Displaying publications 3461 - 3480 of 4701 in total

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  1. Nurulfiza I, Hair-Bejo M, Omar AR, Aini I
    J Vet Diagn Invest, 2011 Mar;23(2):320-4.
    PMID: 21398455
    The immunochromatographic assay is an alternative method for simple and rapid detection of Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) in chickens using colloidal gold-antibody conjugate. The whole-virus antigen of IBDV (UPM04190 isolate) and the high-affinity polyclonal antibodies directed against IBDV were blotted onto nitrocellulose membranes for test and control lines, respectively. Evaluation of the strip was performed using serum samples from experimentally and naturally infected chickens. The results showed that the test strip was more sensitive than the commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) because it could detect a dilution factor up to 120,000 (250 ELISA units) for positive samples. It was also specific, in that it detected IBDV antibodies and did not cross-react with antibodies to other chicken viruses. The method was rapid (2 min) in both clinical and field environments with samples needing only a minimum amount (50 µl) of blood to produce an acceptable detection signal. The pen-site test strip proved successful in monitoring the immune status of chickens against the IBDV infection.
    Matched MeSH terms: Infectious bursal disease virus/isolation & purification*
  2. Barati A, Ghaderpour A, Chew LL, Bong CW, Thong KL, Chong VC, et al.
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2016 Apr 15;13(4):426.
    PMID: 27092516 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13040426
    Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen that is responsible for causing nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Despite its common presence in soil and aquatic environments, the virulence potential of K. pneumoniae isolates of environmental origin is largely unknown. Hence, in this study, K. pneumoniae isolated from the estuarine waters and sediments of the Matang mangrove estuary were screened for potential virulence characteristics: antibiotic susceptibility, morphotype on Congo red agar, biofilm formation, presence of exopolysaccharide and capsule, possession of virulence genes (fimH, magA, ugE, wabG and rmpA) and their genomic fingerprints. A total of 55 strains of K. pneumoniae were isolated from both human-distributed sites (located along Sangga Besar River) and control sites (located along Selinsing River) where less human activity was observed, indicated that K. pneumoniae is ubiquitous in the environment. However, the detection of potentially virulent strains at the downstream of Kuala Sepetang village has suggested an anthropogenic contamination source. In conclusion, the findings from this study indicate that the Matang mangrove estuary could harbor potentially pathogenic K. pneumoniae with risk to public health. More studies are required to compare the environmental K. pneumoniae strains with the community-acquired K. pneumoniae strains.
    Matched MeSH terms: Klebsiella pneumoniae/isolation & purification*
  3. Chang YK, Cheng HI, Ooi CW, Song CP, Liu BL
    Food Chem, 2021 Oct 01;358:129914.
    PMID: 34000689 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129914
    A high-performance polyacid ion exchange (IEX) nanofiber membrane was used in membrane chromatography for the recovery of lysozyme from chicken egg white (CEW). The polyacid IEX nanofiber membrane (P-BrA) was prepared by the functionalization of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber membrane with ethylene diamine (EDA) and bromoacetic acid (BrA). The adsorption performance of P-BrA was evaluated under various operating conditions using Pall filter holder. The results showed that optimal conditions of IEX membrane chromatography for lysozyme adsorption were 10% (w/v) of CEW, pH 9 and 0.1 mL/min. The purification factor and yield of lysozyme were 402 and 91%, respectively. The adsorption process was further scaled up to a larger loading volume, and the purification performance was found to be consistent. Furthermore, the regeneration of IEX nanofiber membrane was achieved under mild conditions. The adsorption process was repeated for five times and the adsorption capacity of adsorber was found to be unaffected.
    Matched MeSH terms: Muramidase/isolation & purification*
  4. Khor BK, Chear NJ, Azizi J, Khaw KY
    Molecules, 2021 Mar 09;26(5).
    PMID: 33803330 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26051489
    The leaves of Carica papaya (CP) are rich in natural antioxidants. Carica papaya has traditionally been used to treat various ailments, including skin diseases. This study aims to decipher the antioxidant effects and phytochemical content of different CP leaf extracts (CPEs) obtained using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) and conventional extraction methods. The antioxidant activities of CPEs were evaluated by cell-free (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric-reduced antioxidative power (FRAP)) and cell-based (H2O2) assay. Both C. papaya leaf scCO2 extract with 5% ethanol (CPSCE) and C. papaya leaf scCO2 extract (CPSC) exhibited stronger DPPH radical scavenging activity than conventional extracts. In the FRAP assay, two hydrophilic extracts (C. papaya leaf ethanol extract (CPEE) and C. papaya freeze-dried leaf juice (CPFD)) showed relatively stronger reducing power compared to lipophilic extracts. Cell-based assays showed that CPFD significantly protected skin fibroblasts from H2O2-induced oxidative stress in both pre-and post-treatment. CPEE protected skin fibroblasts from oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner while CPSCE significantly triggered the fibroblast recovery after treatment with H2O2. GC-MS analysis indicated that CPSCE had the highest α-tocopherol and squalene contents. By contrast, both CP hydrophilic extracts (CPEE and CPFD) had a higher total phenolic content (TPC) and rutin content than the lipophilic extracts. Overall, CPEs extracted using green and conventional extraction methods showed antioxidative potential in both cell-based and cell-free assays due to their lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidants, respectively.
    Matched MeSH terms: Plant Extracts/isolation & purification*
  5. Zakaria Z, Hassan L, Sharif Z, Ahmad N, Ali RM, Husin SA, et al.
    BMC Vet Res, 2020 Oct 17;16(1):393.
    PMID: 33069231 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-020-02605-y
    BACKGROUND: Salmonella is a very important foodborne pathogen causing illness in humans. The emergence of drug-resistant strains also constitutes a serious worry to global health and livestock productivity. This study investigated Salmonella isolates from chicken and chicken meat products using the phenotypic antimicrobial screening as well as the molecular characteristics of Salmonella isolates. Upon serotyping of the isolates, the antimicrobial susceptibility profiling using a panel of 9 commonly used antimicrobials was done. Subsequently, the molecular profiles of all the isolates were further determined using Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) and the Whole Genome Multi-Locus Sequence Type (wgMLST) analysis in order to obtain the sequence types.

