International Journal of Infectious Diseases最新文献

{"title":"Electronic Pillbox-enabled Self-administered Therapy Versus Standard Directly Observed Therapy for Tuberculosis Medication Adherence and Treatment Outcomes in Ethiopia: a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial","authors":"Dr Tsegahun Manyazewal , Dr. Yimtubezinash Woldeamanuel , Mr. Tewodros Getinet , Ms Alison Hoover , Dr Kidist Bobosha , Mr Oumer Fuad , Dr. Belete Getahun , Prof. Abebaw Fekadu , Dr. David Holland , Prof. Vincent Marconi","doi":"10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107397","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107397","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The prolonged and complex nature of anti-tuberculosis regimens contributes to suboptimal medication adherence, leading to poor treatment outcomes and drug resistance. Trials evaluating the effectiveness of digital adherence technologies are urgently needed. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of pillbox-enabled self-administered therapy (SAT) compared to standard DOT on adherence to tuberculosis medication and treatment outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this multicenter, randomized controlled trial, adults diagnosed with new or previously treated, bacteriologically-confirmed, drug-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis and eligible to commence anti-tuberculosis therapy were enrolled from 10 healthcare facilities across Ethiopia. Participants were allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either receive a 15-day supply of tuberculosis medication dispensed with an evriMED500® digital medication event reminder and monitor (MERM) device for self-administration and return every 15 days, or to undergo standard DOT. The MERM device integrates an electronic module and medication container, serving to record adherence, securely store medication, emit audible and visual alarms onboard to prompt patients for timely intake and refills, and facilitates healthcare providers in downloading data for monitoring adherence closely. Both groups were monitored throughout the standard two-month intensive treatment phase. The primary endpoints, analyzed following the intention-to-treat (ITT) principle, included were individual-level percentage adherence during the two-month intensive phase, and sputum smear conversion. Secondary endpoints were a negative IsoScreen urine isoniazid test, adverse treatment outcomes, and self-reported adherence. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04216420.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 337 patients underwent eligibility screening, with 114 randomly assigned and included in the final analysis (57 in the control group and 57 in the intervention group). Adherence to tuberculosis medication showed comparable rates between the intervention arm (geometric mean percentage [GM%] 99.01%, geometric standard deviation [GSD] 1.02) and the control arm (GM% 98.97%, GSD 1.04), falling within the predefined margin for non-inferiority [mean ratio (MR) 1.00 (95% CI 0.99-1.01); p=0.954]. Urine isoniazid testing was conducted on 443 (97%) samples obtained from 114 participants, revealing that 13 participants yielded at least one negative result. A negative test was more prevalent among the control group compared to the intervention group (p=0.008). There were no significant difference observed regarding smear conversion, adverse treatment outcomes, and self-reported non-adherence.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>In this randomized controlled trial involving patients with drug-susceptible pulmonary tuberculosis, self-administered therapy facilitated by the MERM device demonstrated treatment adherence comparable","PeriodicalId":14006,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"152 ","pages":"Article 107397"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143520466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does wastewater surveillance have a role in vaccine-preventable disease control? Comparison of clinical and wastewater surveillance data for hepatitis A, E, measles, rubella and influenza viruses NICD, South Africa, 2021-2024","authors":"Dr Kerrigan McCarthy , Ms Chenoa Sankar , Mr Victor Mabasa , Ms Nosi Msomi , Mr Emmanuel Phalane , Ms Mokgaetji Macheke , Mr Sipho Gwala , Ms Natasha Singh , Ms Phindile Ntuli , Mr Nkosenhle Lindo Ndlovu , Ms Fiona Els , Ms Sibonginkosi Maposa , Dr Mukhlid Yousif","doi":"10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107380","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107380","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Wastewater and environmental surveillance (WES) has provided valuable quantitation and sequencing data for polio, SARS-CoV-2 and Mpox to support public health decision-making. We aimed to determine if WES for vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) is possible and if it may complement clinical surveillance for hepatitis A, E, measles, rubella and influenza viruses.