Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease

8-13

Authors: Abdelbasit Mohamed Ibrahim, Mutasim Elhadi Ibrahim

Objective: To determine the prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) infection among schoolchildren and to evaluate the sero-diagnostic techniques of indirect-haemagglutination (IHA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in comparison with Kato-Katz smear examination. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from August, 2011 to January, 2012 at Sennar State, central of Sudan. Stool and blood samples were collected from schoolchildren (n=214) those with age groups from 6 to 16 years old. Kato-Katz smear was used for the detection of S. mansoni eggs and then the intensity of infection was determined as per standard procedure. IHA and ELISA assays were applied to detect S. mansoni antibodies. Considering the Kato-Katz as a reference method, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values (PPV) and negative predictive values of serological methods were evaluated. Results: Out of 214 schoolchildren enrolled, 45 (21%) were found to be positive for infections using Kato-Katz technique. Of these, 84.4% were having light infections, 6.7% with moderate infections and 8.9%with heavy infections. Shistosomiasis was significantly higher (P=0.007) among boys (33/124; 26.6%) than girls (12/90; 13.3%). In comparison between the applied methods, the majority of the positive cases were detected by ELISA (56.1%; 120/214) followed by IHA (33.2%; 71/214) and Kato-Katz (21%; 45/214). The sensitivity of the ELISA was 93.3% compared to 84.4% given by IHA. Furthermore, the specificity was reduced to 53.8% in ELISA compared to the 80% detected by IHA. The PPV was increased in IHA (53.3%) than that of in ELISA (35%). The combination use of the ELISA and IHA were yielded good sensitivity (93.3%), increased the rates of specificity to 85.8% and PPV to 55.1%. Conclusions: In the settings where the prevalence of S. mansoni infection was high with a low infection intensity, performing of serodiagnostic methods together with a microscopical examination are required to detect more positive cases.

18-24

Authors: Subramanyam Dasari, Raju Naidu Devanaboyaina Shouri, Rajendra Wudayagiri, Lokanatha Valluru

Objective: To assess the probiotic nature of Lactobacillus in preventing cervical pathogens by studying the effectiveness of antimicrobial activity against vaginal pathogens. Methods: Lactobacilli were isolated from healthy vaginal swabs on selective media and different pathogenic bacteria were isolated by using different selective media. The Lactobacillus strains were tested for the production of hydrogen peroxide and antimicrobial compounds along with probiotic properties. Results: Of the 10 isolated Lactobacillus strains, strain 1, 3 and 6 are high hydrogen peroxide producers and the rest were low producers. Results of pH and amines tests indicated that pH increased with fishy odour in the vaginal fluids of cervicovaginal infection patients when compared with vaginal fluids of healthy persons. The isolates were found to be facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive, non-spore-forming, non-capsule forming and catalase-negative bacilli. The results of antimicrobial activity of compounds indicated that 280 and 140 µg/mL was the minimum concentration to inhibit the growth of both pathogens and test organisms respectively. Conclusions: The results demonstrated that Lactobacillus producing antimicrobial compounds inhibits the growth of cervical pathogens, revealing that the hypothesis of preventing vaginal infection by administering probiotic organisms has a great appeal to patients, which colonize the vagina to help, restore and maintain healthy vagina.

30-34

Authors: Salman Khan, Priti Singh, Mukhtar Ansari, Ashish Asthana

Objective: To determine the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Shigella species to the most commonly used antibiotics in mid and far western part of Nepal. Methods: Stool samples were collected from 458 patients who came from mid and far western region of Nepal, attending OPD & IPD Departments of Nepalgunj Medical College, Nepal, between the periods of September 2011 to March 2013. Standard microbiological procedures were used for isolation and identification of Shigella species while the disc diffusion test was used to determine the antimicrobial resistance patterns of the recovered isolates. Results: A total of 65 isolates were identified as Shigella species. Shigella flexneri, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella boydii and Shigella sonnei were accounted respectively for 43.07%, 27.69%, 21.53% and 7.69% of the total number of Shigella isolated. Resistances to nalidixic acid (95.38%), ampicillin (84.62%), co-trimoxazole (81.54%) and ciprofloxacin (46.15%) were observed. Greater number of isolates (38.46%) was recovered from those aged 1-10 years. This was statistically significant (P<0.05), compared to the other age groups. Conclusions: The study revealed the endemicity of shigellosis with Shigella flexneri as the predominant serogroup. Children were at a higher risk of severe shigellosis. The results also suggest that nalidixic acid, ampicillin, co-trimoxazole and ciprofloxacin should not be used empirically as the first line drugs in the treatment of shigellosis. Periodic analysis of resistance patterns is necessary for the appropriate selection of empirical antimicrobial therapy.