    RESULTS: The PFGE data was input into FPQuest software, and the dendrogram generated was studied for possible genetic relatedness among the isolates. All the isolates were found to belong to the Salmonella Enteritidis serotype with notable resistance to tetracycline, gentamycin, streptomycin, and sulfadimidine. The S. Enteritidis isolates tested predominantly subtyped into the ST11 and ST1925, which was found to be a single cell variant of ST11. The STs were found to occur in chicken meats, foods, and live chicken cloacal swabs, which may indicate the persistence of the bacteria in multiple foci.

    CONCLUSION: The data demonstrate the presence of S. Enteritidis among chickens, indicating its preference and reservoir status for enteric Salmonella pathogens.

    Matched MeSH terms: Salmonella enteritidis/isolation & purification*
  6. Ngow HA, Wan Khairina WM
    J Infect Chemother, 2013 Feb;19(1):154-7.
    PMID: 22627887 DOI: 10.1007/s10156-012-0427-2
    Bacillus cereus endocarditis is rare. It has been implicated in immunocompromised individuals, especially in intravenous drug users as well as in those with a cardiac prosthesis. The patient was a 31-year-old ex-intravenous drug addict with a past history of staphylococcal pulmonary valve endocarditis, who presented with symptoms of decompensated cardiac failure. Echocardiography showed severe aortic regurgitation with an oscillating vegetation seen on the right coronary cusp of the aortic valve. The blood cultures grew Bacillus cereus. We report this as a rare case of Bacillus cereus endocarditis affecting a native aortic valve.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bacillus cereus/isolation & purification*
  7. Mizuno Y, Kato Y, Takeshita N, Ujiie M, Kobayashi T, Kanagawa S, et al.
    J Infect Chemother, 2011 Jun;17(3):419-23.
    PMID: 20862507 DOI: 10.1007/s10156-010-0124-y
    Chikungunya fever (CHIKF) is currently distributed in Africa and in South and Southeast Asia; outbreaks have occurred periodically in the region over the past 50 years. After a large outbreak had occurred in countries in the western Indian Ocean region in 2005, several countries reported cases of CHIKF from travelers who had visited affected areas. In Japan, there have been only 15 cases of CHIKF patients so far, according to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. Therefore, to evaluate the clinical and radiological features associated with the disease, we describe 6 imported cases of CHIKF. All of the patients had had prolonged arthralgia on admission to our hospital, and diagnosis was confirmed with specific antibodies by using an IgM-capture enzyme-linked immunoassay and a plaque reduction neutralizing antibody assay. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of one patient revealed erosive arthritis and tenosynovitis during the convalescence stage. Clinicians should be aware of the late consequences of infection by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and recognize the possible association of subacute and chronic arthritis features. In addition, competent vectors of CHIKV, Aedes aegypti, can now be found in many temperate areas of the eastern and western hemispheres, including Japan. This fact raises concern that the virus could be introduced and become established in these areas. This necessitates an increased awareness of the disease, because imported cases are likely to contribute to the spread of CHIKV infection wherever the competent mosquito vectors are distributed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chikungunya virus/isolation & purification*
  8. Ong YH, Chua ASM, Fukushima T, Ngoh GC, Shoji T, Michinaka A
    Water Res, 2014 Nov 01;64:102-112.
    PMID: 25046374 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2014.06.038
    The applicability of the enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process for the removal of phosphorus in warm climates is uncertain due to frequent reports of EBPR deterioration at temperature higher than 25 °C. Nevertheless, a recent report on a stable and efficient EBPR process at 28 °C has inspired the present study to examine the performance of EBPR at 24 °C-32 °C, as well as the PAOs and GAOs involved, in greater detail. Two sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) were operated for EBPR in parallel at different temperatures, i.e., SBR-1 at 28 °C and SBR-2 first at 24 °C and subsequently at 32 °C. Both SBRs exhibited high phosphorus removal efficiencies at all three temperatures and produced effluents with phosphorus concentrations less than 1.0 mg/L during the steady state of reactor operation. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) revealed Accumulibacter-PAOs comprised 64% of the total bacterial population at 24 °C, 43% at 28 °C and 19% at 32 °C. Based on fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH), the abundance of Competibacter-GAOs at both 24 °C and 28 °C was rather low (<10%), while it accounted for 40% of the total bacterial population at 32 °C. However, the smaller Accumulibacter population and larger population of Competibacter at 32 °C did not deteriorate the phosphorus removal performance. A polyphosphate kinase 1 (ppk1)-based qPCR analysis on all studied EBPR processes detected only Accumulibacter clade IIF. The Accumulibacter population shown by 16S rRNA and ppk1 was not significantly different. This finding confirmed the existence of single clade IIF in the processes and the specificity of the clade IIF primer sets designed in this study. Habitat filtering related to temperature could have contributed to the presence of a unique clade. The clade IIF was hypothesised to be able to perform the EBPR activity at high temperatures. The clade's robustness most likely helps it to fit the high-temperature EBPR sludge best and allows it not only to outcompete other Accumulibacter clades but coexist with GAOs without compromising EBPR activity.
    Matched MeSH terms: Proteobacteria/isolation & purification*
  9. Huët MAL, Wong LW, Goh CBS, Ong KS, Dwiyanto J, Reidpath D, et al.
    Braz J Microbiol, 2020 Dec;51(4):2067-2075.
    PMID: 32572838 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-020-00323-z
    Species of fungi belonging to the order Mucorales can be found everywhere in the environment. Gilbertella persicaria, which belongs to this order, have often been isolated from fruits and in water systems. However, there has been no report of isolation of this fungus from human samples. During a gut mycobiome study, from the Segamat community, Gilbertella persicaria was isolated from a human fecal sample and was characterized through a series of morphological assessment, biochemical tests, and molecular techniques. The isolate produced a white velvety surface that turned grayish after 24 h. Although no biofilm production was observed, the results indicated that the isolate could form calcium oxalate crystals, produced urease, and was resistant to low pH. The isolate was sensitive to amphotericin but resistant to voriconazole and itraconazole. The features of this fungus that could help in its survival in the human gut are also discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mucorales/isolation & purification*
  10. Zulkeflle SNM, Yusaimi YA, Sugiura N, Iwamoto K, Goto M, Utsumi M, et al.
    Microbiology (Reading), 2016 12;162(12):2064-2074.
    PMID: 27902427 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000392
    Antibiotic resistance has become a major public health problem throughout the world. The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in hospital wastewater is a cause for great concern today. In this study, 276 Staph. aureus isolates were recovered from hospital wastewater samples in Malaysia. All of the isolates were screened for susceptibility to nine different classes of antibiotics: ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, kanamycin, erythromycin, vancomycin, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, chloramphenicol, tetracycline and nalidixic acid. Screening tests showed that 100 % of Staph.aureus isolates exhibited resistance against kanamycin, vancomycin, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole and nalidixic acid. Additionally, 91, 87, 50, 43, 11 and 8.7 % of isolates showed resistance against erythromycin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline, respectively. Based on these results, 100 % of isolates demonstrated multidrug-resistant (MDR) characteristics, displaying resistance against more than three classes of antibiotics. Of 276 isolates, nine exhibited resistance to more than nine classes of tested antibiotics; these were selected for antibiotic susceptibility testing and examined for the presence of conserved ARGs. Interestingly, a high percentage of the selected MDR Staph.aureus isolates did not contain conserved ARGs. These results indicate that non-conserved MDR gene elements may have already spread into the environment in the tropics of Southeast Asia, and unique resistance mechanisms against several antibiotics may have evolved due to stable, moderate temperatures that support growth of bacteria throughout the year.
    Matched MeSH terms: Staphylococcus aureus/isolation & purification
