The Use of Rap-Pcr in Studying Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Intracellular Gene During Macrophage Infection

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the second leading cause of death from infectious agent. This study sought to detect M. tuberculosis genes; which were specifically expressed; or upregulated during intracellular infection of J774 murine macrophages; as such genes may be potential targets for novel drug action. J774 murine macrophage cell line was infected with M. tuberculosis (H37Rv strain) at 10:1 multiplicity of infection (MOI). RNA was differentially extracted from M. tuberculosis infecting J774 macrophage cell line. The control in this case was RNA from extracellular broth grown bacteria. Approximately 50 ng of RNA from intracellular derived bacteria and extracellular derived bacteria (control) were subjected to random arbitrarily primed PCR (RAP-PCR) using 50 primer combinations. Eleven differential RAP-PCR products were observed. All RAP-PCR products were cloned into pCRr2.1 and sequenced in order to determine the identity of the products. Four of the eleven products were derived from macrophage genes and another 4 products were derived from the M. tuberculosis rRNA genes (three 23S and one 16S rRNA). The 3 remaining RAP-PCR products were found to be mycobacterial genes other than ribosomal genes. The three products were genes encoding enzyme involving in a shikimate pathway; a putative carboxyphosphonoenolpyruvate phosphonomutase and a serine protease with homology to HtrA. Of the 3 mycobacterial genes other than ribosomal genes detected; none were specifically expressed during intracellular infection but bacilli

Une nouvelle approche therapeutique dans le traitement des ulceres de buruli

l'ulcere de Buruli est une affection due au mycobacterium ulcerans qui entraine une importante destruction de la peau. Le traitement chirurgical consiste en de larges excisions suivies de greffes de peau mince. actuellement les pansements a l'acide acetique a 2 pour cent que les auteurs ont experimentes sur 17 malades permettraient d'eviter les excisions larges donc d'economiser de la peau pour ne se limiter qu'a la seule greffe cutanee lorsque l'ulcere ne cicatrise pas de lui-meme

Control and management of Buruli ulcer disease

A total of 460 cases of Buruli ulcer disease in various stages of development have so far been identified from 11 of the 18 districts of Ashanti Region; Ghana. This paper describes experiences gained in the control and management of the disease and mentions some lessions for the control and management of other chronic communicable diseases in developing countries. It suggests that owing to the low socio-economic status of the people usually affected; services should be provided free of charge and near to where they live. The paper notes that the management and control of Buruli ulcer is difficult and frustrating and requires a team of dedicated health workers to sustain it

Mycobacterium ulcerans infection (Buruli ulcer) in Ga district of Greater Accra region

A study of 22 subjects affected by Mycobacterium ulcerans (Buruli ulcer) in the Ga District of Greater Accra Region of Ghana; bordering the rivers Densu and Nsaki; is presented. Of these subjects 68.2 per cent were less than 15 years of age with a male to femal ratio of 1.8:1 and 63.6 per cent were either pre-school or school children. 72.7 per cent of the subjects were first affected before the age of 10 years. The distribution of the skin lesions involved the exposed skin areas in 86.4 per cent of cases and contact cases were identified in 50 per cent of the subjects. A complication of squamous cell carcinoma was observed in one subject. The possible modes of transmission are discussed

Korle-Bu Paediatric surgical experience of Buruli ulcer

Buruli ulcer is a chronic skin ulcer caused by the organism Mycobacterium ulcerans. In the paediatric surgical practice at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital; 15 patients with confirmed Buruli ulcers aged from 3 to 10 years were seen and treated over the period 1989-1991. Diagnosis was by biopsy which was positive in all cases in which it was done. Surgery by wide excision was the mainstay of treatment. Skin grafting was done in 3 cases. Length of hospital stay was in excess of 2 months. There were no deaths in the group presented; however; residual deformity occurred in all cases. The experience of these cases is presented here with a review of the literature

Absence of Mycobacterium avium complex disease in patients with AIDS in Uganda

The absence of disease due to Mycobacterium avium in Ugandan patients with AIDS; which we previously observed in a blood culture study; has been confirmed and our observations have been extended to 165 additional clinical isolates. Fourteen soil and water samples from the Ugandan environment have been cultured and revealed a high frequency of isolation of M. avium. The absence of M. avium complex disease in Uganda remains unexplained

Absence of bacteremia with Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare in Ugandan patients with AIDS

Disseminated infection with Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare is the most common systemic bacterial infection in American patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Blood cultures for mycobacteria were obtained from 50 severely ill Ugandan patients fulfilling the World Health Organization criteria for AIDS and considered late in the course of their illness; 98pc had antibody to HIV by ELISA. All blood cultures were negative. These data suggest that disseminated infection with M. avium-intracellulare is infrequent in Ugandan patients with AIDS; if it occurs at all