost owing to the use of expensive automated devices and materials. Considering the need for cost-effective LBC techniques, we evaluated the efficacy of an inexpensive manual LBC (MLBC) technique against conventional cytological technique in terms of specimen adequacy and smear quality of oral smears. Materials and Methods: Cytological samples were collected from 21 patients using a cytobrush device. After preparation of a conventional smear, the brush containing the remaining sample was immersed in the preservative vial. The preserved material was processed by an MLBC technique and subsequently, direct smears were made from the prepared cell button. Both conventional and MLBC smears were stained by routine Papanicolaou technique and evaluated by an independent observer for the thickness of the smear, cellular distribution, resolution/clarity of cells, cellular staining characteristics and the presence of unsatisfactory background/artifacts. Each parameter was graded as satisfactory; or satisfactory, but limited; or unsatisfactory. Chi-square test was used to compare the values obtained (significance set at P ≤ 0.05). Results: MLBC technique produced a significant number of satisfactory smears with regard to cell distribution, clarity/resolution, staining characteristics and background/artifacts compared to conventional methods. Conclusions: MLBC is a cost-effective cytological technique that may produce oral smears with excellent cytomorphology and longer storage life. PMID:26980958

  14. Crowdsourcing malaria parasite quantification: an online game for analyzing images of infected thick blood smears.

    PubMed

    Luengo-Oroz, Miguel Angel; Arranz, Asier; Frean, John

    2012-11-29

    There are 600,000 new malaria cases daily worldwide. The gold standard for estimating the parasite burden and the corresponding severity of the disease consists in manually counting the number of parasites in blood smears through a microscope, a process that can take more than 20 minutes of an expert microscopist's time. This research tests the feasibility of a crowdsourced approach to malaria image analysis. In particular, we investigated whether anonymous volunteers with no prior experience would be able to count malaria parasites in digitized images of thick blood smears by playing a Web-based game. The experimental system consisted of a Web-based game where online volunteers were tasked with detecting parasites in digitized blood sample images coupled with a decision algorithm that combined the analyses from several players to produce an improved collective detection outcome. Data were collected through the MalariaSpot website. Random images of thick blood films containing Plasmodium falciparum at medium to low parasitemias, acquired by conventional optical microscopy, were presented to players. In the game, players had to find and tag as many parasites as possible in 1 minute. In the event that players found all the parasites present in the image, they were presented with a new image. In order to combine the choices of different players into a single crowd decision, we implemented an image processing pipeline and a quorum algorithm that judged a parasite tagged when a group of players agreed on its position. Over 1 month, anonymous players from 95 countries played more than 12,000 games and generated a database of more than 270,000 clicks on the test images. Results revealed that combining 22 games from nonexpert players achieved a parasite counting accuracy higher than 99%. This performance could be obtained also by combining 13 games from players trained for 1 minute. Exhaustive computations measured the parasite counting accuracy for all players as a

  15. Crowdsourcing Malaria Parasite Quantification: An Online Game for Analyzing Images of Infected Thick Blood Smears

    PubMed Central

    Arranz, Asier; Frean, John

    2012-01-01

    Background There are 600,000 new malaria cases daily worldwide. The gold standard for estimating the parasite burden and the corresponding severity of the disease consists in manually counting the number of parasites in blood smears through a microscope, a process that can take more than 20 minutes of an expert microscopist’s time. Objective This research tests the feasibility of a crowdsourced approach to malaria image analysis. In particular, we investigated whether anonymous volunteers with no prior experience would be able to count malaria parasites in digitized images of thick blood smears by playing a Web-based game. Methods The experimental system consisted of a Web-based game where online volunteers were tasked with detecting parasites in digitized blood sample images coupled with a decision algorithm that combined the analyses from several players to produce an improved collective detection outcome. Data were collected through the MalariaSpot website. Random images of thick blood films containing Plasmodium falciparum at medium to low parasitemias, acquired by conventional optical microscopy, were presented to players. In the game, players had to find and tag as many parasites as possible in 1 minute. In the event that players found all the parasites present in the image, they were presented with a new image. In order to combine the choices of different players into a single crowd decision, we implemented an image processing pipeline and a quorum algorithm that judged a parasite tagged when a group of players agreed on its position. Results Over 1 month, anonymous players from 95 countries played more than 12,000 games and generated a database of more than 270,000 clicks on the test images. Results revealed that combining 22 games from nonexpert players achieved a parasite counting accuracy higher than 99%. This performance could be obtained also by combining 13 games from players trained for 1 minute. Exhaustive computations measured the parasite

  16. Combination of five diagnostic tests to estimate the prevalence of hookworm infection among school-aged children from a rural area of colombia.

    PubMed

    Barreto, Rafael E; Narváez, Javier; Sepúlveda, Natalia A; Velásquez, Fabián C; Díaz, Sandra C; López, Myriam Consuelo; Reyes, Patricia; Moncada, Ligia I

    2017-09-01

    Public health programs for the control of soil-transmitted helminthiases require valid diagnostic tests for surveillance and parasitic control evaluation. However, there is currently no agreement about what test should be used as a gold standard for the diagnosis of hookworm infection. Still, in presence of concurrent data for multiple tests it is possible to use statistical models to estimate measures of test performance and prevalence. The aim of this study was to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of five parallel tests (direct microscopic examination, Kato-Katz, Harada-Mori, modified Ritchie-Frick, and culture in agar plate) to detect hookworm infections in a sample of school-aged children from a rural area in Colombia. We used both, a frequentist approach, and Bayesian latent class models to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of five tests for hookworm detection, and to estimate the prevalence of hookworm infection in absence of a Gold Standard. The Kato-Katz and agar plate methods had an overall agreement of 95% and kappa coefficient of 0.76. Different models estimated a sensitivity between 76% and 92% for the agar plate technique, and 52% to 87% for the Kato-Katz technique. The other tests had lower sensitivity. All tests had specificity between 95% and 98%. The prevalence estimated by the Kato-Katz and Agar plate methods for different subpopulations varied between 10% and 14%, and was consistent with the prevalence estimated from the combination of all tests. The Harada-Mori, Ritchie-Frick and direct examination techniques resulted in lower and disparate prevalence estimates. Bayesian approaches assuming imperfect specificity resulted in lower prevalence estimates than the frequentist approach. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. A cross-sectional study of intestinal parasitic infections in a rural district of west China

    PubMed Central

    Tang, Ning; Luo, Nian Ji

    2003-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Parasitic infections are widespread in rural areas of West China. The remote and humid environment, traditional ways of life, contaminated potable water and limited health services all contribute to the transmission and persistence of fecal parasites. OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in an area of West China, including its associations with demographic variables. METHODS: Single fecal specimens were collected using a previously validated kit. Parasites were detected microscopically by iodine-stained smear, modified Kato-Katz thick smear, simple saline smear, test tube filter paper culture and adhesive cellophane tape anal swab. RESULTS: The prevalence of enteric parasites in the population was 51.7%. The proportion of individuals infected with one parasite was 36.5%, two parasites 12.7%, three parasites 3.0% and four parasites 0.08%. Parasites identified included Ascaris lumbricoides in 41.4% of all individuals tested, Ancylostoma duodenale in 17.7%, Trichurias trichuria in 8.25%, Enterobius vermicularis in 0.43%, Blastocystis hominis in 1.37%, Entamoeba coli in 0.47%, Entamoeba histolytica in 0.16%, Giardia lamblia in 0.04%, Strongyloides stercoralis in 0.04% and Clonorchis sinensis in 0.04%. The prevalence was significantly increased in women, people aged 15 to 19 years and over 80 years, the rural farm population, farmers, preschool and primary school groups, residents of a hilly rather than mountainous or plains terrain, and in intermediate income groups. The prevalence was significantly negatively associated with educational level, but not with age or income. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the use of simple fecal examinations to monitor the parasite burden in rural areas of developing countries. Enteric parasites remain common in this population in rural China. PMID:18159450

  18. Countrywide Reassessment of Schistosoma mansoni Infection in Burundi Using a Urine-Circulating Cathodic Antigen Rapid Test: Informing the National Control Program

    PubMed Central

    Ortu, Giuseppina; Ndayishimiye, Onésime; Clements, Michelle; Kayugi, Donatien; Campbell, Carl H.; Lamine, Mariama Sani; Zivieri, Antonio; Magalhaes, Ricardo Soares; Binder, Sue; King, Charles H.; Fenwick, Alan; Colley, Daniel G.; Jourdan, Peter Mark

    2017-01-01

    Following implementation of the national control program, a reassessment of Schistosoma mansoni prevalence was conducted in Burundi to determine the feasibility of moving toward elimination. A countrywide cluster-randomized cross-sectional study was performed in May 2014. At least 25 schools were sampled from each of five eco-epidemiological risk zones for schistosomiasis. Fifty randomly selected children 13–14 years of age per school were included for a single urine-circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) rapid test and, in a subset of schools, for duplicate Kato-Katz slide preparation from a single stool sample. A total of 17,331 children from 347 schools were tested using CCA. The overall prevalence of S. mansoni infection, when CCA trace results were considered negative, was 13.5% (zone range [zr] = 4.6–17.8%), and when CCA trace results were considered positive, it was 42.8% (zr = 34.3–49.9%). In 170 schools, prevalence of this infection determined using Kato-Katz method was 1.5% (zr ==0–2.7%). The overall mean intensity of S. mansoni infection determined using Kato-Katz was 0.85 eggs per gram (standard deviation = 10.86). A majority of schools (84%) were classified as non-endemic (prevalence = 0) using Kato-Katz; however, a similar proportion of schools were classified as endemic when CCA trace results were considered negative (85%) and nearly all (98%) were endemic when CCA trace results were considered positive. The findings of this nationwide reassessment using a CCA rapid test indicate that Schistosoma infection is still widespread in Burundi, although its average intensity is probably low. Further evidence is now needed to determine the association between CCA rapid test positivity and low-intensity disease transmission. PMID:28115675

  19. [Mechanism of drug dependency: answers to the questions of KATO].

    PubMed

    Takigawa, M

    2000-01-01

    The complicated mechanisms of drug dependency were discussed from the perspective of a reward, especially the perspective of psychic dependency of the brain. In Kato's article, the following questions were raised. (1) Improper usage of terminology in describing the objective pharmacological behavior and describing the subjective psychic experience, e.g. the term "obsessional comfort". (2) The enhanced effects of morphine and d-amphetamine in ICSS (intracranial self-stimulation) were not suitably regarded, as these might be the results of stimulus current running in the brain. The conclusion that "morphine and d-amphetamine are 2 kinds of addictive drugs due to the reinforcement effects on ICSS" appears to be putting the incidental before the fundamental because these are addictive drugs in clinical use. (3) It was unknown why the basic problem of drug dependency was limited to psychic stimulant (antihypnotic, etc.), and why only opiates were represented as an addictive drug. (4) The conclusion that the reinforcement effects of barbital and benzodiazepine were not observed in ICSS contradicted Kato's conclusion, in which the reinforcement effects were detected in an experiment involving self-administration. (5) He reiterated that the usage of terminology was confused in describing the psychic experience and pharmacological behavioral. In response to the comments of the editors, I would answer the questions as follows: It is well-known that the terminologies used in psychiatry are strict and prudent. This should also be the case in the description of pharmacological behaviors in animal models. The author admitted Kato's profound relevant experiences in drug dependency, and did not disapprove of his criticisms about the terminology used in the article to describe objective behaviors and observe subjective experience. That article was excerpted from one of my lectures, which to some extent allowed freedom in phrases and sentences. The following are my answers to Kato

  20. Initiating NTD programs targeting schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in two provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Establishment of baseline prevalence for mass drug administration.

    PubMed

    Kabore, Achille; Ibikounle, Moudachirou; Tougoue, Jean Jacques; Mupoyi, Sylvain; Ndombe, Martin; Shannon, Scott; Ottesen, Eric A; Mukunda, Faustin; Awaca, Naomi

    2017-02-01

    Schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) are widely distributed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and constitute a serious public health problem. As recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), before launching mass chemotherapy to control these diseases, parasitological surveys were conducted in sentinel sites in six health zones (HZs) in Bandundu and Maniema provinces. Baseline prevalence and intensity of infection for SCH and STH were determined to establish the appropriate treatment plan using Praziquantel (PZQ) and Albendazole (ALB). Parasitological surveys were conducted from April to May 2015 in twenty-six selected sampling units (schools) for baseline mapping in six HZs: Fifty school children (25 females and 25 males) aged 9-15 years were randomly selected per sampling unit. A total of 1300 samples (urine and stool) were examined using haematuria dipsticks, parasite-egg filtration and the point-of-care Circulating Cathodic Antigen (POC-CCA) assay for urine samples and the Kato-Katz technique for stool specimens. Three species of schistosomes (S. mansoni, S. haematobium and S. intercalatum) and three groups of STH (hookworm, Ascaris and Trichuris) were detected at variable prevalence and intensity among the schools, the HZs and the provinces. In Bandundu, no SCH was detected by either Kato-Katz or the POC-CCA technique, despite a high prevalence of STH with 68% and 80% at Kiri and Pendjua HZs, respectively. In Maniema, intestinal schistosomiasis was detected by both Kato-Katz and POC-CCA with an average prevalence by Kato-Katz of 32.8% and by POC-CCA of 42.1%. Comparative studies confirmed the greater sensitivity (and operational feasibility) of the POC-CCA test on urine compared to Kato-Katz examination of stool for diagnosing intestinal schistosomiasis even in areas of comparatively light infections. STH was widely distributed and present in all HZs with a mean prevalence (95% CI) of 59.62% (46.00-65.00%). The

  1. Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory of gravity: The Gauss-Bonnet-Katz boundary term

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deruelle, Nathalie; Merino, Nelson; Olea, Rodrigo

    2018-05-01

    We propose a boundary term to the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet action for gravity, which uses the Chern-Weil theorem plus a dimensional continuation process, such that the extremization of the full action yields the equations of motion when Dirichlet boundary conditions are imposed. When translated into tensorial language, this boundary term is the generalization to this theory of the Katz boundary term and vector for general relativity. The boundary term constructed in this paper allows to deal with a general background and is not equivalent to the Gibbons-Hawking-Myers boundary term. However, we show that they coincide if one replaces the background of the Katz procedure by a product manifold. As a first application we show that this Einstein Gauss-Bonnet Katz action yields, without any extra ingredients, the expected mass of the Boulware-Deser black hole.

  2. MULTIPLICITY OF NOVA ENVELOPE SOLUTIONS AND OCCURRENCE OF OPTICALLY THICK WINDS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kato, Mariko; Hachisu, Izumi

    2009-07-10

    We revisit the occurrence condition of optically thick winds reported by Kato in 1985 and Kato and Hachisu in 1989 who mathematically examined nova envelope solutions with an old opacity and found that optically thick winds are accelerated only in massive white dwarfs (WDs) of {approx}>0.9 M{sub sun}. With the OPAL opacity we find that the optically thick wind occurs for {approx}>0.6 M{sub sun} WDs and that the occurrence of winds depends not only on the WD mass but also on the ignition mass. When the ignition mass is larger than a critical value, winds are suppressed by a density-inversionmore » layer. Such a static solution can be realized in WDs of mass {approx}0.6-0.7 M{sub sun}. We propose that sequences consisting only of static solutions correspond to slow evolutions in symbiotic novae like PU Vul because PU Vul shows no indication of strong winds in a long-lasted flat peak followed by a very slow decline in its light curve.« less

  3. The acceptability and safety of praziquantel alone and in combination with mebendazole in the treatment of Schistosoma mansoni and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in children aged 1-4 years in Uganda.

    PubMed

    Namwanje, Harriet; Kabatereine, Narcis B; Olsen, Annette

    2011-10-01

    There is limited information on the acceptability and safety of praziquantel for treatment of schistosomiasis in children below the age of four years. In addition, although mebendazole has been extensively used together with praziquantel against infections with schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) in school-aged children, no specific acceptability or safety studies have been published on this drug combination in younger children. A randomized clinical trial was conducted to determine the safety of praziquantel alone and in combination with mebendazole in the treatment of Schistosoma mansoni and STH in children aged 1 to 4 years. A total of 596 children from Bwondha fishing community in Mayuge district and Wang-Kado fishing community in Nebbi district were investigated using duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears of two stool samples and 130 (21·8%) were found infected with S. mansoni. Of these, 19·2% (25) had heavy intensity of infections. Of the infected children, 82 were included and randomised into praziquantel (40 mg/kg) + mebendazole (500 mg) or praziquantel (40 mg/kg) alone. Many symptoms were reported before treatment while very few were reported after treatment and all on treatment day. No serious adverse events were reported or observed after treatment. Praziquantel with or without mebendazole was well tolerated in small children in the study area.

  4. Prevalence of Intestinal Helminths among Inhabitants of Cambodia (2006-2011)

    PubMed Central

    Yong, Tai-Soon; Sohn, Woon-Mok; Eom, Keeseon S.; Jeoung, Hoo-Gn; Hoang, Eui-Hyug; Yoon, Cheong-Ha; Jung, Bong-Kwang; Lee, Soon-Hyung; Sinuon, Muth; Socheat, Duong

    2014-01-01

    In order to investigate the status of intestinal helminthic infections in Cambodia, epidemiological surveys were carried out on a national scale, including 19 provinces. A total of 32,201 fecal samples were collected from schoolchildren and adults between 2006 and 2011 and examined once by the Kato-Katz thick smear technique. The overall egg positive rate of intestinal helminths was 26.2%. The prevalence of hookworms was the highest (9.6%), followed by that of Opisthorchis viverrini/minute intestinal flukes (Ov/MIF) (5.7%), Ascaris lumbricoides (4.6%), and Trichuris trichiura (4.1%). Other types of parasites detected were Enterobius vermicularis (1.1%), Taenia spp. (0.4%), and Hymenolepis spp. (0.2%). The northwestern regions such as the Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey, and Banteay Meanchey Provinces showed higher prevalences (17.4-22.3%) of hookworms than the other localities. The southwestern areas, including Koh Kong and Preah Sihanouk Provinces showed higher prevalences of A. lumbricoides (17.5-19.2%) and T. trichiura (6.1-21.0%). Meanwhile, the central and southern areas, in particular, Takeo and Kampong Cham Provinces, showed high prevalences of Ov/MIF (23.8-24.0%). The results indicate that a considerably high prevalence of intestinal helminths has been revealed in Cambodia, and thus sustained national parasite control projects are necessary to reduce morbidity due to parasitic infections in Cambodia. PMID:25548418

  5. Prevalence of intestinal helminths among inhabitants of Cambodia (2006-2011).

    PubMed

    Yong, Tai-Soon; Chai, Jong-Yil; Sohn, Woon-Mok; Eom, Keeseon S; Jeoung, Hoo-Gn; Hoang, Eui-Hyug; Yoon, Cheong-Ha; Jung, Bong-Kwang; Lee, Soon-Hyung; Sinuon, Muth; Socheat, Duong

    2014-12-01

    In order to investigate the status of intestinal helminthic infections in Cambodia, epidemiological surveys were carried out on a national scale, including 19 provinces. A total of 32,201 fecal samples were collected from schoolchildren and adults between 2006 and 2011 and examined once by the Kato-Katz thick smear technique. The overall egg positive rate of intestinal helminths was 26.2%. The prevalence of hookworms was the highest (9.6%), followed by that of Opisthorchis viverrini/minute intestinal flukes (Ov/MIF) (5.7%), Ascaris lumbricoides (4.6%), and Trichuris trichiura (4.1%). Other types of parasites detected were Enterobius vermicularis (1.1%), Taenia spp. (0.4%), and Hymenolepis spp. (0.2%). The northwestern regions such as the Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey, and Banteay Meanchey Provinces showed higher prevalences (17.4-22.3%) of hookworms than the other localities. The southwestern areas, including Koh Kong and Preah Sihanouk Provinces showed higher prevalences of A. lumbricoides (17.5-19.2%) and T. trichiura (6.1-21.0%). Meanwhile, the central and southern areas, in particular, Takeo and Kampong Cham Provinces, showed high prevalences of Ov/MIF (23.8-24.0%). The results indicate that a considerably high prevalence of intestinal helminths has been revealed in Cambodia, and thus sustained national parasite control projects are necessary to reduce morbidity due to parasitic infections in Cambodia.

  6. [Target chemotherapy of intestinal nematode infection in area with low endemicity].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Tao; Shen, Yi-ping; Liu, Ying; Yang, Wei-ping; Shao, Jing-ou; Ju, Shao-you; Dong, Kai; Xu, Ju-ling; Jiang, Ji-min

    2002-01-01

    To evaluate the control measures for intestinal nematodiasis in endemic area with low prevalence and intensity of infection. Target chemotherapy was carried out in high-risk population based on the epidemiological characteristics such as age and clinical findings. Albendazole and mebendazole were administered each 200 mg once daily every year for 3 or 5 years. Saturated brine floatation and Kato-Katz thick smear techniques were used for stool examination to evaluate the efficacy of treatment. Two hundred residents from each of the three investigation villages were selected for target chemotherapy once a year for three years. The prevalence of intestinal nematodes decreased from 6.2% in 1995 to 5.4% in 1996 and 3.2% in 1997, and remained at 2.3% after three years in 2000. One control village where only primary school students were treated once a year for 5 years, the prevalence of Ascaris and Trichuris infection also decreased from 1.4% and 4.2% in 1995 to 0.9% and 1.4% in 2000, respectively. The target chemotherapy on the predisposed population to hookworm infection showed that the prevalence in the population above 41 years old was declined from 19.4% to 10.9%. The target chemotherapy is an economical and effective approach for the control of intestinal nematode infection in endemic area with low prevalence and intensity of infection.

  7. Kato perturbative expansion in classical mechanics and an explicit expression for the Deprit generator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nikolaev, A. S.

    2015-03-01

    We study the structure of the canonical Poincaré-Lindstedt perturbation series in the Deprit operator formalism and establish its connection to the Kato resolvent expansion. A discussion of invariant definitions for averaging and integrating perturbation operators and their canonical identities reveals a regular pattern in the series for the Deprit generator. This regularity is explained using Kato series and the relation of the perturbation operators to the Laurent coefficients for the resolvent of the Liouville operator. This purely canonical approach systematizes the series and leads to an explicit expression for the Deprit generator in any order of the perturbation theory: , where is the partial pseudoinverse of the perturbed Liouville operator. The corresponding Kato series provides a reasonably effective computational algorithm. The canonical connection of the perturbed and unperturbed averaging operators allows describing ambiguities in the generator and transformed Hamiltonian, while Gustavson integrals turn out to be insensitive to the normalization style. We use nonperturbative examples for illustration.

  8. Kato expansion in quantum canonical perturbation theory

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nikolaev, Andrey, E-mail: Andrey.Nikolaev@rdtex.ru

    2016-06-15

    This work establishes a connection between canonical perturbation series in quantum mechanics and a Kato expansion for the resolvent of the Liouville superoperator. Our approach leads to an explicit expression for a generator of a block-diagonalizing Dyson’s ordered exponential in arbitrary perturbation order. Unitary intertwining of perturbed and unperturbed averaging superprojectors allows for a description of ambiguities in the generator and block-diagonalized Hamiltonian. We compare the efficiency of the corresponding computational algorithm with the efficiencies of the Van Vleck and Magnus methods for high perturbative orders.

  9. Superior Diagnostic Performance of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests as compared to Blood Smears in U.S. Clinical Practice

    PubMed Central

    Stauffer, William M.; Cartwright, Charles P.; Olson, Douglas; Juni, Billie Anne; Taylor, Charlotte M; Bowers, Susan H.; Hanson, Kevan L.; Rosenblatt, Jon E.; Boulware, David R.

    2010-01-01

    Background Approximately 4 million U.S. travelers to developing countries are ill enough to seek healthcare with 1,500 malaria cases reported in the U.S. annually. The diagnosis of malaria is frequently delayed due to the time to prepare malaria blood films and lack of technical expertise. An easy, reliable rapid diagnostic test (RDT) with high sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV), particularly for Plasmodium falciparum, would be clinically useful. The study objective was to determine the diagnostic performance of the FDA-approved NOW® Malaria Test in comparison to traditional thick and thin blood smears for malaria diagnosis. Methods This prospective study tested 852 consecutive blood samples sent for thick and thin smears with blinded, malaria rapid tests at three hospital laboratories during 2003–2006. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) verified positive tests and discordant results. Results Malaria occurred in 11% (95/852). The rapid test had superior performance than the standard Giemsa thick blood smear (P=.003). The rapid test’s sensitivity for all malaria was 97% (92/95) vs. 85% (81/95) by blood smear, and the RDT had superior NPV of 99.6% vs. 98.2% (P=.001). The P. falciparum performance was excellent with 100% rapid test sensitivity versus only 88% (65/74) by blood smear (P=.003). Conclusions This operational study demonstrates the FDA-approved rapid malaria test is superior to a single set of blood smears performed under routine U.S. clinical laboratory conditions. The most valuable clinical role of the RDT is in the rapid diagnosis or the exclusion of P. falciparum malaria, which is particularly useful in outpatient settings when evaluating febrile travelers. PMID:19686072

  10. Sputum smear examination and time to diagnosis in patients with smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in the Pacific.

    PubMed

    Viney, K; Bissell, K; Tabutoa, K; Kienene, T; Linh, N N; Briand, K; Harries, A D

    2012-12-21

    National tuberculosis programmes (NTPs) in Kiribati and the Marshall Islands, 2006-2010. To determine the proportion of all tuberculosis (TB) cases that were pulmonary smear-negative, and for these patients to determine how many sputum smears were examined and the time from sputum smear examination to registration. A retrospective cross-sectional study involving a record review of national TB and laboratory registers. Of 2420 TB cases identified, 709 (29%) were registered as smear-negative pulmonary TB. Of the 695 (98%) with information on smear examination, 222 (32%) had no smear recorded, 61 (9%) had one smear, 86 (12%) two smears and 326 (47%) three smears. Among the 473 patients who had at least one smear, 238 (50%) were registered before sputum examination, 131 (28%) within 1 week, 72 (15%) between 1 and 4 weeks, and 34 (7%) >4 weeks after sputum examination. NTPs in Kiribati and the Marshall Islands are diagnosing 29% of all TB patients as smear-negative pulmonary TB. Many patients do not have smears done or are registered before undergoing smear examination. Corrective measures are needed.

  11. [Prevalence of intestinal helminths in cats in Quindío, Colombia].

    PubMed

    Echeverry, Diana Marcela; Giraldo, María Isabel; Castaño, Jhon Carlos

    2012-09-01

    Diseases caused by helminths are widely distributed in the world and many of them are considered zoonoses in which pets play a major role in transmission to humans. The prevalence of intestinal helminths was determined in cats in Quindío Province. One hundred twenty-one cats were characterized --data recorded included sex, age and body condition. Fecal samples were collected and processed using the modified Ritchie and modified Kato-Katz techniques to determine the presence of intestinal helminths. Of the 121 cats, 42.1%, (95% CI: 33.4-50.9) and 45.5% (95% CI: 36.6-54.3) were parasitized with at least one adult helminth species as evidenced by the presence of eggs in their fecal samples. Toxocara cati was the most prevalent parasite (Ritchie: 37.2%, Kato-Katz: 43%), followed by Ancylostoma spp. (Ritchie: 7.4%, Kato-Katz: 5.8%) and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (Ritchie: 0.82%). Sixty-five cats (53.7%) were females and 56 (46.3%) males; the prevalence of infection was similar in both sexes. Cats older than 4 years had the highest prevalence (81.8%) followed by those aged 1 to 4 years (48.8%) and by those under 1 year (28.6%). The majority of cats, 77.7%, were found to be in good body condition and this group had the lowest frequency of intestinal helminths with both techniques. The prevalence of intestinal helminths in domestic cats in Quindío was 43.8%; it is necessary to establish surveillance and prevention programs in the human and feline populations.

  12. Sputum smear examination and time to diagnosis in patients with smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in the Pacific

    PubMed Central

    Bissell, K.; Tabutoa, K.; Kienene, T.; Linh, N. N.; Briand, K.; Harries, A. D.

    2012-01-01

    Setting: National tuberculosis programmes (NTPs) in Kiribati and the Marshall Islands, 2006–2010. Objective: To determine the proportion of all tuberculosis (TB) cases that were pulmonary smear-negative, and for these patients to determine how many sputum smears were examined and the time from sputum smear examination to registration. Design: A retrospective cross-sectional study involving a record review of national TB and laboratory registers. Results: Of 2420 TB cases identified, 709 (29%) were registered as smear-negative pulmonary TB. Of the 695 (98%) with information on smear examination, 222 (32%) had no smear recorded, 61 (9%) had one smear, 86 (12%) two smears and 326 (47%) three smears. Among the 473 patients who had at least one smear, 238 (50%) were registered before sputum examination, 131 (28%) within 1 week, 72 (15%) between 1 and 4 weeks, and 34 (7%) >4 weeks after sputum examination. Conclusion: NTPs in Kiribati and the Marshall Islands are diagnosing 29% of all TB patients as smear-negative pulmonary TB. Many patients do not have smears done or are registered before undergoing smear examination. Corrective measures are needed. PMID:26392971

  13. Katz model prediction of Caenorhabditis elegans mutagenesis on STS-42

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cucinotta, Francis A.; Wilson, John W.; Katz, Robert; Badhwar, Gautam D.

    1992-01-01

    Response parameters that describe the production of recessive lethal mutations in C. elegans from ionizing radiation are obtained with the Katz track structure model. The authors used models of the space radiation environment and radiation transport to predict and discuss mutation rates for C. elegans on the IML-1 experiment aboard STS-42.

  14. Efficacy and Safety of Artemether in the Treatment of Chronic Fascioliasis in Egypt: Exploratory Phase-2 Trials

    PubMed Central

    Keiser, Jennifer; Sayed, Hanan; El-Ghanam, Maged; Sabry, Hoda; Anani, Saad; El-Wakeel, Aly; Hatz, Christoph; Utzinger, Jürg; el-Din, Sayed Seif; El-Maadawy, Walaa; Botros, Sanaa

    2011-01-01

    Background Fascioliasis is an emerging zoonotic disease of considerable veterinary and public health importance. Triclabendazole is the only available drug for treatment. Laboratory studies have documented promising fasciocidal properties of the artemisinins (e.g., artemether). Methodology We carried out two exploratory phase-2 trials to assess the efficacy and safety of oral artemether administered at (i) 6×80 mg over 3 consecutive days, and (ii) 3×200 mg within 24 h in 36 Fasciola-infected individuals in Egypt. Efficacy was determined by cure rate (CR) and egg reduction rate (ERR) based on multiple Kato-Katz thick smears before and after drug administration. Patients who remained Fasciola-positive following artemether dosing were treated with single 10 mg/kg oral triclabendazole. In case of treatment failure, triclabendazole was re-administered at 20 mg/kg in two divided doses. Principal Findings CRs achieved with 6×80 mg and 3×200 mg artemether were 35% and 6%, respectively. The corresponding ERRs were 63% and nil, respectively. Artemether was well tolerated. A high efficacy was observed with triclabendazole administered at 10 mg/kg (16 patients; CR: 67%, ERR: 94%) and 20 mg/kg (4 patients; CR: 75%, ERR: 96%). Conclusions/Significance Artemether, administered at malaria treatment regimens, shows no or only little effect against fascioliasis, and hence does not represent an alternative to triclabendazole. The role of artemether and other artemisinin derivatives as partner drug in combination chemotherapy remains to be elucidated. PMID:21909440

  15. Prevalence of Schistosomes and Soil-Transmitted Helminths and Morbidity Associated with Schistosomiasis among Adult Population in Lake Victoria Basin, Tanzania.

    PubMed

    Siza, Julius E; Kaatano, Godfrey M; Chai, Jong-Yil; Eom, Keeseon S; Rim, Han-Jong; Yong, Tai-Soon; Min, Duk-Young; Chang, Su Young; Ko, Yunsuk; Changalucha, John M

    2015-10-01

    The objective of this study was to carry out a community survey on schistosomiais and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in order to suggest feasible and effective intervention strategies in Lake Victoria basin, Tanzania. A total of 37 communities selected from 23 districts of the 4 regions in the Lake Victoria basin of Tanzania were involved in the study. From each of the selected locality, 50 adult community members, 25 males and 25 females, were recruited for the study. Each study participant was requested to submit stool and urine specimens. From each stool specimen, duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears were prepared and microscopically examined for Schistosoma mansoni and STH eggs. Urine specimens were processed by the filtration technique and microscopically examined for Schistosoma haematobium eggs. Ultrasound examination for morbidity due to schistosomiasis was performed. Mass treatment was done using praziquantel and albendazole for schistosome and STHs infections, respectively. Out of 1,606 adults who provided stool specimens, 199 (12.4%) were positive for S. mansoni, 349 (21.7%) for hookworms, 133 (8.3%) for Ascaris lumbricoides, and 33 (2.0%) for Trichuris trichiura. Out of 1,400 participants who provided urine specimens, 25 (1.8%) were positive for S. haematobium eggs. Because of the co-endemicity of these afflictions and their impact on vulnerable population groups, the helminthiasis could be simultaneously treated with 2 drugs, praziquantel for schistosomiasis and albendazole for STHs.

  16. Decline in transmission of schistosomiasis mansoni in Oman.

    PubMed

    Al Abaidani, Idris; Al-Abri, Seif; Shaban, Mahmoud; Ghugey, Satish L; Al Kathery, Salem; Al-Mashikhi, Khalid; Garba, Amadou; Gabrielli, Albis Francesco

    2016-12-12

    Intestinal schistosomiasis due to Schistosoma mansoni was first reported in Oman in 1979. We describe the trend in parasitological and serological prevalence of human infection with S. mansoni in the endemic area over the period 1982-2014, and the compliance of data generated by the national monitoring and evaluation system with schistosomiasis elimination criteria set by the Ministry of Health of Oman. Parasitological and serological assessments were carried out on population (mainly children) living in the area at risk for schistosomiasis in Dhofar, the country's only endemic Governorate, for a period of over 30 years. Kato-Katz thick smear and Indirect Haemagglutination Assay were the techniques employed. Data indicate a progressive decline in prevalence of S. mansoni throughout the 1980s and the 1990s, a recrudescence in the early 2000s, and a more marked decrease following the implementation of six rounds of mass treatment with praziquantel from 2007 to 2013. Latest parasitological prevalence (2011) was 0%, while latest serological prevalence (2014) was 0.11%. Transmission of schistosomiasis has reached very low levels in Oman. Elimination criteria established by the Ministry of Health of Oman (parasitological prevalence ≤ 1% and serological prevalence ≤ 5%) have been met since 2008. Further investigations are required to assess whether interruption of transmission has been achieved in some or all foci, in view of the establishment of a formal verification process under the auspices of WHO.

  17. Assessment of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths prevalence in school-aged children and opportunities for integration of control in local health services in Kwilu Province, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    PubMed

    Inocencio da Luz, R; Linsuke, S; Lutumba, P; Hasker, E; Boelaert, M

    2017-11-01

    To determine the prevalence of schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and to assess the capacity of the local health centres for diagnosis and treatment. Cross-sectional school-based survey in two health districts in the Province of Kwilu. We collected a stool and a urine sample for parasitological examination. Urine filtration and duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears were used for the diagnosis of SCH. Health centres were evaluated using a structured questionnaire. In total, 526 children participated in the study and the overall prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni infection was 8.9% (95% CI: 3.5-13.2) in both districts. The prevalence was higher in Mosango (11.7%; 95% CI: 8.9-14.8) than Yasa Bonga district (6.2%; 95% CI: 1.1-11.4). Urine filtration showed that Schistosoma haematobium infection was not present. The combined STH infection prevalence was 58.1% in both districts; hookworm infection was the most common STH found in 52.9% (95% CI: 29.3-62.4) of subjects, followed by Ascaris lumbricoides 9.3% (95% CI: 5.8-15.5) and Trichuris trichiura 2.1% (95% CI: 0.9-4.9). Mixed STH infections were observed as well as SCH-STH coinfection. Further mapping of both SCH and STH burden is needed, and coverage of preventive chemotherapy in school-aged children should be increased. © 2017 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Schistosomiasis japonica and childhood nutritional status in northeastern Leyte, the Philippines: a randomized trial of praziquantel versus placebo.

    PubMed

    McGarvey, S T; Aligui, G; Graham, K K; Peters, P; Olds, G R; Olveda, R

    1996-05-01

    The hypothesis that infection with Schistosoma japonicum causes decreased nutritional status was studied in a randomized trial among 170 males and females, mean (SD) age 11.4 (3.5) years, residing in an endemic region of northeastern Leyte, Philippines. The S. japonicum-infected children were randomized to receive praziquantel or placebo and followed-up six months after randomization. Stature, weight, triceps, subscapular, and calf skinfold thicknesses and their sum, and hemoglobin level were measured at baseline and follow-up. Schistosoma japonicum eggs were detected in Kato-Katz stool smears and the intensity of infection was assessed by quantitative egg count. Intensities of hookworm, ascaris, and trichuris infections were also measured. The six-month levels of the anthropometric measures and hemoglobin were adjusted for age and their baseline levels and then compared between the praziquantel and placebo groups. Treatment interactions were also analyzed by sex. Baseline anthropometric and hemoglobin levels and parasite infection intensities were the same in the two groups. At six months, the praziquantel group had significantly higher hemoglobin levels (P < 0.001) and sum of skinfolds (P < 0.001) than the placebo group. Males had a significantly greater increase in hemoglobin levels with treatment than did females. The hemoglobin increase was not due to changes in hookworm intensity. The results show that schistosomiasis japonica caused decreased nutritional status in children and probably is partly responsible for the malnutrition and reduction in growth for age described in prior cross-sectional studies.

  19. Evaluation of the CCA Immuno-Chromatographic Test to Diagnose Schistosoma mansoni in Minas Gerais State, Brazil

    PubMed Central

    Silveira, Alda Maria Soares; Costa, Emanuele Gama Dutra; Ray, Debalina; Suzuki, Brian M.; Hsieh, Michael H.; Fraga, Lucia Alves de Oliveira; Caffrey, Conor R.

    2016-01-01

    Background The Kato-Katz (KK) stool smear is the standard test for the diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni infection, but suffers from low sensitivity when infections intensities are moderate to low. Thus, misdiagnosed individuals remain untreated and contribute to the disease transmission, thereby forestalling public health efforts to move from a modality of disease control to one of elimination. As an alternative, the urine-based diagnosis of schistosomiasis mansoni via the circulating cathodic antigen immuno-chromatographic test (CCA-ICT) has been extensively evaluated in Africa with the conclusion that it may replace the KK test in areas where prevalences are moderate or high. Methods and Findings The objective was to measure the performance of the CCA-ICT in a sample study population composed of residents from non-endemic and endemic areas for schistosomiasis mansoni in two municipalities of Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Volunteers (130) were classified into three infection status groups based on duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears from one stool sample (2KK test): 41 negative individuals from non-endemic areas, 41 negative individuals from endemic areas and 48 infected individuals from endemic areas. Infection status was also determined by the CCA-ICT and infection exposure by antibody ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) to S. mansoni soluble egg antigen (SEA) and soluble (adult) worm antigen preparation (SWAP). Sensitivity and specificity were influenced by whether the trace score visually adjudicated in the CCA-ICT was characterized as positive or negative for S. mansoni infection. An analysis of a two-graph receiver operating characteristic was performed to change the cutoff point. When the trace score was interpreted as a positive rather than as a negative result, the specificity decreased from 97.6% to 78.0% whereas sensitivity increased from 68.7% to 85.4%. A significantly positive correlation between the CCA-ICT scores and egg counts was identified (r

  20. A comparison of digitized frozen section and smear preparations for intraoperative neurotelepathology.

    PubMed

    Gould, Peter V; Saikali, Stephan

    2012-01-01

    Intraoperative consultations in neuropathology are often assessed by smear preparations rather than by frozen sections. Both techniques are standard practice for light microscopic examination on site, but there is little data comparing these techniques in a telepathology setting. Thirty cases of brain tumours submitted for intraoperative consultation at our institution between July and December 2010 were identified in which both frozen section and tissue smear preparations were available for digitization at 20× magnification. Slides were digitized using a Hamamatsu Nanozoomer 2.0 HT whole slide scanner, and resulting digital images were visualized at 1680 × 1050 pixel resolution with NDP. view software. The original intraoperative diagnosis was concordant with the sign out diagnosis in 29/30 cases; one tumeur was initially interpreted as a high grade glioma but proved to be a lymphoma at sign out. Digitized frozen section slides were sufficient for diagnosis at 10× magnification in 27/30 cases. Digitized tissue smears were sufficient for diagnosis at 10× magnification in 28/30 cases. In two cases tumour was present on the tissue smear but not the frozen section (one case of recurrent astrocytoma, one case of meningeal carcinomatosis). In one case of lymphoma, tumour was present on frozen section only. These discrepancies were attributed to tissue sampling rather than image quality. Examination of digitized slides at higher magnfication (20×) permitted confirmation of mitoses and Rosenthal fibers on tissue smear preparations, but did not change the primary diagnosis. Intra-slide variations in tissue thickness on smear preparations led to variable loss of focus in digitized images, but did not affect image quality in thinner areas of the smear or impede diagnosis. Digitized tissue smears are suitable for intraoperative neurotelepathology and provide comparable information to digitized frozen sections at medium power magnification.

  1. [Effect of Parasep® feces centrifuge tube method on detecting schistosome eggs].

    PubMed

    Ma, Nian; Zhang, Hua-ming; Liu, Xiong; Xiao, Chuan-yun; Wen, Xiao-hong; Li, Xia; Dong, Li-chun; Cui, Cai-xia; Tu, Zu-wu

    2014-08-01

    To evaluate the effect of the Parasep® feces centrifuge tube method on detecting schistosome eggs. A total of 803 residents aged from 6-65 years were selected in 2 schistosomiasis endemic villages, Jiangling County, Hubei Province, and their stool samples were collected and detected parallelly by the Kato-Katz technique, nylon silk egg hatching method, and Parasep® feces centrifuge tube method at the same time. Among the 803 people, 15 cases were found of schistosome egg positive, and the positive rate was 1.87%. The positive rates of the Kato-Katz technique, nylon silk egg hatching method, and Parasep® feces centrifuge tube method were 0.75%, 1.49% and 1.12%, respectively. The schistosome eggs got with the Parasep® feces centrifuge tube method were clear and easy to identify. In low endemic areas of schistosomiasis, the Parasep® feces centrifuge tube method can be used as schistosomiasis japonica etiology diagnosis method.

  2. Locally-smeared operator product expansions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Monahan, Christopher; Orginos, Kostantinos

    2014-12-01

    We propose a "locally-smeared Operator Product Expansion" (sOPE) to decompose non-local operators in terms of a basis of locally-smeared operators. The sOPE formally connects nonperturbative matrix elements of smeared degrees of freedom, determined numerically using the gradient flow, to non-local operators in the continuum. The nonperturbative matrix elements do not suffer from power-divergent mixing on the lattice, provided the smearing scale is kept fixed in the continuum limit. The presence of this smearing scale prevents a simple connection to the standard operator product expansion and therefore requires the construction of a two-scale formalism. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approachmore » using the example of real scalar field theory.« less

  3. Factors Infuencing Women in Pap Smear Uptake

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wijayanti, K. E.; Alam, I. G.

    2017-03-01

    Objective: Pap smear has proven can decrease death caused by cervical cancer. However, in Indonesia, only few woman who already did pap smear. The aim of this study was to investigate women’s knowledge about pap smear cervical cancer, and to investigate factors influence women to do pap smear test. Methods: Quantitative data colected through questionairre towards 31 women who did pap smear and 55 women who did not do pap smear. Questionairre was made using Health Belief model as a guideline to examine percieved susceptibility, perceived serioussnes, perceived benefits and perceived barriers. Chi square and multiple logistic regresion were used to investigate difference in knowledge and what the most factor that influence women to take pap smear test. Results: There’s significance knowledge difference betweeen women who did and did not do pap smear. But furthermore, by using Multiple Logistic Regression test, appearantly knowledge was not a strong predictor factor for women to take pap smear test (koefisiensi β = -0,164) Conclusion: Perceived barriers were factors that affected pap smear uptake in women in Indonesia. Few respondents get the wrong informations about pap smear, cevical cancer and its symptoms

  4. Henry Knowles Beecher, Jay Katz, and the Transformation of Research with Human Beings.

    PubMed

    Capron, Alexander Morgan

    2016-01-01

    The modern history of experimentation with human beings is notable for its ethical lacunae, when even the clearest directives fail to prevent violations of subjects' rights and welfare. One such lacuna occurred during the 25 years between 1947, when the Nuremberg Code was articulated in the judgment passed on the men who had performed medical experiments in the Nazi concentration camps, and 1972, when the revelation of the 40-year-long Tuskegee Syphilis Study shocked the public and pushed Congress to adopt legislation that eventually transformed the governance of human subjects research. The work that Henry Beecher and Jay Katz did on the ethics of human experimentation beginning in 1964-which was mutually supportive but also divergent in its premises and prescriptions-played a prominent role in the policy-making processes. Beecher, whose detailed disclosure of the ethical lapses of leading researchers in his renowned 1966 New England Journal of Medicine article initiated the policy reform process, proved less influential in shaping those reforms than Katz. Ultimately, Beecher was one of the last and best exemplars of "medical ethics," while Katz-in his service on the Tuskegee Syphilis Study Ad Hoc Advisory Panel and in his testimony before, and work with, the Senate Health subcommittee-was an early practitioner of bioethics, a field in which the rules are not all written and applied by the medical profession but arise through a messier process involving outsiders and formal regulatory decisions.

  5. Malaria and helminth co-infection and nutritional status of febrile patients in Southern Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Degarege, Abraham; Animut, Abebe; Legesse, Mengistu; Medhin, Girmay; Erko, Berhanu

    2014-02-01

    Because the mechanisms by which Plasmodium and helminth parasites affect nutritional status are different, these parasites likely have additive effects when they co-exist in a host. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of undernutrition in patients infected with either Plasmodium or helminths and those co-infected with the two types of parasites. Acute febrile patients suspected of having malaria who attended the outpatient clinic at Dore Bafeno Health Center between December 2010 and February 2011 were examined for Plasmodium parasites using Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood smears and for helminths using the thick Kato-Katz method. Nutritional status was determined using anthropometric indices generated from height and weight measurements. Of the 702 patients examined, 34.5% were infected with helminths alone, 12.3% were infected with Plasmodium alone, and 19.4% co-infected with Plasmodium and intestinal helminths. Out of the patients examined, 44.9% were undernourished. The prevalence of undernutrition was not significantly different between those patients not infected with Plasmodium or helminth species and those infected with Plasmodium or helminth species. The differences in the odds of undernutrition were also not significant between patients who were co-infected with different Plasmodium and helminth species and those with single infections with Plasmodium or helminth species in our multivariable logistic regression model adjusted for the confounding effects of age and sex. The prevalence of undernutrition was comparable in patients infected with Plasmodium or helminths alone and those co-infected with Plasmodium and helminths in Dore Bafeno Health Center, Southern Ethiopia. However, further studies are needed in areas of intense transmission where both parasites are endemic to elucidate whether the impact of Plasmodium and helminth co-infection on undernutrition is additive or multiplicative. Copyright © 2013 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for

  6. Urgent needs in fostering neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) laboratory capacity in WHO Western Pacific Region: results from the external quality assessment on NTDs diagnosis in 2012-2015.

    PubMed

    Lu, Yan; Gonzales, Glenda; Chen, Shao-Hong; Li, Hao; Cai, Yu-Chun; Chu, Yan-Hong; Ai, Lin; Chen, Mu-Xin; Chen, Hai-Ning; Chen, Jia-Xu

    2017-06-08

    Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a heterogeneous group of mainly chronic, debilitating and often stigmatizing diseases that largely affects low-income and politically marginalized populations, causing a large burden of public health, social and economies in the NTDs endemic countries. NTDs are caused by infections with a range of pathogen, including bacteria, parasites, protozoa and viruses. The accurate diagnosis of NTDs is important for reducing morbidity, preventing mortality and for monitoring of control programs. External Quality Assessment (EQA), a component of laboratory quality assurance, aims to assess the performance of participating laboratories in detecting parasitic infections. The aim of this paper is to report the findings and put forward the recommendations on capacity build from the EQA results of participating NTDs laboratories in selected countries in the WHO Western Pacific Region from 2012 to 2015. Reference or public health laboratories at national level working on NTDs in 6 countries participated in EQAs organized by the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases (NIPD) of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) based in Shanghai, China. Two representatives of each participating laboratory were invited to NIPD to detect NTDs' parasitic infections using the same prepared samples for serological tests (IHA and ELISA) and helminth eggs' morphological tests (Direct smear and Kato-Katz). All of the results were scored and analyzed by using SPSS statistics 19.0 software. The percentage of participants who had EQA score ≥ 60 during 2012-2015 for direct smear test were 80.00% (2012), 71.43% (2013), 100% (2014) and 75.00% (2015), whereas for Kato-Katz test were 80.00% (2012), 57.14% (2013), 100% (2014) and 37.50% (2015), respectively. The detection rate of helminth eggs varied in different species, with Ascaris lumbricoides being the highest at 94.07% in average. All laboratories did very well with ELISA tests as shown by the

  7. Diagnostic potential of Fasciola gigantica-derived 14.5 kDa fatty acid binding protein in the immunodiagnosis of bubaline fascioliasis.

    PubMed

    Allam, G; Bauomy, I R; Hemyeda, Z M; Diab, T M; Sakran, T F

    2013-06-01

    The 14.5 kDa fatty acid binding protein (FABP) was isolated from the crude extract of adult Fasciola gigantica worms. Polyclonal anti-FABP IgG was generated in rabbits immunized with prepared FABP antigen. Sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied to detect coproantigen in stools and circulating Fasciola antigen (CA) in sera of 126 water buffaloes by using purified and horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated anti-FABP IgG. Sandwich ELISA sensitivity was 96.97% and 94.95%; while specificity was 94.12% and 82.35% for coproantigen and CA detection, respectively. However, sensitivity and specificity of the Kato-Katz technique was 73.74% and 100%, respectively. The diagnostic efficacy of sandwich ELISA was 96.55% and 93.1% for coproantigen and CA detection, respectively. In contrast, the diagnostic efficacy of the Kato-Katz technique was 77.59%. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that the purified 14.5 kDa FABP provides a more suitable antigen for immunodiagnosis of early and current bubaline fascioliasis by using sandwich ELISA.

  8. Rapid appraisal of human intestinal helminth infections among schoolchildren in Osh oblast, Kyrgyzstan.

    PubMed

    Steinmann, Peter; Usubalieva, Jumagul; Imanalieva, Cholpon; Minbaeva, Gulnara; Stefiuk, Kayte; Jeandron, Aurelie; Utzinger, Jürg

    2010-12-01

    A population-representative lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) survey was conducted in 2009 to determine the prevalence of intestinal helminth infections among schoolchildren across Osh oblast, Kyrgyzstan. The diagnostic approach consisted of duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears from a single stool sample and an adhesive tape test. A questionnaire was administered to identify risk factors for infections. A total of 1262 schoolchildren aged 6-15 years were recruited; 41% of them harboured at least one of the eight identified helminth species. The two most prevalent helminths were Ascaris lumbricoides (23.1%) and Enterobius vermicularis (19.3%). Lower prevalences were found for Hymenolepis nana (4.4%), Fasciola hepatica (1.9%) and Dicrocoelium dendriticum (1.8%). Washing raw vegetables was a protective factor with regard to A. lumbricoides infection (odds ratio (OR)=0.69, p=0.022); tap water was borderline protective (OR=0.56, p=0.057). Children of the richest families were at a lower risk of E. vermicularis infection than the poorest ones (OR=0.41, p=0.011). Sharing the bed with more than one person was a risk factor for E. vermicularis infection (OR=2.0, p=0.002). The results call for targeted interventions against intestinal helminths in Osh oblast. In a first stage, annual deworming of schoolchildren and other high-risk groups with albendazole or mebendazole should be implemented, and reliable diagnosis and additional anthelminthic drugs should be made available. Subsequently, transmission control including locally-adapted health education, improved water supply and adequate sanitation should become the central features. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Rapid screening for Schistosoma mansoni in western Côte d'Ivoire using a simple school questionnaire.

    PubMed Central

    Utzinger, J.; N'Goran, E. K.; Ossey, Y. A.; Booth, M.; Traoré, M.; Lohourignon, K. L.; Allangba, A.; Ahiba, L. A.; Tanner, M.; Lengeler, C.

    2000-01-01

    The distribution of schistosomiasis is focal, so if the resources available for control are to be used most effectively, they need to be directed towards the individuals and/or communities at highest risk of morbidity from schistosomiasis. Rapid and inexpensive ways of doing this are needed, such as simple school questionnaires. The present study used such questionnaires in an area of western Côte d'Ivoire where Schistosoma mansoni is endemic; correctly completed questionnaires were returned from 121 out of 134 schools (90.3%), with 12,227 children interviewed individually. The presence of S. mansoni was verified by microscopic examination in 60 randomly selected schools, where 5047 schoolchildren provided two consecutive stool samples for Kato-Katz thick smears. For all samples it was found that 54.4% of individuals were infected with S. mansoni. Moreover, individuals infected with S. mansoni reported "bloody diarrhoea", "blood in stools" and "schistosomiasis" significantly more often than uninfected children. At the school level, Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that the prevalence of S. mansoni significantly correlated with the prevalence of reported bloody diarrhoea (P = 0.002), reported blood in stools (P = 0.014) and reported schistosomiasis (P = 0.011). Reported bloody diarrhoea and reported blood in stools had the best diagnostic performance (sensitivity: 88.2%, specificity: 57.7%, positive predictive value: 73.2%, negative predictive value: 78.9%). The study, which is probably the largest of its kind ever undertaken in Africa, revealed a moderate diagnostic performance of questionnaires for identifying individuals and/or communities at high risk from S. mansoni. PMID:10812739

  10. Buccal smear

    MedlinePlus

    Sex chromatin test; Buccal swab ... is used in this way, it's called the sex chromatin test. ... BJ. Barr body analysis buccal smear for staining sex chromatin mass - diagnostic. In: Chernecky CC, Berger BJ, ...

  11. CSF smear

    MedlinePlus

    ... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003768.htm CSF smear To use the sharing features on this ... around the spinal cord and brain. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protects the brain and spinal cord from injury. ...

  12. Who is getting Pap smears in urban Peru?

    PubMed Central

    Paz Soldan, Valerie A; Lee, Frank H; Carcamo, Cesar; Holmes, King K; Garnett, Geoff P; Garcia, Patricia

    2008-01-01

    Background Cervical cancer, although usually preventable by Pap smear screening, remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Peru. The percentages and characteristics of women in Peru who have or have not had a Pap smear have not been defined. Methods In an urban community randomized trial of sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV prevention in Peru, 6712 randomly selected women between the ages of 18 and 29 from 20 cities were interviewed regarding having had cervical Pap smears. Results Among women sampled, only 30.9% had had a Pap smear. By multivariate analysis, the main predictors of having a Pap smear were having had sex, having had children, completion of secondary education and increasing age. Regional variations were also found: women from the highlands and rainforest were less likely to have had Pap smears than women from the coast. Conclusion A norm of seeking and receiving Pap smears has not been established among sexually active young Peruvian women. To improve Pap smear coverage in Peru, promotion efforts should target underserved women and regions with less coverage. PMID:18653515

  13. Assessing the Teaching and Student Learning Outcomes of the Katz/Henry Faculty Development Model.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Finkelstein, Martin

    The impact of the Katz/Henry Faculty Development Model on teaching behaviors and student learning outcomes was assessed with 24 faculty members at 4 institutions in New Jersey. This model, known as "Partners in Learning" involved: faculty pairs who observe one another's class, partner meetings to discuss shared experience in the…

  14. Kato Smoothing and Strichartz Estimates for Wave Equations with Magnetic Potentials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    D'Ancona, Piero

    2015-04-01

    Let H be a selfadjoint operator and A a closed operator on a Hilbert space . If A is H-(super)smooth in the sense of Kato-Yajima, we prove that is -(super)smooth. This allows us to include wave and Klein-Gordon equations in the abstract theory at the same level of generality as Schrödinger equations. We give a few applications and in particular, based on the resolvent estimates of Erdogan, Goldberg and Schlag (Forum Mathematicum 21:687-722, 2009), we prove Strichartz estimates for wave equations perturbed with large magnetic potentials on , n ≥ 3.

  15. The Effect of Smear Layer Removal on Endodontic Outcomes

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-06-01

    Sundqvist G. The antibacterial effect of sodium hypochlorite and EDTA in 60 cases of endodontic therapy. Int Endod J 1985;18:35-40. 11. Conner DA, Caplan...outcomes. KEY WORDS: Smear layer, smear layer removal, smear layer creation, EDTA, Sodium hypochlorite , Periapical index INTRODUCTION: The...identified the most efficient process for removal of the smear layer. Normal saline and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) have been shown not to remove

  16. Blood Smear: MedlinePlus Lab Test Information

    MedlinePlus

    ... Test Information → Blood Smear URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/labtests/bloodsmear.html Blood Smear To ... May 26]; 353(5): 498–507. Available from: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra043442 ...

  17. An audit of a cervical smear screening programme.

    PubMed

    Moodie, P J; Kljakovic, M; McLeod, D K

    1989-07-26

    An audit of a computer based screening and recall programme in a Wellington group general practice is reported (practice population 13,866). The records of all women aged between 20 and 59 years (4133 women) were checked to determine if they had had a cervical smear test in the previous two years. A random sample of women who had a cervical smear result recorded in the notes (107 women called "responders") showed that 71% gave "familiarity with the family doctor" and "acting in response to a recall letter" as reasons for choosing the place of their last smear. Satisfaction with the service was indicated by 95% of these women stating they would have their next smear at the medical centre. In the audit of all the records, a group of 667 women who had been sent a letter inviting them to have a smear done and who had apparently declined the procedure was identified (called "nonresponders"). A random sample of this group (168 women) was taken and an attempt made to interview them. In fact only 38 women could be identified as requiring a smear and even if those who refused to be interviewed (13) and those unable to be contacted (23) are added, then less than half of this sample were "true nonresponders". This suggests that the percentage of women in the practice who have been offered a smear and have refused to have one is less than 8%.

  18. On the cicada genus Nipponosemia Kato, with description of one new species from China (Hemiptera, Cicadidae).

    PubMed

    Yang, Mingsheng; Wei, Cong

    2013-01-01

    The cicada genus Nipponosemia Kato is reviewed. Four species are illustrated, photographed and described, including three known species and one new species. A key to all species of this genusis presented, and information on the biology of Nipponosemia are provided. The systematic status of the tribe Cicadatrini and biogeography of Nipponosemia are discussed.

  19. Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections and Correlated Risk Factors in Preschool and School-Aged Children in Rural Southwest China

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Xiaobing; Zhang, Linxiu; Luo, Renfu; Wang, Guofei; Chen, Yingdan; Medina, Alexis; Eggleston, Karen; Rozelle, Scott; Smith, D. Scott

    2012-01-01

    We conducted a survey of 1707 children in 141 impoverished rural areas of Guizhou and Sichuan Provinces in Southwest China. Kato-Katz smear testing of stool samples elucidated the prevalence of ascariasis, trichuriasis and hookworm infections in pre-school and school aged children. Demographic, hygiene, household and anthropometric data were collected to better understand risks for infection in this population. 21.2 percent of pre-school children and 22.9 percent of school aged children were infected with at least one of the three types of STH. In Guizhou, 33.9 percent of pre-school children were infected, as were 40.1 percent of school aged children. In Sichuan, these numbers were 9.7 percent and 6.6 percent, respectively. Number of siblings, maternal education, consumption of uncooked meat, consumption of unboiled water, and livestock ownership all correlated significantly with STH infection. Through decomposition analysis, we determined that these correlates made up 26.7 percent of the difference in STH infection between the two provinces. Multivariate analysis showed that STH infection is associated with significantly lower weight-for-age and height-for-age z-scores; moreover, older children infected with STHs lag further behind on the international growth scales than younger children. PMID:23029330

  20. Regional variation in Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections by age cohort and sex: effects of market integration among the indigenous Shuar of Amazonian Ecuador.

    PubMed

    Gildner, Theresa E; Cepon-Robins, Tara J; Liebert, Melissa A; Urlacher, Samuel S; Madimenos, Felicia C; Snodgrass, J Josh; Sugiyama, Lawrence S

    2016-11-24

    Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection peaks during childhood and varies by sex. The impact of market integration (MI) (increasing production for and consumption from a market-based economy) on these infection patterns, however, is unclear. In this study, STH infection is examined by sex and age among indigenous Shuar inhabiting two regions of Amazonian Ecuador: (1) the modestly market-integrated Upano Valley (UV) and (2) the more traditional Cross-Cutucú (CC) region. Kato-Katz fecal smears were examined for parasite presence and infection intensity. Factorial ANOVAs and post hoc simple effects analyses were performed by sex to compare infection intensity between regions and age categories (infant/child, juvenile/adolescent, adult). Significant age and regional differences in Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infection were detected. Overall, infants/children and juveniles/adolescents displayed higher parasite loads than adults. CC females exhibited higher A. lumbricoides loads than UV females, while the opposite pattern was observed for T. trichiura infection in males. Regional infection patterns varied by sex and parasite species, perhaps due to MI-linked environmental and lifestyle changes. These results have public health implications for the identification of individuals at risk for infection and contribute to ongoing efforts to track changes and alleviate STH infection in indigenous populations undergoing MI.

  1. Locally smeared operator product expansions in scalar field theory

    DOE PAGES

    Monahan, Christopher; Orginos, Kostas

    2015-04-01

    We propose a new locally smeared operator product expansion to decompose non-local operators in terms of a basis of smeared operators. The smeared operator product expansion formally connects nonperturbative matrix elements determined numerically using lattice field theory to matrix elements of non-local operators in the continuum. These nonperturbative matrix elements do not suffer from power-divergent mixing on the lattice, which significantly complicates calculations of quantities such as the moments of parton distribution functions, provided the smearing scale is kept fixed in the continuum limit. The presence of this smearing scale complicates the connection to the Wilson coefficients of the standardmore » operator product expansion and requires the construction of a suitable formalism. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach with examples in real scalar field theory.« less

  2. A Study of Pap Smear in HIV-Positive Females.

    PubMed

    Madan, Apeksha; Patil, Sunita; Nakate, Leena

    2016-12-01

    HIV-positive females are more likely to have abnormal Pap smears than HIV-negative women. These abnormal Pap smears are usually associated with low CD4 cell counts and human papilloma virus infection. This was a prospective hospital-based study from April 2013 till March 2014. A total of 250 (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) HIV-positive females were examined in Gynaecology OPD at R.C.S.M. G.M.C and C.P.R. Hospital, Kolhapur, and their cervical smears were taken. They were categorized as per modified Bethesda system 2001. The findings in HIV-positive women were correlated with risk factors (age, disease duration, CD4 count and ART use). To study the spectrum of cytological abnormalities on Pap smear in HIV-positive females and classify precancerous and cancerous lesions in HIV-positive females according to Bethesda system 2001 and to be familiar with terminology and morphological criteria of Bethesda system 2001. To study the association of Pap smears abnormalities among HIV-positive women with their immune status (CD4 count). NILM is the commonest finding (83.2 %) which is subdivided into non-inflammatory, non-specific and specific inflammatory and atrophic smears. Candida vaginitis was the commonest cause of specific inflammatory condition accounted for (2.52 %) of all inflammatory smears. The percentage of squamous cell abnormalities was 12 %: ASCUS + ASC-H-6.22 %, LSIL-2.10 %, HSIL-3.4 % and SCC-0.8 %. The highest incidence of intraepithelial lesions in HIV-positive females was in the age group 31-40 years. There is no association of Pap smear abnormalities among HIV-positive women with their immune status (CD4 count) and duration of ART. Periodic, regular gynaecologic and Pap smear examination would help in early detection of intraepithelial lesions and their treatment so as to prevent invasive malignancy and mortality.

  3. On the cicada genus Nipponosemia Kato, with description of one new species from China (Hemiptera, Cicadidae)

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Mingsheng; Wei, Cong

    2013-01-01

    Abstract The cicada genus Nipponosemia Kato is reviewed. Four species are illustrated, photographed and described, including three known species and one new species. A key to all species of this genusis presented, and information on the biology of Nipponosemia are provided. The systematic status of the tribe Cicadatrini and biogeography of Nipponosemia are discussed. PMID:23794865

  4. Integrated prevalence mapping of schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis and malaria in lakeside and island communities in Lake Victoria, Uganda.

    PubMed

    Kabatereine, Narcis B; Standley, Claire J; Sousa-Figueiredo, Jose C; Fleming, Fiona M; Stothard, J Russell; Talisuna, Ambrose; Fenwick, Alan

    2011-12-13

    It is widely advocated that integrated strategies for the control of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are cost-effective in comparison to vertical disease-specific programmes. A prerequisite for implementation of control interventions is the availability of baseline data of prevalence, including the population at risk and disease overlap. Despite extensive literature on the distribution of schistosomiasis on the mainland in Uganda, there has been a knowledge gap for the prevalence of co-infections with malaria, particularly for island communities in Lake Victoria. In this study, nine lakeshore and island districts were surveyed for the prevalence of NTDs and malaria, as well as educational and health infrastructure. A total of 203 communities were surveyed, including over 5000 school-age children. Varying levels of existing health infrastructure were observed between districts, with only Jinja District regularly treating people for NTDs. Community medicine distributors (CMD) were identified and trained in drug delivery to strengthen capacity. Prevalence levels of intestinal schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis were assessed via Kato-Katz thick smears of stool and malaria prevalence determined by microscopy of fingerprick blood samples. Prevalence levels were 40.8%, 26.04% and 46.4%, respectively, while the prevalence of co-infection by Schistosoma mansoni and Plasmodium spp. was 23.5%. Socio-economic status was strongly associated as a risk factor for positive infection status with one or more of these diseases. These results emphasise the challenges of providing wide-scale coverage of health infrastructure and drug distribution in remote lakeshore communities. The data further indicate that co-infections with malaria and NTDs are common, implying that integrated interventions for NTDs and malaria are likely to maximize cost-effectiveness and sustainability of disease control efforts.

  5. Soil-transmitted helminthiasis in rural south-west China: prevalence, intensity and risk factor analysis.

    PubMed

    Mofid, Layla S; Bickle, Quentin; Jiang, Jin-Yong; Du, Zun-Wei; Patrick, Edward

    2011-05-01

    Only few studies in rural China have explored the epidemiology of intestinal helminth infections and identified risk factors for transmission. The study was carried out in Simao and Mengla counties, where single fecal samples were collected from 317 school-aged children and from 94 inhabitants of a single village. Fecal specimens were examined with the Kato-Katz thick smear method and examined for helminth eggs. Data regarding socio-demographic and behavioral risk factors were collected using questionnaires. In Simao County the overall soil-transmitted helminthes (STH) prevalence was 40.2% (2.7, 5.4 and 35.7% for ascariasis, trichuriasis and hookworm infection, respectively). The STH infection rates were significantly higher in Mengla County, with an overall prevalence of 68.3% (19.0, 34.6 and 47.3% for ascariasis, trichuriasis and hookworm infection, respectively). Females were less likely to be infected with Trichuris trichiura (OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.15-0.56) and with hookworms (OR 0.55; 95% CI 0.33-0.93) than males. Hookworm infections were more prevalent among those 12 years of age or older (OR 2.9; 95% CI 1.2-7.1). Children of mothers with educational attainment of secondary school or higher had a protective effect against T. trichiura (OR 0.18; 95% CI 0.06-0.54) and hookworm (OR 0.21; 95% CI 0.09-0.51) infections. In the village survey, hookworm was the most prevalent species (62.8%) with infection seen in those 50 years of age and older. Based on recommended intervention strategies by the World Health Organization, Simao County should opt for school-based deworming once each year, while Mengla County should implement a similar strategy biannually, but should include the elderly population.

  6. Integrated prevalence mapping of schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis and malaria in lakeside and island communities in Lake Victoria, Uganda

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background It is widely advocated that integrated strategies for the control of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are cost-effective in comparison to vertical disease-specific programmes. A prerequisite for implementation of control interventions is the availability of baseline data of prevalence, including the population at risk and disease overlap. Despite extensive literature on the distribution of schistosomiasis on the mainland in Uganda, there has been a knowledge gap for the prevalence of co-infections with malaria, particularly for island communities in Lake Victoria. In this study, nine lakeshore and island districts were surveyed for the prevalence of NTDs and malaria, as well as educational and health infrastructure. Results A total of 203 communities were surveyed, including over 5000 school-age children. Varying levels of existing health infrastructure were observed between districts, with only Jinja District regularly treating people for NTDs. Community medicine distributors (CMD) were identified and trained in drug delivery to strengthen capacity. Prevalence levels of intestinal schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis were assessed via Kato-Katz thick smears of stool and malaria prevalence determined by microscopy of fingerprick blood samples. Prevalence levels were 40.8%, 26.04% and 46.4%, respectively, while the prevalence of co-infection by Schistosoma mansoni and Plasmodium spp. was 23.5%. Socio-economic status was strongly associated as a risk factor for positive infection status with one or more of these diseases. Conclusions These results emphasise the challenges of providing wide-scale coverage of health infrastructure and drug distribution in remote lakeshore communities. The data further indicate that co-infections with malaria and NTDs are common, implying that integrated interventions for NTDs and malaria are likely to maximize cost-effectiveness and sustainability of disease control efforts. PMID:22166365

  7. Low Efficacy of Single-Dose Albendazole and Mebendazole against Hookworm and Effect on Concomitant Helminth Infection in Lao PDR

    PubMed Central

    Soukhathammavong, Phonepasong Ayé; Sayasone, Somphou; Phongluxa, Khampheng; Xayaseng, Vilavanh; Utzinger, Jürg; Vounatsou, Penelope; Hatz, Christoph; Akkhavong, Kongsap; Keiser, Jennifer; Odermatt, Peter

    2012-01-01

    Background Albendazole and mebendazole are increasingly deployed for preventive chemotherapy targeting soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections. We assessed the efficacy of single oral doses of albendazole (400 mg) and mebendazole (500 mg) for the treatment of hookworm infection in school-aged children in Lao PDR. Since Opisthorchis viverrini is co-endemic in our study setting, the effect of the two drugs could also be determined against this liver fluke. Methodology We conducted a randomized, open-label, two-arm trial. In total, 200 children infected with hookworm (determined by quadruplicate Kato-Katz thick smears derived from two stool samples) were randomly assigned to albendazole (n = 100) and mebendazole (n = 100). Cure rate (CR; percentage of children who became egg-negative after treatment), and egg reduction rate (ERR; reduction in the geometric mean fecal egg count at treatment follow-up compared to baseline) at 21–23 days posttreatment were used as primary outcome measures. Adverse events were monitored 3 hours post treatment. Principal Findings Single-dose albendazole and mebendazole resulted in CRs of 36.0% and 17.6% (odds ratio: 0.4; 95% confidence interval: 0.2–0.8; P = 0.01), and ERRs of 86.7% and 76.3%, respectively. In children co-infected with O. viverrini, albendazole and mebendazole showed low CRs (33.3% and 24.2%, respectively) and moderate ERRs (82.1% and 78.2%, respectively). Conclusions/Significance Both albendazole and mebendazole showed disappointing CRs against hookworm, but albendazole cured infection and reduced intensity of infection with a higher efficacy than mebendazole. Single-dose administrations showed an effect against O. viverrini, and hence it will be interesting to monitor potential ancillary benefits of a preventive chemotherapy strategy that targets STHs in areas where opisthorchiasis is co-endemic. Clinical Trial Registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN29126001 PMID:22235353

  8. Soil-transmitted helminth prevalence and infection intensity among geographically and economically distinct Shuar communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

    PubMed

    Cepon-Robins, Tara J; Liebert, Melissa A; Gildner, Theresa E; Urlacher, Samuel S; Colehour, Alese M; Snodgrass, J Josh; Madimenos, Felicia C; Sugiyama, Lawrence S

    2014-10-01

    Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections can result in a variety of negative health outcomes (e.g., diarrhea, nutritional deficiencies). Market integration (MI; participation in market-based economies) has been suggested to alter levels of STH exposure due to associated changes in diet, sanitation, and behavior, but the effects are complicated and not well understood. Some effects of economic development result in decreased exposure to certain pathogens, and other factors can lead to higher pathogen exposure. With geographic location used as a proxy, the present study investigates the effects of economic development on parasite load among an indigenous population at multiple points along the spectrum of MI. This research has many implications for public health, including an increased understanding of how social and economic changes alter disease risk around the world and how changing parasite load affects other health outcomes (i.e., allergy, autoimmunity). Specifically, this study examines the prevalence of intestinal helminths among the Shuar, an indigenous group in the Morona-Santiago region of Ecuador, from 2 geographically/economically separated areas, with the following objectives: (1) report STH infection prevalence and intensity among Shuar; (2) explore STH infection prevalence and intensity as it relates to age distribution in the Shuar population; (3) compare STH infection patterns in geographically and economically separated Shuar communities at different levels of MI. Kato-Katz thick smears were made from fresh stool samples and examined to determine STH presence/intensity. Results indicate that 65% of the 211 participants were infected with at least 1 STH. Twenty-five percent of the sample had coinfections with at least 2 species of helminth. Infection was more common among juveniles (<15 yr) than adults. Infection prevalence and intensity was highest among more isolated communities with less market access. This study documents preliminary

  9. Schistosoma mansoni reinfection: Analysis of risk factors by classification and regression tree (CART) modeling

    PubMed Central

    Oliveira-Prado, Roberta; Matoso, Leonardo Ferreira; Veloso, Bráulio M.; Andrade, Gisele; Kloos, Helmut; Bethony, Jeffrey M.; Assunção, Renato M.; Correa-Oliveira, Rodrigo

    2017-01-01

    Praziquantel (PZQ) is an effective chemotherapy for schistosomiasis mansoni and a mainstay for its control and potential elimination. However, it does not prevent against reinfection, which can occur rapidly in areas with active transmission. A guide to ranking the risk factors for Schistosoma mansoni reinfection would greatly contribute to prioritizing resources and focusing prevention and control measures to prevent rapid reinfection. The objective of the current study was to explore the relationship among the socioeconomic, demographic, and epidemiological factors that can influence reinfection by S. mansoni one year after successful treatment with PZQ in school-aged children in Northeastern Minas Gerais state Brazil. Parasitological, socioeconomic, demographic, and water contact information were surveyed in 506 S. mansoni-infected individuals, aged 6 to 15 years, resident in these endemic areas. Eligible individuals were treated with PZQ until they were determined to be negative by the absence of S. mansoni eggs in the feces on two consecutive days of Kato-Katz fecal thick smear. These individuals were surveyed again 12 months from the date of successful treatment with PZQ. A classification and regression tree modeling (CART) was then used to explore the relationship between socioeconomic, demographic, and epidemiological variables and their reinfection status. The most important risk factor identified for S. mansoni reinfection was their “heavy” infection at baseline. Additional analyses, excluding heavy infection status, showed that lower socioeconomic status and a lower level of education of the household head were also most important risk factors for S. mansoni reinfection. Our results provide an important contribution toward the control and possible elimination of schistosomiasis by identifying three major risk factors that can be used for targeted treatment and monitoring of reinfection. We suggest that control measures that target heavily infected

  10. Molecular identification of leishmania species using samples obtained from negative stained smears.

    PubMed

    Mohaghegh, Ma; Fata, A; Salehi, Gh; Berenji, F; Bazzaz, M Mousavi; Rafatpanah, H; Parian, M; Movahedi, A

    2013-04-01

    Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic skin disease. Diagnosis primarily is based on clinical signs and microscopic observation of parasite on direct stained smears or tissue sections. Sensitivity of direct smear is not as high as molecular methods. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize Leishmania species among the negative direct smears obtained from skin ulcers suspected to CL by PCR method. Among 81 patients with suspicious skin lesions to CL referred to the Parasitology lab, negative Giemsa stained smears were collected. DNA extraction performed by scraping stained smears, then PCR was performed. Among the DNA extracted from smears, L. tropica was isolated from 9 (11.1%) of the smears and L.major was not isolated from any samples. Direct microscopy on stained smears for diagnosis of leishmaniasis is not enough accurate. PCR is recommended for clinically suspected lesions with negative result of direct smear.

  11. Raising Awareness About Cervical Cancer Using Twitter: Content Analysis of the 2015 #SmearForSmear Campaign

    PubMed Central

    Lenoir, Philippe; Moulahi, Bilel; Azé, Jérôme; Bringay, Sandra; Mercier, Gregoire

    2017-01-01

    Background Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women under 45 years of age. To deal with the decrease of smear test coverage in the United Kingdom, a Twitter campaign called #SmearForSmear has been launched in 2015 for the European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week. Its aim was to encourage women to take a selfie showing their lipstick going over the edge and post it on Twitter with a raising awareness message promoting cervical cancer screening. The estimated audience was 500 million people. Other public health campaigns have been launched on social media such as Movember to encourage participation and self-engagement. Their result was unsatisfactory as their aim had been diluted to become mainly a social buzz. Objective The objectives of this study were to identify the tweets delivering a raising awareness message promoting cervical cancer screening (sensitizing tweets) and to understand the characteristics of Twitter users posting about this campaign. Methods We conducted a 3-step content analysis of the English tweets tagged #SmearForSmear posted on Twitter for the 2015 European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week. Data were collected using the Twitter application programming interface. Their extraction was based on an analysis grid generated by 2 independent researchers using a thematic analysis, validated by a strong Cohen kappa coefficient. A total of 7 themes were coded for sensitizing tweets and 14 for Twitter users’ status. Verbatims were thematically and then statistically analyzed. Results A total of 3019 tweets were collected and 1881 were analyzed. Moreover, 69.96% of tweets had been posted by people living in the United Kingdom. A total of 57.36% of users were women, and sex was unknown in 35.99% of cases. In addition, 54.44% of the users had posted at least one selfie with smeared lipstick. Furthermore, 32.32% of tweets were sensitizing. Independent factors associated with posting sensitizing tweets were women who experienced an

  12. Knowledge of cervical cancer, attitude and husband’s support of Pap smear among multiparous women which have Pap’s smear examination in Aviati clinic Padang Bulan Medan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feriyawati, L.; Anggraini, D. R.; Fitrie, A. A.; Anggreini, R. N.