  11. Bilung LM, Pui CF, Su'ut L, Apun K
    Dis Markers, 2018;2018:1351634.
    PMID: 30154937 DOI: 10.1155/2018/1351634
    In the last decades, leptospirosis had gained public health concern due to morbidity and mortality rates caused by pathogenic Leptospira. The need for rapid and robust molecular typing methods to differentiate this zoonotic pathogen is of utmost importance. Various studies had been conducted to determine the genetic relatedness of Leptospira isolates using molecular typing methods. In this study, 29 pathogenic Leptospira isolates from rat, soil, and water samples in Sarawak, Malaysia, were characterized using BOX-PCR and ERIC-PCR. The effectiveness of these two methods with regard to the ease of interpretation, reproducibility, typeability, and discriminatory power was also being evaluated. Using BOX-PCR, six clusters and 3 single isolates were defined at a genetic distance percentage of 11.2%. ERIC-PCR clustered the isolates into 6 clusters and 2 single isolates at a genetic distance percentage of 6.8%. Both BOX-PCR and ERIC-PCR produced comparable results though the discriminatory index for ERIC-PCR (0.826) was higher than that for BOX-PCR (0.809). From the constructed dendrogram, it could be summarized that the isolates in this study were highly heterogeneous and genetically diverse. The findings from this study indicated that there is no genetic relatedness among the pathogenic Leptospira isolates in relation to the locality, source, and identity, with some exceptions. Out of the 29 pathogenic Leptospira isolates studied, BOX-PCR and ERIC-PCR successfully discriminated 4 isolates (2 isolates each) into the same cluster in relation to sample sources, as well as 2 isolates into the same cluster in association with the sample locality. Future studies shall incorporate the use of other molecular typing methods to make a more thorough comparison on the genetic relatedness of pathogenic Leptospira.
    Matched MeSH terms: Leptospira/isolation & purification*
  12. Boush MA, Djibrine MA, Mussa A, Talib M, Maki A, Mohammed A, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2020 07 30;10(1):12822.
    PMID: 32733079 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69756-8
    In remote areas of malaria-endemic countries, rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have dramatically improved parasitological confirmation of suspected malaria cases, especially when skilled microscopists are not available. This study was designed to determine the frequency of Plasmodium falciparum isolates with histidine-rich protein 2 (pfhrp2) gene deletion as one of the possible factors contributing to the failure of PfHRP2-based RDTs in detecting malaria. A total of 300 blood samples were collected from several health centres in Nyala City, Western Sudan. The performance of PfHRP2-based RDTs in relation to microscopy was examined and the PCR-confirmed samples were investigated for the presence of pfhrp2 gene. A total of 113 out of 300 patients were P. falciparum positive by microscopy. Among them, 93.81% (106 out of 113) were positives by the PfHRP2 RDTs. Seven isolates were identified as false negative on the basis of the RDTs results. Only one isolate (0.9%; 1/113) potentially has pfhrp2 gene deletion. The sensitivity and specificity of PfHRP2-based RDTs were 93.81% and 100%, respectively. The results provide insights into the pfhrp2 gene deletion amongst P. falciparum population from Sudan. However, further studies with a large and systematic collection from different geographical settings across the country are needed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Plasmodium falciparum/isolation & purification
  13. Ismail NS, Subbiah SK, Taib NM
    Curr Pharm Biotechnol, 2020;21(14):1539-1550.
    PMID: 32598252 DOI: 10.2174/1389201021666200629145217
    BACKGROUND: This is the fastest work in obtaining the metabolic profiles of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in order to combat the infection diseases which leads to high morbidity and mortality rates. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a high versatility of gram-negative bacteria that can undergo aerobic and anaerobic respiration. Capabilities in deploying different carbon sources, energy metabolism and regulatory system, ensure the survival of this microorganism in the diverse environment condition. Determination of differences in carbon sources utilization among biofilm and non-biofilm of Pseudomonas aeruginosa provides a platform in understanding the metabolic activity of the microorganism.

