Comparing lethal dose of povidone-iodine and virkon® to the acanthamoeba cyst: In vitro study.

Objective: To compare the least concentration of Povidone-iodine and Virkon®, phenolic-based compound with accelerated hydrogen peroxide and potassium peroxymonosulfate, which can cause a lethal effect to the cyst form of the Acanthamoeba spp. Methods: Acanthamoeba spp. was isolated from the keratitis patient and was cultured using amonoxenic medium supplement with heat killed Escherichia coli and incubated for up to seven days for the production of mature cysts. Acanthamoeba cysts on the culture plates were mixed with several dilutions of Povidone-iodine to compare to several dilutions of Virkon®. After incubation for 1 hour, they were washed and centrifuged to remove the chemical supernatant. The pellets of the mature cyst were viewed by a light microscope for seven days, and further recultured on the monoxenic medium to confirm that the cysts were all died (cysticidal) for seven days. Results: Povidone-iodine 0.04% and Virkon® 0.25% solutions were the least concentrations which could cause a lethal effect to the Acanthamoeba cyst. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that both the Povidone-iodine and Virkon® showed antiamoebic activity. The further study should be done to determine whether Povidone-iodine and Virkon® can be used as a disinfecting solution for contact len cases.

Prevalence of parasitic infections in Thai workers from 1993 to 1997.

Study on the prevalence of parasitic infections in Thai laborers who applied for working abroad was carried out during 5 years. The total number of 78,240 stool specimens was obtained and examined by simple smear and iodine. It was found that the prevalence of parasitic infections from 1993 to 1997 was 12.15%, 13.13%, 12.57%, 4.62% and 5.76% respectively. The five most frequently parasites found in stool were Blastocystis hominis, hookworms, Giardia lamblia, Strongyloides stercoralis and Opisthorchis viverrini. Such findings were similar to previous reports, but in lower percentages. Thus, continuity of public health education and sanitation improvement should be concerned for prevention and control of parasitic infections.

Myiasis of the maxillary sinus caused by cochliomyia macellaria larvae and review of literature.

A case of myiasis of the maxillary sinus caused by Cochliomyia macellaria was reported in a seventy-four-year old Thai woman. She had a history of enucleation of her left eye because of endophthalmitis due to chronic maxillary sinusitis. She presented with painful facial swelling and purulent nasal discharge and was admitted. The patient was treated successfully with parenteral antibiotics to control associated bacterial infection, and Caldwell-Luc operation with removal of the maggots and antrostomy. Chronic sinusitis was considered to be a contributing factor to the myiasis of the paranasal sinus in the patient. Previously reported cases in Thailand are reviewed.

The comparative effectiveness of metronidazole, furazolidone and cotrimoxazole in blastocystis hominis infectiont.

A study of the treatment of symptomatic Blastocystis hominis infection was carried out in order to compare the efficacy of the use of metronidazole, furazolidone and cotrimoxazole. Fifty-eight subjects were enrolled in this and were placed in three groups at random. The cure rates of the patients who received metronidazole on days, 7, 14 and 30 after treatment were 68.4, 68.4 and 73.7 percent respectively. The cure rates of the furazolidone treatment group on days, 7, 14 and 30 after treatment were 45.0, 70.0 and 85.0 percent respectively. The cure rates for cotrimoxazole on days, 7, 14 and 30 after treatment were 57.9, 84.2 and 78.9 percent respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in the efficacy of these drugs.

Subdermal myiasis caused by maggots of chrysomyia bezziana.

Subdermal myasis due to the maggots of Chrysomyia Bezziana was reports from an Eastern province of Thailand namely Srakeaw. The patient was a 41 year old Thai female farmer whom underwent total thyroidectomy following the diagnosis of thyroid cancer about seven years ago. The tracheostomy was again adult female C. Bezziana deposited the eggs onto the rim of tracheostomy would about one week before the patient had severe pain. Myiasis due to C. Bezziana had previously been reported from the Southern provinces namely Trang, Yala and Satun. The present report was a case from another location and confirmed the exisyence of the fly in Thailand.

Prevelence of intestinal parasitic infection in children and monks in Bangkok, saraburi and nakhon pathom.

From 1983 to 1986, the authors surveyed for intestinal parasites in four groups of people. In the first group of 474 elementary school children in Bangkok aged 6-15 years, parasites were found in31.2 percent of the specimens examined, the highest prevalence of helminthes being hookworm and Ascaris lumbricoides, i.e. 9.2 and 7.5 percent, respectively; in the second group of 202 monks in Bangkok aged 10-77 years, intestinal parasites were observed in 19.8 percent of the cases, the findings bring hookworm (20.8%) and Strongyloides stercoralis (14.6%); in the third group of 308 monks in Saraburi province aged 10-67 years, intestinal parasites were detected in 60.4 percent of the cases, the finding being hookworm (36.5%) and Opisthorchis viverrini (36.1%); and in the fourth group of 459 monks in Nakorn Pathom province aged 13-35 years, intestinal parasites were found in 53.6 percent of the cases, the finding being Opisthorchis viverrini (32.7%) and hookworm (28.1%) in the firsts group; and Blastocystis hominis (22.9%, 6.9% and 10.6%); Entamoeba coli (12.5%, 6.2% and 8.0%) in the second, third and fourth groups, respectively.