    2018-03-01

    Cervical cancer is a serious health problem and stated as the second cause of death of woman worldwide. Several studies have noted a higher incidence of cervical cancer with increasing parity. Early detection with Pap smear is proven to reduce mortality of patients. Knowledge, attitude and husband’s support contributed to theled womanto follow Pap smear examination. This study explores the knowledge of cervical cancer, attitude and husband’ s support of Pap smearin multiparous women that have Pap smear examination. This research is a quantitative study with cross sectional approach recruited 50 respondents as multiparous women that have Pap smear examination inAviati Clinic, Padang Bulan, Medan. The data were collected by self-reports using structured objectives by questionnaires. The result of this study showed that 66% respondents have high knowledge of cervical cancer and 76% respondents have ahigh attitude of Pap smear, but they almost have low husband’s support of Pap smear including information support (62%), emotional support (46%) and real support (50%). This study has revealed that multiparous women that had Pap smear examination generally had high knowledge about cervical cancer and positive attitude about Pap smear, even most of them had low husband’s support.

  13. PAPNET-assisted primary screening of conventional cervical smears.

    PubMed

    Cenci, M; Nagar, C; Vecchione, A

    2000-01-01

    The PAPNET System is the only device with a neural-network-based-artificial intelligence to detect and show the images of abnormal cells on the monitor to be evaluated in an interactive way. We effectively used the PAPNET in rescreening of conventional cervical smears and we detected its advantages and its disadvantages. In this paper, we report our results from PAPNET-assisted primary screening performed on 20,154 conventional smears. The smears were classified as Negative or as Review. The Negative cases were rapidly rescreened mainly near the coverslip edges, which are the slide areas not analyzed by automated devices because of focusing problems. The Review cases were fully reanalyzed by the optic microscope. In summary, 140 positive smears were detected: 57 cases showed changes due to HPV, 63 LSIL, 15 HSIL, and 5 carcinomas. Therefore, the PAPNET System was confirmed as useful in primary screening of conventional cervical samples as well as rescreening.

  14. Raising Awareness About Cervical Cancer Using Twitter: Content Analysis of the 2015 #SmearForSmear Campaign.

    PubMed

    Lenoir, Philippe; Moulahi, Bilel; Azé, Jérôme; Bringay, Sandra; Mercier, Gregoire; Carbonnel, François

    2017-10-16

    Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women under 45 years of age. To deal with the decrease of smear test coverage in the United Kingdom, a Twitter campaign called #SmearForSmear has been launched in 2015 for the European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week. Its aim was to encourage women to take a selfie showing their lipstick going over the edge and post it on Twitter with a raising awareness message promoting cervical cancer screening. The estimated audience was 500 million people. Other public health campaigns have been launched on social media such as Movember to encourage participation and self-engagement. Their result was unsatisfactory as their aim had been diluted to become mainly a social buzz. The objectives of this study were to identify the tweets delivering a raising awareness message promoting cervical cancer screening (sensitizing tweets) and to understand the characteristics of Twitter users posting about this campaign. We conducted a 3-step content analysis of the English tweets tagged #SmearForSmear posted on Twitter for the 2015 European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week. Data were collected using the Twitter application programming interface. Their extraction was based on an analysis grid generated by 2 independent researchers using a thematic analysis, validated by a strong Cohen kappa coefficient. A total of 7 themes were coded for sensitizing tweets and 14 for Twitter users' status. Verbatims were thematically and then statistically analyzed. A total of 3019 tweets were collected and 1881 were analyzed. Moreover, 69.96% of tweets had been posted by people living in the United Kingdom. A total of 57.36% of users were women, and sex was unknown in 35.99% of cases. In addition, 54.44% of the users had posted at least one selfie with smeared lipstick. Furthermore, 32.32% of tweets were sensitizing. Independent factors associated with posting sensitizing tweets were women who experienced an abnormal smear test (OR [odds ratio] 13

  15. Microdosimetry and Katz's track structure theory. I. One-hit detectors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zaider, M.

    1990-10-01

    A microdosimetric treatment of the response of one-hit detectors to radiation is formulated and compared with the model proposed by R. Katz, S. C. Sharma, and M. Homayoonfar within the framework of their track-structure theory. It is shown that radial dose distributions (on which the track structure theory is based) are generally poor substitutes for the exact microdosimetric distributions except when (a) the target is much larger than the radial extent of the track or (b) the effective specific energy in the target (alpha z) is negligibly small. Since neither one of these conditions is generally satisfied, it is suggestedmore » that a meaningful search for one-hit detectors be based on a microdosimetric description of the stochastics of energy deposition. An analysis of the phi x-174 bacteriophage inactivation data is presented.« less

  16. Plastic spatula with narrow long tip provides higher satisfactory smears for Pap test.

    PubMed

    Kaur, Pervinder; Kushtagi, Pralhad

    2013-07-01

    Ayre spatula for cervical smear collection is being used despite the suggestion that different modified spatulas provide more satisfactory sampling. To see whether the cytological pickup improves with the use of long tipped spatula. Rurally based University Hospital; crossover study. Pap smear using Ayre spatula in 500 and with plastic narrow long tip (Szalay) spatula in 500 clinic attending women was taken and analyzed. Crossover smears were taken with modified spatula in 163 and using Ayre spatula in 187 women after 2 weeks of initial smears. The same pathologist made cytological reporting for all smears and was unaware of the type of spatula used. Smears from Ayre spatula had significantly higher reports of inadequate smears (94 of 500 vs. 68 of 500 for Ayre and Szalay, respectively; P = 0.032) and it remained so even after crossover (94 of 187 vs. 70 of 163 for Ayre and Szalay, respectively; P = 0.2). Cellular quality appeared better with smears taken using Szalay spatula, but the overall abnormal smear detection rate remained similar with either collection tool (χ(2) = 1.5; P = 0.2). Proportion of satisfactory smears is higher when long tip plastic spatula is used for collection of sample.

  17. [Adhesion of sealer cements to dentin with and without smear layer].

    PubMed

    Gettleman, B H; Messer, H H; ElDeeb, M E

    1991-01-01

    The influence of a smear layer on the adhesion of sealer cements to dentin was assessed in recently extracted human anterior teeth. A total of 120 samples was tested, 40 per sealer; 20 each with and without the smear layer. The teeth were split longitudinally, and the internal surfaces were ground flat. One-half of each tooth was left with the smear layer intact, while the other half had the smear removed by washing for 3 min with 17% EDTA followed by 5.25% NaOCI. Evidence of the ability to remove the smear layer was verified by scanning electron microscopy. Using a specially designed jig, the sealer was placed into a 4-mm wide x 4 mm deep well which was then set onto the tooth.

  18. Actinomyces-like organisms in the cervical smears of IUCD users.

    PubMed

    Farida Jamal; Mohd Salleh Mohd Yasin; Zooraidah Zainal; Hamid Arshat

    1983-01-01

    Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a well-documented complication of IUD use. The presence of tails on the IUDs appears to facilitate ascent of bacteria from the vagina into the uterus. In this study, cervical smears of 128 IUD users were stained by Gram's stain and screened for the presence of Actinomyces-like organisms. 5.5% of the smears were positive for these organisms. Pus was seen in 20.1% of the smears, and yeast cells were seen in 10.2%. The average duration of IUD insertion was 8 months. Smears of 103 controls were negative for Actinomyces-like organisms, pus cells were present in 8.7%, and yeast cells in 4.8%. Of the 7 smears positive for the organisms, only 1 was from the user of a plastic device. All cases included were asymptomatic and were visiting the clinic for routine follow-up. These data suggest that colonization by Actinomyces-like organisms does not appear to be a significant problem in IUD users in Malaysia.

  19. Prevalence of abnormal Pap smears in a consecutive and previously unscreened population in Romania.

    PubMed

    Stolnicu, Simona; Musca, Simona; Micu, Dorian; Micu, Luminita; Moldovan, Cosmin; Puscasiu, Lucian

    2014-02-01

    To determine the prevalence of abnormal cervical smears in a previously unscreened and asymptomatic population in Romania and to compare the data with those from other countries in Europe. In a retrospective study, data were reviewed from smears obtained from women in Romania who had been referred to the gynecologist between January 2006 and December 2011. The smears were collected through 3 regional opportunistic programs of cervical screening and were classified according to the Bethesda system. During the study period, 50536 smear tests were carried out. Of these, 100 smears (0.2%) were unsatisfactory and excluded from the study. Among the remaining 50436 smears, 2965 patients (5.9%) had abnormal epithelial changes. Most of the abnormal smears were represented by atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (2.6% of all smears). The data confirmed that there is a high prevalence of high-grade intraepithelial squamous-type lesions (0.9% of all smears) in Romania, and of abnormal smears in women younger than 25years of age (14.0% of all abnormal smears). The data show that there is a high prevalence of epithelial abnormalities among cervical smears in Romania compared with other European countries that run a national screening program. © 2013.

  20. Cytokine profiles among patients co-infected with Plasmodium falciparum malaria and soil borne helminths attending Kampala International University Teaching Hospital, in Uganda.

    PubMed

    Bwanika, Richard; Kato, Charles D; Welishe, Johnson; Mwandah, Daniel C

    2018-01-01

    Malaria and helminths share the same geographical distribution in tropical Africa. Studies of the interaction of helminth and malaria co-infection in humans have been few and are mainly epidemiological, with little information on cellular immune responses. This study aimed to determine Cytokine profiles among patients co-infected with Plasmodium falciparum malaria and soil borne helminth attending Kampala International University Teaching Hospital (KIU). A case control study of 240 patients were recruited at KIU teaching hospital. Patients with Plasmodium falciparum malaria were 55 (22.9%) and those with soil-borne helminths were 63 (26.3%). The controls were 89 (37.1%), while those co-infected with Plasmodium falciparum malaria and soil-borne helminths were 33 (13.8%). Cases were defined as having a positive blood smear for P. falciparum malaria, those with helminths or co-infections of the two. Negative controls were those with a negative blood smear for P. falciparum malaria and those with no stool parasitic infections. Patients presenting with signs and symptoms of malaria or those suspected of having helminths were recruited for the study. A panel of five cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-β and IL-10) were assayed from plasma samples in patients with and without Plasmodium falciparum malaria, patients with and without helminth, and then those co-infected with the two diseases diagnosis was done using thick blood smears stained with 10% Giemsa and stool examination was done following the Kato Katz technique following standard procedures. The prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria by sex was 28 (11.7%) and 27 (11.3%) in male and female respectively. The overall prevalence of soil borne helminth was 26.3%, and among those harbouring helminths, 13.8% were co-infected with Plasmodium falciparum. Cytokine levels significantly differed across Plasmodium falciparum malaria, soil borne helminth infected patients and health controls for IFN-γ (P = 0.023), IL

  1. Comparison of skin smears and biopsy specimens for demonstration of Leishmania tropica bodies in cutaneous leishmaniasis.

    PubMed

    Dar, Nasser Rashid; Khurshid, Tariq

    2005-12-01

    To determine and compare the diagnostic value of skin biopsy, saline aspirate smears, skin slit smears and skin biopsy impression smears to demonstrate Leishmania tropica (LT) bodies in cutaneous leishmaniasis and to determine any association within the applied diagnostic tests. An analytical study. Department of Dermatology, PNS Shifa, Karachi from January to December 2003. Seventyeight patients of cutaneous leishmaniasis were subjected to saline aspirate smears, skin slit smears, skin biopsy impression smears and skin biopsy and looked for LT bodies. The percentage positivity of all methods was calculated. McNemar test was applied to determine the association between percentage positivities of methods. Skin biopsy showed LT bodies in 70 (89.74%) patients, saline aspirate smears in 24 (30.76%), skin slit smears in 25 (32.05%) and skin biopsy impression smears in 27 (34.61%) patients. Smears demonstrated LT bodies in 10.25% cases in which biopsy was negative. Skin biopsy impression smears showed concordant results with skin biopsy in 20.51%, skin slit smears in 16.66% and saline aspirate smears in 19.25% of cases. Saline aspirate smears were positive in 48.1% of cases in which biopsy impression smears were negative, slit smears were positive in 50.9 % of cases in which biopsy impression smears were negative and slit smears were positive in 37% of cases in which saline aspirate smears were negative. Skin biopsy for histopathology is the most useful method in the demonstration of Leishmania parasite. Sensitivity of smears can be increased by a combination of various skin smears.

  2. Analysis of smear in high-resolution remote sensing satellites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wahballah, Walid A.; Bazan, Taher M.; El-Tohamy, Fawzy; Fathy, Mahmoud

    2016-10-01

    High-resolution remote sensing satellites (HRRSS) that use time delay and integration (TDI) CCDs have the potential to introduce large amounts of image smear. Clocking and velocity mismatch smear are two of the key factors in inducing image smear. Clocking smear is caused by the discrete manner in which the charge is clocked in the TDI-CCDs. The relative motion between the HRRSS and the observed object obliges that the image motion velocity must be strictly synchronized with the velocity of the charge packet transfer (line rate) throughout the integration time. During imaging an object off-nadir, the image motion velocity changes resulting in asynchronization between the image velocity and the CCD's line rate. A Model for estimating the image motion velocity in HRRSS is derived. The influence of this velocity mismatch combined with clocking smear on the modulation transfer function (MTF) is investigated by using Matlab simulation. The analysis is performed for cross-track and along-track imaging with different satellite attitude angles and TDI steps. The results reveal that the velocity mismatch ratio and the number of TDI steps have a serious impact on the smear MTF; a velocity mismatch ratio of 2% degrades the MTFsmear by 32% at Nyquist frequency when the TDI steps change from 32 to 96. In addition, the results show that to achieve the requirement of MTFsmear >= 0.95 , for TDI steps of 16 and 64, the allowable roll angles are 13.7° and 6.85° and the permissible pitch angles are no more than 9.6° and 4.8°, respectively.

  3. Pre-trained convolutional neural networks as feature extractors toward improved malaria parasite detection in thin blood smear images.

    PubMed

    Rajaraman, Sivaramakrishnan; Antani, Sameer K; Poostchi, Mahdieh; Silamut, Kamolrat; Hossain, Md A; Maude, Richard J; Jaeger, Stefan; Thoma, George R

    2018-01-01

    Malaria is a blood disease caused by the Plasmodium parasites transmitted through the bite of female Anopheles mosquito. Microscopists commonly examine thick and thin blood smears to diagnose disease and compute parasitemia. However, their accuracy depends on smear quality and expertise in classifying and counting parasitized and uninfected cells. Such an examination could be arduous for large-scale diagnoses resulting in poor quality. State-of-the-art image-analysis based computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) methods using machine learning (ML) techniques, applied to microscopic images of the smears using hand-engineered features demand expertise in analyzing morphological, textural, and positional variations of the region of interest (ROI). In contrast, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), a class of deep learning (DL) models promise highly scalable and superior results with end-to-end feature extraction and classification. Automated malaria screening using DL techniques could, therefore, serve as an effective diagnostic aid. In this study, we evaluate the performance of pre-trained CNN based DL models as feature extractors toward classifying parasitized and uninfected cells to aid in improved disease screening. We experimentally determine the optimal model layers for feature extraction from the underlying data. Statistical validation of the results demonstrates the use of pre-trained CNNs as a promising tool for feature extraction for this purpose.

  4. Incidence of smear-positive tuberculosis in Dabat, northern Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Tadesse, T; Demissie, M; Berhane, Y; Kebede, Y; Abebe, M

    2013-05-01

    To determine the incidence of smear-positive tuberculosis (TB) in Dabat District, northern Ethiopia. Using a population-based longitudinal design, a TB surveillance system was initiated among 46,165 residents at the Dabat Health and Demographic Surveillance System site. Trained field workers visited each household every third month and interviewed all individuals aged ≥14 years using a uniform questionnaire to detect suspected cases of TB (cough ≥15 days), at which time two sputum (spot-morning) samples were collected for smear microscopy. A total of 281,820 person-months were observed during the 1-year period, which generated 74 smear-positive TB cases. The incidence of smear-positive TB was calculated at 311 per 100,000 person-years (95%CI 240-382). Higher rates were observed among females (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 2.08, 95%CI 1.24-3.52), persons with no schooling (IRR 2.74, 95%CI 1.11-6.78) and urban residents (IRR 2.39, 95%CI 1.39-4.12). The incidence of smear-positive TB is high in Dabat District, suggesting a high risk of transmission in the communities. TB control programmes thus need to improve case-finding mechanisms at the community level in Ethiopia, with greater emphasis on risk groups.

  5. [Epidemic status of human key parasitic diseases in Tongcheng City, Anhui Province].

    PubMed

    Long-Zhi, Jiang

    2017-10-24

    To understand the current status of key parasitic diseases in Tongcheng City, so as to provide an epidemiological reference for formulating the scientific planning for "13 th Five-year" parasitic diseases prevention and control. The villages of different levels in Tongcheng City were sampled to investigate the infection of parasitic diseases of residents aged three or more years. Soil-transmitted nemathelminth, intestinal protozoa and Enterobius vermicularis were investigated by the Kato-Katz technique (a fecal sample seized two), iodine smear method and cellophane tape method, respectively. Meanwhile a questionnaire survey was conducted on the basic situation, knowledge and health behaviors of the residents to soiltransmitted nemathelminth infection. Totally 1 023 residents were investigated, and 38 were positive of parasitic infection, with the total infection rate of 3.71%. The soil-transmitted nematodes infection rate was 3.62%, 36 people were infected with hookworm (3.52%), one person was infected with Trichuris trichiura (0.10%), one person was infected with intestinal protozoa ( Blastocystis hominis ). Ascaris lumbricoides , E. vermicularis and tapeworm infections were not founded. The total awareness rate of prevention knowledge, behavior and attitude was 76.93%. The infection rate of soil-transmitted nemathelminth infections is reduced below 5% in Tongcheng City. The main species of parasites is Necator americanus , and the population of the infection is mainly concentrated in the residents over the age of 60 years.

  6. Under-reporting of sputum smear-positive tuberculosis cases in Kenya.

    PubMed

    Tollefson, D; Ngari, F; Mwakala, M; Gethi, D; Kipruto, H; Cain, K; Bloss, E

    2016-10-01

    Although an estimated three million tuberculosis (TB) cases worldwide are missed by national TB programs annually, the level of under-reporting of diagnosed cases in high TB burden settings is largely unknown. To quantify and describe under-reporting of sputum smear-positive TB cases in Kenya. A national-level retrospective TB inventory study was conducted. All sputum smear-positive TB cases diagnosed by public or private laboratories during 1 April-30 June 2013 were extracted from laboratory registers in 73 randomly sampled subcounties and matched to TB cases in the national TB surveillance system (TIBU). Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. In the subcounties sampled, 715 of 3409 smear-positive TB cases in laboratory registers were not found in TIBU. The estimated level of under-reporting of smear-positive TB cases in Kenya was 20.7% (95%CI 18.4-23.0). Under-reporting was greatest in subcounties with a high TB burden. Unreported cases were more likely to be patients aged ⩾55 years, have scanty smear results, and be diagnosed at large facilities, private facilities, and facilities in high TB burden regions. In Kenya, one fifth of smear-positive TB cases diagnosed during the study period went unreported, suggesting that the true TB burden is higher than reported. TB surveillance in Kenya should be strengthened to ensure all diagnosed TB cases are reported.

  7. Relationship Between Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Non-Human Papillomavirus Pap Smear Abnormalities.

    PubMed

    Menhaji, Kimia; Harvie, Heidi S; Cheston, Emily; Levin, Pamela J; Arya, Lily A; Andy, Uduak U

    2017-07-13

    The aim of this study was to determine the association between pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and non-human papillomavirus (HPV) Papanicolaou (Pap) smear abnormalities. This was a retrospective cohort study of women aged 40 to 70 years who presented for consultation at our institution between 2010 and 2015 and had results of a Pap smear and HPV test available within 5 years of their visit. We extracted demographic information, medical and social history, Pap smear, and HPV results from the electronic medical record. Associations between the presence of POP and non-HPV Pap smear abnormalities were estimated using univariable and multivariable analyses. We reviewed 1590 charts and excluded 980 women, leaving 610 women in the study: 183 with POP and 427 without POP. Women with POP were significantly older (58.2 ± 7.2 vs 55.6 ± 6.6, P < 0.01) and more likely to have a remote (>10 year) history of abnormal Pap smear (24.0% vs 14.8%, P < 0.01). The rate of non-HPV-associated abnormal Pap smears was higher in the POP group than in the non-POP group (12/183 [6.6%] vs 12/427 [2.8%], P = 0.029). In the POP group, the rate of non-HPV Pap smear abnormality was significantly associated with increasing prolapse stage (stage 1: 0/16 [0%], stage 2: 5/77 [6.5%], stage 3: 3/73 [4.1%], stage 4: 4/17 [23.5%]; P = 0.02). After controlling for age and remote history of abnormal Pap smear, the odds ratio for non-HPV Pap smear abnormalities in the POP group remained significant (2.49; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-5.79). Human papillomavirus-negative Pap smear abnormalities may be related to POP. Our findings have important implications for surgeons seeking to leave the cervix in situ in women with POP.

  8. Confusion about Pap smears: lack of knowledge among high-risk women.

    PubMed

    Daley, Ellen; Perrin, Kay; Vamos, Cheryl; Hernandez, Natalie; Anstey, Erica; Baker, Elizabeth; Kolar, Stephanie; Ebbert, Judith

    2013-01-01

    The impact of the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear on the prevention of cervical cancer is one of the greatest public health success stories. However, it is not clear if women understand the purpose of the Pap smear despite recent advancements and national attention over cervical cancer prevention. The purpose of this study was to examine Pap smear knowledge among three high-risk populations at different points in time. Women from three separate human papillomavirus (HPV) psychosocial studies completed surveys assessing Pap smear knowledge: (1) HPV-positive women (prevaccine population in 2005-2006, n=154, mean age 23.5), (2) college women (postvaccine population in 2008, n=276, mean age 18.9), and (3) minority college women (postvaccine population in 2011, n=711, mean age 23.3). Frequencies and logistic regression were employed to examine associations between demographic factors and accurate knowledge of Pap smear testing within each study. Approximately one quarter of participants across all three samples did not know that the Pap smear is a test for cervical cancer. Participants also incorrectly believed that the Pap smear tests for HPV (82%-91%), vaginal infections (76%-92%), yeast infections (65%-86%), gonorrhea (55%-81%), herpes (53%-80%), HIV/AIDS (22%-59%), and pregnancy (17%-38%). Among all three studies, older age was the only factor significant with higher Pap knowledge. Higher HPV knowledge scores were significantly associated with higher Pap knowledge in studies 2 and 3 only. Knowledge about the purpose of the Pap smear remains low. Findings underscore the significant need for clear and consistent messages among high-risk women regarding the prevention of cervical cancer and other reproductive health conditions.

  9. A new rapid diagnostic test for detection of anti-Schistosoma mansoni and anti-Schistosoma haematobium antibodies

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Parasitological methods are widely used for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis. However, they are insensitive, particularly in areas of low endemicity, and labour-intensive. Immunoassays based on detection of anti-schistosome antibodies have the merit of high sensitivity and recently a rapid diagnostic test (RDT), incorporating Schistosoma mansoni cercarial transformation fluid (SmCTF) for detection of anti-schistosome antibodies in blood has been developed. Here, we assessed the diagnostic performance of the SmCTF-RDT for S. mansoni and S. haematobium infections by comparing it with microscopy for egg detection. Methods A cross-sectional survey was carried out in Azaguié, south Côte d’Ivoire. 118 pre-school-aged children submitted two stool and two urine samples, which were subjected to the Kato-Katz and urine filtration methods for the detection of S. mansoni and S. haematobium eggs, respectively. Urine was also subjected to a commercially available cassette test for S. mansoni, which detects circulating cathodic antigen. A finger-prick blood sample was used for the SmCTF-RDT for detection of anti-S. mansoni and anti-S. haematobium antibodies. Results The prevalence of both anti-S. mansoni and anti-S. haematobium antibodies was more than three times higher than the prevalence of infection estimated by egg detection under a microscope. Using quadruplicate Kato-Katz as the reference standard for the diagnosis of S. mansoni infection, the sensitivity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV) of the SmCTF-RDT was 75.0%, 84.2% and 22.5%, respectively. When two urine filtrations were considered as the reference standard for the diagnosis of S. haematobium infection, the sensitivity, NPV and PPV of SmCTF-RDT was 66.7%, 94.9% and 5.1%, respectively. The specificity of SmCTF-RDT, when using egg-detection as the reference standard, was estimated to be 34.4%. This low specificity may be a reflection of the relative insensitivity of

  10. Role of 2-month sputum smears in predicting culture conversion in pulmonary tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Su, W-J; Feng, J-Y; Chiu, Y-C; Huang, S-F; Lee, Y-C

    2011-02-01

    Sputum smears and culture conversion are frequently used to evaluate treatment response in pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Limited data are available on the evaluation of the correlation between under-treatment sputum smear results and culture conversion. This prospective study included sputum culture-proven pulmonary tuberculosis patients at six hospitals in Taiwan. At least two sets of sputum were collected at the completion of 8 weeks of TB treatment. The sensitivities and specificities of 2-month sputum smears were estimated based on culture conversion status. A total of 371 patients were enrolled for analysis. Factors associated with culture conversion included having a smear positive before treatment, presence of a cavity on radiography, rifampicin resistance and usage of the DOTS (directly observed therapy, short course) strategy. The sensitivities of 2-month sputum smears for culture conversion among all patients, initially smear-positive patients and initially smear-negative patients were 64.3, 71.4 and 38%, respectively, and the specificities were 81.6, 69.9 and 92.8%, respectively. In patients who were 2-month sputum smear-positive, the 2-month culture conversion rate was 80% if the patients were under DOTS and without cavitary lesions in radiograms. The predictive value of 2-month sputum smears in culture conversion was limited and highly influenced by clinical factors in pulmonary tuberculosis patients.

  11. Young Singaporean women's knowledge of cervical cancer and pap smear screening: a descriptive study.

    PubMed

    Shea, Juanna; Klainin-Yobas, Piyanee; Mackey, Sandra

    2013-12-01

    To assess the knowledge of young female Singaporeans regarding cervical cancer and pap smear, the intention to participate in pap smear and whether there is any relationship between knowledge and intention to participate in pap smear screening. While cervical cancer has poor prognosis in the later stages, pap smear is effective in identifying precancerous lesions, which are more treatable. Pap smear screening is available to women in Singapore, but its uptake is opportunistic. Research has shown that knowledge about pap smear and cervical cancer is important determinant of screening behaviour in Singaporean women. Cross-sectional descriptive correlational design was used. Three hundred and ninety-three young Singaporean undergraduates, aged 18-25 years, were recruited via convenience sampling from a local university over a four-month period. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires. Majority of the participants knew the term 'pap smear' and its function. However, knowledge of the risk factors for cervical cancer was lacking among the young women. Knowledge of pap smear and cervical cancer had a weak correlation with the intention to go for the future uptake of pap smear. Educational efforts among younger Singaporean women on the knowledge of pap smear and risk factors for cervical cancer are needed. Improving knowledge will enable them to understand the importance of reducing exposure to risk factors and regular pap smear screening. All health professionals working with young Asian women should be prepared to educate and counsel young women to participate in pap smear screening according to current guidelines. In particular, knowledge of the age to attend the first pap smear and the recommended frequency for screening need to be targeted for health education. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. [Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis among schoolchildren of Nikki and Pèrèrè, two northeastern towns of Benin].

    PubMed

    Ibikounlé, M; Gbédjissi, L G; Ogouyèmi-Hounto, A; Batcho, W; Kindé-Gazard, D; Massougbodji, A

    2014-08-01

    Infection with schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis are widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and the burden of disease associated with parasites is enormous. A study was performed to determine the transmission and prevalence of human schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis among school children of Nikki and Perere, two north eastern towns of Benin, bordering Republic of Nigeria. Parasitological investigations by urine filtration and Kato-Katz conducted on 1,344 school children indicated a mean prevalence of S. haematobium and S. mansoni 48.44% and 0%, respectively, in the children of Nikki area and 45.24% and 4.11% in Perere area. Only schoolchildren of Sonon locality were infected by S. mansoni with a mean prevalence rate of 36.24%. KatoKatz tests releaved five species of soil-transmitted helminths: Ankylostoma duodenale (8.16% and 6.73%), Ascaris lumbricoides (6.26% and 2.30%), Enterobius vermicularis (1.09% and 1.97%), Trichuris trichiura (1.97% and 1.90%) and Strongyloides stercoralis (2.04% and 0.99%), respectively, in the schoolchildren of Nikki and Perere areas. The malacological investigations carried out in the freshwater points of each visited locality highlighted the presence of four species of freshwater snails known as intermediate host of schistosome: Biomphalaria pfeifferi, Bulinus forskalii, B. globosus and B. truncatus.Two B. globosus and B. pfeifferi collected in Sonon locality were naturally infected by schistosome, indicated the importance of their two species of snail in schistosome transmission cycle.

  13. Inflammatory events as detected in cervical smears and squamous intraepithelial lesions.

    PubMed

    Roeters, Anne M E; Boon, Mathilde E; van Haaften, Maarten; Vernooij, F; Bontekoe, Tj Romke; Heintz, A Peter M

    2010-02-01

    The Dutch cytological coding system, KOPAC, enables to code for eight inflammatory events, that is koilocytosis (related to human papillomavirus (HPV)), Trichomonas, dysbacteriosis [related to bacterial vaginosis (BV)], Candida, Gardnerella, Actinomyces, Chlamydia, and non-specific inflammation (leucocytosis). This study presents an analysis of 1,008,879 smears. Of each smear, the age of the woman and the reason for smear taking (screening or indication) was available. The cytoscores (per mille) for these codes were calculated. For the screening smears, the cytoscores were for koilocytosis (HPV) 2.6, for Trichomonas vaginalis 1.9, for dysbacteriosis 31.4, for Candida albicans 9.8, for Gardnerella vaginalis 0.7, for Actinomyces 6.9, for Chlamydia 0.8, and for non-specific inflammatory changes 66.4. For the calculation of the Odds Ratio (OR), normal smears were used as a reference. The cytoscores for Chlamydia and Gardnerella covaried with high grade SIL (HSIL), with an OR of 7 and 12, respectively. In addition, the OR for Trichomonas vaginalis, for dysbacteriosis, and for leucocytosis proved to be significantly high in the indication smears. This study provides an oversight of HSIL and the full range of cervical infections as detected by cytology, proving that this infectious byproduct of screening can be very valuable.

  14. Smear layer-deproteinizing improves bonding of one-step self-etch adhesives to dentin.

    PubMed

    Thanatvarakorn, Ornnicha; Prasansuttiporn, Taweesak; Thittaweerat, Suppason; Foxton, Richard M; Ichinose, Shizuko; Tagami, Junji; Hosaka, Keiichi; Nakajima, Masatoshi

    2018-03-01

    Smear layer deproteinizing was proved to reduce the organic phase of smear layer covered on dentin surface. It was shown to eliminate hybridized smear layer and nanoleakage expression in resin-dentin bonding interface of two-step self-etch adhesive. This study aimed to investigate those effects on various one-step self-etch adhesives. Four different one-step self-etch adhesives were used in this study; SE One (SE), Scotchbond™ Universal (SU), BeautiBond Multi (BB), and Bond Force (BF). Flat human dentin surfaces with standardized smear layer were prepared. Smear layer deproteinizing was carried out by the application of 50ppm hypochlorous acid (HOCl) on dentin surface for 15s followed by Accel ® (p-toluenesulfinic acid salt) for 5s prior to adhesive application. No surface pretreatment was used as control. Microtensile bond strength (μTBS) and nanoleakage under TEM observation were investigated. The data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test and t-test at the significant level of 0.05. Smear layer deproteinizing significantly improved μTBS of SE, SU, and BB (p<0.001). Hybridized smear layer observed in control groups of SE, BB, and BF, and reticular nanoleakage presented throughout the hybridized complex in control groups of BB and BF were eliminated upon the smear layer deproteinizing. Smear layer deproteinizing by HOCl and Accel ® application could enhance the quality of dentin for bonding to one-step self-etch adhesives, resulting in the improving μTBS, eliminating hybridized smear layer and preventing reticular nanoleakage formation in resin-dentin bonding interface. Copyright © 2018 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Optoelectronic hit/miss transform for screening cervical smear slides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Narayanswamy, R.; Turner, R. M.; McKnight, D. J.; Johnson, K. M.; Sharpe, J. P.

    1995-06-01

    An optoelectronic morphological processor for detecting regions of interest (abnormal cells) on a cervical smear slide using the hit/miss transform is presented. Computer simulation of the algorithm tested on 184 Pap-smear images provided 95% detection and 5% false alarm. An optoelectronic implementation of the hit/miss transform is presented, along with preliminary experimental results.

  16. Pap smear in incarcerated women.

    PubMed

    Audi, Celene Aparecida Ferrari; Santiago, Silvia Maria; Andrade, Maria da Graça Garcia; Francisco, Priscila Maria Stolses Bergamo

    2016-01-01

    In Brazil, in 2012, 6.4% of the prison population was made up of women. The aim of the study was to verify the coverage of the Pap smear according to sociodemographic characteristics and health problems reported among incarcerated women. Cross-sectional study conducted from August 2012 to July 2013, considering the records of 702 inmates aged between 25 and 64 years and the duration of imprisonment (not less than 12 months). The average age of the women surveyed was 34.7 years. The performance of cervical cytology was reported by 26.3% of inmates. There were no difference in prevalence according to selected variables. The containment condition enables the implementation of preventive measures such as offering and realization of Pap smear for most inmates. The observed results are worrying and differ significantly from those presented in the national diagnosis on the health of incarcerated women.

  17. Comparison of scanty AFB smears against culture in an area with high HIV prevalence.

    PubMed

    Lawson, L; Yassin, M A; Ramsay, A; Emenyonu, N E; Squire, S B; Cuevas, L E

    2005-08-01

    To verify among tuberculosis (TB) suspects attending hospitals in Abuja, Nigeria, if sputum smears graded as scanty are false-positive, sputum smears from 1068 patients were graded with the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease classification. One specimen was cultured. Eight hundred and twenty-four (26%) smears were positive, 137 (4%) scanty and 2243 negative. Of 1068 cultures, 680 (64%) were positive. One hundred and thirty (95%) scanty and 809 (98%) positive smears were culture-positive. Twelve of 18 patients with a single scanty smear and 51 of 52 with > or = 2 scanty smears were culture-positive. Fewer than < 5% scanty results, < 1% of the patients treated for TB, are false-positive.

  18. Direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis rifampin resistance in bio-safe stained sputum smears.

    PubMed

    Lavania, Surabhi; Anthwal, Divya; Bhalla, Manpreet; Singh, Nagendra; Haldar, Sagarika; Tyagi, Jaya Sivaswami

    2017-01-01

    Direct smear microscopy of sputum forms the mainstay of TB diagnosis in resource-limited settings. Stained sputum smear slides can serve as a ready-made resource to transport sputum for molecular drug susceptibility testing. However, bio-safety is a major concern during transport of sputum/stained slides and for laboratory workers engaged in processing Mycobacterium tuberculosis infected sputum specimens. In this study, a bio-safe USP (Universal Sample Processing) concentration-based sputum processing method (Bio-safe method) was assessed on 87 M. tuberculosis culture positive sputum samples. Samples were processed for Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) smear, liquid culture and DNA isolation. DNA isolated directly from sputum was subjected to an IS6110 PCR assay. Both sputum DNA and DNA extracted from bio-safe ZN concentrated smear slides were subjected to rpoB PCR and simultaneously assessed by DNA sequencing for determining rifampin (RIF) resistance. All sputum samples were rendered sterile by Bio-safe method. Bio-safe smears exhibited a 5% increment in positivity over direct smear with a 14% increment in smear grade status. All samples were positive for IS6110 and rpoB PCR. Thirty four percent samples were RIF resistant by rpoB PCR product sequencing. A 100% concordance (κ value = 1) was obtained between sequencing results derived from bio-safe smear slides and bio-safe sputum. This study demonstrates that Bio-safe method can address safety issues associated with sputum processing, provide an efficient alternative to sample transport in the form of bio-safe stained concentrated smear slides and can also provide information on drug (RIF) resistance by direct DNA sequencing.

  19. [Abnormalities in cervical smears stored in plastic bags: potential cause of false negatives].

    PubMed

    Ortega-González, Patricia; González-Bravo, Margarita S; Jiménez-Muñoz-Ledo, Gustavo; Macías, Alejandro E

    2011-01-01

    Cervical smear is the most economic and efficient diagnostic tool for the screening of cervical cancer. However, since plastic bags have been used in Guanajuato to transport and store smears, we have observed cytological abnormalities which difficult the diagnosis and lead to false negatives. To describe those abnormalities. Out of 340 women registered in a primary care center in Mexico, 68 were selected through systematic random sampling during 2007. A cervical smear was obtained and placed on two slides. The first sample was allowed to dry but the second one was placed into the plastic bag immediately after fixation. After 15 days all the smears were stained with the Papanicolaou technique. A certified pathologist, blinded about the variable of study, interpreted the samples according to the Bethesda system, and evaluated the presence of necrosis, edema, holes, and opportunistic microorganisms. Of the 68 smears exposed to a humid storage, 36 (53%) were inadequate for diagnosis (Fisher's exact probability < 0.001). From them, 36 (53%) had holes or lagoons, 34 (50%) had edema, 31 (46%) had necrosis, and 15 (22%) had fungus. On the other hand, the 68 dried cervical smears were all adequate for diagnosis and none had the changes or cytological abnormalities. The humid transport and storage of cervical smears produced abnormalities in the normal morphology that could lead to false negative results. The guideline for the handling of cervical smears must stress the importance of allowing the smears to dry completely after fixation and before storing them in plastic bags.

  20. The utilization and barriers of Pap smear among women with visual impairment.

    PubMed

    Fang, Wen-Hui; Yen, Chia-Feng; Hu, Jung; Lin, Jin-Ding; Loh, Ching-Hui

    2016-04-12

    Many evidences illustrate that the Pap smear screening successfully reduces if the cervical cancer could be detected and treated sufficiently early. People with disability were higher comorbidity prevalence, and less likely to use preventive health care and health promotion activities. There were also to demonstrate that people with visual impairment has less access to appropriate healthcare services and is less likely to receive screening examinations. In Taiwan, there was no study to explore utilization of Pap smear, associated factors and use barriers about Pap smear screening test among women with visual impairment. The purpose is to explore the utilization and barriers of using Pap smear for women with visual impairment in Taiwan. To identify the barriers of women with visual from process of receiving Pap smear screening test. The cross-sectional study was conducted and the totally 316 participators were selected by stratified proportional and random sampling from 15 to 64 year old women with visual impairment who lived in Taipei County during December 2009 to January 2010. The data was been collected by phone interview and the interviewers were well trained before interview. The mean age was 47.1 years old and the highest percentage of disabled severity was mile (40.2 %). Totally, 66.5 % of participators were ever using Pap smear and 38.9 % used it during pass 1 year. Their first time to accept Pap smear was 38.8 year old. There was near 50 % of them not to be explained by professionals before accepting the Pap smear. For non-using cases, the top two percentage of barriers were "feel still younger" (22.3 %), the second was "there's no sexual experience" (21.4 %). We found the gynecology experiences was key factor for women with visual impairment to use Pap smear, especially the experiences was during 1 year (OR = 4). Associated factors and barriers to receive Pap smear screening test for women with visual impairment can be addressed through interventions

  1. The agreement between self-reported cervical smear abnormalities and screening programme records.

    PubMed

    Canfell, Karen; Beral, Valerie; Green, Jane; Cameron, Rebecca; Baker, Krys; Brown, Anna

    2006-01-01

    The Million Women Study is a cohort study of women aged 50-64 years in England and Scotland. As a component of the follow-up questionnaire, participants were asked to indicate if they had an abnormal cervical smear in the previous five years. This study compared self-reported cervical abnormalities with screening records obtained from the National Health Service Cervical Screening Programme. For 1944 randomly selected Million Women Study participants in Oxfordshire, screening records were assessed over a six-year period prior to the date of self-reporting. The six-year period was chosen to allow for errors in the recall of timing of abnormal smears. A total of 68 women (3.5%) had a record of at least one equivocal or abnormal smear within the last six years, whereas 49 women (2.5%) self-reported an abnormality. There was a strong trend for an increased probability of self-reporting a history of an abnormal smear as the severity of the recorded abnormality increased (P <0.001). For women with an NHS record of borderline dyskaryosis, mild dyskaryosis, or moderate dyskaryosis/severe dyskaryosis/invasive cancer, the proportions reporting an abnormality were 40%, 58% and 77%, respectively. For women with negative and inadequate smears, the proportion self-reporting an abnormality were 0.6% and 0.7%, respectively. These results indicate that among women whose screening programme records show an abnormal smear, the proportion self-reporting an abnormality increases with the severity of the recorded lesion. Almost all women with a record of negative or inadequate smear(s) correctly interpret the result and do not self-report an abnormality.

  2. Effectiveness of a computer-based tutorial for teaching how to make a blood smear.

    PubMed

    Preast, Vanessa; Danielson, Jared; Bender, Holly; Bousson, Maury

    2007-09-01

    Computer-aided instruction (CAI) was developed to teach veterinary students how to make blood smears. This instruction was intended to replace the traditional instructional method in order to promote efficient use of faculty resources while maintaining learning outcomes and student satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a computer-aided blood smear tutorial on 1) instructor's teaching time, 2) students' ability to make blood smears, and 3) students' ability to recognize smear quality. Three laboratory sessions for senior veterinary students were taught using traditional methods (control group) and 4 sessions were taught using the CAI tutorial (experimental group). Students in the control group received a short demonstration and lecture by the instructor at the beginning of the laboratory and then practiced making blood smears. Students in the experimental group received their instruction through the self-paced, multimedia tutorial on a laptop computer and then practiced making blood smears. Data was collected from observation, interview, survey questionnaires, and smear evaluation by students and experts using a scoring rubric. Students using the CAI made better smears and were better able to recognize smear quality. The average time the instructor spent in the room was not significantly different between groups, but the quality of the instructor time was improved with the experimental instruction. The tutorial implementation effectively provided students and instructors with a teaching and learning experience superior to the traditional method of instruction. Using CAI is a viable method of teaching students to make blood smears.

  3. Direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis rifampin resistance in bio-safe stained sputum smears

    PubMed Central

    Lavania, Surabhi; Anthwal, Divya; Bhalla, Manpreet; Singh, Nagendra; Haldar, Sagarika; Tyagi, Jaya Sivaswami

    2017-01-01

    Direct smear microscopy of sputum forms the mainstay of TB diagnosis in resource-limited settings. Stained sputum smear slides can serve as a ready-made resource to transport sputum for molecular drug susceptibility testing. However, bio-safety is a major concern during transport of sputum/stained slides and for laboratory workers engaged in processing Mycobacterium tuberculosis infected sputum specimens. In this study, a bio-safe USP (Universal Sample Processing) concentration-based sputum processing method (Bio-safe method) was assessed on 87 M. tuberculosis culture positive sputum samples. Samples were processed for Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) smear, liquid culture and DNA isolation. DNA isolated directly from sputum was subjected to an IS6110 PCR assay. Both sputum DNA and DNA extracted from bio-safe ZN concentrated smear slides were subjected to rpoB PCR and simultaneously assessed by DNA sequencing for determining rifampin (RIF) resistance. All sputum samples were rendered sterile by Bio-safe method. Bio-safe smears exhibited a 5% increment in positivity over direct smear with a 14% increment in smear grade status. All samples were positive for IS6110 and rpoB PCR. Thirty four percent samples were RIF resistant by rpoB PCR product sequencing. A 100% concordance (κ value = 1) was obtained between sequencing results derived from bio-safe smear slides and bio-safe sputum. This study demonstrates that Bio-safe method can address safety issues associated with sputum processing, provide an efficient alternative to sample transport in the form of bio-safe stained concentrated smear slides and can also provide information on drug (RIF) resistance by direct DNA sequencing. PMID:29216262

  4. Identification of mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum smear slide using automatic scanning microscope

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rulaningtyas, Riries; Suksmono, Andriyan B.; Mengko, Tati L. R.; Saptawati, Putri

    2015-04-01

    Sputum smear observation has an important role in tuberculosis (TB) disease diagnosis, because it needs accurate identification to avoid high errors diagnosis. In development countries, sputum smear slide observation is commonly done with conventional light microscope from Ziehl-Neelsen stained tissue and it doesn't need high cost to maintain the microscope. The clinicians do manual screening process for sputum smear slide which is time consuming and needs highly training to detect the presence of TB bacilli (mycobacterium tuberculosis) accurately, especially for negative slide and slide with less number of TB bacilli. For helping the clinicians, we propose automatic scanning microscope with automatic identification of TB bacilli. The designed system modified the field movement of light microscope with stepper motor which was controlled by microcontroller. Every sputum smear field was captured by camera. After that some image processing techniques were done for the sputum smear images. The color threshold was used for background subtraction with hue canal in HSV color space. Sobel edge detection algorithm was used for TB bacilli image segmentation. We used feature extraction based on shape for bacilli analyzing and then neural network classified TB bacilli or not. The results indicated identification of TB bacilli that we have done worked well and detected TB bacilli accurately in sputum smear slide with normal staining, but not worked well in over staining and less staining tissue slide. However, overall the designed system can help the clinicians in sputum smear observation becomes more easily.

  5. Amyloid in bone marrow smears in systemic light-chain amyloidosis.

    PubMed

    Kimmich, Christoph; Schönland, Stefan; Kräker, Sandra; Andrulis, Mindaugas; Ho, Anthony D; Mayer, Gudrun; Dittrich, Tobias; Hundemer, Michael; Hegenbart, Ute

    2017-03-01

    We performed a prospective sensitivity analysis to detect amyloid in bone marrow (BM) smears stained with Congo red (CR) and according to Pappenheim of patients with systemic light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. Results were directly compared to routine BM histology and fat aspiration. We analysed 198 BM smears from patients with the diagnosis or suspicion of systemic AL amyloidosis. Ultimately, the diagnosis could be established for 168 patients. Amyloid was detected on BM smears with CR in 33% (56/168). All patients suspicious for amyloid on Pappenheim staining (n = 39) showed substantial amyloid infiltration on CR. No patient without systemic AL amyloidosis stained positive. Sensitivity for routine BM histology was 57% (74/129) and for fat aspiration 96% (134/140). Patients with amyloid on BM smears had significantly more hepatic (42 vs. 9%, p < .001), renal (78 vs. 43%, p < .001) and gastrointestinal involvement (40 vs. 22%, p < .01) and less commonly cardiac involvement (58 vs. 76%, p < .03) and consecutively no adverse prognosis. CR staining of BM smears cannot be recommended as a primary screening tool for systemic AL as its overall sensitivity is far inferior to BM histology and fat aspiration. However, we recommend using the technique when suspecting amyloid on Pappenheim staining to establish the diagnosis of systemic AL amyloidosis.

  6. [Pap smear for mass screening: Results of an African experiment].

    PubMed

    Somé, O-R; Zongo, N; Ka, S; Wardini, R; Dem, A

    2016-06-01

    To assess the impact of smear test in the fight against cervix uteri cancer in Senegal. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 1836 Pap smears performed in patients over 15 years during several screening campaigns in Senegal conducted between June 2010 and June 2012. We analyzed epidemiological data, pathological smears, and the proposed management. In 69% of cases, the women were less than 45 years old. They were mostly multiparous and did not use contraceptive methods before. The smears were interpreted in 91.4% (n=1661) and were pathological in 5.2% of cases. They revealed mainly atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, squamous intraepithelial low-grade lesions, and squamous intraepithelial high-grade lesions, respectively in 2.5% (n=46), 1.7% (n=30) and 1% (n=19) of cases. Multiparity, early marriages were the main risk factors. Patients with pathological smars had colposcopy with cryotherapy (23 cases), and colposcopy and biopsy (13 cases). A hysterectomy was performed in 4 cases. The pathological smear rate found in this study confirms the interest to continue cervical cancer screening with this practice. Strengthening of its geographical and financial access through a national prevention program will effectively help to lower cases of cervical cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  7. Microscopic diagnosis of dysbacteriosis in stained vaginal smears in clinical practice.

    PubMed

    Verbruggen, Banut-Sabine M; Boon, Mathilde E; Melkerl, Peter; van Haaften, Maarten; Heintz, A Peter M

    2006-10-01

    Dysbacteriosis is a microscopical diagnosis. In women with dysbacteriosis, an overgrowth of coccoid bacteria and almost a complete absence of lactobacilli are observed in the (stained) vaginal smear. The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of this microscopic diagnosis in clinical practice. The analysis concerned 342 consecutive cases in which the microscopy of the stained smears was performed by general practitioners trained in diagnosing dysbacteriosis. These smears were sent to the pathologist for confirmation of the microscopical diagnosis of the clinician. The cytological diagnoses of the pathologist, sometimes performed on restained slides when the quality of the staining was substandard, were considered as the "gold standard." In 92 of the 342 cases, dysbacteriosis was unequivocally established by the pathologist. Sensitivity and specificity of the microscopical diagnoses of the clinicians were 40% and 85%, respectively. There were 37 false-positive and 54 false-negative diagnoses of dysbacteriosis rendered by the clinicians. The most frequent reason for a false-negative diagnosis was an excess of lactobacilli in the smear. This study shows that even in stained smears it is difficult for clinicians to render a correct evaluation of the status of the vaginal flora.

  8. Inflammation on the Cervical Papanicolaou Smear: Evidence for Infection in Asymptomatic Women?

    PubMed Central

    Tsirmpa, Ioanna; Chasiakou, Anthia; Tsouma, Iliana; Politi, Ekaterina; Gennimata, Vassiliki; Kouskouni, Evangelia

    2013-01-01

    Background. The significance of the possible presence of infection on the Pap smear of asymptomatic women based on cytological criteria is practically unknown. Materials and Methods. A total of 1117 asymptomatic nonpregnant women had Pap smear tests and vaginal as well as cervical cultures completed (622 with and 495 without inflammation on the Pap smear). Results. Out of the 622 women with inflammation on Pap test, 251 (40.4%) had negative cultures (normal flora present), while 371 (59.6%) women had positive cultures with different pathogens. In contrast, the group of women without inflammation on Pap test displayed significantly increased percentage of negative cultures (67.1%, P < 0.001) and decreased percentage of positive cultures (32.9%, P < 0.001). Bacterial vaginosis was diagnosed more frequently in both groups and significantly more in the group with inflammation on Pap smear compared to the group without inflammation (P < 0.02). Conclusions. A report of inflammatory changes on the cervical Pap smear cannot be used to reliably predict the presence of a genital tract infection, especially in asymptomatic women. Nevertheless, the isolation of different pathogens in about 60% of the women with inflammation on the Pap smear cannot be overlooked and must be regarded with concern. PMID:24204103

  9. Front-loaded smear microscopy for the diagnosis of pulmonary TB in Tripoli, Libya.

    PubMed

    Gammo, Mohamed; Lamaric, Widad; Hadida, Mukhtar; Abuazza, Aida; Askar, Nabil A; Yassin, Mohammed A; Cuevas, Luis E

    2013-02-01

    Diagnosis of pulmonary TB by conventional smear microscopy requires patient attendance on 2 consecutive days. We investigated whether collecting sputum on-the-spot for smear microscopy on the day the patient presented was as sensitive and specific for diagnosis as the conventional spot-morning-spot scheme. We enrolled 412 adults who presented between January 2009 and October 2010 at the National Centre for TB Control in Tripoli, Libya, with cough of >2 weeks' duration, into a cross-sectional survey collecting four sputum specimens: on-the-spot and Xspot on Day 1; morning and on-the-spot on Day 2. 97 (24%) of 401 culture results were culture positive. Spot-Xspot and spot-morning smear microscopy had, respectively, 65% and 66% sensitivity and 97% and 96% specificity (p > 0.5). Spot-Xspot-morning and Spot-morning-spot smear-microscopy had, respectively, 67% and 66% sensitivity and 96% and 96% specificity (p > 0.5). For the diagnosis of pulmonary TB, the sensitivity and specificity of front-loaded (same-day) smear microscopy is similar to that of the standard smear microscopy scheme.

  10. Rate of Opportunistic Pap Smear Screening and Patterns of Epithelial Cell Abnormalities in Pap Smears in Ajman, United Arab Emirates

    PubMed Central

    Al Eyd, Ghaith J.; Shaik, Rizwana B.

    2012-01-01

    Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the proportion of women undergoing Papanicolaou (Pap) smear examinations, and the frequency of epithelial cell abnormalities in a teaching hospital in one emirate of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during a three-year period. Methods: A retrospective study of 602 patient records from July 2007 to July 2010 was done in a teaching hospital in Ajman, UAE. The variables studied were age, ethnicity, menopausal status, and abnormalities in the Pap smear. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and presented mainly as percentages; to assess associations, the chi-square test was used. Results: The total number of outpatients who attended the Obstetrics & Gynaecology Department from July 2007 to July 2010 was 150,111 patients, of which 602 (0.4% of the total) had a Pap smear test. The sample was 50.1% Arabs and 49.9% other nationalities. While 73% of the outpatients had specific complaints, 27% came for a routine screening. Epithelial cell abnormalities were seen in 3.3% of the sample, with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) found in 1.8%, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs) found in 1.2%, and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) found in 0.3%. There were no cases of squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusion: Voluntary routine Pap smear screening was remarkably low in the study group. ASCUS was the most common epithelial cell abnormality. Community health education and opportunistic screening for cervical cancer are recommended for both national and expatriate women in the region. PMID:23275844

  11. [The dentinal smear layer. Characteristics and interactions. 2].

    PubMed

    Negri, P L; Eramo, S; Lotito, M; De Pino, C

    1991-03-15

    The Authors, after the presentation (in the first part of the Dossier) of a large literature review about the physical, chemical and clinical characteristics of formation, interaction, remotion of "smear layer" during cavity preparation in hard tooth tissue, describe the results of a scanning microelectronic research about the action as cleanser (for the dentinal cavity wall) of the CK101 (Caridex) versus wather, Tubulicid and phosphoric acid. The experimental results obtained "in vitro" show that the substance has relative action, without removing the tubular portion of "smear layer".

  12. Low cost automated whole smear microscopy screening system for detection of acid fast bacilli.

    PubMed

    Law, Yan Nei; Jian, Hanbin; Lo, Norman W S; Ip, Margaret; Chan, Mia Mei Yuk; Kam, Kai Man; Wu, Xiaohua

    2018-01-01

    In countries with high tuberculosis (TB) burden, there is urgent need for rapid, large-scale screening to detect smear-positive patients. We developed a computer-aided whole smear screening system that focuses in real-time, captures images and provides diagnostic grading, for both bright-field and fluorescence microscopy for detection of acid-fast-bacilli (AFB) from respiratory specimens. To evaluate the performance of dual-mode screening system in AFB diagnostic algorithms on concentrated smears with auramine O (AO) staining, as well as direct smears with AO and Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining, using mycobacterial culture results as gold standard. Adult patient sputum samples requesting for M. tuberculosis cultures were divided into three batches for staining: direct AO-stained, direct ZN-stained and concentrated smears AO-stained. All slides were graded by an experienced microscopist, in parallel with the automated whole smear screening system. Sensitivity and specificity of a TB diagnostic algorithm in using the screening system alone, and in combination with a microscopist, were evaluated. Of 488 direct AO-stained smears, 228 were culture positive. These yielded a sensitivity of 81.6% and specificity of 74.2%. Of 334 direct smears with ZN staining, 142 were culture positive, which gave a sensitivity of 70.4% and specificity of 76.6%. Of 505 concentrated smears with AO staining, 250 were culture positive, giving a sensitivity of 86.4% and specificity of 71.0%. To further improve performance, machine grading was confirmed by manual smear grading when the number of AFBs detected fell within an uncertainty range. These combined results gave significant improvement in specificity (AO-direct:85.4%; ZN-direct:85.4%; AO-concentrated:92.5%) and slight improvement in sensitivity while requiring only limited manual workload. Our system achieved high sensitivity without substantially compromising specificity when compared to culture results. Significant improvement in

  13. Urothelial cells in smears from cervix uteri

    PubMed Central

    Palaoro, Luis Alberto; Guerra, Fernando; Angeleri, Anabela; Palamas, Marta; Melba, Sardi-Segovia; Rocher, Adriana Esther

    2012-01-01

    Objectives: To establish the cytological criteria to identify the urothelial cells in cervical smears in order to avoid mistakes in the cytological diagnosis. Materials and Methods: Cervical smears from 34 post menopausal women with vesicovaginal fistulas, advanced bladder prolapse and genital erosive lichen planes (vulvar kraurosis) (Group 1) and transitional cell metaplasia of the cervix (TCM, Group 2) were stained with Papanicolaou technique. The cervical samples were taken during the routine annual examination for prevention of the uterine cancer. Results: The smears of cervix from Group 1 showed urothelial cells from the three layers of the transitional epithelium. The umbrella cells are the bigger ones with relatively large nuclei. Frequently, they are multinucleated with single or multiple nucleoli and a typical “frothy” cytoplasm (cytoplasmic vacuoles). The cells of the Group 2 showed nuclei with oval to spindled shapes, some tapered ends, less cytoplasm than squamous metaplastic cells, powdery chromatin, small nucleoli and nuclear grooves. Conclusions: The umbrella cells may be mistaken for dysplastic cells originating in low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions lesions (LSILs) due to their nuclear and cytoplasm sizes. Therefore, it is important to know the possibility of their appearance in the cervical smears, especially in post menopausal patients in order to avoid a false diagnosis of an intraepithelial lesion. It is unlikely that deeper cells of urothelium would be confused with high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) cells. However, their presence might be a reason of mistake in the diagnosis. TCM is an under-recognized metaplastic phenomenon of the cervix and vagina, which is a mimicker of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion. The differential characteristic between umbrella cells, cells from TCM and the deeper urothelial cells, and LSIL and HSIL are detailed in the present paper. PMID:22438615

  14. An evaluation of smear layer with various desensitizing agents after tooth preparation.

    PubMed

    Zaimoglu, A; Aydin, A K

    1992-09-01

    According to hydrodynamics, any agent blocking the dentinal tubules reduces the flow of fluids and diminishes hypersensitivity. The properties of the desensitizing agents that sponsor tubular occlusion and the barrier efficiency resulting from the interaction of the smear layer with test materials were examined with the scanning electron microscope and energy-dispersive x-ray microanalysis. Selected dentinal desensitizing was accomplished with burnishing procedures, cavity varnish, calcium hydroxide, and topical fluoride. Subjective evaluations were also recorded clinically after tooth preparation. This investigation indicated that the smear layer did not protect against zinc phosphate cement, and that cavity varnish prevented the formation of the smear plugs. The smear layer and plugs were basically composed of calcium and phosphorus, the major ingredients of dentin.

  15. Association between Pap smear screening and job stress in Taiwanese nurses.

    PubMed

    Su, Shiang-Yuan; Chiou, Shu-Ti; Huang, Nicole; Huang, Chiu-Mieh; Chiang, Jen-Huai; Chien, Li-Yin

    2016-02-01

    Nursing is a professional job characterized by high stress. Stress could be associated with less practice of health promoting behaviors; however, no study has investigated the relationship between job stress and health screening behaviors among nurses. This study aimed to describe the rate of Pap smears in hospital nurses and examine the effects of job stress on receiving a Pap smear. This study was a cross-sectional survey. The study participants were 30,681 full-time female nurses who were at least 30 years of age working in 100 hospitals across Taiwan. The study participants filled out an anonymous structured questionnaire from May to July, 2011. The outcome variable was having a Pap test during the previous 3 years. The level of stress was measured by a 19-item scale, with higher scores indicating higher stress levels. About 62.4% of the nurses had a Pap smear during the previous three years. Each point increase in the stress score decreased the likelihood of Pap smears (OR = .997, 95% CI: .995-.999), after adjustment for participant characteristics, health status, health behaviors, and hospital characteristics. Despite more knowledge and higher accessibility, nurses were less likely to have Pap smear screening than the general population. A higher level of job stress was associated with a lower likelihood of having a Pap smear. Hospital administrators could help decrease work-related stress and improve stress adaption among nurses in order to improve their health screening behaviors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Taste symmetry breaking with hypercubic-smeared staggered fermions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bae, Taegil; Adams, David H.; Kim, Hyung-Jin

    2008-05-01

    We study the impact of hypercubic (HYP) smearing on the size of taste-breaking for staggered fermions, comparing to unimproved and to asqtad-improved staggered fermions. As in previous studies, we find a substantial reduction in taste-breaking compared to unimproved staggered fermions (by a factor of 4-7 on lattices with spacing a{approx_equal}0.1 fm). In addition, we observe that discretization effects of next-to-leading order in the chiral expansion (O(a{sup 2}p{sup 2})) are markedly reduced by HYP smearing. Compared to asqtad valence fermions, we find that taste-breaking in the pion spectrum is reduced by a factor of 2.5-3, down to a level comparable tomore » the expected size of generic O(a{sup 2}) effects. Our results suggest that, once one reaches a lattice spacing of a{approx_equal}0.09 fm, taste-breaking will be small enough after HYP smearing that one can use a modified power counting in which O(a{sup 2})<

  17. Associations between selective attention and soil-transmitted helminth infections, socioeconomic status, and physical fitness in disadvantaged children in Port Elizabeth, South Africa: An observational study.

    PubMed

    Gall, Stefanie; Müller, Ivan; Walter, Cheryl; Seelig, Harald; Steenkamp, Liana; Pühse, Uwe; du Randt, Rosa; Smith, Danielle; Adams, Larissa; Nqweniso, Siphesihle; Yap, Peiling; Ludyga, Sebastian; Steinmann, Peter; Utzinger, Jürg; Gerber, Markus

    2017-05-01

    Socioeconomically deprived children are at increased risk of ill-health associated with sedentary behavior, malnutrition, and helminth infection. The resulting reduced physical fitness, growth retardation, and impaired cognitive abilities may impede children's capacity to pay attention. The present study examines how socioeconomic status (SES), parasitic worm infections, stunting, food insecurity, and physical fitness are associated with selective attention and academic achievement in school-aged children. The study cohort included 835 children, aged 8-12 years, from eight primary schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The d2-test was utilized to assess selective attention. This is a paper and pencil letter-cancellation test consisting of randomly mixed letters d and p with one to four single and/or double quotation marks either over and/or under each letter. Children were invited to mark only the letters d that have double quotation marks. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed via the 20 m shuttle run test and muscle strength using the grip strength test. The Kato-Katz thick smear technique was employed to detect helminth eggs in stool samples. SES and food insecurity were determined with a pre-tested questionnaire, while end of year school results were used as an indicator of academic achievement. Children infected with soil-transmitted helminths had lower selective attention, lower school grades (academic achievement scores), and lower grip strength (all p<0.05). In a multiple regression model, low selective attention was associated with soil-transmitted helminth infection (p<0.05) and low shuttle run performance (p<0.001), whereas higher academic achievement was observed in children without soil-transmitted helminth infection (p<0.001) and with higher shuttle run performance (p<0.05). Soil-transmitted helminth infections and low physical fitness appear to hamper children's capacity to pay attention and thereby

  18. Status of soil-transmitted helminth infections in schoolchildren in Laguna Province, the Philippines: Determined by parasitological and molecular diagnostic techniques.

    PubMed

    Mationg, Mary Lorraine S; Gordon, Catherine A; Tallo, Veronica L; Olveda, Remigio M; Alday, Portia P; Reñosa, Mark Donald C; Bieri, Franziska A; Williams, Gail M; Clements, Archie C A; Steinmann, Peter; Halton, Kate; Li, Yuesheng; McManus, Donald P; Gray, Darren J

    2017-11-01

    Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) are the most common parasitic infections in impoverished communities, particularly among children. Current STH control is through school-based mass drug administration (MDA), which in the Philippines is done twice annually. As expected, MDA has decreased the intensity and prevalence of STH over time. As a result, the common Kato Katz (KK) thick smear method of detecting STH is less effective because it lacks sensitivity in low intensity infections, making it difficult to measure the impact of deworming programs. A cross-sectional study was carried out over a four-week period from October 27, 2014 until November 20, 2014 in Laguna province, the Philippines. Stool samples were collected from 263 schoolchildren, to determine the prevalence of STH and compare diagnostic accuracy of multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) with the KK. A large discrepancy in the prevalence between the two techniques was noted for the detection of at least one type of STH infection (33.8% by KK vs. 78.3% by qPCR), Ascaris lumbricoides (20.5% by KK vs. 60.8% by qPCR) and Trichuris trichiura (23.6% by KK vs. 38.8% by qPCR). Considering the combined results of both methods, the prevalence of at least one type of helminth infection, A. lumbricoides, and T. trichiura were 83.3%, 67.7%, and 53.6%, respectively. Sensitivity of the qPCR for detecting at least one type of STH infection, A. lumbricoides, and T. trichiura were 94.1%, 89.9%, and 72.3% respectively; whereas KK sensitivity was 40.6%, 30.3%, and 44.0%, respectively. The qPCR method also detected infections with Ancylostoma spp. (4.6%), Necator americanus (2.3%), and Strongyloides stercoralis (0.8%) that were missed by KK. qPCR may provide new and important diagnostic information to improve assessment of the effectiveness and impact of integrated control strategies particularly in areas where large-scale STH control has led to low prevalence and/or intensity of infection.

  19. Associations between selective attention and soil-transmitted helminth infections, socioeconomic status, and physical fitness in disadvantaged children in Port Elizabeth, South Africa: An observational study

    PubMed Central

    Müller, Ivan; Walter, Cheryl; Seelig, Harald; Steenkamp, Liana; Pühse, Uwe; du Randt, Rosa; Smith, Danielle; Adams, Larissa; Nqweniso, Siphesihle; Yap, Peiling; Ludyga, Sebastian; Steinmann, Peter; Utzinger, Jürg; Gerber, Markus

    2017-01-01

    Background Socioeconomically deprived children are at increased risk of ill-health associated with sedentary behavior, malnutrition, and helminth infection. The resulting reduced physical fitness, growth retardation, and impaired cognitive abilities may impede children’s capacity to pay attention. The present study examines how socioeconomic status (SES), parasitic worm infections, stunting, food insecurity, and physical fitness are associated with selective attention and academic achievement in school-aged children. Methodology The study cohort included 835 children, aged 8–12 years, from eight primary schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The d2-test was utilized to assess selective attention. This is a paper and pencil letter-cancellation test consisting of randomly mixed letters d and p with one to four single and/or double quotation marks either over and/or under each letter. Children were invited to mark only the letters d that have double quotation marks. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed via the 20 m shuttle run test and muscle strength using the grip strength test. The Kato-Katz thick smear technique was employed to detect helminth eggs in stool samples. SES and food insecurity were determined with a pre-tested questionnaire, while end of year school results were used as an indicator of academic achievement. Principal findings Children infected with soil-transmitted helminths had lower selective attention, lower school grades (academic achievement scores), and lower grip strength (all p<0.05). In a multiple regression model, low selective attention was associated with soil-transmitted helminth infection (p<0.05) and low shuttle run performance (p<0.001), whereas higher academic achievement was observed in children without soil-transmitted helminth infection (p<0.001) and with higher shuttle run performance (p<0.05). Conclusions/Significance Soil-transmitted helminth infections and low physical

  20. Self-rated quality of life and school performance in relation to helminth infections: case study from Yunnan, People's Republic of China

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Expert opinion-derived disability weights are widely employed for estimating the global burden of diseases and injuries. For chronic diseases such as soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis, it has been suggested that a patient-based quality of life (QoL) approach should be considered for a more accurate appraisal of disability weights. Methods and Results We carried out a cross-sectional survey and assessed the prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted helminth infections as well as self-rated QoL indicators among 252 students attending grades 5-8 in two schools (Bulangshan and Pu'er) in Yunnan province, People's Republic of China. Each student provided a single stool sample, which was subjected to duplicate Kato-Katz thick smear readings and a single FLOTAC examination for parasitological diagnosis. Prevalence rates for hookworm, Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides were high in Bulangshan (75.9%, 70.0% and 68.2%), while the respective prevalence rates in Pu'er were 66.9%, 56.5% and 9.2%. Students were interviewed with two standardised questionnaires, the EuroQoL-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) and ShortForm-12 (SF-12) Health Survey. Impairment in any of the five dimensions of the EQ-5D was reported by 87% of the students. However, no clear differences could be observed between individuals with and those without helminth infections, and there were discrepancies between the two schools. A multivariate logistic regression model revealed no differences between students with varying infection status in the domains of the SF-12 (odds ratio close to 1.0). Somewhat more pronounced, yet not statistically significant differences were observed when end-of-school-term marks were compared with students' helminth infection status: infected individuals had lower marks in Chinese, English and mathematics, but not in sports, compared to their helminth-free counterparts. Conclusions Our results point to unresolved issues and challenges regarding the cultural

  1. Prevalence and risk factors of Ascaris lumbricoides (Linnaeus, 1758), Trichuris trichiura (Linnaeus, 1771) and HBV infections in Southwestern China: a community-based cross sectional study.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Peng-Lei; Zhou, Yi-Biao; Chen, Yue; Yang, Ya; Shi, Yan; Gao, Jian-Chuan; Yihuo, Wu-Li; Song, Xiu-Xia; Jiang, Qing-Wu

    2015-12-24

    Intestinal helminths do not cause severe diseases in general, however, when combined with other diseases such as immunodeficiency diseases, there would be massive complications. Infections with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) may lead to immunological disturbances and defects of cellular immunity and there is a need of clarification whether HBV infections are associated with infections with intestinal helminths. A community-based cross sectional study was conducted in Tezi town, Puge County of the Liangshan Prefecture, southwestern China from October 23rd to November 3rd, 2014. Four hundred and thirty eight people (median age = 37 years, IQR = 22-49) were enrolled in this study. Modified Kato-Katz thick smear was used to detect intestinal helminths. HBV DNA was quantified to confirm HBV infection. Among the 438 participants, 9.1%, 13.5% and 30.6% were infected with HBV, A. lumbricoides (L., 1758) and T. trichiura (L., 1771), respectively; 7.1% (30/438) were infected with both A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura and 2.3% (10/438) were co-infected with HBV and A. lumbricoides. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (21-30 years versus >50 years: OR = 6.66, 95% CI = 2.15-20.68), drug abuse (OR = 6.96, 95% CI = 1.11-43.90), A. lumbricoides infection (OR = 3.60, 95% CI = 1.48-8.75), fertilization with faeces after disposal (OR = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.04-0.47) and working on a farm (OR = 4.59, 95% CI = 1.44-14.63) were significantly associated with HBV infection. Having toilets at home was negatively related to A. lumbricoides infection (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.27-0.98) and T. trichiura infection (OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.28-0.80). Ascaris lumbricoides was independently associated with HBV infection, and faeces might be the medium of HBV transmission. Improving hygiene conditions and habits are essential to reduce the risks of A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura infections.

  2. Sensitivity and specificity of the circulating cathodic antigen rapid urine test in the diagnosis of Schistosomiasis mansoni infection and evaluation of morbidity in a low- endemic area in Brazil.

    PubMed

    Ferreira, Fernanda Teixeira; Fidelis, Thiago André; Pereira, Thiago Almeida; Otoni, Alba; Queiroz, Leonardo Campos; Amâncio, Frederico Figueiredo; Antunes, Carlos Maurício; Lambertucci, José Roberto

    2017-01-01

    The Kato-Katz technique is the standard diagnostic test for Schistosoma mansoni infection in rural areas. However, the utility of this method is severely limited by the day-to-day variability in host egg excretion in the stool. In high-transmission areas, the point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) urine assay has proven to be a reliable test. However, investigations of the reliability of the POC-CCA assay in low-transmission regions are under way. This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the POC-CCA assay and the morbidity of schistosomiasis in a low-endemic area in Brazil. Pains City is a low-transmission zone for schistosomiasis. A total of 300 subjects aged 7-76 years were randomly selected for the POC-CCA cassette test. For S. mansoni diagnosis, three stool samples on six slides were compared with one urine sample for each subject. The sensitivity and specificity in the absence of a gold standard were calculated using latent class analysis. Clinical examinations and abdominal ultrasounds were performed in 181 volunteers to evaluate morbidity associated with schistosomiasis. The sensitivity and specificity of the Kato-Katz technique were 25.6% and 94.6%, respectively. By contrast, the sensitivity and specificity of the POC-CCA assay were 68.1% and 72.8%, respectively. Hepatosplenic schistosomiasis was diagnosed in two patients (1.1%). Overall, the POC-CCA urine assay proved to be a useful test for diagnosing S. mansoni in a low-endemic area in Brazil. Severe clinical forms of schistosomiasis can be present even in such low-endemic areas.

  3. Occurrence of Strongyloides stercoralis in Yunnan Province, China, and Comparison of Diagnostic Methods

    PubMed Central

    Steinmann, Peter; Zhou, Xiao-Nong; Du, Zun-Wei; Jiang, Jin-Yong; Wang, Li-Bo; Wang, Xue-Zhong; Li, Lan-Hua; Marti, Hanspeter; Utzinger, Jürg

    2007-01-01

    Background Strongyloides stercoralis is a neglected soil-transmitted helminth species, and there is a lack of parasitologic and epidemiologic data pertaining to this parasite in China and elsewhere. We studied the local occurrence of S. stercoralis in a village in Yunnan province, China, and comparatively assessed the performance of different diagnostic methods. Methodology/Principal Findings Multiple stool samples from a random population sample were subjected to the Kato-Katz method, an ether-concentration technique, the Koga agar plate method, and the Baermann technique. Among 180 participants who submitted at least 2 stool samples, we found a S. stercoralis prevalence of 11.7%. Males had a significantly higher prevalence than females (18.3% versus 6.1%, p = 0.011), and infections were absent in individuals <15 years of age. Infections were only detected by the Baermann (highest sensitivity) and the Koga agar plate method, but neither with the Kato-Katz nor an ether-concentration technique. The examination of 3 stool samples rather than a single one resulted in the detection of 62% and 100% more infections when employing the Koga agar plate and the Baermann technique, respectively. The use of a mathematical model revealed a ‘true’ S. stercoralis prevalence in the current setting of up to 16.3%. Conclusions/Significance We conclude that S. stercoralis is endemic in the southern part of Yunnan province and that differential diagnosis and integrated control of intestinal helminth infections needs more pointed emphasis in rural China. PMID:17989788

  4. Evaluation of the utility of conventional polymerase chain reaction for detection and species differentiation in human hookworm infections.

    PubMed

    Chidambaram, Meenachi; Parija, Subhash Chandra; Toi, Pampa Ch; Mandal, Jharna; Sankaramoorthy, Dhanalakshmi; George, Santosh; Natarajan, Mailan; Padukone, Shashiraja

    2017-01-01

    Human hookworm infection is caused mainly by Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale . Among the zoonotic hookworm species, only Ancylostoma ceylanicum causes potent human infections where dogs and cats act as reservoir of infection. Hence, species differentiation is imperative because the eradication of both anthroponotic and zoonotic hookworm depends on the concurrent human and animal health programs, hygienic practices, and mass drug administration for humans and dogs. This study was performed to evaluate the utility of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of hookworm infections. A total of 209 stool samples were collected and subjected to stool microscopy, Kato-Katz method to identify the intensity of the infection, coproculture for L3 larval identification and species differentiation and semi-nested PCR with sequencing. The prevalence of hookworm was estimated as 7.6%. Highest hookworm prevalence was seen in 20-30 years of age group. Majority of the infections were mild intensity infections. Sensitivity of stool microscopy was found to be 81.2% and the specificity was 100%. Sensitivity of Kato-Katz method was 87.5% and specificity was 100%. True positivity by agar plate culture was 83.3% and false positivity rate was 16.6%. Stool microscopy is the major mode of detection, but it has a higher false negative rate. Coproculture is time-consuming and needs the expertise to differentiate the species. On the other hand, PCR is known to be a sensitive, specific, and a reliable investigative tool which can help in diagnosis as well as in species differentiation.

  5. A continuous quality improvement project to improve the quality of cervical Papanicolaou smears.

    PubMed

    Burkman, R T; Ward, R; Balchandani, K; Kini, S

    1994-09-01

    To improve the quality of cervical Papanicolaou smears by continuous quality improvement techniques. The study used a Papanicolaou smear data base of over 200,000 specimens collected between June 1988 and December 1992. A team approach employing techniques such as process flow-charting, cause and effect diagrams, run charts, and a randomized trial of collection methods was used to evaluate potential causes of Papanicolaou smear reports with the notation "inadequate" or "less than optimal" due to too few or absent endocervical cells. Once a key process variable (method of collection) was identified, the proportion of Papanicolaou smears with inadequate or absent endocervical cells was determined before and after employment of a collection technique using a spatula and Cytobrush. We measured the rate of less than optimal Papanicolaou smears due to too few or absent endocervical cells. Before implementing the new collection technique fully by June 1990, the overall rate of less than optimal cervical Papanicolaou smears ranged from 20-25%; by December 1993, it had stabilized at about 10%. Continuous quality improvement can be used successfully to study a clinical process and implement change that will lead to improvement.