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Digital PCR (dPCR) assays using disease-specific primers were incorporated into single and multiplex reactions that were optimized using positive controls (viral culture, RNA plasmids or known clinical samples). Limits of quantification for each pathogen were determined using quantitative (qPCR) and dPCR on serial dilutions of positive controls. Retained concentrates from wastewater samples collected from 48 national wastewater treatment plants or district sampling networks in nine South African provinces for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance were subjected to batched RNA extraction and dPCR testing for VPDs. Results of wastewater testing and national notifiable medical conditions surveillance data were compared by epidemiological week and district of collection. Influenza wastewater results were compared with reference to the influenza season (during, before and after) as determined by clinical sentinel site surveillance data.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Limits of quantification in genome copies/mL were as follows hepatitis A: 260; hepatitis E: 400; measles: 590; rubella: 460; influenza A&B: 1000. Amongst retrospective wastewater samples the proportion testing positive were; hepatitis A: 425/2329 (18%); hepatitis E: 280/2329 (12%), measles: 47/2422 (1.9%); rubella 39/2422 (1.6%), influenza A: 113/2422 (4.7%); influenza B: 72/2422 (3%). When compared with clinical results, wastewater results were positive when clinical cases were found in the same district and epidemiological week amongst 26%, 8%, 3% and 1% of time-district pairs for hepatitis A, E, measles and rubella respectively. However, the virus was detected in wastewater when no clinical cases were reported that week amongst 4%, 25%, 3% and 4% of time-district pairs for hepatitis A, E, measles and rubella respectively. Regarding influenza A, the majority of wastewater samples tested positive during the season (44/80 positive samples, 55%) than before or after, whilst the majority of influenza B detections in 2023 were after the season (28/36 positive samples, 77%)</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>In our comparison of clinical and wastewater data for hepatitis A, E, measles and rubella, WES found evidence of circulating virus in wastewater on multiple occasions in districts when clinical surveillance failed to find cases. Clinical surveillance may be limited on account of test unavailability, absent health seeking, and cases being asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic. Public health action following wastewater detection in the absence of clinical","PeriodicalId":14006,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"152 ","pages":"Article 107380"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143520638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gut Inflammatory Proteins Associated with Environmental Enteric Dysfunction Can Be Measured in Wastewater","authors":"Dr Jeffrey Donowitz ,&nbsp;Mr Ashiqul Khan ,&nbsp;Dr Suporn Pholwat ,&nbsp;Ms Sabrina Resha ,&nbsp;Dr Rashidul Haque ,&nbsp;Dr Mami Taniuchi","doi":"10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107382","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107382","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Inhabitants of low-income countries in areas with poor sanitation suffer from high rates of Environmental Enteric Dysfunction (EED), a subclinical syndrome hallmarked by chronic inflammation of the small intestine driven by repeat and chronic enteric pathogen exposure. EED has been associated with poor linear growth and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. In adults, it has been hypothesized that EED plays a pathogenic role in obesity and metabolic syndrome. While small intestinal histology is the gold standard for EED diagnosis, protein biomarkers of enteric inflammation have been widely used as a proxy measure of EED. One of the major challenges in using such biomarkers for research is that these biomarkers are dynamic, responding to repeat pathogen exposures and clearance. This makes understanding the cumulative burden of EED and its effects on long-term outcomes difficult. Further, understanding the effect of interventions on EED burden is difficult as repeated measures in individuals may not give an accurate picture. We hypothesized that we could measure the community level of EED by quantifying levels of known fecal biomarkers of EED in wastewater.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using commercially available ELISA kits, we attempted to measure alpha-1-antitrypsin, calprotectin, neopterin, myeloperoxidase, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in wastewater. The sewage samples were collected between 7 AM-9 AM from established sites in an existing sewage surveillance study in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where the EED burden is known to be high. The catchment population ranged from 2,317 to 606,332. The samples were processed at our icddr,b lab that same day. 50-100 µl of neat sewage samples were tested using ELISA kits for each EED biomarker.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We detected antitrypsin (range 10.2-44.4 ng/l; mean 29.42±12.15 SD ng/l), neopterin (0-0.64 ng/µl; 0.03±0.03 ng/µl), and NGAL (0.6-1.1 ng/µl; 0.59±0.35 ng/µl) from neat samples. Calprotectin and MPO were not detected from the neat sample. We plan to concentrate the samples to detect these biomarkers in the future.