simple and rapid method for the detection of HIV-1/HCV in co-infected patients

Due to some limitations of serological methods in diagnosis of patients infected with HIV-1 [human immunodeficiency virus] and HCV [hepatitis C virus], it is profoundly important to use molecular methods for the detecting of these infectious agents. However, the most significant problems are the exorbitant cost of these methods and the need of a thermocycler which is an expensive instrument. The current research recruits a multiplex nucleic acid sequence base amplification [NASBA] in order to simultaneously detect HIV-1 and HCV genomes in patients' plasma samples. Sensitivity and specificity of this method have been evaluated using clinical samples. A multiplex NASBA assay for simultaneous detection of HCV and HIV-1 by the use of specific primers were designed and validated. A well-conserved region in the HIV-1 pol gene and 5'-NCR of HCV genome were used. A total of 40 samples of HIV-1 [20 samples] and HCV [20 samples] were used in the NASBA assay. The specificity and sensitivity of the assay were evaluated. Our results have demonstrated that the primers used in the assay had no interrelation with each other and other possible interfering agents in the assay. The analytical sensitivity of the assay for both HIV-1 and HCV was determined to be 1000 copies/mL and the clinical sensitivity and specificity were 93.3% and 100%, respectively. By exploiting this multiplex NASBA assay, it is possible to detect HIV-1 and HCV infection/co-infection in patients' plasma with a suitable sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, due to its simplicity and multiplexing feature, it could be used in limited access laboratories in a cost-effective manner.

Antibiotic resistance patterns and genetic analysis of klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from the respiratory tract

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a pathogenic bacterium causing nosocomial infections in particular severe respiratory tract infections. Little information is available on the antibiotic susceptibility of pulmonary isolates of Klebsiella spp. The aims of this study were to determine the antibiotic resistance patterns and prevalence of extended-spectrum Beta-lactamase [ESBLs] producing Kleb. Among the respiratory isolates and to detect the possible clonal outbreaks associated with them. The respiratory isolates of K. pneumoniae [n=33] received from two Tehran hospitals during 2002-2005 were evaluated. Disk diffusion was used to determine the susceptibility of isolates to 14 antibiotics. Phenotypic confirmatory and double disk synergy methods were used to detect extended spectrum ?-lactamase producing isolates [ESBLs]. Respiratory isolates were then analyzed by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis [MLEE]. ESBL phenotype was detected in 75.75% of the isolates. The most effective antibiotic was imipenem followed by tazobactam/piperacillin. MLEE analysis revealed 13 electrophoretic types [ETs]. The locus leucine-tyrosine peptidase showed the highest genetic diversity [0.733]. These 33 respiratory isolates consisted of 16.5% Klebsiella pneumoniae. This rate is lower than the neighboring country, Turkey [35%]. However, ESBL-producing strains belonging to different genetic lineages are serious concerns at Tehran hospitals. Carbapenem is still considered one of the most effective antibiotics against multi-drug resistant isolates