40-44

Authors: Yuva Bellik

Objective: To compare in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the essential oil and oleoresin of Zingiber officinale Roscoe. Methods: The antioxidant activity was evaluated based on the ability of the ginger extracts to scavenge ABTS°+ free radical. The antimicrobial activity was studied by the disc diffusion method and minimal inhibitory concentration was determined by using the agar incorporation method. Results: Ginger extracts exerted significant antioxidant activity and dose-depend effect. In general, oleoresin showed higher antioxidant activity [IC50=(1.820±0.034) mg/mL] when compared to the essential oil [IC50=(110.14±8.44) mg/mL]. In terms of antimicrobial activity, ginger compounds were more effective against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, and less effective against Bacillus cereus. Aspergillus niger was least, whereas, Penicillium spp. was higher sensitive to the ginger extracts; minimal inhibitory concentrations of the oleoresin and essential oil were 2 mg/mL and 869.2 mg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the studied extracts showed an important antifungal activity against Candida albicans. Conclusions: The study confirms the wide application of ginger oleoresin and essential oil in the treatment of many bacterial and fungal diseases.

50-53

Authors: Ebrahim Rahimi, Hassan Momtaz, Asma Behzadnia, Zeinab Torki Baghbadorani

Objective: To determine the prevalence rate of Listeria species in bovine, ovine, caprine, camel and water buffalo milk in Iran. Methods: From September 2010 to December 2011 a total of 260 bulk milk samples including 85 bovine, 37 camel, 34 water buffalo, 56 ovine and 48 caprine bulk milk samples were collected from commercial dairy herds, in Fars and Khuzestan provinces, Iran and were evaluated for the presence of Listeria species using cultural method and the PCR assay. Results: Using cultural method, 19 samples (7.3%) were positive for Listeria spp. The highest prevalence of Listeria was found in raw water buffalo milk (11.8%), followed by raw bovine milk (10.6%), raw ovine milk (7.1%), and raw caprine milk (4.2%) samples. All 37 camel milk samples from 20 camel breeding farms were negative for Listeria spp. The overall prevalence of Listeria was 7.3%, in which Listeria innocua was the most recovered species (4.2%); the remaining isolates were Listeria monocytogenes (1.9%), Listeria ivanovii (0.08%) and Listeria seeligari (0.04%). The PCR assay could identify 8 Listeria-contaminated milk samples that were negative using the cultural method. Conclusions: The results presented in this study indicate the potential risk of infection with Listeria in people consuming raw and unpasteurized milk.

57-60

Authors: Shweta, Surabhi Bhatnagar, Ashok Kumar Gupta, Krishna Murti, Krishna Pandey

Co-infection of visceral leishmaniasis and pulmonary tuberculosis are increasing public health problem in eastern region of country. A large number of clinical cases of leishmaniasis and tuberculosis have been reported in Sudan. Such type of co-infections lead to decreased host’s immune system. This is a case report of 48 years old male with visceral leishmaniasis and pulmonary tuberculosis. He arrived at hospital with complaints of fever with rigor, abdominal pain, weakness, loss of appetite, yellowish discoloration of urine and sclerosis at lower back. Bone marrow aspiration cytology revealed the presence of Leishmania donovani bodies (2+). His treatment was initiated with amphotericin B deoxycholate (inj. Fungizone) 15 infusions on alternate days with 5% dextrose. He had 20 years past history of pulmonary tuberculosis. His chest X-ray showed increased bronchovascular marking encysted pleural effusion on lower segment of right lung. Ultrasonography guided fine needle aspiration cytology of pleural fluid for protein, sugar, lactate dehydrogenase, adenosine deaminase, cell type and cell count. Cytological reports confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis. Antitubercular therapy (four drug regimen: rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutal, and pyrazinamide) was started. Co-infection of visceral leishmaniasis and pulmonary tuberculosis is a real threat in developing countries. There is a need of cost effective diagnostic and therapeutic facilities for these co-infections.

67-70

Authors: Viroj Wiwanitkit

Dengue is an important tropical infection caused by an arbovirus dengue. As a mosquito borne infection, this disease is widely spread in several tropical endemic countries. Millions of world populations are at risk for this arboviral infection. Each year, thousands of dengue infections are reported and there are several death cases. Each year, the outbreaks of dengue emerge in several countries and this implies the global importance of this infection. Fighting with dengue outbreak is important in public health. In this specific chapter, the author discussed lessons learned from previous dengue outbreaks.

78-81

Authors: Nadipinayakanahalli Munikrishnappa Guruprasad, Sushil Kumar Jalali, Hosagavi Puttegowda Puttaraju

Mosquitoes act as vectors for a wide range of viral and parasitic infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue, Chickungunya, lymphatic filariasis, Japanese encephalitis and West Nile virus in humans as well as in animals. Although a wide range of insecticides are used to control mosquitoes, it has only resulted in development of resistance to such insecticides. The evolution of insecticide resistance and lack of vaccines for many mosquito-borne diseases have made these arthropods highly harmful vectors. Recently, a novel approach to control mosquitoes by transinfection of life shortening maternally transmitted endo-symbiont Wolbachia wMelPop strain from fruitfly Drosophila into mosquito population has been developed by researchers. The wMelPop strain up-regulated the immune gene expression in mosquitoes thereby reducing the dengue and Chickungunya viral replication in Aedes aegypti, and also it significantly reduced the Plasmodium level in Anopheles gambiae. Here, we discuss the strategy of using Wolbachia in control of vector-borne diseases of mosquitoes.