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>These results demonstrate that biomarkers of EED can be measured in wastewater in a community known to have a high EED burden. The next steps involve comparing these results with those from a low EED burden catchment area (i.e. high-income country) and determining the variation in these wastewater biomarkers over time.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>In the long term, community-level EED measures can be correlated to population health outcomes and be used to measure response to both sanitation and pathogen-targeted interventions such as vaccines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14006,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"152 ","pages":"Article 107382"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143520639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rising Tide of Antibiotic Resistance in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Meta-Analysis of Vibrio cholerae Susceptibility(2014-2024)","authors":"Dr Yahaya Mohammed ,&nbsp;Dr Ahmed Olowo-okere","doi":"10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107387","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107387","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Introduction&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Antibiotics are commonly used alongside rehydration therapy in the management of cholera. Their efficacy is however increasingly compromised by global rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This is particularly concerning in sub-Saharan Africa, where cholera is endemic, recurrent and access to effective antibiotics is highly limited. This study aims to systematically evaluate data on antibiotic resistance in Vibrio cholerae isolates across sub-Saharan Africa.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;We conducted a systematic literature search across PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Google scholar and Web of Science databases to identify articles reporting the susceptibility profiles of Vibrio cholerae isolates from cholera patients between 2014 and April 2024. We utilized the Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation to estimate the weighted pooled resistance (WPR). Heterogeneity of the data and bias were analyzed with random effect model meta-analysis and funnel plot. The data were analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software Version 4.0 (Biostat, Englewood, NJ, USA)&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This meta-analysis presents results of antibiotics resistance profile of 1761 V. cholerae isolates from 12 countries. The isolates were predominantly O1 El tor serogroup with 71.2% ogawa and 28.8% inaba biotypes. Majority of the studies were from Nigeria (6/22) followed by Ghana (4/22) and Kenya (3/22). Ciprofloxacin (19/22), tetracycline (18/22) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (17/22) were the most frequently studied antibiotics. The results revealed varying rates of resistance among different antibiotics, with co-trimoxazole 77.99% (C.I.: 0.6702-0.8606) exhibiting the highest resistance, followed by nalidixic acid 67.25 % (C.I.: 0.4625-0.8305) and amoxicillin-clavulanate 74.91 % (C.I.: 0.411- 0.927). The WPR of tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and chloramphenicol were respectively 29.74 % (C.I.: 0.1912-0.4313), 8.41% (C.I.: 0.0423-0.1605) and 32.71 % (0.1708-0.5343). Regional analysis revealed that WPR of tetracycline and ciprofloxacin were highest in Nigeria (60.75 %) and Zambia (59.04 %) respectively. The WPR for tetracycline and ciprofloxacin increased notably after 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, rising from 16.6% (0.0687-0.3499) to 39.1% (0.2314-0.5784) and from 1.5% (0.0042-0.0552) to 16.2% (0.0802-0.2990), respectively. This upward trend was also observed across other antibiotics studied.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Discussion&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The meta-analysis reveals a worrying rise in antibiotic resistance among V. cholerae in sub-Saharan Africa. The increasing antibiotic resistance observed both before and after 2020 could potentially be associated with the global rise in antibiotic resistance, possibly stemming from the overuse of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusion&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The findings underscore the alarming prevalence of antibiotic resistance among V. cholerae isolates in sub-Saharan Africa. ","PeriodicalId":14006,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"152 ","pages":"Article 107387"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143520655","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transient Expression of Recombinant Antimicrobial Peptide Meucin18 in Nicotiana tabacum and its Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing","authors":"Mr Parthiban Subramanian,&nbsp;Ms Sakshi Chavhan,&nbsp;Mr Rudranil Saha,&nbsp;Dr. SATHISHKUMAR RAMALINGAM","doi":"10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107406","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107406","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Introduction&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Scorpion venom peptides as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) possess high bactericidal activity against a broad range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Meucin-18, a venom peptide of molecular weight 2.1 kDa from Mesobuthus eupeus, shows high bacteriolytic potential, and so recombinant production in E. coli is highly unlikely. Hence, recombinant Meucin-18 is transiently expressed in an efficient alternate host, Nicotiana tabacum plant system, to test its antibacterial efficacy.