  6. Conformational Smear Characterization and Binning of Single-Molecule Conductance Measurements for Enhanced Molecular Recognition.

    PubMed

    Korshoj, Lee E; Afsari, Sepideh; Chatterjee, Anushree; Nagpal, Prashant

    2017-11-01

    Electronic conduction or charge transport through single molecules depends primarily on molecular structure and anchoring groups and forms the basis for a wide range of studies from molecular electronics to DNA sequencing. Several high-throughput nanoelectronic methods such as mechanical break junctions, nanopores, conductive atomic force microscopy, scanning tunneling break junctions, and static nanoscale electrodes are often used for measuring single-molecule conductance. In these measurements, "smearing" due to conformational changes and other entropic factors leads to large variances in the observed molecular conductance, especially in individual measurements. Here, we show a method for characterizing smear in single-molecule conductance measurements and demonstrate how binning measurements according to smear can significantly enhance the use of individual conductance measurements for molecular recognition. Using quantum point contact measurements on single nucleotides within DNA macromolecules, we demonstrate that the distance over which molecular junctions are maintained is a measure of smear, and the resulting variance in unbiased single measurements depends on this smear parameter. Our ability to identify individual DNA nucleotides at 20× coverage increases from 81.3% accuracy without smear analysis to 93.9% with smear characterization and binning (SCRIB). Furthermore, merely 7 conductance measurements (7× coverage) are needed to achieve 97.8% accuracy for DNA nucleotide recognition when only low molecular smear measurements are used, which represents a significant improvement over contemporary sequencing methods. These results have important implications in a broad range of molecular electronics applications from designing robust molecular switches to nanoelectronic DNA sequencing.

  7. Women's experiences of abnormal Pap smear results - A qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Rask, Marie; Swahnberg, Katarina; Lindell, Gunnel; Oscarsson, Marie

    2017-06-01

    To describe women's experiences of abnormal Pap smear result. Ten women were recruited from a women's health clinic. Qualitative interviews based on six open-ended questions were conducted, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed by content analysis. The women believed that their abnormal Pap smear result was indicative of having cancer. This created anxiety in the women, which resulted in the need for emotional support and information. Testing positive with human papillomavirus (HPV) also meant consequences for the relatives as well as concerns about the sexually transmitted nature of the virus. Finally, the women had a need to be treated with respect by the healthcare professionals in order to reduce feelings of being abused. In general, women have a low level of awareness of HPV and its relation to abnormal Pap smear results. Women who receive abnormal Pap smear results need oral information, based on the individual women's situation, and delivered at the time the women receive the test result. It is also essential that a good emotional contact be established between the women and the healthcare professionals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Detection of the HTLV-I gene on cytologic smear slides.

    PubMed

    Kashima, Kenji; Nagahama, Junji; Sato, Keiji; Tanamachi, Hiroyuki; Gamachi, Ayako; Daa, Tsutomu; Nakayama, Iwao; Yokoyama, Shigeo

    2002-01-01

    To apply the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of the HTLV-I gene from cytologic smear slides. Samples were from seven cases of serum anti-ATL antibody (ATLA)-positive T-cell lymphoma and three from ATLA-negative T-cell lymphoma. Six of the seven ATLA-positive cases were confirmed to be ATLL by Southern blotting. From the seventh case a fresh sample for blotting could not obtained. DNA was extracted from the cytologic smear slides of all 10 cases; they had been stained with Papanicolaou or May-Giemsa stain, digested with proteinase K and precipitated with phenol and ethanol. The target sequence in the pX region of the HTLV-I gene was amplified by PCR. All seven ATLA-positive cases, including one that had not yet been confirmed by Southern blotting, showed a single band, as predicted, while the three ATLA-negative cases showed no band. If cytologic smear slides are available but a fresh sample is not, the PCR method should provide evidence that the virus is present since in our study sufficient DNA templates were successfully extracted from the stained cytologic smear slides for detection of the virus.

  9. [Epidemiological situation of human parasitic diseases through three investigations in Jinhu County, Jiangsu Province].

    PubMed

    Shu-Mei, Li; Dao-Kuan, Sun; Cui-Ping, Zhang; De-Zhen, Chen; Qian, Li

    2016-03-08

    To understand the epidemiological situation of human parasitic diseases in Jinhu County, so as to provide the evidence for formulating further control strategy. The investigated local residents were sampled by the random cluster sampling method in 1989, 1999 and 2015. The infections of intestinal helminthes were detected by Kato-Katz technique, the eggs of Enterubius vermicularis were examined by cellophane anal swab for children, the intestinal protozoa were examined by the saline smear and iodine staining methods. The total rates of parasitic infections were 62.57%, 9.32% and 0.49% in 1989, 1999 and 2015, respectively. Compared to those in 1989 and in 1999, the infection rate in 2015 was decreased by 99.22% and 94.74%, respectively. The numbers of detected parasite species were 14, 10 and 4 in 1989, 1999 and 2015, respectively. The intensities of infections were mainly mild in three investigations, and the intensities of all the infections in 2015 were mild. The species of infected parasites were mainly single, however, multiple infections were observed in 1989, including 4 parasite species (0.72%) and 3 parasite species (7.02%). Only in 1989, the difference between sexes was significant and the infection rate of the female was higher than that of the male ( χ 2 =18.01, P <0.01). The infection rates of human parasites are decreased gradually and stabilized at the low level in Jinhu County. However, the surveillance work still should be strengthened to consolidate the achievement.

  10. Microscopic diagnosis of vulvovaginal candidiasis in stained vaginal smears by Dutch general practitioners.

    PubMed

    Engberts, Marian K; Goedbloed, Annelize F; van Haaften, Maarten; van Haaften, Mathilde; Boon, Mathilde E; Boon, Maarten E; Heintz, Peter M

    2007-01-01

    To determine the accuracy of the microscopic diagnosis of vulvovaginal candidiasis (presence of [pseudo] hyphae and blastospores) in stained vaginal smears in clinical practice. General practitioners trained in diagnosing vulvovaginal candidiasis performed microscopy of 324 stained vaginal smears. These smears were sent to the pathologist for confirmation of the microscopic diagnosis of the clinician; cytologic diagnosis by the pathologist was considered the gold standard. In 104 of the 342 cases Candida was established by the pathologist. The clinicians made 24 false positive and 50 false negative diagnoses of Candida. Sensitivity and specificity of the microscopic diagnoses of the clinicians were 52% and 89%, respectively. The most frequent reason for a false positive diagnosis was presence of hairs, whereas the most frequent reason for a false negative diagnosis was understaining of the smear. This study shows that even in stained smears it is difficult for clinicians to recognize blastospores and (pseudo)hyphae. Efforts are clearly needed to improve the quality of the clinical diagnosis of vulvovaginal candidiasis.

  11. Computed tomographic findings of trichuriasis

    PubMed Central

    Tokmak, Naime; Koc, Zafer; Ulusan, Serife; Koltas, Ismail Soner; Bal, Nebil

    2006-01-01

    In this report, we present computed tomographic findings of colonic trichuriasis. The patient was a 75-year-old man who complained of abdominal pain, and weight loss. Diagnosis was achieved by colonoscopic biopsy. Abdominal computed tomography showed irregular and nodular thickening of the wall of the cecum and ascending colon. Although these findings are nonspecific, they may be one of the findings of trichuriasis. These findings, confirmed by pathologic analysis of the biopsied tissue and Kato-Katz parasitological stool flotation technique, revealed adult Trichuris. To our knowledge, this is the first report of colonic trichuriasis indicated by computed tomography. PMID:16830393

  12. Field Comparison of the Sampling Efficacy of Two Smear Media: Cotton Fiber and Kraft Paper

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hogue, M.G.

    Two materials were compared in field tests at the Defense Waste Processing Facility: kraft paper (a strong, brown paper made from wood pulp prepared with a sodium sulfate solution) and cotton fiber. Based on a sampling of forty-six pairs of smears, the cotton fiber smears provide a greater sensitivity. The cotton fiber smears collected an average of forty-four percent more beta activity than the kraft paper smears and twenty-nine percent more alpha activity. Results show a greater sensitivity with cotton fiber over kraft paper at the 95 percent confidence level. Regulatory requirements for smear materials are vague. The data demonstratemore » that the difference in sensitivity of smear materials could lead to a large difference in reported results that are subsequently used for meeting shipping regulations or evaluating workplace contamination levels.« less

  13. Smear correction of highly variable, frame-transfer CCD images with application to polarimetry.

    PubMed

    Iglesias, Francisco A; Feller, Alex; Nagaraju, Krishnappa

    2015-07-01

    Image smear, produced by the shutterless operation of frame-transfer CCD detectors, can be detrimental for many imaging applications. Existing algorithms used to numerically remove smear do not contemplate cases where intensity levels change considerably between consecutive frame exposures. In this report, we reformulate the smearing model to include specific variations of the sensor illumination. The corresponding desmearing expression and its noise properties are also presented and demonstrated in the context of fast imaging polarimetry.

  14. Pap Smear Test Prevalence within Three Years (Age 18+) - Small Area Estimates

    Cancer.gov

    For Pap smear test, a woman 18 years of age or older must have reported having at least one Pap smear test in her life. Furthermore, she should have had one within the last three years by the time of interview.

  15. Fast Katz and Commuters: Efficient Estimation of Social Relatedness in Large Networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Esfandiar, Pooya; Bonchi, Francesco; Gleich, David F.; Greif, Chen; Lakshmanan, Laks V. S.; On, Byung-Won

    Motivated by social network data mining problems such as link prediction and collaborative filtering, significant research effort has been devoted to computing topological measures including the Katz score and the commute time. Existing approaches typically approximate all pairwise relationships simultaneously. In this paper, we are interested in computing: the score for a single pair of nodes, and the top-k nodes with the best scores from a given source node. For the pairwise problem, we apply an iterative algorithm that computes upper and lower bounds for the measures we seek. This algorithm exploits a relationship between the Lanczos process and a quadrature rule. For the top-k problem, we propose an algorithm that only accesses a small portion of the graph and is related to techniques used in personalized PageRank computing. To test the scalability and accuracy of our algorithms we experiment with three real-world networks and find that these algorithms run in milliseconds to seconds without any preprocessing.

  16. Fast katz and commuters : efficient estimation of social relatedness in large networks.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    On, Byung-Won; Lakshmanan, Laks V. S.; Greif, Chen

    Motivated by social network data mining problems such as link prediction and collaborative filtering, significant research effort has been devoted to computing topological measures including the Katz score and the commute time. Existing approaches typically approximate all pairwise relationships simultaneously. In this paper, we are interested in computing: the score for a single pair of nodes, and the top-k nodes with the best scores from a given source node. For the pairwise problem, we apply an iterative algorithm that computes upper and lower bounds for the measures we seek. This algorithm exploits a relationship between the Lanczos process and amore » quadrature rule. For the top-k problem, we propose an algorithm that only accesses a small portion of the graph and is related to techniques used in personalized PageRank computing. To test the scalability and accuracy of our algorithms we experiment with three real-world networks and find that these algorithms run in milliseconds to seconds without any preprocessing.« less

  17. Does endodontic post space irrigation affect smear layer removal and bonding effectiveness?

    PubMed

    Gu, Xin-Hua; Mao, Cai-Yun; Liang, Cong; Wang, Hui-Ming; Kern, Matthias

    2009-10-01

    The effect of different post space irrigants on smear layer removal and dentin bond strength was evaluated. Sixty-six extracted sound maxillary central incisors were endodontically treated. After post space preparation, the teeth were assigned to three groups of 22 teeth each. The teeth of these three groups were irrigated for 1 min with 17% ethylenediaminetetracetic acid (EDTA) (group 1), 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) (group 2), or 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) (group 3). In each group, eight specimens were split longitudinally for smear layer evaluation, and the other fourteen specimens were filled with a self-etching adhesive system (Panavia F). Four of 14 specimens of each group were prepared for evaluation of the resin-dentin interdiffusion zone (RDIZ) and resin tags, and the other 10 specimens were serially sectioned for push-out test analysis. Smear layer removal and bond strength were affected by different post space irrigants. EDTA removed the smear layer extremely effectively and, as a result, improved the bond strength at each region (apical, middle, and coronal) of the roots. Resin tag formation and the RDIZ were also affected by different irrigants and in accordance with bond strength. Therefore, removal of the smear layer use a self-etching luting system plays an important role in bonding effectiveness.

  18. Factors which contributed for low quality sputum smears for the detection of acid fast bacilli (AFB) at selected health centers in Ethiopia: A quality control perspective.

    PubMed

    Mekonen, Ayehu; Ayele, Yeshi; Berhan, Yifru; Woldeyohannes, Desalegn; Erku, Woldaregay; Sisay, Solomon

    2018-01-01

    Quality of tuberculosis (TB) microscopy diagnosis is not a guarantee despite implementation of External Quality Assurance (EQA) service in all laboratories of health facilities. Hence, we aimed at evaluating the technical quality and the findings of sputum smear microscopy for acid fast bacilli (AFB) at health centers in Hararge Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was carried out between July 8, 2014 and July 7, 2015.A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) method was put into practice for collecting all necessary sample slides. Data were analyzed by using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 20 software. P-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Of the total55 health center laboratories which had been assessed during the study period, 20 (36.4%) had major technical errors; 13 (23.6%) had 15 false negative results and 17 (30.9%) had 22 false positive results. Moreover, poor specimen quality, smear size, smear thickness, staining and evenness were indicated in 40 (72.7%), 39 (70.9%), 37 (67.3%), 27(49.1%) and 37 (67.3%) of the collected samples, respectively. False negative AFB findings were significantly associated with lack of Internal Quality Control (IQC) measures (AOR (Adjusted Odds Ratio): 2.90 (95% CI (Confidence Interval): 1.25,6.75) and poor staining procedures (AOR: 2.16(95% CI: 1.01, 5.11). The qualities of AFB smear microscopy reading and smearing were low in most of the laboratories of the health centers. Therefore, it is essential to strength EQA program through building the capacity of laboratory professionals.

  19. Effect of different irrigation on smear layer removal after post space preparation.

    PubMed

    Gu, Xin-Hua; Mao, Cai-Yun; Kern, Matthias

    2009-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different irrigating solutions on smear layer removal and dentinal tubule opening on root canal surfaces after post space preparation and to study whether additional ultrasonic irrigation has any effect on smear layer removal. Forty-eight anterior teeth were treated endodontically. After post space preparation, they were assigned to six groups: group 1, EDTA; group 2, EDTA with ultrasonic activation; group 3, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl); group 4, NaOCl with ultrasonic activation; group 5, sodium chloride (NaCl); and group 6, NaCl with ultrasonic activation. Specimens were examined under a field-emission scanning electron microscope and scored for debris removal and dentinal tubule opening at the coronal, middle, and apical thirds of the root canal. The results showed that EDTA performed significantly better than NaCl and NaOCl in smear layer removal and dentinal tubule opening. Additional ultrasonic irrigation did not improve smear layer removal significantly.

  20. Auditing smear microscopy results according to time to detection using the BACTEC™ MGIT™ TB system.

    PubMed

    Elsaghier, A A F

    2015-09-01

    Smear microscopy is a rapid method for the identification of the most infectious patients with mycobacterial infection. Suboptimal smear microscopy may significantly compromise or delay patient isolation and contact tracing. A stringent method for auditing mycobacterial smear results is thus needed. This article proposes an auditing tool based on time to detection (TTD) of culture-positive samples using the automated BACTEC™ MGIT™ 960 TB system. In our study, sputum samples subjected to liquefaction and concentration before staining with a TTD of ≤ 13 days using the BACTEC system should be positive on smear microscopy.

  1. Surface Microflora of Four Smear-Ripened Cheeses

    PubMed Central

    Mounier, Jérôme; Gelsomino, Roberto; Goerges, Stefanie; Vancanneyt, Marc; Vandemeulebroecke, Katrien; Hoste, Bart; Scherer, Siegfried; Swings, Jean; Fitzgerald, Gerald F.; Cogan, Timothy M.

    2005-01-01

    The microbial composition of smear-ripened cheeses is not very clear. A total of 194 bacterial isolates and 187 yeast isolates from the surfaces of four Irish farmhouse smear-ripened cheeses were identified at the midpoint of ripening using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), repetitive sequence-based PCR, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing for identifying and typing the bacteria and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and mitochondrial DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (mtDNA RFLP) analysis for identifying and typing the yeast. The yeast microflora was very uniform, and Debaryomyces hansenii was the dominant species in the four cheeses. Yarrowia lipolytica was also isolated in low numbers from one cheese. The bacteria were highly diverse, and 14 different species, Corynebacterium casei, Corynebacterium variabile, Arthrobacter arilaitensis, Arthrobacter sp., Microbacterium gubbeenense, Agrococcus sp. nov., Brevibacterium linens, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus equorum, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Micrococcus luteus, Halomonas venusta, Vibrio sp., and Bacillus sp., were identified on the four cheeses. Each cheese had a more or less unique microflora with four to nine species on its surface. However, two bacteria, C. casei and A. arilaitensis, were found on each cheese. Diversity at the strain level was also observed, based on the different PFGE patterns and mtDNA RFLP profiles of the dominant bacterial and yeast species. None of the ripening cultures deliberately inoculated onto the surface were reisolated from the cheeses. This study confirms the importance of the adventitious, resident microflora in the ripening of smear cheeses. PMID:16269673

  2. Factors associated with negative T-SPOT.TB results among smear-negative tuberculosis patients in China.

    PubMed

    Kang, Wanli; Wu, Meiying; Yang, Kunyun; Ertai, A; Wu, Shucai; Geng, Shujun; Li, Zhihui; Li, Mingwu; Pang, Yu; Tang, Shenjie

    2018-03-09

    We compared the positive rates of T-SPOT.TB and bacterial culture in the smear-negative PTB, and analyzed the factors affecting the results of negative T-SPOT.TB and bacterial culture. Retrospective evaluation of data from smear-negative PTB patients who underwent T-SPOT.TB and bacterial culture were done. The agreement and concordance were analyzed between T-SPOT.TB and bacterial culture. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors associated with positive results of T-SPOT.TB and bacterial culture in smear-negative PTB. 858 eligible smear-negative PTB patients were included in the study. The agreement rate was 25.6% (22.7~28.5%) between T-SPOT.TB and bacterial culture in smear- negative PTB patients. The positive rate of T-SPOT.TB was higher than that of bacterial culture in smear-negative PTB patients (p < 0.001). There were nearly no concordance between T-SPOT.TB and bacterial culture (p > 0.05). Using multivariable logistic regression analysis we found that older age ≥ 60 years (OR = 0.469, 95% CI: 0.287-0.768) and decreased albumin (OR = 0.614, 95% CI: 0.380-0.992) were associated with negative diagnostic results of T-SPOT.TB in smear-negative PTB patients. Female (OR = 0.654, 95% CI: 0.431-0.992) were associated with negative diagnostic results of bacteria culture in smear-negative PTB patients. Our results indicated that the older age and decreased albumin were independently associated with negative T-SPOT.TB responses.

  3. Perceptions and concerns of women undergoing Pap smear examination in a tertiary care hospital of India.

    PubMed

    Tiwari, A; Kishore, J; Tiwari, A

    2011-01-01

    Cervical cancer is one of the major causes of deaths due to cancer among women in India. Pap smear is one of the best methods to detect early changes in cervix. However, there is lack of data on awareness level of women about Pap smear and various risk factors for cervical cancer. To study the awareness about various risk factors for cervical cancer, health-seeking behavior and hygienic practices among women and to assess the distress experienced by these women before the Pap smear examination. This cross-sectional study was carried out on women coming for a Pap smear examination in a tertiary teaching hospital in New Delhi. A pretested interview schedule was used to get information after obtaining their informed consent. Fifty-seven percent stated that they did not consult a doctor when they noticed the symptoms the first time. Sixty-one percent did not know what a cervical cancer is and a same percentage of women did not know what a Pap smear examination was. Older age group, Muslim and literate women had higher number of abnormal Pap smear results. Women who reported being stressed in their lives had higher number of abnormal smears as compared to women who claimed to lead a stress free life. Poor hygienic practices among these women from urban areas were also associated with abnormal Pap smear results. The study concluded that factors such as poor awareness, shyness, poor hygiene, and old age could be responsible for abnormal Pap smears and this needs special attention in cancer prevention activities of the government.

  4. Intestinal parasitic infections: Current status and associated risk factors among school aged children in an archetypal African urban slum in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Gyang, Vincent P; Chuang, Ting-Wu; Liao, Chien-Wei; Lee, Yueh-Lun; Akinwale, Olaoluwa P; Orok, Akwaowo; Ajibaye, Olusola; Babasola, Ajayi J; Cheng, Po-Ching; Chou, Chia-Mei; Huang, Ying-Chieh; Sonko, Pasaiko; Fan, Chia-Kwung

    2017-06-22

    Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) among school aged children (SAC) in Nigeria remains endemic, hence the need for regular surveillance to attract the attention of policy makers. This cross-sectional study investigated the current prevalence and factors associated with intestinal parasitic infections among school aged children in an urban slum of Lagos City, Nigeria. Single stool samples from 384 school aged children (188 boys and 196 girls) were examined by employing Merthiolate-iodine-formaldehyde concentration (MIFC) and Kato-Katz methods. Demographic characteristics and risk factors were obtained by questionnaires investigation. The overall prevalence was 86.2% in school children, out of them 39.1% had polyparasitism. IPIs showed the highest to the lowest prevalence of 62% (238/384), 25% (97/384), 12.3% (47/384), 11.8% (45/384), 9.9% (38/384), 8.4% (32/384), 3.4% (13/384), and 0.5% (2/384) found in Ascaris lumbricoides, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, Giardia duodenalis, Endolimax nana, Entamoeba coli, Trichuris trichiura, Blastocystis hominis, and hookworm infections, respectively. MIFC technique showed superiority to Kato-Katz technique in the detection of IPIs (p < 0.0001). Drinking untreated water was a significant risk factor for these school aged children in acquiring protozoan infections after multivariate adjustment (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.08-3.20, p = 0.02). Intestinal parasitic infections are very severe among school aged children in the urban slums, thus regular mass de-worming programs, health education, and the provision of safe drinking water is recommended to combat IPIs among the school aged children. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  5. [A cross analysis on the capability of examining helminths: national technique competition for parasitic disease diagnosis in 2011].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Li; Li, Shi-Zhu; Li, Yu; Wang, Qiang; Fu, Qing; Liu, Wei; Zhu, Hong-Qing; Xu, Jing; Chen, Ying-Dan; Chen, Shao-Hong; Chen, Jia-Xu; Chen, Zhao; Wang, Li-Ying; Zhou, Xiao-Nong

    2012-08-30

    To understand the comprehensive capability of helminth detection among professionals at different level of parasitic disease control institutions and promote the overall strength of diagnosis. Four professionals from each parasitic diseases control institutions were selected as contestant (age < 45 and at least two contestant from county-level institution). The content of contest included making stool slides with Kato-Katz method (five slides in thirty minutes, a total score of 15 and 9 as passing score) and identification of eleven common helminth eggs with microscopy (ten slides, five minutes per slide, a total score of 60, 36 as passing score). The average score of making slides in 119 contestants from 30 provinces was 11.4, and 119 contestants passed accounted for 93.3%. The average score of film-reading was 22.0, and 20 contestants passed accounted for 16.8%. There were no statistically significant differences between the results in different gender, age (< or = 30, 31-40, > 40), job title (the junior, intermediate, and senior), institution level (provincial, municipal, and county level) (P > 0.05). By Kato-Katz slide-making and film-reading, the scores in contestants from provinces with schistosomiasis control task (12.1 +/- 1.7, 32.1 +/- 11.5, respectively) were better than contestants from other provinces (11.1 +/- 1.8, 18.1 +/- 10.5, respectively). The scores in contestants from western (18.4 +/- 11.4) were lower than those from eastern (25.2 +/- 12.4) and central (24.1 +/- 13.1) for film-reading. The overall capability of parasitic disease examination is unbalanced among regions, and evidently there is a need to strengthen the capacity of pathogen detection in the disease control programs.

  6. Schistosoma mansoni and HIV infection in a Ugandan population with high HIV and helminth prevalence.

    PubMed

    Sanya, Richard E; Muhangi, Lawrence; Nampijja, Margaret; Nannozi, Victoria; Nakawungu, Prossy Kabuubi; Abayo, Elson; Webb, Emily L; Elliott, Alison M

    2015-09-01

    Recent reports suggest that Schistosoma infection may increase the risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We used data from a large cross-sectional study to investigate whether Schistosoma mansoni infection is associated with increased HIV prevalence. We conducted a household survey of residents in island fishing communities in Mukono district, Uganda, between October 2012 and July 2013. HIV status was assessed using rapid test kits. Kato-Katz (KK) stool tests and urine-circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) were used to test for Schistosoma infection. Multivariable logistic regression, allowing for the survey design, was used to investigate the association between S. mansoni infection and HIV infection. Data from 1412 participants aged 13 years and older were analysed (mean age 30.3 years, 45% female). The prevalence of HIV was 17.3%. Using the stool Kato-Katz technique on a single sample, S. mansoni infection was detected in 57.2% (719/1257) of participants; urine CCA was positive in 73.8% (478/650) of those tested. S. mansoni infection was not associated with HIV infection. [KK (aOR = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.74-1.47, P = 0.81), CCA (aOR = 1.53; 95% CI: 0.78-3.00, P = 0.19)]. The median S. mansoni egg count per gram was lower in the HIV-positive participants (P = 0.005). These results add to the evidence that S. mansoni has little effect on HIV transmission, but may influence egg excretion. © 2015 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Detection of schistosomiasis in an area directly affected by the São Francisco River large-scale water transposition project in the Northeast of Brazil.

    PubMed

    Silva, José Damião da; Pinheiro, Marta Cristhiany Cunha; Sousa, Mariana Silva; Gomes, Vivian da Silva; Castro, Issis Maria Nogueira de; Ramos, Alberto Novaes; Bezerra, Fernando Schemelzer de Moraes

    2017-01-01

    The development of the São Francisco River Integration Project [Projeto de Integração do Rio São Francisco (PISF)] in the State of Ceará, Brazil, has resulted in environmental and socioeconomic changes with potential risks to public health. We aimed to determine the presence of Schistosoma mansoni infections in schoolchildren (aged 7-14 years) and workers from the construction site in an area under the direct influence of the PISF in the municipality of Brejo Santo-CE, to aid in the prevention and control of schistosomiasis. We conducted a cross-sectional study using two S. mansoni-detection methods: detection of S. mansoni eggs by the Kato-Katz parasitological method in stool samples (assessed in triplicate for each sample) and S. mansoni circulating cathodic antigen by the point-of-care immunochromatographic rapid test (POC-CCA) in urine. In general, the positivity rates for S. mansoni detection were 1.9% (2/106) among schoolchildren and 2.9% (4/138) among workers. No child had evidence of S. mansoni eggs in their stools; 1.9% tested positive by the POC-CCA method. Among workers, two (1.4%) tested positive by the Kato-Katz test and three (2.2%) by the POC-CCA test. If the POC-CCA test results that were scored as traces were considered negative, then the positivity rates dropped to 0.9% and 0.7% for schoolchildren and workers, respectively. The active transmission of schistosomiasis in a region covered by the PISF was recognized, reinforcing the necessity to consolidate surveillance and control actions, as well as structural sanitation measures to reverse the social determinants of the disease.

  8. Herpes simplex virus in postradiation cervical smears. A morphologic and immunocytochemical study

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Longatto Filho, A.; Maeda, M.Y.; Oyafuso, M.S.

    1990-09-01

    From January 1987 to August 1988, cytomorphologic criteria of both herpes simplex virus (HSV) and radiation effects were observed in Papanicolaou smears from 3 of 1,340 patients who had received radiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. Avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase staining, using a rabbit IgG polyclonal HSV antibody, confirmed the presence of HSV antigen in those three postradiation smears. Both multinucleated molded cells and epithelial cells that lacked cytopathic effects were positive for HSV. Three other postradiation smears from these cases were similarly positive for HSV antigen; the one preradiation smear was negative. In situ hybridization and immunoperoxidase studies onmore » sections from the preradiation biopsies were negative: severely altered neoplastic cells showed no reactivity. The absence of HSV markers in the preradiation specimens suggests that the HSV infections were secondary to the radiotherapy; further studies are needed to prove this association and to assess the possible mechanisms. These cases clearly indicate that the overlapping features of radiation and viral effects (such as multinucleation) may be present simultaneously.« less

  9. Acculturation and Pap smear screening practices among college-aged Vietnamese women in the United States.

    PubMed

    Yi, J K

    1998-10-01

    The purposes of this study were both to gather information on the prevalence of Pap smear screening among college-aged Vietnamese women and to identify predictive factors that influence Vietnamese women to engage in early cervical cancer detection behavior. This study also examines the role of acculturation in explaining cervical cancer screening behavior. Data were collected through mail and telephone surveys. Of those respondents (n = 207), approximately one-third (36.8%) reported having had a Pap smear. More than one-third (39.3%) of sexually active respondents reported never having had a Pap smear. Acculturated women were more likely to be sexually active and to be obtaining regular Pap smears. In the logistic regression model, marital status, sexual activity, and a belief that only married women should have a Pap smear were important predictors of prior reported Pap smear experience. These study findings suggest that less-acculturated women appear to have the belief that cervical cancer screening is more important for married women than for unmarried women, regardless of their sexual activity. The existence of such misconceptions underscores the importance of offering culturally relevant cancer education that addresses related misconceptions.

  10. Stochastic, compartmental, and dynamic modeling of cross-contamination during mechanical smearing of cheeses.

    PubMed

    Aziza, Fanny; Mettler, Eric; Daudin, Jean-Jacques; Sanaa, Moez

    2006-06-01

    Cheese smearing is a complex process and the potential for cross-contamination with pathogenic or undesirable microorganisms is critical. During ripening, cheeses are salted and washed with brine to develop flavor and remove molds that could develop on the surfaces. Considering the potential for cross-contamination of this process in quantitative risk assessments could contribute to a better understanding of this phenomenon and, eventually, improve its control. The purpose of this article is to model the cross-contamination of smear-ripened cheeses due to the smearing operation under industrial conditions. A compartmental, dynamic, and stochastic model is proposed for mechanical brush smearing. This model has been developed to describe the exchange of microorganisms between compartments. Based on the analytical solution of the model equations and on experimental data collected with an industrial smearing machine, we assessed the values of the transfer parameters of the model. Monte Carlo simulations, using the distributions of transfer parameters, provide the final number of contaminated products in a batch and their final level of contamination for a given scenario taking into account the initial number of contaminated cheeses of the batch and their contaminant load. Based on analytical results, the model provides indicators for smearing efficiency and propensity of the process for cross-contamination. Unlike traditional approaches in mechanistic models, our approach captures the variability and uncertainty inherent in the process and the experimental data. More generally, this model could represent a generic base to use in modeling similar processes prone to cross-contamination.

  11. Management of ASCUS findings in Papanicolaou smears. A retrospective study.

    PubMed

    Iavazzo, C; Boutas, I; Grigoriadis, C; Vrachnis, N; Salakos, N

    2012-01-01

    Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) are a cervical cytologic finding category suggestive but not definitive of squamous intraepithelial lesions. ASCUS remains an incompletely described entity and accounts for even 5%-10% of reported Papanicolaou (Pap) smears. The management of women with such cytologic findings remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytology laboratory findings with regards to ASCUS diagnosis, using cervical Pap smears, and colposcopic biopsies, as well as their management. This is a retrospective study of patients with ASCUS Pap smears taken during the period January 2010 - December 2010 in the Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital. During the study period, 657 Pap smears were examined at the Aretaieion Hospital; moreover, seven patients, whose Pap smears were cytologically diagnosed with ASCUS, were referred from other clinics, providing a total of 42 cases with a descriptive diagnosis of ASCUS for review. Of the 42 cases, eight were not studied because they were either lost in follow-up or they did not have available data. The remaining 34/42 patients were evaluated by colposcopic examination and directed biopsies where necessary. The ratio of ASCUS to low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LGSIL), high-grade squamous cell intraepithelial lesion (HGSIL) or squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was 5/34, 1/34, and 0/34, respectively. In the 34 ASCUS cases evaluated by colposcopy, the age distribution varied from 22 to 54 years. Eight of 34 cases did not have a child, 7/34 were primigravida, 18/34 were secondi-gravida, and 1/34 had four children. Four out of 34 cases were postmenopausal, 3/34 referred no history of abnormal bleeding, 21/34 were smokers, 6/34 used oral contraceptives, 2/34 used intrauterine devices, 1/34 took replacement of hormones, 4/34 had prior abnormal Pap smears human papillomavirus (HPV), or 1/34 had previous cancer (breast cancer). Colposcopy was

  12. Concept for modifying drafting instruments to minimize smearing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rennie, T. A.

    1967-01-01

    Ball bearing standoffs added to drafting instruments enable the instruments to be moved about, with their surfaces out of contact with the drawing paper. This provides a safeguard against smearing of the lines.

  13. Significance of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance on ThinPrep papanicolaou smears.

    PubMed

    Eltabbakh, G H; Lipman, J N; Mount, S L; Morgan, A

    2000-10-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and risk factors predictive of dysplasia among women seen in a gynecologic oncology service with the cytologic diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) on Papanicolaou smears obtained by the ThinPrep method. Patients with ASCUS ThinPrep Papanicolaou smears seen at the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Vermont, between 1997 and 1999 were identified. The cytologic smears were reviewed and subtyped into reactive or suggestive of squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL). The charts of these patients were reviewed and the following information was abstracted: age, gravidity, parity, menopausal status, use of hormonal replacement therapy, smoking, history of pelvic cancer, history of radiation therapy, history of abnormal Papanicolaou smear and its treatment, history of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and follow-up information including results of repeat Papanicolaou smears, colposcopy, and biopsies. The prevalence of dysplasia was calculated. The demographic features of women with ASCUS, reactive, were compared with those with ASCUS, SIL, using a two-sample t test, chi(2), and Fisher's exact test. Risk factors predictive of dysplasia were calculated using the odds ratio and the 95% confidence interval. P < 0.05 was considered significant. One hundred twenty-six patients with ASCUS on ThinPrep Papanicolaou smear were identified; 63 patients had ASCUS, reactive, and 63 patients had ASCUS, SIL. The demographic features of both groups were similar. The overall prevalence of dysplasia was 15.9% and was significantly higher among women with ASCUS, SIL, than among women with ASCUS, reactive (25.4% versus 6.4%, P = 0.003). The type of ASCUS cytology (reactive versus SIL), smoking, and history of HPV were significant risk factors for dysplasia (P = 0.003, 0.037, and 0. 042, respectively). The prevalence of dysplasia among women seen in a gynecologic oncology service with ASCUS

  14. Local spatial variations analysis of smear-positive tuberculosis in Xinjiang using Geographically Weighted Regression model.

    PubMed

    Wei, Wang; Yuan-Yuan, Jin; Ci, Yan; Ahan, Alayi; Ming-Qin, Cao

    2016-10-06

    The spatial interplay between socioeconomic factors and tuberculosis (TB) cases contributes to the understanding of regional tuberculosis burdens. Historically, local Poisson Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) has allowed for the identification of the geographic disparities of TB cases and their relevant socioeconomic determinants, thereby forecasting local regression coefficients for the relations between the incidence of TB and its socioeconomic determinants. Therefore, the aims of this study were to: (1) identify the socioeconomic determinants of geographic disparities of smear positive TB in Xinjiang, China (2) confirm if the incidence of smear positive TB and its associated socioeconomic determinants demonstrate spatial variability (3) compare the performance of two main models: one is Ordinary Least Square Regression (OLS), and the other local GWR model. Reported smear-positive TB cases in Xinjiang were extracted from the TB surveillance system database during 2004-2010. The average number of smear-positive TB cases notified in Xinjiang was collected from 98 districts/counties. The population density (POPden), proportion of minorities (PROmin), number of infectious disease network reporting agencies (NUMagen), proportion of agricultural population (PROagr), and per capita annual gross domestic product (per capita GDP) were gathered from the Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook covering a period from 2004 to 2010. The OLS model and GWR model were then utilized to investigate socioeconomic determinants of smear-positive TB cases. Geoda 1.6.7, and GWR 4.0 software were used for data analysis. Our findings indicate that the relations between the average number of smear-positive TB cases notified in Xinjiang and their socioeconomic determinants (POPden, PROmin, NUMagen, PROagr, and per capita GDP) were significantly spatially non-stationary. This means that in some areas more smear-positive TB cases could be related to higher socioeconomic determinant regression

  15. Smear plus Detect-TB for a sensitive diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis: a cost-effectiveness analysis in an incarcerated population.

    PubMed

    Schmid, Karen Barros; Scherer, Luciene; Barcellos, Regina Bones; Kuhleis, Daniele; Prestes, Isaías Valente; Steffen, Ricardo Ewbank; Dalla Costa, Elis Regina; Rossetti, Maria Lucia Rosa

    2014-12-16

    Prison conditions can favor the spread of tuberculosis (TB). This study aimed to evaluate in a Brazilian prison: the performance and accuracy of smear, culture and Detect-TB; performance of smear plus culture and smear plus Detect-TB, according to different TB prevalence rates; and the cost-effectiveness of these procedures for pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) diagnosis. This paper describes a cost-effectiveness study. A decision analytic model was developed to estimate the costs and cost-effectiveness of five routine diagnostic procedures for diagnosis of PTB using sputum specimens: a) Smear alone, b) Culture alone, c) Detect-TB alone, d) Smear plus culture and e) Smear plus Detect-TB. The cost-effectiveness ratio of costs were evaluated per correctly diagnosed TB case and all procedures costs were attributed based on the procedure costs adopted by the Brazilian Public Health System. A total of 294 spontaneous sputum specimens from patients suspected of having TB were analyzed. The sensibility and specificity were calculated to be 47% and 100% for smear; 93% and 100%, for culture; 74% and 95%, for Detect-TB; 96% and 100%, for smear plus culture; and 86% and 95%, for smear plus Detect-TB. The negative and positive predictive values for smear plus Detect-TB, according to different TB prevalence rates, ranged from 83 to 99% and 48 to 96%, respectively. In a cost-effectiveness analysis, smear was both less costly and less effective than the other strategies. Culture and smear plus culture were more effective but more costly than the other strategies. Smear plus Detect-TB was the most cost-effective method. The Detect-TB evinced to be sensitive and effective for the PTB diagnosis when applied with smear microscopy. Diagnostic methods should be improved to increase TB case detection. To support rational decisions about the implementation of such techniques, cost-effectiveness studies are essential, including in prisons, which are known for health care assessment problems.

  16. Interactions between yeasts and bacteria in the smear surface-ripened cheeses.

    PubMed

    Corsetti, A; Rossi, J; Gobbetti, M

    2001-09-19

    In the initial phase of ripening, the microflora of bacterial smear surface-ripened cheeses such as Limburger, Taleggio, Brick, Münster and Saint-Paulin and that of surface mould-ripened cheeses such as Camembert and Brie may be similar, but at the end of the ripening, bacteria such as Brevibacterium spp., Arthrobacter spp., Micrococcus spp., Corynebacterium spp. and moulds such as Penicillium camemberti are, respectively, the dominant microorganisms. Yeasts such as Candida spp., Cryptococcus spp., Debaryomyces spp., Geotrichum candidum, Pichia spp., Rhodotorula spp., Saccharomyces spp. and Yarrowia lipolytica are often and variably isolated from the smear surface-ripened cheeses. Although not dominant within the microorganisms of the smear surface-ripened cheeses, yeasts establish significant interactions with moulds and especially bacteria, including surface bacteria and lactic acid bacteria. Some aspects of the interactions between yeasts and bacteria in such type of cheeses are considered in this paper.

  17. The psychosocial impact of an abnormal cervical smear result.

    PubMed

    Drolet, Mélanie; Brisson, Marc; Maunsell, Elizabeth; Franco, Eduardo L; Coutlée, François; Ferenczy, Alex; Fisher, William; Mansi, James A

    2012-10-01

    Data on the impact of abnormal cervical smear results on health-related quality of life (HrQoL) are scarce. We aimed to (i) prospectively assess the HrQoL of women who were informed of an abnormal smear result; (ii) identify predictors of greater negative psychosocial impact of an abnormal result; and (iii) prospectively estimate the quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) lost following an abnormal result. Between 08/2006 and 08/2008, 492 women with an abnormal result and 460 women with a normal result, frequency matched for age and clinic, were recruited across Canada. HrQoL was measured at recruitment and 4 and 12 weeks later with the EuroQol, Short Form-12, short Spielberg State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and HPV Impact Profile. Three blocks of potential predictors of higher psychosocial impact were tested by hierarchical modeling: (i) socio-demographics; (ii) sexual activity; and (iii) smear result severity, communication, and understanding. Receiving an abnormal result significantly increased anxiety (STAI mean difference between both groups = 8.3). Initial anxiety decreased over time for the majority of women. However, 35% of women had clinically meaningful anxiety at 12 weeks (i.e. STAI scores ≥0.5 standard deviation of the controls). These women reported a lower socio-economic level, did not completely understand the information about their result and perceived themselves at higher risk of cancer. QALY lost following an abnormal result were between 0.007 and 0.009. Receiving an abnormal smear has a statistically significant and clinically meaningful negative impact on mental health. However, this negative impact subsides after 12 weeks for the majority of women. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Comparison of loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay and smear microscopy with culture for the diagnostic accuracy of tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Gelaw, Baye; Shiferaw, Yitayal; Alemayehu, Marta; Bashaw, Abate Assefa

    2017-01-17

    Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is one of the leading causes of death from infectious diseases worldwide. Sputum smear microscopy remains the most widely available pulmonary TB diagnostic tool particularly in resource limited settings. A highly sensitive diagnostic with minimal infrastructure, cost and training is required. Hence, we assessed the diagnostic performance of Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay in detecting M.tuberculosis infection in sputum sample compared to LED fluorescent smear microscopy and culture. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Gondar Hospital from June 01, 2015 to August 30, 2015. Pulmonary TB diagnosis using sputum LED fluorescence smear microscopy, TB-LAMP assay and culture were done. A descriptive analysis was used to determine demographic characteristics of the study participants. Analysis of sensitivity and specificity for smear microscopy and TB-LAMP compared with culture as a reference test was performed. Cohen's kappa was calculated as a measure of agreement between the tests. A total of 78 pulmonary presumptive TB patients sputum sample were analyzed. The overall sensitivity and specificity of LAMP were 75 and 98%, respectively. Among smear negative sputum samples, 33.3% sensitivity and 100% specificity of LAMP were observed. Smear microscopy showed 78.6% sensitivity and 98% specificity. LAMP and smear in series had sensitivity of 67.8% and specificity of 100%. LAMP and smear in parallel had sensitivity of 85.7% and specificity of 96%. The agreement between LAMP and fluorescent smear microscopy tests was very good (κ = 0.83, P-value ≤0.0001). TB-LAMP showed similar specificity but a slightly lower sensitivity with LED fluorescence microscopy. The specificity of LAMP and smear microscopy in series was high. The sensitivity of LAMP was insufficient for smear negative sputum samples.

  19. Symptomatic candidiasis: Using self sampled vaginal smears to establish the presence of Candida, lactobacilli, and Gardnerella vaginalis.

    PubMed

    Engberts, M K; Boon, M E; van Haaften, M; Heintz, A P M

    2007-10-01

    In a prospective cohort study, 10 symptomatic women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis were taught how to prepare vaginal smears of their own vaginal fluids on days 7, 14, 21, and 28. The 40 smears were stained with the PAS-method and examined by three different cytopathologists for presence of Candida. Thereafter, the smears were restained with Giemsa-stain to determine presence of lactobacilli, Gardnerella vaginalis ("clue cells") and neutrophils. All three cytopathologists unequivocally established Candida blastospores and (pseudo)hyphae in 27 out of the 40 PAS-stained vaginal smears, whereas in the remaining 13 smears Candida was not found. All 10 patients had Candida in their smears during the second half of their menstrual cycle.Self sampled smears prove to be reliable for establishing the presence of Candida in symptomatic patients with candidiasis. Candida is associated with a lactobacillus-predominated vaginal flora, but with the absence of Gardnerella vaginalis. Further studies may be directed towards the interaction between the various members of the vaginal flora. This study should open molecular methodology for determining the possible interactions of lactobacilli and Candida. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  20. Characteristics of tuberculosis patients with positive sputum smear in Catalonia, Spain.

    PubMed

    Godoy, P; Domínguez, A; Alcaide, J; Camps, N; Jansà, J M; Minguell, S; Pina, J M; Díez, M

    2004-03-01

    Patients with positive sputum smears are those with the capacity to spread infection. The objective of this study was to describe the incidence of tuberculosis in Catalonia (an autonomous community in the northeast of Spain which includes Barcelona) and to determine risk factors associated to patients with positive sputum smear test. New cases of tuberculosis detected by active surveillance between May 1996 and April 1997 were studied. The study was analysed as a coincident cases and controls study. The rate of incidence was calculated per 100,000 persons-year. The association of the dependent variable--case of tuberculosis with positive sputum smear--with the remainder of independent variables was determined by odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 2508 cases of tuberculosis were detected. The rate of incidence was 41.4 per 100,000 persons-year. Of these 19.4% (487/2508) were coinfected with HIV and 35.6% (893/2508) presented a positive sputum smear, which implies a rate of 14.7 per 100,000 persons-year. In an adjusted multivariate analysis, cases with positive smears were positively associated with the 15-24 (OR=1.9; 95% CI: 1.4-2.4), 25-34 (OR=2.1; 95% CI: 1.7-2.7) and 35-44 years (OR=1.7; 95% CI: 1.3-2.2) age compared with persons 45 years old and above; with males (OR=1.8; 95% CI: 1.5-2.2) and consumers of alcohol (OR=2.1; 95% CI: 1.7-2.7) and negatively with those under 15 years of age (OR=0.1; 95% CI: 0.1-0.2) and coinfection with HIV (OR=0.5; 95% CI: 0.3-0.7). Measures to control tuberculosis transmission (prompt diagnosis, study of contacts and directly observed treatments) should be reinforced for male adults with excessive consumption of alcohol.

  1. Computer-aided diagnosis software for vulvovaginal candidiasis detection from Pap smear images.

    PubMed

    Momenzadeh, Mohammadreza; Vard, Alireza; Talebi, Ardeshir; Mehri Dehnavi, Alireza; Rabbani, Hossein

    2018-01-01

    Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common gynecologic infection and it occurs when there is overgrowth of the yeast called Candida. VVC diagnosis is usually done by observing a Pap smear sample under a microscope and searching for the conidium and mycelium components of Candida. This manual method is time consuming, subjective and tedious. Any diagnosis tools that detect VVC, semi- or full-automatically, can be very helpful to pathologists. This article presents a computer aided diagnosis (CAD) software to improve human diagnosis of VVC from Pap smear samples. The proposed software is designed based on phenotypic and morphology features of the Candida in Pap smear sample images. This software provide a user-friendly interface which consists of a set of image processing tools and analytical results that helps to detect Candida and determine severity of illness. The software was evaluated on 200 Pap smear sample images and obtained specificity of 91.04% and sensitivity of 92.48% to detect VVC. As a result, the use of the proposed software reduces diagnostic time and can be employed as a second objective opinion for pathologists. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Slit-skin smear in leprosy: lest we forget it!

    PubMed

    Mahajan, V K

    2013-01-01

    Diagnosing and classifying leprosy solely on the basis of skin lesions as per WHO operational classification may lead to over or under diagnosis and inadequate treatment particularly of pauci-lesional multibacillary cases with consequent risk of resistance, relapse and progressive horizontal transmission. Announcing elimination of leprosy as public health problem in India under NLEP was probably ambitious aspiration. However, such a strategy is perhaps not justified scientifically at the moment in view of new case detection rate not showing significant decline. The fact remains that it is still highly desirable to provide sustained quality leprosy services to all individuals through general health services and good referral system. Being nearly of 100% specificity when performed expertly, slit-skin smear remains the simplest diagnostic technique available until new cutting-edge diagnostic tools become available for routine bedside use. However, the interest has been declining for learning this simple test among all the persons involved in leprosy work even in the teaching/training institutes. This is perhaps due to confusion over number and sites of smears, and its declining usefulness in WHO recommendations/guidelines. Various technical aspects of slit-skin smear testing are reviewed here keeping in view the need of leprosy workers in referral/teaching institutes.

  3. Prevalence of Schistosomes and Soil-Transmitted Helminths among Schoolchildren in Lake Victoria Basin, Tanzania

    PubMed Central

    Siza, Julius E.; Kaatano, Godfrey M.; Chai, Jong-Yil; Eom, Keeseon S.; Rim, Han-Jong; Yong, Tai-Soon; Min, Duk-Young; Chang, Su Young; Ko, Yunsuk; Changalucha, John M.

    2015-01-01

    The objectives of this study was to conduct a survey on schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in order to come up with feasible control strategies in Lake Victoria basin, Tanzania. Depending on the size of the school, 150-200 schoolchildren were recruited for the study. Duplicate Kato-Katz stool smears were prepared from each child and microscopically examined for Schistosoma mansoni and STHs. Urine specimens were examined for Schistosoma haematobium eggs using the filtration technique. After the survey, mass drug administration was done using praziquantel and albendazole for schistosomiasis and STHs infections, respectively. A total of 5,952 schoolchildren from 36 schools were recruited for the study and had their stool and urine specimens examined. Out of 5,952 schoolchildren, 898 (15.1%) were positive for S. mansoni, 754 (12.6%) for hookworms, 188 (3.2%) for Ascaris lumblicoides, and 5 (0.008%) for Trichuris trichiura. Out of 5,826 schoolchildren who provided urine samples, 519 (8.9%) were positive for S. haematobium eggs. The results revealed that intestinal schistosomiasis, urogenital schistosomiasis, and STH infections are highly prevalent throughought the lake basin. The high prevalence of intestinal and urogenital schistosomisiasis in the study area was a function of the distance from Lake Victoria, the former being more prevalent at localities close to the lake, whilst the latter is more so away from it. Control of schistosomiasis and STHs in the study area requires an integrated strategy that involves provision of health education to communities, regular treatments, and provision of adequate safe water supply and sanitation facilities. PMID:26537030

  4. Prevalence of Schistosomes and Soil-Transmitted Helminths among Schoolchildren in Lake Victoria Basin, Tanzania.

    PubMed

    Siza, Julius E; Kaatano, Godfrey M; Chai, Jong-Yil; Eom, Keeseon S; Rim, Han-Jong; Yong, Tai-Soon; Min, Duk-Young; Chang, Su Young; Ko, Yunsuk; Changalucha, John M

    2015-10-01

    The objectives of this study was to conduct a survey on schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in order to come up with feasible control strategies in Lake Victoria basin, Tanzania. Depending on the size of the school, 150-200 schoolchildren were recruited for the study. Duplicate Kato-Katz stool smears were prepared from each child and microscopically examined for Schistosoma mansoni and STHs. Urine specimens were examined for Schistosoma haematobium eggs using the filtration technique. After the survey, mass drug administration was done using praziquantel and albendazole for schistosomiasis and STHs infections, respectively. A total of 5,952 schoolchildren from 36 schools were recruited for the study and had their stool and urine specimens examined. Out of 5,952 schoolchildren, 898 (15.1%) were positive for S. mansoni, 754 (12.6%) for hookworms, 188 (3.2%) for Ascaris lumblicoides, and 5 (0.008%) for Trichuris trichiura. Out of 5,826 schoolchildren who provided urine samples, 519 (8.9%) were positive for S. haematobium eggs. The results revealed that intestinal schistosomiasis, urogenital schistosomiasis, and STH infections are highly prevalent throughought the lake basin. The high prevalence of intestinal and urogenital schistosomisiasis in the study area was a function of the distance from Lake Victoria, the former being more prevalent at localities close to the lake, whilst the latter is more so away from it. Control of schistosomiasis and STHs in the study area requires an integrated strategy that involves provision of health education to communities, regular treatments, and provision of adequate safe water supply and sanitation facilities.

  5. Pilot Study of an Open-source Image Analysis Software for Automated Screening of Conventional Cervical Smears.

    PubMed

    Sanyal, Parikshit; Ganguli, Prosenjit; Barui, Sanghita; Deb, Prabal

    2018-01-01

    The Pap stained cervical smear is a screening tool for cervical cancer. Commercial systems are used for automated screening of liquid based cervical smears. However, there is no image analysis software used for conventional cervical smears. The aim of this study was to develop and test the diagnostic accuracy of a software for analysis of conventional smears. The software was developed using Python programming language and open source libraries. It was standardized with images from Bethesda Interobserver Reproducibility Project. One hundred and thirty images from smears which were reported Negative for Intraepithelial Lesion or Malignancy (NILM), and 45 images where some abnormality has been reported, were collected from the archives of the hospital. The software was then tested on the images. The software was able to segregate images based on overall nuclear: cytoplasmic ratio, coefficient of variation (CV) in nuclear size, nuclear membrane irregularity, and clustering. 68.88% of abnormal images were flagged by the software, as well as 19.23% of NILM images. The major difficulties faced were segmentation of overlapping cell clusters and separation of neutrophils. The software shows potential as a screening tool for conventional cervical smears; however, further refinement in technique is required.

  6. Human gastric signet ring carcinoma (KATO-III) cell apoptosis induced by Vitex agnus-castus fruit extract through intracellular oxidative stress.

    PubMed

    Ohyama, Kunio; Akaike, Takenori; Imai, Masahiko; Toyoda, Hiroo; Hirobe, Chieko; Bessho, Toshio

    2005-07-01

    We have previously reported that an ethanol extract of the dried ripe fruit of Vitex agnus-castus (Vitex) displays cytotoxic activity against certain kinds of human cancer cell line resulting in the induction of apoptosis. In this paper, we investigate the molecular mechanism of apoptosis induced by Vitex using a human gastric signet ring carcinoma cell line, KATO-III. DNA fragmentation was observed in Vitex-treated KATO-III cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. DNA fragmentation was accompanied by the following phenomena: elevation in the level of hemeoxygenase-1 protein and thioredoxin reductase mRNA; repression of Mn-superoxide dismutase and catalase mRNAs; release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol; activation of caspases-8, -9 and -3; decrease in the level of Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and Bid protein; increase in the level of Bad protein. The intracellular oxidized state, measured using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate, increased after Vitex treatment. While the amount of intracellular GSH decreased significantly after treatment with Vitex, the level of GSSG was unaffected. Furthermore, no significant perturbation in the amount of proteins/mRNAs related to glutathione metabolism could be detected. These apoptotic alterations induced by exposure to Vitex were blocked by the presence of an anti-oxidative reagent, N-acetyl-l-cysteine, or the addition of exogenous GSH. Our results demonstrate that intracellular oxidative stress and mitochondrial membrane damage is responsible for Vitex-induced apoptosis, which may be mediated by a diminution of reduced type glutathione within the cell.

  7. Lot quality assurance sampling of sputum acid-fast bacillus smears for assessing sputum smear microscopy centers.

    PubMed

    Selvakumar, N; Murthy, B N; Prabhakaran, E; Sivagamasundari, S; Vasanthan, Samuel; Perumal, M; Govindaraju, R; Chauhan, L S; Wares, Fraser; Santha, T; Narayanan, P R

    2005-02-01

    Assessment of 12 microscopy centers in a tuberculosis unit by blinded checking of eight sputum smears selected by using a lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) method and by unblinded checking of all positive and five negative slides, among the slides examined in a month in a microscopy centre, revealed that the LQAS method can be implemented in the field to monitor the performance of acid-fast bacillus microscopy centers in national tuberculosis control programs.

  8. Women with abnormal Pap smear result: a qualitative study of Swedish healthcare professionals' experiences.

    PubMed

    Rask, M; Oscarsson, M; Lindell, G; Swahnberg, K

    2016-11-01

    A Papanicolaou (Pap) smear can be used to detect pre-cancerous cellular changes, so that they can be treated before they develop into cervical cancer. When the results of a Pap smear test are abnormal, women need further investigation, treatment and follow-up. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are in a position to care for these women with abnormalities. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of HCPs in caring for women with abnormal Pap smear results. In total, 20 HCPs from two counties in south-eastern Sweden participated in individual interviews, based on two open-ended questions. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis. The results showed that HCPs experienced that abnormal Pap smear results created anxiety in women, who often sought information from the Internet as a way to cope. Furthermore, the HCPs thought that it was a problem that women chose not to attend investigation, treatment and follow-ups. However, information about the seriousness of abnormal Pap smear results causes women to participate. It is a challenge for HCPs to inform in a reassuring manner. Finally, HCPs should collaborate with women to meet their information needs and to also provide support regarding finding and filtering reliable information on the Internet. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. The value of Tzanck smear test in diagnosis of erosive, vesicular, bullous, and pustular skin lesions.

    PubMed

    Durdu, Murat; Baba, Mete; Seçkin, Deniz

    2008-12-01

    Tzanck smear is generally used for the diagnosis of the pemphigus group of autoimmune bullous diseases and mucocutaneous herpesvirus infections. There are only a few studies in the literature investigating its diagnostic value. We aimed to investigate Tzanck smear findings and to determine the diagnostic value of this test in moist (erosive, vesicular, bullous, and pustular) skin lesions. We also aimed to develop an algorithmic approach for the diagnosis of these types of skin lesions according to the Tzanck smear findings. Samples were stained with May-Grünwald-Giemsa and evaluated by the same dermatologist. In some patients, methylene blue and Gram staining or direct immunofluorescence examinations were additionally performed. In all of the study cases, after the evaluation of clinical and laboratory findings (including, when appropriate, potassium hydroxide examination; viral serology; bacterial and fungal cultures; histopathology; direct and indirect immunofluorescence; patch testing), the definite diagnosis was established. We also determined the sensitivity and the specificity of certain Tzanck smear findings. Tzanck smear was performed in a total of 400 patients with moist skin lesions. The sensitivities of multinucleated giant cells and acantholytic cells in herpetic infections, dyskeratotic acantholytic cells and cocci in bullous impetigo, pseudohyphae in candidiasis, acantholytic cells in pemphigus and more than 10 tadpole cells (magnification x100) in spongiotic dermatitis were 84.7%, 92%, 100%, 100%, and 81.5%, respectively. Because Tzanck smears were evaluated by the same dermatologist, no comment could be made regarding the interobserver reliability of this test and how the level of experience with this technique might affect the results. Also, the sensitivity and the specificity of Tzanck smear test findings for certain diseases could not be calculated because of an insufficient number of patients. The Tzanck smear test is an inexpensive, useful

  10. Comparison of Pap smear screening results between Akha hill tribe and urban women in Chiang Rai province, Thailand.

    PubMed

    Kritpetcharat, Onanong; Wutichouy, Wiwat; Sirijaichingkul, Suchat; Kritpetcharat, Panutas

    2012-01-01

    Cervical cancer is an important woman's health problems worldwide, especially in low socio-economic countries. The aim of this study was to compare the Pap smear screening results between Akha hill tribe and urban women who live in Chiang Rai province, Thailand. Screening was conducted for 1,100 Akha women and 1,100 urban women who came to have the Pap smear at Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital and 1 private cytology laboratory from January to June 2008. The demographic characteristics and factors related to abnormal Pap smears of these women were gathered using closed model questionnaires. Abnormal Rap smears were defined according to the Bethesda 2001 system. The results showed that the prevalence of abnormal Pap smears was 12.2% in Akha women and 4.5% in urban women. The highest prevalence of Pap abnormalities was found in the 41-50 years age group in both populations (4.5% in Akha and 1.7% in urban women). In both populations, abnormal Pap smears were found in <21 years age groups. From the questionnaires, the possible risk factors related to the higher prevalence of abnormal Pap smears in Akha women were early age at marriage (≤17 years), high frequency pregnacies and high parity and no/low education level. In conclusion, cervical cancer control by education and early detection by Pap smear screening is necessary for hill tribe women. More Pap smear screening service units should be set to improve the coverage for the risk group women who got married in young age, especial in ethnic groups.

  11. Time to sputum conversion in smear positive pulmonary TB patients on category I DOTS and factors delaying it.

    PubMed

    Parikh, Raunak; Nataraj, Gita; Kanade, Swapna; Khatri, Vijay; Mehta, Preeti

    2012-08-01

    Sputum smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients expel infectious viable bacilli for a period following commencement of treatment. Patients on Directly Observed Treatment Shortcourse (DOTS) receive intermittent therapy with multidrug regimen. To determine the time to sputum smear and culture conversion following initiation of DOTS treatment and study the factors that influence it. A prospective study was undertaken at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Mumbai over a one year period on a cohort of 71 sputum smear positive patients on Category I DOTS treatment. Patients were followed up weekly for upto 20 weeks or until they underwent smear and culture conversion whichever was earlier. At each follow up, specimens were collected and processed for microscopy and culture using standard protocol. 60/71 [84.55%] patients completed the study. 56/60 [93.3%] patients underwent sputum smear and culture conversion. The median time to smear and culture conversion was end of 5th week [day 35] and 6 1/2 weeks [day 45] respectively. Univariate and stepwise regression analysis showed that patients who had cavitatory disease, high pretreatment smear grade and a past history of tuberculosis were more likely to undergo delayed or nonconversion [P < 0.05]. The time to sputum smear and culture conversion under DOTS is similar to previous antituberculosis regimens. Since viable bacilli continue to be expelled for upto two months, infection control measures should be maintained for such time. Patients with cavitatory disease, high pretreatment smear grade or a past history of tuberculosis need to be monitored more closely.

  12. Evaluation of final irrigation regimens with maleic acid for smear layer removal and wettability of root canal sealer.

    PubMed

    Ballal, Nidambur Vasudev; Ferrer-Luque, Carmen Maria; Sona, Mrunali; Prabhu, K Narayan; Arias-Moliz, Teresa; Baca, Pilar

    2018-04-01

    To evaluate the smear layer removal and wettability of AH Plus sealer on root canal dentin treated with MA (maleic acid), MA + CTR (cetrimide) and MA + CTR + CHX (chlorhexidine) as final irrigating regimens. For smear layer removal, 40 teeth were instrumented to size F4 and divided into four groups: (1) 7% MA, (2) 7% MA + 0.2% CTR, (3) 7% MA + 0.2% CTR + 2% CHX, (4) distilled water (control). After irrigation, teeth were subjected to SEM analysis. For contact angle analysis, 20 teeth were split longitudinally and divided into four groups similar to smear layer analysis. AH plus sealer was placed on each specimen and contact angle was analysed. In both smear layer (p = .393) and contact angle analysis (p = .961), there was no significant difference between the groups MA and MA + CTR. However, MA + CTR + CHX removed smear layer less effectively (p = .023) and increased the contact angle of the sealer (p = .005). In smear layer analysis, specimens in negative control group were heavily smeared. In case of contact angle analysis, samples in the control group had least contact angle. MA alone or in combination with CTR removed smear layer effectively and increased the wettability of AH plus sealer to root canal dentin.

  13. Analysis of small-angle X-ray scattering data in the presence of significant instrumental smearing

    PubMed Central

    Bergenholtz, Johan; Ulama, Jeanette; Zackrisson Oskolkova, Malin

    2016-01-01

    A laboratory-scale small-angle X-ray scattering instrument with pinhole collimation has been used to assess smearing effects due to instrumental resolution. A new, numerically efficient method to smear ideal model intensities is developed and presented. It allows for directly using measured profiles of isotropic but otherwise arbitrary beams in smearing calculations. Samples of low-polydispersity polymer spheres have been used to show that scattering data can in this way be quantitatively modeled even when there is substantial distortion due to instrumental resolution. PMID:26937235

  14. The rate of sputum smear-positive tuberculosis after treatment default in a high-burden setting: a retrospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Marx, Florian M; Dunbar, Rory; Enarson, Donald A; Beyers, Nulda

    2012-01-01

    High rates of recurrent tuberculosis after successful treatment have been reported from different high burden settings in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, little is known about the rate of smear-positive tuberculosis after treatment default. In particular, it is not known whether or not treatment defaulters continue to be or become again smear-positive and thus pose a potential for transmission of infection to others. To investigate, in a high tuberculosis burden setting, the rate of re-treatment for smear-positive tuberculosis among cases defaulting from standardized treatment compared to successfully treated cases. Retrospective cohort study among smear-positive tuberculosis cases treated between 1996 and 2008 in two urban communities in Cape Town, South Africa. Episodes of re-treatment for smear-positive tuberculosis were ascertained via probabilistic record linkage. Survival analysis and Poisson regression were used to compare the rate of smear-positive tuberculosis after treatment default to that after successful treatment. A total of 2,136 smear-positive tuberculosis cases were included in the study. After treatment default, the rate of re-treatment for smear-positive tuberculosis was 6.86 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.59-8.41) per 100 person-years compared to 2.09 (95% CI: 1.81-2.41) after cure (adjusted Hazard Ratio [aHR]: 3.97; 95% CI: 3.00-5.26). Among defaulters, the rate was inversely associated with treatment duration and sputum conversion prior to defaulting. Smear grade at start of the index treatment episode (Smear3+: aHR 1.61; 95%CI 1.11-2.33) was independently associated with smear-positive tuberculosis re-treatment, regardless of treatment outcome. In this high-burden setting, there is a high rate of subsequent smear-positive tuberculosis after treatment default. Treatment defaulters are therefore likely to contribute to the pool of infectious source cases in the community. Our findings underscore the importance of preventing treatment default, as

  15. Lot Quality Assurance Sampling of Sputum Acid-Fast Bacillus Smears for Assessing Sputum Smear Microscopy Centers

    PubMed Central

    Selvakumar, N.; Murthy, B. N.; Prabhakaran, E.; Sivagamasundari, S.; Vasanthan, Samuel; Perumal, M.; Govindaraju, R.; Chauhan, L. S.; Wares, Fraser; Santha, T.; Narayanan, P. R.

    2005-01-01

    Assessment of 12 microscopy centers in a tuberculosis unit by blinded checking of eight sputum smears selected by using a lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) method and by unblinded checking of all positive and five negative slides, among the slides examined in a month in a microscopy centre, revealed that the LQAS method can be implemented in the field to monitor the performance of acid-fast bacillus microscopy centers in national tuberculosis control programs. PMID:15695704

  16. Effects of spectral smearing on performance of the spectral ripple and spectro-temporal ripple tests.

    PubMed

    Narne, Vijaya Kumar; Sharma, Mridula; Van Dun, Bram; Bansal, Shalini; Prabhu, Latika; Moore, Brian C J

    2016-12-01

    The main aim of this study was to use spectral smearing to evaluate the efficacy of a spectral ripple test (SRt) using stationary sounds and a recent variant with gliding ripples called the spectro-temporal ripple test (STRt) in measuring reduced spectral resolution. In experiment 1 the highest detectable ripple density was measured using four amounts of spectral smearing (unsmeared, mild, moderate, and severe). The thresholds worsened with increasing smearing and were similar for the SRt and the STRt across the three conditions with smearing. For unsmeared stimuli, thresholds were significantly higher (better) for the STRt than for the SRt. An amplitude fluctuation at the outputs of simulated (gammatone) auditory filters centered above 6400 Hz was identified as providing a potential detection cue for the STRt stimuli. Experiment 2 used notched noise with energy below and above the passband of the SRt and STRt stimuli to reduce confounding cues in the STRt. Thresholds were almost identical for the STRt and SRt for both unsmeared and smeared stimuli, indicating that the confounding cue for the STRt was eliminated by the notched noise. Thresholds obtained with notched noise present could be predicted reasonably accurately using an excitation-pattern model.

  17. Recombinase polymerase amplification combined with a lateral flow dipstick for rapid and visual detection of Schistosoma japonicum.

    PubMed

    Sun, Kui; Xing, Weiwei; Yu, Xinling; Fu, Wenliang; Wang, Yuanyuan; Zou, Minji; Luo, Zhihong; Xu, Donggang

    2016-08-31

    With the continuous decline in prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma japonicum infection in China, more accurate and sensitive methods suitable for field detection become much needed for schistosomiasis control. Here, a novel rapid and visual detection method based on the combination of recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and lateral flow dipstick (LFD) was developed to detect S. japonicum DNA in fecal samples. The LFD-RPA assay targeting SjR2 could detect 5 fg S. japonicum DNA, which was identical to qPCR and real-time RPA assay, and showed no cross-reaction with other parasites. The detection could be finished within 15-20 min at a wide temperature range (25-45 °C), and the results could be visualized by naked eye. The diagnostic validity of LFD-RPA assay was further assessed with 14 fecal samples of infected patients diagnosed by Kato-Katz method and 31 fecal samples of healthy persons, and compared with that of Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELSIA) and Indirect Hemagglutination Assay (IHA). The LFD-RPA assay showed 92.68 % sensitivity, 100 % specificity and excellent diagnostic agreement with the gold standard Kato-Katz test (k = 0.947, Z = 6.36, P < 0.001), whereas ELISA showed 85.71 % sensitivity, 93.55 % specificity, and substantial diagnostic agreement (k = 0.793, Z = 5.31, P < 0.001), and IHA showed 78.57 % sensitivity, 83.87 % specificity, and moderate diagnostic agreement (k = 0.600, Z = 4.05, P < 0.001), indicating that the LFD-RPA was much better than the traditional methods. The LFD-RPA assay established by us is a sensitive, specific, rapid and convenient method for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis, and shows a great potency in field application.

  18. Sputum, sex and scanty smears: new case definition may reduce sex disparities in smear-positive tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Ramsay, A; Bonnet, M; Gagnidze, L; Githui, W; Varaine, F; Guérin, P J

    2009-05-01

    Urban clinic, Nairobi. To evaluate the impact of specimen quality and different smear-positive tuberculosis (TB) case (SPC) definitions on SPC detection by sex. Prospective study among TB suspects. A total of 695 patients were recruited: 644 produced > or =1 specimen for microscopy. The male/female sex ratio was 0.8. There were no significant differences in numbers of men and women submitting three specimens (274/314 vs. 339/380, P = 0.43). Significantly more men than women produced a set of three 'good' quality specimens (175/274 vs. 182/339, P = 0.01). Lowering thresholds for definitions to include scanty smears resulted in increases in SPC detection in both sexes; the increase was significantly higher for women. The revised World Health Organization (WHO) case definition was associated with the highest detection rates in women. When analysis was restricted only to patients submitting 'good' quality specimen sets, the difference in detection between sexes was on the threshold for significance (P = 0.05). Higher SPC notification rates in men are commonly reported by TB control programmes. The revised WHO SPC definition may reduce sex disparities in notification. This should be considered when evaluating other interventions aimed at reducing these. Further study is required on the effects of the human immuno-deficiency virus and instructed specimen collection on sex-specific impact of new SPC definition.

  19. Analytical solution for vacuum preloading considering the nonlinear distribution of horizontal permeability within the smear zone.

    PubMed

    Peng, Jie; He, Xiang; Ye, Hanming

    2015-01-01

    The vacuum preloading is an effective method which is widely used in ground treatment. In consolidation analysis, the soil around prefabricated vertical drain (PVD) is traditionally divided into smear zone and undisturbed zone, both with constant permeability. In reality, the permeability of soil changes continuously within the smear zone. In this study, the horizontal permeability coefficient of soil within the smear zone is described by an exponential function of radial distance. A solution for vacuum preloading consolidation considers the nonlinear distribution of horizontal permeability within the smear zone is presented and compared with previous analytical results as well as a numerical solution, the results show that the presented solution correlates well with the numerical solution, and is more precise than previous analytical solution.

  20. Analytical solution for vacuum preloading considering the nonlinear distribution of horizontal permeability within the smear zone

    PubMed Central

    Peng, Jie; He, Xiang; Ye, Hanming

    2015-01-01

    The vacuum preloading is an effective method which is widely used in ground treatment. In consolidation analysis, the soil around prefabricated vertical drain (PVD) is traditionally divided into smear zone and undisturbed zone, both with constant permeability. In reality, the permeability of soil changes continuously within the smear zone. In this study, the horizontal permeability coefficient of soil within the smear zone is described by an exponential function of radial distance. A solution for vacuum preloading consolidation considers the nonlinear distribution of horizontal permeability within the smear zone is presented and compared with previous analytical results as well as a numerical solution, the results show that the presented solution correlates well with the numerical solution, and is more precise than previous analytical solution. PMID:26447973

  1. Air and smear sample calculational tool for Fluor Hanford Radiological control

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    BAUMANN, B.L.

    2003-07-11

    A spreadsheet calculation tool was developed to automate the calculations performed for determining the concentration of airborne radioactivity and smear counting as outlined in HNF-13536, Section 5.2.7, ''Analyzing Air and Smear Samples''. This document reports on the design and testing of the calculation tool. Radiological Control Technicians (RCTs) will save time and reduce hand written and calculation errors by using an electronic form for documenting and calculating work place air samples. Current expectations are RCTs will perform an air sample and collect the filter or perform a smear for surface contamination. RCTs will then survey the filter for gross alphamore » and beta/gamma radioactivity and with the gross counts utilize either hand calculation method or a calculator to determine activity on the filter. The electronic form will allow the RCT with a few key strokes to document the individual's name, payroll, gross counts, instrument identifiers; produce an error free record. This productivity gain is realized by the enhanced ability to perform mathematical calculations electronically (reducing errors) and at the same time, documenting the air sample.« less

  2. Diagnostic performance of automated liquid culture and molecular line probe assay in smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Kotwal, Aarti; Biswas, Debasis; Raghuvanshi, Shailendra; Sindhwani, Girish; Kakati, Barnali; Sharma, Shweta

    2017-04-01

    The diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is particularly challenging, and automated liquid culture and molecular line probe assays (LPA) may prove particularly useful. The objective of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic potential of automated liquid culture (ALC) technology and commercial LPA in sputum smear-negative PTB suspects. Spot sputum samples were collected from 145 chest-symptomatic smear-negative patients and subjected to ALC, direct drug susceptibility test (DST) testing and LPA, as per manufacturers' instructions. A diagnostic yield of 26.2% was observed among sputum smear-negative TB suspects with 47.4% of the culture isolates being either INH- and/or rifampicin-resistant. Complete agreement was observed between the results of ALC assay and LPA except for two isolates which demonstrated sensitivity to INH and rifampicin at direct DST but were rifampicin-resistant in LPA. Two novel mutations were also detected among the multidrug isolates by LPA. In view of the diagnostic challenges associated with the diagnosis of TB in sputum smear-negative patients, our study demonstrates the applicability of ALC and LPA in establishing diagnostic evidence of TB.

  3. Abnormal Papanicolaou smears, genital tract infections, and contraception.

    PubMed

    Hawkins, J W; Matteson, P S; Mersha, G

    1999-01-01

    Cervical cancer ranks second among all cancers in women world-wide, and the rate of invasive cervical cancer among women under 50 is rising in the United States. Risk factors for abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears and invasive cervical cancer include genital tract infections. This study was designed to compare the rates of genital tract infections and the contraceptive choices of a random sample of 800 women, using an ex post facto design. The Pap positive women had a significantly higher rate of genital tract infections than did the Pap negative women but did not differ significantly in use of contraceptive methods. Findings support those of other researchers suggesting genital tract infections as risk factors for abnormal Pap smears and are consistent with the literature in suggesting a role for oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) in acquisition of the human papillomavirus (HPV). Caregivers can help empower women to reduce their risks through informed choices about protection and sexual behaviors.

  4. Treatment Failure after Multiple Courses of Triclabendazole among Patients with Fascioliasis in Cusco, Peru: A Case Series

    PubMed Central

    Cabada, Miguel M.; Lopez, Martha; Cruz, Maria; Delgado, Jennifer R.; Hill, Virginia; White, A. Clinton

    2016-01-01

    Triclabendazole is reported to be highly effective in treatment of human fascioliasis. We present 7 of 19 selected cases of human fascioliasis referred to our center in the Cusco region of Peru that failed to respond to triclabendazole. These were mostly symptomatic adults of both sexes that continued passing Fasciola eggs in the stool despite multiple treatments with 2 doses of triclabendazole at 10 mg/kg per dose. We documented the presence of eggs by rapid sedimentation and Kato Katz tests after each treatment course. We found that repeated triclabendazole courses were not effective against fascioliasis in this group of people. These findings suggest that resistance to triclabendazole may be an emerging problem in the Andes. PMID:26808543

  5. Treatment Failure after Multiple Courses of Triclabendazole among Patients with Fascioliasis in Cusco, Peru: A Case Series.

    PubMed

    Cabada, Miguel M; Lopez, Martha; Cruz, Maria; Delgado, Jennifer R; Hill, Virginia; White, A Clinton

    2016-01-01

    Triclabendazole is reported to be highly effective in treatment of human fascioliasis. We present 7 of 19 selected cases of human fascioliasis referred to our center in the Cusco region of Peru that failed to respond to triclabendazole. These were mostly symptomatic adults of both sexes that continued passing Fasciola eggs in the stool despite multiple treatments with 2 doses of triclabendazole at 10 mg/kg per dose. We documented the presence of eggs by rapid sedimentation and Kato Katz tests after each treatment course. We found that repeated triclabendazole courses were not effective against fascioliasis in this group of people. These findings suggest that resistance to triclabendazole may be an emerging problem in the Andes.

