ABSTRACT
Reports of Cryptococcus neoformans isolations from patients in Panama have appeared since 1978, but to our knowledge, thIs is the first report of isolation of this organism from soil samples in the Republic. Of 25 soil samples analyzed, two (25%) yielded the organism on birdseed agar medium. Canavanine-glycine-bromthymol blue medium served to identify the isolates as belonging to C. neorformans var neoformans, and not C. Neoformans var. gattii. Initially, isolates did not have capsules, but upon passage through newborn mice, wide capsules developed. This finding has important public health implications, since non-encapsulated environmental organisms, once in the host, can develop capsules, which significantly contribute to virulence
Subject(s)
Cryptococcus neoformans/isolation & purification , Soil Microbiology , PanamaABSTRACT
Reports of Cryptococcus neoformans isolations from patients in Panama have appeared since 1978, but to our knowledge, thIs is the first report of isolation of this organism from soil samples in the Republic. Of 25 soil samples analyzed, two (25%) yielded the organism on birdseed agar medium. Canavanine-glycine-bromthymol blue medium served to identify the isolates as belonging to C. neorformans var neoformans, and not C. Neoformans var. gattii. Initially, isolates did not have capsules, but upon passage through newborn mice, wide capsules developed. This finding has important public health implications, since non-encapsulated environmental organisms, once in the host, can develop capsules, which significantly contribute to virulence.
Subject(s)
Cryptococcus neoformans/isolation & purification , Soil Microbiology , PanamaABSTRACT
Identification of inexpensive and technically simple immunological tests useful in predicting the progression to AIDS in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients would be especially welcome in developing countries, in which 80% of HIV-infected patients reside and health budgets are low. In the current study, we evaluated CD4+ and total lymphocyte counts and the concentrations in serum of beta 2-microglobulin, p24 antigen, and immunoglobulin A (IgA) as predictors of disease progression in 74 Panamanian HIV-positive patients and 50 HIV-negative healthy individuals. Total lymphocyte and CD4(+)-cell counts for AIDS patients (1,451 +/- 811 cells/microliters, P < 0.001, and 238 +/- 392 cells/microliters, P < 0.0001, respectively and asymptomatic patients (2,393 +/- 664 cells/microliters, P > 0.05, and 784 +/- 475 cells/microliters, P < 0.001, respectively) were lower than those observed for healthy subjects (2,596 +/- 631 cells/microliters and 1,120 +/- 296 cells/microliters, respectively). The levels of beta 2-microglobulin and IgA in serum were significantly elevated in patients with AIDS (5.7 +/- 3.6mg/liter, P < 0.001, and 541 +/- 265 mg/dl, P < 0.0002, respectively) and asymptomatic infected subjects (3.4 +/- 2.1 mg/liter, P = 0.001, and 436 +/- 216 mg/dl, P < 0.0001, respectively) compared with the levels in healthy subjects (2.2 +/- 0.7 mg/liter and 204 +/- 113 mg/dl, respectively). Nonstatistically significant differences (P > 0.05) for concentrations of p24 antigen between asymptomatic infected patients (29 +/- 13 pg/ml) and AIDS patients (40 +/- 23 pg/ml) were observed. Total lymphocyte counts of 1,750 cells/microliters or less, CD4 counts of 200 cells/microliters or less, beta 2-microglobulin concentrations in serum of 4 mg/liter or higher, concentrations of IgA in serum of 450 mg/dl or higher, and the presence in serum of p24 antigen were correlated with elevated risks for developing AIDS. Monitoring both total lymphocytes and beta 2-microglobulin identified 91% of the AIDS patients; these assays may allow reductions in the annual number of CD4(+)-cell evaluations and the costs associated with monitoring both total lymphocytes and beta 2-microglobulin identified 91% of the AIDS patients; these assays may allow reductions in the annual number of CD4(+)-cell evaluations and the costs associated with monitoring the immune status of HIV-positive patients.