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The gene sequence (54 bp) coding Meucin18 fused with a C-terminal 6X histidine tag and an ER localization signal KDEL, was codon optimized, synthesized de novo and custom cloned into pENTR-D-TOPO Gateway vector. Gateway LR cloning was performed to produce expression construct pEAQ-HT-DEST3-Meucin18. A quantity of 100 ng expression construct was transformed into electrocompetent Agrobacterium tumefaciens GV3101 through electroporation, pulsed at 1800V for 5 ms. Agrosuspension was prepared with 1X MES infiltration medium containing 100 µM acetosyringone. Leaves of N. tabacum plants maintained at 26°C were syringe infiltrated with agrosuspension in abaxial side. Total protein was extracted from 5 days post infiltration (dpi) leaves using extraction buffer (Tris-HCl 100mM; pH 7.5 and 0.1M KH2PO4; pH 6.4). Recombinant Meucin18 AMP was purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography and analyzed on tricine-SDS-PAGE, and Western blot using anti-His6 peroxidase antibody. Recombinant fusion AMP will be tested for its efficacy against bacteria (pathogenic and non-pathogenic) using classical agar diffusion and broth microdilution assays.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Plant expression construct pEAQ-HT-DEST3-Meucin18 was transformed into E. coli DH5ɑ for propagation and confirmed through PCR and restriction digestion analysis. pEAQ-HT-DEST3-Meucin18 from A. tumefaciens GV3101 was isolated and confirmed using PCR analysis. Total crude protein from 5 dpi N. tabacum leaf sample was measured, at A280 using an Epoch Take3 spectrophotometer, to be 11.51 mg/g and 20.76 mg/g of fresh leaf tissue and the protein content from uninfiltrated leaf sample was measured to be 8.90 mg/g of fresh leaf tissue. The quantity of purified sample was found to be 21.4 µg/g that will be confirmed using 16% tricine-SDS-PAGE and Western blot. Further, recombinant Meucin18 will be tested for its bactericidal potential using agar diffusion and broth microdilution assays.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Discussion&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Scorpion venom peptides have been assessed for their potential to act against a broad range of bacteria including Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli. N. tabacum plant system proves to be a better host system for transient expression of recombinant functional antimicrobial peptides such as protegrin-1. Further optimiz","PeriodicalId":14006,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"152 ","pages":"Article 107406"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143520665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectiveness of a clinical decision support algorithm (ePOCT+) in improving quality of care for sick children in primary health facilities in Tanzania (DYNAMIC project): results from a cluster randomized trial","authors":"Dr Caroline Enos ,&nbsp;Godfrey A. Kavishe ,&nbsp;Alexandra V. Kulinkina ,&nbsp;Sabine Renggli ,&nbsp;Chacha D. Mangu ,&nbsp;Lameck Luwanda ,&nbsp;Peter Agrea ,&nbsp;Humphrey Mhagama ,&nbsp;Margaret Joram ,&nbsp;Ibrahim Mtebene ,&nbsp;Geofrey Isdory Ashery ,&nbsp;Marie-Annick Le Pogam ,&nbsp;Honorati Masanja ,&nbsp;Nyanda E. Ntinginya ,&nbsp;Valérie D'Acremont ,&nbsp;Rainer Tan","doi":"10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107409","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107409","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>The Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) chartbook for managing sick children under five years improves quality of care and reduces childhood mortality. However, compliance to IMCI remains a challenge. Electronic clinical decision support algorithms (eCDSAs) are a promising solution to improve IMCI compliance. We performed a cross-sectional study to evaluate whether an eCDSA based on IMCI improves quality of care compared to usual care in Tanzanian primary health facilities.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>18 health facilities (9 intervention and 9 control, randomized 1:1) were sampled from the main cluster randomized trial. Children aged 2-59 months with an acute illness were enrolled and consultations were observed by an independent researcher. The intervention consists of the use of an electronic point of care tool (ePOCT+) and clinical mentorship. The primary outcome measure was the mean score of major IMCI symptoms and signs assessed.