  6. Comparison of PCR, culturing and Pap smear microscopy for accurate diagnosis of genital Actinomyces.

    PubMed

    Kaya, Dilek; Demirezen, Şayeste; Hasçelik, Gülşen; Gülmez Kivanç, Dolunay; Beksaç, Mehmet Sinan

    2013-05-01

    Members of the genus Actinomyces, Gram-positive, non-spore-forming anaerobic bacteria, are normal inhabitants of the mucosal surfaces of the oral, gastrointestinal and genital tracts. Identification of these bacteria using conventional methods is generally difficult because of their complex transport and growth requirements and their fastidious and slow-growing nature. However, in recent years, the advancement of molecular techniques has provided much improved identification and differentiation of closely related Actinomyces species. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of the PCR technique in the diagnosis of genital Actinomyces in comparison with culturing and Papanicolaou (Pap) smear microscopy. Multiple sampling was conducted from 200 women using smear microscopy, culturing and PCR. Cyto-brushes were smeared on glass slides and stained using the routine Pap technique. Culturing was performed from a sterile swab, and Actinomyces were determined using the BBL Crystal ANR ID kit. PCR was performed from a second swab, and the Actinomyces type was determined using type-specific primers designed in our laboratory. Only one vaginal fluid sample (0.5%) revealed Actinomyces-like organisms on Pap smear examination. Actinomyces were detected in nine samples (4.5%) using the BBL Crystal ANR ID kit. Using PCR, eight samples (4%) were found positive for Actinomyces. No specimens that gave positive results by Pap smear microscopy and culturing could be confirmed by PCR. Pap smear microscopy and culturing were both found to have zero sensitivity for Actinomyces. PCR appears to be a sensitive and reliable diagnostic method for the detection of Actinomyces, which are difficult to cultivate from genital samples. PCR can be used for diagnostic confirmation in cases diagnosed by conventional methods, to prevent false-positive results.

  7. Missed Opportunities for Health Education on Pap Smears in Peru

    PubMed Central

    Bayer, Angela M.; Nussbaum, Lauren; Cabrera, Lilia; Paz-Soldan, Valerie A.

    2013-01-01

    Despite cervical cancer being one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in Peru, cervical Pap smear coverage is low. This article uses findings from 185 direct clinician observations in four cities of Peru (representing the capital and each of the three main geographic regions of the country) to assess missed opportunities for health education on Pap smears and other preventive women’s health behaviors during women’s visits to a health care provider. Various types of health establishments, provider settings, and provider types were observed. Opportunities for patient education on the importance of prevention were rarely exploited. In fact, health education provided was minimal. Policy and programmatic implications are discussed. PMID:21464205

  8. Tannic acid for smear layer removal: pilot study with scanning electron microscope.

    PubMed

    Bitter, N C

    1989-04-01

    The effects of a 25% tannic acid solution applied to the surface of prepared dentin was compared with untreated prepared dentin surfaces. The following results were demonstrated by electron microscope observation: (1) cavity preparations created an amorphous dentinal smear layer, (2) placement of a 25% tannic acid solution for 15 seconds removed the smear layer, (3) the contents of the dentinal tubules were not removed and no enlargement of dentinal tubules was found, and (3) a clean dentinal surface was observed.

  9. Evaluation of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution and gel for smear layer removal.

    PubMed

    Dotto, Sidney Ricardo; Travassos, Rosana Maria Coelho; de Oliveira, Elias Pandonor Motcy; Machado, Manoel Eduardo de Lima; Martins, José Luiz

    2007-08-01

    The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the efficacy of 24% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) gel and 17% EDTA solution in cleaning dentine walls after root canal instrumentation. Thirty human canine teeth were divided into three groups of 10 teeth each. In Group 1, 1% sodium hypochlorite was used as the irrigating solution; in Group 2, 1% sodium hypochlorite was used with 17% EDTA solution; and in Group 3, 1% sodium hypochlorite was used with 24% EDTA gel. The presence of a smear layer was analysed after instrumentation using scanning electron microscopy. The Kruskal-Wallis test revealed a statistical difference (P < 0.05) between Groups 1 and 2, and also between Groups 1 and 3. No difference was observed between Groups 2 and 3 (P > 0.05). The results indicate that 1% sodium hypochlorite alone does not remove the smear layer and that there was no statistical difference between EDTA gel and EDTA solution in smear layer removal.

  10. Papanicolaou Smear Screening of Women with Intellectual Disabilities: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Lan-Ping; Lin, Jin-Ding; Sung, Chang-Lin; Liu, Ta-Wen; Liu, Yi-Lian; Chen, Li-Mei; Chu, Cordia M.

    2010-01-01

    Although little is known about the incidence of cervical cancer in women with intellectual disabilities (ID), Pap smear screening is an effective public health program to prevent cervical cancer to this group of people. The purposes of this study were to identify and evaluate the factors regarding the utilization of the Pap smears in women with ID…

  11. Sustaining Control of Schistosomiasis Mansoni in Western Côte d’Ivoire: Results from a SCORE Study, One Year after Initial Praziquantel Administration

    PubMed Central

    Assaré, Rufin K.; Tian-Bi, Yves-Nathan T.; Yao, Patrick K.; N’Guessan, Nicaise A.; Ouattara, Mamadou; Yapi, Ahoua; Coulibaly, Jean T.; Meïté, Aboulaye; Hürlimann, Eveline; Knopp, Stefanie; Utzinger, Jürg; N’Goran, Eliézer K.

    2016-01-01

    Background The Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation (SCORE) has launched several large-scale trials to determine the best strategies for gaining and sustaining control of schistosomiasis and transitioning toward elimination. In Côte d’Ivoire, a 5-year cluster-randomized trial is being implemented in 75 schools to sustain the control of schistosomiasis mansoni. We report Schistosoma mansoni infection levels in children one year after the initial school-based treatment (SBT) with praziquantel and compare with baseline results to determine the effect of the intervention. Methodology The baseline cross-sectional survey was conducted in late 2011/early 2012 and the first follow-up in May 2013. Three consecutive stool samples were collected from 9- to 12-year-old children in 75 schools at baseline and 50 schools at follow-up. Stool samples were subjected to duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears. Directly observed treatment (DOT) coverage of the SBT was assessed and the prevalence and intensity of S. mansoni infection compared between baseline and follow-up. Principal Findings The S. mansoni prevalence in the 75 schools surveyed at baseline was 22.1% (95% confidence interval (CI): 19.5–24.4%). The DOT coverage was 84.2%. In the 50 schools surveyed at baseline and one year after treatment, the overall prevalence of S. mansoni infection decreased significantly from 19.7% (95% CI: 18.5–20.8%) to 12.8% (95% CI: 11.9–13.8%), while the arithmetic mean S. mansoni eggs per gram of stool (EPG) among infected children slightly increased from 92.2 EPG (95% CI: 79.2–105.3 EPG) to 109.3 EPG (95% CI: 82.7–135.9 EPG). In two of the 50 schools, the prevalence increased significantly, despite a DOT coverage of >75%. Conclusions/Significance One year after the initial SBT, the S. mansoni prevalence had decreased. Despite this positive trend, an increase was observed in some schools. Moreover, the infection intensity among S. mansoni-infected children

  12. Accuracy of Mobile Phone and Handheld Light Microscopy for the Diagnosis of Schistosomiasis and Intestinal Protozoa Infections in Côte d’Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Coulibaly, Jean T.; Ouattara, Mamadou; D’Ambrosio, Michael V.; Fletcher, Daniel A.; Keiser, Jennifer; Utzinger, Jürg; N’Goran, Eliézer K.

    2016-01-01

    Background Handheld light microscopy using compact optics and mobile phones may improve the quality of health care in resource-constrained settings by enabling access to prompt and accurate diagnosis. Methodology Laboratory technicians were trained to operate two handheld diagnostic devices (Newton Nm1 microscope and a clip-on version of the mobile phone-based CellScope). The accuracy of these devices was compared to conventional light microscopy for the diagnosis of Schistosoma haematobium, S. mansoni, and intestinal protozoa infection in a community-based survey in rural Côte d’Ivoire. One slide of 10 ml filtered urine and a single Kato-Katz thick smear from 226 individuals were subjected to the Newton Nm1 microscope and CellScope for detection of Schistosoma eggs and compared to conventional microscopy. Additionally, 121 sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin (SAF)-fixed stool samples were examined by the Newton Nm1 microscope and compared to conventional microscopy for the diagnosis of intestinal protozoa. Principal Findings The prevalence of S. haematobium, S. mansoni, Giardia intestinalis, and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar, as determined by conventional microscopy, was 39.8%, 5.3%, 20.7%, and 4.9%, respectively. The Newton Nm1 microscope had diagnostic sensitivities for S. mansoni and S. haematobium infection of 91.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) 59.8–99.6%) and 81.1% (95% CI 71.2–88.3%), respectively, and specificities of 99.5% (95% CI 97.0–100%) and 97.1% (95% CI 92.2–99.1%), respectively. The CellScope demonstrated sensitivities for S. mansoni and S. haematobium of 50.0% (95% CI 25.4–74.6%) and 35.6% (95% CI 25.9–46.4%), respectively, and specificities of 99.5% (95% CI 97.0–100%) and 100% (95% CI 86.7–100%), respectively. For G. intestinalis and E. histolytica/E. dispar, the Newton Nm1 microscope had sensitivity of 84.0% (95% CI 63.1–94.7%) and 83.3% (95% CI 36.5–99.1%), respectively, and 100% specificity. Conclusions

  13. Hookworm Infection and Environmental Factors in Mbeya Region, Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional, Population-Based Study

    PubMed Central

    Riess, Helene; Clowes, Petra; Kroidl, Inge; Kowuor, Dickens O.; Nsojo, Anthony; Mangu, Chacha; Schüle, Steffen A.; Mansmann, Ulrich; Geldmacher, Christof; Mhina, Seif; Maboko, Leonard; Hoelscher, Michael; Saathoff, Elmar

    2013-01-01

    Background Hookworm disease is one of the most common infections and cause of a high disease burden in the tropics and subtropics. Remotely sensed ecological data and model-based geostatistics have been used recently to identify areas in need for hookworm control. Methodology Cross-sectional interview data and stool samples from 6,375 participants from nine different sites in Mbeya region, south-western Tanzania, were collected as part of a cohort study. Hookworm infection was assessed by microscopy of duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears from one stool sample from each participant. A geographic information system was used to obtain remotely sensed environmental data such as land surface temperature (LST), vegetation cover, rainfall, and elevation, and combine them with hookworm infection data and with socio-demographic and behavioral data. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression was performed on sites separately and on the pooled dataset. Principal Findings Univariable analyses yielded significant associations for all ecological variables. Five ecological variables stayed significant in the final multivariable model: population density (odds ratio (OR) = 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.63–0.73), mean annual vegetation density (OR = 0.11; 95% CI = 0.06–0.18), mean annual LST during the day (OR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.75–0.88), mean annual LST during the night (OR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.44–1.64), and latrine coverage in household surroundings (OR = 1.02; 95% CI = 1.01–1.04). Interaction terms revealed substantial differences in associations of hookworm infection with population density, mean annual enhanced vegetation index, and latrine coverage between the two sites with the highest prevalence of infection. Conclusion/Significance This study supports previous findings that remotely sensed data such as vegetation indices, LST, and elevation are strongly associated with hookworm prevalence. However, the results indicate

  14. Evaluation of a Urine Pooling Strategy for the Rapid and Cost-Efficient Prevalence Classification of Schistosomiasis.

    PubMed

    Lo, Nathan C; Coulibaly, Jean T; Bendavid, Eran; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Utzinger, Jürg; Keiser, Jennifer; Bogoch, Isaac I; Andrews, Jason R

    2016-08-01

    A key epidemiologic feature of schistosomiasis is its focal distribution, which has important implications for the spatial targeting of preventive chemotherapy programs. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of a urine pooling strategy using a point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) cassette test for detection of Schistosoma mansoni, and employed simulation modeling to test the classification accuracy and efficiency of this strategy in determining where preventive chemotherapy is needed in low-endemicity settings. We performed a cross-sectional study involving 114 children aged 6-15 years in six neighborhoods in Azaguié Ahoua, south Côte d'Ivoire to characterize the sensitivity and specificity of the POC-CCA cassette test with urine samples that were tested individually and in pools of 4, 8, and 12. We used a Bayesian latent class model to estimate test characteristics for individual POC-CCA and quadruplicate Kato-Katz thick smears on stool samples. We then developed a microsimulation model and used lot quality assurance sampling to test the performance, number of tests, and total cost per school for each pooled testing strategy to predict the binary need for school-based preventive chemotherapy using a 10% prevalence threshold for treatment. The sensitivity of the urine pooling strategy for S. mansoni diagnosis using pool sizes of 4, 8, and 12 was 85.9%, 79.5%, and 65.4%, respectively, when POC-CCA trace results were considered positive, and 61.5%, 47.4%, and 30.8% when POC-CCA trace results were considered negative. The modeled specificity ranged from 94.0-97.7% for the urine pooling strategies (when POC-CCA trace results were considered negative). The urine pooling strategy, regardless of the pool size, gave comparable and often superior classification performance to stool microscopy for the same number of tests. The urine pooling strategy with a pool size of 4 reduced the number of tests and total cost compared to classical stool microscopy. This

  15. Evaluation of a Urine Pooling Strategy for the Rapid and Cost-Efficient Prevalence Classification of Schistosomiasis

    PubMed Central

    Coulibaly, Jean T.; Bendavid, Eran; N’Goran, Eliézer K.; Utzinger, Jürg; Keiser, Jennifer; Bogoch, Isaac I.; Andrews, Jason R.

    2016-01-01

    Background A key epidemiologic feature of schistosomiasis is its focal distribution, which has important implications for the spatial targeting of preventive chemotherapy programs. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of a urine pooling strategy using a point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) cassette test for detection of Schistosoma mansoni, and employed simulation modeling to test the classification accuracy and efficiency of this strategy in determining where preventive chemotherapy is needed in low-endemicity settings. Methodology We performed a cross-sectional study involving 114 children aged 6–15 years in six neighborhoods in Azaguié Ahoua, south Côte d’Ivoire to characterize the sensitivity and specificity of the POC-CCA cassette test with urine samples that were tested individually and in pools of 4, 8, and 12. We used a Bayesian latent class model to estimate test characteristics for individual POC-CCA and quadruplicate Kato-Katz thick smears on stool samples. We then developed a microsimulation model and used lot quality assurance sampling to test the performance, number of tests, and total cost per school for each pooled testing strategy to predict the binary need for school-based preventive chemotherapy using a 10% prevalence threshold for treatment. Principal Findings The sensitivity of the urine pooling strategy for S. mansoni diagnosis using pool sizes of 4, 8, and 12 was 85.9%, 79.5%, and 65.4%, respectively, when POC-CCA trace results were considered positive, and 61.5%, 47.4%, and 30.8% when POC-CCA trace results were considered negative. The modeled specificity ranged from 94.0–97.7% for the urine pooling strategies (when POC-CCA trace results were considered negative). The urine pooling strategy, regardless of the pool size, gave comparable and often superior classification performance to stool microscopy for the same number of tests. The urine pooling strategy with a pool size of 4 reduced the number of tests and total

  16. Impact of Health Education on Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections in Schoolchildren of the Peruvian Amazon: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

    PubMed Central

    Gyorkos, Theresa W.; Maheu-Giroux, Mathieu; Blouin, Brittany; Casapia, Martin

    2013-01-01

    Background To control soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, the World Health Organization recommends school-based deworming programs with a health hygiene education component. The effect of such health hygiene interventions, however, has not been adequately studied. The objective of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of a health hygiene education intervention on the occurrence of STH re-infection four months post-de-worming. Methodology/Principal Findings An open-label pair-matched cluster-randomized trial was conducted in Grade 5 schoolchildren of 18 primary schools (9 intervention and 9 control) in the Peruvian Amazon. Baseline assessment included interview with a pre-tested questionnaire and collection of single stool specimens that were examined using the single Kato-Katz thick smear. All schoolchildren were then treated with single-dose albendazole (400 mg). Schoolchildren in intervention schools then received 1) an initial one hour in-class activity on health hygiene and sanitation and 30-minute refresher activities every two weeks over four months; and 2) a half-day workshop for teachers and principals, while children in control schools did not. Four months later, STH infection was re-assessed in all schools by laboratory technologists blinded to intervention status. From April 21–October 20, 2010, a total of 1,089 schoolchildren (518 and 571 from intervention and control schools, respectively) participated in this study. Intervention children scored significantly higher on all aspects of a test of STH-related knowledge compared with control children (aOR = 18·4; 95% CI: 12·7 to 26·6). The intensity of Ascaris lumbricoides infection at follow-up was statistically significantly lower (by 58%) in children in intervention schools compared with children in control schools (aIRR = 0·42; 95% CI = 0·21 to 0·85). No significant changes in hookworm or Trichuris trichiura intensity were observed. Conclusions/Significance A

  17. The Right Tool for the Job: Detection of Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Areas Co-endemic for Other Helminths

    PubMed Central

    Periago, Maria V.; Diniz, Renata C.; Pinto, Simone A.; Yakovleva, Anna; Correa-Oliveira, Rodrigo; Diemert, David J.; Bethony, Jeffrey M.

    2015-01-01

    Background Due to the recent increased use of the McMaster (MM) fecal egg counting method for assessing benzimidazole drug efficacy for treating soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, the aim of the current study was to determine the operational value of including the MM method alongside the Kato-Katz (KK) fecal thick smear to increase the diagnostic sensitivity when STHs are co-endemic with trematode helminths (e.g., Schistosoma mansoni). Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in school-aged children aged 4-18 years in the northeastern region of the State of Minas Gerais (Brazil), where Necator americanus, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and S. mansoni are co-endemic. One fecal sample from each participant was collected and transported to the field laboratory for analysis. Coprological diagnosis was performed on each fecal sample by three different methods: Formalin-Ether Sedimentation (FES), KK and the MM technique. The diagnostic sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) of each technique was calculated using the combination of all three techniques as the composite standard. In order to determine the agreement between the three techniques Fleiss´ kappa was used. Both the Cure Rate (CR) and the Fecal Egg Count Reduction (FECR) were calculated using the two quantification techniques (i.e., the MM and KK). Results Fecal samples from 1260 children were analyzed. The KK had higher diagnostic sensitivity than the MM for the detection of both A. lumbricoides (KK 97.3%, MM 69.5%) and hookworm (KK 95.1%, MM 80.8%). The CR of a single dose of mebendazole varied significantly between the KK and MM for both A. lumbricoides (p = 0.016) and hookworm (p = 0.000), with lower rates obtained with the KK. On the other hand, the FECR was very similar between both techniques for both A. lumbricoides and hookworm. Conclusion The MM did not add any diagnostic value over the KK in areas where both STHs and trematodes were co-endemic. The lower sensitivity

  18. Interrupting seasonal transmission of Schistosoma haematobium and control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in northern and central Côte d'Ivoire: a SCORE study protocol.

    PubMed

    Tian-Bi, Yves-Nathan T; Ouattara, Mamadou; Knopp, Stefanie; Coulibaly, Jean T; Hürlimann, Eveline; Webster, Bonnie; Allan, Fiona; Rollinson, David; Meïté, Aboulaye; Diakité, Nana R; Konan, Cyrille K; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Utzinger, Jürg

    2018-01-29

    To achieve a world free of schistosomiasis, the objective is to scale up control and elimination efforts in all endemic countries. Where interruption of transmission is considered feasible, countries are encouraged to implement a comprehensive intervention package, including preventive chemotherapy, information, education and communication (IEC), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and snail control. In northern and central Côte d'Ivoire, transmission of Schistosoma haematobium is seasonal and elimination might be achieved. In a cluster-randomised trial, we will assess different treatment schemes to interrupt S. haematobium transmission and control soil-transmitted helminthiasis over a 3-year period. We will compare the impact of (i) arm A: annual mass drug administration (MDA) with praziquantel and albendazole before the peak schistosomiasis transmission season; (ii) arm B: annual MDA after the peak schistosomiasis transmission season; (iii) arm C: two yearly treatments before and after peak schistosomiasis transmission; and (iv) arm D: annual MDA before peak schistosomiasis transmission, coupled with chemical snail control using niclosamide. The prevalence and intensity of S. haematobium and soil-transmitted helminth infections will be assessed using urine filtration and Kato-Katz thick smears, respectively, in six administrative regions in northern and central parts of Côte d'Ivoire. Once a year, urine and stool samples will be collected and examined from 50 children aged 5-8 years, 100 children aged 9-12 years and 50 adults aged 20-55 years in each of 60 selected villages. Changes in S. haematobium and soil-transmitted helminth prevalence and intensity will be assessed between years and stratified by intervention arm. In the 15 villages randomly assigned to intervention arm D, intermediate host snails will be collected three times per year, before niclosamide is applied to the selected freshwater bodies. The snail abundance and infection rates over time

  19. Accuracy of Mobile Phone and Handheld Light Microscopy for the Diagnosis of Schistosomiasis and Intestinal Protozoa Infections in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Coulibaly, Jean T; Ouattara, Mamadou; D'Ambrosio, Michael V; Fletcher, Daniel A; Keiser, Jennifer; Utzinger, Jürg; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Andrews, Jason R; Bogoch, Isaac I

    2016-06-01

    Handheld light microscopy using compact optics and mobile phones may improve the quality of health care in resource-constrained settings by enabling access to prompt and accurate diagnosis. Laboratory technicians were trained to operate two handheld diagnostic devices (Newton Nm1 microscope and a clip-on version of the mobile phone-based CellScope). The accuracy of these devices was compared to conventional light microscopy for the diagnosis of Schistosoma haematobium, S. mansoni, and intestinal protozoa infection in a community-based survey in rural Côte d'Ivoire. One slide of 10 ml filtered urine and a single Kato-Katz thick smear from 226 individuals were subjected to the Newton Nm1 microscope and CellScope for detection of Schistosoma eggs and compared to conventional microscopy. Additionally, 121 sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin (SAF)-fixed stool samples were examined by the Newton Nm1 microscope and compared to conventional microscopy for the diagnosis of intestinal protozoa. The prevalence of S. haematobium, S. mansoni, Giardia intestinalis, and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar, as determined by conventional microscopy, was 39.8%, 5.3%, 20.7%, and 4.9%, respectively. The Newton Nm1 microscope had diagnostic sensitivities for S. mansoni and S. haematobium infection of 91.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) 59.8-99.6%) and 81.1% (95% CI 71.2-88.3%), respectively, and specificities of 99.5% (95% CI 97.0-100%) and 97.1% (95% CI 92.2-99.1%), respectively. The CellScope demonstrated sensitivities for S. mansoni and S. haematobium of 50.0% (95% CI 25.4-74.6%) and 35.6% (95% CI 25.9-46.4%), respectively, and specificities of 99.5% (95% CI 97.0-100%) and 100% (95% CI 86.7-100%), respectively. For G. intestinalis and E. histolytica/E. dispar, the Newton Nm1 microscope had sensitivity of 84.0% (95% CI 63.1-94.7%) and 83.3% (95% CI 36.5-99.1%), respectively, and 100% specificity. Handheld diagnostic devices can be employed in community-based surveys in resource

  20. Prevalence and risk factors of helminths and intestinal protozoa infections among children from primary schools in western Tajikistan

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Intestinal parasitic infections represent a public health problem in Tajikistan, but epidemiological evidence is scarce. The present study aimed at assessing the extent of helminths and intestinal protozoa infections among children of 10 schools in four districts of Tajikistan, and to make recommendations for control. Methods A cross-sectional survey was carried out in early 2009. All children attending grades 2 and 3 (age: 7-11 years) from 10 randomly selected schools were invited to provide a stool sample and interviewed about sanitary situation and hygiene behaviour. A questionnaire pertaining to demographic and socioeconomic characteristics was addressed to the heads of households. On the spot, stool samples were subjected to duplicate Kato-Katz thick smear examination for helminth diagnosis. Additionally, 1-2 g of stool was fixed in sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin, transferred to a specialised laboratory in Europe and examined for helminths and intestinal protozoa. The composite results from both methods served as diagnostic 'gold' standard. Results Out of 623 registered children, 602 participated in our survey. The overall prevalence of infection with helminths and pathogenic intestinal protozoa was 32.0% and 47.1%, respectively. There was pronounced spatial heterogeneity. The most common helminth species was Hymenolepis nana (25.8%), whereas the prevalences of Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm and Enterobius vermicularis were below 5%. The prevalence of pathogenic intestinal protozoa, namely Giardia intestinalis and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar was 26.4% and 25.9%, respectively. Almost half of the households draw drinking water from unimproved sources, such as irrigation canals, rivers and unprotected wells. Sanitary facilities were pit latrines, mostly private, and a few shared with neighbours. The use of public tap/standpipe as a source of drinking water emerged as a protective factor for G. intestinalis infection. Protected spring water

  1. Prevalence and risk factors of helminths and intestinal protozoa infections among children from primary schools in western Tajikistan.

    PubMed

    Matthys, Barbara; Bobieva, Mohion; Karimova, Gulzira; Mengliboeva, Zulfira; Jean-Richard, Vreni; Hoimnazarova, Malika; Kurbonova, Matluba; Lohourignon, Laurent K; Utzinger, Jürg; Wyss, Kaspar

    2011-10-07

    Intestinal parasitic infections represent a public health problem in Tajikistan, but epidemiological evidence is scarce. The present study aimed at assessing the extent of helminths and intestinal protozoa infections among children of 10 schools in four districts of Tajikistan, and to make recommendations for control. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in early 2009. All children attending grades 2 and 3 (age: 7-11 years) from 10 randomly selected schools were invited to provide a stool sample and interviewed about sanitary situation and hygiene behaviour. A questionnaire pertaining to demographic and socioeconomic characteristics was addressed to the heads of households. On the spot, stool samples were subjected to duplicate Kato-Katz thick smear examination for helminth diagnosis. Additionally, 1-2 g of stool was fixed in sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin, transferred to a specialised laboratory in Europe and examined for helminths and intestinal protozoa. The composite results from both methods served as diagnostic 'gold' standard. Out of 623 registered children, 602 participated in our survey. The overall prevalence of infection with helminths and pathogenic intestinal protozoa was 32.0% and 47.1%, respectively. There was pronounced spatial heterogeneity. The most common helminth species was Hymenolepis nana (25.8%), whereas the prevalences of Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm and Enterobius vermicularis were below 5%. The prevalence of pathogenic intestinal protozoa, namely Giardia intestinalis and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar was 26.4% and 25.9%, respectively. Almost half of the households draw drinking water from unimproved sources, such as irrigation canals, rivers and unprotected wells. Sanitary facilities were pit latrines, mostly private, and a few shared with neighbours. The use of public tap/standpipe as a source of drinking water emerged as a protective factor for G. intestinalis infection. Protected spring water reduced the risk of infection

  2. A novel approach based on KATZ measure to predict associations of human microbiota with non-infectious diseases.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xing; Huang, Yu-An; You, Zhu-Hong; Yan, Gui-Ying; Wang, Xue-Song

    2017-03-01

    Accumulating clinical observations have indicated that microbes living in the human body are closely associated with a wide range of human noninfectious diseases, which provides promising insights into the complex disease mechanism understanding. Predicting microbe-disease associations could not only boost human disease diagnostic and prognostic, but also improve the new drug development. However, little efforts have been attempted to understand and predict human microbe-disease associations on a large scale until now. In this work, we constructed a microbe-human disease association network and further developed a novel computational model of KATZ measure for Human Microbe-Disease Association prediction (KATZHMDA) based on the assumption that functionally similar microbes tend to have similar interaction and non-interaction patterns with noninfectious diseases, and vice versa. To our knowledge, KATZHMDA is the first tool for microbe-disease association prediction. The reliable prediction performance could be attributed to the use of KATZ measurement, and the introduction of Gaussian interaction profile kernel similarity for microbes and diseases. LOOCV and k-fold cross validation were implemented to evaluate the effectiveness of this novel computational model based on known microbe-disease associations obtained from HMDAD database. As a result, KATZHMDA achieved reliable performance with average AUCs of 0.8130 ± 0.0054, 0.8301 ± 0.0033 and 0.8382 in 2-fold and 5-fold cross validation and LOOCV framework, respectively. It is anticipated that KATZHMDA could be used to obtain more novel microbes associated with important noninfectious human diseases and therefore benefit drug discovery and human medical improvement. Matlab codes and dataset explored in this work are available at http://dwz.cn/4oX5mS . xingchen@amss.ac.cn or zhuhongyou@gmail.com or wangxuesongcumt@163.com. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by

  3. Is bleach-sedimented smear microscopy an alternative to direct microscopy under programme conditions in India?

    PubMed Central

    Vishnu, P. H.; Bansal, A.; Satyanarayana, S.; Alavadi, U.; Ohri, B. S.; Shrinivas, M. S. Rao; Desikan, P.; Jaju, J.; Rao, V. G.; Moonan, P. K.

    2013-01-01

    This cross-sectional multi-centric study compared the yield of and potential benefit for detecting smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) by bleach sedimentation (2% sodium-hypochlorite) versus direct microscopy under programme conditions in India. Among 3168 PTB suspects, 684 (21.6%) were detected by bleach sedimentation vs. 625 (19.7%) by direct microscopy, with a proportional overall agreement of 96% (κ = 0.88). While 594 patients were smear-positive with both methods, 31 patients detected by direct microscopy were missed and an additional 90 patients were detected by bleach sedimentation. Overall, bleach sedimentation increased the yield of smear-positive TB detection; however; it also increased the time to results. PMID:26392991

  4. Rates of abnormalities and infectious agents in cervical smears from female inmates in Texas: comparison with private and university clinic patients.

    PubMed

    Logrono, R; Wong, J Y

    1999-09-01

    Inmates are generally considered a high-risk population for gynecologic neoplasia and sexually transmitted diseases. Cervical smears from prisoners of the Texas Department of Corrections (TDC) were expected initially to have higher rates of cellular abnormalities and infectious agents than do smears from the general population. The cytologic findings from 25,522 TDC gynecologic smears were compared with those of 6883 cases from The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) affiliated physician private clinics, and with 56,178 from the UTMB hospital clinics. The period of study was from September 1995 to February 1998. This study revealed a 5.23% higher rate of abnormalities for TDC gynecologic smears as compared with that for the private clinic smears. However, the TDC rate of abnormalities was unexpectedly 1.08% lower than that for the UTMB clinic smears. These unexpected findings were probably the result of a more selected high-risk population referred to the UTMB clinics. The TDC smears showed also the highest incidence of trichomoniasis.

  5. Effects of modifying the World Health Organization standard operating procedures for malaria microscopy to improve surveillance in resource poor settings.

    PubMed

    Fernando, Sumadhya D; Ihalamulla, Ratnasiri L; Wickremasinghe, Renu; de Silva, Nipun L; Thilakarathne, Janani H; Wijeyaratne, Pandu; Premaratne, Risintha G

    2014-03-15

    Individuals with fever are screened for malaria in specially-established malaria diagnostic laboratories set up in rural hospitals in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka. Large numbers of blood smears negative for malaria parasites are being screened daily. Good quality smears are essential to maintain a high diagnostic competency among the technical staff. The modifications made to the World Health Organization (WHO) standard operating procedures to improve the quality of smears have been studied. A blinded, controlled, interventional study was conducted in 22 intervention and 21 control malaria diagnostic laboratories. Changes were made to the WHO standard operating procedure protocols to prepare, stain and examine blood smears for malaria parasite detection which were implemented in intervention laboratories. These included wipe-cleaning slides, preparing both thick and thin smears on the same slide, reversing the order of collecting blood for thick and thin smears, dry fixing thick smear for 20-25 minutes under table lamp, polishing the edge of spreader slide with sand paper and fixing the thin smear with methanol if not stained within four hours. Parameters with respect to quality of the smear as per WHO criteria were studied using randomly selected slides, and time taken for the report to be issued was recorded in both groups before and after the intervention. There were no significant differences observed in the parameters studied at baseline between the two groups or pre and post intervention in the control group. In the intervention group streak formation in thin smears was reduced from 29.4% to 5.0%. The average fixing time of thick smears was reduced from 2.4 hours to 20 minutes. Inappropriate thickness of thick smears reduced from 18.3% to 1.5%. Overall quality of thick smears and thin smears increased from 76.1% to 98.0% and 81.7% to 87.0%, respectively. The quality of slides bearing both thick and thin smears increased from 60.0% to 87

  6. Historical data decrease complete blood count reflex blood smear review rates without missing patients with acute leukaemia.

    PubMed

    Rabizadeh, Esther; Pickholtz, Itay; Barak, Mira; Froom, Paul

    2013-08-01

    The availability of historical data decreases the rate of blood smear review rates in outpatients, but we are unaware of studies done at referral centres. In the following study, we determined the effect of historical data on the rates of peripheral blood smears over a 3-month period and then the detection rate of patients with acute leukaemia. All results of complete blood counts (CBCs) tested on three ADVIA 120 analyzers at the regional Rabin Medical Centre, Beilinson Campus over a 3-month period were accessed on a computerised laboratory information system. Over a 3-month period, we determined the proportion of total CBC and patients with criteria for a manual differential count and the actual number of peripheral blood smears done. Finally, we determined the proportion of 100 consecutive patients with acute leukaemia detected using our criteria that included limiting reflex testing according to historical data. Over the 3-month period, there were 34,827 tests done in 12,785 patients. Without historical data, our smear rate would have been 24.5%, but with the availability of historical data, the blood smear review rate was 5.6%. The detection rate for cases of acute leukaemia was 100%. We conclude that the availability of previous test results significantly reduces the need for blood smear review without missing any patients with acute leukaemia.

  7. Smeared quasidistributions in perturbation theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Monahan, Christopher

    2018-03-01

    Quasi- and pseudodistributions provide a new approach to determining parton distribution functions from first principles' calculations of QCD. Here, I calculate the flavor nonsinglet unpolarized quasidistribution at one loop in perturbation theory, using the gradient flow to remove ultraviolet divergences. I demonstrate that, as expected, the gradient flow does not change the infrared structure of the quasidistribution at one loop and use the results to match the smeared matrix elements to those in the MS ¯ scheme. This matching calculation is required to relate numerical results obtained from nonperturbative lattice QCD computations to light-front parton distribution functions extracted from global analyses of experimental data.

  8. THE ROLE OF TARGET ORGAN DIAGNOSTIC APPROACH IN SEASONAL ALLERGIC RHINITIS: NASAL SMEAR EOSINOPHILS.

    PubMed

    Nurkic, Jasmina; Ahmad, Mona Al; Arifhodzic, Nermina; Jusufovic, Edin

    2016-04-01

    Allergic rhinitis (AR) related to local weeds pollen sensitization (Chenopodiaceous family) is the most common cause of respiratory allergy in Kuwait. Local nasal accumulation of different cells typical of allergic inflammation is responsible for clinical symptoms of AR. Although nasal smear for Eosinophils (NSE) is one of the earliest included valuable test in diagnosis of AR, with time is underestimated. Explore possible correlation of natural pollen allergen stimulation with appearance and quantity of Eosinophils in nasal smear. A group of randomly selected patients with clinical history suggestive for seasonal AR (SAR), who came to Al Rashed Allergy Center in period from October 2014 to October 2015, obtain Nasal Smear for Eosinophils as a screening test before further diagnostic evaluation. Nasal samples were collected by passing a sterile swab, from each nasal cavity, along the medial surface of the inferior turbinate 2 to 3 times and the specimen smeared on a clear glass slide. Nasal smears were examined by light microscopy after staining with hematoxylin and eosin stain. Skin prick test is performed in all symptomatic patients with a battery of inhalant allergens that include local pollens. The control group was recruited, with their voluntary consent, from the medical stuff with a negative history of any allergic nasal symptoms. In this group we performed only nasal smear for Eosinophils. Air Biology Laboratory Kuwait provided us with daily pollen count. From total 158 study participants, 132 had SAR symptoms and are divided in four groups. Fifth, control, group is non symptomatic. For 38.6% of symptomatic patients NSE were positive, while 45% of these patients have negative SPT. From 62.1% NSE negative patients, 37.8% have negative SPT. Our results showed expected positive correlation of NSE positive patients with pollen season in Kuwait, in SPT positive group. However, presence of Eosinophils in nasal smear was moderate to high also in patients with

  9. Accuracy of next-generation sequencing for the identification of clinically relevant variants in cytology smears in lung adenocarcinoma.

    PubMed

    Baum, Jordan E; Zhang, Pan; Hoda, Rana S; Geraghty, Brian; Rennert, Hanna; Narula, Navneet; Fernandes, Helen D

    2017-06-01

    Minimally invasive diagnostic procedures such as needle-core biopsy and fine-needle aspiration provide adequate material for molecular analyses. Advances in precision oncology are trending toward the interrogation of limited amounts of genomic material to guide clinical and therapeutic decisions. The aim of this study was to investigate the minimum cellularity needed on cytologic smears for the identification of clinically relevant variants with next-generation sequencing (NGS). Thirty cases of cytologically diagnosed, resection-proven primary lung adenocarcinoma were identified. Nineteen of the 30 cases were known to harbor actionable variants. One Diff-Quik (DQ)-stained slide and 1 Papanicolaou (Pap)-stained slide were selected from each case. Cases were categorized as containing fewer than 100 tumor cells, 100 to 500 tumor cells, or more than 500 tumor cells. NGS was performed on the Ion Torrent platform. NGS was successfully performed on all cell blocks and on 90% of the smears. Paired DQ and Pap smears showed similar cellularity, and cases that differed in cellularity were within 1 category of each other. The cases with more than 100 tumor cells had a 93% success rate; this was significantly different from the situation for cases with fewer than 100 tumor cells, which were successfully sequenced only 67% of the time. Overall, NGS was able to provide clinically relevant information for 83% of DQ smears and for 90% of Pap smears tested. The data show a significantly higher likelihood of successful NGS with cytologic smears with more than 100 tumor cells. There was a trend for a higher NGS success rate with Pap smears versus DQ smears. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125:398-406. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

  10. Actinomyces-like organisms in cervical smears from women using intrauterine contraceptive devices.

    PubMed Central

    Duguid, H L; Parratt, D; Traynor, R

    1980-01-01

    Cervical smears from 293 users of intrauterine contraceptive devices attending family planning clinics in East Fife, Dundee, and Angus were stained by Papanicolaou and Gram's methods and examined for actinomyces-like organisms. Of the 128 women using plastic devices, 40 gave smears positive for these organisms. In contrast only two positive smears were obtained from the 165 women using devices containing copper and none from a control group of 300 women taking oral contraceptives. Colonisation was more common in women whose plastic devices had been in situ for over two years. Correlations between the presence of these organisms and recorded incidences of pain and both clinical and cytological evidence of inflammation of the lower genital tract were highly significant (p = 0.00001, p < 0.00001, and p < 0.00001 respectively). The results suggest that plastic intrauterine contraceptive devices predispose to colonisation by actinomyces-like organisms, particularly after long-term use. Hence if the apparently bacteriostatic action of copper devices is confirmed these should probably be more widely used. Images FIG 1 FIG 2 PMID:7427358

  11. [Automated procedures for microscopic analyses of blood smears: medical testing a MECOS-Ts2 complex].

    PubMed

    Pliasunova, S A; Balugian, R Sh; Khmel'nitskiĭ, K E; Medovyĭ, V S; Parpara, A A; Piatnitskiĭ, A M; Sokolinskiĭ, B Z; Dem'ianov, V L; Nikolaenko, D S

    2006-10-01

    The paper presents the results of medical tests of a group of computer-aided procedures for microscopic analysis by means of a MECOS-Ts2 complex (ZAO "MECOS", Russia), which have been conducted at the Republican Children's Clinical Hospital, the Research Institute of Emergency Pediatric Surgery and Traumatology, and Moscow City Clinical Hospital No. 23. Computer-aided procedures for calculating the differential count and for analyzing the morphology of red blood cells were tested on blood smears from a total of 443 patients and donors, computer-aided calculation of the count of reticulocytes was tested on 318 smears. The tests were carried out under the US standard NCCLS-H20A. Manual microscopy (443 smears) and flow blood analysis on a Coulter GEN*S (125 smears) were used as reference methods. The quality of collection of samples and laboriousness were additionally assessed. The certified MECOS-Ts2 subsystems were additionally used as reference tools. The tests indicated the advantage of computer-aided MECOS-Tsl2 complex microscopy over manual microscopy.

  12. Increasing Pap Smear Utilization Among Samoan Women: Results from a Community Based Participatory Randomized Trial

    PubMed Central

    Mishra, Shiraz I.; Luce, Pat H.; Baquet, Claudia R.

    2013-01-01

    Background We tested the effectiveness of a theory-guided, culturally tailored cervical cancer education program designed to increase Pap smear use among Samoan women residing in the U.S. Territory of American Samoa. Methods We used a two-group, pretest-posttest design. The sample comprised 398 Samoan women age 20 and older who we recruited from Samoan churches. Women in the intervention group received a culturally tailored cervical cancer education program in three weekly sessions. The primary outcome was self-reported receipt of a Pap smear. Results Overall, there was a significant intervention effect, with intervention compared with control group women twice (adjusted odds ratio = 2.0, 95% confidence interval = 1.3–3.2, p<.01) as likely to self-report Pap smear use at the posttest. Conclusions The findings support the efficacy of the multifaceted, theory-guided, culturally tailored community-based participatory cervical cancer education program for Samoan women in effecting positive changes in Pap smear use and cervical cancer related knowledge and attitudes. PMID:19711495

  13. Antenna induced range smearing in MST radars

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Watkins, B. J.; Johnston, P. E.

    1984-01-01

    There is considerable interest in developing stratosphere troposphere (ST) and mesosphere stratosphere troposphere (MST) radars for higher resolution to study small-scale turbulent structures and waves. At present most ST and MST radars have resolutions of 150 meters or larger, and are not able to distinguish the thin (40 - 100 m) turbulent layers that are known to occur in the troposphere and stratosphere, and possibly in the mesosphere. However the antenna beam width and sidelobe level become important considerations for radars with superior height resolution. The objective of this paper is to point out that for radars with range resolutions of about 150 meters or less, there may be significant range smearing of the signals from mesospheric altitudes due to the finite beam width of the radar antenna. At both stratospheric and mesospheric heights the antenna sidelobe level for lear equally spaced phased arrays may also produce range aliased signals. To illustrate this effect the range smearing functions for two vertically directed antennas have been calculated, (1) an array of 32 coaxial-collinear strings each with 48 elements that simulates the vertical beam of the Poker Flat, Glaska, MST radar; and (2) a similar, but smaller, array of 16 coaxial-collinear strings each with 24 elements.

  14. A screening system for smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis using artificial neural networks.

    PubMed

    de O Souza Filho, João B; de Seixas, José Manoel; Galliez, Rafael; de Bragança Pereira, Basilio; de Q Mello, Fernanda C; Dos Santos, Alcione Miranda; Kritski, Afranio Lineu

    2016-08-01

    Molecular tests show low sensitivity for smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). A screening and risk assessment system for smear-negative PTB using artificial neural networks (ANNs) based on patient signs and symptoms is proposed. The prognostic and risk assessment models exploit a multilayer perceptron (MLP) and inspired adaptive resonance theory (iART) network. Model development considered data from 136 patients with suspected smear-negative PTB in a general hospital. MLP showed higher sensitivity (100%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 78-100%) than the other techniques, such as support vector machine (SVM) linear (86%; 95% CI 60-96%), multivariate logistic regression (MLR) (79%; 95% CI 53-93%), and classification and regression tree (CART) (71%; 95% CI 45-88%). MLR showed a slightly higher specificity (85%; 95% CI 59-96%) than MLP (80%; 95% CI 54-93%), SVM linear (75%, 95% CI 49-90%), and CART (65%; 95% CI 39-84%). In terms of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), the MLP model exhibited a higher value (0.918, 95% CI 0.824-1.000) than the SVM linear (0.796, 95% CI 0.651-0.970) and MLR (0.782, 95% CI 0.663-0.960) models. The significant signs and symptoms identified in risk groups are coherent with clinical practice. In settings with a high prevalence of smear-negative PTB, the system can be useful for screening and also to aid clinical practice in expediting complementary tests for higher risk patients. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  15. Bacterial vaginosis, aerobic vaginitis, vaginal inflammation and major Pap smear abnormalities.

    PubMed

    Vieira-Baptista, P; Lima-Silva, J; Pinto, C; Saldanha, C; Beires, J; Martinez-de-Oliveira, J; Donders, G

    2016-04-01

    The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the impact of the vaginal milieu on the presence of abnormal Pap smears and a positive human papilloma virus (HPV) test. A cross-sectional study was conducted between June 2014 and May 2015, evaluating the vaginal discharge by fresh wet mount microscopy and comparing these data with Pap smear findings. Wet mount slides were scored for bacterial vaginosis (BV), aerobic vaginitis (AV), presence of Candida and Trichomonas vaginalis. Cytologic evaluation was done on all Pap smears according to the Bethesda criteria. The cobas© HPV Test (Roche) was performed for HPV detection. A total of 622 cases were evaluated. The mean age of the patients was 41.6 ± 10.65 years (range 21-75). Eighty-three women (13.3 %) had a cytology result worse than low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). When comparing this group with the one with normal or minor [atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) or LSIL] Pap smear abnormalities, there were no differences in the presence of Candida (32.5 % vs. 33.2 %, p = 1.0), absence of lactobacilli (38.6 % vs. 32.5 %, p = 0.32) or BV (20.5 % vs. 13.2 %, p = 0.09). On the other hand, moderate or severe inflammation (msI) (41.0 % vs. 28.8 %, p = 0,04), moderate or severe AV (msAV) (16.9 % vs. 7.2 %, p = 0.009) and msAV/BV (37.3 % vs. 20.0 %, p = 0.001) were more common in women with such major cervical abnormalities. No significant association was found between deviations of the vaginal milieu and high-risk HPV infection. The presence of msI or msAV, but not BV, is independently associated with an increased risk of major cervical cytological abnormalities, but not with HPV infection.

  16. Direct-to-digital holography reduction of reference hologram noise and fourier space smearing

    DOEpatents

    Voelkl, Edgar

    2006-06-27

    Systems and methods are described for reduction of reference hologram noise and reduction of Fourier space smearing, especially in the context of direct-to-digital holography (off-axis interferometry). A method of reducing reference hologram noise includes: recording a plurality of reference holograms; processing the plurality of reference holograms into a corresponding plurality of reference image waves; and transforming the corresponding plurality of reference image waves into a reduced noise reference image wave. A method of reducing smearing in Fourier space includes: recording a plurality of reference holograms; processing the plurality of reference holograms into a corresponding plurality of reference complex image waves; transforming the corresponding plurality of reference image waves into a reduced noise reference complex image wave; recording a hologram of an object; processing the hologram of the object into an object complex image wave; and dividing the complex image wave of the object by the reduced noise reference complex image wave to obtain a reduced smearing object complex image wave.

  17. Efficacy of Sodium Hypochlorite Activated With Laser in Intracanal Smear Layer Removal: An SEM Study

    PubMed Central

    Shahriari, Shahriar; Kasraei, Shahin; Roshanaei, Ghodratollah; Karkeabadi, Hamed; Davanloo, Hossein

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the different concentrations of sodium hypochlorite activated with laser in removing of the smear layer in the apical, middle, and coronal segments of root canal walls by scanning electron microscopy analysis. Methods: Sixty single-rooted human mandibular teeth were decoronated to a standardized length. The samples were prepared by using Race rotary system to size 40, 0.04 taper and divided into 4 equal groups (n = 15). Group 1, irrigated with EDTA 17% and 5.25% NaOCl, groups 2, 3 and 4, 1%, 2.5%, and 5% NaOCl activated with Nd:YAG laser, respectively. Teeth were split longitudinally and subjected to scanning electron microscope (SEM). Data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney tests. P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Five percent NaOCl LAI (laser-activated irrigation) showed best smear layer removal in test groups and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Control group (EDTA 17% and 5.25% NaOCl irrigation) showed significantly better outcomes in comparative with test groups (P < 0.001). In the apical third, compared to coronal and middle third, the canal walls were often contaminated by inorganic debris and smear layer. Conclusion: All different concentrations of sodium hypochlorite activated with laser have a positive effect on removing of smear layer. Sodium hypochlorite activated with laser removed smear layer more effectively at the coronal and middle third compared to the apical third. PMID:28912942

  18. Assessing the efficacy of citrus aurantifolia extract on smear layer removal with scanning electron microscope.

    PubMed

    Bolhari, Behnam; Sharifian, Mohammad Reza; Aminsobhani, Mohsen; Monsef Esfehani, Hamid Reza; Tavakolian, Pardis

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of citrus aurantifolia (CA) extract on smear layer removal in different parts of root canals. Thirty-nine single-rooted human teeth were randomly divided into three experimental (n=12) and one control (n=3) groups. Teeth were instrumented using MTwo rotary instruments. Root canals were irrigated with NaOCl during instrumentation. The canals in each group were irrigated with one of the following: completed mixture of citrus aurantifolia extracts, 17% EDTA, and alcoholic extract of CA. Distilled water was used for the control group. The irrigants were left within the canal for 20 minutes, and then rinsed with normal saline solution. Teeth were subsequently split longitudinally into 2 halves, and the canals were examined by a scanning electron-microscope. Cleanliness was evaluated using a five point scoring system. Statistical significant difference was found between groups (P<0.05). The smear layer was more effectively removed with 17% EDTA compared to alcoholic CA extract. However, they were both able to remove the smear layer in the coronal segment. Completed CA extract removed more smear layer in coronal and middle parts compared with the alcoholic extract (P=0.001); however, there was no significant difference in the apical part. Both of the alcoholic and completed mixtures of citrus aurantifolia extracts were not able to effectively remove smear layer compared with 17% EDTA during root canal therapy.

  19. Eggs containing larvae of Enterobius vermicularis in vaginal smear

    PubMed Central

    Shetty, Jyothi B; Kulkarni, Dhanashri V; Prabhu, VL

    2012-01-01

    Enterobius vermicularis also known commonly as pinworm is the most common intestinal parasite. It is a nematode that inhabits the human terminal ileum, colon and appendix. The fertilized female migrates to the perianal area where eggs are deposited but occasionally introduces itself into adjacent orifices, most commonly the female genitourinary tract. Thus the eggs can be seen in the vaginal smear as a result of contamination. We report a case wherein the patient presented with signs and symptoms of vulvovaginitis. In her vaginal smear there were eggs of Enterobius vermicularis which showed a coiled larva within it. In the background there were plenty of acute inflammatory cells. This patient responded favorably to antihelminthics. We report this case to highlight the morphology of the parasite and also to emphasize that such findings should not be neglected. Timely reporting and appropriate treatment of such cases will prevent further complications of this parasite including endometritis, salphingitis and peritonitis. PMID:22438633

  20. Eggs containing larvae of Enterobius vermicularis in vaginal smear.

    PubMed

    Shetty, Jyothi B; Kulkarni, Dhanashri V; Prabhu, Vl

    2012-01-01

    Enterobius vermicularis also known commonly as pinworm is the most common intestinal parasite. It is a nematode that inhabits the human terminal ileum, colon and appendix. The fertilized female migrates to the perianal area where eggs are deposited but occasionally introduces itself into adjacent orifices, most commonly the female genitourinary tract. Thus the eggs can be seen in the vaginal smear as a result of contamination. We report a case wherein the patient presented with signs and symptoms of vulvovaginitis. In her vaginal smear there were eggs of Enterobius vermicularis which showed a coiled larva within it. In the background there were plenty of acute inflammatory cells. This patient responded favorably to antihelminthics. We report this case to highlight the morphology of the parasite and also to emphasize that such findings should not be neglected. Timely reporting and appropriate treatment of such cases will prevent further complications of this parasite including endometritis, salphingitis and peritonitis.

  1. Soil-transmitted helminths in southern highland Rwanda: associated factors and effectiveness of school-based preventive chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Staudacher, Olga; Heimer, Jakob; Steiner, Florian; Kayonga, Yvette; Havugimana, Jean M; Ignatius, Ralf; Musemakweri, Andre; Ngabo, Fidele; Harms, Gundel; Gahutu, Jean-Bosco; Mockenhaupt, Frank P

    2014-07-01

    Preventive chemotherapy of schoolchildren against soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) is widely implemented in Rwanda. However, data on its actual efficacy are lacking. We assessed prevalence, associated factors and manifestation of STH infection among schoolchildren in southern highland Rwanda as well as cure and reinfection rates. Six hundred and twenty-two children (rural, 301; urban, 321) were included preceding the administration of a single dose of 500 mg mebendazole. Before treatment, and after 2 and 15 weeks, STH infection was determined by Kato-Katz smears and by PCR assays for Ascaris lumbricoides. Clinical and anthropometric data, socio-economic status and factors potentially associated with STH infection were assessed. Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection was present in 38% of rural and in 13% of urban schoolchildren. Ascaris lumbricoides accounted for 96% of infections. Of these, one-third was detected by PCR exclusively. Factors associated with STH infection differed greatly between rural and urban children. Likewise, STH infection was associated with stunting and anaemia only among urban children. The cure rate after 2 weeks was 92%. Among eight non-cleared A. lumbricoides infections, seven were submicroscopic. Reinfection within 3 months occurred in 7%, but the rate was higher among rural children, and with initially present infection, particularly at comparatively high intensity. The rural-urban difference in factors associated with STH infection and in reinfection rates highlights the need for targeted interventions to reduce transmission. PCR assays may help in detecting low-level infections persisting after treatment. In southern Rwanda, mebendazole is highly effective against the STH infections predominated by A. lumbricoides. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Epidemiology of intestinal polyparasitism among Orang Asli school children in rural Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Al-Delaimy, Ahmed K; Al-Mekhlafi, Hesham M; Nasr, Nabil A; Sady, Hany; Atroosh, Wahib M; Nashiry, Mohammed; Anuar, Tengku S; Moktar, Norhayati; Lim, Yvonne A L; Mahmud, Rohela

    2014-08-01

    This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the current prevalence and risk factors associated with intestinal polyparasitism (the concurrent infection with multiple intestinal parasite species) among Orang Asli school children in the Lipis district of Pahang state, Malaysia. Fecal samples were collected from 498 school children (50.6% boys and 49.4% girls), and examined by using direct smear, formalin-ether sedimentation, trichrome stain, modified Ziehl Neelsen stain, Kato-Katz, and Harada Mori techniques. Demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and personal hygiene information were collected by using a pre-tested questionnaire. Overall, 98.4% of the children were found to be infected by at least one parasite species. Of these, 71.4% had polyparasitism. The overall prevalence of Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm, Giardia duodenalis, Entamoeba spp., and Cryptosporidium spp. infections were 95.6%, 47.8%, 28.3%, 28.3%, 14.1% and 5.2%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that using an unsafe water supply as a source for drinking water, presence of other family members infected with intestinal parasitic infections (IPI), not washing vegetables before consumption, absence of a toilet in the house, not wearing shoes when outside, not cutting nails periodically, and not washing hands before eating were significant risk factors associated with intestinal polyparasitism among these children. Intestinal polyparasitism is highly prevalent among children in the peninsular Malaysian Aboriginal communities. Hence, effective and sustainable control measures, including school-based periodic chemotherapy, providing adequate health education focused on good personal hygiene practices and proper sanitation, as well as safe drinking water supply should be implemented to reduce the prevalence and consequences of these infections in this population.

  3. Epidemiology of Intestinal Polyparasitism among Orang Asli School Children in Rural Malaysia

    PubMed Central

    Al-Delaimy, Ahmed K.; Al-Mekhlafi, Hesham M.; Nasr, Nabil A.; Sady, Hany; Atroosh, Wahib M.; Nashiry, Mohammed; Anuar, Tengku S.; Moktar, Norhayati; Lim, Yvonne A. L.; Mahmud, Rohela

    2014-01-01

    Background This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the current prevalence and risk factors associated with intestinal polyparasitism (the concurrent infection with multiple intestinal parasite species) among Orang Asli school children in the Lipis district of Pahang state, Malaysia. Methods/Principal findings Fecal samples were collected from 498 school children (50.6% boys and 49.4% girls), and examined by using direct smear, formalin-ether sedimentation, trichrome stain, modified Ziehl Neelsen stain, Kato-Katz, and Harada Mori techniques. Demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and personal hygiene information were collected by using a pre-tested questionnaire. Overall, 98.4% of the children were found to be infected by at least one parasite species. Of these, 71.4% had polyparasitism. The overall prevalence of Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm, Giardia duodenalis, Entamoeba spp., and Cryptosporidium spp. infections were 95.6%, 47.8%, 28.3%, 28.3%, 14.1% and 5.2%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that using an unsafe water supply as a source for drinking water, presence of other family members infected with intestinal parasitic infections (IPI), not washing vegetables before consumption, absence of a toilet in the house, not wearing shoes when outside, not cutting nails periodically, and not washing hands before eating were significant risk factors associated with intestinal polyparasitism among these children. Conclusions/Significance Intestinal polyparasitism is highly prevalent among children in the peninsular Malaysian Aboriginal communities. Hence, effective and sustainable control measures, including school-based periodic chemotherapy, providing adequate health education focused on good personal hygiene practices and proper sanitation, as well as safe drinking water supply should be implemented to reduce the prevalence and consequences of these infections in this population. PMID:25144662

  4. Do health care providers have a lower prevalence of abnormal pap smears than the general public?

    PubMed

    Suwannarurk, Komsun; Bhamarapravatana, Konkarn; Kheolamai, Pakpoom; Thaweekul, Yuttadej; Mairaing, Karicha; Poomtavorn, Yenrudee; Pattaraarchachai, Junya

    2010-12-01

    Most Thai people believe that health care providers have a lower risk of any disease than their patients. This belief may lull Thai health care providers into accepting the false belief that they are at a lower risk of having the precancerous conditions that lead to cervical cancer. This study compares the prevalence of abnormal Pap smears from health care providers (HC) and non health care providers (NHC) by using the standard liquid-based Pap smear processing at Thammasat University Hospital's pathology department, Thailand. Both health care providers (HC) and non health care providers (NHC) were patients at the outpatient clinic, Thammasat University Hospital. They were screened for cervical cancer by using liquid-based Pap smear (LBP). Cytological diagnoses and specimen adequacy were classified using the Bethesda system 2001. All subjects who had abnormal cytology more than atypical squamous cells or atypical glandular cells were counseled to have performed a colposcopic directed biopsy for confirmation of pathology. A total of 250 liquid-base Pap smears were processed and evaluated at the Gynecology clinic, Thammasat University Hospital from April 2008 to May 2008. The groups of HC and NHC consisted of 122 and 128 women, respectively. In general, both the HC and NHC groups were similar in their age, religion, income and education level distributions. The range of ages was between 16 and 75 years, with the mean age equal to 40.2 +/- 10.5 years. Prevalence of abnormal Pap smears was 9.8% in HC and 9.4% in NHC (p-value = 0.90). HC showed atypical change (ASC, AGC), low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) at 0.8%, 1.6% and 7.4%, respectively. NHC had an incidence of atypical change, LSIL and HSIL at 0.8%, 0.8% and 7.8%. HC had an equal incidence of abnormal Pap smears prevalence to NHC. Further, the percentage of HC and NHC groups with histological confirmed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1

  5. The effect of root surface conditioning on smear layer removal in periodontal regeneration (a scanning electron microscopic study)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fidyawati, D.; Soeroso, Y.; Masulili, S. L. C.

    2017-08-01

    The role of root surface conditioning treatment on smear layer removal of human teeth is affected by periodontitis in periodontal regeneration. The objective of this study is to analyze the smear layer on root surface conditioned with 2.1% minocycline HCl ointment (Periocline), and 24% EDTA gel (Prefgel). A total of 10 human teeth indicated for extraction due to chronic periodontitis were collected and root planed. The teeth were sectioned in thirds of the cervical area, providing 30 samples that were divided into three groups - minocycline ointment treatment, 24% EDTA gel treatment, and saline as a control. The samples were examined by scanning electron microscope. No significant differences in levels of smear layer were observed between the minocycline group and the EDTA group (p=0.759). However, there were significant differences in the level of smear layer after root surface treatment in the minocycline and EDTA groups, compared with the control group (p=0.00). There was a relationship between root surface conditioning treatment and smear layer levels following root planing.

  6. More experiences with the Tzanck smear test: cytologic findings in cutaneous granulomatous disorders.

    PubMed

    Durdu, Murat; Baba, Mete; Seçkin, Deniz

    2009-09-01

    Granulomatous dermatitis is a distinctive histopathologic cutaneous reaction pattern against various infectious and noninfectious agents. Cytologically, granulomatous dermatitis shows granulomas and multinucleated giant cells. Various etiologic agents of granulomatous diseases can also be identified. We aimed to investigate Tzanck smear findings in granulomatous skin diseases. Patients who had granulomas and/or multinucleated giant cells of Langhans, foreign body- and/or Touton type in Tzanck smear tests were included in the study. In these patients, Tzanck preparations were then further evaluated for additional cytologic findings. Samples stained with May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain were evaluated by the same dermatologist throughout the study. In some patients, methylene blue, Gram and/or Erlich-Ziehl-Nielsen stains were also performed. In all of the study cases, the final diagnosis was established after the evaluation of clinical and laboratory findings (including, when appropriate, potassium hydroxide examination; bacterial, leishmanial, and fungal cultures; histopathology; tuberculosis and leishmania polymerase chain reaction). We also calculated the sensitivity and specificity of the Leishman-Donovan body for cutaneous leishmaniasis. Over a 2-year period, 94 of 950 patients (9.9%) in whom Tzanck smear tests were performed had cytologic findings consistent with a granulomatous reaction. In 74 (78.7%) and 20 (21.3%) patients, the granulomatous reaction was due to infectious and noninfectious causes, respectively. Infectious causes included cutaneous leishmaniasis in 65 patients (87.8%), candidal granuloma in two patients, botyromycosis in two patients, and aspergillosis, blastomycosis, mucormycosis, leprosy, and cutaneous tuberculosis in one patient each. In 58 of 74 patients (78.4%) with infectious granulomatous dermatitis, the causes of the granulomas were identified. Noninfectious granulomatous reactions were due to granuloma annulare in 7 patients, sarcoidosis

  7. Diagnostic performance of smear microscopy and incremental yield of Xpert in detection of pulmonary tuberculosis in Rwanda.

    PubMed

    Ngabonziza, Jean Claude Semuto; Ssengooba, Willy; Mutua, Florence; Torrea, Gabriela; Dushime, Augustin; Gasana, Michel; Andre, Emmanuel; Uwamungu, Schifra; Nyaruhirira, Alaine Umubyeyi; Mwaengo, Dufton; Muvunyi, Claude Mambo

    2016-11-08

    Tuberculosis control program of Rwanda is currently phasing in light emitting diode-fluorescent microscopy (LED-FM) as an alternative to Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) smear microscopy. This, alongside the newly introduced Xpert (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) is expected to improve diagnosis of tuberculosis and detection of rifampicin resistance in patients at health facilities. We assessed the accuracy of smear microscopy and the incremental sensitivity of Xpert at tuberculosis laboratories in Rwanda. This was a cross-sectional study involving four laboratories performing ZN and four laboratories performing LED-FM microscopy. The laboratories include four intermediate (ILs) and four peripheral (PLs) laboratories. After smear microscopy, the left-over of samples, of a single early-morning sputum from 648 participants, were tested using Xpert and mycobacterial culture as a reference standard. Sensitivity of each test was compared and the incremental sensitivity of Xpert after a negative smear was assessed. A total of 96 presumptive pulmonary tuberculosis participants were culture positive for M. tuberculosis. The overall sensitivity in PL of ZN was 55.1 % (40.2-69.3 %), LED-FM was 37 % (19.4-57.6 %) and Xpert was 77.6 % (66.6-86.4 %) whereas in ILs the same value for ZN was 58.3 % (27.7-84.8 %), LED-FM was 62.5 % (24.5-91.5 %) and Xpert was 90 (68.3-98.8 %). The sensitivity for all tests was significantly higher among HIV-negative individuals (all test p <0.05). The overall incremental sensitivity of Xpert over smear microscopy was 32.3 %; p < 0.0001. The incremental sensitivity of Xpert was statistically significant for both smear methods at PL (32.9 %; p = 0.001) but not at the ILs (30 %; p = 0.125) for both smear methods. Our study findings of the early implementation of the LED-FM did not reveal significant increment in sensitivity compared to the method being phased out (ZN). This study showed a significant incremental sensitivity for Xpert from

  8. A TPS kernel for calculating survival vs. depth: distributions in a carbon radiotherapy beam, based on Katz's cellular Track Structure Theory.

    PubMed

    Waligórski, M P R; Grzanka, L; Korcyl, M; Olko, P

    2015-09-01

    An algorithm was developed of a treatment planning system (TPS) kernel for carbon radiotherapy in which Katz's Track Structure Theory of cellular survival (TST) is applied as its radiobiology component. The physical beam model is based on available tabularised data, prepared by Monte Carlo simulations of a set of pristine carbon beams of different input energies. An optimisation tool developed for this purpose is used to find the composition of pristine carbon beams of input energies and fluences which delivers a pre-selected depth-dose distribution profile over the spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP) region. Using an extrapolation algorithm, energy-fluence spectra of the primary carbon ions and of all their secondary fragments are obtained over regular steps of beam depths. To obtain survival vs. depth distributions, the TST calculation is applied to the energy-fluence spectra of the mixed field of primary ions and of their secondary products at the given beam depths. Katz's TST offers a unique analytical and quantitative prediction of cell survival in such mixed ion fields. By optimising the pristine beam composition to a published depth-dose profile over the SOBP region of a carbon beam and using TST model parameters representing the survival of CHO (Chinese Hamster Ovary) cells in vitro, it was possible to satisfactorily reproduce a published data set of CHO cell survival vs. depth measurements after carbon ion irradiation. The authors also show by a TST calculation that 'biological dose' is neither linear nor additive. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Comparison of two methods used to prepare smears of mouse lung tissue for detection of Pneumocystis carinii.

    PubMed Central

    Thomson, R B; Smith, T F; Wilson, W R

    1982-01-01

    The laboratory diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in humans includes the identification of cysts in stained lung tissue impression smears. By using a mouse model, we compared the number of cysts in lung tissue impression smears with those contained in a concentrate of homogenized lung tissue. Eleven C3H/HEN mice developed P. carinii infection after corticosteroid injections, a low protein (8%) diet, and tetracycline administered in drinking water. Impression smears were prepared with freshly bisected lung tissue. Smears of concentrates were prepared with sediment from centrifuged lung tissue homogenates. All smears were made in duplicate, stained with toluidine blue O or methenamine silver, coded, randomized, and examined. The concentrate preparations contained more cysts per microscopic field than the impression preparations (P less than 0.01). Concentrates prepared by grinding with a mortar and pestle contained more cysts than concentrates prepared by blending with a Stomacher (P less than 0.05). Cysts were detected equally well with either the toluidine blue O or silver stain (not significant). Lung tissue concentrates were superior to lung tissue impressions for detecting P. carinii cysts in mice. Use of lung tissue concentrates should be considered for the diagnosis of human P. carinii infection. PMID:6181088

  10. Triage of the abnormal Papanicolaou smear in pregnancy.

    PubMed

    Apgar, B S; Zoschnick, L B

    1998-06-01

    Triage of the abnormal Papanicolaou smear in pregnancy requires colposcopic evaluation and directed biopsy. If histologic cervical intraepithelial neoplasia is confirmed, the patient can be managed with observations and can be re-evaluated in the postpartum period. If evidence of microinvasion is present, conization must be performed. For patients with invasive disease, a delay in therapy until fetal maturity is achieved does not compromise survival.

  11. A correlative study of Papanicolaou smear, fluorescent antibody, and culture for the diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis.

    PubMed

    Spence, M R; Barbacci, M; Kappus, E; Quinn, T

    1986-11-01

    A prospective study of 300 patients undergoing therapeutic termination of pregnancy was conducted. A Papanicolaou smear was obtained and a clinical evaluation of the cervix was made. Specimens from the cervix were examined by both direct fluorescent antibody and culture techniques for the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis. The presence of inflammation on Papanicolaou smear could be correlated with C trachomatis isolation. Papanicolaou smear findings consistent with C trachomatis lacked both sensitivity and specificity when compared with direct fluorescent antibody and/or culture techniques. A correlation was found between the clinical diagnosis of cervicitis and C trachomatis. This interrelationship was absent when the component findings of cervicitis (ectopy, friability, and purulent mucus) were examined independently.

  12. Is introducing rapid culture into the diagnostic algorithm of smear-negative tuberculosis cost-effective?

    PubMed

    Yakhelef, N; Audibert, M; Varaine, F; Chakaya, J; Sitienei, J; Huerga, H; Bonnet, M

    2014-05-01

    In 2007, the World Health Organization recommended introducing rapid Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture into the diagnostic algorithm of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). To assess the cost-effectiveness of introducing a rapid non-commercial culture method (thin-layer agar), together with Löwenstein-Jensen culture to diagnose smear-negative TB at a district hospital in Kenya. Outcomes (number of true TB cases treated) were obtained from a prospective study evaluating the effectiveness of a clinical and radiological algorithm (conventional) against the alternative algorithm (conventional plus M. tuberculosis culture) in 380 smear-negative TB suspects. The costs of implementing each algorithm were calculated using a 'micro-costing' or 'ingredient-based' method. We then compared the cost and effectiveness of conventional vs. culture-based algorithms and estimated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. The costs of conventional and culture-based algorithms per smear-negative TB suspect were respectively €39.5 and €144. The costs per confirmed and treated TB case were respectively €452 and €913. The culture-based algorithm led to diagnosis and treatment of 27 more cases for an additional cost of €1477 per case. Despite the increase in patients started on treatment thanks to culture, the relatively high cost of a culture-based algorithm will make it difficult for resource-limited countries to afford.

  13. Papanicolaou smear findings in solid-organ transplant recipients compared with normal subjects according to the Bethesda 2001 system.

    PubMed

    Ok Atılgan, Alev; Tepeoğlu, Merih; Haberal, A Nihan; Durukan, Elif; Kuşcu, Esra; Haberal, Mehmet

    2015-04-01

    Solid-organ transplant recipients are at increased risk of developing cancer including cervical cancer compared with woman in the general population, mostly due to long-term immunosuppressive therapy. The Papanicolaou smear remains the primary method of screening cervical pathology including preinvasive and invasive lesions. The objective of this study was to evaluate Pap smear findings in solid-organ transplant recipients, determine the prevalence of abnormal smears, and compare these patients with the general population. We retrospectively examined 111 women patients who received liver or kidney transplant between January 1990 to December 2012 at Başkent University Ankara Hospital. Pap smear findings were compared with normal control patients matched for same age and technical procedure of cervical cytology. To selection of control patients, propensity score matching program was performed. All Pap smears were re-examined according to Bethesda 2001 criteria. In 111 transplant patients, 2 patients (1.8%) had atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, 8 patients (7.2%) had low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, 15 patients (13.5%) had Candida infection, 2 patients (1.8%) had Trichomonas vaginalis, 1 patient (0.9%) had herpes simplex infection, 13 patients (11.7%) had bacterial vaginosis, 15 patients (13.5%) had reactive changes due to inflammation, and 18 patients (16.2%) had atrophy. When we compared our results with the control group, there were statistically significant differences (P ≤ .05) between the 2 groups in epithelial cell abnormalities (low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion), Candida infection, bacterial vaginosis, and atrophy. Pap smear screening potentially may help recognize cervical preinvasive and invasive lesions. The risk of developing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia is greater in transplant recipients because of immunosuppressive therapy. The incidence of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion was significantly greater

  14. Smearing the opposition: implicit and explicit stigmatization of the 2008 U.S. Presidential candidates and the current U.S. President.

    PubMed

    Kosloff, Spee; Greenberg, Jeff; Schmader, Toni; Dechesne, Mark; Weise, David

    2010-08-01

    Four studies investigated whether political allegiance and salience of outgroup membership contribute to the phenomenon of acceptance of false, stigmatizing information (smears) about political candidates. Studies 1-3 were conducted in the month prior to the 2008 U.S. Presidential election and together demonstrated that pre-standing opposition to John McCain or Barack Obama, as well as the situational salience of differentiating social categories (i.e., for Obama, race; for McCain, age), contributed to the implicit activation and explicit endorsement of smearing labels (i.e., Obama is Muslim; McCain is senile). The influence of salient differentiating categories on smear acceptance was particularly pronounced among politically undecided individuals. Study 4 clarified that social category differences heighten smear acceptance, even if the salient category is semantically unrelated to the smearing label, showing that, approximately 1 year after the election, the salience of race amplified belief that Obama is a socialist among undecided people and McCain supporters. Taken together, these findings suggest that, at both implicit and explicit cognitive levels, social category differences and political allegiance contribute to acceptance of smears against political candidates. 2010 APA, all rights reserved

  15. Relationship between estimated pretest probability and accuracy of automated Mycobacterium tuberculosis assay in smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Lim, T K; Gough, A; Chin, N K; Kumarasinghe, G

    2000-09-01

    The AMPLICOR assay (Roche; Branchburg, NJ), a rapid direct amplification test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has only been licensed for use in smear-positive respiratory specimens. However, many patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) have smear-negative disease. The clinical utility of this test in patients with smear-negative PTB is unknown. To evaluate the effect of pretest probability of PTB estimated by chest physicians on the accuracy of the AMPLICOR assay in patients with smear-negative PTB. A prospective study of consecutive patients suspected of having smear-negative PTB. Two chest physicians estimated the pretest probability of active disease (high, intermediate, and low categories). Respiratory specimens were examined with radiometric broth medium cultures and with the AMPLICOR assay for M tuberculosis. The decision on a final diagnosis of PTB was blinded to the AMPLICOR results. Active PTB was diagnosed in 25 of 441 patients (5.7%). The AMPLICOR assay had an overall sensitivity of 44% and a specificity of 99%. Results of the assay were negative in seven patients with culture-negative PTB. The proportions of patients in the high, intermediate, and low pretest groups were 4.5%, 19.7%, and 75.7%, respectively. The incidence of PTB for each group was 95%, 3.4%, and 0.9%, respectively. The sensitivities of the AMPLICOR assay in the three groups of patients were 47%, 33%, and 33%, respectively, while the specificities were 100%, 98%, and 99%, respectively. In patients suspected of having smear-negative PTB, the following conclusions were drawn: (1) the incidence of active PTB was low; (2) pretest estimates accurately discriminated between patients with high and low risk of PTB; (3) the risk of PTB was overestimated in the intermediate group; and (4) the utility of the AMPLICOR assay in the intermediate-risk group may be limited by the overestimation of disease prevalence and low test sensitivity. Further studies are needed on the role of the AMPLICOR

  16. Nationwide cross-sectional survey of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Sudan: study protocol.

    PubMed

    Cha, Seungman; Hong, Sung-Tae; Lee, Young-Ha; Lee, Keon Hoon; Cho, Dae Seong; Lee, Jinmoo; Chai, Jong-Yil; Elhag, Mousab Siddig; Khaled, Soheir Gabralla Ahmad; Elnimeiri, Mustafa Khidir Mustafa; Siddig, Nahid Abdelgadeir Ali; Abdelrazig, Hana; Awadelkareem, Sarah; Elshafie, Azza Tag Eldin; Ismail, Hassan Ahmed Hassan Ahmed; Amin, Mutamad

    2017-09-12

    Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STHs) are target neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) of preventive chemotherapy, but the control and elimination of these diseases have been impeded due to resource constraints. Few reports have described study protocol to draw on when conducting a nationwide survey. We present a detailed methodological description of the integrated mapping of schistosomiasis and STHs on the basis of our experiences, hoping that this protocol can be applied to future surveys in similar settings. In addition to determining the ecological zones requiring mass drug administration interventions, we aim to provide precise estimates of the prevalence of these diseases. A school-based cross-sectional design will be applied for the nationwide survey across Sudan. The survey is designed to cover all districts in every state. We have divided each district into 3 different ecological zones depending on proximity to bodies of water. We will employ a probability-proportional-to-size sampling method for schools and systematic sampling for student selection to provide adequate data regarding the prevalence for schistosomiasis and STHs in Sudan at the state level. A total of 108,660 students will be selected from 1811 schools across Sudan. After the survey is completed, 391 ecological zones will be mapped out. To carry out the survey, 655 staff members were recruited. The feces and urine samples are microscopically examined by the Kato-Katz method and the sediment smears for helminth eggs respectively. For quality control, a minimum of 10% of the slides will be rechecked by the federal supervisors in each state and also 5% of the smears are validated again within one day by independent supervisors. This nationwide mapping is expected to generate important epidemiological information and indicators about schistosomiasis and STHs that will be useful for monitoring and evaluating the control program. The mapping data will also be used for overviewing

  17. Economic analysis of CDC's culture- and smear-based tuberculosis instructions for Filipino immigrants.

    PubMed

    Maskery, B; Posey, D L; Coleman, M S; Asis, R; Zhou, W; Painter, J A; Wingate, L T; Roque, M; Cetron, M S

    2018-04-01

    In 2007, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised its tuberculosis (TB) technical instructions for panel physicians who administer mandatory medical examinations among US-bound immigrants. Many US-bound immigrants come from the Philippines, a high TB prevalence country. To quantify economic and health impacts of smear- vs. culture-based TB screening. Decision tree modeling was used to compare three Filipino screening programs: 1) no screening, 2) smear-based screening, and 3) culture-based screening. The model incorporated pre-departure TB screening results from Filipino panel physicians and CDC databases with post-arrival follow-up outcomes. Costs (2013 $US) were examined from societal, immigrant, US Public Health Department and hospitalization perspectives. With no screening, an annual cohort of 35 722 Filipino immigrants would include an estimated 450 TB patients with 264 hospitalizations, at a societal cost of US$9.90 million. Culture-based vs. smear-based screening would result in fewer imported cases (80.9 vs. 310.5), hospitalizations (19.7 vs. 68.1), and treatment costs (US$1.57 million vs. US$4.28 million). Societal screening costs, including US follow-up, were greater for culture-based screening (US$5.98 million) than for smear-based screening (US$3.38 million). Culture-based screening requirements increased immigrant costs by 61% (US$1.7 million), but reduced costs for the US Public Health Department (22%, US$750 000) and of hospitalization (70%, US$1 020 000). Culture-based screening reduced imported TB and US costs among Filipino immigrants.

