Sensitive detection of Pneumocystis jirovecii DNA in gastric wash using nested polymerase chain reaction.

One hundred and five samples of gastric washes were obtained from 52 pediatric patients. Eleven of the 105 samples (10%) gave positive results using immunofluorescence antibody test (IFA) for Pneumocystis jirovecii. Single-step polymerase chain reaction (PCR) produced 13% (14 samples), whereas detection by nested PCR was increased to 65 samples (62%). Moderate agreement (kappa = 0.5) was found between test results of IFA and single-step PCR, but no agreement was found between the results of IFA and nested PCR (kappa = 0.1).

A laboratory comparison of immunofluorescent assay and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods for detection of pneumocystis jirovecii in bronchoalveolar lavage.

Pneumocystis jirovecii is one of the most common causative agents of Pneumocystis pneumonia in immunocompromised patients. Because of problems in the laboratory diagnosis, the majority of cases are diagnosed by medical response. In this study, an evaluation of the detection techniques for Pneumocystis jirovecii in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed. Immunofluorescent assay (IFA), simple-polymerase chain reaction (simple PCR) and nested-polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) methods were compared. This study was carried on sixty samples of BAL, from patients sent to the Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, were included in the study. Twenty-three of the samples (38.3%) were found to be positive by IFA. Twenty-five of them (41.6%) were found to be positive by PCR; and 56 of them (93.3%) were found to be positive by nested PCR. As a result, the simple and nested PCR, which are rapid and reliable diagnostic tests, can be used for the screening detection of this organism.

Alveolar echinococcosis : An unusual liver mass in a Thai Patient.

We report herein the case of a 40-year-old Thai woman who developed a hepatic tumor like lesion suspected to be cholangiocarcinoma. The patient underwent hepatic surgery and the heptatic mass was sent for a histopathological examination. The gross section of the hepatic mass demonstrated alveolar echinococcosis, which showed the specfic rostellar hooks of Echinococcus multilocularis metacestodes. As our patient had been record, it was highly likely that this alveolar echinococcosis had been contacted foreign country. The laboratory tests showed no eosinophilia. After surgery, the patient was treated with albendazole which led to improvement of went of the disease. To our knowledge this is the first described case of alveolar echinococcosis (AE), as the diagnosis of this disease is usually found in the to chronic phase. This study also reviewed comparative echinococcosis and previously reported cases in Thailand. The alveolar echinococcosis is outlined with respect to this helminthic infection a long with recent contributions in areas of parasitology, pathology, diagnosis and transmission.

The effectiveness of using computer assisted instruction (CI) to support self-studying of the third year medical students taking the medical platyhelminthes course, faculty of medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University.

The effectiveness of using computer assisted instruction (CAI) to support self-studying of the third year Medical students taking the Medical Platyhelminthes course, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University Self study is an essential tool for undergaduate medical students. The current system of medical education is under debate since student interest seems to be decreasing. To investigate this situation we performed an evaluation of the self-study lessons part of the Medical Platyhelminthes course for undergraduate in Medical Parasitology that used computer assisted instruction (CAI) compared with those lessons that used conventional paper documents. A total of 60 medical students from year 3 were divided into 2 groups. The experimental group had 30 medical students who used the multimedia program, and the control group ha 30 who used conventional paper document lessons; both types of lessons had the same content. At he end of the course, the level of knowledge acquisition for the 2 groups was evaluated by a multiple choice test. The results showed that the computer assisted instruction was effective. Study with the computer assisted instruction lesson increased learning efficiency statistically significantly at the level of 0.05 significance. A comparison of the learning efficiency was made between the 2 groups and it was found that there was no statistically significant difference at the level of 0.05 significance.

Human mammomonogamus laryngeus infection (syngamosis): The second case report in Thailand.

A case of bronchial infection with Mammomonogamus laryngeus in a 17-year-old man in Central Thailand is described. Following presentation with chronic unproductive cough, haemoptysis and weight loss, two pairs of worms were expelled. Treatment with albendazole resulted in resolution of the symptoms. Some aspects of Mammomonogamus laryngeus infection related to human parasitism, diagnosyic and the approach, treatment, and prophylaxis are also discussed.