    METHODS: The study was carried out from September 2017 to February 2019. Four archive isolates forming strong and intermediate biofilm and non-biofilms producer were subcultured from archive isolates. ATCC 27853 P. aeruginosa was used as a negative control or non-biofilm producing microorganism. Biofilm formation was confirmed by Crystal Violet Assay (CVA) and Congo Red Agar (CRA). Metabolic profiles of the biofilm and non-biofilms isolates were determined by phenotype microarrays (Biolog Omnilog).

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: In this study, Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm isolates utilized uridine, L-threonine and L-serine while non-biofilm utilized adenosine, inosine, monomethyl, sorbic acid and succinamic acid.

    CONCLUSION: The outcome of this result will be used for future studies to improve detection or inhibit the growth of P. aeruginosa biofilm and non-biofilm respectively.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pseudomonas aeruginosa/isolation & purification
  14. Lau TTV, Tan JMA, Puthucheary SD, Puah SM, Chua KH
    Braz J Microbiol, 2020 Sep;51(3):909-918.
    PMID: 32067209 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-020-00239-8
    Aeromonas dhakensis is an emergent human pathogen with medical importance. This study was aimed to determine the sequence types (STs), genetic diversity, and phylogenetic relationships of different clinical sources of 47 A. dhakensis from Malaysia using multilocus sequence typing (MLST), goeBURST, and phylogenetic analyses. The analysis of a concatenated six-gene tree with a nucleotide length of 2994 bp based on six housekeeping genes (gyrB, groL, gltA, metG, ppsA, and recA) and independent analyses of single gene fragments was performed. MLST was able to group 47 A. dhakensis from our collection into 36 STs in which 34 STs are novel STs. The most abundant ST521 consisted of five strains from peritoneal fluid and two strains from stools. Comparison of 62 global A. dhakensis was carried out via goeBURST; 94.4% (34/36) of the identified STs are novel and unique in Malaysia. Two STs (111 and 541) were grouped into clonal complexes among our strains and 32 STs occurred as singletons. Single-gene phylogenetic trees showed varying topologies; groL and rpoD grouped all A. dhakensis into a tight-cluster with bootstrap values of 100% and 99%, respectively. A poor phylogenetic resolution encountered in single-gene analyses was buffered by the multilocus phylogenetic tree that offered high discriminatory power (bootstrap value = 100%) in resolving all A. dhakensis from A. hydrophila and delineating the relationship among other taxa. Genetic diversity analysis showed groL as the most conserved gene and ppsA as the most variable gene. This study revealed novel STs and high genetic diversity among clinical A. dhakensis from Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Aeromonas/isolation & purification
  15. Ishak N, Abdul Wahab Z, Amin Nordin S, Ibrahim R
    Malays J Pathol, 2020 Aug;42(2):245-252.
    PMID: 32860377
    INTRODUCTION: The susceptibility patterns of anaerobes are becoming less predictable due to the emergence of anaerobic resistance trends to antibiotics; hence increasing the importance of the isolation and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of anaerobes.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study investigated the isolation of anaerobes from the clinical specimens of Hospital Sungai Buloh, Malaysia, from January 2015 to December 2015. All isolates were identified using the API 20A system (bioMérieux, France). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the E-test (bioMérieux, France).