Subject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/blood , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/immunology , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/epidemiology , Biomarkers , CD4 Lymphocyte Count , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/cytology , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Disease Progression , Female , HIV Core Protein p24/blood , Humans , Immunoglobulin A/blood , Male , Risk Factors , beta 2-Microglobulin/metabolismABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to report the results of the authors' investigation to apply the western blot technique (WB UP-LCS) in the diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. To do this, the authors separated the proteins of the HIV-1 virus by electrophoresis, based on their molecular weight, in poliacilamide gel with SDS (SDS-PAGE) during 3 hours at 200 volts. Then they electrotransferred these proteins to nitrocellulose paper during four hours at 200 milliamperes, with the aid of external cooling. The nitrocellulose strips were evaluated considering the incubation time (1 and 16 hours), two conjugates (human anti IgG with Peroxidase and human anti IgG Biotin plus Streptatividine with Peroxidase) and two dilutions of the patients' sera (1/50 and 1/100). Based on their results the Authors conclude that, in the first place, the optimal conditions for the test include a dilution of 1/100 of the patients serum, incubation of the serum for 16 hours and the use of the conjugate of anti human IgG with Biotin and Streptavidine with Peroxidase; secondary, that the immunologic reactivity against proteins p24 and gp 160/120 is the most important diagnostic criterion for the confirmation of infection with HIV-1 and that they obtained a diagnostic correlation of 100% at a cost which was 5 to 7 times less than that of the commercial system
Subject(s)
Humans , HIV-1 , HIV Antibodies/blood , HIV Infections/diagnosis , Blotting, Western/methods , Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel/methods , Evaluation Study , Time Factors , Blotting, Western/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to report the results of the authors' investigation to apply the western blot technique (WB UP-LCS) in the diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. To do this, the authors separated the proteins of the HIV-1 virus by electrophoresis, based on their molecular weight, in poliacilamide gel with SDS (SDS-PAGE) during 3 hours at 200 volts. Then they electrotransferred these proteins to nitrocellulose paper during four hours at 200 milliamperes, with the aid of external cooling. The nitrocellulose strips were evaluated considering the incubation time (1 and 16 hours), two conjugates (human anti IgG with Peroxidase and human anti IgG Biotin plus Streptatividine with Peroxidase) and two dilutions of the patients' sera (1/50 and 1/100). Based on their results the Authors conclude that, in the first place, the optimal conditions for the test include a dilution of 1/100 of the patients serum, incubation of the serum for 16 hours and the use of the conjugate of anti human IgG with Biotin and Streptavidine with Peroxidase; secondary, that the immunologic reactivity against proteins p24 and gp 160/120 is the most important diagnostic criterion for the confirmation of infection with HIV-1 and that they obtained a diagnostic correlation of 100% at a cost which was 5 to 7 times less than that of the commercial system.
Subject(s)
Blotting, Western/methods , HIV Antibodies/blood , HIV Infections/diagnosis , HIV-1 , Blotting, Western/statistics & numerical data , Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel/methods , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Humans , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Nosocomial infections increase the morbidity, mortality and cost of hospitalization. The Hospital Infection Committee of the Metropolitan Hospital Complex of the Caja de Seguro Social de Panama studied the problem of nosocomial infections in 1987 and showed that of 29,576 admissions, 820 patients developed 994 nosocomial infections (an annual incidence of 3.69%). This resulted in 5191 additional days of hospitalization, at a conservatively estimated cost of B/ 840,153, and was responsible for 24 deaths. An adequate and efficient program of control of nosocomial infections in recommended.
Subject(s)
Cross Infection/economics , Hospitals, Urban/economics , Hospitals , Hospital Departments/economics , Humans , Panama , Social Security/economicsABSTRACT
Of 277 eye specimens processed during the ten-year period of January, 1979 through December, 1988 in the Social Security Hospital, we isolated fungi 115 times. The fungal isolations were equally distributed between the two sexes, our rainy season months being the most productive with almost 70% of the recoveries. Candida species were identified in 90 (78%) of 115 cultures, C. albicans being the most frequent (46 cultures or 51%) followed by C. parakrusei (19 isolations, 21%). Less frequently obtained organisms were Fusarium (8 times, 7%), Aspergillus (4 cultures) and others, even No cardia brasiliensis in one instance.
Subject(s)
Eye Infections, Fungal/epidemiology , Mitosporic Fungi/isolation & purification , Eye Infections, Fungal/microbiology , Female , Hospitals, Urban , Humans , Male , Panama/epidemiologyABSTRACT
The prevalence of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection in Panamanian children was demonstrated to be 12.73% (14/110) by skin reactivity to 50 micrograms of yeast derived antigen. Boys were infected more frequently than girls - 1.45:1. The earliest age of infection was 2 years, and a direct relationship was noted between age and frequency of infections (as the children became older, more of them became infected); boys more so than girls. Thirteen of 14 (93%) of the infected juvenile population live in a rural environment.
Subject(s)
Antigens, Fungal/immunology , Coccidioidin/immunology , Fungal Proteins , Histoplasmin/immunology , Paracoccidioidomycosis/epidemiology , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Cross Reactions/immunology , Female , Humans , Male , Panama , Paracoccidioidomycosis/immunology , Prevalence , Skin TestsABSTRACT
Intradermal application of yeast phase paracoccidioidin antigen obtained by sonication and lysis from the fungus to 111 residents of Veraguas province (68 men and 43 women) and 130 Cocle province residents (57 men and 73 women) elicited a positive reaction in 9.01% (1/111) and 26.15% (34/30) of the Veraguas and Cocle residents respectively. Positive reactions ranged between papules of 5 and 27 mm in diameter, the majority being between 11 and 20 mm. Infection was more frequent in men (1:1.47 for Veraguas and 1:1.28 for Coclé) and in those involved in farming. A prevalence of 21.95% P. brasiliensis infection is demonstrated for the Republic of Panama.