  18. Analytical variability of estimated platelet counts on canine blood smears.

    PubMed

    Paltrinieri, Saverio; Paciletti, Veronica; Zambarbieri, Jari

    2018-06-04

    The analytical variability of estimated platelet counts in dogs has not been reported. The purpose of this study was to assess the magnitude of analytical imprecision of platelet estimates and the possible impact of this imprecision on clinical decisions. Three independent observers counted the number of platelets in 3 different areas (LE = lateral edge; CM = central monolayer; FE = feathered edge) of 30 canine blood smears with different instrumental platelet counts. The coefficient of variation (CV) for each observer was calculated in different areas of each smear (intra-observer variability), among different regions of each smear (inter-area variability), and among different observers in each area (inter-observer variability). The influence of these variabilities on the classification of platelet estimates as adequate, increased, or decreased was also assessed. The CVs recorded in the different areas by each observer ranged from 8% to 88% and were negatively correlated (P < .001, r = -.65) with the mean number of platelets per field. The mean platelet number was significantly lower in the FE and significantly higher in the CM compared with the LE, but the magnitude of this difference varied with the operators. The concordance among operators regarding platelet estimates was fair (k = 0.36) to substantial (k = 0.71) depending on the area. The overall inter-area concordance was moderate (k = 0.59). Platelet estimates suffer from high variability that could lead to patient misclassification. Therefore, guidelines to standardize the platelet estimate are needed. © 2018 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

  19. Barriers to Follow-Up for Abnormal Papanicolaou Smears among Female Sex Workers in Lima, Peru.

    PubMed

    Aharon, Devora; Calderon, Martha; Solari, Vicky; Alarcon, Patricia; Zunt, Joseph

    2017-01-01

    Cervical cancer is the most prevalent cancer among Peruvian women. Female sex workers (FSW) in Peru are at elevated risk for HPV infection, and receive annual Papanicolaou screening. The objective of this study was to identify barriers to follow-up for abnormal Pap smears among FSW in Peru. 97 FSW attending the Alberto Barton Health Center in Lima were surveyed regarding their STI screening history. 17 women with a history of an abnormal Pap smear were interviewed about their experiences regarding follow-up care. Of the 27 HPV-positive women, only 8 (30%) received follow-up treatment. Of the 19 women who did not receive follow-up, 7 (37%) had not been informed of their abnormal result. Qualitative interviews revealed that the major barrier to follow-up was lack of knowledge about HPV and potential health consequences of an abnormal Pap smear. HPV infection is highly prevalent in Peruvian FSW, yet only 30% of FSW with abnormal Pap smears receive follow-up care. The predominant barriers to follow-up were lack of standardization in recording and communicating results and insufficient FSW knowledge regarding health consequences of HPV infection. Standardization of record-keeping and distribution of educational pamphlets have been implemented to improve follow-up for HPV.

  20. Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor expression in KATO-III cells after Helicobacter pylori stimulation under the influence of strychnos Nux vomica and Calendula officinalis.

    PubMed

    Hofbauer, Roland; Pasching, Eva; Moser, Doris; Frass, Michael

    2010-07-01

    Previous studies have shown the stimulating effect of Helicobacter pylori on the gene expression of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF) using the gastric epithelial cell line KATO-III. Strychnos Nux vomica (Nux vomica) and Calendula officinalis are used in highly diluted form in homeopathic medicine to treat patients suffering from gastritis and gastric ulcers. To investigate the influence of Nux vomica and Calendula officinalis on HB-EGF-like growth factor gene expression in KATO-III cells under the stimulation of H. pylori strain N6 using real-time PCR with and without addition of Nux vomica and Calendula officinalis as a 10c or 12c potency. Baseline expression and stimulation were similar to previous experiments, addition of Nux vomica 10c and Calendula officinalis 10c in a 43% ethanolic solution led to a significant reduction of H. pylori induced increase in gene expression of HB-EGF (reduced to 53.12+/-0.95% and 75.32+/-1.16% vs. control; p<0.05), respectively. Nux vomica 12c reduced HB-EGF gene expression even in dilutions beyond Avogadro's number (55.77+/-1.09%; p<0.05). Nux vomica 12c in a 21.5% ethanol showed a smaller effect (71.80+/-3.91%, p<0.05). This effect was only be observed when the drugs were primarily prepared in ethanol, not in aqueous solutions. The data suggest that both drugs prepared in ethanolic solution are potent inhibitors of H. pylori induced gene expression. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. The Effect of Smear Layer Removal on Endodontic Outcomes

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-06-01

    THE EFFECT OF SMEAR LAYER REMOVAL ON ENDODONTIC OUTCOMES by Spencer Weiss Bjarnason, D.M.D. Lieutenant, Dental Corps United...States Navy A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Endodontic Graduate Program Naval Postgraduate Dental School Uniformed...June 2016 3 Naval Postgraduate Dental School Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Bethesda, Maiyland CERTIFICATE OF

  2. I = 2 ππ scattering phase shift from the HAL QCD method with the LapH smearing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kawai, Daisuke; Aoki, Sinya; Doi, Takumi; Ikeda, Yoichi; Inoue, Takashi; Iritani, Takumi; Ishii, Noriyoshi; Miyamoto, Takaya; Nemura, Hidekatsu; Sasaki, Kenji

    2018-04-01

    Physical observables, such as the scattering phase shifts and binding energy, calculated from the non-local HAL QCD potential do not depend on the sink operators used to define the potential. In practical applications, the derivative expansion of the non-local potential is employed, so that physical observables may receive some scheme dependence at a given order of the expansion. In this paper, we compare the I=2ππ scattering phase shifts obtained in the point-sink scheme (the standard scheme in the HAL QCD method) and the smeared-sink scheme (the LapH smearing newly introduced in the HAL QCD method). Although potentials in different schemes have different forms as expected, we find that, for reasonably small smearing size, the resultant scattering phase shifts agree with each other if the next-to-leading-order (NLO) term is taken into account. We also find that the HAL QCD potential in the point-sink scheme has a negligible NLO term for a wide range of energies, which implies good convergence of the derivative expansion, while the potential in the smeared-sink scheme has a non-negligible NLO contribution. The implications of this observation for future studies of resonance channels (such as the I=0 and 1ππ scatterings) with smeared all-to-all propagators are briefly discussed.

  3. Influence of Smear Layer on the Antimicrobial Activity of a Sodium Hypochlorite/Etidronic Acid Irrigating Solution in Infected Dentin.

    PubMed

    Morago, Ana; Ordinola-Zapata, Ronald; Ferrer-Luque, Carmen María; Baca, Pilar; Ruiz-Linares, Matilde; Arias-Moliz, María Teresa

    2016-11-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the smear layer on the antimicrobial activity of a 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl)/9% etidronic acid (HEBP) irrigating solution against bacteria growing inside dentin tubules. Dentin tubules were infected with Enterococcus faecalis by centrifugation. After 5 days of incubation, the smear layer had formed in half of the samples, which were then treated with 2.5% NaOCl either alone or combined with 9% HEBP for 3 minutes. The percentage of dead cells in infected dentinal tubules was measured using confocal laser scanning microscopy and the live/dead technique. The smear layer on the surface of the root canal wall was also observed by scanning electron microscopy. Results of the percentage of dead cells were compared using parametric tests after subjecting data to the normalized Anscombe transformation. The level of significance was P < .05. In the absence of the smear layer, 2.5% NaOCl alone and combined with 9% HEBP showed high antimicrobial activity without significant differences between the 2. The smear layer reduced the antimicrobial activity of 2.5% NaOCl significantly, whereas the solution with HEBP was not affected. No dentin tubules free of the smear layer were obtained in the 2.5% NaOCl group. In the case of 2.5% NaOCl/9% HEBP, 95.40% ± 3.63% of dentin tubules were cleaned. The presence of the smear layer reduced the antimicrobial activity of 2.5% NaOCl. The combination of 2.5% NaOCl/9% HEBP exerted antimicrobial activity that was not reduced by the smear layer. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Effects of ethylenediaminetetraacetic, etidronic and peracetic acid irrigation on human root dentine and the smear layer.

    PubMed

    Lottanti, S; Gautschi, H; Sener, B; Zehnder, M

    2009-04-01

    To evaluate the effects of ethylenediaminetetraacetic (EDTA), etidronic (EA) and peracetic acid (PA) when used in conjunction with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) as root canal irrigants on calcium eluted from canals, smear layer, and root dentine demineralization after instrumentation/irrigation. Single-rooted human premolars were irrigated as follows (n = 12 per group): (1) 1% NaOCl during instrumentation, deionized water after instrumentation, (2) 1% NaOCl during, 17% EDTA after instrumentation, (3) a 1 : 1-mixture of 2% NaOCl and 18% EA during and after instrumentation, and (4) 1% NaOCl during, 2.25% PA after instrumentation. Irrigant volumes and contact times were 10 mL/15 min during and 5 mL/3 min after instrumentation. The evaluated outcomes were eluted calcium by atomic absorption spectroscopy, smear-covered areas by scanning electron microscopy in secondary electron mode and apparent canal wall decalcifications on root transsections in backscatter mode. For the smear layer analysis, sclerotic dentine was taken into consideration. Results were compared using appropriate parametric and nonparametric tests, alpha = 0.05. The statistical comparison of the protocols regarding calcium elution revealed that protocol (1) yielded less calcium than (3), which yielded less than protocols (2) and (4). Most of the instrumented canal walls treated with one of the decalcifying agents were free of smear layer. Protocols (1) and (3) caused no decalcification of root dentine, whilst (2) and (4) showed substance typical demineralization patterns. The decalcifying agents under investigation were all able to remove or prevent a smear layer. However, they eroded the dentine wall differently.

  5. Diabetes mellitus and tuberculosis: pattern of tuberculosis, two-month smear conversion and treatment outcomes in Guangzhou, China.

    PubMed

    Mi, Fengling; Tan, Shouyong; Liang, Li; Harries, Anthony D; Hinderaker, Sven G; Lin, Yan; Yue, Wentao; Chen, Xi; Liang, Bing; Gong, Fang; Du, Jian

    2013-11-01

    There is a high burden of both diabetes (DM) and tuberculosis (TB) in China. We evaluated the association between DM and the pattern of disease, 2-month sputum smear conversion and treatment outcomes of patients with TB in Guangzhou, China. All patients registered with TB from September 2011 to June 2012 were screened for DM and assessed for treatment outcomes in relation to presence or absence of DM and quality of DM control using patient registers, treatment cards and electronic record systems. There were 1589 patients with TB of whom 189 (12%) had DM. Among those with DM, there was a significantly higher proportion of men, persons aged 35 years and older and persons with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) (P < 0.01). In patients with DM and new smear-positive PTB, there was a higher proportion who had positive sputum smears at 2 months (21.7% vs. 5.6%, RR 3.85, 95%CI 2.24-6.63), who were lost-to-follow-up (5.2% vs. 1.7%, RR 3.23, 95%CI 1.08-9.63) and who failed treatment (10.3% vs. 2.3%, RR 4.46, 95%CI 1.96-10.18) compared with patients who had no DM. There was no significant association between these adverse outcomes and DM control as measured by 2 and 6-month fasting blood glucose. Diabetes mellitus in new smear-positive patients with PTB was associated with failure to sputum smear convert at 2 months and adverse treatment outcomes of loss-to-follow-up and failure. Further research is needed to understand the reasons for these findings and to determine whether the current length of treatment of 6 months is adequate. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Usefulness of interferon-γ release assay for the diagnosis of sputum smear-negative pulmonary and extra-pulmonary TB in Zhejiang Province, China.

    PubMed

    Ji, Lei; Lou, Yong-Liang; Wu, Zhong-Xiu; Jiang, Jin-Qin; Fan, Xing-Li; Wang, Li-Fang; Liu, Xiao-Xiang; Du, Peng; Yan, Jie; Sun, Ai-Hua

    2017-09-01

    Quick diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and extra-pulmonary TB are urgently needed in clinical diagnosis. Our research aims to investigate the usefulness of the interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) for the diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary and extra-pulmonary TB. We performed TB antibody and TB-IGRA tests on 389 pulmonary TB patients (including 120 smear-positive pulmonary TB patients and 269 smear-negative pulmonary TB patients), 113 extra-pulmonary TB patients, 81 patients with other pulmonary diseases and 100 healthy controls. Blood samples for the TB-Ab test and the TB-IGRA were collected, processed, and interpreted according to the manufacturer's protocol. The detection ratio of smear-positive pulmonary TB patients and smear-negative pulmonary TB patients were 90.8% (109 of 120) and 89.6% (241 of 269), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference of its performance between these two sample sets (P > 0.05). The detection ratio of positive TB patients and extra-pulmonary TB patients were 90.0% (350 of 389) and 87.6% (99 of 113), respectively, which was not significantly different (P > 0.05). In this work, the total detection ratio using TB-IGRA was 89.4%, therefore TB-IGRA has diagnostic values in smear-negative pulmonary TB and extra-pulmonary TB diagnosis.

  7. The incidence and clinical implication of sputum with positive acid-fast bacilli smear but negative in mycobacterial culture in a tertiary referral hospital in South Korea.

    PubMed

    Lee, Jae Seok; Kim, Eui-Chong; Joo, Sei Ick; Lee, Sang-Min; Yoo, Chul-Gyu; Kim, Young Whan; Han, Sung Koo; Shim, Young-Soo; Yim, Jae-Joon

    2008-10-01

    Although it is not rare to find sputum that is positive acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear but subsequent culture fails to isolate mycobacteria in clinical practice, the incidence and clinical implication of those sputa from new patients has not been clearly elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and clinical implication of sputum with positive AFB smear but negative in mycobacterial culture. All sputa that were positive AFB smear requested during diagnostic work up for new patients visiting Seoul National University Hospital from 1 January 2005 through 31 December 2006 were included. Sputa producing a positive AFB smear but negative mycobacterial culture were classified into one of four categories: laboratory failure to isolate mycobacteria, false positive AFB smear, pathogen may show a positive AFB smear other than mycobacteria, and indeterminate results. Out of 447 sputa with a positive AFB smear, 29 (6.5%) failed to culture any organism. Among these 29 sputa, 18 were caused by laboratory failure to isolate mycobacteria, six were false positive smears, and five indeterminate. Although most sputum with a positive AFB smear but negative culture could be classified as a laboratory failure, clinicians should consider the possibility of false positive AFB smear.

  8. The crypto-Hermitian smeared-coordinate representation of wave functions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Znojil, Miloslav

    2011-08-01

    In discrete-coordinate quantum models the kinematical observable of position need not necessarily be chosen local (i.e., diagonal). Its smearing is selected in the nearest-neighbor form of a real asymmetric (i.e., crypto-Hermitian) tridiagonal matrix Qˆ. Via Gauss-Hermite illustrative example we show how such an option restricts the class of admissible dynamical observables (sampled here just by the Hamiltonian).

  9. Polymerase Chain Reaction in the Diagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis Recurrence in the Setting of Negative Splenic Smears

    PubMed Central

    Hasnain, Golam; Basher, Ariful; Nath, Proggananda; Ghosh, Prakash; Hossain, Faria; Hossain, Shakhawat; Mondal, Dinesh

    2016-01-01

    This report presents two cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) recurrence where the microscopy of the splenic smear failed in diagnosis. However, a strong clinical suspicion compelled further evaluation by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which validated the etiology. This short report highlights the usefulness of PCR in diagnosing cases of suspected smear-negative VL recurrence. PMID:26556834

  10. Value of washed sputum gram stain smear and culture for management of lower respiratory tract infections in children.

    PubMed

    Cao, Luong Dong; Ishiwada, Naruhiko; Takeda, Nobue; Nigo, Yukiko; Aizawa, Jirou; Kuroki, Haruo; Kohno, Yoichi

    2004-02-01

    To date, the technique of washed sputum examinations has not been widely used in the clinical management of lower respiratory tract infections in children. A total of 224 sputum samples from 125 pediatric patients with lower respiratory tract infections were collected for washed sputum Gram stain smears and cultures. The results with these methods were compared to find correlation rates. The value of washed sputum cultures was assessed by examining the clinical responses of the patients who received antibiotic therapies instituted on the basis of the sputum culture results. Isolation rates of Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Staphylococcus aureus were 22.4%, 9.4%, 4.9%, and 0.4%, respectively. For the prediction of H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, and M. catarrhalis, the sensitivities of the washed sputum Gram stain smears compared with the culture method were 86.0%, 81.0%, and 90.9%, respectively. The specificities of the washed sputum Gram stain smear technique were 94.8%, 97.5%, and 98.1%, respectively. Overall, the sensitivity and specificity of the washed sputum Gram stain smear method were 85.5% and 87.2%, respectively. S. aureus was isolated from only one specimen; and washed sputum Gram stain smear estimation was correlated with the culture result. On the basis of the washed sputum culture results, appropriate antibiotic therapies were instituted for 93.3% of the patients with acute lower respiratory tract infections. This study suggests that the techniques of washed sputum Gram stain smear and culture are valuable and should be encouraged in clinical practice for the management of lower respiratory tract infections in children.

  11. Generation of membrane potential beyond the conceptual range of Donnan theory and Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz equation.

    PubMed

    Tamagawa, Hirohisa; Ikeda, Kota

    2017-09-01

    Donnan theory and Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz equation (GHK eq.) state that the nonzero membrane potential is generated by the asymmetric ion distribution between two solutions separated by a semipermeable membrane and/or by the continuous ion transport across the semipermeable membrane. However, there have been a number of reports of the membrane potential generation behaviors in conflict with those theories. The authors of this paper performed the experimental and theoretical investigation of membrane potential and found that (1) Donnan theory is valid only when the macroscopic electroneutrality is sufficed and (2) Potential behavior across a certain type of membrane appears to be inexplicable on the concept of GHK eq. Consequently, the authors derived a conclusion that the existing theories have some limitations for predicting the membrane potential behavior and we need to find a theory to overcome those limitations. The authors suggest that the ion adsorption theory named Ling's adsorption theory, which attributes the membrane potential generation to the mobile ion adsorption onto the adsorption sites, could overcome those problems.

  12. Determining k channel activation curves from k channel currents often requires the goldman-hodgkin-katz equation.

    PubMed

    Clay, John R

    2009-01-01

    Potassium ion current in nerve membrane, I(K), has traditionally been described by I(K) = g(K)(V - E(K)), where g(K) is the K ion conductance, V is membrane potential and E(K) is the K(+) Nernst potential. This description has been unchallenged by most investigators in neuroscience since its introduction almost 60 years ago. The problem with the I(K) approximately (V - E(K)) proportionality is that it is inconsistent with the unequal distribution of K ions in the intra- and extracellular bathing media. Under physiological conditions the intracellular K(+) concentration is significantly higher than the extracellular concentration. Consequently, the slope conductance at potentials positive to E(K) cannot be the same as that for potentials negative to E(K), as the linear proportionality between I(K) and (V - E(K)) requires. Instead I(K) has a non-linear dependence on (V - E(K)) which is well described by the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz equation. The implications of this result for K(+) channel gating and membrane excitability are reviewed in this report.

  13. Status of intestinal helminthic infections of borderline residents in North Korea.

    PubMed

    Li, Shunyu; Shen, Chenghua; Choi, Min-Ho; Bae, Young Mee; Yoon, Hiwon; Hong, Sung-Tae

    2006-09-01

    The present authors investigated intestinal parasitic infections among North Korean residents and refugees in China in 2003. The Kato-Katz method was applied to 236 residents and soldiers in a town on the North Korea-China border and to 46 people at a refugee camp in China. Only eggs of Ascaris and Trichuris were detected, with egg positive rates of 41.1% and 37.6%, respectively. The total egg positive rate was 55.0% and most of those who were egg positive were only lightly infected. Women of 61.2% and men of 53.1% were egg positive. The refugees from rural areas showed higher egg positive rates than those from urban areas. The present investigation confirmed high prevalence of soil-transmitted intestinal helminths in rural borderline areas of North Korea.

  14. Status of intestinal helminthic infections of borderline residents in North Korea

    PubMed Central

    Li, Shunyu; Shen, Chenghua; Choi, Min-Ho; Bae, Young Mee; Yoon, Hiwon

    2006-01-01

    The present authors investigated intestinal parasitic infections among North Korean residents and refugees in China in 2003. The Kato-Katz method was applied to 236 residents and soldiers in a town on the North Korea-China border and to 46 people at a refugee camp in China. Only eggs of Ascaris and Trichuris were detected, with egg positive rates of 41.1% and 37.6%, respectively. The total egg positive rate was 55.0% and most of those who were egg positive were only lightly infected. Women of 61.2% and men of 53.1% were egg positive. The refugees from rural areas showed higher egg positive rates than those from urban areas. The present investigation confirmed high prevalence of soil-transmitted intestinal helminths in rural borderline areas of North Korea. PMID:16969068

  15. Audit of the practice of sputum smear examination for patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis in Fiji.

    PubMed

    Gounder, Shakti; Tayler-Smith, Katherine; Khogali, Mohammed; Raikabula, Maopa; Harries, Anthony D

    2013-07-01

    In Fiji, patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) currently submit three sputum specimens for smear microscopy for acid-fast bacilli, but there is little information about how well this practice is carried out. A cross-sectional retrospective review was carried out in all four TB diagnostic laboratories in Fiji to determine among new patients presenting with suspected PTB in 2011: the quality of submitted sputum; the number of sputum samples submitted; the relationship between quality and number of submitted samples to smear-positivity; and positive yield from first, second and third samples. Of 1940 patients with suspected PTB, 3522 sputum samples were submitted: 997 (51.4%) patients submitted one sample, 304 (15.7%) patients submitted two samples and 639 (32.9%) submitted three samples. Sputum quality was recorded in 2528 (71.8%) of samples, of which 1046 (41.4%) were of poor quality. Poor quality sputum was more frequent in females, inpatients and children (0-14 years). Good quality sputum and a higher number of submitted samples positively correlated with smear-positivity for acid-fast bacilli. There were 122 (6.3%) patients with suspected PTB who were sputum smear positive. Of those, 89 had submitted three sputum samples: 79 (89%) were diagnosed based on the first sputum sample, 6 (7%) on the second sample and 4 (4%) on the third sample. This study shows that there are deficiencies in the practice of sputum smear examination in Fiji with respect to sputum quality and recommended number of submitted samples, although the results support the continued use of three sputum samples for TB diagnosis. Ways to improve sputum quality and adherence to recommended guidelines are needed.

  16. Polymerase Chain Reaction in the Diagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis Recurrence in the Setting of Negative Splenic Smears.

    PubMed

    Hasnain, Golam; Basher, Ariful; Nath, Proggananda; Ghosh, Prakash; Hossain, Faria; Hossain, Shakhawat; Mondal, Dinesh

    2016-01-01

    This report presents two cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) recurrence where the microscopy of the splenic smear failed in diagnosis. However, a strong clinical suspicion compelled further evaluation by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which validated the etiology. This short report highlights the usefulness of PCR in diagnosing cases of suspected smear-negative VL recurrence. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  17. Quality assessment and improvement of "Unsatisfactory" liquid-based cervicovaginal papanicolaou smears.

    PubMed

    Mirzamani, Neda; Chau, Karen; Rafael, Oana; Shergill, Uday; Sajjan, Sujata; Sumskaya, Irina; Gimenez, Cecilia; Klein, Melissa; Das, Kasturi

    2017-10-01

    The quality of cervicovaginal smears determines the success of cytology in screening programs for cervical cancer. Bethesda 2014 revisited the adequacy criteria for atrophic smears and redefined the squamous cell count in the "unsatisfactory" category. In this study, we evaluated the smear quality of Thinprep liquid-based cervicovaginal Papanicolaou cytology slides (TPS) that were previously deemed unsatisfactory, to determine reasons for such categorization. In addition, we attempted to establish the impact of the new adequacy criteria on the rate and management of unsatisfactory diagnosis. About 234 unsatisfactory TPS were examined. The reasons for unsatisfactory were noted. The number of squamous cells was recounted, as per the new Bethesda criteria, in borderline adequacy cases that showed an atrophic pattern. The leading cause for unsatisfactory TPS was lubricating gel, followed by blood, as observed in older and younger age groups, respectively (Figure 1). Eleven borderline cases were reclassified as "satisfactory" using the new Bethesda cell count, with 27% above 60 years of age. About 82% of these borderline cases were negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy on repeat testing. There was no difference of management or change in rate of unsatisfactory when patients above 60 were reclassified into the satisfactory category using the new Bethesda count. However, a larger study is needed to evaluate whether the new recommendation for minimum cellularity can be implemented in patients above a certain age cut-off. The study highlights the need for improvement in collection practices and education of practitioners. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Cervical cancer screening attitudes and beliefs of Malaysian women who have never had a pap smear: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Wong, L P; Wong, Y L; Low, W Y; Khoo, E M; Shuib, R

    2008-01-01

    Attitudes toward cervical cancer and participation in early detection and screening services are well known to be profoundly affected by cultural beliefs and norms. This study explored the attitudes and sociocultural beliefs on cervical cancer screening among Malaysian women. In this qualitative study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 Malaysian women, ages 21 to 56 years, who have never had a Papanicolaou (Pap) smear. Respondents generally showed a lack of knowledge about cervical cancer screening using Pap smear, and the need for early detection for cervical cancer. Many believed the Pap smear was a diagnostic test for cervical cancer, and since they had no symptoms, they did not go for Pap screening. Other main reasons for not doing the screening included lack of awareness of Pap smear indications and benefits, perceived low susceptibility to cervical cancer, and embarrassment. Other reasons for not being screened were related to fear of pain, misconceptions about cervical cancer, fatalistic attitude, and undervaluation of own health needs versus those of the family. Women need to be educated about the benefits of cervical cancer screening. Health education, counseling, outreach programs, and community-based interventions are needed to improve the uptake of Pap smear in Malaysia.

  19. Profile of tuberculosis patients with delayed sputum smear conversion in the Pacific island of Vanuatu

    PubMed Central

    Viney, K.; Tarivonda, L.; Roseveare, C.; Tagaro, M.; Marais, B. J.

    2014-01-01

    Setting: National tuberculosis control programme, Vanuatu. Objective: To assess tuberculosis (TB) trends, characterise sputum smear-positive patients with non-conversion at 2 months and assess their treatment outcomes. Design: Evaluation of programme data over a 9-year period (2004–2012), comparing 2-month sputum non-converters (delayed converters) with sputum smear converters diagnosed in 2011 and 2012. Results: Annual TB case numbers were similar over the study period, with an average TB notification rate of 58 per 100 000 population. Of 417 sputum smear-positive cases, 74 (18%) were delayed converters. Delayed converters were more likely than converters (88% vs. 79%) to have had high pre-treatment sputum smear grades (OR 2.5, 95%CI 0.97–6.45). Among delayed converters, treatment adherence was high (99% good adherence), outcomes were generally good (90% treatment success, 85% cure, 4% treatment failure) and no drug resistance was detected. Deaths were unexpectedly common among converters (11/80, 14%), with significantly more deaths in Tafea than in Shefa Province (7/58 vs. 2/80, OR 5.35, 95%CI 1.07–26.79). Tafea Province also had the greatest number of delayed converters (30/74, 40.5%) and the highest TB incidence rate. Conclusion: Delayed sputum conversion was relatively uncommon, and was not associated with adverse outcomes or drug resistance. Regional differences require further investigation to better understand local factors that may compromise patient management. PMID:26477281

  20. Is PCR the Next Reference Standard for the Diagnosis of Schistosoma in Stool? A Comparison with Microscopy in Senegal and Kenya.

    PubMed

    Meurs, Lynn; Brienen, Eric; Mbow, Moustapha; Ochola, Elizabeth A; Mboup, Souleymane; Karanja, Diana M S; Secor, W Evan; Polman, Katja; van Lieshout, Lisette

    2015-01-01

    The current reference test for the detection of S. mansoni in endemic areas is stool microscopy based on one or more Kato-Katz stool smears. However, stool microscopy has several shortcomings that greatly affect the efficacy of current schistosomiasis control programs. A highly specific multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the Schistosoma internal transcriber-spacer-2 sequence (ITS2) was developed by our group a few years ago, but so far this PCR has been applied mostly on urine samples. Here, we performed more in-depth evaluation of the ITS2 PCR as an alternative method to standard microscopy for the detection and quantification of Schistosoma spp. in stool samples. Microscopy and PCR were performed in a Senegalese community (n = 197) in an area with high S. mansoni transmission and co-occurrence of S. haematobium, and in Kenyan schoolchildren (n = 760) from an area with comparatively low S. mansoni transmission. Despite the differences in Schistosoma endemicity the PCR performed very similarly in both areas; 13-15% more infections were detected by PCR when comparing to microscopy of a single stool sample. Even when 2-3 stool samples were used for microscopy, PCR on one stool sample detected more infections, especially in people with light-intensity infections and in children from low-risk schools. The low prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in both populations was confirmed by an additional multiplex PCR. The ITS2-based PCR was more sensitive than standard microscopy in detecting Schistosoma spp. This would be particularly useful for S. mansoni detection in low transmission areas, and post-control settings, and as such improve schistosomiasis control programs, epidemiological research, and quality control of microscopy. Moreover, it can be complemented with other (multiplex real-time) PCRs to detect a wider range of helminths and thus enhance effectiveness of current integrated control and elimination strategies for neglected

  1. Analysis of 13 million individual patient records pertaining to Pap smears, colposcopies, biopsies and surgery on the uterine cervix (Belgium, 1996-2000).

    PubMed

    Arbyn, Marc; Simoens, Cindy; Van Oyen, Herman; Foidart, Jean-Michel; Goffin, Frédéric; Simon, Philippe; Fabri, Valérie

    2009-05-01

    Cervical cancer screening by surveys overestimate coverage because of selection and reporting biases. The prepared Inter-Mutualistic Agency dataset has about 13 million records from Pap smears, colposcopies, cervical biopsies and surgery, performed in Belgium between 1996 and 2000. Cervical cancer screening coverage was defined as the proportion of the target population (women of 25-64 years) that has had a Pap smear taken within the last 3 years. Proportions and incidence rates were computed using official population data of the corresponding age group, area and calendar year. Cervical cancer screening coverage, in the period 1998-2000, was 59% at national level, for the target age group 25-64 years. Differences were small between the 3 regions. Variation ranged from 39% to 71%. Coverage was 64% for 25-29 year old women, 67% for those aged 30-39 years, 56% for those aged 50-54. The modal screening interval was 1 year. In the 3-year period 1998-2000, 3 million smears were taken from the 2.7 million women in the age group 25-64. Only 1.6 million women of the target group got one or more smears in that period and 1.1 million women had no smears, corresponding to an average of 1.88 smears per woman. Coverage reached only 59%, but the number of smears used was sufficient to cover more than 100% of the target population. Structural reduction of overuse and extension of coverage is warranted.

  2. Agar Block Smear Preparation: a Novel Method of Slide Preparation for Preservation of Native Fungal Structures for Microscopic Examination and Long-Term Storage▿

    PubMed Central

    Woo, Patrick C. Y.; Ngan, Antonio H. Y.; Chui, Hon-Kit; Lau, Susanna K. P.; Yuen, Kwok-Yung

    2010-01-01

    We describe a novel method of fungal slide preparation named “agar block smear preparation.” A total of 510 agar block smears of 25 fungal strains obtained from culture collections, 90 QC fungal strains, and 82 clinical fungal strains from our clinical microbiology laboratory, which included a total of 137 species of yeasts, molds, and thermal dimorphic fungi, were prepared and examined. In contrast to adhesive tape preparation, agar block smears preserved the native fungal structures, such as intact conidiophores of Aspergillus species and arrangements of conidia in Scopulariopsis brevicaulis. Furthermore, agar block smears allowed examination of fungal structures embedded in the agar, such as the ascomata with ascomal hairs in Chaetomium funicola; pycnidium of Phoma glomerata; the intercalary ovoidal chlamydospores arranged in chains of Fusarium dimerum; and the lateral, spherical chlamydospores arranged in pairs of Fusarium solani. After 1 year of storage, morphological integrity was found to have been maintained in 459 (90%) of the 510 agar block smears. After 3 years of storage, morphological integrity was found to have been maintained in 72 (71%) of the 102 smears prepared in 2006. Agar block smear preparation preserves the native fungal structures and allows long-term storage and examination of fungal structures embedded in the agar, hence overcoming the major drawbacks of adhesive tape preparation. The major roles of agar block smear should be diagnosis for difficult cases, accurate identification of fungal species for clinical management of patients and epidemiological studies, and long-term storage for transportation of slides and education purposes. PMID:20660221

  3. Agar block smear preparation: a novel method of slide preparation for preservation of native fungal structures for microscopic examination and long-term storage.

    PubMed

    Woo, Patrick C Y; Ngan, Antonio H Y; Chui, Hon-Kit; Lau, Susanna K P; Yuen, Kwok-Yung

    2010-09-01

    We describe a novel method of fungal slide preparation named "agar block smear preparation." A total of 510 agar block smears of 25 fungal strains obtained from culture collections, 90 QC fungal strains, and 82 clinical fungal strains from our clinical microbiology laboratory, which included a total of 137 species of yeasts, molds, and thermal dimorphic fungi, were prepared and examined. In contrast to adhesive tape preparation, agar block smears preserved the native fungal structures, such as intact conidiophores of Aspergillus species and arrangements of conidia in Scopulariopsis brevicaulis. Furthermore, agar block smears allowed examination of fungal structures embedded in the agar, such as the ascomata with ascomal hairs in Chaetomium funicola; pycnidium of Phoma glomerata; the intercalary ovoidal chlamydospores arranged in chains of Fusarium dimerum; and the lateral, spherical chlamydospores arranged in pairs of Fusarium solani. After 1 year of storage, morphological integrity was found to have been maintained in 459 (90%) of the 510 agar block smears. After 3 years of storage, morphological integrity was found to have been maintained in 72 (71%) of the 102 smears prepared in 2006. Agar block smear preparation preserves the native fungal structures and allows long-term storage and examination of fungal structures embedded in the agar, hence overcoming the major drawbacks of adhesive tape preparation. The major roles of agar block smear should be diagnosis for difficult cases, accurate identification of fungal species for clinical management of patients and epidemiological studies, and long-term storage for transportation of slides and education purposes.

  4. Missed Opportunities for Health Education on Pap Smears in Peru

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bayer, Angela M.; Nussbaum, Lauren; Cabrera, Lilia; Paz-Soldan, Valerie A.

    2011-01-01

    Despite cervical cancer being one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in Peru, cervical Pap smear coverage is low. This article uses findings from 185 direct clinician observations in four cities of Peru (representing the capital and each of the three main geographic regions of the country) to assess missed opportunities for…

  5. Utility of MPT64 antigen test for differentiating mycobacteria: Can correlation with liquid culture smear morphology add further value?

    PubMed

    Nerurkar, Vidya; Kattungal, Sushma; Bhatia, Simi

    2016-01-01

    Clinical presentation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections may or may not be the same, but the treatment is always different. Hence accurate differentiation between MTBC and NTM is of utmost importance. To assess in parallel, the utility of MPT64 antigen immunochromatography assay (MPT64 ICT) and bacillary morphology on liquid culture smear, for rapid differentiation between MTBC and NTM in clinical isolates. Private sector reference laboratory, prospective. Thousand and ninety-three mycobacterial isolates, recovered using Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube 960 liquid culture system (BD, USA), were subjected to MPT64 ICT (Standard Diagnostics Inc., Korea), para amino nitrobenzoicacid (PNB), niacin, and nitrate reduction tests. Smears prepared from culture vials were subjected to Ziehl-Neelsen staining and observed microscopically for typical patterns (chords, single cells, etc.,). PNB, nitrate and niacin tests served as the reference method for MTBC identification. Thousand and fourteen and 79 isolates were identified as MTBC and NTM, respectively. MPT64 ICT correctly identified 955/1014 MTBC and all NTM isolates, yielding sensitivity and specificity of 94.2% and 100%, respectively. 936/1014 (92.3%) MTBC isolates revealed characteristic serpentine chording on culture smear including 56/59 MPT64 ICT negative isolates. Sensitivity and specificity of liquid culture smear were 98.1% and 82.3%, respectively. Correlation of MPT64 ICT results with liquid culture smear was useful, especially in MPT64 ICT negative isolates, where the latter could help to determine need and/or type of additional confirmatory testing. Liquid culture smear, however, lacked specificity and cannot be used as a stand alone test.

  6. Comparative study of indirect immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the Tzanck smear test for the diagnosis of pemphigus.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Tingting; Fang, Siyue; Li, Chunlei; Hua, Hong

    2016-11-01

    Pemphigus is one of the potentially fatal autoimmune blistering diseases. An early and accurate diagnosis is important for prognosis and therapy. It may be difficult to diagnosis based on clinical grounds alone. Direct and indirect immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the Tzanck smear test, or histopathology are all available for the diagnosis of pemphigus. However, there are no generally accepted diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of this condition at present. To evaluate the diagnostic value of indirect immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the Tzanck smear test for the diagnosis of pemphigus in dental clinics. A single-center retrospective study was conducted, and the clinical data of 33 patients with pemphigus and 61 controls were collected and analyzed from the Department of Oral Medicine, Peking University School of Stomatology, during 2010-2014. The sensitivities and specificities of indirect immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the Tzanck smear test were calculated and compared in two groups. Sensitivities for the Tzanck smear test, indirect immunofluorescence, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were 96.7%, 84.8%, and 84.8%, respectively, whereas the specificities of these tests were 60%, 91.8%, and 96.7%, respectively. The serial tests for the Tzanck smear test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed 82% sensitivity and 98.7% specificity. The serial test for the Tzanck smear test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay may represent a simple, rapid, and reliable way to definitive diagnosis of pemphigus. It is recommended as a common test for the diagnosis of pemphigus in dental clinics. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Clinicopathological importance of Papanicolaou smears for the diagnosis of premalignant and malignant lesions of the cervix.

    PubMed

    Bukhari, Mulazim Hussain; Saba, Kanwal; Qamar, Samina; Majeed, Muhammad Muddasar; Niazi, Shahida; Naeem, Samina

    2012-01-01

    Premalignant and malignant lesions are not uncommon in Pakistani women, especially in the older age-groups This study was conducted to determine the clinicopathological importance of conventional Papanicolaou (Pap) smears for the diagnosis of premalignant and malignant lesions of the cervix. Pap smears of 1000 women were examined from January 2007 to June 2009. Only cases with neoplastic cytology were included. The overall frequency of normal, inadequate, neoplastic, and infective smears was 50%, 1.8%, 10.2%, and 38.3%, respectively. Most of the patients (67%) were in the postmenopausal age-group, with the mean age being 44.7±15.63 years. The commonest clinical signs/symptoms seen among the 102 patients with neoplastic gynecological lesions were vaginal discharge and abnormal bleeding (93/102;(91.2% and 62/102;60.7%). Of the 102 cases with neoplastic lesions 46 patients (45%) had low-grade squamous cell intraepithelial lesions (LSILs), 22 (21.5%) had high-grade squamous cell intraepithelial lesions (HSILs), 14 (13.7%) had squamous cell carcinoma, and 6 (5.8%) showed features of adenocarcinoma. Ten (9.8%) cases showed cytology of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) and four (3.9%) cases had atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance (AGUS). We conclude that cervical smear examination is well suited for diagnosing neoplastic disease. It is clear that cervical neoplastic lesions are becoming a problem in Pakistan.

  8. ThinPrep versus conventional smear cytologic preparations in the analysis of thyroid fine-needle aspiration specimens.

    PubMed

    Biscotti, C V; Hollow, J A; Toddy, S M; Easley, K A

    1995-08-01

    Paired fine-needle aspiration specimens were analyzed from 41 surgically resected thyroid nodules, to compare diagnostic accuracy, amount (absent, mild, moderate, or marked) and pattern (diffuse, droplets, or both) of colloid, nuclear detail (poor, satisfactory, or excellent) and cytoplasmic detail (intact or disrupted) in ThinPrep (TP) (Cytyc, Marlborough, MA) versus conventional smear (CS) cytologic preparations. The 41 surgical specimens included 25 colloid nodules, 6 papillary carcinomas, 4 follicular adenomas, 2 minimally invasive (encapsulated) follicular carcinomas, 3 Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and 1 Grave's disease. Both techniques identified seven of the eight carcinomas with the minimally invasive follicular carcinomas categorized as hypercellular follicular nodule, possibly malignant (HCFN). One papillary carcinoma was classified as a HCFN by both TP and CS techniques. The four follicular adenomas were classified as HCFN based on the TP slides. One oxyphilic follicular adenoma, associated with focal lymphocytic thyroiditis, was misinterpreted as Hashimoto's thyroiditis on a conventional smear. Three colloid nodules were interpreted as HCFN based on the TP slides. Two of these were similarly classified based on the conventional smear. ThinPrep slides contained less colloid and the colloid occurred as droplets rather than a diffuse pattern. TP slides had better nuclear detail but more often disrupted cytoplasm. In conclusion, the TP process does alter some cellular features; however, we experienced similar diagnostic accuracy with the TP and conventional smear preparations.

  9. Defined PEG smears as an alternative approach to enhance the search for crystallization conditions and crystal-quality improvement in reduced screens

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chaikuad, Apirat, E-mail: apirat.chaikuad@sgc.ox.ac.uk; Knapp, Stefan; Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Building N240 Room 3.03, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main

    An alternative strategy for PEG sampling is suggested through the use of four newly defined PEG smears to enhance chemical space in reduced screens with a benefit towards protein crystallization. The quest for an optimal limited set of effective crystallization conditions remains a challenge in macromolecular crystallography, an issue that is complicated by the large number of chemicals which have been deemed to be suitable for promoting crystal growth. The lack of rational approaches towards the selection of successful chemical space and representative combinations has led to significant overlapping conditions, which are currently present in a multitude of commercially availablemore » crystallization screens. Here, an alternative approach to the sampling of widely used PEG precipitants is suggested through the use of PEG smears, which are mixtures of different PEGs with a requirement of either neutral or cooperatively positive effects of each component on crystal growth. Four newly defined smears were classified by molecular-weight groups and enabled the preservation of specific properties related to different polymer sizes. These smears not only allowed a wide coverage of properties of these polymers, but also reduced PEG variables, enabling greater sampling of other parameters such as buffers and additives. The efficiency of the smear-based screens was evaluated on more than 220 diverse recombinant human proteins, which overall revealed a good initial crystallization success rate of nearly 50%. In addition, in several cases successful crystallizations were only obtained using PEG smears, while various commercial screens failed to yield crystals. The defined smears therefore offer an alternative approach towards PEG sampling, which will benefit the design of crystallization screens sampling a wide chemical space of this key precipitant.« less

  10. Smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis and AFB examination practices according to the standard checklist of WHO's tuberculosis laboratory assessment tool in three governmental hospitals, Eastern Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Mekonnen, Abiyu

    2014-05-13

    Using the Directly Observed Treatment-Short course (DOTS) program the World Health Organization's global target was to detect 70% of new sputum-smear positive PTB cases. Smear positive PTB cases are more infectious than the smear negative cases. The TB case detection rate remains very low in Ethiopia, but there are increases in smear-negative PTB diagnosis which could be attributed to several factors including poor quality of sputum smear-microscopy. A five years retrospective record review of data between September, 2007 and August, 2012 and an in-depth assessment of AFB staining practices of sputum smear using a standard checklist were made. The proportion of smear positive cases relative to overall Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) screened was determined over a five year period to indicate the overall prevalence and the trend. Odds ratio with 95 percent confidence interval was calculated for categorical variables using multivariate Logistic Regression model to assess the strength of association. A total of 1266 individuals' data were reviewed. The majority of the study participants were male, 704 (55.6%), and rural residents, 690 (54.5%). The overall prevalence rate of smear positive PTB was 21.6%. Age categories between 15-24 and 25-34 years were independent predictors of smear positive PTB with adjusted odds ratio of 2.246 [95% CI (1.098-4.597)] and 2.267 [95% CI (1.107-4.642)], respectively. More males were affected by PTB than females with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.426 [95% CI (1.083-1.879)]. An in-depth interview with the respective laboratory chiefs showed that quality control measures for sputum smear microscopy were used at different levels of the testing activities; however, equipment function verification as a quality control measure was not accomplished regularly in all of the study hospital laboratories. The smear positive PTB case detection rate indicated in this study is significantly lower than the countries which met the 70% target of the World Health

  11. “Cannon Balls or Pus Balls” in Pap Smears: A Case Report

    PubMed Central

    Bodal, Vijay Kumar; Kaur, Sarbhjit; Bhagat, Ranjiv; Kaur, Rupinder; Bal, Manjit Singh

    2013-01-01

    A 50–year old female presented with the chief complaint of a discharge per vaginum, which was there for the past 15 days. A routine PAP smear was received in the Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Patiala, India. After its fixation and staining, it was examined under the microscope. It showed the Trichomonas vaginalis infection, with the neutrophils forming cannon balls at places. Neutrophils in the PAP smear are a nonspecific finding, particularly if they are low in numbers or if they are seen in the premenstrual and the menstrual phases. The neutrophils which are adherent to the squamous cells are called “cannon balls” or “pus balls”, which are common in the Chlamydia infection. This case is being presented because of the presence of these rare morphological structures i.e. “cannon balls” or “pus balls”. PMID:24086888

  12. Why don't some women return for cervical smears? A hermeneutic phenomenological investigation.

    PubMed

    Buetow, Stephen; Janes, Ron; Steed, Robin; Ihimaera, Louise; Elley, C Raina

    2007-10-01

    To enhance understanding of how having a cervical smear can lead some women not to keep up-to-date with this test, a hermeneutic (interpretative) phenomenological study was undertaken. Participants were six purposively selected New Zealand women -- predominantly Māori -- at least 6 months overdue for a follow-up cervical screen in the previous 6 years. Each woman gave an in-depth interview. Transcribed and analyzed via a general inductive approach, the interviews suggested that the smears can violate women's positive aloneness with their bodies, and magnify aloneness as a negative state. Overdueness for the test avoids these effects. To minimize such effects, primary health care needs to acknowledge and address these issues, for example by providing an opportunity to connect the aloneness to trusted others.

  13. Evaluation of genotype MTBDRplus VER 2.0 line probe assay for the detection of MDR-TB in smear positive and negative sputum samples.

    PubMed

    Meaza, Abyot; Kebede, Abebaw; Yaregal, Zelalem; Dagne, Zekarias; Moga, Shewki; Yenew, Bazezew; Diriba, Getu; Molalign, Helina; Tadesse, Mengistu; Adisse, Desalegn; Getahun, Muluwork; Desta, Kassu

    2017-04-17

    Multi drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) poses formidable challenges to TB control due to its complex diagnostic and treatment challenges and often associated with a high rate of mortality. Accurate and rapid detection of MDR-TB is critical for timely initiation of treatment. Line Probe Assay (LPA) is a qualitative in vitro diagnostic test based on DNA-STRIP technology for the identification of the M. tuberculosis complex and its resistance to rifampicin (RMP) and/or isoniazid (INH). Hain Lifescience, GmbH, Germany has improved the sensitivity of Genotype MTBDRplus VER 2.0 LPA for the detection of MDR-TB; with the possibility of applying the tool in smear negative sputum samples. A cross sectional study was conducted on 274 presumptive MDR-TB patients referred to the National TB Reference Laboratory (NTRL), Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) who submitted sputum samples for laboratory diagnosis of drug resistant-TB testing. Seventy-two smear and culture positive samples processed in smear positive direct LPA category and 197 smear negative sputum samples were processed for direct LPA. Among the smear negative samples 145 (73.6%) were culture negative and 26 (13.2%) were culture positive. All specimens were processed using NALC-NaOH method and ZN smear microscopy done from sediments. Genotype MTBDRplus VER 2.0 done from processed sputum sediments and the result was compared against the reference, BACTEC MGIT 960 culture and DST. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of Genotype MTBDRplus VER 2.0 assay was determined and P-value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of Genotype MTBDRplus VER 2.0 LPA were 96.4, 100, 100 and 96.9%, respectively for the detection of MDR-TB from direct smear positive sputum samples. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of Genotype MTBDR plus VER 2.0 LPA were 77.8, 97.2, 82.4 and 97.2%, respectively, for the detection of M. tuberculosis from direct smear negative sputum

  14. Efficacy of Er,Cr:YSGG Laser in Removing Smear Layer and Debris with Two Different Output Powers

    PubMed Central

    Bolhari, Behnam; Ehsani, Sara; Etemadi, Ardavan; Shafaq, Mohammad

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the erbium, chromium: yttrium-scandium-gallium-garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG) laser in removing debris and the smear layer using two different output powers on the apical, middle, and coronal segments of root canal walls. Background data: Previous literature has failed to evaluate the exclusive effect of Er,Cr:YSGG laser on the quality of smear layer and debris removal in all three segments of the root canal space. Methods: Sixty extracted teeth were included in the study. After instrumentation, samples were divided into three experimental groups and one positive control group with no further treatment. In group 1, a final irrigation was performed using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), sequentially. In group 2, the samples were treated with a 2.78 μm Er,Cr:YSGG laser with an output power of 1.5 W. The same laser was used in group 3, but with an output power of 2.5 W. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images from the coronal, middle, and apical thirds of the roots were prepared and evaluated for both smear layer and debris removal by three blinded observers. Results: The results showed no differences between groups 1 and 2 regarding the quality of smear layer removal in all areas. However, the 2.5 W laser failed to remove the smear layer effectively. Regarding debris removal, the EDTA and NaOCl irrigation showed significantly better outcomes (adjusted p<0.05) in all areas. Conclusions: This study raises questions about the overall cleaning abilities of Er,Cr:YSGG lasers. PMID:25198390

  15. Efficacy of Er,Cr:YSGG laser in removing smear layer and debris with two different output powers.

    PubMed

    Bolhari, Behnam; Ehsani, Sara; Etemadi, Ardavan; Shafaq, Mohammad; Nosrat, Ali

    2014-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the erbium, chromium: yttrium-scandium-gallium-garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG) laser in removing debris and the smear layer using two different output powers on the apical, middle, and coronal segments of root canal walls. Previous literature has failed to evaluate the exclusive effect of Er,Cr:YSGG laser on the quality of smear layer and debris removal in all three segments of the root canal space. Sixty extracted teeth were included in the study. After instrumentation, samples were divided into three experimental groups and one positive control group with no further treatment. In group 1, a final irrigation was performed using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), sequentially. In group 2, the samples were treated with a 2.78 μm Er,Cr:YSGG laser with an output power of 1.5 W. The same laser was used in group 3, but with an output power of 2.5 W. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images from the coronal, middle, and apical thirds of the roots were prepared and evaluated for both smear layer and debris removal by three blinded observers. The results showed no differences between groups 1 and 2 regarding the quality of smear layer removal in all areas. However, the 2.5 W laser failed to remove the smear layer effectively. Regarding debris removal, the EDTA and NaOCl irrigation showed significantly better outcomes (adjusted p<0.05) in all areas. This study raises questions about the overall cleaning abilities of Er,Cr:YSGG lasers.

  16. Uniform staining of Cyclospora oocysts in fecal smears by a modified safranin technique with microwave heating.

    PubMed Central

    Visvesvara, G S; Moura, H; Kovacs-Nace, E; Wallace, S; Eberhard, M L

    1997-01-01

    Cyclospora, a coccidian protist, is increasingly being identified as an important, newly emerging parasite that causes diarrhea, flatulence, fatigue, and abdominal pain leading to weight loss in immunocompetent persons with or without a recent travel history as well as in patients with AIDS. Modified Kinyoun's acid-fast stain is the most commonly used stain to identify the oocyst of this parasite in fecal smears. Oocysts of Cyclospora stain variably by the modified acid-fast procedure, resulting in the possible misidentification of this parasite. We examined fecal smears stained by six different procedures that included Giemsa, trichrome, chromotrope, Gram-chromotrope, acid-fast, and safranin stains. We report on safranin-based stain that uniformly stains oocysts of Cyclospora a brilliant reddish orange, provided that the fecal smears are heated in a microwave oven prior to staining. This staining procedure, besides being superior to acid-fast staining, is fast, reliable, and easy to perform in most clinical laboratories. PMID:9041421

  17. Clinical value of whole-blood interferon-gamma assay in patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis and AFB smear- and polymerase chain reaction-negative bronchial aspirates.

    PubMed

    Lee, Jaehee; Lee, Shin Yup; Yoo, Seung Soo; Cha, Seung Ick; Won, Dong Il; Park, Jae Yong; Lee, Won-Kil; Kim, Chang Ho

    2012-07-01

    Combining a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test with bronchoscopy is frequently performed to allow a rapid diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). However, limited data are available concerning clinical judgment in patients with suspected PTB and AFB smear- and PCR-negative bronchial aspirates (BA). The present study evaluated the usefulness of whole-blood QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT) testing in these patients. Of 166 patients with suspected PTB who had undergone bronchoscopy because of smear-negative sputum or inadequate sputum production, 93 (56%) were diagnosed with culture-positive PTB. Seventy-four patients were either AFB smear- or PCR-positive. In the 75 patients whose BA AFB smear and PCR results were both negative, 19 were finally diagnosed with PTB by culture. The QFT test had a negative predictive value of 91% for PTB. The QFT test may be useful for excluding PTB in patients with suspected PTB whose BA AFB smear and PCR results are both negative. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Evaluation of FASTPlaqueTB to diagnose smear-negative tuberculosis in a peripheral clinic in Kenya.

    PubMed

    Bonnet, M; Gagnidze, L; Varaine, F; Ramsay, A; Githui, W; Guerin, P J

    2009-09-01

    To evaluate the performance and feasibility of FASTPlaqueTB in smear-negative tuberculosis (TB) suspects in a peripheral clinic after laboratory upgrading. Patients with cough > or=2 weeks, two sputum smear-negative results, no response to 1 week of amoxicillin and abnormal chest X-ray were defined as smear-negative suspects. One sputum sample was collected, decontaminated and divided into two: half was tested with FASTPlaqueTB in the clinic laboratory and the other half was cultured on Löwenstein-Jensen medium in the Kenyan Medical Research Institute. Test sensitivity and specificity were evaluated in all patients and in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients. Feasibility was assessed by the contamination rate and the resources required to upgrade the laboratory. Of 208 patients included in the study, 56.2% were HIV-infected. Of 203 FASTPlaqueTB tests, 95 (46.8%) were contaminated, which interfered with result interpretation and led to the interruption of the study. Sensitivity and specificity were respectively 31.2% (95%CI 12.1-58.5) and 94.9% (95%CI 86.8-98.4) in all patients and 33.3% (95%CI 9.9-65.1) and 93.9% (95%CI 83.1-98.7) in HIV-infected patients. Upgrading the laboratory cost euro 20,000. FASTPlaqueTB did not perform satisfactorily in this setting. If contamination can be reduced, in addition to laboratory upgrading, its introduction in peripheral clinics would require further assessment in smear-negative and HIV co-infected patients and test adaptation for friendlier use.

  19. Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection and associated risk factors among village health volunteers in rural communities of southern Thailand.

    PubMed

    Punsawad, Chuchard; Phasuk, Nonthapan; Bunratsami, Suchirat; Thongtup, Kanjana; Siripakonuaong, Niramon; Nongnaul, Somchok

    2017-06-09

    Intestinal parasitic infections remain prevalent and constitute a public health problem in certain rural areas of Thailand. Village health volunteers (VHVs), who are members of a Thai healthcare alliance, function as key providers of health prevention measures, disease control, and health education and share national health promotion campaigns with community members. This study is aimed at evaluating the prevalence, intensity, and risk factors for intestinal parasitic infection in VHVs in order to design community awareness and health education campaigns for the target population. This cross-sectional study was conducted between January to April 2016 among village health volunteers (VHVs) from four sub-districts of Nopphitam District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, southern Thailand. Subjects for the study were selected using a simple random sampling method. Socio-demographic variables and risk factors were collected by a structured questionnaire. Stool specimens were collected and processed using direct wet mount and formol-ether concentration techniques to determine the presence of parasites and modified Kato-Katz thick smear to determine the intensity of infection. A total of 324 VHVs were enrolled. The overall prevalence of intestinal helminths was 9.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.3-13.0). The prevalence of hookworm, Strongyloides stercoralis, and Trichuris trichiura were 8.0% (95% CI: 5.3-11.5), 0.9% (95% CI: 0.2-2.7), and 0.3% (95% CI: 0-1.7), respectively. Mean intensity of hookworm infection was 1732 eggs per gram of stool. The prevalence was lower for protozoan infection than for helminth infection. Blastocystis hominis accounted for the highest percentage of intestinal protozoan infections 4.0% (95% CI: 2.2-6.8), followed by Giardia intestinalis 0.6% (95% CI: 0-2.2). No statistically significant difference was observed in the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection among sub-districts (p > 0.05). Having dogs at home was associated with soil

  20. Overview of human clonorchiasis sinensis in China.

    PubMed

    Xue-Ming, Li; Ying-Dan, Chen; Yi, Ouyang; Hong-Man, Zhang; Rui, Lin; Weil, Mao

    2011-03-01

    The objective of the survey was to determine the current status, trends and transmission factors for Clonorchis sinensis infection in China and to provide updated information for development control strategies. This was part of a nationwide survey of major human parasitic diseases carried out during 2000-2002 sampled by the stratified randomized cluster sampling method. Fecal examination was conducted using the Kato-Katz thick smear method and egg count per gram of feces (EPG) was determined for the egg-positive patients. A questionnaire and a case-control study were applied to analyze the transmission factors for C. sinensis infection. The overall prevalence rate of C. sinensis infection was 0.58% in 356,629 residents from 688 sampled pilot sites in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities (PAM) of China. The infection rates of C. sinensis in Guangdong, Jilin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Anhui and Heilongjiang were higher than the other PAM, they were 5.35, 4.77, 3.71, 0.67 and 0.48%, respectively. In Guangxi, moderate and heavy infections were found in 29.14% and 11.52%, respectively, of the total infected. Heavy infections were not found in any of the other provinces except for 2 heavily infected cases in Heilongjiang. The prevalence rate increased with age for residents aged < 35 years and remained at high levels in those aged 25-60 years. The infection rate in males was 1.64 times that of females. The C. sinensis egg positivity rates in fishermen, businessmen, physicians and teachers were higher than others. Among the 38 ethnic groups, the prevalences in the Han (3.20%) and the Zhuang (3.15%) were the highest; no cases were found among the Zang, Miao, Man and other 29 ethnic groups. Significant differences in prevalences were also found among counties of different economic levels. C. sinensis infection is prevalent in hilly and plains regions of northeast and southcentral China, representing two highly endemic areas in the North and the South

  1. Intestinal parasites, growth and physical fitness of schoolchildren in poor neighbourhoods of Port Elizabeth, South Africa: a cross-sectional survey.

    PubMed

    Müller, Ivan; Yap, Peiling; Steinmann, Peter; Damons, Bruce P; Schindler, Christian; Seelig, Harald; Htun, Nan S N; Probst-Hensch, Nicole; Gerber, Markus; du Randt, Rosa; Pühse, Uwe; Walter, Cheryl; Utzinger, Jürg

    2016-09-05

    As traditional lifestyle and diets change with social and economic development, disadvantaged communities in low- and middle-income countries increasingly face a double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases. We studied the relationship between physical fitness and infections with soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), intestinal protozoa and Helicobacter pylori among schoolchildren in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 1009 children, aged 9 to 12 years, from eight primary schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Port Elizabeth. Physical fitness was determined using field-deployable tests of the Eurofit fitness test battery. Stool samples were analysed with the Kato-Katz thick smear technique to diagnose STHs and with rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) to detect intestinal protozoa and H. pylori infections. Haemoglobin (Hb) levels were assessed and anthropometric indicators determined. Complete data were available for 934 children (92 %). In two schools, high STH prevalences were found (Ascaris lumbricoides 60 and 72 %; Trichuris trichiura 65 % each). For boys and girls co-infected with A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura (n = 155) the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) was estimated to be 50.1 and 47.2 ml kg(-1) min(-1), compared to 51.5 and 47.4 ml kg(-1) min(-1) for their non-infected peers (n = 278), respectively. On average, children without helminth infections had greater body mass (P = 0.011), height (P = 0.009) and a higher body mass index (P = 0.024) and were less often stunted (P = 0.006), but not significantly less wasted compared to their peers with a single or dual species infection. Among 9-year-old boys, a negative correlation between helminth infections and VO2 max, grip strength and standing broad jump distance was observed (P = 0.038). The overall mean Hb level was 122.2 g l(-1). In the two schools with the highest prevalence of STHs the Hb means were

  2. Multiparasitism and intensity of helminth infections in relation to symptoms and nutritional status among children: a cross-sectional study in southern Lao People's Democratic Republic.

    PubMed

    Sayasone, Somphou; Utzinger, Jürg; Akkhavong, Kongsap; Odermatt, Peter

    2015-01-01

    The occurrence and spatial distribution of intestinal helminth infection in children is fairly well understood. However, knowledge on how helminth infections govern intestinal morbidity is scarce. We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess and quantify the relationship between single and multiple species helminth infection with clinical and self-reported morbidity indicators and nutritional status in Champasack province, southern Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). A random sample of 1313 children, aged 6 months to 12 years, from villages in nine rural districts were enrolled and examined for helminth infection using duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears. Morbidity was assessed by self-reported symptoms, coupled with clinical examination and appraisal of nutritional status and anaemia. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was employed to study associations between helminth infection and morbidity indicators and anaemia. We found considerable morbidity among the surveyed children, including hepatomegaly (13.7%), pale conjunctiva (13.2%) and abdominal pain (10.4%). Anaemia was recorded in 60.4% of the children, whilst signs of stunting and low body mass index (BMI) were observed in 49.8% and 33.3% of the surveyed children, respectively. Hookworm and Opisthorchis viverrini were the predominant helminth species with prevalences of 51.0% and 43.3%, respectively. The prevalence of Schistosoma mekongi in the surveyed children was 5.6%. Multiple species helminth infections were recorded in 40.4% of the study cohort. Morbidity was associated with specific helminth species infection (e.g. S. mekongi with hepatomegaly; adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 9.49, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.07-43.51) and multiparasitism (e.g. two or more helminth species with abdominal pain; aOR: 2.40, 95% CI: 1.46-3.93). Anaemia was associated with hookworm infection (aOR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.16-2.34) and multiparasitism (aOR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.18-2.29). Low BMI was associated with O

  3. Formulation of an improved smeared stiffener theory for buckling analysis of grid-stiffened composite panels

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jaunky, Navin; Knight, Norman F., Jr.; Ambur, Damodar R.

    1995-01-01

    A smeared stiffener theory for stiffened panels is presented that includes skin-stiffener interaction effects. The neutral surface profile of the skin-stiffener combination is developed analytically using the minimum potential energy principle and statics conditions. The skin-stiffener interaction is accounted for by computing the stiffness due to the stiffener and the skin in the skin-stiffener region about the neutral axis at the stiffener. Buckling load results for axially stiffened, orthogrid, and general grid-stiffened panels are obtained using the smeared stiffness combined with a Rayleigh-Ritz method and are compared with results from detailed finite element analyses.

  4. COMPARISON OF GeneXpert MTB/RIF ASSAY WITH CONVENTIONAL AFB SMEAR FOR DIAGNOSIS OF PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS IN NORTHEASTERN THAILAND.

    PubMed

    Reechaipichitkul, Wipa; Suleesathira, Tanapong; Chaimanee, Prajaub

    2017-03-01

    Among infectious agents, Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains one of the most significant causes of death worldwide. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains a great challenge. GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay is a novel integrated diagnostic system for rapid diagnosis of TB and particularly of rifampicin-resistant strains. A study was conducted between January 2010 and December 2014 to compare the performance of the sputum GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay with the conventional sputum AFB smear for diagnosis of active pulmonary TB in Thailand, a country with a high burden of this disease. Of the 125 patients who had cough and/or prolonged fever together with abnormal chest radiograph, 63 were diagnosed as having pulmonary TB by mycobacterium culture assay, while the remaining subjects were considered of having TB-like conditions, viz non-tuberculous mycobacterium infection (NTM), bacterial pneumonia or bronchogenic carcinoma. Two-thirds of the patients had underlying diseases, eg, diabetes mellitus (19 patients), autoimmune diseases (14), and HIV (6). Among patients with positive diagnosis of M. tuberculosis infection, 30 were AFB smear positive and 53 by sputum GeneXpert MTB/RIF method; among patients negative for M. tuberculosis infection, 4 were AFB smear positive and 5 by GeneXpert MTB/ RIF assay. Sensitivity and specificity of the sputum AFB smear and GeneXpertMTB/ RIF assay test were 48% (95% CI: 35-61) and 84% (95% CI: 73-92), and 94% (95% CI: 84-98) and 92% (95% CI: 82-97), respectively. Diagnostic performance of the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay among AFB smear positive patients was higher than among AFB smear negative patients (adjusted OR 6.7; 95% CI: 2.3-19.9). Earlier diagnosis of pulmonary TB using GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay will lead to earlier appropriate treatment and provide opportunities to interrupt TB transmission.

  5. Quality control of Kato slide counts for Schistosoma mansoni: a review of 12 years' experience in Kenya.

    PubMed Central

    Sturrock, R. F.; Ouma, J. H.; Kariuki, H. C.; Thiongo, F. W.; Koech, D. K.; Butterworth, A. E.

    1997-01-01

    A total of 19 annual or biannual audits were performed over a 12-year period by an independent microscopist on randomized subsamples of Kato slides examined for Schistosoma mansoni eggs by Kenyan microscopists from the Division of Vector-borne Diseases (DVBD). The recounts were invariably lower than the originals owing to some deterioration of the preparations between counts, but the two were strongly correlated: significant regressions of recounts on counts taking up 80-90% of the observed variance. Observer bias differed significantly between microscopists but remained stable over time, whereas repeatability of recounts on counts dropped slightly in periods of maximum work load but did not vary systematically with time. Approximately 7% of the counts and recounts disagreed on the presence or absence of eggs, but less than a third of these were negatives that were found positive on recount. False negatives dropped to 1.3% if duplicate counts were considered. The performance of the Kenyan microscopists was remarkably high and consistent throughout the 12-year period. This form of quality control is suitable for projects where limited funds preclude full-time supervisors using more sophisticated systems. PMID:9447781

  6. Defined PEG smears as an alternative approach to enhance the search for crystallization conditions and crystal-quality improvement in reduced screens

    PubMed Central

    Chaikuad, Apirat; Knapp, Stefan; von Delft, Frank

    2015-01-01

    The quest for an optimal limited set of effective crystallization conditions remains a challenge in macromolecular crystallography, an issue that is complicated by the large number of chemicals which have been deemed to be suitable for promoting crystal growth. The lack of rational approaches towards the selection of successful chemical space and representative combinations has led to significant overlapping conditions, which are currently present in a multitude of commercially available crystallization screens. Here, an alternative approach to the sampling of widely used PEG precipitants is suggested through the use of PEG smears, which are mixtures of different PEGs with a requirement of either neutral or cooperatively positive effects of each component on crystal growth. Four newly defined smears were classified by molecular-weight groups and enabled the preservation of specific properties related to different polymer sizes. These smears not only allowed a wide coverage of properties of these polymers, but also reduced PEG variables, enabling greater sampling of other parameters such as buffers and additives. The efficiency of the smear-based screens was evaluated on more than 220 diverse recombinant human proteins, which overall revealed a good initial crystallization success rate of nearly 50%. In addition, in several cases successful crystallizations were only obtained using PEG smears, while various commercial screens failed to yield crystals. The defined smears therefore offer an alternative approach towards PEG sampling, which will benefit the design of crystallization screens sampling a wide chemical space of this key precipitant. PMID:26249344

  7. Defined PEG smears as an alternative approach to enhance the search for crystallization conditions and crystal-quality improvement in reduced screens.

    PubMed

    Chaikuad, Apirat; Knapp, Stefan; von Delft, Frank

    2015-08-01

    The quest for an optimal limited set of effective crystallization conditions remains a challenge in macromolecular crystallography, an issue that is complicated by the large number of chemicals which have been deemed to be suitable for promoting crystal growth. The lack of rational approaches towards the selection of successful chemical space and representative combinations has led to significant overlapping conditions, which are currently present in a multitude of commercially available crystallization screens. Here, an alternative approach to the sampling of widely used PEG precipitants is suggested through the use of PEG smears, which are mixtures of different PEGs with a requirement of either neutral or cooperatively positive effects of each component on crystal growth. Four newly defined smears were classified by molecular-weight groups and enabled the preservation of specific properties related to different polymer sizes. These smears not only allowed a wide coverage of properties of these polymers, but also reduced PEG variables, enabling greater sampling of other parameters such as buffers and additives. The efficiency of the smear-based screens was evaluated on more than 220 diverse recombinant human proteins, which overall revealed a good initial crystallization success rate of nearly 50%. In addition, in several cases successful crystallizations were only obtained using PEG smears, while various commercial screens failed to yield crystals. The defined smears therefore offer an alternative approach towards PEG sampling, which will benefit the design of crystallization screens sampling a wide chemical space of this key precipitant.

  8. Low temperature perovskite crystallization of highly tunable dielectric Ba0.7Sr0.3TiO3 thick films deposited by ion beam sputtering on platinized silicon substrates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, X. H.; Guigues, B.; Defaÿ, E.; Dubarry, C.; Aïd, M.

    2009-02-01

    Ba0.7Sr0.3TiO3 (BST) thick films with thickness up to 1 μm were deposited on Pt-coated silicon substrates by ion beam sputtering, followed by an annealing treatment. It is demonstrated that pure well-crystallized perovskite phase could be obtained in thick BST films by a low temperature process (535 °C). The BST thick films show highly tunable dielectric properties with tunability (at 800 kV/cm) up to 51.0% and 66.2%, respectively, for the 0.5 and 1 μm thick films. The relationship between strains and dielectric properties was systematically investigated in the thick films. The results suggest that a comparatively larger tensile thermal in-plane strain (0.15%) leads to the degradation in dielectric properties of the 0.5 μm thick film; besides, strong defect-related inhomogeneous strains (˜0.3%) make the dielectric peaks smearing and broadening in the thick films, which, however, preferably results in high figure-of-merit factors over a wide operating temperature range. Moreover, the leakage current behavior in the BST thick films was found to be dominated by the space-charge-limited-current mechanism, irrespective of the film thickness.

  9. Effectiveness of chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.), MTAD and sodium hypochlorite irrigants on smear layer.

    PubMed

    Venkataram, V; Gokhale, S T; Kenchappa, M; Nagarajappa, R

    2013-08-01

    Endodontic success depends heavily on effective chemo-mechanical debridement of root canals through the use of instruments and irrigating solutions. To compare the effectiveness of chamomile hydroalcoholic extract, Biopure™ mixture of tetracycline isomer, acid and detergent (MTAD) and 2.5 % sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) on removal of the smear layer. Randomised controlled trial. Thirty extracted single-rooted, primary human teeth were allocated at random into three experimental groups of 10 teeth each. For each tooth, the canal was prepared using the step-back technique. During instrumentation, 2 ml of the irrigant was used for at least 10 s after each file and 10 ml as a final flush for 2 min for chamomile and NaOCL irrigants. Whereas for MTAD, an initial rinse with 1.3 % NaOCl for a cumulated period of 20 min, and use of MTAD as the final rinse for a period of 5 min was followed. Longitudinal grooves were made on root segments, then split into two halves with a chisel, stored in 2.5 % glutaraldehyde solution and fixed in ethanol series. Specimens were examined for the smear layer according to Hulsmann et al. (Int Endod J 35:668-679, 2002) criteria using a scanning electron microscope. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used. The most effective result in removal of smear layer occurred with the use of MTAD, followed by chamomile extract. The chamomile extract was found to be significantly more effective than 2.5 % NaOCl solution which had only minor effects. The efficacy of chamomile to remove the smear layer was superior to 2.5 % NaOCl alone, but less effective than MTAD mixture.

  10. The hierarchy of the activities of daily living in the Katz index in residents of skilled nursing facilities.

    PubMed

    Gerrard, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Nursing facility patients are a population that has not been well studied with regard to functional status and independence previously. As such, the manner in which activities of daily living (ADL) relate to one another is not well understood in this population. An understanding of ADL difficulty ordering has helped to devise systems of functional independence grading in other populations, which have value in understanding patients' global levels of independence and providing expectations regarding changes in function. This study seeks to examine the hierarchy of ADL in the nursing facility population. Data were analyzed from the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey, a cross-sectional data set of 13 507 skilled nursing facility subjects with functional independence items. The ADL difficulty hierarchy was determined using Rasch analysis. Item fit values for the Rasch model using Mean-Square infit statistics were also determined. The robustness of the hierarchy was tested for each ADL. Two grading systems were devised from the results of the item difficulty ordering. One was based on the most difficult item that he or she could perform, and the other assigned a grade based on the least difficult item that a subject could not perform. A total of 13 113 patients were included in this analysis, the majority of whom were female and white. They had an average age of 81 years. An ordered hierarchy of ADL was found with eating being the easiest and bathing the most difficult. All items in the Katz index fit the Rasch model adequately well. The majority of patients able to perform any particular ADL were also able to perform all easier ADL. Cohen's κ for the 2 grading systems was 0.73. This study is the first to show the expected hierarchy of difficulty of the 6 activities of daily proposed in the Katz index in the nursing facility population. The hierarchy found in this population matches the original hierarchy found in older adults in the community and acute care settings

  11. Screening for cervical cancer using automated analysis of PAP-smears.

    PubMed

    Bengtsson, Ewert; Malm, Patrik

    2014-01-01

    Cervical cancer is one of the most deadly and common forms of cancer among women if no action is taken to prevent it, yet it is preventable through a simple screening test, the so-called PAP-smear. This is the most effective cancer prevention measure developed so far. But the visual examination of the smears is time consuming and expensive and there have been numerous attempts at automating the analysis ever since the test was introduced more than 60 years ago. The first commercial systems for automated analysis of the cell samples appeared around the turn of the millennium but they have had limited impact on the screening costs. In this paper we examine the key issues that need to be addressed when an automated analysis system is developed and discuss how these challenges have been met over the years. The lessons learned may be useful in the efforts to create a cost-effective screening system that could make affordable screening for cervical cancer available for all women globally, thus preventing most of the quarter million annual unnecessary deaths still caused by this disease.

  12. Clinicopathological importance of Papanicolaou smears for the diagnosis of premalignant and malignant lesions of the cervix

    PubMed Central

    Bukhari, Mulazim Hussain; Saba, Kanwal; Qamar, Samina; Majeed, Muhammad Muddasar; Niazi, Shahida; Naeem, Samina

    2012-01-01

    Background: Premalignant and malignant lesions are not uncommon in Pakistani women, especially in the older age-groups Aim: This study was conducted to determine the clinicopathological importance of conventional Papanicolaou (Pap) smears for the diagnosis of premalignant and malignant lesions of the cervix. Materials and Methods: Pap smears of 1000 women were examined from January 2007 to June 2009. Only cases with neoplastic cytology were included. Results: The overall frequency of normal, inadequate, neoplastic, and infective smears was 50%, 1.8%, 10.2%, and 38.3%, respectively. Most of the patients (67%) were in the postmenopausal age-group, with the mean age being 44.7±15.63 years. The commonest clinical signs/symptoms seen among the 102 patients with neoplastic gynecological lesions were vaginal discharge and abnormal bleeding (93/102;(91.2% and 62/102;60.7%). Of the 102 cases with neoplastic lesions 46 patients (45%) had low-grade squamous cell intraepithelial lesions (LSILs), 22 (21.5%) had high-grade squamous cell intraepithelial lesions (HSILs), 14 (13.7%) had squamous cell carcinoma, and 6 (5.8%) showed features of adenocarcinoma. Ten (9.8%) cases showed cytology of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) and four (3.9%) cases had atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance (AGUS). Conclusion: We conclude that cervical smear examination is well suited for diagnosing neoplastic disease. It is clear that cervical neoplastic lesions are becoming a problem in Pakistan. PMID:22438612

  13. Neutron Capture Energies for Flux Normalization and Approximate Model for Gamma-Smeared Power

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kim, Kang Seog; Clarno, Kevin T.; Liu, Yuxuan

    The Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications (VERA) neutronics simulator MPACT has used a single recoverable fission energy for each fissionable nuclide assuming that all recoverable energies come only from fission reaction, for which capture energy is merged with fission energy. This approach includes approximations and requires improvement by separating capture energy from the merged effective recoverable energy. This report documents the procedure to generate recoverable neutron capture energies and the development of a program called CapKappa to generate capture energies. Recoverable neutron capture energies have been generated by using CapKappa withmore » the evaluated nuclear data file (ENDF)/B-7.0 and 7.1 cross section and decay libraries. The new capture kappas were compared to the current SCALE-6.2 and the CASMO-5 capture kappas. These new capture kappas have been incorporated into the Simplified AMPX 51- and 252-group libraries, and they can be used for the AMPX multigroup (MG) libraries and the SCALE code package. The CASL VERA neutronics simulator MPACT does not include a gamma transport capability, which limits it to explicitly estimating local energy deposition from fission, neutron, and gamma slowing down and capture. Since the mean free path of gamma rays is typically much longer than that for the neutron, and the total gamma energy is about 10% to the total energy, the gamma-smeared power distribution is different from the fission power distribution. Explicit local energy deposition through neutron and gamma transport calculation is significantly important in multi-physics whole core simulation with thermal-hydraulic feedback. Therefore, the gamma transport capability should be incorporated into the CASL neutronics simulator MPACT. However, this task will be timeconsuming in developing the neutron induced gamma production and gamma cross section libraries. This study is to

  14. Development of search prefilters for infrared library searching of clear coat paint smears.

    PubMed

    Lavine, Barry K; Fasasi, Ayuba; Mirjankar, Nikhil; Sandercock, Mark

    2014-02-01

    Search prefilters developed from spectral data collected on two 6700 Thermo-Nicolet FTIR spectrometers were able to identify the respective manufacturing plant and the production line of an automotive vehicle from its clear coat paint smear using IR transmission spectra collected on a Bio-Rad 40A or Bio-Rad 60 FTIR spectrometer. All four spectrometers were equipped with DTGS detectors. An approach based on instrumental line functions was used to transfer the classification model between the Thermo-Nicolet and Bio-Rad instruments. In this study, 209 IR spectra of clear coat paint smears comprising the training set were collected using two Thermo-Nicolet 6700 IR spectrometers, whereas the validation set consisted of 242 IR spectra of clear coats obtained using two Bio-Rad FTIR instruments. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. Effects of NiTi rotary and reciprocating instruments on debris and smear layer scores: an SEM evaluation.