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>450 consultations (225 in each arm) were observed. The mean score of major IMCI symptoms and signs was 42% (95% CI: 39% - 44%) in intervention facilities and 23% (95% CI: 22% - 25%) in control facilities (p&lt;0.001). The use of ePOCT+ significantly increased the proportion of assessment of convulsions (33% vs 7%) and nutrition status assessment (60% vs 2%) compared to routine care clusters (p&lt;0.001). There were however no significant differences between the intervention and control arms for other measures such as fever assessment (91% vs 87%; p=0.148) and height measurement (1.3% vs 0.4%; p=0.315).</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>Clinical skills and adherence to the guidelines among healthcare workers are among the major challenges in primary healthcare facilities. ePOCT+ CDSA improves adherence to IMCI, quality of clinical assessment and disease management by Improving history taking, prompting and guiding healthcare workers to assess the danger signs and improving the quality of physical examination. ePOCT+ CDSA can be an invaluable tool to improve the quality of care, clinical outcome and reduce mortality in resource-limited settings.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>ePOCT+ significantly improves quality of care for sick children in primary health facilities in Tanzania.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14006,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"152 ","pages":"Article 107409"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143520891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Surveillance of H. pylori prevalence and antibiotic resistance in the urban Chinese population: a nationwide multi-center study","authors":"Dr Liang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107411","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107411","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Introduction&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;China has a high antibiotic-resistant H. pylori infection burden. The current knowledge of H. pylori prevalence and antibiotic resistance in China is mainly based on meta-analysis and systematic review. In addition, since H. pylori prevalence is tightly associated with economic development, the H. pylori infection and antibiotic resistance rates in the urban Chinese population may be significantly changed due to the rapid socioeconomic development over the past twenty-year urbanization. However, the actual situation is unknown. Therefore, this study conducted a nationwide, multi-center, cross-sectional surveillance using the string test coupled with qPCR to provide an accurate overview of H. pylori prevalence and antibiotic resistance to clarithromycin and levofloxacin in urban China.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;From March to November 2023, 12,902 individuals aged from 18 to 60 years old were recruited from 52 cities belonging to 26 out of 31 provinces in mainland China. All the individuals were examined for H. pylori infection and antibiotic resistance to clarithromycin and levofloxacin via quantitative PCR of gastric fluid samples collected through string test. All results were statistically analyzed via univariate analysis.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Among all participants, the average individual-based H. pylori infection rate in urban China was 27.08%. Among 26 out of 31 provinces, the infection rates of H. pylori ranged from 15.25% in Hunan to 41.47% in Fujian. According to the division of seven geographic regions, Eastern China has the highest H. pylori infection rate of 32.45%. As for antibiotic resistance of H. pylori, the average clarithromycin resistance rate is 50.82%, while the average levofloxacin resistance rate is 47.17%.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Discussion&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The investigation discloses that the prevalence of H. pylori among urban Chinese is notably lower than previous reports. This variance, indicative of improvement, can be attributed to the progressive enhancement of sanitary conditions and advancements in medical care within urban regions of mainland China over the preceding two decades. In addition, it was found that the resistance rates to clarithromycin and levofloxacin are unexpectedly high in the urban Chinese population. This may be related to the increased use of antibiotics to treat gram-negative bacterial infections. It is imperative to highlight the strengths of this investigation, which encompass the application of a singular methodology for precise evaluation of the present prevalence of H. pylori and antibiotic resistance within the urban Chinese population. Meanwhile, notable limitations of this study involve discrepancies in sample sizes and the absence of data from five provinces.