Serological survey of Leptospirosis in high-risk rangers and wild animals from ex-situ captive centers

@#Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira that infect both human and animals. This study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of leptospirosis among rangers and wild animals in two ex-situ captive centers, Bukit Merah Orangutan Island (BMOUI) and Taiping Zoo, Perak and to identify the risk factors responsible for the leptospiral seropositivity. Blood samples from rangers and animals of BMOUI and Taiping Zoo were taken to determine the presence of antibodies against Leptospira through microscopic agglutination test (MAT) using 21 serovars of Leptospira commonly found in Malaysia as antigens. Structured surveys in identifying risk factors were given to each ranger from both study sites. It was observed that Rattus exulans (1/10) (10.0%), Rattus rattus (1/5) (20.0%), Niniventer fulvescens (1/1) (100.0%), Callosciurus notatus (0/6) (0.0%), Tupaia tana (1/1) (100.0%), Pongo pygmaeus (5/10) (50.0%) and BMOUI rangers (8/18) (44.4%) were positive for leptospiral antibodies. Samples obtained from Taiping Zoo also revealed the presence of leptospiral antibodies in R. rattus (0/19) (0.0%), R. exulans (1/2) (50.0%) and rangers (2/5) (40.0%). Among the positive cases, most human and animal samples from both study sites reacted with serovar Lepto 175. Our surveys indicated no significant associations between seroprevalence of leptospiral antibodies with rangers’ age (p = 0.82), sex (p = 0.85), ethnicity (p = 0.65), educational level (p = 0.88) and working experience (p = 0.82). In terms of risk factors, no significant associations between seroprevalence of leptospiral antibodies with knowledge on leptospirosis (p = 0.82), working hours (p = 0.53), smoking (p = 0.85), crossing rivers/pools/stagnant water while working (p = 0.90) and wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE) (p = 0.73). This study provides epidemiological data on leptospirosis in rangers and animals from BMOUI and Taiping Zoo which is of paramount importance for improving strategies in prevention of the disease.

Evaluation of urine co-agglutination versus widal as a rapid sereening test for diagnosis of typhoid fever

Detection of salmonella typhi specific antigens in urine by a slide Co-agglutination test using monoclonal salmonella typhi specific antibodies [09, Hd, Vi] was evaluated as a rapid screening test for typhoid fever in comparison to the Widal agglutination test. Out of 460 clinically diagnosed early typhoid fever cases, blood culture was positive for Salmonella typhi in 276 cases [60%]. The urine slide Co-agglutination test was positive in 253 cases [91. 66%] of blood culture proven cases. It was uniformly negative with urine samples from the control group which included 200 healthy individuals, 50 patients with febrile non typhoid infectious diseases and 50 febrile patients with non infectious diseases. The test was highly specific [100%], sensitive [91. 61%] and with a positive predictive value of 100%. As regards Widal test it was found that among the 276 blood culture positive cases 61 [22%], 72 [26%] and 82 [30%] had an [O], [H] or combined [O], [H] agglutinin respectively of titre level equal or more than 200, as compared to only 33 [33%] of the both febrile control group and 5 [2.5%] of the normal control group. The high specificity [87.33%] sensitivity [77.9%] and positive predictive value [84.98%] confirmed the value of the Widal test as an acceptable and diagnostic tool in typhoid fever. However Co-agglutination test with urine offers a simple, rapid, sensitive, specific and economical method for the diagnosis of typhoid fever within the first two weeks, in endemic areas like Egypt

Possible relationship betwssn diabetes and hepatitis virus C infection

The prevalence of hepatitis [C] virus antibodies [HCV antibodies] was determined on sera obtained from seventy five diabetic patients attending the out patient Diabetic Clinic at the Main Alexandria University Hospital [25 with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus-IDDM-and 50 with non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus- NIDDM-] Along with 18 age and sex matched healthy control subjects. Second generation enzyme immunoassay [ELISA-2] screening test and recombinant immunoblot assay [RIBA-2] as confirmatory test were utilized [Orthodiagnostics]. The 25 IDDM patients [12 females and 13 males] were on insulin therapy. Their age was 18-28 years, and the main duration of diabetes was 40 months. Nine age and sex matched healthy volunteers were studied as controls. The HCV prevalence was found to be non significantly different between both groups [8% VS 11.1% NS]. The included 50 NIDDM patients [28 females, 22 males] were on diet or oral hypoglycaemics, none had received insulin therapy. Their age range between 32-35 years and the mean duration of diabetes was 18 months. Nine age and sex matched controls were also studied. HCV antibodies were found to be equally frequent in both groups [11.1%]. The possible risk factors for acquisition of HCV viz age, sex, duration of disease, history of schistosomiasis, jaundice, blood transfusion, dental or surgical manipulations were studied using a multivariate analysis. Only schistosomiasis was found to be significantly associated with HCV infection among the NIDDM patients [O.R. = 6.8]. We can conclude that there is no significant association between IDDM or NIDDM and increased risk of seropositivity for HCV antibodies