    PubMed

    Poggio, Claudio; Dagna, Alberto; Chiesa, Marco; Scribante, Andrea; Beltrami, Riccardo; Colombo, Marco

    2014-12-30

    The purpose of the present study was to investigate the cleaning efficacy of 2 different nickel-titanium (NiTi) rotary systems: a new single system Reciproc compared with the rotary full sequence Mtwo. The amount of debris and the morphology of smear layer were the parameters for the evaluation of the cleanliness of root canals. The null hypothesis of the study was that there would be no significant difference in debris scores and smear layer scores between the 2 systems. 
 Forty single-rooted freshly extracted teeth were selected and divided into 2 groups. For each group, all root canals were shaped with 2 different NiTi instruments (Mtwo and Reciproc) and irrigated with 5.25% NaOCl and 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) solutions by 3 trained operators. Specimens were fractured longitudinally and prepared for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis at a standard magnification of ×5,000. The presence/absence of smear layer and the presence/absence of debris at the coronal, middle and apical third of each canal were evaluated using two 5-step scales for scores. Numeric data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U statistical tests, and significance was set at a P value <0.05. 
 This study revealed significant differences among the various groups. The Mtwo group presented significantly lower smear layer scores than the Reciproc group (P<0.01) in the middle and apical third of the canal. 
 Conventional continuous rotary NiTi instruments associated with 5.25% NaOCl and 17% EDTA solutions seem to be better for obtaining clean dentinal canal walls. Reciprocating instruments leave a higher quantity of smear layer which covers dentinal walls and dentinal tubules.

  16. Evaluation of the effects of two novel irrigants on intraradicular dentine erosion, debris and smear layer removal

    PubMed Central

    Görduysus, Melahat; Bayramgil, Nursel Pekel; Görduysus, Mehmet Ömer

    2015-01-01

    Objectives To evaluate the effects of copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic acid (Poly[AA-co-MA]) and calcium hypochlorite (Ca(OCl)2) on root canal dentin using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Materials and Methods Twenty-four single-rooted teeth were instrumented and the apical and coronal thirds of each root were removed, leaving the 5 mm middle thirds, which were then separated into two pieces longitudinally. The specimens were randomly divided into six groups and subjected to each irrigant for 5 min as follows: G1, Ca(OCl)2; G2, Poly(AA-co-MA); G3, Ca(OCl)2 + Poly(AA-co-MA); G4, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl); G5, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA); G6, NaOCl+EDTA. The specimens were prepared for SEM evaluation. Smear layer, debris and erosion scores were recorded by two blinded examiners. One image from G3 was analyzed with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) on suspicion of precipitate formation. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests. Results G1 and G4 showed the presence of debris and smear layer and they were statistically different from G2, G3, G5 and G6 where debris and smear layer were totally removed (p < 0.05). In G1 and G4, erosion evaluation could not be done because of debris and smear layer. G2, G3 and G5 showed no erosion, and there was no significant difference between them. G6 showed severe erosion and was statistically different from G2, G3 and G5 (p < 0.05). EDS microanalysis showed the presence of Na, P, and Ca elements on the surface. Conclusions Poly(AA-co-MA) is effective in removing the smear layer and debris without causing erosion either alone or with Ca(OCl)2. PMID:26295025

  17. The Sensitivity and Specificity of Potassium Hydroxide Smear and Fungal Culture Relative to Clinical Assessment in the Evaluation of Tinea Pedis: A Pooled Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Levitt, Jacob Oren; Levitt, Barrie H.; Akhavan, Arash; Yanofsky, Howard

    2010-01-01

    Background. There are relatively few studies published examining the sensitivity and specificity of potassium hydroxide (KOH) smear and fungal culture examination of tinea pedis. Objective. To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of KOH smear and fungal culture for diagnosing tinea pedis. Methods. A pooled analysis of data from five similarly conducted bioequivalence trials for antifungal drugs was performed. Data from 460 patients enrolled in the vehicle arms of these studies with clinical diagnosis of tinea pedis supported by positive fungal culture were analyzed 6 weeks after initiation of the study to determine the sensitivity and specificity of KOH smear and fungal culture. Results. Using clinical assessment as the gold standard, the sensitivities for KOH smear and culture were 73.3% (95% CI: 66.3 to 79.5%) and 41.7% (34.6 to 49.1%), respectively. The respective specificities for culture and KOH smear were 77.7% (72.2 to 82.5%) and 42.5% (36.6 to 48.6%). Conclusion. KOH smear and fungal culture are complementary diagnostic tests for tinea pedis, with the former being the more sensitive test of the two, and the latter being more specific. PMID:20672004

  18. Self-Reports of Pap Smear Screening in Women with Physical Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Jin-Ding; Chen, Shih-Fan; Lin, Lan-Ping; Sung, Chang-Lin

    2011-01-01

    We collected self reported rate of cervical smear testing to examine the affecting factors in women with physical disabilities in the study, to define the reproductive health care for this group of people. The study population recruited 521 women with physical disabilities aged more than 15 years who were officially registered as having physical…

  19. Evaluation of the smear layer removal and erosive capacity of EDTA, boric acid, citric acid and desy clean solutions: an in vitro study.

    PubMed

    Turk, Tugba; Kaval, Mehmet Emin; Şen, Bilge Hakan

    2015-09-03

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the smear layer removal and erosive capacity of various irrigation solutions with sequential use of NaOCl on instrumented root canal walls. The root canals of single-rooted teeth were instrumented with ProTaper rotary instrument. Then, the teeth were randomly divided into five experimental groups. The root canals were irrigated with one of the following solutions (5 mL/1 min): 5% EDTA, 5% boric acid (BA), a mixture of BA and CA, 2.5% citric acid (CA) and 5% Desy Clean. After irrigating with 2.5% NaOCl and distilled water, the roots were split into two halves and each half was prepared for SEM examination. Representative photographs were taken from each third at x500 and x1000 magnifications. Double blind scoring was performed by two calibrated observers for smear layer and erosion. The scores were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn's post hoc and Spearman's correlation tests (p = 0.05). There were statistically significant differences among the solutions by means of smear layer and erosion (p < 0.05). While 2.5% CA solution was the most effective solution in removal of smear layer, it was also the most erosive solution (p < 0.05). 5% Desy Clean removed smear layer effectively and caused less erosion. There was a negative, but statistically significant correlation between presence of smear layer and erosion (r = -0.684; p < 0.0001). Desy Clean can be a promising agent as an irrigation solution with optimal smear layer removal capacity and less erosive effects.

  20. Increasing Pap smear rates at an urban Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service through translational research and continuous quality improvement.

    PubMed

    Dorrington, Melanie S; Herceg, Ana; Douglas, Kirsty; Tongs, Julie; Bookallil, Marianne

    2015-01-01

    This article describes translational research (TR) and continuous quality improvement (CQI) processes used to identify and address barriers and facilitators to Pap smear screening within an urban Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS). Rapid Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles were conducted, informed by client surveys, a data collection tool, focus groups and internal research. There was a statistically significant increase in Pap smear numbers during PDSA cycles, continuing at 10 months follow up. The use of TR with CQI appears to be an effective and acceptable way to affect Pap smear screening. Community and service collaboration should be at the core of research in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health settings. This model is transferrable to other settings and other health issues.

  1. Effectiveness of various irrigation activation protocols and the self-adjusting file system on smear layer and debris removal.

    PubMed

    Çapar, İsmail Davut; Aydinbelge, Hale Ari

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of the present study is to evaluate smear layer generation and residual debris after using self-adjusting file (SAF) or rotary instrumentation and to compare the debris and smear layer removal efficacy of the SAF cleaning/shaping irrigation system against final agitation techniques. One hundred and eight maxillary lateral incisor teeth were randomly divided into nine experimental groups (n = 12), and root canals were prepared using ProTaper Universal rotary files, with the exception of the SAF instrumentation group. During instrumentation, root canals were irrigated with a total of 16 mL of 5% NaOCl. For final irrigation, rotary-instrumented groups were irrigated with 10 mL of 17% EDTA and 10 mL of 5% NaOCl using different irrigation agitation regimens (syringe irrigation with needles, NaviTip FX, manual dynamic irrigation, CanalBrush, EndoActivator, EndoVac, passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), and SAF irrigation). In the SAF instrumentation group, root canals were instrumented for 4 min at a rate of 4 mL/min with 5% NaOCl and received a final flush with same as syringe irrigation with needles. The surface of the root dentin was observed using a scanning electron microscope. The SAF instrumentation group generated less smear layer and yielded cleaner canals compared to rotary instrumentation. The EndoActivator, EndoVac, PUI, and SAF irrigation groups increased the efficacy of irrigating solutions on the smear layer and debris removal. The SAF instrumentation yielded cleaner canal walls when compared to rotary instrumentation. None of the techniques completely removed the smear layer from the root canal walls. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Atypical Findings on Cervicovaginal Smears Correlate with Cervical Involvement by Malignant Mixed Müllerian Tumors of the Uterus.

    PubMed

    Hanley, Krisztina Z; Oprea-Ilies, Gabriela; Ormenisan, Claudia; Seydafkan, Shabnam; Mosunjac, Marina B

    2015-01-01

    A malignant mixed müllerian tumor (MMMT) is a high-grade neoplasm commonly arising from the uterus. Patients present with bleeding and a mass protruding from the cervix. This study was designed to correlate Papanicolaou (Pap) smear findings with histological findings in women diagnosed with MMMT. Women diagnosed with MMMT were identified. Preoperative Pap tests were correlated with histological findings. Statistical analysis was performed to assess associations between abnormal Pap tests and histological findings. Forty patients with MMMT were included in the study. Age ranged from 37-85 years and tumor size ranged from 1.2 to 21 cm. In presurgical Pap tests (4 conventional and 36 liquid based), 11 smears (27.5%) were diagnosed as negative, 5 (12.5%) as atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, 6 (15%) as atypical glandular cells, 16 (40%) as malignant and 2 (5%) as high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion. Malignant cells detected on Pap smears showed a strong correlation with endocervical involvement by MMMT (p = 0.002). Larger tumors were more likely to involve the cervix (p = 0.0115). The Pap test can predict cervical involvement by MMMT. On Pap smears, MMMT cells showed no correlation with other adverse histological features (lymphovascular invasion, myoinvasion or adnexal involvement). © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  3. Concentration and time-dependent effect of initial sodium hypochlorite on the ability of QMix and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid to remove smear layer.

    PubMed

    Aksel, Hacer; Serper, Ahmet

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the ability of 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and QMix with different concentrations and time exposures of initial sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) to remove the smear layer from the root canals. Eighty maxillary central incisors were used. After instrumentation, the teeth were divided into eight experimental groups according to the initial and final rinse. About 2.5% and 5% NaOCl were used during instrumentation and for 1 or 3 min was used as postinstrumentation initial irrigants, and 17% EDTA and QMix used as final irrigants. The apical and middle parts of the specimens were observed by scanning electron microscope. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney, and Friedman's test. Regardless of the type of final irrigant, QMix allowed more smear layer removal than EDTA after using 5% initial NaOCl for 3 min. In the apical part of the root canal walls, the smear layer was not completely removed. QMix and EDTA were similarly effective in smear layer removal at the middle parts of the root canal regardless of the concentration and time exposure of initial NaOCl, while none of the irrigation protocols was able to remove smear layer at the apical parts.

  4. Time to clinical investigation for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Queensland women after a high grade abnormal Pap smear, 2000-2009.

    PubMed

    Whop, Lisa J; Baade, Peter D; Brotherton, Julia Ml; Canfell, Karen; Cunningham, Joan; Gertig, Dorota; Lokuge, Kamalini; Garvey, Gail; Moore, Suzanne P; Diaz, Abbey; O'Connell, Dianne L; Valery, Patricia; Roder, David M; Condon, John R

    2017-02-06

    To investigate time to follow-up (clinical investigation) for Indigenous and non-Indigenous women in Queensland after a high grade abnormality (HGA) being detected by Pap smear. Population-based retrospective cohort analysis of linked data from the Queensland Pap Smear Register (PSR), the Queensland Hospital Admitted Patient Data Collection, and the Queensland Cancer Registry. 34 980 women aged 20-68 years (including 1592 Indigenous women) with their first HGA Pap smear result recorded on the PSR (index smear) during 2000-2009 were included and followed to the end of 2010. Time from the index smear to clinical investigation (histology test or cancer diagnosis date), censored at 12 months. The proportion of women who had a clinical investigation within 2 months of a HGA finding was lower for Indigenous (34.1%; 95% CI, 31.8-36.4%) than for non-Indigenous women (46.5%; 95% CI, 46.0-47.0%; unadjusted incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.65; 95% CI, 0.60-0.71). This difference remained after adjusting for place of residence, area-level disadvantage, and age group (adjusted IRR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.68-0.81). However, Indigenous women who had not been followed up within 2 months were subsequently more likely to have a clinical investigation than non-Indigenous women (adjusted IRR for 2-4 month interval, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.08-1.36); by 6 months, a similar proportion of Indigenous (62.2%; 95% CI, 59.8-64.6%) and non-Indigenous women (62.8%; 95% CI, 62.2-63.3%) had been followed up. Prompt follow-up after a HGA Pap smear finding needs to improve for Indigenous women. Nevertheless, slow follow-up is a smaller contributor to their higher cervical cancer incidence and mortality than their lower participation in cervical screening.

  5. Violence Victimization, Social Support, and Papanicolaou Smear Outcomes: A Longitudinal Study from Adolescence to Young Adulthood.

    PubMed

    Hsieh, Hsing-Fang; Heinze, Justin E; Lang, Ian; Mistry, Ritesh; Buu, Anne; Zimmerman, Marc A

    2017-12-01

    African American youth are among those at greatest risk for experiencing violence victimization. Notably, the mortality rate of cervical cancer for African American women is also twice that of white women. To date, we know of no literature using longitudinal data to examine how violence victimization relates to Papanicolaou (Pap) smear results or cervical cancer in this population. Our study examines how violence victimization during adolescence (age 15 to 18) influences psychological distress, perceived social support, heavy substance abuse, and sexual risk behaviors during emerging adulthood (age 20 to 23), and subsequent Pap smear outcomes during young adulthood (age 29 to 32). This study is based on 12 waves of data collected in a longitudinal study of 360 African American women from mid-adolescence (ninth grade, mean age = 14.8 years) to young adulthood (mean age = 32.0 years). We used structural equation modeling analysis to examine the hypothesized model. Violence victimization during adolescence had a direct effect on decreased social support, increased psychological distress, and increased heavy cigarette use during emerging adulthood. Better social support was also associated with fewer sexual partners during emerging adulthood and lower odds of abnormal Pap smear results during young adulthood. The effect of violence victimization on abnormal Pap smear was mediated by social support. Our results show that violence victimization during adolescence has long-term negative effects through multiple pathways that persist into adulthood. Our findings also suggest that social support may help to compensate against other risk factors. Interventions designed to address the perceived support may help victims cope with their experience.

  6. 'Ease of interpretation' of cytological smears stained with modified ultrafast papanicolaou stain: Interobserver agreement and reproducibility.

    PubMed

    Uthamalingam, Preithy; Sathish Kumar, Thabasum; Venus, Albina; Sekar, Preethi; Muthusamy, Rajeshwari K; Mehta, Sangita

    2018-04-01

    Since its inception in 1995, the Ultrafast Papanicoloau (UFPAP) cytological stain has undergone a number of modifications to suit the local availability of reagents and cost in different set ups. However, the reported results have been uniformly encouraging. We designed a study to investigate the inter-observer agreement in 'perceived ease of interpretation' of cytological smears stained with Modified Ultrafast Papanicoloau stain (MUFPAP). After a small pilot study, we prospectively stained air-dried fine needle aspirate smears (FNACs) and Body Fluid smears with the standardized MUFPAP stain. The MUFPAP stained slides were evaluated in tandem with other routine cytological stains as well as independently by two pathologists. Two rater kappa was used to determine the agreement. The study included 93 fluids and 34 FNACs. A vast majority of the cases stained with MUFPAP were rated 'better' than the routine stains in terms of 'overall ease of interpretation' with considerable agreement. The agreement tended to be better for FNACs than fluid specimens. Cases with malignant pathology demonstrated a perfect agreement (kappa = 1) between the raters in terms of 'overall ease of interpretation' (91.7% cases were rated 'very good' by each pathologist) when compared to cases with benign pathology (kappa = 0.52). Nuclear characteristics were appreciated with a better agreement than other parameters. Modified UFPAP stain appears to be quick, reliable, cost-effective alternative in cytology, especially for detecting malignant cells in smears with low cellularity. Its specific advantage is robust nuclear staining against a clear background. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Combined effect of smear layer characteristics and hydrostatic pulpal pressure on dentine bond strength of HEMA-free and HEMA-containing adhesives.

    PubMed

    Mahdan, Mohd Haidil Akmal; Nakajima, Masatoshi; Foxton, Richard M; Tagami, Junji

    2013-10-01

    This study evaluated the combined effect of smear layer characteristics with hydrostatic pulpal pressure (PP) on bond strength and nanoleakage expression of HEMA-free and -containing self-etch adhesives. Flat dentine surfaces were obtained from extracted human molars. Smear layers were created by grinding with #180- or #600-SiC paper. Three HEMA-free adhesives (Xeno V, G Bond Plus, Beautibond Multi) and two HEMA-containing adhesives (Bond Force, Tri-S Bond) were applied to the dentine surfaces under hydrostatic PP or none. Dentine bond strengths were determined using the microtensile bond test (μTBS). Data were statistically analyzed using three- and two-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc comparison test. Nanoleakage evaluation was carried out under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Coarse smear layer preparation and hydrostatic PP negatively affected the μTBS of HEMA-free and -containing adhesives, but there were no significant differences. The combined experimental condition significantly reduced μTBS of the HEMA-free adhesives, while the HEMA-containing adhesives exhibited no significant differences. Two-way ANOVA indicated that for HEMA-free adhesives, there were significant interactions in μTBS between smear layer characteristics and pulpal pressure, while for HEMA-containing adhesives, there were no significant interactions between them. Nanoleakage formation within the adhesive layers of both adhesive systems distinctly increased in the combined experimental group. The combined effect of coarse smear layer preparation with hydrostatic PP significantly reduced the μTBS of HEMA-free adhesives, while in HEMA-containing adhesives, these effects were not obvious. Smear layer characteristics and hydrostatic PP would additively compromise dentine bonding of self-etch adhesives, especially HEMA-free adhesives. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. A prevalence survey for smear-positive tuberculosis in Thai prisons.

    PubMed

    Jittimanee, S X; Ngamtrairai, N; White, M C; Jittimanee, S

    2007-05-01

    Twenty-seven prisons in Thailand. To measure the prevalence of smear-positive tuberculosis (TB) and to compare its detection using the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for prisons or the International Standards for Tuberculosis Care (ISTC) criteria. Prisoners who were not on TB medications and who had not been treated for TB in the previous 6 months were enrolled in the survey. Prison nurses conducted a one-time mass screening using the WHO questionnaire, with follow-up sputum collection in TB suspects. Of 71594 prisoners, 22132 (30.9%) were identified as TB suspects, and 254 were confirmed by sputum smear, for a prevalence of 354.8/100000. Males were most likely to be diagnosed with TB disease (OR 2.6), as were those transferring in from another prison versus new prisoners (OR 3.0). The positive predictive value of the WHO criteria was 1.2%, and that of the ISTC standard was 5.9%. TB prevalence in this survey remained high. WHO guidelines, recognised as a standard, require health workers to question prisoners and measure height and weight. The ISTC standard, a single question about cough >or=2 weeks, is simple, may be asked by non-health personnel and may be a better alternative.

  9. Erythrocyte dysplasia in peripheral blood smears from 5 thrombocytopenic dogs treated with vincristine sulfate.

    PubMed

    Collicutt, Nancy B; Garner, Bridget

    2013-12-01

    Secondary dyserythropoiesis has been associated with vincristine administration in dogs. Evaluation of bone marrow aspirates for the presence of morphologic abnormalities in the erythroid lineage aids in the diagnosis. However, morphologic features of circulating erythroid precursors in these cases have not been described previously. The purpose of this report was to describe the cytologic features of dyserythropoiesis in peripheral blood and also bone marrow smears in a case series of dogs with immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (IMT) treated with vincristine sulfate. Nineteen dogs receiving vincristine for treatment of IMT were identified by retrospectively searching a computerized medical record system. There were 5 dogs that had dysplastic erythroid precursors in peripheral blood smears within 7 days of vincristine treatment. Two of those 5 dogs also had evidence for erythrodysplasia in modified Wright's-stained bone marrow smears obtained postvincristine administration. Morphologic changes included bizarre or inappropriate mitotic figures, abnormal nuclear configurations (fragmentation, elongation, indentation, and binucleation), atypical nuclear remnants (Howell-Jolly bodies), or nuclear and cytoplasmic asynchrony within the erythroid precursors. A brief review of the literature with discussion of the etiologies for dyserythropoiesis is provided. The dyserythropoiesis was clinically insignificant in all 5 cases and resolved. However, pathologists and clinicians should be aware of these potential findings to prevent misdiagnosis of other conditions. © 2013 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology and European Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

  10. Single step modified ink staining for Tzanck test: quick detection of herpetic giant cells in Tzanck smear.

    PubMed

    Mizutani, Hitoshi; Akeda, Tomoko; Yamanaka, Kei-Ichi; Isoda, Kenichi; Gabazza, Esteban C

    2012-02-01

    Tzanck test has been recently re-evaluated as a method for the diagnosis of herpes virus infection. Giemsa staining for the Tzanck test is time-consuming and laborious. There is a need to develop simple and quick staining methods for bedside diagnosis of this disease. We report a single step and quick method for staining herpes giant cells in Tzanck smears using routinely available inks and physiological saline. A keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) was cultured on a slide glass and stained with various commercially available blue, blue-black and black inks serially diluted with physiological saline. Clinical smear samples from herpes lesions were also stained with these solutions without specific pretreatment. The nuclei of HaCaT were clearly stained showing high contrast with the cytoplasm using 5% Parker-Quink blue-black ink saline solution. Concentration of ink solution higher or lower than 5% resulted in less contrast. Blue or black inks or other manufacturers' inks can also be used, but staining of the cultured keratinocytes was less clear. Smear of clinical samples from herpes lesions were also stained with 5% ink solution. The nuclei of the multinucleated giant cells were clearly stained, and the sample could be immediately used for microscopic examination. One step staining of Tzanck smear using this diluted ink solution is an inexpensive and a convenient bedside diagnostic tool for the dermatologist. © 2011 Japanese Dermatological Association.

  11. The self-adjusting file (SAF). Part 3: removal of debris and smear layer-A scanning electron microscope study.

    PubMed

    Metzger, Zvi; Teperovich, Ehud; Cohen, Raphaela; Zary, Raviv; Paqué, Frank; Hülsmann, Michael

    2010-04-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the cleaning ability of the Self-Adjusting File (SAF) system in terms of removal of debris and smear layer. Root canal preparations were performed in 20 root canals using an SAF operated with a continuous irrigation device. The glide path was initially established using a size 20 K-file followed by the SAF file that was operated in the root canal via a vibrating motion for a total of 4 minutes. Sodium hypochlorite (3%) and EDTA (17%) were used as continuous irrigants and were alternated every minute during this initial 4-minute period. This was followed by a 30-second rinse using EDTA applied through a nonactivated SAF and a final flush with sodium hypochlorite. The roots were split longitudinally and subjected to scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The presence of debris and a smear layer in the coronal, middle, and apical thirds of the canal were evaluated through the analysis of the SEM images using five-score evaluation systems based on reference photographs. The SAF operation with continuous irrigation, using alternating irrigants, resulted in root canal walls that were free of debris in all thirds of the canal in all (100%) of the samples. In addition, smear layer-free surfaces were observed in 100% and 80% of the coronal and middle thirds of the canal, respectively. In the apical third of the canal, smear layer-free surfaces were found in 65% of the root canals. The operation of the SAF system with continuous irrigation coupled with alternating sodium hypochlorite and EDTA treatment resulted in a clean and mostly smear layer-free dentinal surface in all parts of the root canal. Copyright (c) 2010 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Treatment outcomes and factors affecting unsuccessful outcome among new pulmonary smear positive and negative tuberculosis patients in Anqing, China: a retrospective study.

    PubMed

    Wen, Yufeng; Zhang, Zhiping; Li, Xianxiang; Xia, Dan; Ma, Jun; Dong, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Xinwei

    2018-03-05

    Monitoring the treatment outcomes of tuberculosis and determining the specific factors associated with unsuccessful treatment outcome are essential to evaluate the effectiveness of tuberculosis control program. This study aimed to assess treatment outcomes and explore the factors associated with unsuccessful outcomes among new pulmonary smear positive and negative tuberculosis patients in Anqing, China. A nine-year retrospective study was conducted using data from Anqing Center for Diseases Prevention and Control. New pulmonary tuberculosis patients treated with two six-month regimens were investigated. Non-conditional logistic regression was performed to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for factors associated with unsuccessful outcomes. Among 22,998 registered patients (16,939 males, 6059 females), 64.54% were smear-positive patients. The treatment success rates was 95.02% for smear-positive patients and 95.00% for smear-negative patients. Characteristics associated with an higher risk of unsuccessful treatment among smear-positive patients included aged above 35 years, treatment management model of self-medication, full-course management and supervision in intensive phase, unchecked chest X-ray, cavity in chest X-ray, and miliary shadow in chest X-ray, while normal X-ray was negative factor. Unsuccessful treatment among smear-negative patients was significantly associated with age over 45 years, treatment management model of full-course management, unchecked chest X-ray, presence of miliary shadow in chest X-ray and delay over 51 days. Tuberculosis treatment in Anqing area was successful and independent of treatment regimens. Special efforts are required for patients with unsuccessful outcomes.

  13. Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Smear-Positive Tuberculosis in the Sidama Zone, Southern Ethiopia

    PubMed Central

    Dangisso, Mesay Hailu; Datiko, Daniel Gemechu; Lindtjørn, Bernt

    2015-01-01

    Background Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease of public health concern, with a varying distribution across settings depending on socio-economic status, HIV burden, availability and performance of the health system. Ethiopia is a country with a high burden of TB, with regional variations in TB case notification rates (CNRs). However, TB program reports are often compiled and reported at higher administrative units that do not show the burden at lower units, so there is limited information about the spatial distribution of the disease. We therefore aim to assess the spatial distribution and presence of the spatio-temporal clustering of the disease in different geographic settings over 10 years in the Sidama Zone in southern Ethiopia. Methods A retrospective space–time and spatial analysis were carried out at the kebele level (the lowest administrative unit within a district) to identify spatial and space-time clusters of smear-positive pulmonary TB (PTB). Scan statistics, Global Moran’s I, and Getis and Ordi (Gi*) statistics were all used to help analyze the spatial distribution and clusters of the disease across settings. Results A total of 22,545 smear-positive PTB cases notified over 10 years were used for spatial analysis. In a purely spatial analysis, we identified the most likely cluster of smear-positive PTB in 192 kebeles in eight districts (RR= 2, p<0.001), with 12,155 observed and 8,668 expected cases. The Gi* statistic also identified the clusters in the same areas, and the spatial clusters showed stability in most areas in each year during the study period. The space-time analysis also detected the most likely cluster in 193 kebeles in the same eight districts (RR= 1.92, p<0.001), with 7,584 observed and 4,738 expected cases in 2003-2012. Conclusion The study found variations in CNRs and significant spatio-temporal clusters of smear-positive PTB in the Sidama Zone. The findings can be used to guide TB control programs to devise effective TB control

  14. Efficacy of Two Irrigants Used with Self-Adjusting File System on Smear Layer: A Scanning Electron Microscopy Study.

    PubMed

    Genç Şen, Özgür; Kaya, Sadullah; Er, Özgür; Alaçam, Tayfun

    2014-01-01

    Mechanical instrumentation of root canals produces a smear layer that adversely affects the root canal seal. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy of MTAD and citric acid solutions used with self-adjusting file (SAF) system on smear layer. Twenty-three single-rooted human teeth were used for the study. Canals were instrumented manually up to a number 20 K file size. SAF was used to prepare the root canals. The following groups were studied: Group 1: MTAD + 5.25% NaOCl, Group 2: 20% citric acid + 5.25% NaOCl, and Group 3: Control (5.25% NaOCl). All roots were split longitudinally and subjected to scanning electron microscopy. The presence of smear layer in the coronal, middle, and apical thirds was evaluated using a five-score evaluation system. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for statistical analysis. In the coronal third, Group 2 exhibited the best results and was statistically different froms the other groups (P < 0.05). There was not a significant difference among the three thirds of groups according to in-group comparisons (P > 0.05). The solutions used in Group 1 and 2 could effectively remove smear layer in most of the specimens. However, citric acid was more effective than MTAD in the three thirds of the canal.

  15. Process improvement of pap smear tracking in a women's medicine center clinic in residency training.

    PubMed

    Calhoun, Byron C; Goode, Jeff; Simmons, Kathy

    2011-11-01

    Application of Six-Sigma methodology and Change Acceleration Process (CAP)/Work Out (WO) tools to track pap smear results in an outpatient clinic in a hospital-based residency-training program. Observational study of impact of changes obtained through application of Six-Sigma principles in clinic process with particular attention to prevention of sentinel events. Using cohort analysis and applying Six-Sigma principles to an interactive electronic medical record Soarian workflow engine, we designed a system of timely accession and reporting of pap smear and pathology results. We compared manual processes from January 1, 2007 to February 28, 2008 to automated processes from March 1, 2008 to December 31, 2009. Using the Six-Sigma principles, CAP/WO tools, including "voice of the customer" and team focused approach, no outlier events went untracked. Applying the Soarian workflow engine to track prescribed 7 day turnaround time for completion, we identified 148 pap results in 3,936, 3 non-gynecological results in 15, and 41 surgical results in 246. We applied Six-Sigma principles to an outpatient clinic facilitating an interdisciplinary team approach to improve the clinic's reporting system. Through focused problem assessment, verification of process, and validation of outcomes, we improved patient care for pap smears and critical pathology. © 2011 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

  16. Correlation of ambient pollution levels and heavily-trafficked roadway proximity on the prevalence of smear-positive tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Jassal, M S; Bakman, I; Jones, B

    2013-03-01

    Varying levels of evidence exist for the contribution of indoor air pollution and environmental tobacco smoke as a risk factor for tuberculosis (TB). Despite a similar mechanism of action, the influence of outdoor air pollution exposure as an independent contributor to TB disease has yet to be explored. This area of inquiry is of increasing importance given the level of pollution in the rising economies of many TB-endemic nations. Los Angeles' unique physical environs and traffic patterns mirror other global megacities with a greater burden of TB therefore allowing for preliminary correlative studies. This preliminary study hypothesizes that individuals who reside proximal to elevated pollutant exposures are likely to have a greater burden of disease--as evidenced by sputum smear-positive TB. Retrospective medical records review. Medical records of non-homeless individuals (n = 196) diagnosed with culture positive TB at Los Angeles County and University of Southern California Medical Center Hospital were analyzed from January 2007 to December 2008. The study population was grouped according to acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear-positive (n = 111) and smear-negative (n = 85) status. Air pollutant exposure was captured using measurements of ozone (O3) and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 (PM2.5). Individual assignment to O3 and PM2.5 exposures were based on residential proximity to the nearest US Environmental Protection Agency's monitoring station. Proximity of home residences to traffic-related pollutants occurred by measurement of distance to the nearest freeway and major non-freeway road. Single factorial models yielded a significant correlation of smear-positive status and residential exposure to PM2.5. Residential distance to freeways and major arterial roads did not yield an association. This is the first report linking ambient pollution exposure as a risk factor for TB. PM2.5 may have the potential to impact TB lung pathology as

  17. The effect of the KTP laser on smear layer and temperature change: an in vitro study.

    PubMed

    Arslan, Dilara; Kuştarcı, Alper

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser irradiation on smear layer removal and temperature changes of the root surfaces. Two hundred four extracted single-root human premolars were included. The canals were instrumented and divided into two main groups: group A (smear layer examination n:119) and group B (temperature change examination n:85). Each group was divided into subgroups (n:17) according to the different five laser power settings: A1, B1: 1 W-5.33 J/cm 2 ; A2, B2: 1.5 W-7.52 J/cm 2 ; A3, B3: 2 W-10.3 J/cm 2 ; A4, B4: 3 W-15.5 J/cm 2 , A5, B5: 4 W-20.1 J/cm2, A6: positive control no laser irradiation-irrigated 2 mL for 2 min 2.5% NaOCl + 2 mL distilled water and A7: negative control groups no laser irradiation irrigated 2 mL for 2 min 17% EDTA + 2 mL for 2 min 2.5% NaOCl + 2 mL distilled water. The temperature elevations were measured with an infrared thermographic camera and smear layer examined by scanning electron microscope. According to Kruskal-Wallis and Tukey's tests, in all groups the highest smear scores were in the apical third. In all areas, there were statistically significant differences between negative control group (17% EDTA) and all other groups (p < 0.05). The highest smear scores were determined in 1 W KTP laser and positive control (2.5% NaOCl) groups. Statistically, in all thirds, the differences the 3 W and 4 W KTP laser groups between each other and all other groups were significant (p < 0.05). After the end of the use of the laser, increase in temperature values in all groups were found to be below 10 °C in 20 s.

  18. A comparative scanning electron microscopy evaluation of smear layer removal with apple vinegar and sodium hypochlorite associated with EDTA

    PubMed Central

    CANDEIRO, George Táccio de Miranda; de MATOS, Isabela Barbosa; da COSTA, Clarice Fernandes Eloy; FONTELES, Cristiane Sá Roriz; do VALE, Mônica Sampaio

    2011-01-01

    Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) the removal of smear layer from the middle and apical root thirds after use of different irrigating solutions. Material and Methods Forty roots of permanent human teeth had their canals instrumented and were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n=10), according to the irrigating solution: apple vinegar (group A), apple vinegar finished with 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (group B), 1% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) finished with 17% EDTA (group C) and saline (group D - control). After chemomechanical preparation, the roots were cleaved longitudinally and their middle and apical thirds were examined by SEM at ×1,000 magnification. Two calibrated examiners (kappa=0.92) analyzed the SEM micrographs qualitatively attributing scores that indicated the efficacy of the solutions in removing the smear layer from the surface of the dentin tubules (1 - poor, 2 - good and 3 - excellent). Data from the control and experimental groups were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's test, while the Wilcoxon test was used to compare the middle and apical thirds of the canals within the same group (α=0.05). Results The middle third presented less amount of smear layer than the apical third, regardless of the irrigant. There was statistically significant difference (p=0.0402) among the groups in the middle third. In the apical third, the apple vinegar/EDTA group showed the greatest removal of smear layer (p=0.0373). Conclusion Apple vinegar associated or not with EDTA was effective in removing smear layer when used as an endodontic irrigant. PMID:22231000

  19. Increased detection of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis by GeneXpert MTB/RIF® assay after bleach concentration.

    PubMed

    Tadesse, Mulualem; Aragaw, Dossegnaw; Rigouts, Leen; Abebe, Gemeda

    2016-06-01

    The GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay (Xpert) was endorsed as the initial diagnostic tool in people suspected of human immunodeficiency virus-associated or drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). However, information regarding the performance of Xpert for diagnosing smear-negative TB in high burden settings remains limited. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of Xpert and the impact of bleach concentration on the performance of Xpert using smear-negative sputum samples from human immunodeficiency virus-negative patients. One spot and one morning smear-negative sputum samples per patient were examined using Xpert and culture at the Mycobacteriology Research Center of Jimma University, Ethiopia. The sputum culture on both Löwenstein-Jensen and/or Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube was the gold-standard. Of 185 smear-negative presumptive pulmonary TB cases, 19 (10.3%) had culture-proven TB. The sensitivity of Xpert on spot and morning sputum was similar (63.2%). Testing two specimens per patient insignificantly increased the sensitivity of Xpert. Bleach concentration and pelleting improved the sensitivity of Xpert over unprocessed sputum in paired samples (73.8% vs. 63.2%) without affecting the specificity (95%). Bleach concentration and pelleting allowed an additional seven cases of TB (missed on the first and second direct Xperts) to be detected, five of which were from culture-negative cases. Testing of a single sputum sample by Xpert can reach reasonable sensitivity and results would be available on the same day, avoiding loss of patients and treatment delay. The sensitivity of Xpert was improved after bleach concentration and pelleting, although its added value needs further study on a larger scale. Copyright © 2016 Asian-African Society for Mycobacteriology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Awareness of cervical cancer and Pap smear among nursing staff at a rural tertiary care hospital in Central India.

    PubMed

    Jain, S M; Bagde, M N; Bagde, N D

    2016-01-01

    Cancer cervix is the leading cause of cancer deaths in females in developing countries and one in five women suffering from cervical cancer lives in India. The aim of this study is to determine the awareness about cervical cancer and Pap smear among nurses working in a tertiary care institute. Study Setting and Design: Cross-sectional survey in a tertiary care institute. Nurses working at our institute excluding those who have worked or working in the Obstetrics and Gynecology department were provided with a pre-designed questionnaire testing their knowledge about cervical cancer. Approximately, 86% were aware about cancer cervix and 69% were aware of a pre-cancerous stage. 42.3% were not aware of any risk factor and 27.6% were not aware of any symptom of cancer cervix. 86.2% were aware about Pap smear, but only 58.6% were aware that facilities of Pap smear were available at our hospital. Knowledge about cervical cancer and awareness of Pap smear as screening test was inadequate in nursing staff. Awareness programs about cervical cancer and screening are needed to increase awareness for this preventable condition. There is a need to arrange reorientation programs to sensitize nurses and establish cytology clinics to offer facilities for easily accessible and affordable screening.

  1. How group education impacts female factory workers' behavior and readiness to receive mammography and Pap smear.

    PubMed

    Seven, Memnun; Bahar, Mine; Akyüz, Aygül; Erdoğan, Hatice

    2015-01-01

    The workplace has been deemed a suitable location for educating many women at once about cancer screening. To determine how group education about early diagnostic methods for breast and cervical cancer effects women's behavior and readiness to receive mammography and Pap smear. This semi-interventional study was conducted at a textile factory in Istanbul, Turkey. Female workers (n= 125) were included in the study. A participant identification form and knowledge evaluation form developed for this study, along with the transtheoretical model, were used to collect data. A 45-min interactive group education was given to the participants. Upon contacting participants 3 months after group education, 15.4% (n = 11) stated that they had since received a mammogram and 9.8% (n = 7) a Pap smear. As suggested by the transtheoretical model, group education increased participants' readiness to receive cancer screening, along with their knowledge of breast and cervical cancer. Group education positively impacted women's knowledge of cancer and their readiness to receive mammography and Pap smear. Group education can potentially create awareness of cancer screening tests among women and improve their readiness to receive such tests.

  2. Pre-treatment loss to follow-up among smear-positive TB patients in tertiary hospitals, Quetta, Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Wali, A; Kumar, A M V; Hinderaker, S G; Heldal, E; Qadeer, E; Fatima, R; Ullah, A; Safdar, N; Yaqoob, A; Anwar, K; Ul Haq, M

    2017-03-21

    Setting: Three public sector tertiary care hospitals in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan, with anecdotal evidence of gaps between the diagnosis and treatment of patients with tuberculosis (TB). Objectives: To assess the proportion of pre-treatment loss to follow-up (LTFU), defined as no documented evidence of treatment initiation or referral in TB registers, among smear-positive pulmonary TB patients diagnosed in 2015, and the associated sociodemographic factors. Design: A retrospective cohort study involving the review of laboratory and TB registers. Results: Of 1110 smear-positive TB patients diagnosed (58% female, median age 40 years, 5% from outside the province or the country), 235 (21.2%) were lost to follow-up before starting treatment. Pre-treatment LTFU was higher among males; in patients residing far away, in rural areas, outside the province or the country; and in those without a mobile phone number. Conclusion: About one fifth of the smear-positive TB patients were lost to follow-up before starting treatment. Strengthening the referral and feedback mechanisms and using information technology to improve the tracing of patients is urgently required. Further qualitative research is needed to understand the reasons for pre-treatment LTFU from the patient's perspective.

  3. Pre-treatment loss to follow-up among smear-positive TB patients in tertiary hospitals, Quetta, Pakistan

    PubMed Central

    Kumar, A. M. V.; Hinderaker, S. G.; Heldal, E.; Qadeer, E.; Fatima, R.; Ullah, A.; Safdar, N.; Yaqoob, A.; Anwar, K.; Ul Haq, M.

    2017-01-01

    Setting: Three public sector tertiary care hospitals in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan, with anecdotal evidence of gaps between the diagnosis and treatment of patients with tuberculosis (TB). Objectives: To assess the proportion of pre-treatment loss to follow-up (LTFU), defined as no documented evidence of treatment initiation or referral in TB registers, among smear-positive pulmonary TB patients diagnosed in 2015, and the associated sociodemographic factors. Design: A retrospective cohort study involving the review of laboratory and TB registers. Results: Of 1110 smear-positive TB patients diagnosed (58% female, median age 40 years, 5% from outside the province or the country), 235 (21.2%) were lost to follow-up before starting treatment. Pre-treatment LTFU was higher among males; in patients residing far away, in rural areas, outside the province or the country; and in those without a mobile phone number. Conclusion: About one fifth of the smear-positive TB patients were lost to follow-up before starting treatment. Strengthening the referral and feedback mechanisms and using information technology to improve the tracing of patients is urgently required. Further qualitative research is needed to understand the reasons for pre-treatment LTFU from the patient's perspective. PMID:28775939

  4. The change is length and width of the Sertoli cell nuclei in cytologic smears of testes with depopulation of the seminiferous epithelium.

    PubMed

    Banek, L; Posinovec, J

    1980-09-15

    The appearance of the Sertoli cells in cytological smears of tests with depopulation of the seminiferous epithelium is described. The mean values of the lengths and widths of the Sertoli cell nuclei in smears differed significantly between the depopulation and the control group (p < 0.01).

  5. How the nerves reached the muscle: Bernard Katz, Stephen W. Kuffler, and John C. Eccles-Certain implications of exile for the development of twentieth-century neurophysiology.

    PubMed

    Stahnisch, Frank W

    2017-01-01

    This article explores the work by Bernard Katz (1911-2003), Stephen W. Kuffler (1913-1980), and John C. Eccles (1903-1997) on the nerve-muscle junction as a milestone in twentieth-century neurophysiology with wider scientific implications. The historical question is approached from two perspectives: (a) an investigation of twentieth-century solutions to a longer physiological dispute and (b) an examination of a new kind of laboratory and academic cooperation. From this vantage point, the work pursued in Sydney by Sir John Carew Eccles' team on the neuromuscular junction is particularly valuable, since it contributed a central functional element to modern physiological understanding regarding the function and structure of the human and animal nervous system. The reflex model of neuromuscular action had already been advanced by neuroanatomists such as Georg Prochaska (1749-1820) in Bohemia since the eighteenth century. It became a major component of neurophysiological theories during the nineteenth century, based on the law associated with the names of François Magendie (1783-1855) in France and Charles Bell (1774-1842) in Britain regarding the functional differences of the sensory and motor spinal nerves. Yet, it was not until the beginning of the twentieth century that both the histological and the neurophysiological understanding of the nerve-muscle connection became entirely understood and the chemical versus electrical transmission further elicited as the mechanisms of inhibition. John C. Eccles, Bernard Katz, and Stephen W. Kuffler helped to provide some of the missing links for modern neurophysiology. The current article explores several of their scientific contributions and investigates how the context of forced migration contributed to these interactions in contingently new ways.

  6. Effect of Aquatine Endodontic Cleanser on smear layer removal in the root canals of ex vivo human teeth.

    PubMed

    Garcia, Faustino; Murray, Peter E; Garcia-Godoy, Franklin; Namerow, Kenneth N

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the root canal cleanliness and smear layer removal effectiveness of Aquatine Endodontic Cleanser (Aquatine EC) when used as an endodontic irrigating solution in comparison with 6% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl). Forty-five human teeth were randomly allocated to five treatment groups; the pulp chamber was accessed, cleaned, and shaped by using ProTaper and ProFile rotary instrumentation to an ISO size #40. The teeth were then processed for scanning electron microscopy, and the root canal cleanliness and removal of smear layer were examined. The most effective removal of smear layer occurred with Aquatine EC and NaOCl, both with a rinse of EDTA. Aquatine EC appears to be the first hypochlorous acid approved by the FDA to be a possible alternative to the use of NaOCl as an intracanal irrigant. Further research is needed to identify safer and more effective alternatives to the use of NaOCl irrigation in endodontics.

  7. Efficacy of Praziquantel against Schistosoma mekongi and Opisthorchis viverrini: A Randomized, Single-Blinded Dose-Comparison Trial

    PubMed Central

    Phongluxa, Khampheng; Ayé Soukhathammavong, Phonepasong; Vonghachack, Youthanavanh; Keiser, Jennifer; Vounatsou, Penelope; Tanner, Marcel; Hatz, Christoph; Utzinger, Jürg; Odermatt, Peter; Akkhavong, Kongsap

    2012-01-01

    Background Schistosomiasis and opisthorchiasis are of public health importance in Southeast Asia. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the drug of choice for morbidity control but few dose comparisons have been made. Methodology Ninety-three schoolchildren were enrolled in an area of Lao PDR where Schistosoma mekongi and Opisthorchis viverrini coexist for a PZQ dose-comparison trial. Prevalence and intensity of infections were determined by a rigorous diagnostic effort (3 stool specimens, each examined with triplicate Kato-Katz) before and 28–30 days after treatment. Ninety children with full baseline data were randomized to receive PZQ: the 40 mg/kg standard single dose (n = 45) or a 75 mg/kg total dose (50 mg/kg+25 mg/kg, 4 hours apart; n = 45). Adverse events were assessed at 3 and 24 hours posttreatment. Principal Findings Baseline infection prevalence of S. mekongi and O. viverrini were 87.8% and 98.9%, respectively. S. mekongi cure rates were 75.0% (95% confidence interval (CI): 56.6–88.5%) and 80.8% (95% CI: 60.6–93.4%) for 40 mg/kg and 75 mg/kg PZQ, respectively (P = 0.60). O. viverrini cure rates were significantly different at 71.4% (95% CI: 53.4–84.4%) and 96.6% (95% CI: not defined), respectively (P = 0.009). Egg reduction rates (ERRs) against O. viverrini were very high for both doses (>99%), but slightly lower for S. mekongi at 40 mg/kg (96.4% vs. 98.1%) and not influenced by increasing diagnostic effort. O. viverrini cure rates would have been overestimated and no statistical difference between doses found if efficacy was based on a minimum sampling effort (single Kato-Katz before and after treatment). Adverse events were common (96%), mainly mild with no significant differences between the two treatment groups. Conclusions/Significance Cure rate from the 75 mg/kg PZQ dose was more efficacious than 40 mg/kg against O. viverrini but not against S. mekongi infections, while ERRs were similar for both doses. Trial Registration Controlled

  8. Automated smear counting and data processing using a notebook computer in a biomedical research facility.

    PubMed

    Ogata, Y; Nishizawa, K

    1995-10-01

    An automated smear counting and data processing system for a life science laboratory was developed to facilitate routine surveys and eliminate human errors by using a notebook computer. This system was composed of a personal computer, a liquid scintillation counter and a well-type NaI(Tl) scintillation counter. The radioactivity of smear samples was automatically measured by these counters. The personal computer received raw signals from the counters through an interface of RS-232C. The software for the computer evaluated the surface density of each radioisotope and printed out that value along with other items as a report. The software was programmed in Pascal language. This system was successfully applied to routine surveys for contamination in our facility.

  9. [Assessment of a rapid diagnostic test and portable fluorescent microscopy for malaria diagnosis in Cotonou (Bénin)].

    PubMed

    Ogouyèmi-Hounto, A; Kinde-Gazard, D; Keke, C; Gonçalves, E; Alapini, N; Adjovi, F; Adisso, L; Bossou, C; Denon, Y V; Massougbodji, A

    2013-02-01

    The aim of the study was to determine the accuracy of a rapid diagnostic test (SD Bioline Malaria Ag P.f/ Pan®) and fluorescent microscopy (CyScope®) in confirming presumptive malaria diagnosis in Cotonou. Thick blood smear was used as the reference technique for comparison. Testing was conducted on persons between the ages of 6 months and 70 years at two hospitals from June to October 2010. If malaria was suspected in the sample by the nurse based on clinical findings and sent to laboratory for confirmation, one thick smear, one rapid diagnostic test and one slide for the fluorescent microscopy were performed. All tests were read in hospital laboratories involved with the quality control of thick blood smear in the parasitology laboratory of National University Hospital of Cotonou. A total of 354 patients with clinical diagnosis of malaria were included. Malaria prevalence determined by thick smear, rapid diagnostic test and fluorescent microscopy was 22.8%, 25.4%, and 25.1% respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values compared to the thick smears were 96.3, 95.6, 86.7, and 98.9% for rapid diagnostic test; and 97.5, 96.7, 89.8, and 99.27% for fluorescent microscopy. With these performances, these tests meet acceptability standards recommended by WHO for rapid tests (sensitivity > 95%). These two methods have advantages for the confirmation of malaria diagnosis in peripheral health structures that lack the resources to conduct diagnosis confirmation by the thick blood smear.

  10. Current status of human taeniasis in Lao People's Democratic Republic.

    PubMed

    Jeon, Hyeong-Kyu; Yong, Tai-Soon; Sohn, Woon-Mok; Chai, Jong-Yil; Min, Duk-Young; Yun, Cheong-Ha; Rim, Han-Jong; Pongvongsa, Tiengkham; Banouvong, Virasack; Insisiengmay, Bounnaloth; Phommasack, Bounlay; Eom, Keeseon S

    2013-04-01

    Human taeniasis was investigated in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) between 2000 and 2011 as part of the nation's helminthiasis survey. A total of 55,038 inhabitants, including 29,846 school children, were examined using the Kato-Katz and scotch-tape anal swab method, and morphological observation of adult worms. Molecular identification of Taenia tapeworms was performed by multiplex PCR or DNA sequence analysis of the mitochondrial cox1 gene. Taenia eggs were present at a rate of 1.5% (845/55,038) in the subject population. Adult tapeworms were identified as T. solium or T. saginata by analyzing the collectable stool specimens (n=126). Three specimens identified as T. solium were found in Luang Prabang, while the remaining 123 specimens, which were T. saginata, were found in Bokeo, Bolikhamxay, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouane, Luang Namta, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, Phongsaly, Saysomboune, Saravane, Savannakhet, Xayaboury, Xekong, Xieng Khouang Province, and Vientiane Municipality.

  11. The Periodic Round Table (by Gary Katz)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodgers, Reviewed By Glen E.

    2000-02-01

    Unwrapping and lifting the Periodic Round Table out of its colorful box is an exciting experience for a professional chemist or a chemistry student. Touted as a "new way of looking at the elements", it is certainly thatat least at first blush. The "table" consists of four sets of two finely finished hardwood discs each with the following elemental symbols and their corresponding atomic numbers pleasingly and symmetrically wood-burned into their faces. The four sets of two discs are 1 1/2, 3, 4 1/2, and 6 in. in diameter, each disc is 3/4 in. thick, and therefore the entire "round table" stands 6 in. high and is 6 in. in diameter at its base. The eight beautifully polished discs (represented below) are held together by center dowels that allow each to be rotated separately.

  12. Comparison of positive-pressure, passive ultrasonic, and laser-activated irrigations on smear-layer removal from the root canal surface.

    PubMed

    Sahar-Helft, Sharonit; Sarp, Ayşe Sena Kabaş; Stabholtz, Adam; Gutkin, Vitaly; Redenski, Idan; Steinberg, Doron

    2015-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of three irrigation techniques for smear-layer removal with 17% EDTA. Cleaning and shaping the root canal system during endodontic treatment produces a smear layer and hard tissue debris. Three irrigation techniques were tested for solution infiltration of this layer: positive-pressure irrigation, passive ultrasonic irrigation, and laser-activated irrigation. Sixty extracted teeth were divided into six equal groups; 17% EDTA was used for 60 sec irrigation of five of the groups. The groups were as follows: Group 1, treated only with ProTaper™ F3 Ni-Ti files; Group 2, positive-pressure irrigation, with a syringe; Group 3, passive ultrasonic irrigation, inserted 1 mm short of the working length; Group 4, passive ultrasonic irrigation, inserted in the upper coronal third of the root; Group 5, Er:YAG laser-activated irrigation, inserted 1 mm short of the working length; and Group 6, Er:YAG laser-activated irrigation, inserted in the upper coronal third of the root. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the smear layer is removed most efficiently using laser-activated irrigation at low energy with 17% EDTA, inserted either at the working length or only in the coronal upper third of the root. Amounts of Ca, P, and O were not significantly different on all treated dentin surfaces. Smear-layer removal was most effective when the root canals were irrigated using Er:YAG laser at low energy with 17% EDTA solution. Interestingly, removal of the smear layer along the entire canal was similar when the laser was inserted in the upper coronal third and at 1 mm short of the working length of the root canal. This effect was not observed with the ultrasonic and positive-pressure techniques.

  13. Differentiation of histoplasma and cryptococcus in cytology smears: a diagnostic dilemma in severely necrotic cases.

    PubMed

    Ranjan, R; Jain, D; Singh, L; Iyer, V K; Sharma, M C; Mathur, S R

    2015-08-01

    The correct identification of fungal organisms is important for the appropriate clinical management of patients. It becomes difficult in necrotic smears when the tissue response is not clearly discernible. It is difficult to distinguish between histoplasma and cryptococcus in severely necrotic cases, where both appear as variably sized clear refractile haloes. Four cases of adrenal necrotic histoplasma infection were studied and the morphology was compared with that of non-necrotic histoplasmosis and cases of cryptococcal infection. Eleven cases were analysed in fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) smears. Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) stain was performed to exclude tuberculosis in necrotic smears. A clinical and serology correlation was performed where available. Necrotic cases of histoplasma infection revealed negative refractile clear haloes similar to those of cryptococcus. Histoplasma showed methylene blue-stained organisms in ZN stains, whereas the cryptococcus cases were negative. Similar methylene blue-stained organisms were seen in non-necrotic histoplasma infection. As a result of morphological overlap between cryptococcus and histoplasma, the distinction between the two fungi can be difficult in many cases. ZN staining appears to have a role in the differentiation of these fungi in severely necrotic cases. This observation needs to be validated on a larger number of cases with complete correlation with clinical, serology and treatment records. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Treatment outcome of new smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Penang, Malaysia

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background According to the World Health Organization’s recent report, in Malaysia, tuberculosis (TB) treatment success rate for new smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients is still below the global success target of 85%. In this study, we evaluated TB treatment outcome among new smear positive PTB patients, and identified the predictors of unsuccessful treatment outcome and longer duration of treatment (i.e., > 6 months). Methods The population in this study consisted of all new smear positive PTB patients who were diagnosed at the chest clinic of Penang General Hospital between March 2010 and February 2011. During the study period, a standardized data collection form was used to obtain socio-demographic, clinical and treatment related data of the patients from their medical charts and TB notification forms (Tuberculosis Information System; TBIS). These data sources were reviewed at the time of the diagnosis of the patients and then at the subsequent follow-up visits until their final treatment outcomes were available. The treatment outcomes of the patients were reported in line with six outcome categories recommended by World Health Organization. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to find the independent risk factors for unsuccessful treatment outcome and longer treatment duration. Data were analyzed using the PASW (Predictive Analysis SoftWare, version 19.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp). Results Among the 336 PTB patients (236 male and 100 female) notified during the study period, the treatment success rate was 67.26% (n = 226). Out of 110 patients in unsuccessful outcome category, 30 defaulted from the treatment, 59 died and 21 were transferred to other health care facilities. The mean duration of TB treatment was 8.19 (SD 1.65) months. In multiple logistic regression analysis, risk factors for unsuccessful treatment outcome were foreign nationality, male gender and being illiterate. Similarly, risk factors for mortality due to TB

  15. Inequity of healthcare utilization on mammography examination and Pap smear screening in Thailand: Analysis of a population-based household survey

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Healthcare in Thailand is not equally distributed, and not all people can equally access healthcare resources even if they are covered by health insurance. To examine factors associated with the utilization of mammography examination for breast cancer and Pap smear screening for cervical cancer, data from the national reproductive health survey conducted by the National Statistical Office of Thailand in 2009 was examined. The survey was carried out on 15,074,126 women aged 30–59 years. The results showed that the wealthier respondents had more mammograms than did the lower-income groups. The concentration index was 0.144. The data on Pap smears for cervical cancer also showed that the wealthier respondents were more likely to have had a Pap smear than their lower-income counterparts. The concentration index was 0.054. Determinants of mammography examination were education, followed by health welfare and wealth index, whereas the determinants of Pap smear screening were wealth index, followed by health welfare and education. The government should support greater education for women because education was associated with socioeconomic status and wealth. There should be an increase in the number of screening campaigns, mobile clinics, and low-cost mammograms and continued support for accessibility to mammograms, especially in rural areas and low-income communities. PMID:28282430

  16. Rapid intra-operative diagnosis of kidney cancer by attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy of tissue smears.

    PubMed

    Pucetaite, Milda; Velicka, Martynas; Urboniene, Vidita; Ceponkus, Justinas; Bandzeviciute, Rimante; Jankevicius, Feliksas; Zelvys, Arunas; Sablinskas, Valdas; Steiner, Gerald

    2018-05-01

    Herein, a technique to analyze air-dried kidney tissue impression smears by means of attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy is presented. Spectral tumor markers-absorption bands of glycogen-are identified in the ATR-IR spectra of the kidney tissue smear samples. Thin kidney tissue cryo-sections currently used for IR spectroscopic analysis lack such spectral markers as the sample preparation causes irreversible molecular changes in the tissue. In particular, freeze-thaw cycle results in degradation of the glycogen and reduction or complete dissolution of its content. Supervised spectral classification was applied to the recorded spectra of the smears and the test spectra were classified with a high accuracy of 92% for normal tissue and 94% for tumor tissue, respectively. For further development, we propose that combination of the method with optical fiber ATR probes could potentially be used for rapid real-time intra-operative tissue analysis without interfering with either the established protocols of pathological examination or the ordinary workflow of operating surgeon. Such approach could ensure easier transition of the method to clinical applications where it may complement the results of gold standard histopathology examination and aid in more precise resection of kidney tumors. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Diagnostic utility of a line probe assay for multidrug resistant-TB in smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Singh, Binit Kumar; Sharma, Surendra K; Sharma, Rohini; Sreenivas, Vishnubhatla; Myneedu, Vithal P; Kohli, Mikashmi; Bhasin, Dinkar; Sarin, Sanjay

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate the performance of Genotype MTBDRplus VER 2.0 in the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in sputum smear-negative pulmonary TB cases. A total of 572 Ziehl-Neelsen sputum smear-negative samples were selected and subjected to line probe assay (Genotype MTBDRplus VER 2.0), and culture in mycobacterial growth indicator tube (MGIT-960). Immunochromatographic test was used to confirm the MTB-complex (MTBC) in culture-positive samples and phenotypic drug-susceptibility testing was done using MGIT-960. The line probe assay was able to diagnose MTBC in 38.2% (213/558) of specimens after excluding 14 nontuberculous mycobacteria. Sensitivity and specificity of the assay were 68.4% and 89.3% respectively, considering MGIT-960 culture as gold standard after excluding contaminated and invalid results. On comparing with composite reference standard, the assay had 71.5% sensitivity and 100% specificity in the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The sensitivity and specificity for detecting resistance to rifampicin (RMP) were 100% and 99.24% respectively and for resistance to isoniazid (INH) were 97.62% and 98.55%, respectively. Genotype MTBDRplus VER 2.0 is a rapid and precise diagnostic tool for detection of MTB in sputum smear-negative samples. It also facilitates accurate diagnosis of RMP and INH resistance within turn around-time.

  18. Low temperature perovskite crystallization of highly tunable dielectric Ba{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3}TiO{sub 3} thick films deposited by ion beam sputtering on platinized silicon substrates

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhu, X. H.; Defaye, E.; Aied, M.

    2009-02-15

    Ba{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3}TiO{sub 3} (BST) thick films with thickness up to 1 {mu}m were deposited on Pt-coated silicon substrates by ion beam sputtering, followed by an annealing treatment. It is demonstrated that pure well-crystallized perovskite phase could be obtained in thick BST films by a low temperature process (535 deg. C). The BST thick films show highly tunable dielectric properties with tunability (at 800 kV/cm) up to 51.0% and 66.2%, respectively, for the 0.5 and 1 {mu}m thick films. The relationship between strains and dielectric properties was systematically investigated in the thick films. The results suggest that a comparatively largermore » tensile thermal in-plane strain (0.15%) leads to the degradation in dielectric properties of the 0.5 {mu}m thick film; besides, strong defect-related inhomogeneous strains ({approx}0.3%) make the dielectric peaks smearing and broadening in the thick films, which, however, preferably results in high figure-of-merit factors over a wide operating temperature range. Moreover, the leakage current behavior in the BST thick films was found to be dominated by the space-charge-limited-current mechanism, irrespective of the film thickness.« less

  19. A composite smeared finite element for mass transport in capillary systems and biological tissue.

    PubMed

    Kojic, M; Milosevic, M; Simic, V; Koay, E J; Fleming, J B; Nizzero, S; Kojic, N; Ziemys, A; Ferrari, M

    2017-09-01

    One of the key processes in living organisms is mass transport occurring from blood vessels to tissues for supplying tissues with oxygen, nutrients, drugs, immune cells, and - in the reverse direction - transport of waste products of cell metabolism to blood vessels. The mass exchange from blood vessels to tissue and vice versa occurs through blood vessel walls. This vital process has been investigated experimentally over centuries, and also in the last decades by the use of computational methods. Due to geometrical and functional complexity and heterogeneity of capillary systems, it is however not feasible to model in silico individual capillaries (including transport through the walls and coupling to tissue) within whole organ models. Hence, there is a need for simplified and robust computational models that address mass transport in capillary-tissue systems. We here introduce a smeared modeling concept for gradient-driven mass transport and formulate a new composite smeared finite element (CSFE). The transport from capillary system is first smeared to continuous mass sources within tissue, under the assumption of uniform concentration within capillaries. Here, the fundamental relation between capillary surface area and volumetric fraction is derived as the basis for modeling transport through capillary walls. Further, we formulate the CSFE which relies on the transformation of the one-dimensional (1D) constitutive relations (for transport within capillaries) into the continuum form expressed by Darcy's and diffusion tensors. The introduced CSFE is composed of two volumetric parts - capillary and tissue domains, and has four nodal degrees of freedom (DOF): pressure and concentration for each of the two domains. The domains are coupled by connectivity elements at each node. The fictitious connectivity elements take into account the surface area of capillary walls which belongs to each node, as well as the wall material properties (permeability and partitioning

  20. Balancing uncertainty and acceptance: understanding Chinese women's responses to an abnormal cervical smear result.

    PubMed

    Twinn, Sheila

    2006-09-01

    The aims of this study were to examine the responses of Hong Kong Chinese women receiving an abnormal smear result and to compare any differences in responses depending on the diagnosis of the abnormal smear. The implementation of cervical screening programmes has resulted in an increasing number of women receiving an abnormal smear result requiring cytological surveillance or referral for colposcopy. Evidence suggests that women frequently misunderstood such results, believing that they already have cancer. However, little is known about the responses of Chinese women in this situation. An exploratory qualitative study. Face-to-face semi-structured tape-recorded interviews were undertaken with 66 women sampled opportunistically from an urban centre of a major non-governmental service provider. Amongst this sample, 22 women required cytological surveillance, 20 required treatment for vaginitis and 24 were referred for colposcopy. Thematic analysis was undertaken of the translated interviews within and across groups to identify categories and themes illustrating women's responses to an abnormal smear result. An important difference in the comparison of the data sets was that of women's understanding of the cause of the abnormal result. Women with vaginitis understood the cause of their abnormality, whereas those in the other groups remained unclear about their abnormality, generating feelings of fear and uncertainty. Trust in practitioners influenced women's acceptance of the result. Although responses of Chinese women are similar to those in other population groups, with those referred for colposcopy experiencing greater anxiety than those undergoing cytological surveillance, balancing feelings of uncertainty and acceptance influenced Chinese women's responses to their abnormal results and allowed them to make sense of their result in their everyday life. Trust in the practitioner was essential to the acceptance of their result. Such findings highlight implications

  1. Pretreatment chest x-ray severity and its relation to bacterial burden in smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Murthy, S E; Chatterjee, F; Crook, A; Dawson, R; Mendel, C; Murphy, M E; Murray, S R; Nunn, A J; Phillips, P P J; Singh, Kasha P; McHugh, T D; Gillespie, S H

    2018-05-21

    Chest radiographs are used for diagnosis and severity assessment in tuberculosis (TB). The extent of disease as determined by smear grade and cavitation as a binary measure can predict 2-month smear results, but little has been done to determine whether radiological severity reflects the bacterial burden at diagnosis. Pre-treatment chest x-rays from 1837 participants with smear-positive pulmonary TB enrolled into the REMoxTB trial (Gillespie et al., N Engl J Med 371:1577-87, 2014) were retrospectively reviewed. Two clinicians blinded to clinical details using the Ralph scoring system performed separate readings. An independent reader reviewed discrepant results for quality assessment and cavity presence. Cavitation presence was plotted against time to positivity (TTP) of sputum liquid cultures (MGIT 960). The Wilcoxon rank sum test was performed to calculate the difference in average TTP for these groups. The average lung field affected was compared to log 10 TTP by linear regression. Baseline markers of disease severity and patient characteristics were added in univariable regression analysis against radiological severity and a multivariable regression model was created to explore their relationship. For 1354 participants, the median TTP was 117 h (4.88 days), being 26 h longer (95% CI 16-30, p < 0.001) in patients without cavitation compared to those with cavitation. The median percentage of lung-field affected was 18.1% (IQR 11.3-28.8%). For every 10-fold increase in TTP, the area of lung field affected decreased by 11.4%. Multivariable models showed that serum albumin decreased significantly as the percentage of lung field area increased in both those with and without cavitation. In addition, BMI and logged TTP had a small but significant effect in those with cavitation and the number of severe TB symptoms in the non-cavitation group also had a small effect, whilst other factors found to be significant on univariable analysis lost this effect in the

  2. The Forsyth County Cervical Cancer Prevention Project--II. Compliance with screening follow-up of abnormal cervical smears.

    PubMed

    Michielutte, R; Dignan, M; Bahnson, J; Wells, H B

    1994-12-01

    The Forsyth County Cervical Cancer Prevention Project was a community-wide cancer education program to address the problem of cervical cancer incidence and mortality among minority women in Forsyth County, North Carolina. This paper reports program results with regard to increasing compliance with follow-up for abnormal cervical smears. An analysis of trends prior to and after implementation of the educational program was conducted in one private and two public health primary care clinics to provide an assessment of impact of the project in improving compliance with follow-up among black women. A similar analysis also was conducted for white women. The results of medical record reviews of follow-up procedures for 878 abnormal cervical smears suggested a modest program effect among black women. The percentage of black women who returned for follow-up and treatment of an abnormal cervical smear significantly increased during the time the program was in effect. The trend analysis further indicated that the decline did not begin prior to the intervention period and was maintained throughout the duration of the intervention. No significant change in the percentage who returned for follow-up was found for white women.

  3. External quality assessment of AFB smear microscopy performances and its associated factors in selected private health facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Mosissa, Lemi; Kebede, Abebaw; Mindaye, Tedla; Getahun, Muluwork; Tulu, Sisay; Desta, Kassu

    2016-01-01

    Tuberculosis (TB) is still a public health problem in sub Saharan African countries. In resource-limited settings, TB diagnosis relies on sputum smear microscopy, with low and variable sensitivities, especially in paucibacillary pediatric and HIV-associated TB patients. Tuberculosis microscopy centers have several weaknesses like overworking, insufficiently trained personnel, inconsistent reagent supplies, and poorly maintained equipments; thus, there is a critical need for investments in laboratory infrastructure, capacity building, and quality assurance schemes. The performance of TB microscopy centers in the private health facilities in Addis Ababa is not known so far. The main objective of the study was to assess laboratory performance of acid fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy and its associated factors in selected private health facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 33 selected private health facilities of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia comprising 7 hospitals, 2 NGO health centers, 23 higher clinics and 1 diagnostic laboratory that provide AFB smear microscopy services. The study was conducted from January to April 2014. A total of 283 stained sputum smears were randomly collected from participant laboratories for blinded rechecking, 320 panel slides were sent to 32 microscopy centers to evaluate their performance on AFB reading, staining and reporting. Checklists were used to assess quality issues of laboratories. Data were captured, cleaned, and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0; χ(2) tests, kappa statistics were used for comparison purpose. P value < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Among the 32 participant laboratories, 2-scored 100%, 15 scored 80-95% & the remaining 15 scored 50-75% for overall proficiency test performance. There were 10 (3.15%) major errors and 121 (37.8%) minor errors. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of panel reading by microscopy centers were 89%, 96%, 96%, and 90% respectively. Out

  4. External quality assessment of AFB smear microscopy performances and its associated factors in selected private health facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    PubMed Central

    Mosissa, Lemi; Kebede, Abebaw; Mindaye, Tedla; Getahun, Muluwork; Tulu, Sisay; Desta, Kassu

    2016-01-01

    Tuberculosis (TB) is still a public health problem in sub Saharan African countries. In resource-limited settings, TB diagnosis relies on sputum smear microscopy, with low and variable sensitivities, especially in paucibacillary pediatric and HIV-associated TB patients. Tuberculosis microscopy centers have several weaknesses like overworking, insufficiently trained personnel, inconsistent reagent supplies, and poorly maintained equipments; thus, there is a critical need for investments in laboratory infrastructure, capacity building, and quality assurance schemes. The performance of TB microscopy centers in the private health facilities in Addis Ababa is not known so far. The main objective of the study was to assess laboratory performance of acid fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy and its associated factors in selected private health facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 33 selected private health facilities of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia comprising 7 hospitals, 2 NGO health centers, 23 higher clinics and 1 diagnostic laboratory that provide AFB smear microscopy services. The study was conducted from January to April 2014. A total of 283 stained sputum smears were randomly collected from participant laboratories for blinded rechecking, 320 panel slides were sent to 32 microscopy centers to evaluate their performance on AFB reading, staining and reporting. Checklists were used to assess quality issues of laboratories. Data were captured, cleaned, and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0; χ2 tests, kappa statistics were used for comparison purpose. P value < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Among the 32 participant laboratories, 2-scored 100%, 15 scored 80-95% & the remaining 15 scored 50-75% for overall proficiency test performance. There were 10 (3.15%) major errors and 121 (37.8%) minor errors. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of panel reading by microscopy centers were 89%, 96%, 96%, and 90% respectively. Out of

  5. Factors related to failure to attend the consultation to receive the results of the Pap smear test1

    PubMed Central

    Vasconcelos, Camila Teixeira Moreira; Cunha, Denise de Fátima Fernandes; Coelho, Cássia Fernandes; Pinheiro, Ana Karina Bezerra; Sawada, Namie Okino

    2014-01-01

    Objective to identify the factors related to the failure of women to attend the follow-up consultation to receive the results of the Pap smear test. Method a cross-sectional study, carried out with 775 patients who underwent the Pap smear test in the Centro de Saúde da Família of Fortaleza, between September 2010 and February 2011. Results the majority of the women studied were young (≤35 years), had low levels of education (≤7 years of study), and commenced sexual activity early (≤20 years), with 17.0% of them failing to return to receive the test results. Statistically significant results for the failure to return were related to: young women (p=0.001); early onset of sexual activity (p=0.047); and inadequate knowledge about the Pap smear test (p=0.029). Conclusion the fact that the women failed to return for the result is a problem for the control of cervical cancer and must be addressed through educational strategies that reinforce the importance of the return for the early detection of this cancer. PMID:25029050

  6. Effect of aquatine endodontic cleanser on smear layer removal in the root canals of ex vivo human teeth

    PubMed Central

    GARCIA, Faustino; MURRAY, Peter E.; GARCIA-GODOY, Franklin; NAMEROW, Kenneth N.

    2010-01-01

    Objectives The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the root canal cleanliness and smear layer removal effectiveness of Aquatine Endodontic Cleanser (Aquatine EC) when used as an endodontic irrigating solution in comparison with 6% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl). Material and Methods Forty-five human teeth were randomly allocated to five treatment groups; the pulp chamber was accessed, cleaned, and shaped by using ProTaper and ProFile rotary instrumentation to an ISO size #40. The teeth were then processed for scanning electron microscopy, and the root canal cleanliness and removal of smear layer were examined. Results The most effective removal of smear layer occurred with Aquatine EC and NaOCl, both with a rinse of EDTA. Conclusions Aquatine EC appears to be the first hypochlorous acid approved by the FDA to be a possible alternative to the use of NaOCl as an intracanal irrigant. Further research is needed to identify safer and more effective alternatives to the use of NaOCl irrigation in endodontics. PMID:20835577

  7. Acid-fast Smear and Histopathology Results Provide Guidance for the Appropriate Use of Broad-Range Polymerase Chain Reaction and Sequencing for Mycobacteria.

    PubMed

    Miller, Kennon; Harrington, Susan M; Procop, Gary W

    2015-08-01

    New molecular diagnostic tests are attractive because of the potential they hold for improving diagnostics in microbiology. The value of these tests, which is often assumed, should be investigated to determine the best use of these potentially powerful tools. To investigate the usefulness of broad-range polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by sequencing, in mycobacterial infections. We reviewed the test performance of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) PCR and traditional diagnostic methods (histopathology, AFB smear, and culture). We assessed the diagnostic effect and cost of the unrestricted ordering of broad-range PCR for the detection and identification of mycobacteria in clinical specimens. The AFB PCR was less sensitive than culture and histopathology and was less specific than culture, AFB smear, and histopathology. During 18 months, $93 063 was spent on 183 patient specimens for broad-range PCR and DNA sequencing for mycobacteria to confirm one culture-proven Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection that was also known to be positive by AFB smear and histopathology. In this cohort, there was a false-negative AFB PCR for M tuberculosis and a false-positive AFB PCR for Mycobacterium lentiflavum . Testing of AFB smear-negative specimens from patients without an inflammatory response supportive of a mycobacterial infection is costly and has not been proven to improve patient care. Traditional diagnostics (histopathology, AFB smear, and culture) should remain the primary methods for the detection of mycobacteria in clinical specimens.

  8. Comparative analysis of endodontic smear layer removal efficacy of 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, 7% maleic acid, and 2% chlorhexidine using scanning electron microscope: An in vitro study.

    PubMed

    Attur, Kailash; Joy, Mathew T; Karim, Riyas; Anil Kumar, V J; Deepika, C; Ahmed, Haseena

    2016-08-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency of different endodontic irrigants in the removal of smear layer through scanning electron microscopic image analysis. The present in vitro study was carried out on 45 single-rooted extracted human mandibular premolar teeth with single canal and complete root formation. Teeth were randomly assigned to three groups with 15 teeth in each group. Group I samples were irrigated with 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic (EDTA) irrigation, Group II with 7% maleic acid irrigation, and Group III with 2% chlorhexidine irrigation. Scanning electron microscope evaluation was done for the assessment of smear layer removal in the coronal, middle, and apical thirds. Comparison of the smear layer removal between the three different groups was done by Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by Mann-Whitney U test for comparing individual groups. A P value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Statistically significant difference was seen between the two test groups (17% EDTA vs. 7% maleic acid and 17% EDTA vs. 2% chlorhexidine) in smear layer removal at coronal, middle, and apical thirds of the root canal. The most efficient smear layer removal was seen in Group I with 17% EDTA irrigation compared with other groups (P < 0.05) and the least by 2% chlorhexidine. The present study shows that 17% EDTA efficiently removes the smear layer from root canal walls.