    RESULTS: The proportion of obligate anaerobes isolated from the clinical specimens was 0.83%. The Gram-positive anaerobes were most susceptible to vancomycin and imipenem, showing 100% sensitivity to these antimicrobials, followed by clindamycin (86.3%), penicillin (76.7%), and metronidazole (48.9%). Meanwhile, Gram-negative anaerobes were most susceptible to metronidazole (96%) followed by imipenem (89%), clindamycin (79%), and ampicillin (32%). The present study also showed that 3 out of 12 Bacteroides fragilis isolates were resistant to imipenem.

    CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the differences in the susceptibility patterns of anaerobes towards commonly used antimicrobials for the treatment of anaerobic infections. In summary, continuous monitoring of antimicrobial resistance trends among anaerobes is needed to ensure the appropriateness of treatment.

    Matched MeSH terms: Bacteroides fragilis/isolation & purification
  16. Chowdhury TS, Naser MF, Haque M
    Int J Mycobacteriol, 2020 8 31;9(3):248-253.
    PMID: 32862156 DOI: 10.4103/ijmy.ijmy_101_20
    Urinary bladder tuberculosis (UB-TB) is one of the gravest public health issues of renal TB, and it is diagnosed with <50% of urogenital TB. Unsatisfactory and delayed diagnosis with imprudent medications for bladder TB frequently resulted in several urinary and complications, including contraction of the UB. The objectives of this research were to build awareness among medical professionals and subsequently minimize the sufferings of patients. This was a case report-based study regarding UB-TB. All routine tests for cystitis were conducted. In addition, 24-h urine sample for TB identification, including a polymerase chain reaction test, was performed. Twenty-four hours of urine sample revealed confirmatory findings of TB. The patient had responded well with the national TB guideline-designated medication. Recurrent cystitis had a higher possibility of tuberculous origin. Medical doctors must rethink when a patient visited multiple times for cystitis for the etiology of the disease.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mycobacterium tuberculosis/isolation & purification
  17. Swathirajan CR, Vignesh R, Boobalan J, Solomon SS, Saravanan S, Balakrishnan P
    J Med Microbiol, 2017 Oct;66(10):1379-1382.
    PMID: 28901908 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000514
    BACKGROUND: Sustainable suppression of HIV replication forms the basis of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) medication. Thus, reliable quantification of HIV viral load has become an essential factor to monitor the effectiveness of the ART. Longer turnaround-time (TAT), batch testing and technical skills are major drawbacks of standard real-time PCR assays.

    METHODS: The performance of the point-of-care Xpert HIV-1 viral load assay was evaluated against the Abbott RealTime PCR m2000rt system. A total of 96 plasma specimens ranging from 2.5 log10 copies ml-1 to 4.99 log10 copies ml-1 and proficiency testing panel specimens were used. Precision and accuracy were checked using the Pearson correlation co-efficient test and Bland-Altman analysis.

    RESULTS: Compared to the Abbott RealTime PCR, the Xpert HIV-1 viral load assay showed a good correlation (Pearson r=0.81; P<0.0001) with a mean difference of 0.27 log10 copies ml-1 (95 % CI, -0.41 to 0.96 log10 copies ml-1; sd, 0.35 log10 copies ml-1).

    CONCLUSION: Reliable and ease of testing individual specimens could make the Xpert HIV-1 viral load assay an efficient alternative method for ART monitoring in clinical management of HIV disease in resource-limited settings. The rapid test results (less than 2 h) could help in making an immediate clinical decision, which further strengthens patient care.

    Matched MeSH terms: HIV-1/isolation & purification*
  18. Puah SM, Khor WC, Kee BP, Tan JAMA, Puthucheary SD, Chua KH
    J Med Microbiol, 2018 Sep;67(9):1271-1278.
    PMID: 30024365 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000796
    PURPOSE: The taxonomy of Aeromonas keeps expanding and their identification remains problematic due to their phenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity. In this study, we aimed to develop a rapid and reliable polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay targeting the rpoD gene to enable the differentiation of aeromonads into 27 distinct species using microfluidic capillary electrophoresis.

