Clinical guidelines for diagnosis of hematuria

Hematuria is a common condition caused by various factors, including infections, inflammations, stone diseases, and anatomical abnormalities. While hematuria can be mistaken for other conditions, its significance should not be overlooked, as studies have shown that some patients with hematuria are diagnosed with urological cancers.Current Concepts: Experts agree on the need for specific diagnostic tests such as cystoscopy, upper urinary tract imaging, and urine cytology for visible hematuria. However, opinions differ when it comes to microscopic hematuria. Delays in diagnosing bladder cancer can significantly impact mortality rates. Therefore, objective diagnostic criteria, as well as guidelines to reduce excessive evaluations, costs, and side effects, are required. As of 2020, the American Urological Association has released new guidelines for the diagnosis and management of microscopic hematuria, that focus on assessing the risk of urological malignancies in individual patients and recommend tailored evaluations based on risk levels. This article provides an overview of these guidelines, discussing diagnostic criteria, initial evaluations, risk stratification, and recommended evaluations of the urinary tract.Discussion and Conclusion: Guidelines on hematuria aim to reduce unnecessary invasive procedures, provide appropriate follow-up strategies to patients with persistent or recurrent microscopic hematuria, and improve patient outcomes while minimizing unnecessary tests and procedures.

Isolation and characterization of avian metapneumovirus from chickens in Korea

Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) causes upper respiratory tract infections in chickens and turkeys. Although the swollen head syndrome (SHS) associated with aMPV in chickens has been reported in Korea since 1992, this is the study isolating aMPV from chickens in this country. We examined 780 oropharyngeal swab or nasal turbinate samples collected from 130 chicken flocks to investigate the prevalence of aMPV and to isolate aMPV from chickens from 2004-2008. Twelve aMPV subtype A and 13 subtype B strains were detected from clinical samples by the aMPV subtype A and B multiplex real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR). Partial sequence analysis of the G glycoprotein gene confirmed that the detected aMPVs belonged to subtypes A and B. Two aMPVs subtype A out of the 25 detected aMPVs were isolated by Vero cell passage. In animal experiments with an aMPV isolate, viral RNA was detected in nasal discharge, although no clinical signs of SHS were observed in chickens. In contrast to chickens, turkeys showed severe nasal discharge and a relatively higher titer of viral excretion than chickens. Here, we reveal the co-circulation of aMPV subtypes A and B, and isolate aMPVs from chicken flocks in Korea.