  9. A comparative evaluation of smear layer removal by using edta, etidronic acid, and maleic acid as root canal irrigants: An in vitro scanning electron microscopic study

    PubMed Central

    Kuruvilla, Aby; Jaganath, Bharath Makonahalli; Krishnegowda, Sahadev Chickmagaravalli; Ramachandra, Praveen Kumar Makonahalli; Johns, Dexton Antony; Abraham, Aby

    2015-01-01

    Aim: The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the efficacy of 17% EDTA, 18% etidronic acid, and 7% maleic acid in smear layer removal using scanning electron microscopic image analysis. Materials and Methods: Thirty, freshly extracted mandibular premolars were used. The teeth were decoronated to obtain working length of 17mm and instrumentation up to 40 size (K file) with 2.5% NaOCl irrigation between each file. The samples were divided into Groups I (17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)), II (18% etidronic acid), and III (7% maleic acid) containing 10 samples each. Longitudinal sectioning of the samples was done. Then the samples were observed under scanning electron microscope (SEM) at apical, middle, and coronal levels. The images were scored according to the criteria: 1. No smear layer, 2. moderate smear layer, and 3 heavy smear layer. Statistical Analysis: Data was analyzed statistically using Kruskal–Wallis analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Mann-Whitney U test for individual comparisons. The level for significance was set at 0.05. Results: The present study showed that all the three experimental irrigants removed the smear layer from different tooth levels (coronal, middle, and apical). Final irrigation with 7% maleic acid is more efficient than 17% EDTA and 18% etidronic acid in the removal of smear layer from the apical third of root canal. PMID:26069414

  10. Cytology smears as diagnostic material for EGFR gene testing in non-small cell lung cancer.

    PubMed

    Powrózek, Tomasz; Krawczyk, Paweł; Pankowski, Juliusz; Reszka, Katarzyna; Jakubiak, Magdalena; Obrochta, Anna; Wojas-Krawczyk, Kamila; Buczkowski, Jarosław; Milanowski, Janusz

    2015-11-14

    Cytology smears can be effectively used for EGFR mutation testing in the qualification of NSCLC patients for EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy. However, tissue specimens are preferred for EGFR mutation analysis. The aim of this study was to estimate the effectiveness of the real-time PCR method for EGFR testing in histology and cytology materials obtained simultaneously from NSCLC patients. Fourteen adenocarcinoma patients with EGFR-mutation-positive primary tumor tissues were included in the study. Corresponding cytological smears of metastatic lymph nodes obtained by EBUS-TBNA were examined. EGFR Mutation Analysis Kit (EntroGen, USA) and real-time PCR (m2000rt system, Abbott, USA) were used for EGFR mutation analysis in both types of material. In primary tumor tissues, 12 deletions in exon 19 and 2 substitutions in exon 21 (L858R mutation) of the EGFR gene were found. Except for 1 deletion in exon 19, the same EGFR gene mutations were detected in all corresponding cytology samples. The percentage of tumor cells, DNA concentration, percentage of mutated DNA as well as ΔCt values were similar in cytology slides and histology material. In both types of materials, no significant correlations were found between the percentage of tumor cells and the percentage of mutated DNA nor between the DNA concentration and the percentage of mutated DNA. We demonstrated the high effectiveness of a sensitive real-time PCR method in EGFR gene mutation detection in cytology smears.

  11. Diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis based on clinical signs in the Republic of Congo.

    PubMed

    Linguissi, Laure Stella Ghoma; Vouvoungui, Christevy Jeannhey; Poulain, Pierre; Essassa, Gaston Bango; Kwedi, Sylvie; Ntoumi, Francine

    2015-12-18

    The diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (SNPT) in resource-limited countries is often solely based on clinical signs, chest X-ray radiography and sputum smear microscopy. We investigated currently used methods for the routine diagnosis of SNPT in the Republic of Congo (RoC) among TB suspected patients. The specific case of HIV positive patients was also studied. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the anti-tuberculosis center (CAT) of Brazzaville, RoC. Tuberculosis suspects were examined for physical signs of TB. Clinical signs, results from sputum smear microscopy, tuberculin skin test (TST) and chest X-ray were recorded. Of the 772 enrolled participants, 372 were diagnosed PTB. Cough was a common symptom for PTB and no PTB patients. Pale skin, positive TST, weight loss and chest X-ray with abnormalities compatible with PTB (PTB-CXR) were significant indicators of PTB. Thirty-six percent of PTB patients were diagnosed SNPT. This category of patients presented less persistent cough and less PTB-CXR. Anorexia and asthenia were significant indicators of SNPT. In the case of HIV+ patients, 57% were SNPT with anorexia, asthenia and shorter cough being strong indicators of SNPT. Chest X-ray abnormalities, weight loss, pale skin and positive TST were significant indicators of PTB. Anorexia and asthenia showed good diagnostic performance for SNPT, which deserve to be recommended as index indicators of SNPT diagnosis. Duration of cough is also a relevant indicator, especially for HIV+ patients.

  12. Vaginal flora changes on Pap smears after insertion of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device.

    PubMed

    Donders, Gilbert G G; Berger, Judith; Heuninckx, Hélène; Bellen, Gert; Cornelis, Ann

    2011-04-01

    The levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) combines a uterine foreign body and the continuous release of low-dose levonorgestrel for contraception. Its influence on the rate of vulvovaginal infections and flora disturbance is insufficiently known, but important for contraceptive advice in women, especially those who develop recurrent vaginosis or Candida vulvovaginitis. Slides of 286 women who had a Pap smear taken before and 1 to 2 years after placement of a LNG-IUS were blindly reviewed for the presence of abnormal vaginal flora (AVF), bacterial vaginosis (BV), aerobic vaginitis (AV) and Candida vaginitis (CV). Prior to insertion, there were no differences in vaginal flora abnormalities between women using different kinds of contraception. LNG-IUS users did not have different rates of AVF, BV, AV or CV, but the general risk to develop any infection was increased. Uterine bleeding after insertion did not seem to predict a different flora type. We found that Pap smears suggested more vaginal infections after 1 year of LNG-IUS use than prior to insertion of the device. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Birth of cloned mice from vaginal smear cells after somatic cell nuclear transfer.

    PubMed

    Kuwayama, Hiroki; Tanabe, Yoshiaki; Wakayama, Teruhiko; Kishigami, Satoshi

    2017-05-01

    Less invasive methods for donor cell collection will facilitate reproduction of wild animals using somatic-cell nuclear transfer. Stages of the estrous cycle in mice have long been studies using somatic cells that can be collected from vaginal walls using cotton tipped swabs in a relatively non-invasive manner. In this study, we examined the feasibility of these cells as sources of nuclei for somatic-cell cloning using nuclear transfer. Estrous cycles generally comprise proestrus, estrus, metestrus, and diestrus stages. In the present experiments, more than 60% of cells were nucleated in vaginal smears from all but the estrus stage. However, after somatic-cell nuclear transfer of cells from proestrus, metestrus, and diestrus stages, 66%, 50%, and 72% of cloned embryos developed to the morula/blastocyst, and cloned female mouse birth rates after embryo transfer were 1.5%, 0.3%, and 1%, respectively. These results show that noninvasively collected vaginal smears contain somatic cells that can be used to clone female mice. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  14. A rapid method for counting nucleated erythrocytes on stained blood smears by digital image analysis

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gering, E.; Atkinson, C.T.

    2004-01-01

    Measures of parasitemia by intraerythrocytic hematozoan parasites are normally expressed as the number of infected erythrocytes per n erythrocytes and are notoriously tedious and time consuming to measure. We describe a protocol for generating rapid counts of nucleated erythrocytes from digital micrographs of thin blood smears that can be used to estimate intensity of hematozoan infections in nonmammalian vertebrate hosts. This method takes advantage of the bold contrast and relatively uniform size and morphology of erythrocyte nuclei on Giemsa-stained blood smears and uses ImageJ, a java-based image analysis program developed at the U.S. National Institutes of Health and available on the internet, to recognize and count these nuclei. This technique makes feasible rapid and accurate counts of total erythrocytes in large numbers of microscope fields, which can be used in the calculation of peripheral parasitemias in low-intensity infections.

  15. A first insight into high prevalence of undiagnosed smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in Northern Ethiopian prisons: implications for greater investment and quality control.

    PubMed

    Biadglegne, Fantahun; Rodloff, Arne C; Sack, Ulrich

    2014-01-01

    Tuberculosis (TB) transmission in prisons poses significant risks to inmates as well as the general population. Currently, there are no data on smear-negative pulmonary TB cases in prisons and by extension no data on the impact such cases have on TB incidence. This study was designed to obtain initial data on the prevalence of smear-negative cases of TB in prisons as well as preliminary risk factor analysis for such TB cases. This cross-sectional survey was conducted in November 2013 at eight main prisons located in the state of Amhara, Ethiopia. Interviews using a structured and pretested questionnaire were done first to identify symptomatic prisoners. Three consecutive sputum samples were collected and examined using acid fast bacilli (AFB) microscopy at the point of care. All smear-negative sputum samples were taken for culture and Xpert testing. Descriptive and multivariate analysis was done using SPSS version 16. Overall the prevalence of smear-negative pulmonary TB cases in the study prisons was 8% (16/200). Using multivariate analysis, a contact history to TB patients in prison, educational level, cough and night sweating were found to be predictors of TB positivity among smear-negative pulmonary TB cases (p ≤ 0.05). In the studied prisons, high prevalence of undiagnosed TB cases using AFB microscopy was documented, which is an important public health concern that urgently needs to be addressed. Furthermore, patients with night sweating, non-productive cough, a contact history with TB patients and who are illiterate merit special attention, larger studies are warranted in the future to assess the associations more precisely. Further studies are also needed to examine TB transmission dynamics by patients with smear-negative pulmonary TB in a prison setting.

  16. Efficacy of new irrigating solution on smear layer removal in apical third of root canal: A scanning electron microscope study.

    PubMed

    Patil, Priyanka Himmatrao; Gulve, Meenal Nitin; Kolhe, Swapnil Janardan; Samuel, Roshan Mathew; Aher, Gayatri Balasaheb

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this in vitro study is to evaluate and compare the smear layer removal efficacy of etidronic acid-based irrigating solution with others in the apical third of the root canal. Forty human single-rooted mandibular premolar teeth were taken and decoronated to standardize the canal length. After biomechanical preparation, teeth were randomly divided into four groups ( n = 10) and the final irrigation was carried out with tested irrigants. Group I: normal saline (negative control); Group II: 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) with surfactant and 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) with surfactant; Group III: freshly mixed BioPure MTAD; and Group IV: freshly mixed Chloroquick solution. The teeth were split into two halves and observed under a scanning electron microscope to analyze the amount of smear layer present. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney test. Group II (5.25% NaOCl with surfactant followed by 17% EDTA with surfactant) showed least smear layer scores (1.1 ± 0.3162). This was followed by Group III (MTAD) (2.2 ± 0.4216) and then Group IV (Chloroquick) (2.4 ± 0.5164). Sequential use of 5.25% NaOCl with surfactant and 17% EDTA with surfactant was found to be the most efficient than MTAD and Chloroquick in the removal of smear layer in the apical third of root canal.

  17. Smear layer and debris removal using manual Ni-Ti files compared with rotary Protaper Ni- Ti files - An In-Vitro SEM study.

    PubMed

    Reddy, J M V Raghavendra; Latha, Prasanna; Gowda, Basavana; Manvikar, Varadendra; Vijayalaxmi, D Benal; Ponangi, Kalyana Chakravarthi

    2014-02-01

    Predictable successful endodontic therapy depends on correct diagnosis, effective cleaning, shaping and disinfection of the root canals and adequate obturation. Irrigation serves as a flush to remove debris, tissue solvent and lubricant from the canal irregularities; however these irregularities can restrict the complete debridement of root canal by mechanical instrumentation.Various types of hand and rotary instruments are used for the preparation of the root canal system to obtain debris free canals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the amount of smear layer and debris removal on canal walls following the using of manual Nickel-Titanium (NiTi) files compared with rotary ProTaperNiTi files using a Scanning Electron Microscope in two individual groups. A comparative study consisting of 50 subjects randomized into two groups - 25 subjects in Group A (manual) and 25 subjects in Group B (rotary) was undertaken to investigate and compare the effects of smear layer and debris between manual and rotary NiTi instruments. Chi square test was used to find the significance of smear layer and debris removal in the coronal, middle and apical between Group A and Group B. Both systems of Rotary ProTaperNiTi and manual NiTi files used in the present study, did not create completely clean root canals. Manual NiTi files produced significantly less smear layer and debris compared to Rotary ProTaperNiTi instruments. Rotary instruments were less time consuming when compared to manual instruments. Instrument separation was not found to be significant with both the groups. Both systems of Rotary ProTaperNiTi and manual NiTi files used did not produce completely clean root canals. Manual NiTi files produced significantly less smear layer and debris compared to Rotary protaper instruments. How to cite the article: Reddy JM, Latha P, Gowda B, Manvikar V, Vijayalaxmi DB, Ponangi KC. Smear layer and debris removal using manual Ni-Ti files compared with rotary Protaper Ni-Ti files

  18. Measuring the effects of spectral smearing and enhancement on speech recognition in noise for adults and children

    PubMed Central

    Nittrouer, Susan; Tarr, Eric; Wucinich, Taylor; Moberly, Aaron C.; Lowenstein, Joanna H.

    2015-01-01

    Broadened auditory filters associated with sensorineural hearing loss have clearly been shown to diminish speech recognition in noise for adults, but far less is known about potential effects for children. This study examined speech recognition in noise for adults and children using simulated auditory filters of different widths. Specifically, 5 groups (20 listeners each) of adults or children (5 and 7 yrs), were asked to recognize sentences in speech-shaped noise. Seven-year-olds listened at 0 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) only; 5-yr-olds listened at +3 or 0 dB SNR; and adults listened at 0 or −3 dB SNR. Sentence materials were processed both to smear the speech spectrum (i.e., simulate broadened filters), and to enhance the spectrum (i.e., simulate narrowed filters). Results showed: (1) Spectral smearing diminished recognition for listeners of all ages; (2) spectral enhancement did not improve recognition, and in fact diminished it somewhat; and (3) interactions were observed between smearing and SNR, but only for adults. That interaction made age effects difficult to gauge. Nonetheless, it was concluded that efforts to diagnose the extent of broadening of auditory filters and to develop techniques to correct this condition could benefit patients with hearing loss, especially children. PMID:25920851

  19. Rapid immunocytochemistry based on alternating current electric field using squash smear preparation of central nervous system tumors.

    PubMed

    Moriya, Jun; Tanino, Mishie Ann; Takenami, Tomoko; Endoh, Tomoko; Urushido, Masana; Kato, Yasutaka; Wang, Lei; Kimura, Taichi; Tsuda, Masumi; Nishihara, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Shinya

    2016-01-01

    The role of intraoperative pathological diagnosis for central nervous system (CNS) tumors is crucial for neurosurgery when determining the surgical procedure. Especially, treatment of carmustine (BCNU) wafers requires a conclusive diagnosis of high-grade glioma proven by intraoperative diagnosis. Recently, we demonstrated the usefulness of rapid immunohistochemistry (R-IHC) that facilitates antigen-antibody reaction under alternative current (AC) electric field in the intraoperative diagnosis of CNS tumors; however, a higher proportion of water and lipid in the brain parenchyma sometimes leads to freezing artifacts, resulting in poor quality of frozen sections. On the other hand, squash smear preparation of CNS tumors for cytology does not affect the frozen artifacts, and the importance of smear preparation is now being re-recognized as being better than that of the tissue sections. In this study, we established the rapid immunocytochemistry (R-ICC) protocol for squash smears of CNS tumors using AC electric field that takes only 22 min, and demonstrated its usefulness for semi-quantitative Ki-67/MIB-1 labeling index and CD 20 by R-ICC for intraoperative diagnosis. R-ICC by AC electric field may become a substantial tool for compensating R-IHC and will be applied for broad antibodies in the future.

  20. Relationship between automated total nucleated cell count and enumeration of cells on direct smears of canine synovial fluid.

    PubMed

    Dusick, Allison; Young, Karen M; Muir, Peter

    2014-12-01

    Canine osteoarthritis is a common disorder seen in veterinary clinical practice and causes considerable morbidity in dogs as they age. Synovial fluid analysis is an important tool for diagnosis and treatment of canine joint disease and obtaining a total nucleated cell count (TNCC) is particularly important. However, the low sample volumes obtained during arthrocentesis are often insufficient for performing an automated TNCC, thereby limiting diagnostic interpretation. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether estimation of TNCC in canine synovial fluid could be achieved by performing manual cell counts on direct smears of fluid. Fifty-eight synovial fluid samples, taken by arthrocentesis from 48 dogs, were included in the study. Direct smears of synovial fluid were prepared, and hyaluronidase added before cell counts were obtained using a commercial laser-based instrument. A protocol was established to count nucleated cells in a specific region of the smear, using a serpentine counting pattern; the mean number of nucleated cells per 400 × field was then calculated. There was a positive correlation between the automated TNCC and mean manual cell count, with more variability at higher TNCC. Regression analysis was performed to estimate TNCC from manual counts. By this method, 78% of the samples were correctly predicted to fall into one of three categories (within the reference interval, mildly to moderately increased, or markedly increased) relative to the automated TNCC. Intra-observer and inter-observer agreement was good to excellent. The results of the study suggest that interpretation of canine synovial fluid samples of low volume can be aided by methodical manual counting of cells on direct smears. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Mixture of alkaline tetrasodium EDTA with sodium hypochlorite promotes in vitro smear layer removal and organic matter dissolution during biomechanical preparation.

    PubMed

    Tartari, T; Oda, D F; Zancan, R F; da Silva, T L; de Moraes, I G; Duarte, M A H; Bramante, C M

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the following: (i) the quantity of free chlorine in mixtures of equal proportions of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) with trisodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTAHNa 3 ) and alkaline tetrasodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTANa 4 ); (ii) organic matter dissolution; and (iii) the time necessary to remove the smear layer by these irrigants alone and when mixed. The solutions were mixed in a 1 : 1 ratio and then iodometrically titrated over time to determine the quantity of free available chlorine. The capability of organic matter dissolution by the solutions alone and the mixtures of irrigants was analysed by weighing bovine muscle tissue specimens before and after submission to the following groups (n = 10): G1 - 0.9% saline solution (control), G2 - 2.5% NaOCl, G3 - 17% EDTAHNa 3 , G4 - 10% EDTANa 4 , G5 - 20% EDTANa 4 , G6 - 5% NaOCl + 17% EDTAHNa 3 , G7 - 5% NaOCl + 10% EDTANa 4 and G8 - 5% NaOCl + 20% EDTANa 4 . The times necessary for smear layer removal were determinated on discs of bovine dentine with a standardized smear layer produced with SiC papers using a scanning electron microscope that did not require the samples to be sputter coated. The dentine discs were submitted to the same experimental groups previously described (n = 10) over several time periods, and the photomicrographs acquired were scored for the presence of smear layer. The parametric data of tissue dissolution were analysed using two-way anova and one-way anova with Tukey's post hoc tests (α < 0.05), whilst nonparametric data of smear layer removal were analysed by Friedman test (α < 0.05) and the Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn's post hoc (α < 0.05). EDTAHNa 3 caused an almost complete and immediate loss of free available chlorine from NaOCl, whilst EDTANa 4 promoted a slow and concentrat-ion-dependent decline. The organic matter was not dissolved in the control group, EDTA groups or the mixture of NaOCl + 17% EDTAHNa 3

  2. The quality of sputum smear microscopy in public-private mix directly observed treatment laboratories in West Amhara region, Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Manalebh, Almaw; Demissie, Meaza; Mekonnen, Daniel; Abera, Bayeh

    2015-01-01

    Ethiopia adopted Public-Private Mix Directly Observed Treatment Short Course Chemotherapy (PPM-DOTS) strategy for tuberculosis (TB) control program. Quality of sputum smear microscopy has paramount importance for tuberculosis control program in resource-poor countries like Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the quality of sputum smear microscopy in 37 Public-Private Mix laboratories in West Amhara, Ethiopia. The three external quality assessment methods (onsite evaluation, panel testing and blind rechecking) were employed. Onsite assessment revealed that 67.6% of PPM-DOTS laboratories were below the standard physical space (5 X 6) m2. The average monthly workload per laboratory technician was 19.5 (SD±2.9) slides with 12.8% positivity rate. The quality of Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) staining reagents was sub-standard. The overall agreement for blind rechecking of 1,123 AFB slides was 99.4% (Kappa = 0.97). Reading of 370 AFB panel slides showed 3.5% false reading (Kappa = 0.92). Moreover, the consistency of reading scanty bacilli slides was lower (93%) compared to 1+, 2+ and 3+ bacilli. Based on blind rechecking and panel testing results, PPM-DOTS site laboratories showed good agreement with the reference laboratory. Physical space and qualities of AFB reagents would be areas of intervention to sustain the quality of sputum smear microscopy. Therefore, regular external quality assessment and provision of basic laboratory supplies for TB diagnosis would be the way forward to improve the quality of sputum smear microscopy services in PPM-DOTS laboratories.

  3. The Quality of Sputum Smear Microscopy in Public-Private Mix Directly Observed Treatment Laboratories in West Amhara Region, Ethiopia

    PubMed Central

    Manalebh, Almaw; Demissie, Meaza; Mekonnen, Daniel; Abera, Bayeh

    2015-01-01

    Ethiopia adopted Public-Private Mix Directly Observed Treatment Short Course Chemotherapy (PPM-DOTS) strategy for tuberculosis (TB) control program. Quality of sputum smear microscopy has paramount importance for tuberculosis control program in resource-poor countries like Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the quality of sputum smear microscopy in 37 Public-Private Mix laboratories in West Amhara, Ethiopia. The three external quality assessment methods (onsite evaluation, panel testing and blind rechecking) were employed. Onsite assessment revealed that 67.6% of PPM-DOTS laboratories were below the standard physical space (5 X 6) m2. The average monthly workload per laboratory technician was 19.5 (SD±2.9) slides with 12.8% positivity rate. The quality of Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) staining reagents was sub-standard. The overall agreement for blind rechecking of 1,123 AFB slides was 99.4% (Kappa = 0.97). Reading of 370 AFB panel slides showed 3.5% false reading (Kappa = 0.92). Moreover, the consistency of reading scanty bacilli slides was lower (93%) compared to 1+, 2+ and 3+ bacilli. Based on blind rechecking and panel testing results, PPM-DOTS site laboratories showed good agreement with the reference laboratory. Physical space and qualities of AFB reagents would be areas of intervention to sustain the quality of sputum smear microscopy. Therefore, regular external quality assessment and provision of basic laboratory supplies for TB diagnosis would be the way forward to improve the quality of sputum smear microscopy services in PPM-DOTS laboratories. PMID:25849516

  4. Prevalence, risk factors and clinical features associated with intestinal parasitic infections in children from San Juan y Martínez, Pinar del Río, Cuba.

    PubMed

    Escobedo, A A; Cañete, R; Núñez, F A

    2008-09-01

    A cross-sectional study was carried out in 200 children aged 5-15 years, to examine the presence of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) and to assess the risk factors and clinical features associated with them in children in San Juan y Martinez (SIM), Cuba. Three fresh faecal samples were collected from each child and were examined by direct wet mount, brine flotation, formalin-ether and Kato-Katz techniques. Data relating to demography, source of drinking water, personal hygiene habits and clinical features were also collected Living in the rural area was significantly associated with the highest infection rates (p < 0.01). According to clinical features and laboratory examinations, children with abdominal pain were about four times more likely to have IPIs (OR 4.05, CI, 1.11, 13.18) especially soil-transmitted helminths (STH). We suggest that IPIs, especially STH, in SJM should be strongly suspected in children with abdominal pain from rural areas. Targeted and frequent interventions to control these infections are needed in this municipality.

  5. Current Status of Human Taeniasis in Lao People's Democratic Republic

    PubMed Central

    Jeon, Hyeong-Kyu; Yong, Tai-Soon; Sohn, Woon-Mok; Chai, Jong-Yil; Min, Duk-Young; Yun, Cheong-Ha; Rim, Han-Jong; Pongvongsa, Tiengkham; Banouvong, Virasack; Insisiengmay, Bounnaloth; Phommasack, Bounlay

    2013-01-01

    Human taeniasis was investigated in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) between 2000 and 2011 as part of the nation's helminthiasis survey. A total of 55,038 inhabitants, including 29,846 school children, were examined using the Kato-Katz and scotch-tape anal swab method, and morphological observation of adult worms. Molecular identification of Taenia tapeworms was performed by multiplex PCR or DNA sequence analysis of the mitochondrial cox1 gene. Taenia eggs were present at a rate of 1.5% (845/55,038) in the subject population. Adult tapeworms were identified as T. solium or T. saginata by analyzing the collectable stool specimens (n=126). Three specimens identified as T. solium were found in Luang Prabang, while the remaining 123 specimens, which were T. saginata, were found in Bokeo, Bolikhamxay, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouane, Luang Namta, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, Phongsaly, Saysomboune, Saravane, Savannakhet, Xayaboury, Xekong, Xieng Khouang Province, and Vientiane Municipality. PMID:23710098

  6. Sentinel surveillance of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in preschool-aged and school-aged children in selected local government units in the Philippines: follow-up assessment.

    PubMed

    Belizario, Vicente Y; Totañes, Francis Isidore G; de Leon, Winifreda U; Ciro, Raezelle Nadine T; Lumampao, Yvonne F

    2015-03-01

    This study was a follow-up to the baseline nationwide survey of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in preschool-aged children in the Philippines and in school-aged children in selected sentinel sites to assess the Integrated Helminth Control Program of the Department of Health. The objective of the study was to describe the current prevalence and intensity of STH infections in preschool-aged and school-aged children in 6 sentinel provinces and to compare these data with baseline findings. A cross-sectional study design was used to determine the prevalence and intensity of STH infections. Parasitological assessment involved the examination of stool samples by the Kato-Katz method. Although parasitological parameters in the 2 age groups at follow-up showed significant reductions from the baseline, these parameters remained high despite 3 years of mass drug administration (MDA). Efforts toward achieving high MDA coverage rates, provision of clean water, environmental sanitation, and promotion of hygiene practices must be prioritized. © 2013 APJPH.

  7. Current status of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Beyla and Macenta Prefectures, Forest Guinea.

    PubMed

    Hodges, Mary; Koroma, Manso M; Baldé, Mamadou S; Turay, Hamid; Fofanah, Ibrahim; Divall, Mark J; Winkler, Mirko S; Zhang, Yaobi

    2011-11-01

    A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in children aged 9-14 years in Beyla and Macenta Prefectures, Forest Guinea. Stool samples were examined by Kato-Katz and urine samples were examined by the centrifugation method. The overall prevalence and intensity of infection was 66.2% and 462.4 eggs per gram of faeces (epg) for Schistosoma mansoni, 21.0% and 17.8 eggs per 10ml of urine for S. haematobium, 51.2% and 507.5 epg for hookworm, 8.1% and 89.1 epg for Ascaris lumbricoides and 2.4% and 16.7 epg for Trichuris trichiura. The overall prevalence of schistosomiasis (S. mansoni and/or S. haematobium) was 70.7%. The prevalence of schistosomiasis was similar to those reported in the 1990s in the region; however, the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths has since fallen. These findings illustrate the need for schistosomiasis control in Guinea. Copyright © 2011 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis and Schistosomiasis in Children of Poor Families in Leyte, Philippines: Lessons for Disease Prevention and Control.

    PubMed

    Liwanag, Harvy Joy; Uy, Jhanna; Bataller, Ramil; Gatchalian, Janis Ruth; De La Calzada, Betty; Uy, Justine Alessandra; Dayrit, Manuel

    2017-10-01

    Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) continue to be a public health problem in the Philippines. We assessed the association of soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and schistosomiasis with selected health-related and socioeconomic variables in four villages in Leyte, Philippines. Stool specimens from 418 adults and 533 of their children from 209 families were examined through the Kato-Katz technique. STH and schistosomiasis were present in 64.6% and 12.5%, respectively, of study participants. Analysis through the generalized linear mixed model revealed a number of associations between infection in parents and their children. Findings indicate that years of disease prevention and control efforts in these areas have been unable to bring down prevalence in children and their parents. Eliminating NTDs as public health problems will require a systems thinking approach beyond implementation of vertical control programs alone. © The Author [2017]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  9. [Epidemiological investigation of fascioliasis and analysis of a chronic human fascioliasis case in Binchuan County, Yunnan Province].

    PubMed

    Chen, Feng; Yang, Hui; Liu, Yu-hua; Duan, Yu-chun; Yang, Jing; Cui, Yu-hua; Yang, Li-qun; Yang, Qiong; Zhang, Jian-guo; Luo, Jia-jun

    2014-12-01

    From February to March 2014, six natural villages in Zhoucheng Town, Binchuan County of Yunan Province, were randomly selected by cluster sampling. Serum anti-fascioliasis IgG was detected by ELISA. The sero-positive individuals were further tested for Fasciola infection using sediment detection with nylon bag (260 meshes) and Kato-Katz method. Among 1207 sampled persons, the sero-positive rate was 3.0% (36/1207). The rate in males and females was 2.3% (12/530) and 3.6% (24/677) (u=1.46, P>0.05). The sero-positive rate in Zhoucheng Village and Baizhuang Village was 4.0% (24/616) and 2.0% (12/591), respectively (u=2.07, P<0.05). The positive rate of stool examination in serum-positive persons was 6.5% (2/31). One stool-egg-positive patients was the case in 2012 outbreak, and the eggs were stale. The other patient was newly infected, and further clinical diagnosis indicated that it was a case of chronic fascioliasis.

  10. Factors Associated with the Performance and Cost-Effectiveness of Using Lymphatic Filariasis Transmission Assessment Surveys for Monitoring Soil-Transmitted Helminths: A Case Study in Kenya

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Jennifer L.; Sturrock, Hugh J. W.; Assefa, Liya; Nikolay, Birgit; Njenga, Sammy M.; Kihara, Jimmy; Mwandawiro, Charles S.; Brooker, Simon J.

    2015-01-01

    Transmission assessment surveys (TAS) for lymphatic filariasis have been proposed as a platform to assess the impact of mass drug administration (MDA) on soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). This study used computer simulation and field data from pre- and post-MDA settings across Kenya to evaluate the performance and cost-effectiveness of the TAS design for STH assessment compared with alternative survey designs. Variations in the TAS design and different sample sizes and diagnostic methods were also evaluated. The district-level TAS design correctly classified more districts compared with standard STH designs in pre-MDA settings. Aggregating districts into larger evaluation units in a TAS design decreased performance, whereas age group sampled and sample size had minimal impact. The low diagnostic sensitivity of Kato-Katz and mini-FLOTAC methods was found to increase misclassification. We recommend using a district-level TAS among children 8–10 years of age to assess STH but suggest that key consideration is given to evaluation unit size. PMID:25487730

  11. Simulation of bright-field microscopy images depicting pap-smear specimen

    PubMed Central

    Malm, Patrik; Brun, Anders; Bengtsson, Ewert

    2015-01-01

    As digital imaging is becoming a fundamental part of medical and biomedical research, the demand for computer-based evaluation using advanced image analysis is becoming an integral part of many research projects. A common problem when developing new image analysis algorithms is the need of large datasets with ground truth on which the algorithms can be tested and optimized. Generating such datasets is often tedious and introduces subjectivity and interindividual and intraindividual variations. An alternative to manually created ground-truth data is to generate synthetic images where the ground truth is known. The challenge then is to make the images sufficiently similar to the real ones to be useful in algorithm development. One of the first and most widely studied medical image analysis tasks is to automate screening for cervical cancer through Pap-smear analysis. As part of an effort to develop a new generation cervical cancer screening system, we have developed a framework for the creation of realistic synthetic bright-field microscopy images that can be used for algorithm development and benchmarking. The resulting framework has been assessed through a visual evaluation by experts with extensive experience of Pap-smear images. The results show that images produced using our described methods are realistic enough to be mistaken for real microscopy images. The developed simulation framework is very flexible and can be modified to mimic many other types of bright-field microscopy images. © 2015 The Authors. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of ISAC PMID:25573002

  12. Effect of interferogram smearing on atmospheric limb sounding by Fourier transform spectroscopy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Park, J.H.

    1982-04-15

    A method is presented for analyzing an absorption spectrum obtained from the interferogram measured by an interferometer operated in the solar occultation mode. In this mode the complete interferogram is smeared with various components of individual interferograms generated by rays passing through different tangent altitudes. It is shown that the effective tangent altitude of the spectrum is the altitude at which the center fringe of the interferogram is recorded and that the other components of the interferogram only define the instrument line shape. The interferogram smearing effectively creates strong sidelobes on absorption lines so that a strong apodization on themore » interferogram is recommended for the solar occultation experiment. These concepts applied to retrieve pressure and temperature simultaneously from stratospheric absorption spectra in the CO/sub 2/ 4.3-..mu..m band obtained by a balloon-borne interferometer in 1976 over Palestine, Tex. Included in the analysis of the CO/sub 2/ 4.3-..mu..m band are the continuum absorptions by the pressure-induced N/sub 2/ fundamental band and by far wings of the CO/sub 2/ v/sub 3/ band. The CO/sub 2/ absorption line is corrected by a sub-Lorentzian function. Excellent agreement is found between the observed and simulated spectra.« less

  13. Investigation of OMNIgene·SPUTUM performance in delayed tuberculosis testing by smear, culture, and Xpert MTB/RIF assays in Uganda.

    PubMed

    Kelly-Cirino, C D; Musisi, E; Byanyima, P; Kaswabuli, S; Andama, A; Sessolo, A; Sanyu, I; Zawedde, J; Curry, P S; Huang, L

    2017-06-01

    OMNIgene·SPUTUM (OM-S) is a sample transport reagent designed to work with all tuberculosis diagnostics while eliminating the need for cold chain. OM-S-treated sputum samples were assayed in several tests after multiday holds. Raw sputa from 100 patients underwent direct smear microscopy, were manually split and assigned to the OM-S group [OM-S added at collection (no other processing required) and tested after 0- to 5-day holds at room temperature] or standard-of-care (SOC) group (NaOH/N-acetyl l-cysteine decontamination, all tested on day of collection). Concentrated smear microscopy, Lowenstein Jensen (LJ) culture, and mycobacteria growth indicator tube (MGIT) culture were performed. For patients with negative direct smear, a second sample was split, with SOC (raw sputum) and OM-S portions (sediment) tested in the Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) assay. OM-S group and SOC group results were strongly concordant on all four tests [range, 89% (MGIT)-97% (Xpert)]. OM-S MGIT, LJ, and Xpert tests were in statistical agreement with SOC MGIT as reference. OM-S specimens had lower culture contamination rates (3% vs. 10% LJ; 2% vs. 5% MGIT) but required, on average, 5.6 additional days to become MGIT-positive. The findings suggest that samples held/transported in OM-S are compatible with smear microscopy, LJ or MGIT culture, and Xpert, and perform comparably to fresh sputum samples. Larger feasibility studies are warranted. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  14. Evaluation of smear layer removal and marginal adaptation of root canal sealer after final irrigation using ethylenediaminetetraacetic, peracetic, and etidronic acids with different concentrations.

    PubMed

    Ulusoy, Özgür İlke; Zeyrek, Salev; Çelik, Bülent

    2017-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different irrigation solutions on the smear layer removal and marginal adaptation of a resin-based sealer to root canal dentine. A total of 152 instrumented roots were irrigated with the following irrigants: 9,18% etidronic acid (HEBP), 0.5, 1,2% peracetic acid (PAA), 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), saline. The amount of smear layer was evaluated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) in seventy root samples. Eighty-two roots were filled with AH Plus and gutta-percha. Slices obtained from apical third of each specimen were viewed with SEM to assess marginal adaptation. Use of 9% and 18% HEBP resulted in more efficient smear layer removal in the apical third than the other chelators (p < 0.05). Higher smear layer scores in the coronal and middle thirds were obtained from 0.5%, 1% PAA groups. Regarding marginal adaptation, 18% HEBP group showed the lowest gap size values (p < 0.05), and better marginal adaptation. Etidronic acid is a promising candidate for final irrigation of root canals. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of a posterior neck dedifferentiated liposarcoma with MDM2 fluorescence in situ hybridization performed on a Pap-stained smear.

    PubMed

    Zreik, Riyam; Soyalp, Krystal; Ruiz, Steve; Ward, Russell; Dobin, Sheila; Chen, Xiangbai; Liu, Lina; Rao, Arundhati

    2015-04-01

    Head and neck liposarcomas, while rare, tend to be subcutaneous and well-differentiated. Dedifferentiated liposarcomas of the head and neck are exceedingly rare in the literature. We present a case of a dedifferentiated liposarcoma arising in the soft tissue of the posterior neck of an 86-year-old man and diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration. Aspirate smears showed a dual population of atypical lipomatous and spindled cells. MDM2 (murine double minute 2) amplification was demonstrated on a Pap-stained smear using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of MDM2 FISH amplification in a liposarcoma performed on an aspirate smear. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Sputum smear microscopy: evaluation of impact of training, microscope distribution, and use of external quality assessment guidelines for resource-poor settings.

    PubMed

    Van Rie, A; Fitzgerald, D; Kabuya, G; Van Deun, A; Tabala, M; Jarret, N; Behets, F; Bahati, E

    2008-03-01

    Sputum smear microscopy is the main and often only laboratory technique used for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in resource-poor countries, making quality assurance (QA) of smear microscopy an important activity. We evaluated the effects of a 5-day refresher training course for laboratory technicians and the distribution of new microscopes on the quality of smear microscopy in 13 primary health care laboratories in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. The 2002 external QA guidelines for acid-fast bacillus smear microscopy were implemented, and blinded rechecking of the slides was performed before and 9 months after the training course and microscope distribution. We observed that the on-site checklist was highly time-consuming but could be tailored to capture frequent problems. Random blinded rechecking by the lot QA system method decreased the number of slides to be reviewed. Most laboratories needed further investigation for possible unacceptable performance, even according to the least-stringent interpretation. We conclude that the 2002 external QA guidelines are feasible for implementation in resource-poor settings, that the efficiency of external QA can be increased by selecting sample size parameters and interpretation criteria that take into account the local working conditions, and that greater attention should be paid to the provision of timely feedback and correction of the causes of substandard performance at poorly performing laboratories.

  17. The effect of green tea extract supplementation on sputum smear conversion and weight changes in pulmonary TB patients: A randomized controlled trial

    PubMed Central

    Honarvar, Mohammad Reza; Eghtesadi, Shahryar; Gill, Pooria; Jazayeri, Shima; Vakili, Mohammad Ali; Shamsardekani, Mohammad Reza; Abbasi, Abdollah

    2016-01-01

    Background: Acceleration in sputum smear conversion helps faster improvement and decreased probability of the transfer of TB. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of green tea extract supplementation on sputum smear conversion and weight changes in smear positive pulmonary TB patients in Iran. Methods: In this double blind clinical study, TB patients were divided into intervention, (n=43) receiving 500 mg green tea extract (GTE), and control groups (n=40) receiving placebo for two months, using balanced randomization. Random allocation and allocation concealment were observed. Height and weight were measured at the beginning, and two and six months post-treatment. Evaluations were performed on three slides, using the ZiehlNeelsen method. Independent and paired t test, McNemar’s, Wilcoxon, Kaplan-Meier, Cox regression model and Log-Rank test were utilized. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. This trial was registered under IRCT201212232602N11. Results: The interventional changes and the interactive effect of intervention on weight were not significant (p>0.05). In terms of shortening the duration of conversion, the case to control proportion showed a significant difference (p=0.032). Based on the Cox regression model, the hazard ratio of the relative risk of delay in sputum smear conversion was 3.7 (p=0.002) in the higher microbial load group compared to the placebo group and 0.54 (95% CI: 0.31-0.94) in the intervention compared to the placebo group. Conclusion: GTE decreases the risk of delay in sputum smear conversion, but has no effect on weight gain. Moreover, it may be used as an adjuvant therapy for faster rehabilitation for pulmonary TB patients. PMID:27493925

  18. Factors related to the practice of breast self examination (BSE) and Pap smear screening among Malaysian women workers in selected electronics factories

    PubMed Central

    Chee, HL; Rashidah, S; Shamsuddin, K; Intan, O

    2003-01-01

    Background The Malaysian Ministry of Health promotes breast self-examination (BSE) for all women, and Pap smear screening every three years for all sexually active women ages 20 years and above. The objectives of this paper were to examine the practice of these two screening tests among women production workers in electronics factories, and to identify factors related to practice. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey of women production workers from ten electronics factories. Data was collected by a self-administered questionnaire from a total of 1,720 women. The chi-square test, odds ratio and binomial logistic regression were used in bivariate and multivariate analysis. Results Prevalence rates were 24.4% for BSE once a month, and 18.4% for Pap smear examination within the last three years. Women who were significantly more likely to perform BSE every month were 30 years and older, Malays, with upper secondary education and above, answered the BSE question correctly, and had a Pap smear within the last three years. The proportion of women who had a Pap smear within the last three years were significantly higher among those who were older, married, with young children, on the contraceptive pill or intra-uterine device, had a medical examination within the last five years, answered the Pap smear question correctly, and performed BSE monthly. Conclusion Screening practice rates in this study were low when compared to national rates. Socio-demographic and health care factors significantly associated with screening practice are indicative of barriers which should be further understood so that more effective educational and promotional strategies could be developed. PMID:12769827

  19. Perivascular epithelioid cell tumor of the uterine cervix identified on a conventional cervical smear.

    PubMed

    Tajima, Shogo; Koda, Kenji

    2015-12-01

    Perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas) most frequently involve the uterus, particularly the uterine corpus and very occasionally the cervix. One case of PEComa identified using a conventional cervical smear has previously been documented. Herein, we present the second such case. The patient was a 51-year-old woman with abnormal genital tract bleeding. Samples collected for conventional cervical smears were submitted for cytopathological examination, which revealed discohesive monotonous tumor cells showing epithelioid morphology, ample cytoplasm that was pale to weakly eosinophilic, and mildly enlarged nuclei. The cytopathological features were well correlated with histopathological findings. Upon immunohistochemistry, the tumor cells were positive for both melanocytic and smooth muscle markers. Based on these findings, PEComa was diagnosed. Subsequently, a total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed, revealing that the tumor (28 × 22 × 12 mm) was located at the superficial part of the endocervix. We propose that the cytopathological findings described herein can guide the diagnosis of PEComa, even though this tumor is rare. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. [Stratified sampling survey of major human parasitic diseases in Henan province].

    PubMed

    Xu, B L; Zhang, H W; Deng, Y; Chen, Z L; Chen, W Q; Lu, D L; Zhang, Y L; Zhao, Y L; Lin, X M; Huang, Q; Yang, C Y; Liu, Y; Zhou, R M; Li, P; Chen, J S; He, L J; Qian, D

    2018-03-10

    Objective: To understand the prevalence of major human parasitic diseases and related factors in Henan province. Methods: This stratified sampling survey was carried out according to the requirement of national survey protocol of major human parasitic diseases, 2014-2015. The prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths infection, taeniasis and intestinal protozoiasis were surveyed in 104 sites selected from 35 counties (districts) and the prevalence of clonorchiasis was surveyed in 62 sites selected from 37 townships. In each survey spot, 250 persons were surveyed. A total of 26 866 persons and 15 893 persons were surveyed. Modified Kato-Katz thick smear was used to detect the eggs of intestinal helminthes. Tube fecal culture was used to identify the species of hookworm. The Enterobius eggs were detected in children aged 3 to 6 years by using adhesive tape. The cyst and trophozoite of intestinal protozoa were examined with physiological saline direct smear method and iodine stain method. Results: The overall infestation rate of intestinal parasites was2.02% in Henan, and the worm infection rate was higher than protozoa infection rate. Fourteen kinds of intestinal parasites were found, including nematode (5 species), trematode (2 species), and protozoan (7 species). The infection rate of Enterobius vermicularis was highest, and Qinba Mountain ecological area had the highest infestation rate of intestinal parasites in 4 ecological areas of Henan. There was no significant difference in intestinal parasite infection rate between males and females ( χ (2)=3.630, P =0.057), and the differences in intestinal parasite infection rate among different age groups had significance ( χ (2)=124.783, P =0.000 1). The infection rate reached the peak in age group ≤9 years and the major parasite was Enterobius vermicularis . Furthermore the overall human infection rate of parasite showed a downward trend with the increase of educational level of the people ( χ (2)=70.969, P =0

  1. Evaluation of the Cobas TaqMan MTB Test for the Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex According to Acid-Fast-Bacillus Smear Grades in Respiratory Specimens

    PubMed Central

    Huh, Hee Jae; Koh, Won-Jung; Song, Dong Joon

    2014-01-01

    We evaluated the performance of the Cobas TaqMan MTB test (Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland), stratified by acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear grades. The sensitivity of this test in smear-positive specimens was >95% in all grades, while that in trace and negative specimens was 85.3% and 34.4%, respectively. PMID:25428157

  2. Smear Layer Evaluation on Root Canal Preparation with Manual and Rotary Techniques using EDTA as an Irrigant: A Scanning Electron Microscopy Study

    PubMed Central

    Manjunatha, M; Annapurna, Kini; Sudhakar, V; Sunil Kumar, VC; Hiremath, Vinay Kumar; Shah, Ankur

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: The aim of any root canal treatment is to achieve a canal free of micro organisms, residual pulp remnants, debris and smear layer for the long term success of the procedure. Manual and automated instrumentation techniques along with proper irrigation regime is used to arrive at the aforementioned goal. Many authors focused on the preparation capabilities of various manual and rotary instruments but very few investigators stressed on the actual cleaning abilities of these instruments. Aims and objectives: This study was undertaken to evaluate the cleaning efficiency of manual K flex files and rotary Pro File systems in the root canals using a scanning electron microscope. Material and Methods:Thirty single rooted mandibular first premolars were divided into two groups and randomized (the manual group-M and the ProFile group-P) with respect to the preparation technique. The Manual group was hand instrumented with stainless steel K- Flexofiles by means of a conventional filing technique. The Pro File group was instrumented according to the manufacturer's instructions using a rotary handpiece. All canals were shaped and cleaned under frequent irrigation with EDTA. Final irrigation was carried out with 3 mL of normal saline solution to neutralize the action of the irrigant. The roots were split, one half of each tooth was selected for further SEM technique analysis and examined under the scanning electron microscope. The canal walls were quantitatively evaluated for the amount of debris and smear layer. The apical, middle and coronal regions of the canal surface, were graded (1-5) for debris and smear layer. A statistical analysis was performed using a Mann-Whitney Rank Sum test. ProFile performed least effective cleaning. Manual K-Flexofiles led to a grooved pattern. Results and Conclusion: A statistically significant difference was observed (p<0.05) between the two instrumentation techniques concerning the amount of debris and smear layer at the apical

  3. Performance of low smeared density sodium-cooled fast reactor metal fuel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Porter, D. L.; Chichester, H. J. M.; Medvedev, P. G.; Hayes, S. L.; Teague, M. C.

    2015-10-01

    An experiment was performed in the Experimental Breeder Rector-II (EBR-II) in the 1990s to show that metallic fast reactor fuel could be used in reactors with a single, once-through core. To prove the long duration, high burnup, high neutron exposure capability an experiment where the fuel pin was designed with a very large fission gas plenum and very low fuel smeared density (SD). The experiment, X496, operated to only 8.3 at.% burnup because the EBR-II reactor was scheduled for shut-down at that time. Many of the examinations of the fuel pins only funded recently with the resurgence of reactor designs using very high-burnup fuel. The results showed that, despite the low smeared density of 59% the fuel swelled radially to contact the cladding, fission gas release appeared to be slightly higher than demonstrated in conventional 75%SD fuel tests and axial growth was about the same as 75% SD fuel. There were axial positions in some of the fuel pins which showed evidence of fuel restructuring and an absence of fission products with low melting points and gaseous precursors (Cs and Rb). A model to investigate whether these areas may have overheated due to a loss of bond sodium indicates that it is a possible explanation for the fuel restructuring and something to be considered for fuel performance modeling of low SD fuel.

  4. Performance of low smeared density sodium-cooled fast reactor metal fuel

    DOE PAGES

    Porter, D. L.; H. J. M. Chichester; Medvedev, P. G.; ...

    2015-06-17

    An experiment was performed in the Experimental Breeder Rector-II (EBR-II) in the 1990s to show that metallic fast reactor fuel could be used in reactors with a single, once-through core. To prove the long duration, high burnup, high neutron exposure capability an experiment where the fuel pin was designed with a very large fission gas plenum and very low fuel smeared density (SD). The experiment, X496, operated to only 8.3 at. % burnup because the EBR-II reactor was scheduled for shut-down at that time. Many of the examinations of the fuel pins only funded recently with the resurgence of reactormore » designs using very high-burnup fuel. The results showed that, despite the low smeared density of 59% the fuel swelled radially to contact the cladding, fission gas release appeared to be slightly higher than demonstrated in conventional 75%SD fuel tests and axial growth was about the same as 75% SD fuel. There were axial positions in some of the fuel pins which showed evidence of fuel restructuring and an absence of fission products with low metaling points and gaseous precursors (Cs and Rb). Lastly, a model to investigate whether these areas may have overheated due to a loss of bond sodium indicates that it is a possible explanation for the fuel restructuring and something to be considered for fuel performance modeling of low SD fuel.« less

  5. Evaluation of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay for the diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Madagascar.

    PubMed

    Rakotoarivelo, R; Ambrosioni, J; Rasolofo, V; Raberahona, M; Rakotosamimanana, N; Andrianasolo, R; Ramanampamonjy, R; Tiaray, M; Razafimahefa, J; Rakotoson, J; Randria, M; Bonnet, F; Calmy, A

    2018-04-01

    To evaluate the feasibility of the implementation of a commercial rapid molecular diagnostic test (Xpert MTB/RIF) for the routine diagnosis of smear-negative or extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and its diagnostic accuracy, and to assess HIV prevalence in a real-life setting in Madagascar. This study was set in a tertiary care hospital in Madagascar. A prospective cohort study was conducted of all consecutive cases with suspected smear-negative and/or extrapulmonary TB over a 2-year period. Cases were classified as proven, probable, or possible TB cases, or as having an alternative diagnosis. Of the 363 patients included, 183 (50.4%) had suspected smear-negative pulmonary TB and 180 (49.6%) had suspected extrapulmonary TB. For proven cases, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of Xpert MTB/RIF were 82.4%, 98.8%, 98.3%, and 86.6%, respectively; for proven and probable cases grouped together, these values were 65%, 98.8%, 98.5%, and 64%, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy was slightly lower for extrapulmonary TB compared to smear-negative pulmonary TB. The prevalence of HIV infection was 12.1%, but almost half of these cases did not have TB (alternative diagnosis group). The implementation of a rapid diagnosis programme for TB in a resource-poor setting is feasible. The performance of the Xpert-MTB/RIF was remarkable in this difficult-to-diagnose population. HIV prevalence in this study was much higher than the prevalence reported in the general population in Madagascar, in patients with TB and patients with conditions other than TB. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  6. Interphase cytogenetics of prostatic carcinoma in fine needle aspirate smears of radical prostatectomy specimens: A practical screening tool?

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, R.Y.; Troncoso, P.; El-Naggar, A.K.

    1994-09-01

    Identification of chromosomal aberrations that may be used for diagnostic or prognostic evaluation of prostatic adenocarcinoma has been the subject of great interest. In a previous study, we applied the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method on paraffin-embedded material to show that trisomy 7 was associated with the progression of human prostate cancer. In this study, we attempted to assess the utility of the FISH technique in detecting aneuploidy in fine needle aspirate (FNA) smears of prostatic tissues and to compare FISH results with that of DNA flow cytometry (FCM). Paired samples of normal and tumor FNA smears were obtainedmore » from 10 radical prostatectomy specimens. Dual-color chromosomes 7 and 9-specific centromeric DNA probes were used for FISH. FISH analysis demonstrated increased frequencies of trisomy 7 cells in all 10 tumors studied when compared with the paired normals. In contrast, 6 of 10 tumors were determined to be diploid by FCM. Our results show that FNA of radical prostatectomy specimens is a practical method for obtaining suitable material for both FISH and FCM analyses of prostate carcinoma. Thus, interphase FISH may be a practical screening tool to determine aneuploidy in FNA smears of prostatic carcinoma.« less

  7. A case of Dipylidium caninum infection in a child from the southeastern Poland.

    PubMed

    Szwaja, Bogusława; Romański, Leszek; Zabczyk, Michał

    2011-01-01

    Dipylidium caninum is a common intestinal tapeworm of dogs, cats and foxes. However, it occasionally infects also humans. We present a case of D. caninum infection in a 2-year-old child living in the Subcarpathian province. The infection was asymptomatic in the first months. The symptoms of abdominal pains, sleep disorders, loss of appetite, hyperactivity and occasional slimy stools appeared later. Proglottids on the underwear, in water while bathing and mobile proglottids passed with the stool were also observed. Prior to appropriate diagnosis the child was treated with pyrantelum (Pyrantelum) and albendazolum (Zentel). However, proglottids were found again in the stool after a few days. We examined stool samples and perianal smears collected from the child and his family. The stool samples were tested by coproscopic methods. Direct methods (direct preparation in 0.9% sodium chloride and in Lugol's solution, Kato thick smear) and concentration methods (decantation with distilled water and Faust's zinc sulphate centrifugal flotation) were used. In the stool samples taken from the child, we observed D. caninum proglottids demonstrating lateral genital pores and many packets of eggs containing from one to a few, mostly 3 to 4 eggs. In the direct preparations in 0.9% sodium chloride and in Lugol's solution single packets with D. caninum eggs were detected. In decantation preparations many D. caninum egg packets were observed. It has to be reported that the child's mother was infected with Giardia intestinalis. Dipylidiasis in humans is a rarely encountered infection in Poland and the diagnosis may be difficult. For these reasons we reported clinical case presentation, diagnostics, treatment and epidemiology of D. caninum infection. We have shown that concentration methods such as decantation might be very helpful in the diagnosis of dipylidiasis.

  8. Smear layer and debris removal using manual Ni-Ti files compared with rotary Protaper Ni- Ti files - An In-Vitro SEM study

    PubMed Central

    Reddy, J M V Raghavendra; Latha, Prasanna; Gowda, Basavana; Manvikar, Varadendra; Vijayalaxmi, D Benal; Ponangi, Kalyana Chakravarthi

    2014-01-01

    Background: Predictable successful endodontic therapy depends on correct diagnosis, effective cleaning, shaping and disinfection of the root canals and adequate obturation. Irrigation serves as a flush to remove debris, tissue solvent and lubricant from the canal irregularities; however these irregularities can restrict the complete debridement of root canal by mechanical instrumentation.Various types of hand and rotary instruments are used for the preparation of the root canal system to obtain debris free canals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the amount of smear layer and debris removal on canal walls following the using of manual Nickel-Titanium (NiTi) files compared with rotary ProTaperNiTi files using a Scanning Electron Microscope in two individual groups. Materials & Methods: A comparative study consisting of 50 subjects randomized into two groups – 25 subjects in Group A (manual) and 25 subjects in Group B (rotary) was undertaken to investigate and compare the effects of smear layer and debris between manual and rotary NiTi instruments. Chi square test was used to find the significance of smear layer and debris removal in the coronal, middle and apical between Group A and Group B. Results: Both systems of Rotary ProTaperNiTi and manual NiTi files used in the present study, did not create completely clean root canals. Manual NiTi files produced significantly less smear layer and debris compared to Rotary ProTaperNiTi instruments. Rotary instruments were less time consuming when compared to manual instruments. Instrument separation was not found to be significant with both the groups. Conclusions: Both systems of Rotary ProTaperNiTi and manual NiTi files used did not produce completely clean root canals. Manual NiTi files produced significantly less smear layer and debris compared to Rotary protaper instruments. How to cite the article: Reddy JM, Latha P, Gowda B, Manvikar V, Vijayalaxmi DB, Ponangi KC. Smear layer and debris removal using manual

  9. [Verification of doubtful PAP smear results of women included in the screening program in the Podlaskie province].

    PubMed

    Błońska, Ewa; Knapp, Piotr Andrzej

    2013-08-01

    Verification of uncertain PAP-smear results in a group of women covered by the cervical screening program in the Podlaski province. The main aim of the study was to identify CIN (Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia) lesions present, with varying degrees of severity in women with cytological diagnosis of ASCUS (atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance), LSIL (low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion), and ASC-H (atypical squamous cells - cannot exclude high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion). The study evaluated 101 cervical smears taken from the vaginal part of the cervix in a group of screened women in the Podlaski province. Cytological evaluation was performed according the Bethesda System. We analyzed abnormal smears selected from a total of 7296 cytological examinations performed during 2012 at the University Center for Pathomorphological and Genetic - Molecular Diagnosis, Medical University in Białystok. The cytological results which were of interest to us included 19 cases with ASCUS, 59 with LSIL, and 23 with ASC-H, as well as with morphological features of the presence of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Staining was performed using CINtecPLUS test according to the manufacturer's instructions. CINtecPLUS is a immunocytochemical test based on specially designed monoclonal antibodies (E6H4TM) that let us identify protein p16ink4a within the cervical smear Additionally the diagnostic kit was provided with antibodies for diagnosing the presence of Ki-67 protein, a known marker of cell proliferation. The result was considered positive when staining of the nucleus and the cytoplasm appeared in red and brown, respectively. All abnormal results were eventually verified by histological examination of the tissue taken from cervical lesions by diagnostic-therapeutic procedure following colposcopic evaluation of cervical lesion topography In the group of cytological smears with ASCUS, the diagnosis was positive in 5 cases (26.3%), negative in 14 (73

  10. Effectiveness of Three Different Irrigants - 17% Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid, Q-MIX, and Phytic Acid in Smear Layer Removal: A Comparative Scanning Electron Microscope Study.

    PubMed

    Jagzap, Janhavi Balasaheb; Patil, Sanjay S; Gade, Vandana Jaykumar; Chandhok, Deepika J; Upagade, Madhura A; Thakur, Deepa A

    2017-01-01

    Removal of smear layer from the root canal walls is important for long-standing endodontic success. The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare smear layer removing ability among 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), Q-MIX, and phytic acid by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This in-vitro experimental study assessed smear layer removal using three different irrigants. Thirty single-rooted freshly extracted human permanent premolars were collected, disinfected, and decoronated to a standardized root length of 13 mm. Root canals were cleaned and shaped till F2 universal rotary protaper at working length 1 mm short of the apex. They were randomly divided into three groups, and final irrigation was done accordingly. Group 1 ( n = 10): with 1 ml of 17% EDTA, Group 2 ( n = 10): with 1 ml of Q-MIX, Group 3 ( n = 10): with 1 ml of phytic acid. Samples were then longitudinally sectioned and evaluated under SEM at coronal, middle, and apical levels. Two-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test were performed. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Smear layer removing ability among irrigants and sections in descending order: 17 EDTA > Q-MIX > phytic acid; coronal > middle > apical. 17% EDTA showed better and promising results followed by Q-MIX and then phytic acid.

  11. Specific identification of human papillomavirus type in cervical smears and paraffin sections by in situ hybridization with radioactive probes: a preliminary communication

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gupta, J.; Gendelman, H.E.; Naghashfar, Z.

    1985-01-01

    Cervical Papanicolaou smears and paraffin sections of biopsy specimens obtained from women attending dysplasia clinics were examined for viral DNA sequences by in situ hybridization technique using TVS-labeled cloned recombinant DNA probes of human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, and 16. These and one unrelated DNA probe complementary to measles virus RNA were labeled by nick translation using either one or two TVS-labeled nucleotides. Paraffin sections and cervical smears were collected on pretreated slides, hybridized with the probes under stringent or nonstringent conditions for 50 h, and autoradiographed. Additional cervical specimens from the same women were examined for the presencemore » of genus-specific papillomavirus capsid antigen by the immunoperoxidase technique. Preliminary results may be summarized as follows. The infecting virus could be identified in smears as well as in sections. Viral DNA sequences were detected only when there were condylomatous cells in the specimen and in only a proportion of the condylomatous cells. Even under stringent conditions, some specimens reacted with both HPV-6 and HPV-11. In some instances, the cells did not hybridize with any of the three probes even when duplicate specimens contained frankly condylomatous, capsid antigen-positive cells. In situ hybridization of Papanicolaou smears or of tissue sections is a practical method for diagnosis and follow-up of specific papillomavirus infection using routinely collected material.« less

  12. Progression of abnormal MIB-1 staining patterns of reserve cells in cervical smears from women ultimately developing high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions.

    PubMed

    Siemens, Frederike C; van Haaften, Carolien; Kuijpers, Johan C; Helmerhorst, Theo J M; Boon, Mathilde E

    2006-01-01

    To assess, in a longitudinal study in women diagnosed with high grade squamous epithelial lesion (HSIL), the progression over time of proliferative activity in reserve cells using population screening cervical cytology specimens. Twenty consecutive, unselected patients with HSIL lesions were part of the national cervical screening program. From the archives, for each patient, the last prior normal population screening smear was included in the study. Concurrent sets of cervical smears from 80 age-matched women without pathology formed the controls. The original slides were stained using MIB-1 monoclonal antibody. The fraction of MIB-1-positive reserve cells was assessed using systematic random sampling and running progressive means assessment to ensure a sufficient sample size. The proliferation fraction in reserve cells of HSIL patients was significantly raised (mean, 65.0%; range, 53.5-94.1%; p < 0.01) as compared with that in concurrent controls (mean, 12.8%; range, 1.9-45.4%). Prior smears from HSIL patients, although without morphologic abnormalities, had abnormally high proliferation fractions (mean, 59.1%; range, 1.0-94.7%), significantly raised over those from concurrent controls (mean, 9.4%; range In population-based cervical smear screening, HSIL patients already have abnormally raised proliferation fractions of reserve cells, even without morphologic changes in squamous cells, 1-5 (mean, 3.6) years prior to diagnosis.

  13. Cost-effectiveness of liquid-based cytology with or without hybrid-capture II HPV test compared with conventional Pap smears: a study by the French Society of Clinical Cytology.

    PubMed

    Cochand-Priollet, Béatrix; Cartier, Isabelle; de Cremoux, Patricia; Le Galès, Catherine; Ziol, Marianne; Molinié, Vincent; Petitjean, Alain; Dosda, Anne; Merea, Estelle; Biaggi, Annonciade; Gouget, Isabelle; Arkwright, Sylviane; Vacher-Lavenu, Marie-Cécile; Vielh, Philippe; Coste, Joël

    2005-11-01

    Many articles concerning conventional Pap smears, ThinPrep liquid-based cytology (LBC) and Hybrid-Capture II HPV test (HC II) have been published. This study, carried out by the French Society of Clinical Cytology, may be conspicuous for several reasons: it was financially independent; it compared the efficiency of the conventional Pap smear and LBC, of the conventional Pap smear and HC II, and included an economic study based on real costs; for all the women, a "gold standard" reference method, colposcopy, was available and biopsies were performed whenever a lesion was detected; The conventional Pap smear, the LBC (split-sample technique), the colposcopy, and the biopsies were done at the same time. This study included 2,585 women shared into two groups: a group A of a high-risk population, a group B of a screening population. The statistical analysis of the results showed that conventional Pap smears consistently had superior or equivalent sensitivity and specificity than LBC for the lesions at threshold CIN-I (Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia) or CIN-II or higher. It underlined the low specificity of the HC II. Finally, the LBC mean cost was never covered by the Social Security tariff.

  14. Immunohistochemical identification of varicella-zoster virus gene 63-encoded protein (IE63) and late (gE) protein on smears and cutaneous biopsies: implications for diagnostic use.

    PubMed

    Nikkels, A F; Debrus, S; Sadzot-Delvaux, C; Piette, J; Rentier, B; Piérard, G E

    1995-12-01

    Early and specific recognition of varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection is of vital concern in immunocompromised patients. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of histochemical and immunohistochemical identification of the VZV ORF63 encoded protein (IE63) and of the VZV late protein gE on smears and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded skin sections taken from lesions clinically diagnosed as varicella (n = 15) and herpes zoster (n = 51). Microscopic examinations of Tzanck smears and skin sections yielded a diagnostic accuracy of Herpesviridae infections in 66.7% (10/15) and 92.3% (12/13) of varicella, and 74.4% (29/39) and 87.8% (43/49) of herpes zoster, respectively. Immunohistochemistry applied to varicella provided a type-specific virus diagnostic accuracy of 86.7% (13/15; IE63) and 100% (15/15; gE) on smears, and of 92.3% for both VZV proteins on skin sections. In herpes zoster, the diagnostic accuracy of immunohistochemistry reached 92.3% (36/39; IE63) and 94.9% (37/39; gE) on smears, and 91.7% (44/48; IE63) and 91.8% (45/49; gE) on skin sections. These findings indicate that the immunohistochemical detection of IE63 and gE on both smears and skin sections yields a higher specificity and sensitivity than standard microscopic assessments.

  15. Factors Associated with a Lack of Pap Smear Utilization in Women Exposed In Utero to Diethylstilbestrol

    PubMed Central

    Camp, Elizabeth A.; Prehn, Angela W.; Shen, Ji; Herbst, Arthur L.; Strohsnitter, William C.; Hobday, Christopher D.; Robboy, Stanley J.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Background: Women in the1940s–1960s were prescribed diethylstilbestrol (DES), a nonsteroidal estrogen, to prevent miscarriages, but the practice was terminated after it was discovered that the daughters so exposed in utero were at increased risk for developing clear cell adenocarcinoma (CCA) of the vagina or cervix at early ages. Pap smear screening is one of the principal methods used to identify tumor development and is necessary in this group of women to maintain their health. Currently, little is known about the factors associated with nonutilization of this screening tool in this high-risk population of women. Methods: National cohort data from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) DES Combined Cohort Follow-up Study during 1994, 1997, 2001, and 2006 were used to determine which factors were associated with Pap smear screening nonutilization in 2006 among DES-exposed and unexposed women. Self-reported questionnaire data from 2,861 DES-exposed and 1,027 unexposed women were analyzed using binary logistic regression models. Results: DES exposure, not having a previous gynecologic dysplasia diagnosis, lack of insurance, originating cohort, increasing age, and previous screening behavior were all factors associated with not reporting a Pap smear examination in the 2006 questionnaire, although college education reduced nonutilization. Conclusions: Understanding which factors are associated with not acquiring a screening exam can help clinicians better identify which DES-exposed women are at risk for nonutilization and possibly tailor their standard of care to aid in the early detection of cervical and vaginal adenocarcinomas in this high-risk group. PMID:25768943

  16. Smear layer production by 3 rotary reamers with different cutting blade designs in straight root canals: a scanning electron microscopic study.

    PubMed

    Jeon, In-Soo; Spångberg, Larz S W; Yoon, Tai-Cheol; Kazemi, Reza B; Kum, Kee-Yeon

    2003-11-01

    The design of the cutting blade of rotary instruments may affect the outcome of root canal instrumentation in terms of cleanliness. The aim of this scanning electron microscopic study was to compare the quality and amount of smear layer generated in the apical third of straight root canals by 2 rotary nickel-titanium reamers and 1 rotary steel reamer with different cutting blade designs. Seventy intact, single-rooted human mandibular premolars with straight, fully developed roots were selected for this study. Before instrumentation, the cervical portion of all teeth was removed by using a microtome (Isomet), leaving 13-mm-long roots. Automated preparation was performed with ProFile (n = 20) and Hero 642 (n = 20) reamers by using the crown-down technique and with a stainless steel engine reamer (Mani; n = 20) by using a reaming motion. All root canals were instrumented to No. 40. A control group (pulp extirpation with barbed broaches; n = 10) was also included. Irrigation with 3 mL of a 1% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution was performed after each instrumentation. After the instrumentation, each root was split longitudinally, and a scanning electron microscope was used to examine the selected areas of the canal walls at the apical third from 2 different perspectives. A 4-category scoring system for smear layer was used, and the resulting scores were statistically analyzed. The least smear layer remained in the Hero 642 group at the selected apical third of straight root canals (P < .05). However, all instruments left a smear layer. The surface texture of the smear layer, in addition to the depth and the frequency of packed materials into the dentinal tubules, varied with instrument type. These data revealed that the design of the cutting blade of rotary instruments can affect root canal cleanliness in straight root canals. This information may be useful in the selection of nickel-titanium rotary reamers.

  17. Selection of the best features for leukocytes classification in blood smear microscopic images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sarrafzadeh, Omid; Rabbani, Hossein; Talebi, Ardeshir; Banaem, Hossein Usefi

    2014-03-01

    Automatic differential counting of leukocytes provides invaluable information to pathologist for diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. The main objective of this paper is to detect leukocytes from a blood smear microscopic image and classify them into their types: Neutrophil, Eosinophil, Basophil, Lymphocyte and Monocyte using features that pathologists consider to differentiate leukocytes. Features contain color, geometric and texture features. Colors of nucleus and cytoplasm vary among the leukocytes. Lymphocytes have single, large, round or oval and Monocytes have singular convoluted shape nucleus. Nucleus of Eosinophils is divided into 2 segments and nucleus of Neutrophils into 2 to 5 segments. Lymphocytes often have no granules, Monocytes have tiny granules, Neutrophils have fine granules and Eosinophils have large granules in cytoplasm. Six color features is extracted from both nucleus and cytoplasm, 6 geometric features only from nucleus and 6 statistical features and 7 moment invariants features only from cytoplasm of leukocytes. These features are fed to support vector machine (SVM) classifiers with one to one architecture. The results obtained by applying the proposed method on blood smear microscopic image of 10 patients including 149 white blood cells (WBCs) indicate that correct rate for all classifiers are above 93% which is in a higher level in comparison with previous literatures.

  18. Evaluation of the Cobas TaqMan MTB test for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex according to acid-fast-bacillus smear grades in respiratory specimens.

    PubMed

    Huh, Hee Jae; Koh, Won-Jung; Song, Dong Joon; Ki, Chang-Seok; Lee, Nam Yong

    2015-02-01

    We evaluated the performance of the Cobas TaqMan MTB test (Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland), stratified by acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear grades. The sensitivity of this test in smear-positive specimens was >95% in all grades, while that in trace and negative specimens was 85.3% and 34.4%, respectively. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  19. Laboratory productivity and the rate of manual peripheral blood smear review: a College of American Pathologists Q-Probes study of 95,141 complete blood count determinations performed in 263 institutions.

    PubMed

    Novis, David A; Walsh, Molly; Wilkinson, David; St Louis, Mary; Ben-Ezra, Jonathon

    2006-05-01

    Automated laboratory hematology analyzers are capable of performing differential counts on peripheral blood smears with greater precision and more accurate detection of distributional and morphologic abnormalities than those performed by manual examinations of blood smears. Manual determinations of blood morphology and leukocyte differential counts are time-consuming, expensive, and may not always be necessary. The frequency with which hematology laboratory workers perform manual screens despite the availability of labor-saving features of automated analyzers is unknown. To determine the normative rates with which manual peripheral blood smears were performed in clinical laboratories, to examine laboratory practices associated with higher or lower manual review rates, and to measure the effects of manual smear review on the efficiency of generating complete blood count (CBC) determinations. From each of 3 traditional shifts per day, participants were asked to select serially, 10 automated CBC specimens, and to indicate whether manual scans and/or reviews with complete differential counts were performed on blood smears prepared from those specimens. Sampling continued until a total of 60 peripheral smears were reviewed manually. For each specimen on which a manual review was performed, participants indicated the patient's age, hemoglobin value, white blood cell count, platelet count, and the primary reason why the manual review was performed. Participants also submitted data concerning their institutions' demographic profiles and their laboratories' staffing, work volume, and practices regarding CBC determinations. The rates of manual reviews and estimations of efficiency in performing CBC determinations were obtained from the data. A total of 263 hospitals and independent laboratories, predominantly located in the United States, participating in the College of American Pathologists Q-Probes Program. There were 95,141 CBC determinations examined in this study

  20. A novel scheme for abnormal cell detection in Pap smear images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Tong; Wachman, Elliot S.; Farkas, Daniel L.

    2004-07-01

    Finding malignant cells in Pap smear images is a "needle in a haystack"-type problem, tedious, labor-intensive and error-prone. It is therefore desirable to have an automatic screening tool in order that human experts can concentrate on the evaluation of the more difficult cases. Most research on automatic cervical screening tries to extract morphometric and texture features at the cell level, in accordance with the NIH "The Bethesda System" rules. Due to variances in image quality and features, such as brightness, magnification and focus, morphometric and texture analysis is insufficient to provide robust cervical cancer detection. Using a microscopic spectral imaging system, we have produced a set of multispectral Pap smear images with wavelengths from 400 nm to 690 nm, containing both spectral signatures and spatial attributes. We describe a novel scheme that combines spatial information (including texture and morphometric features) with spectral information to significantly improve abnormal cell detection. Three kinds of wavelet features, orthogonal, bi-orthogonal and non-orthogonal, are carefully chosen to optimize recognition performance. Multispectral feature sets are then extracted in the wavelet domain. Using a Back-Propagation Neural Network classifier that greatly decreases the influence of spurious events, we obtain a classification error rate of 5%. Cell morphometric features, such as area and shape, are then used to eliminate most remaining small artifacts. We report initial results from 149 cells from 40 separate image sets, in which only one abnormal cell was missed (TPR = 97.6%) and one normal cell was falsely classified as cancerous (FPR = 1%).

  1. A comparative scanning electron microscopic study of the effect of three different rotary instruments on smear layer formation.

    PubMed

    Shahi, Shahriar; Yavari, Hamid R; Rahimi, Saeed; Reyhani, Mohammad F; Kamarroosta, Zahra; Abdolrahimi, Majid

    2009-03-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of RaCe, FlexMaster and ProFile rotary instruments on smear layer formation by scanning electron microscopy. Eighty-four caries-free freshly extracted human single-rooted teeth were selected and divided into three groups, each containing 28 teeth. The teeth were instrumented with rotary instruments sequentially: Group A: ProFile Rotary Instruments; Group B: FlexMaster Rotary Instruments; and Group C: RaCe Rotary Instruments. Instrumentation was performed by the crown-down method and according to the manufacturer's instructions. The specimens were then examined with SEM according to Hülsmann's classification. One-way ANOVA and a post hoc Tukey test were used for statistical analysis. The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences among the three groups in the coronal third (P = 0.39), but at the apical and middle thirds there were statistically significant differences between the RaCe group and the other groups (P < 0.05). Smear layer in the RaCe group was less than that in the ProFile and FlexMaster groups, but the difference between the ProFile group and FlexMaster group was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). It was concluded that RaCe Rotary Instruments produce less smear layer than FlexMaster and ProFile Rotary Instruments.

  2. [Investigation of major parasitic diseases and related knowledge, attitude and practice among rural residents in Liyang City].

    PubMed

    Yan-Li, Guo; Yong-Gen, Zou; Yi-Qing, Xie; Hong, Chen; Ming-Zhen, He; Lai-Fu, Lü; Li-Zhong, Huang; Xiao-Lin, Jin

    2017-09-27

    To investigate the prevalence of major parasitic diseases and related knowledge, attitude and practice among rural residents in Liyang City, so as to provide the evidence for formulating appropriate preventive strategies and measures. Three villages were selected from three towns as survey sites, and the residents who were above three years old and had been in the village for over six months were investigated. The Kato-Katz technique was applied to detect intestinal parasite eggs in residents' feces, and the cellophane anal swab was used to detect Enterobius vermicularis eggs among children aged 3-6 years. The iodine liquid smear and saline smear methods were used to examine intestinal protozoa cysts or trophozoites. Hookworm species were identified by the tube filter paper culture method. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the information on residents' knowledge, attitude and practice of the prevention and control of major parasitic diseases. Totally 759 residents were investigated and tested at the three rural survey sites, and only 2 cases were detected of parasitic infection and the total infection rate was 0.26%. Both cases were mild infections without mixed infection. The total awareness rate of knowledge on ascariasis, trichuriasis and ancylostomiasis was 37.9%, while the awareness rate of knowledge on clonorchiasis was 13.8%. The age and educational level were important factors of the knowledge on prevention and control of parasitic diseases among the residents. The formation rates of washing hands before meal and after using the toilet, and never drinking unboiled water were 83.8% and 92.1%, respectively. Totally 11.6% of the residents usually ate raw or half-cooked freshwater fishes and shrimps, and 53.0% had not the behavior to prepare raw and cooked food using the different chopping boards. The proportions of residents using fresh feces as manure and working in the field with bare feet were 13.8% and 22.8% respectively. The proportions of

  3. Efficiency of Different Endodontic Irrigation and Activation Systems in Removal of the Smear Layer: A Scanning Electron Microscopy Study.

    PubMed

    Karade, Priyatam; Chopade, Rutuja; Patil, Suvarna; Hoshing, Upendra; Rao, Madhukar; Rane, Neha; Chopade, Aditi; Kulkarni, Anish

    2017-01-01

    This in vitro study was designed to evaluate and compare different endodontic irrigation and activation systems for removal of the intracanal smear layer. Forty recently extracted, non-carious human intact single rooted premolars were selected and divided into five groups ( n =10) according to the root canal irrigation systems; syringe and needle irrigation (CTR), sonic irrigation, passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) and EndoVac irrigation system. All groups were prepared to #40 apical size with K-files. Each sample was subjected to final irrigation by using four different irrigation/activation systems. After splitting the samples, one half of each root was selected for examination under scanning electron microscope (SEM). The irrigation systems were compared using the Fisher's exact test with the level of significance set at 0.05. The four groups did not differ from each other in the coronal and mid-root parts of the canal. In the apical part of the canal none of the methods could completely remove all the smear layer but EndoVac system showed significantly better removal of smear layer and debris than the other methods. Within the limitations of the present study, the EndoVac system cleaned the apical part of the canal more efficiently than sonic, ultrasonic and syringe and needle irrigation.