    METHODOLOGY: A pair of degenerate primers (Aero F: 5'-YGARATCGAYATCGCCAARCGB-3' and Aero R: 5'-GRCCDATGCTCATRCGRCGGTT-3') was designed that amplified the rpoD gene of 27 Aeromonas species. Subsequently, in silico analysis enabled the differentiation of 25 species using the single restriction endonuclease AluI, while 2 species, A. sanarelli and A. taiwanensis, required an additional restriction endonuclease, HpyCH4IV. Twelve type strains (A. hydrophila ATCC7966T, A. caviae ATCC15468T, A. veronii ATCC9071T, A. media DSM4881T, A. allosaccharophila DSM11576T, A. dhakensis DSM17689T, A. enteropelogens DSM7312T, A. jandaei DSM7311T, A. rivuli DSM22539T, A. salmonicida ATCC33658T, A. taiwanensis DSM24096T and A. sanarelli DSM24094T) were randomly selected from the 27 Aeromonas species for experimental validation.Results/key findings. The twelve type strains demonstrated distinctive RFLP patterns and supported the in silico digestion. Subsequently, 60 clinical and environmental strains from our collection, comprising nine Aeromonas species, were used for screening examinations, and the results were in agreement.

    CONCLUSION: This method provides an alternative method for laboratory identification, surveillance and epidemiological investigations of clinical and environmental specimens.

    Matched MeSH terms: Aeromonas/isolation & purification
  19. Chong PP, Chieng DC, Low LY, Hafeez A, Shamsudin MN, Seow HF, et al.
    J Med Microbiol, 2006 Apr;55(Pt 4):423-428.
    PMID: 16533990 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.46045-0
    The incidence of candidaemia among immunocompromised patients in Malaysia is increasing at an alarming rate. Isolation of clinical strains that are resistant to fluconazole has also risen markedly. We report here the repeated isolation of Candida tropicalis from the blood of a neonatal patient with Hirschsprung's disease. In vitro fluconazole susceptibility tests of the eight isolates obtained at different time points showed that seven of the isolates were resistant and one isolate was scored as susceptible dose-dependent. Random amplification of polymorphic DNA fingerprinting of the isolates using three primers and subsequent phylogenetic analysis revealed that these isolates were highly similar strains having minor genetic divergence, with a mean pairwise similarity coefficient of 0.893+/-0.041. The source of the infectious agent was thought to be the central venous catheter, as culture of its tip produced fluconazole-resistant C. tropicalis. This study demonstrates the utility of applying molecular epidemiology techniques to complement traditional mycological culture and drug susceptibility tests for accurate and appropriate management of recurrent candidaemia and highlights the need for newer antifungals that can combat the emergence of fluconazole-resistant C. tropicalis strains.
    Matched MeSH terms: Candida tropicalis/isolation & purification
  20. Raja NS, Karunakaran R, Ngeow YF, Awang R
    J Med Microbiol, 2005 Sep;54(Pt 9):901-903.
    PMID: 16091445 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.46169-0
    Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are formidable organisms renowned for their ability to cause infections with limited treatment options and their potential for transferring resistance genes to other Gram-positive bacteria. Usually associated with nosocomial infections, VRE are rarely reported as a cause of community-acquired infection. Presented here is a case of community-acquired infection due to vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. The patient had been applying herbal leaves topically to his cheek to treat a buccal space abscess, resulting in a burn of the overlying skin. From pus aspirated via the skin a pure culture of E. faecium was grown that was resistant to vancomycin with a MIC of >256 microg ml-1 by the E test and resistant to teicoplanin by disc diffusion, consistent with the VanA phenotype. The organism was suspected of contaminating the leaf and infecting the patient via the burnt skin. This case highlights the need for further studies on the community prevalence of VRE among humans and animals to define unrecognized silent reservoirs for VRE, which may pose a threat to public health.
    Matched MeSH terms: Enterococcus faecium/isolation & purification*
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