ABSTRACT
Blastocystis hominis is a common parasitic protozoa in human and animal intestines; however, its pathogenicity remains controversial. Construction of animal models is of great significance to investigate the pathogenicity, pathogenic mechanisms and drug screening of B. hominis. Experimental animals, mode of infections, parasite strains and host immune status are important factors affecting the successful modeling of B. hominis infections in animals. Hereby, we review the progress of researches on animal models of B. hominis infections, and summarize the influencing factors and application of animal models of B. hominis infections, in order to provides insights into the selection of animals models of B. hominis infections.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To investigate the HCV genotypes distribution of 107 HIV/HCV co-infection individuals in Hunan province.@*Methods@#HCV antibodies positive plasma samples were collected from HIV-1 antibodies positive plasma bank in Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention and carried out the nucleic acid amplification, the PCR products were used for the HCV genotypes analysis.@*Results@#For 107 samples, 77.5%(83/107) were from intravenous drug users and 25.2%(27/107) were underwent spontaneous clearance of HCV. The HCV genotypes distribution varied greatly in different routes of HIV infection. The non-1/non-2 types exceeded 70% in intravenous drug use and unknown route of transmitted infection populations, while the types 1 and 2 mainly occurred in blood transfusion or aphaeresis plasma populations, accounted for 83.3%. There was no statistical significant differences of immune and liver function among the three groups.@*Conclusions@#Among 107 HIV/HCV co-infection individuals in Hunan province, most of them were intravenous drug users and the distribution of HCV genotypes varied greatly in different routes of HIV infection.
ABSTRACT
Melioidosis is a severe and fatal infectious disease in the tropics and subtropics. It presents as a febrile illness with protean manifestation ranging from chronic localized infection to acute fulminant septicemia with dissemination of infection to multiple organs characterized by abscesses. Pneumonia is the most common clinical presentation. Because of the wide range of clinical presentations, physicians may often misdiagnose and mistreat the disease for tuberculosis, pneumonia or other pyogenic infections. The purpose of this paper is to present common pitfalls in diagnosis and provide optimal approaches to enable early diagnosis and prompt treatment of melioidosis. Melioidosis may occur beyond the boundaries of endemic areas. There is no pathognomonic feature specific to a diagnosis of melioidosis. In endemic areas, physicians need to expand the diagnostic work-up to include melioidosis when confronted with clinical scenarios of pyrexia of unknown origin, progressive pneumonia or sepsis. Radiological imaging is an integral part of the diagnostic workup. Knowledge of the modes of transmission and risk factors will add support in clinically suspected cases to initiate therapy. In situations of clinically highly probable or possible cases where laboratory bacteriological confirmation is not possible, applying evidence-based criteria and empirical treatment with antimicrobials is recommended. It is of prime importance that patients undergo the full course of antimicrobial therapy to avoid relapse and recurrence. Early diagnosis and appropriate management is crucial in reducing serious complications leading to high mortality, and in preventing recurrences of the disease. Thus, there is a crucial need for promoting awareness among physicians at all levels and for improved diagnostic microbiology services. Further, the need for making the disease notifiable and/or initiating melioidosis registries in endemic countries appears to be compelling.
ABSTRACT
Melioidosis is a severe and fatal infectious disease in the tropics and subtropics. It presents as a febrile illness with protean manifestation ranging from chronic localized infection to acute fulminant septicemia with dissemination of infection to multiple organs characterized by abscesses. Pneumonia is the most common clinical presentation. Because of the wide range of clinical presentations, physicians may often misdiagnose and mistreat the disease for tuberculosis, pneumonia or other pyogenic infections. The purpose of this paper is to present common pitfalls in diagnosis and provide optimal approaches to enable early diagnosis and prompt treatment of melioidosis. Melioidosis may occur beyond the boundaries of endemic areas. There is no pathognomonic feature specific to a diagnosis of melioidosis. In endemic areas, physicians need to expand the diagnostic work-up to include melioidosis when confronted with clinical scenarios of pyrexia of unknown origin, progressive pneumonia or sepsis. Radiological imaging is an integral part of the diagnostic workup. Knowledge of the modes of transmission and risk factors will add support in clinically suspected cases to initiate therapy. In situations of clinically highly probable or possible cases where laboratory bacteriological confirmation is not possible, applying evidence-based criteria and empirical treatment with antimicrobials is recommended. It is of prime importance that patients undergo the full course of antimicrobial therapy to avoid relapse and recurrence. Early diagnosis and appropriate management is crucial in reducing serious complications leading to high mortality, and in preventing recurrences of the disease. Thus, there is a crucial need for promoting awareness among physicians at all levels and for improved diagnostic microbiology services. Further, the need for making the disease notifiable and/or initiating melioidosis registries in endemic countries appears to be compelling.
ABSTRACT
Intracranial aspergillosis is rare and often fatal, and the brain is the third most frequent origine involved, precede by the lung and the gastrointestinal tract. Two routes of infection are considered important for infection of the central nervous system with aspergillus ; direct spread of infection, mostly within the paranasal sinuses, or hematogenous spread, usually originated from the lung. Paranasal sinus mucocele is a chronic expanding lesion lined by sinus mucosa and containing thickened mucus. Complication arise as a result of infection or expansion of mucoceles. Mucoceles that invade adjacent area, such as the orbits or anterior cranial fossa, can cause complication by a mass effect. The authors report their surgical experience of intracranial aspergillus abscess combined with large frontal mucopycele.