  4. Free Active Chlorine in Sodium Hypochlorite Solutions Admixed with Octenidine, SmearOFF, Chlorhexidine, and EDTA.

    PubMed

    Krishnan, Unni; Saji, Sreeja; Clarkson, Roger; Lalloo, Ratilal; Moule, Alex J

    2017-08-01

    The therapeutic effects of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solutions are dependent on the levels of free available chlorine (FAC). Mixing these solutions with irrigants can result in significant reductions in FAC. Although the effect of some irrigants on FAC is known, the effect of other commonly used irrigants is not. Thus, the therapeutic ramifications of the concurrent use of these on the efficiency of NaOCl solutions is not known. Aliquots of 5.2% (w/v) NaOCl solutions were admixed in proportions of 90:10, 80:20, and 50:50 with the following irrigants: octenidine dihydrochloride (OCT); SmearOFF (Vista Dental Products, Racine, WI), 17% EDTA; and 0.2%, 2%, and 5% chlorhexidine (CHX) solutions. Changes in FAC were measured by iodometric titration. Statistical differences between means were determined using a post hoc Tukey analysis test after an analysis of variance. OCT appeared not to affect FAC and was significantly different than all other irrigants, except for 90:10 and 80:20 mixtures of low concentration (0.2%) CHX. CHX solutions showed a marked concentration- and mixture proportion-dependent detrimental effect on FAC. The reduction of FAC between different concentrations of CHX was statistically significant in 80:20 and 50:50 proportions, with 50:50 mixtures of 5% CHX having the greatest influence. Mixtures containing even small proportions of SmearOFF or EDTA exhibited significant losses in FAC. OCT has little effect on FAC and can be used concurrently with NaOCl solutions. Higher concentrations of CHX significantly affect FAC. Their combined use with NaOCl solutions should be avoided. EDTA and SmearOFF should not be mixed with NaOCl solutions. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. All rights reserved.

  5. Comparative Evaluation of Smear Layer and Debris on the Canal Walls prepared with a Combination of Hand and Rotary ProTaper Technique using Scanning Electron Microscope.

    PubMed

    Kiran, S; Prakash, Sandeep; Siddharth, Pujari R; Saha, Supradip; Geojan, Naiza E; Ramachandran, Mookambika

    2016-07-01

    The effect of smear layer and debris on the success rate of endodontic treatment has not yet been definitely determined. So the present study was aimed to evaluate the amount of smear layer and debris on the canal walls prepared with a combination of hand and rotary ProTaper technique using NaOCl and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) alternately as root canal irrigants using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Eighty intact freshly extracted human permanent mandibular premolar teeth were collected and randomly divided equally into four groups. In group I canals were prepared with hand K-Flexofiles; group II with rotary ProTaper instruments; group III with rotary ProTaper instruments and final instrumentation was done with hand K-Flexofile; group IV with rotary ProTaper instruments and final instrumentation was done with RC-Prep and irrigated with 1 mL of normal saline. In all groups canals were irrigated using NaOCl and EDTA alternately. After instrumentation, the teeth were prepared for SEM examination using five-score indices for debris and smear layer at coronal, middle, and apical third levels. Statistical analysis was performed using chi-square test (p < 0.05) and Kruskal-Wallis test (p < 0.05). Statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in cleaning the apical third. Groups I and III showed better canal cleanliness compared to group II. The use of EDTA and NaOCl in group III was more effective in removing debris and smear layer compared to EDTA and normal saline in group IV. Regardless of the instrumentation technique employed and the irrigant used, the cleaning ability decreased in the apical third, resulting in higher debris and smear layer scores compared to coronal and middle third levels. None of the instrumentation techniques in the present study could completely eliminate the smear layer and debris from the canal walls. Instrumentation of the canals with hand files after automated rotary preparation could result in cleaner

  6. Variable electronic shutter in CMOS imager with improved anti smearing techniques

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pain, Bedabrata (Inventor)

    2005-01-01

    A leakage compensated snapshot imager provides a number of different aspects to prevent smear and other problems in a snapshot imager. The area where the imager is formed may be biased in a way that prevents photo carriers including electrons and holes from reaching a storage area. In addition, a number of different aspects may improve the efficiency. The capacitance per unit area of the storage area may be one, two or more orders of magnitude greater than the capacitance per-unit area of the photodiode. In addition, a ratio between photodiode capacitance and storage area capacitance is maintained larger than 0.7.

  7. True status of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis defaulters in Malawi.

    PubMed Central

    Kruyt, M. L.; Kruyt, N. D.; Boeree, M. J.; Harries, A. D.; Salaniponi, F. M.; van Noord, P. A.

    1999-01-01

    The article reports the results of a study to determine the true outcome of 8 months of treatment received by smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients who had been registered as defaulters in the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) and Mlambe Mission Hospital (MMH), Blantyre, Malawi. The treatment outcomes were documented from the tuberculosis registers of all patients registered between 1 October 1994 and 30 September 1995. The true treatment outcome for patients who had been registered as defaulters was determined by making personal inquiries at the treatment units and the residences of patients or relatives and, in a few cases, by writing to the appropriate postal address. Interviews were carried out with patients who had defaulted and were still alive and with matched, fully compliant PTB patients who had successfully completed the treatment to determine the factors associated with defaulter status. Of the 1099 patients, 126 (11.5%) had been registered as defaulters, and the true treatment outcome was determined for 101 (80%) of the latter; only 22 were true defaulters, 31 had completed the treatment, 31 had died during the treatment period, and 17 had left the area. A total of 8 of the 22 true defaulters were still alive and were compared with the compliant patients. Two significant characteristics were associated with the defaulters; they were unmarried; and they did not know the correct duration of antituberculosis treatment. Many of the smear-positive tuberculosis patients who had been registered as defaulters in the Blantyre district were found to have different treatment outcomes, without defaulting. The quality of reporting in the health facilities must therefore be improved in order to exclude individuals who are not true defaulters. PMID:10361755

  8. An in vitro evaluation of passive ultrasonic agitation of different irrigants on smear layer removal after post space preparation: a scanning electron microscopic study.

    PubMed

    Srirekha, A; Rashmi, K; Hegde, Jayshree; Lekha, S; Rupali, K; Reshmi, George

    2013-09-01

    This study evaluated the removal of debris and smear layer after post space preparation using different irrigations and passive ultrasonic agitation. Sixty human premolars were decoronated and post space prepared after endodontic therapy. The samples were then randomly divided into three experimental groups (Groups A, B, C) and one control group (Group D) with fifteen samples in each group. Groups A and B samples were treated with 10 % citric acid and 17 % ethylenediamintetraacetic acid (EDTA), respectively and passive ultrasonic agitation was done, rinsed with sodium hypochlorite and finally flushed with saline. Group C samples were conditioned with 36 % phosphoric acid and then rinsed with saline. The control group was treated with 3 % sodium hypochlorite, passive ultrasonic agitation done and flushed with saline. The samples were sectioned and evaluated for debris and smear layer removal under scanning electron microscope. 10 % citric acid showed the best removal of smear layer when compared with 17 % EDTA and 36 % phosphoric acid, but was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The difference in scoring for debris and smear layer removal in the coronal, middle and apical third of post space of experimental groups in comparison with control group was statistically significant (p < 0.001).

  9. The cicada genus Procollina Metcalf, 1952 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae): redescription including fourteen new species, with a key to the species of the subtribe Dazina Kato, 1932 rev. stat., the description of the Aragualnini n. tribe, and one new combination.

    PubMed

    Sanborn, Allen F

    2018-03-06

    The cicada genus Procollina Metcalf, 1952 is redescribed. Procollina minima n. sp., P. parva n. sp., P. ustulata n. sp. and P. webbi n. sp. are described from Costa Rica, P. guatemalensis n. sp., P. mayaensis n. sp. and P. nigrapilosa n. sp. are described from Guatemala, P. hondurensis n. sp. is described from Honduras, P. convexa n. sp. and P. mesomaculata n. sp. are described from Guatemala and Honduras, P. ulnamaculata n. sp. is described from Guatemala and Mexico, P. nuevoleonensis n. sp. and P. tamaulipasensis n. sp. are described from Mexico, and P. nicaraguaensis n. sp. is described from Nicaragua. The current eighteen species of Procollina are listed along with their synonymies and known distribution of each species. The tribe Dazini Kato, 1932 is moved from the Cicadettinae Buckton, 1889 to the Cicadinae Latreille, 1802, synonymized with the Zammarini Distant, 1905, and revised to the subtribe Dazina rev. stat. based on the morphological characters of the representative genera. A key to the species of the Dazina rev. stat. is provided. Aragualnini n. tribe is erected for the genus Aragualna Champanhet, Boulard Gaiani, 2000 as it exhibits morphological characteristics of the Cicadettinae Buckton, 1889 rather than the Cicadinae as do the rest of the genera previously assigned to the Dazini. Finally, Cicada pennata (Distant, 1881) is reassigned to Neocicada Kato, 1932 to become Neocicada pennata (Distant, 1881) n. comb..

  10. Role of Clinical Presentations and Routine CSF Analysis in the Rapid Diagnosis of Acute Bacterial Meningitis in Cases of Negative Gram Stained Smears

    PubMed Central

    Fouad, Rabab; El-Kholy, Badawy; Yosry, Ayman

    2014-01-01

    Background and Aim. Bacterial meningitis is a lethal, disabling endemic disease needing prompt antibiotic management. Gram stained smears is rapid accurate method for diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. In cases of negative gram stained smears diagnosis is delayed till culture results. We aim to assess the role of clinical presentations and routine CSF analysis in the cost-effective rapid diagnosis of negative gram stained smears bacterial meningitis. Methods. Cross sectional study including 623 acute meningitis patients divided into two groups: bacterial meningitis and nonbacterial meningitis groups. The clinical presentations, systemic inflammatory parameters, and CSF analysis were evaluated and compared in both groups. Results. Altered conscious level, localizing neurological signs, Kernig's and Brudzinski's signs together with peripheral leucocytosis (>10.000/mm3), high CRP (>6) together with high CSF protein (>50 gl/dL), CSF neutrophilic count (≥50% of total CSF leucocytic count), and low CSF glucose level (<45 gm/dL) and CSF/serum glucose ≤0.6 were significantly diagnostic in bacterial meningitis patients. From the significant CSF analysis variables CSF protein carried the higher accuracy of diagnosis 78% with sensitivity 88% and specificity 72%. Conclusions. High CSF protein (>50 mg/dL) together with plasma inflammatory markers and CSF cytochemical parameters can diagnose bacterial meningitis in gram stain negative smear till culture results. PMID:24803939

  11. Significance of the Cytological Signs of Human Papillomavirus Infection in Anal Pap Smears of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Japanese Men Who Have Sex with Men

    PubMed

    Okayama, Kaori; Okodo, Mitsuaki; Kitamura, Hiroshi; Itoda, Ichiro

    2017-11-26

    Purpose: The incidence of invasive anal cancer (IAC) has been increasing among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive men who have sex with men (MSM). Although cytological diagnosis is the modality of choice for screening cases of IAC, it is associated with lower sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate new cytological signs of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection that may contribute to improving anal cytology. Methods: Anal cytology and HPV testing were performed using SurePath liquid-based cytology on samples obtained from 37 HIV-positive Japanese MSM. Subsequently, a histological biopsy based on high-resolution anoscopy was performed in MSM with abnormal cytological findings indicative of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) +. Also, anal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears were performed to determine cellularity, presence of dysplastic squamous cells, and other cytological signs of HPV infection. Results: Of the 37 MSM who underwent anal cytology, six tested negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy, three cases exhibited ASC-US, 17 exhibited low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), nine exhibited high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), and two remained undiagnosed. The anal Pap smears of 28 (96.6%) of the 29 MSM with abnormal cytological findings of ASC-US+ exhibited anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN), as revealed by histological biopsy. The median value (minimum–maximum) of the cellularity of anal Pap smears was 12 (0–70.5) nsc/hpf. In 26 MSM with LSIL and HSIL, the median dysplastic squamous cells count was 14 (2–152) dsc/smear and the cytological sign of HPV infection was 11 (2–71) hpv/smear. Of all anal Pap smears that revealed ASC-US+, 96.6% exhibited cytological signs of HPV infection. Compression-positive binucleated cells were the most prevalent among all cytological signs of HPV infection. Conclusion: For anal cytology, instead of considering a small number of

  12. Diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis in a rural setup: comparison of clinical algorithm, smear scoring and culture by semiquantitative technique.

    PubMed

    Rao, P S; Devi, S; Shriyan, A; Rajaram, M; Jagdishchandra, K

    2004-01-01

    This study was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in a rural set up and compare the smear scoring system to that of culture by semiquantitative technique. A total of 505 married women, who were in sexually active age group of 15-44 years, were selected from three different villages. High vaginal swabs, endocervical swabs, vaginal discharge and blood were collected and processed in the laboratory. Overall prevalence of 29% reproductive tract infection was detected. Endogenous infection was commonly observed (27.92%), and very low prevalence of STIs (Trichomonas 1.18%, Syphilis 0%, Gonorrhea 0%) was detected. Diagnosis of BV was possible in 104 (20.5%) women by smear alone and 88 (17.42%) women by semiquantitative culture.

  13. The effect of health education on the knowledge, attitude, and uptake of free Pap smear among female teachers in Birnin-Kebbi, North-Western Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Adamu, A N; Abiola, A O; Ibrahim, Mto

    2012-01-01

    The Routine Pap smear test has successfully reduced the incidence of invasive cervical cancer in the presence of a proper structure for its implementation. This study was designed to assess the effect of health education on the knowledge, attitude, and uptake of Pap smear among female teachers. It was a quasi-experimental, controlled study with a pre-test, post-test design. A total of 100 respondents were recruited for each of the intervention and control groups, by the multistage sampling technique. The mean knowledge score of cervical cancer was low in both the interventions (25.5% ± 10.5) and control groups (18.9% ± 10.0) at baseline; a significant rise to 57.2% ± 20.7 was recorded after the intervention in the Intervention group (P<0.0001). The baseline mean attitude score was also low in the intervention and control groups (17.1% ± 6.3 and 14.1% ± 6.4, respectively); post intervention there was a significant rise of up to 28.0% ± 12.8 in the Intervention group (P<0.0001). The proportion of respondents with a reported practice of Pap smear was low and similar in both the groups at baseline (1.1 and 4.9% in the intervention and control groups, respectively, P=0.16). Uptake of free Pap smear was poor at the post-intervention phase in both the groups (P=0.45). Reported reasons for poor uptake included the respondents' dislike for the test (38.4%) and the belief that the test was not necessary (24.4%). About 20% of the respondents did not have any reason at all. Health education had no significant effect on the uptake of a free Pap smear among teachers. Despite the significant improvement in the attitude toward the test, many respondents did not like the test after than before the intervention. Sociocultural issues such as the gender of the sample collector, and system factors like few service delivery points, and the time required to access the service could have contributed to the poor uptake recorded in this study. A program designed to improve routine

  14. [Value of optimization of bedside Gram staining of sputum smear in the early diagnosis and treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia].

    PubMed

    Liao, Xinyan; Ran, Yu; Bian, Shichang; Wang, Chao; Xu, Lei

    2014-12-01

    To investigate the significance of optimization of bedside Gram staining of sputum smear in the early diagnosis and antimicrobial treatment for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) patients. The data of patients with VAP undergoing mechanical ventilation over 48 hours in the Department of Critical Care Medicine of Tianjin Fourth Central Hospital from June 2009 to June 2014 were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether or not bedside Gram staining of sputum smear was used or not. The sputum samples from lower respiratory tract of all VAP patients were collected daily with tracheal catheter. In empirical examination group (from June 2009 to December 2011, n=43), the patients received antibiotics at the time of onset of VAP, selection of antibiotics depended on the information of bacterial epidemiology of the intensive care unit (ICU), and also existence of high risk factors of multi-drug resistant bacteria. In target treatment group (from January 2012 to June 2014, n=43), the patients received antibiotics according to the results of bedside instant sputum smear examination and empirical antibiotic regime. The correlation between the results of sputum smear examination and culture result was analyzed. The levels of body temperature, white blood cell (WBC) count, procalcitonin (PCT) level,and high sensitivity C- reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured on the 1st day and 3rd day. The length of antibiotics treatment, duration of mechanical ventilation, and the time of ICU stay were recorded for both groups. There were 512 qualified sputum specimens for culture, from which 336 pathogens were found, and 358 strains of pathogenic bacteria were found from microscopic examination of 512 qualified sputum smear. The coincidence rate of results of bedside examination of sputum smear and that of sputum culture was 78.32%(401/512). The diagnostic acumen of the former was 85.42% (287/336), specificity was 64.77% (114/176), positive predictive value

  15. Efficacy of four different irrigation techniques combined with 60 °C 3% sodium hypochlorite and 17% EDTA in smear layer removal.

    PubMed

    Guo, Xiangjun; Miao, Hui; Li, Lei; Zhang, Shasha; Zhou, Dongyan; Lu, Yan; Wu, Ligeng

    2014-09-08

    Efforts to improve the efficacy of smear layer removal by applying irrigant activation at the final irrigation or by elevating the temperature of the irrigant have been reported. However, the combination of such activation protocols with 60 °C 3% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) has seldom been mentioned. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy in smear layer removal of four different irrigation techniques combined with 60 °C 3% NaOCl and 17% EDTA. Fifty single-rooted teeth were randomly divided into five groups (n = 10) according to the irrigant agitation protocols used during chemomechanical preparation(Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland): a side-vented needle group, a ultrasonic irrigation (UI) group, a NaviTip FX group, an EndoActivator group, and a control group (no agitation). After each instrumentation, the root canals were irrigated with 1 mL of 3% NaOCl at 60 °C for 1 minute, and after the whole instrumentation, the root canals were rinsed with 1 mL of 17% EDTA for 1 minute. Both NaOCl and EDTA were activated with one of the five irrigation protocols. The efficacy of smear layer removal was scored at the apical, middle and coronal thirds. The Data were statistically analyzed using SAS version 9.2 for Windows (rank sum test for a randomised block design and ANOVA). No significant differences among the NaviTip FX group, EndoActivator group and control groups, and each of these groups showed a lower score than that of UI group (P < 0.05). Within each group, all three thirds were ranked in the following order: coronal > middle > apical (P < 0.05). In the coronal third, the NaviTip FX group was better than UI group. In the middle and apical third, the differences were not significant among any of the groups. Even without any activation, the combination of 60 °C 3% NaOCl and 17% EDTA could remove the smear layer effectively, similar to NaviTip FX or EndoActivator, and these three protocols were more effective than UI. However, regardless of

  16. White blood cell counting analysis of blood smear images using various segmentation strategies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Safuan, Syadia Nabilah Mohd; Tomari, Razali; Zakaria, Wan Nurshazwani Wan; Othman, Nurmiza

    2017-09-01

    In white blood cell (WBC) diagnosis, the most crucial measurement parameter is the WBC counting. Such information is widely used to evaluate the effectiveness of cancer therapy and to diagnose several hidden infection within human body. The current practice of manual WBC counting is laborious and a very subjective assessment which leads to the invention of computer aided system (CAS) with rigorous image processing solution. In the CAS counting work, segmentation is the crucial step to ensure the accuracy of the counted cell. The optimal segmentation strategy that can work under various blood smeared image acquisition conditions is remain a great challenge. In this paper, a comparison between different segmentation methods based on color space analysis to get the best counting outcome is elaborated. Initially, color space correction is applied to the original blood smeared image to standardize the image color intensity level. Next, white blood cell segmentation is performed by using combination of several color analysis subtraction which are RGB, CMYK and HSV, and Otsu thresholding. Noises and unwanted regions that present after the segmentation process is eliminated by applying a combination of morphological and Connected Component Labelling (CCL) filter. Eventually, Circle Hough Transform (CHT) method is applied to the segmented image to estimate the number of WBC including the one under the clump region. From the experiment, it is found that G-S yields the best performance.

  17. A Cross-Sectional Survey of Intestinal Helminthiases in Rural Communities of Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand.

    PubMed

    Kaewpitoon, Soraya J; Loyd, Ryan A; Kaewpitoon, Natthawut

    2015-05-01

    The public-health problems caused by intestinal helminthic infections have been neglected in rural areas where there remains a lack of hygiene and an inadequate supply ofsanitary water This research was to study the infection rate of intestinal helminthiases and socioeconomic data within two communities in Nakhon Ratchasima province. Intestinal helminthiases were examined using Kato's Thick Smear technique and socio-demographic data was collected using predesigned semi-structured questionnaires. 209 stool samples were collected from 83 male and 126 female participants. Stool examinations showed that 6.22% (13/209) of study participants were infected with intestinal helminths, predominantly hookworm (4.31%, 9/209) followed by Strongyloides stercolaris (1.44%, 2/209), and Taenia sp. (0.48%, 1/209). Males were slightly more likely to be infected than females. Intestinal helminthic infection was more commonlyfound in the 61-70 year age group andpositively associated with occupation ofagriculture. The Tanod sub-district had an intestinal helminthiases rate of 10.59%, higher than in the Wang Sai sub-district. In conclusion, this study shows that intestinal helminthic infections are common parasitic infections among patients presenting for a small scale survey of a rural Thai community. This information may provide invaluable statistics needed for planning meaningful public control programs that aim at reducing the prevalence and morbidity of parasitic infections. Large scale surveys and health education are urgently required.

  18. Smear Campaign: Misattribution of Pancytopenia to a Tick-Borne Illness.

    PubMed

    Lee, Jessica; Azzawi, Soraya; Peluso, Michael J; Richterman, Aaron; Batlle, Haiyan Ramirez; Yialamas, Maria A

    2018-04-01

    We report the case of a 51-year-old woman presenting with a targetoid rash and pancytopenia after a tick bite. Initial evaluation was notable for severe neutropenia on the complete blood cell count differential, a positive Lyme IgM antibody, and a peripheral blood smear demonstrating atypical lymphocytes. While her pancytopenia was initially attributed to tick-borne illness, peripheral flow cytometry showed 7% myeloblasts, and a bone marrow biopsy confirmed 60% blasts. The patient was ultimately diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia, in addition to early, localized Lyme disease. This case highlights the differential diagnosis for pancytopenia, cytopenia patterns for different tick-borne illnesses, the risk of premature closure in internal medicine, and management of Lyme disease in hosts with altered immunity.

  19. On the Application of Pattern Recognition and AI Technique to the Cytoscreening of Vaginal Smears by Computer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bow, Sing T.; Wang, Xia-Fang

    1989-05-01

    In this paper the concepts of pattern recognition, image processing and artificial intelligence are applied to the development of an intelligent cytoscreening system to differentiate the abnormal cytological objects from the normal ones in vaginal smears. To achieve this goal,work listed below are involved: 1. Enhancement of the microscopic images of the smears; 2. Elevation of the qualitative differentiation under the microscope by cytologists to a quantitative differentiation plateau on the epithelial cells, ciliated cells, vacuolated cells, foreign-body-giant cells, plasma cells, lymph cells, white blood cells, red blood cells, etc. These knowledges are to be inputted into our intelligent cyto-screening system to ameliorate machine differentiation; 3. Selection of a set of effective features to characterize the cytological objects onto various regions of the multiclustered by computer algorithms; and 4. Systematical summarization of the knowledge that a gynecologist has and the way he/she follows when dealing with a case.

  20. Comparison of the Antibacterial Effect and Smear Layer Removal Using Photon-Initiated Photoacoustic Streaming Aided Irrigation Versus a Conventional Irrigation in Single-Rooted Canals: An In Vitro Study

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Xiaofei; Yin, Xingzhe; Chang, Jeffrey W.W.; Wang, Yu; Cheung, Gary S.P.

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Objective: The Er:YAG laser with photon-induced photoacoustic streaming (PIPS) technique was reported to be effective in root canal disinfection. This study attempted to further investigate the antibacterial efficacy and smear layer removal ability of PIPS in comparison with conventional syringe irrigation in vitro. Methods: For antibacterial analysis, 48 single-rooted human teeth were prepared and inoculated with Enterococcus faecalis, and then divided into six groups of eight roots each. The colony-forming units (CFUs) per milliliter were determined after infection as the baseline. Then, the teeth were subjected to either PIPS plus 3% sodium hypochlorite (PIPS+NaOCl) or conventional syringe irrigation with 0.9% saline, 3% NaOCl, 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX), or 3% NaOCl alternating with 17% EDTA. The reduction of CFUs in the individual group was determined. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination of the canal walls for E. faecalis colonization was performed. For comparing the smear removal efficacy, another 48 single-rooted teeth, assigned to different groups as mentioned, were irrigated after mechanical instrumentation. The presence of a smear layer at different levels of the root canal was scored by SEM examination. Results: No significant differences were found in CFU reduction. No bacteria could be observed by SEM in the NaOCl, NaOCl+EDTA, and PIPS+NaOCl groups. The scores of smear layer of the NaOCl+EDTA and PIPS+NaOCl groups were significantly lower than those of the other groups in the coronal and middle third of the root canal. None of the methods can effectively remove smear layer in the apical third. Conclusions: PIPS system supplied with NaOCl and conventional syringe irrigation with NaOCl+EDTA are comparable in their ability to remove E. faecalis and smear layer in single-rooted canals. PMID:23863104

  1. Utility of a point-of-care malaria rapid diagnostic test for excluding malaria as the cause of fever among HIV-positive adults in rural Rakai, Uganda.

    PubMed

    Mills, Lisa A; Kagaayi, Joseph; Nakigozi, Gertrude; Galiwango, Ronald M; Ouma, Joseph; Shott, Joseph P; Ssempijja, Victor; Gray, Ronald H; Wawer, Maria J; Serwadda, David; Quinn, Thomas C; Reynolds, Steven J

    2010-01-01

    We compared results of a malaria rapid diagnostic test (Binax Now Malaria, Binax-M, Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc., Waltham, MA) performed at rural mobile clinics in Uganda by clinicians evaluating febrile adult HIV patients to thick smear evaluated at a central laboratory by trained microscopists. Two hundred forty-six samples were analyzed, including 14 (5.7%) which were thick-smear positive for falciparum malaria. Sensitivity of Binax-M compared with thick smear was 85.7% (95% CI: 57.2-98.2), specificity 97.8% (95% CI: 94.9-99.3), positive and negative predictive values were 70.6% (95% CI: 44.0-89.7) and 99.1% (95% CI: 96.8-99.9), respectively. The rapid diagnostic test accurately ruled malaria "in or out" at the point-of-care, facilitating appropriate clinical management and averting unnecessary anti-malarial therapy.

  2. Front-Loading Sputum Microscopy Services: An Opportunity to Optimise Smear-Based Case Detection of Tuberculosis in High Prevalence Countries

    PubMed Central

    Ramsay, Andy; Yassin, Mohammed Ahmed; Cambanis, Alexis; Hirao, Susumu; Almotawa, Ahmad; Gammo, Mohamed; Lawson, Lovett; Arbide, Izabel; Al-Aghbari, Nasher; Al-Sonboli, Najla; Sherchand, Jeevan Bahadur; Gauchan, Punita; Cuevas, Luis Eduardo

    2009-01-01

    Setting. Ethiopia, Nepal, Nigeria, and Yemen. Objective. To reduce the time to complete sputum microscopy. Design. Cross-sectional surveys enrolling 923 patients with chronic cough in the 4 countries and using similar protocols. Spot-morning-spot sputum specimens were collected. An additional sputum specimen (Xspot) was collected one hour after the first, and the yields of the first two or the three specimens collected as spot-morning-spot or spot-Xspot-morning were compared. Results. 216 patients had ≥ one positive smear. 210 (97%) were identified by the spot-morning-spot, and 210 (97%) were identified by the spot-Xspot-morning specimens, with 203 and 200 identified by the first 2 specimens of each approach, respectively. Neither difference was significant. Conclusions. The time to complete smear microscopy could be reduced. PMID:20309419

  3. Accuracy and impact of Xpert MTB/RIF for the diagnosis of smear-negative or sputum-scarce tuberculosis using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

    PubMed

    Theron, Grant; Peter, Jonny; Meldau, Richard; Khalfey, Hoosain; Gina, Phindile; Matinyena, Brian; Lenders, Laura; Calligaro, Gregory; Allwood, Brian; Symons, Gregory; Govender, Ureshnie; Setshedi, Mashiko; Dheda, Keertan

    2013-11-01

    The accuracy and impact of new tuberculosis (TB) tests, such as Xpert MTB/RIF, when performed on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) obtained from patients with sputum-scarce or smear-negative TB is unclear. South African patients with suspected pulmonary TB (n=160) who were sputum-scarce or smear-negative underwent bronchoscopy. MTB/RIF was performed on uncentrifuged BALF (1 ml) and/or a resuspended pellet of centrifuged BALF (∼10 ml). Time to TB detection and anti-TB treatment initiation were compared between phase one, when MTB/RIF was performed as a research tool, and phase two, when it was used for patient management. 27 of 154 patients with complete data had culture-confirmed TB. Of these, a significantly lower proportion were detected by smear microscopy compared with MTB/RIF (58%, 95% CI 39% to 75% versus 93%, 77% to 98%; p<0.001). Of the 127 patients who were culture negative, 96% (91% to 98%) were MTB/RIF negative. When phase two was compared with phase one, MTB/RIF reduced the median days to TB detection (29 (18-41) to 0 (0-0); p<0.001). However, more patients initiated empirical therapy (absence of a positive test in those commencing treatment) in phase one versus phase two (79% (11/14) versus 28% (10/25); p=0.026). Consequently, there was no detectable difference in the overall proportion of patients initiating treatment (26% (17/67; 17% to 37%) versus 36% (26/73; 26% to 47%); p=0.196) or the days to treatment initiation (10 (1-49) versus 7 (0-21); p=0.330). BALF centrifugation, HIV coinfection and a second MTB/RIF did not result in detectable changes in accuracy. MTB/RIF detected TB cases more accurately and more rapidly than smear microscopy and significantly reduced the rate of empirical treatment.

  4. Accuracy and impact of Xpert MTB/RIF for the diagnosis of smear-negative or sputum-scarce tuberculosis using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid

    PubMed Central

    Theron, Grant; Peter, Jonny; Meldau, Richard; Khalfey, Hoosain; Gina, Phindile; Matinyena, Brian; Lenders, Laura; Calligaro, Gregory; Allwood, Brian; Symons, Gregory; Govender, Ureshnie; Setshedi, Mashiko; Dheda, Keertan

    2017-01-01

    Rationale The accuracy and impact of new tuberculosis (TB) tests, such as Xpert MTB/RIF, when performed on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) obtained from patients with sputum-scarce or smear-negative TB is unclear. Methods South African patients with suspected pulmonary TB (n=160) who were sputum-scarce or smear-negative underwent bronchoscopy. MTB/RIF was performed on uncentrifuged BALF (1 ml) and/or a resuspended pellet of centrifuged BALF (~10 ml). Time to TB detection and anti-TB treatment initiation were compared between phase one, when MTB/RIF was performed as a research tool, and phase two, when it was used for patient management. Results 27 of 154 patients with complete data had culture-confirmed TB. Of these, a significantly lower proportion were detected by smear microscopy compared with MTB/RIF (58%, 95% CI 39% to 75% versus 93%, 77% to 98%; p<0.001). Of the 127 patients who were culture negative, 96% (91% to 98%) were MTB/RIF negative. When phase two was compared with phase one, MTB/RIF reduced the median days to TB detection (29 (18–41) to 0 (0–0); p<0.001). However, more patients initiated empirical therapy (absence of a positive test in those commencing treatment) in phase one versus phase two (79% (11/14) versus 28% (10/25); p=0.026). Consequently, there was no detectable difference in the overall proportion of patients initiating treatment (26% (17/67; 17% to 37%) versus 36% (26/73; 26% to 47%); p=0.196) or the days to treatment initiation (10 (1–49) versus 7 (0–21); p=0.330). BALF centrifugation, HIV coinfection and a second MTB/RIF did not result in detectable changes in accuracy. Conclusions MTB/RIF detected TB cases more accurately and more rapidly than smear microscopy and significantly reduced the rate of empirical treatment. PMID:23811536

  5. Assessment of red blood cell parameters and peripheral smear at different temperatures in case of cold agglutination disease.

    PubMed

    Gupta, V

    2014-03-01

    Cold agglutination disease (CAD) is characterized by an auto-antibody which is able to agglutinate red blood cells (RBCs) at temperatures lower than that of the body, and subsequently to activate the complement system responsible for lysis of RBCs. Patients show hemolytic anemia of varying degrees of severity, which arise or worsen upon exposure to low temperatures. We describe a case who presented with fever and symptoms of asthenia. His investigations yielded bizarre RBC parameters which led to suspicion of a rare CAD, which was confirmed on reviewing RBC parameters, peripheral smear and direct Coomb's test at different temperatures. Hence, we suggest assessment of bizarre RBC parameters and peripheral smear can help in laboratory testing and diagnosis of CAD. It should also not pose embarrassment in laboratory testing to the pathologist for making an early and accurate diagnosis, thus emphasizing the need for an early treatment of CAD.

  6. Comparative study of Gram stain, potassium hydroxide smear, culture and nested PCR in the diagnosis of fungal keratitis.

    PubMed

    Badiee, Parisa; Nejabat, Mahmood; Alborzi, Abdolvahab; Keshavarz, Fatemeh; Shakiba, Elaheh

    2010-01-01

    This study seeks to evaluate the efficacy and practicality of the molecular method, compared to the standard microbiological techniques for diagnosing fungal keratitis (FK). Patients with eye findings suspected of FK were enrolled for cornea sampling. Scrapings from the affected areas of the infected corneas were obtained and were divided into two parts: one for smears and cultures, and the other for nested PCR analysis. Of the 38 eyes, 28 were judged to have fungal infections based on clinical and positive findings in the culture, smear and responses to antifungal treatment. Potassium hydroxide, Gram staining, culture and nested PCR results (either positive or negative) matched in 76.3, 42.1, 68.4 and 81.6%, respectively. PCR is a sensitive method but due to the lack of sophisticated facilities in routine laboratory procedures, it can serve only complementarily and cannot replace conventional methods. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  7. Re-evaluation of schistosomiasis mansoni in Minas Gerais, Brazil. III. "Noroeste de Minas" mesoregion.

    PubMed

    Carvalho, O S; Massara, C L; Guerra, H L; Campos, Y R; Caldeira, R L; Chaves, A; Katz, N

    1998-01-01

    This study was conducted to assess the presence of schistosomiasis mansoni in the "Noroeste de Minas" mesoregion, an area considered non-endemic. A malacologic survey and parasitologic stool examinations were undertaken in 13 municipalities of the mesoregion. A sample of 3,283 primary school students was submitted to fecal examination by the Kato-Katz method. A total of 3,627 planorbids was collected and examined. The molluscs were identified as Biomphalaria straminea in seven municipalities (Unaí, Bonfinópolis de Minas, Paracatu, Jaão Pinheiro, Vazante, Lagamar and Lagoa Grande) and as Biomphalaria peregrina in one (Presidente Olegário). All planorbids were negative for Schistosoma mansoni. Four students were diagnosed with schistosomiasis in the municipalities of Buritis, Formoso, Paracatu and Unaí, but none of these cases was considered autochthonous. The data obtained indicate that the "Noroeste de Minas" mesoregion continues to be non-endemic for schistosomiasis mansoni, although the presence of intermediate hosts associated with parasitized individuals emphasizes the need for epidemiological surveillance of schistosomiasis in this mesoregion.

  8. PREVALENCE OF LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS, MALARIA AND SOIL TRANSMITTED HELMINTHIASIS IN A COMMUNITY OF BARDIYA DISTRICT, WESTERN NEPAL.

    PubMed

    Ranjitkar, Samir; Alifrangis, Michael; Adhikari, Madhav; Olsen, Annette; Simonsen, Paul E; Meyrowitsch, Dan Wolf

    2014-11-01

    Lymphatic filariasis (LF), malaria and soil transmitted helminthiasis (STH) cause major health problems in Nepal, but in spite of this very few stud- ies have been carried out on these parasitic infections in Nepal. A cross sectional survey of all three categories of parasitic infections was carried out in Deuda- kala Village of Bardiya District, western Nepal. A total of 510 individuals aged 5 years and above were examined from finger prick blood for circulating filarial antigen (CFA), malaria antigen using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT), and malaria DNA using a PCR-based assay. In addition, 317 individuals were examined for soil-transmitted helminth (STH) eggs by the Kato-Katz technique. Prevalence of LF, malaria (antigen) and STH infection was 25.1%, 0.6% and 18.3%, respectively. PCR analysis did not detect any additional malaria cases. The prevalence of LF and STH infections differ significantly among different age groups and ethnic communities. The high prevalence of LF in the community studied indicates an immediate need for implementing a mass drug administration program for its control in this particular geographical area of Nepal.

  9. School-based control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in western Visayas, Philippines.

    PubMed

    Belizario, V Y; Totañes, F I G; de Leon, W U; Matias, K M H

    2014-05-01

    We evaluated the effect of a local government unit-led, school-based, teacher-assisted mass drug administration (MDA) treatment of soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) on the morbidity of school children in selected provinces of western Visayas, the Philippines. Parasitological assessment was done on stool samples using the Kato-Katz technique. Nutritional status and school performance were also evaluated using secondary data from the Department of Education. The overall prevalence of STH decreased from 71.1% to 44.3% (p < 0.0001) and the prevalence of heavy infection with STH decreased from 40.5% to 14.5% (p < 0.0001), after two years of biannual MDA. The prevalence of underweight children decreased from 26.2% to 17.8% (p < 0.0001) and the prevalence of stunted children decreased from 20.9% to 16.6% (p < 0.0001) after two years of biannual MDA. School performance improved on standardized testing from a mean percentage of 53.8% to 64.6%. Advocacy, social mobilization, strong local government support and intersectoral collaboration with other agencies probably contributed to the success of the program.

  10. Diversity of human intestinal helminthiasis in Lao PDR.

    PubMed

    Sayasone, Somphou; Vonghajack, Youthanavane; Vanmany, Monely; Rasphone, Oroth; Tesana, Smarn; Utzinger, Jürg; Akkhavong, Kongsap; Odermatt, Peter

    2009-03-01

    Food-borne trematodiasis is an emerging public health problem, including in Lao PDR. We investigated the diversity of intestinal helminthes and polyparasitism in patients with hepatobiliary or intestinal symptoms in hospital and community-based surveys. Stool samples from 232 individuals aged >or=15 years were examined by the Kato-Katz method (three samples) and a formalin ethyl-acetate concentration technique (one sample). Opisthorchis viverrini and minute intestinal flukes (MIF) were common, with prevalences of 86.2% and 62.9%, respectively. Hookworm was the predominant soil-transmitted helminth (65.9%). The prevalences of Taenia spp., Strongyloides stercoralis and Trichuris trichiura were 22.8%, 10.3% and 8.6%, respectively. Additionally, 97 individuals were purged; O. viverrini and Haplorchis taichui were found in 95 and 76 participants, respectively. Other trematodes included Phaneropsolus bonnei (22.7%), Prosthodendrium molenkampi (14.4%), Haplorchis pumilio (5.2%), Haplorchis yokogawai (3.1%) and Echinochasmus japonicus (3.1%). Co-infection with O. viverrini and MIFs was rampant (81.4%). Polytrematode infection is highly prevalent in Lao PDR and hence requires urgent attention.

  11. Soil-transmitted helminths in pre-school-aged and school-aged children in an urban slum: a cross-sectional study of prevalence, distribution, and associated exposures.

    PubMed

    Davis, Stephanie M; Worrell, Caitlin M; Wiegand, Ryan E; Odero, Kennedy O; Suchdev, Parminder S; Ruth, Laird J; Lopez, Gerard; Cosmas, Leonard; Neatherlin, John; Njenga, Sammy M; Montgomery, Joel M; Fox, LeAnne M

    2014-11-01

    Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) are controlled by regular mass drug administration. Current practice targets school-age children (SAC) preferentially over pre-school age children (PSAC) and treats large areas as having uniform prevalence. We assessed infection prevalence in SAC and PSAC and spatial infection heterogeneity, using a cross-sectional study in two slum villages in Kibera, Nairobi. Nairobi has low reported STH prevalence. The SAC and PSAC were randomly selected from the International Emerging Infections Program's surveillance platform. Data included residence location and three stools tested by Kato-Katz for STHs. Prevalences among 692 analyzable children were any STH: PSAC 40.5%, SAC 40.7%; Ascaris: PSAC 24.1%, SAC 22.7%; Trichuris: PSAC 24.0%, SAC 28.8%; hookworm < 0.1%. The STH infection prevalence ranged from 22% to 71% between sub-village sectors. The PSAC have similar STH prevalences to SAC and should receive deworming. Small areas can contain heterogeneous prevalences; determinants of STH infection should be characterized and slums should be assessed separately in STH mapping. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  12. Repeatability of paired counts.

    PubMed

    Alexander, Neal; Bethony, Jeff; Corrêa-Oliveira, Rodrigo; Rodrigues, Laura C; Hotez, Peter; Brooker, Simon

    2007-08-30

    The Bland and Altman technique is widely used to assess the variation between replicates of a method of clinical measurement. It yields the repeatability, i.e. the value within which 95 per cent of repeat measurements lie. The valid use of the technique requires that the variance is constant over the data range. This is not usually the case for counts of items such as CD4 cells or parasites, nor is the log transformation applicable to zero counts. We investigate the properties of generalized differences based on Box-Cox transformations. For an example, in a data set of hookworm eggs counted by the Kato-Katz method, the square root transformation is found to stabilize the variance. We show how to back-transform the repeatability on the square root scale to the repeatability of the counts themselves, as an increasing function of the square mean root egg count, i.e. the square of the average of square roots. As well as being more easily interpretable, the back-transformed results highlight the dependence of the repeatability on the sample volume used.

  13. Rapid Re-Infection with Soil-Transmitted Helminths after Triple-Dose Albendazole Treatment of School-Aged Children in Yunnan, People's Republic of China

    PubMed Central

    Yap, Peiling; Du, Zun-Wei; Wu, Fang-Wei; Jiang, Jin-Yong; Chen, Ran; Zhou, Xiao-Nong; Hattendorf, Jan; Utzinger, Jürg; Steinmann, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Post-treatment soil-transmitted helminth re-infection patterns were studied as part of a randomized controlled trial among school-aged children from an ethnic minority group in Yunnan province, People's Republic of China. Children with a soil-transmitted helminth infection (N = 194) were randomly assigned to triple-dose albendazole or placebo and their infection status monitored over a 6-month period using the Kato-Katz and Baermann techniques. Baseline prevalence of Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm, and Strongyloides stercoralis were 94.5%, 93.3%, 61.3%, and 3.1%, respectively, with more than half of the participants harboring triple-species infections. For the intervention group (N = 99), the 1-month post-treatment cure rates were 96.7%, 91.5%, and 19.6% for hookworm, A. lumbricoides, and T. trichiura, respectively. Egg reduction rates were above 88% for all three species. Rapid re-infection with A. lumbricoides was observed: the prevalence 4 and 6 months post-treatment was 75.8% and 83.8%, respectively. Re-infection with hookworm and T. trichiura was considerably slower. PMID:23690551

  14. Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Pre-School-Aged and School-Aged Children in an Urban Slum: A Cross-Sectional Study of Prevalence, Distribution, and Associated Exposures

    PubMed Central

    Davis, Stephanie M.; Worrell, Caitlin M.; Wiegand, Ryan E.; Odero, Kennedy O.; Suchdev, Parminder S.; Ruth, Laird J.; Lopez, Gerard; Cosmas, Leonard; Neatherlin, John; Njenga, Sammy M.; Montgomery, Joel M.; Fox, LeAnne M.

    2014-01-01

    Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) are controlled by regular mass drug administration. Current practice targets school-age children (SAC) preferentially over pre-school age children (PSAC) and treats large areas as having uniform prevalence. We assessed infection prevalence in SAC and PSAC and spatial infection heterogeneity, using a cross-sectional study in two slum villages in Kibera, Nairobi. Nairobi has low reported STH prevalence. The SAC and PSAC were randomly selected from the International Emerging Infections Program's surveillance platform. Data included residence location and three stools tested by Kato-Katz for STHs. Prevalences among 692 analyzable children were any STH: PSAC 40.5%, SAC 40.7%; Ascaris: PSAC 24.1%, SAC 22.7%; Trichuris: PSAC 24.0%, SAC 28.8%; hookworm < 0.1%. The STH infection prevalence ranged from 22% to 71% between sub-village sectors. The PSAC have similar STH prevalences to SAC and should receive deworming. Small areas can contain heterogeneous prevalences; determinants of STH infection should be characterized and slums should be assessed separately in STH mapping. PMID:25157123

  15. Topography and presence of a smear layer in deciduous molars prepared with high-speed cutting and ultrasonic abrasion: an in-vitro study.

    PubMed

    Vieira, Áurea Simone Barroso; Pedro, Rafael de Lima; Antunes, Leonardo Dos Santos; Alves Dos Santos, Márcia Pereira; Antunes, Livia Azeredo Alves; Primo, Laura Guimarães; Maia, Lucianne Cople

    2011-05-01

    The aim of this in-vitro study was to compare the effect of high-speed cutting (HS) with ultrasonic abrasion (US) concerning the internal topography and the presence of a smear layer in a cavity preparation performed in healthy deciduous molars. Seven first deciduous molars were used. Two occlusal cavity preparation were done, one in the medial fossula and another in the distal fossula, which were chosen randomly. One preparation was carried out with a diamond point adapted to the HS system (GI), while a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) point adapted to a US device (GII) was used for the other preparation. Subsequently, all samples (n = 14) were cleaved to observe the inside and then prepared for evaluation using scanning electron photomicroscopy. The internal topography of the prepared cavities was descriptively analyzed. In order to assess the presence of a smear layer, scores were tabulated using the 2000 GMC program and analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. Concerning the internal topography, the presence of striae was verified in both groups. In the GI group they were finer, found in a greater number, and with narrower spaces between them. In the GII group, the striae were undulating, similar to the effect of wheels on sand, and with wider spaces between them. As regards the presence of a smear layer, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups (P > 0.05). In view of the methodology employed, it may be concluded that cavity preparation with a CVD point in a US abrasion system led to the formation of fewer striae and both devices promoted the marked presence of a smear layer, obstructing dentinal tubuli.

  16. Diagnostic utility of melanin production by fungi: study on tissue sections and culture smears with Masson-Fontana stain.

    PubMed

    Sundaram, Challa; Shantveer, G Uppin; Umabala, Pamidi; Lakshmi, Vemu

    2014-01-01

    Dematiaceous fungi appear brown in tissue section due to melanin in their cell walls. When the brown color is not seen on routine H and E and culture is not available, differentiation of dematiaceous fungi from other fungi is difficult on morphology alone. To study if melanin production by dematiaceous fungi can help differentiate them from other types of fungi. Fifty tissue sections of various fungal infections and 13 smears from cultures of different species of fungi were stained with Masson Fontana stain to assess melanin production. The tissue sections included biopsies from 26 culture-proven fungi and 24 biopsies of filamentous fungi diagnosed on morphology alone with no culture confirmation. All culture-proven dematiaceous fungi and Zygomycetes showed strong positivity in sections and culture smears. Aspergillus sp showed variable positivity and intensity. Cryptococcus neoformans showed strong positivity in tissue sections and culture smears. Tissue sections of septate filamentous fungi (9/15), Zygomycetes (4/5), and fungi with both hyphal and yeast morphology (4/4) showed positivity for melanin. The septate filamentous fungi negative for melanin were from biopsy samples of fungal sinusitis including both allergic and invasive fungal sinusitis and colonizing fungal balls. Melanin is produced by both dematiaceous and non-dematiaceous fungi. Masson-Fontana stain cannot reliably differentiate dematiaceous fungi from other filamentous fungi like Aspergillus sp; however, absence of melanin in the hyphae may be used to rule out dematiaceous fungi from other filamentous fungi. In the differential diagnosis of yeast fungi, Cryptococcus sp can be differentiated from Candida sp by Masson-Fontana stain in tissue sections.

  17. Incidence of High Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions in Patients with Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance Papanicolaou Smears at Naresuan University Hospital.

    PubMed

    Heng, Suttichai; Sirichaisutdhikorn, Daranee

    2016-01-01

    To determine the incidence of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2-3) among patients with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) Papanicolaou (Pap) smears. One-hundred and eighty-seven patients with ASC-US Pap smears who underwent colposcopy with histological study were enrolled between September 2007 and August 2015. Patient factors (including age, parity, current pills used, HIV status, age at first sexual intercourse and number of sexual partners) were obtained. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate clinical factors associated with CIN2-3. CIN was diagnosed in 92 of 187 women (49.2%). Sixty-one of these (32.6%) had CIN1 and 31 (16.6%) had CIN2-3. There was no woman who had invasive cancer. There was no correlation of high-grade CIN with factors in this study including age, parity, current pills used, HIV status, age at first sexual intercourse and number of sexual partners. Data from this study showed no invasive cervical cancer was found in patients with ASC-US. There was no patient factor associated with high grade intraepithelial neoplasia in patients with ASC-US Pap smears.

  18. The frequency of herpes simplex virus changes in anal Pap smear and its association with squamous intraepithelial lesions in high-risk male patients.

    PubMed

    Greebon, Leslie J; Avery, Diane L; Prihoda, Thomas J; Valente, Philip T; Policarpio-Nicolas, Maria Luisa C

    2014-06-01

    While there are studies postulating a model of synergism between human papillomavirus (HPV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) in cervical carcinogenesis, the frequency of anal herpes as well as its association with anal squamous intraepithelial lesions (ASILs) has been understudied in men. This study evaluates the frequency of HSV changes in anal Pap smears and its association with ASILs in a high-risk population. A computerized search for specimens associated with anal cytology that had positive findings of HSV was performed. The electronic medical records were examined for past diagnosis of herpes, HSV serology prior to or after cytology, and if the patient received treatment after cytologic diagnosis of HSV. Of the 470 anal Pap smears (Thin-prep) examined, seven had cellular changes consistent with HSV infection. All patients were asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive males with no prior HSV serology tests. Two patients had prior diagnoses of HSV infection. Cytologic abnormalities were identified in 86% ranging from atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance to high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion. Three patients were treated after the HSV cytologic diagnosis. The frequency of HSV changes in anal Pap smear is low (1.48%), but the presence of concomitant cytologic abnormalities is high (86%). While our findings suggest the possible role of HSV as a HPV co-factor in ASILs, larger studies are needed to support this. Identification of HSV infection on anal Pap smear is important for institution of patient treatment and subsequent reduction of transmission. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Comparison of a four-drug fixed-dose combination regimen with a single tablet regimen in smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Bartacek, A; Schütt, D; Panosch, B; Borek, M

    2009-06-01

    To compare the efficacy, safety and acceptability of two short-course regimens of isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol (HRZE) given either as fixed-dose combination (4-FDC) tablets or as single tablets (ST) in patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). This randomised, open, multicentre, multinational study was conducted in 26 centres and included 1159 patients with smear-positive PTB. 4-FDC daily for 2 months then H+R for 4 months, or single preparations of H, R, Z and E for 2 months followed by H and R for 4 months were administered daily. Sputum smear conversion rates at 2, 4 and 6 months (end of treatment [EOT], primary endpoint) and at 9 and 12 months (follow-up) were measured, together with adverse events and the acceptability of the formulations. Smear conversion rates for 4-FDC and ST at EOT were 80.4% (468/582 patients) vs. 82.7% (477/577) in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population, and 98.1% (404/412) vs. 98.6% (416/422) in the per-protocol (PP) subgroup. Non-inferiority of 4-FDC was demonstrated at month 2, EOT and follow-up in both the ITT and the PP populations. Overall numbers of adverse events were not significantly different between the groups. The efficacy of the 4-FDC regimen was non-inferior to that of the ST regimens, but patient acceptability significantly improved with 4-FDC.

  20. Comparative Analysis Reveals Potential Utility of Digital Microscopy in the Evaluation of Peripheral Blood Smears With Some Barriers to Implementation.

    PubMed

    Gomez-Gelvez, Juan C; Kryvenko, Oleksandr N; Chabot-Richards, Devon S; Foucar, Kathryn; Inamdar, Kedar V; Karner, Kristin H

    2015-07-01

    Evaluation of the peripheral blood smear (PBS) is an essential diagnostic test in current medical practice. We aimed to evaluate the use of digital microscopy for the examination of PBS as an option to provide expert interpretation to remote sites and in "on-call" situations. We collected 100 Wright-Giemsa-stained PBS slides representing normal and abnormal findings seen at a community-based hospital. Four hematopathologists independently evaluated the cases using conventional light and digital microscopy. When comparing digital vs light microscopy, most of the cellular features evaluated showed at least a moderate degree of agreement in at least three of the reviewers. Discrepancies in final diagnosis were identified in a minority of the cases, most of which were attributed to the poorer resolution of digital microscopy at high magnification (×400). These results support the limited use of digital microscopy for evaluation and triage of peripheral blood smears as a practical option to obtain expert opinion in locations where experienced staff is not available on site. Our results indicate that while digital microscopy is well suited for basic triage of these blood smears, limitations in quality of imaging at higher magnification as well as large file size may limit its utility in certain settings and situations. Copyright© by the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

  1. Simplified Pan-species Real-time PCR-based Detection of Plasmodium Spp. in Blood Smear.

    PubMed

    Hassanpour, Gholamreza; Mirhendi, Hossein; Mohebali, Mehdi; Raeisi, Ahmad; Zeraati, Hojjat; Keshavarz, Hossein

    2016-01-01

    We aimed to quicken and simplify the detection of Plasmodium in blood samples by developing and testing a pan- Plasmodium real-time PCR for accurate screening of individuals suspected of malaria. A single primer/probe set for pan-species Plasmodium -specific real time PCR targeting a conserved region of the small subunit 18S ribosomal DNA was designed and evaluated for rapid diagnosis and screening of malaria infections using dried blood smears. FTA cards were used for rapid and simple DNA extraction. The primers and probes showed a positive response with the DNA extracted from bloods infected with P. falciparum and P. vivax but not with DNA extracted from various smears from uninfected blood samples. Seven positive cases positive by both microscopy and nested PCR were found among 280 blood samples taken from in South and Southeast Iran. Five samples were identified as positive for P. vivax and two as positive for P. falciparum . All positive samples were positive by real-time PCR. Furthermore, all 38-blood samples positive by microscopy were positive by real-time PCR. No microscopy-negative samples were positive by real-time PCR. By using a simple FTA card for DNA extraction and by application of the real-time PCR developed in this study, sensitivity similar to nested-PCR and microscopy was achieved. This format simplifies the detection of Plasmodium in large numbers of samples.

  2. qPCR detection of Mycobacterium leprae in biopsies and slit skin smear of different leprosy clinical forms.

    PubMed

    Azevedo, Michelle de Campos Soriani; Ramuno, Natália Mortari; Fachin, Luciana Raquel Vincenzi; Tassa, Mônica; Rosa, Patrícia Sammarco; Belone, Andrea de Faria Fernandes; Diório, Suzana Madeira; Soares, Cleverson Teixeira; Garlet, Gustavo Pompermaier; Trombone, Ana Paula Favaro

    Leprosy, whose etiological agent is Mycobacterium leprae, is a chronic infectious disease that mainly affects the skin and peripheral nervous system. The diagnosis of leprosy is based on clinical evaluation, whereas histopathological analysis and bacilloscopy are complementary diagnostic tools. Quantitative PCR (qPCR), a current useful tool for diagnosis of infectious diseases, has been used to detect several pathogens including Mycobacterium leprae. The validation of this technique in a robust set of samples comprising the different clinical forms of leprosy is still necessary. Thus, in this study samples from 126 skin biopsies (collected from patients on all clinical forms and reactional states of leprosy) and 25 slit skin smear of leprosy patients were comparatively analyzed by qPCR (performed with primers for the RLEP region of M. leprae DNA) and routine bacilloscopy performed in histological sections or in slit skin smear. Considering clinical diagnostic as the gold standard, 84.9% of the leprosy patients were qPCR positive in skin biopsies, resulting in 84.92% sensitivity, with 84.92 and 61.22% positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values, respectively. Concerning bacilloscopy of histological sections (BI/H), the sensitivity was 80.15% and the PPV and NPV were 80.15 and 44.44%, respectively. The concordance between qPCR and BI/H was 87.30%. Regarding the slit skin smear, 84% of the samples tested positive in the qPCR. Additionally, qPCR showed 100% specificity, since all samples from different mycobacteria, from healthy individuals, and from other granulomatous diseases presented negative results. In conclusion, the qPCR technique for detection of M. leprae using RLEP primers proved to be specific and sensitive, and qPCR can be used as a complementary test to diagnose leprosy irrespective of the clinical form of disease. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  3. Local Risk Factors in Genital Human Papilloma Virus Infection in Cervical Smears

    PubMed Central

    Ojiyi, EC; Dike, IE; Okeudo, C; Ejikem, C; Nzewuihe, AC; Agbata, A

    2013-01-01

    Background: Infection with human papilloma virus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer, but the local risk factors have not been sufficiently assessed. Aim: The study is aimed at determining the prevalence and to evaluate the local risk factors of HPV infection in cervical smears at the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: The participants involved 445 randomly selected sexually active women attending the antenatal, postnatal, gynecology and family planning clinics in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the university between April 2004 and May 2012. A questionnaire assessing various socio-demographic characteristics of the participants was administered. The pap smears of the participants were examined microscopically for evidence of HPV infection. The SPSS version 17.0 (Chicago, Illinois, USA) was used to compute and analyze the results. The results were presented in tables as simple percentages. Tests of significance using the Chi-square and fisher exact tests were applied where appropriate. Results: The prevalence rate of HPV was 10.3%. The peak age-specific prevalence of 11.7% occurred in the 15-19 years age group. There were significant associations between the occurrence of HPV and multiple sexual partners, coital frequency, multiparity, contraceptive use, marital status, low socio-economic status, abnormal vaginal discharge, irregular menstruation, post-coital and post-menopausal bleeding, (P < 0.05). Conclusion: All sexually active women including teenagers should be screened for cervical HPV infection in an organized systematic program equipped with a good call and recall system. There is, therefore, a need to move emphasis from the current practice of opportunistic screening to a systematic screening of the whole population at risk despite cost implications. PMID:24380003

  4. Comparison between high concentration EDTA (24%) and low concentration EDTA (3%) with surfactant upon removal of smear layer after rotary instrumentation: a SEM study.

    PubMed

    Daghustani, Mohsen; Alhammadi, Ahmad; Merdad, Khalid; Ohlin, Johan; Erhardt, Fredrik; Ahlquist, Michael

    2011-01-01

    This in vitro study compare cleanliness of tooth canal walls regarding smear layer after final treatment with 24% ethylenediaminetetraaceticacid (EDTA) and 3% EDTA with or without surfactant. Sixty extracted teeth, randomly distributed into four groups, were prepared using ProFile instruments (DENTSPLY, Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland), and subjected to different final irrigation solutions: group A, 24% EDTA; group B, 3% EDTA with surfactant; group C (positive control), 3% EDTA; and group D (negative control), 0.5% sodium hypochlorite. Roots were sectioned, examined and evaluated under scanning electron microscope; microphotographs were taken for the coronal, middle and apical third of each specimen. Statistical analysis showed no difference regarding presence of smear layer between test groups in the coronal and apical sections. They were cleaned in the coronal sections and uncleaned in the apical sections. In the middle section, group B was significantly cleaner (p < 0.05) than the other groups. In conclusion, surfactant in combination with EDTA did not improve root canal cleanliness and there is no difference between different EDTA concentrations in removing the smear layer.

  5. The Effect of Fragaria vesca Extract on Smear Layer Removal: A Scanning Electron Microscopic Evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Davoudi, Amin; Razavi, Sayed Alireza; Mosaddeghmehrjardi, Mohammad Hossein; Tabrizizadeh, Mehdi

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: Successful endodontic treatment depends on elimination of the microorganisms through chemomechanical debridement. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Fragaria vesca (wild strawberry) extract (FVE) on the removal of smear layer (SL). Methods and Materials: In this analytical-observational study, 40 extracted mandibular and maxillary human teeth were selected. After canal preparation with standard step-back technique, the teeth were randomly divided into 4 groups according to the irrigation solution: saline (negative control), 5.25% NaOCl+EDTA (positive control), FVE and FVE+EDTA. The teeth were split longitudinally so that scanning electron microscopy (SEM) photomicrographs could be taken to evaluate the amount of remnant SL in coronal, middle and apical thirds. The data were analyzed statistically by the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann Whitney U tests and the level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: Significant differences were found among the groups (P<0.001). The use of NaOCl+EDTA was the most effective regimen for removing the SL followed by FVE+EDTA. FVE alone was significantly more effective than saline (P<0.001). Conclusion: FVE with and without EDTA could effectively remove the smear layer; however, compared to NaOCl group it was less effective. PMID:26526069

  6. Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Viral Load Is Higher in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Seropositive Women with High-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions Than in Those with Normal Cytology Smears

    PubMed Central

    Lefevre, Jonas; Hankins, Catherine; Money, Deborah; Rachlis, Anita; Pourreaux, Karina; Coutlée, François

    2004-01-01

    Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) viral load in cervicovaginal lavage samples collected from 66 human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive women was inversely correlated with blood CD4 count (P = 0.002). HPV-16 viral load was 81-fold higher in women with cervical smears suggestive of high-grade lesions (median, 4,425,883 copies/μg of DNA) than in women with normal smears (median, 54,576), controlling for age (P = 0.006). PMID:15131192

  7. Implementation of the Thin Layer Agar Method for Diagnosis of Smear-Negative Pulmonary Tuberculosis in a Setting with a High Prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Homa Bay, Kenya▿ †

    PubMed Central

    Martin, Anandi; Munga Waweru, Peter; Babu Okatch, Fred; Amondi Ouma, Naureen; Bonte, Laurence; Varaine, Francis; Portaels, Françoise

    2009-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of a low-cost method, the thin layer agar (TLA) method, for the diagnosis of smear-negative patients. This prospective study was performed in Homa Bay District Hospital in Kenya. Out of 1,584 smear-negative sputum samples, 212 (13.5%) were positive by culture in Löwenstein-Jensen medium (LJ) and 220 (14%) were positive by the TLA method. The sensitivities of LJ and TLA were 71% and 74%, respectively. TLA could become an affordable method for the diagnosis of smear-negative tuberculosis in resource-limited settings, with results available within 2 weeks. PMID:19494065

  8. Prevalence of high-risk human papilloma virus types and cervical smear abnormalities in female sex workers in Chandigarh, India.

    PubMed

    Singh, M P; Kaur, M; Gupta, N; Kumar, A; Goyal, K; Sharma, A; Majumdar, M; Gupta, M; Ratho, R K

    2016-01-01

    Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women in developing nations. Nearly 90% of the cases have been linked to the presence of high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) types 16 and 18. The risk of cervical cancer may be high in female sex workers (FSWs) due to multiple sexual partners. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cytological abnormalities and hrHPV types 16 and 18 in FSWs in Chandigarh, North India using the liquid-based cytology (LBC) approach. The cervical brush samples were collected from 120 FSW and 98 age-matched healthy controls (HCs). These were subjected to pap smear using conventional method, LBC and the detection of hrHPV types 16 and 18 was carried out using polymerase chain reaction. The LBC samples showed better cytological details and also reduced the number of unsatisfactory smears from 11% in Pap to 1.5% in the LBC. A significantly higher number of inflammatory smears were reported in FSWs (51.7% vs. 34.7%, P = 0.01). The hrHPV types 16/18 were detected in 33/120 (27.5%) FSW versus 23/98 (23.5%) HCs. The risk of acquiring hrHPV was higher in FSWs, who had age at first sex ≤25 years, higher income and the habit of smoking. The high prevalence of hrHPV among FSWs and HCs suggests the need for the implementation of effective National Screening Programme for early detection of hrHPV types to decrease the burden of cervical cancer, especially in high-risk population.

  9. Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing and Sequencing Combined with Acid-Fast Staining in Needle Biopsy Lung Tissues for the Diagnosis of Smear-Negative Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Faming; Huang, Weiwei; Wang, Ye; Tian, Panwen; Chen, Xuerong; Liang, Zongan

    2016-01-01

    Smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is common and difficult to diagnose. In this study, we investigated the diagnostic value of nucleic acid amplification testing and sequencing combined with acid-fast bacteria (AFB) staining of needle biopsy lung tissues for patients with suspected smear-negative PTB. Patients with suspected smear-negative PTB who underwent percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy between May 1, 2012, and June 30, 2015, were enrolled in this retrospective study. Patients with AFB in sputum smears were excluded. All lung biopsy specimens were fixed in formalin, embedded in paraffin, and subjected to acid-fast staining and tuberculous polymerase chain reaction (TB-PCR). For patients with positive AFB and negative TB-PCR results in lung tissues, probe assays and 16S rRNA sequencing were used for identification of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy of PCR and AFB staining were calculated separately and in combination. Among the 220 eligible patients, 133 were diagnosed with TB (men/women: 76/57; age range: 17-80 years, confirmed TB: 9, probable TB: 124). Forty-eight patients who were diagnosed with other specific diseases were assigned as negative controls, and 39 patients with indeterminate final diagnosis were excluded from statistical analysis. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of histological AFB (HAFB) for the diagnosis of smear-negative were 61.7% (82/133), 100% (48/48), 100% (82/82), 48.5% (48/181), and 71.8% (130/181), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of histological PCR were 89.5% (119/133), 95.8% (46/48), 98.3% (119/121), and 76.7% (46/60), respectively, demonstrating that histological PCR had significantly higher accuracy (91.2% [165/181]) than histological acid-fast staining (71.8% [130/181]), P < 0.001. Parallel testing of histological AFB staining and PCR showed the

  10. [The frequency of sex chromatine occurring in cell nuclei of internal organs determined by the smear method (author's transl)].

    PubMed

    Michailow, R

    1975-09-05

    The frequency of sex chromatine occurring in cell nuclei of twelve organs from 25 male and female corpses was determined using the smear method. It was found to be about 60% in the case of female, and about 6% in the case of male corpses.

  11. Probing the smearing effect by a pointlike graviton in the plane-wave matrix model

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lee, Bum-Hoon; Nam, Siyoung; Shin, Hyeonjoon

    2010-08-15

    We investigate the interaction between a flat membrane and pointlike graviton in the plane-wave matrix model. The one-loop effective potential in the large-distance limit is computed and is shown to be of r{sup -3} type where r is the distance between two objects. This type of interaction has been interpreted as the one incorporating the smearing effect due to the configuration of a flat membrane in a plane-wave background. Our results support this interpretation and provide more evidence about it.

  12. Use of Polyphosphate to Decrease Uranium Leaching in Hanford 300 Area Smear Zone Sediments

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Szecsody, James E.; Zhong, Lirong; Oostrom, Martinus

    2012-09-30

    The primary objective of this study is to summarize the laboratory investigations performed to evaluate short- and long-term effects of phosphate treatment on uranium leaching from 300 area smear zone sediments. Column studies were used to compare uranium leaching in phosphate-treated to untreated sediments over a year with multiple stop flow events to evaluate longevity of the uranium leaching rate and mass. A secondary objective was to compare polyphosphate injection, polyphosphate/xanthan injection, and polyphosphate infiltration technologies that deliver phosphate to sediment.

  13. Simplified Pan-species Real-time PCR-based Detection of Plasmodium Spp. in Blood Smear

    PubMed Central

    HASSANPOUR, Gholamreza; MIRHENDI, Hossein; MOHEBALI, Mehdi; RAEISI, Ahmad; ZERAATI, Hojjat; KESHAVARZ, Hossein

    2016-01-01

    Background: We aimed to quicken and simplify the detection of Plasmodium in blood samples by developing and testing a pan-Plasmodium real-time PCR for accurate screening of individuals suspected of malaria. Methods: A single primer/probe set for pan-species Plasmodium-specific real time PCR targeting a conserved region of the small subunit 18S ribosomal DNA was designed and evaluated for rapid diagnosis and screening of malaria infections using dried blood smears. FTA cards were used for rapid and simple DNA extraction. Results: The primers and probes showed a positive response with the DNA extracted from bloods infected with P. falciparum and P. vivax but not with DNA extracted from various smears from uninfected blood samples. Seven positive cases positive by both microscopy and nested PCR were found among 280 blood samples taken from in South and Southeast Iran. Five samples were identified as positive for P. vivax and two as positive for P. falciparum. All positive samples were positive by real-time PCR. Furthermore, all 38-blood samples positive by microscopy were positive by real-time PCR. No microscopy-negative samples were positive by real-time PCR. Conclusion: By using a simple FTA card for DNA extraction and by application of the real-time PCR developed in this study, sensitivity similar to nested-PCR and microscopy was achieved. This format simplifies the detection of Plasmodium in large numbers of samples. PMID:28127357

  14. PAP SMEAR RECEIPT AMONG VIETNAMESE IMMIGRANTS: THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH CARE FACTORS

    PubMed Central

    Taylor, Victoria M.; Yasui, Yutaka; Nguyen, Tung T.; Woodall, Erica; Hoai, H.; Acorda, Elizabeth; Li, Lin; Choe, John; Jackson, J. Carey

    2009-01-01

    Objective Recent US data indicate that women of Vietnamese descent have higher cervical cancer incidence rates than women of any other race/ethnicity, and lower levels of Pap testing than white, black, and Latina women. Our objective was to provide information about Pap testing barriers and facilitators that could be used to develop cervical cancer control intervention programs for Vietnamese American women. Design We conducted a cross-sectional, community-based survey of Vietnamese immigrants. Our study was conducted in metropolitan Seattle, Washington. A total of 1,532 Vietnamese American women participated in the study. Demographic, health care, and knowledge/belief items associated with previous cervical cancer screening participation (ever screened and screened according to interval screening guidelines) were examined. Results Eighty-one percent of the respondents had been screened for cervical cancer in the previous three years. Recent Pap testing was strongly associated (p<0.001) with having a regular doctor, having a physical in the last year, previous physician recommendation for testing, and having asked a physician for testing. Women whose regular doctor was a Vietnamese man were no more likely to have received a recent Pap smear than those with no regular doctor. Conclusion Our findings indicate that cervical cancer screening disparities between Vietnamese and other racial/ethnic groups are decreasing. Efforts to further increase Pap smear receipt in Vietnamese American communities should enable women without a source of health care to find a regular provider. Additionally, intervention programs should improve patient-provider communication by encouraging health care providers (especially male Vietnamese physicians serving women living in ethnic enclaves) to recommend Pap testing, as well as by empowering Vietnamese women to specifically ask their physicians for Pap testing. PMID:19626504

  15. The Lived Experience of Women With Abnormal Papanicolaou Smears Receiving Care in a Military Health Care Setting

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-05-01

    importance of routine cervical cytologic screening has been demonstrated. It is estimated that the rate of invasive cervical cancer has been reduced...low risk of developing invasive cervical cancer when detection, surveillance, and treatment occur early in the course of cervical pathology...cervical cancer . Despite the effectiveness of this screening tool, patient compliance with treatment recommendations for abnormal Pap smears remains low

  16. Smeared spectrum jamming suppression based on generalized S transform and threshold segmentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Xin; Wang, Chunyang; Tan, Ming; Fu, Xiaolong

    2018-04-01

    Smeared Spectrum (SMSP) jamming is an effective jamming in countering linear frequency modulation (LFM) radar. According to the time-frequency distribution difference between jamming and echo, a jamming suppression method based on Generalized S transform (GST) and threshold segmentation is proposed. The sub-pulse period is firstly estimated based on auto correlation function firstly. Secondly, the time-frequency image and the related gray scale image are achieved based on GST. Finally, the Tsallis cross entropy is utilized to compute the optimized segmentation threshold, and then the jamming suppression filter is constructed based on the threshold. The simulation results show that the proposed method is of good performance in the suppression of false targets produced by SMSP.

  17. Segmentation of touching mycobacterium tuberculosis from Ziehl-Neelsen stained sputum smear images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Chao; Zhou, Dongxiang; Liu, Yunhui

    2015-12-01

    Touching Mycobacterium tuberculosis objects in the Ziehl-Neelsen stained sputum smear images present different shapes and invisible boundaries in the adhesion areas, which increases the difficulty in objects recognition and counting. In this paper, we present a segmentation method of combining the hierarchy tree analysis with gradient vector flow snake to address this problem. The skeletons of the objects are used for structure analysis based on the hierarchy tree. The gradient vector flow snake is used to estimate the object edge. Experimental results show that the single objects composing the touching objects are successfully segmented by the proposed method. This work will improve the accuracy and practicability of the computer-aided diagnosis of tuberculosis.

  18. A tale of two communities: intestinal polyparasitism among Orang Asli and Malay communities in rural Terengganu, Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Elyana, Fatin Nur; Al-Mekhlafi, Hesham M; Ithoi, Init; Abdulsalam, Awatif M; Dawaki, Salwa; Nasr, Nabil A; Atroosh, Wahib M; Abd-Basher, Mohamad Hafiz; Al-Areeqi, Mona A; Sady, Hany; Subramaniam, Lahvanya R; Anuar, Tengku Shahrul; Lau, Yee Ling; Moktar, Norhayati; Surin, Johari

    2016-07-16

    Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are still major health problems in many developing countries including Malaysia, particularly in the poor and socioeconomically deprived rural and remote communities in Peninsular Malaysia. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of IPIs and to identify the key factors associated with intestinal polyparasitism as well as to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) on IPIs among rural Orang Asli and Malay communities in Terengganu, Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 340 participants (165 Orang Asli and 175 Malay) aged ≤ 15 years from the Hulu Terengganu and Kemaman districts of Terengganu. Faecal samples were examined for the presence of intestinal parasites by using direct smear, formalin-ether sedimentation, trichrome stain, modified Ziehl Neelsen stain, in vitro cultivation in Jones' medium, Kato Katz and Harada Mori techniques. Demographic, socioeconomic, environmental and behavioural information of the participants and their KAP for IPIs were collected by using a pre-tested questionnaire. Overall, 149 (90.3 %) Orang Asli and 43 (24.6 %) Malay children were infected by at least one parasite species. The overall prevalences of intestinal polyparasitism among the Orang Asli and Malay were 68.5 % (113/165) and 14.3 % (25/175), respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that using unsafe water supply as a source for drinking water, the presence of domestic animals, not wearing shoes when outside, not washing vegetables before consumption, not washing hands after playing with soil, indiscriminate defecation and the low level of mother's education were the key risk factors for intestinal polyparasitism among the Orang Asli, while working mothers and the presence of domestic animals were the risk factors among the Malay children. Almost all the Malays were well aware about the IPIs while Orang Asli respondents had a poor level of related awareness. This study

  19. Malaria, schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminth burden and their correlation with anemia in children attending primary schools in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

    PubMed

    Matangila, Junior R; Doua, Joachim Yorokpa; Linsuke, Sylvie; Madinga, Joule; Inocêncio da Luz, Raquel; Van Geertruyden, Jean-Pierre; Lutumba, Pascal

    2014-01-01

    Anaemia reduces cognitive potential in school children, retards their growth and predisposes them to other diseases. As there is a paucity of data on the current burden of P. falciparum, S. mansoni and soil transmitted helminths (STH) infections and their correlation with schoolchildren's anemia in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), we collect these data. This study reports baseline data collected from a randomized controlled trial investigating the impact of IPT with SP and SP-PQ on anemia and malaria morbidity in Congolese schoolchildren (Trial registration: NCT01722539; PACTR201211000449323). S. mansoni and STH infections were assessed using kato-katz technique. Malaria infection and hemoglobin concentration were assessed using Blood smear and Hemocontrol device, respectively. A total of 616 primary schoolchildren from 4 to 13 years old were enrolled in the study. The prevalence of Plasmodium spp. infection was 18.5% (95%CI:15.6-21.9). Amongst those infected, 24 (21%), 40 (35.1%), 40 (35.1%), 10 (8.8%), had light, moderate, heavy, very high malaria parasite density, respectively. Above 9 years of age (p = 0.02), male and history of fever (p = 0.04) were both associated with malaria infection. The overall prevalence of S. mansoni infection was 6.4% (95%CI:4.4-9.1). Girls were associated with S. mansoni infection (p = 0.04). T. trichiura was the most prevalent STH infection (26.3%), followed by A. lumbricoides (20.1%). Co-infection with malaria-S. mansoni and malaria-STH was, respectively, 1.5% (CI95%:0.7-3.3) and 6.4% (CI95% 4.4-9.1). The prevalence of anemia was found to be 41.6% (95%CI:37.7-45.6) and anemia was strongly related with Plasmodium ssp infection (aOR:4.1; CI95%:2.6-6.5;p<0.001) and S. mansoni infection (aOR:3.3;CI95%:1.4-7.8;p<0.01). Malaria and S. mansoni infection were strongly associated with high prevalence of anemia in schoolchildren. Therefore, specific school-based interventions, such as intermittent preventive treatment or prophylaxis

  20. Bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with negative sputum smear microscopy results.

    PubMed

    Jacomelli, Márcia; Silva, Priscila Regina Alves Araújo; Rodrigues, Ascedio Jose; Demarzo, Sergio Eduardo; Seicento, Márcia; Figueiredo, Viviane Rossi

    2012-01-01

    To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of bronchoscopy in patients with clinical or radiological suspicion of tuberculosis who were unable to produce sputum or with negative sputum smear microscopy results. A prospective cross-sectional study involving 286 patients under clinical or radiological suspicion of having pulmonary tuberculosis and submitted to bronchoscopy-BAL and transbronchial biopsy (TBB). The BAL specimens were submitted to direct testing and culture for AFB and fungi, whereas the TBB specimens were submitted to histopathological examination. Of the 286 patients studied, 225 (79%) were diagnosed on the basis of bronchoscopic findings, as follows: pulmonary tuberculosis, in 127 (44%); nonspecific chronic inflammation, in 51 (18%); pneumocystis, fungal infections, or nocardiosis, in 20 (7%); bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia, alveolites, or pneumoconiosis, in 14 (5%); lung or metastatic neoplasms, in 7 (2%); and nontuberculous mycobacterium infections, in 6 (2%). For the diagnosis of tuberculosis, BAL showed a sensitivity and a specificity of 60% and 100%, respectively. Adding the TBB findings significantly increased this sensitivity (to 84%), as did adding the post-bronchoscopy sputum smear microscopy results (total sensitivity, 94%). Minor post-procedure complications occurred in 5.6% of the cases. Bronchoscopy is a reliable method for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, with low complication rates. The combination of TBB and BAL increases the sensitivity of the method and facilitates the differential diagnosis with other diseases.