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusion&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study updates our understanding of the current prevalence and antibiotic resistance to clarithromycin and levofloxacin of H. pylori in urb","PeriodicalId":14006,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"152 ","pages":"Article 107411"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143520893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lymphatic filariasis transmission 10 years after stopping mass drug administration in the Gomoa west district of Ghana","authors":"Christian Akuamoah Boateng ,&nbsp;Millicent Selassie Afatodzie ,&nbsp;Angus McLure ,&nbsp;Bethel Kwansa-Bentum ,&nbsp;Dziedzom K. de Souza","doi":"10.1016/j.ijid.2025.107790","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijid.2025.107790","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>A survey was conducted 10 years after stopping MDA in the Gomoa West District of Ghana to assess the <em>Wuchereria bancrofti</em> prevalence in both human and mosquito populations.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In seven communities, infection in humans was assessed using the filariasis test strip (FTS). Mosquitoes were collected once a month over six months using pyrethrum spray catches (PSC). The mosquitoes were analyzed for <em>W. bancrofti</em> infections, using dissection followed by poolscreening PCR.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>FTS results showed that 2/524 (0.38%; 95% CI, 0.0%-0.9%) individuals tested positive for antigen. Dissections revealed <em>W. bancrofti</em> infections in 5/107 <em>Anopheles gambiae</em> (4.7%: 95% CI, 2.2-8.5) from one community, with three mosquitoes harboring L3 larvae (2.8%: 95% CI, 0.9-7.5). PCR analysis of 683 mosquitoes in 57 pools revealed seven positive pools from two communities. The prevalence of infected mosquitoes by PCR for the district was 3.1% (95% CI, 0.5-24.0) for <em>An. gambiae</em> and 2.5% (95% CI, 0.4-23.5) for all <em>Anopheles</em> spp.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The infection rate in the <em>Anopheles</em> spp. exceeds the provisional 1% threshold suggested by WHO, indicating ongoing transmission risk ten years after stopping MDA. Further district-wide assessments are recommended to inform the scope of any interventions required in the Gomoa West district.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14006,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"152 ","pages":"Article 107790"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143023355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular xenomonitoring of Wuchereria bancrofti infection in three different evaluation settings of lymphatic filariasis elimination programme in India","authors":"Venkatesan Vasuki ,&nbsp;Kaliannagounder Krishnamoorthy ,&nbsp;Swaminathan Subramanian ,&nbsp;Candasamy Sadanandane ,&nbsp;Ramalingam Balasubramaniyan ,&nbsp;Neelavathi Sivagnaname ,&nbsp;Veerappan Padmanaban ,&nbsp;Balakrishnan Vijayakumar ,&nbsp;Vinayagam Sundarraj ,&nbsp;Chokkalingam Palaniswamy ,&nbsp;Prameela Baral ,&nbsp;Purushothaman Jambulingam","doi":"10.1016/j.ijid.2025.107807","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijid.2025.107807","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Molecular xenomonitoring (MX) is a recommended post-validation surveillance tool for detecting early signs of lymphatic filariasis (LF) transmission. This study reports the MX results for <em>Culex quinquefasciatus</em> transmitted <em>Wuchereria bancrofti</em> in three evaluation units (EUs) in different settings of LF elimination in India.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Female <em>Cx. quinquefasciatus</em> mosquitoes were collected using gravid traps from 150 households in each EU. Two pools of 25 mosquitoes from each household were assayed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction for <em>W. bancrofti</em> DNA and RNA. The agreement between MX and the transmission assessment survey (TAS) in the mass drug administration (MDA) stopping decision was assessed. Additionally, the microfilaria (Mf) prevalence was compared in TAS-failed EU.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Vector infection prevalence was 0.05% and 0.07% in TAS-cleared EUs and 1.85% in TAS-failed EU. MX corroborated the TAS decision in all three settings. Mf prevalence was &gt;1% at five sites in TAS-failed EU. Infective mosquitoes were detected in the TAS2 passed and TAS-failed EUs. The cost of MX per pool was between US $ 26.0 and 27.9 in different settings.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>MX is a potential tool for evaluating different stages of post-MDA treatment in the LF elimination program. The MX detects transmission risk areas that can be confirmed by human surveys for appropriate response.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14006,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"152 ","pages":"Article 107807"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143064643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eritrea's blueprint for trachoma elimination: A home-grown model for sustainable impact","authors":"Gilbert Baayenda ,&nbsp;Martha Mberu ,&nbsp;Sarity Dodson ,&nbsp;Kelly Zongo ,&nbsp;Jackline Syonguvi ,&nbsp;Jeremiah Ngondi ,&nbsp;Alem Zecarias","doi":"10.1016/j.ijid.2025.107814","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijid.2025.107814","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>This overview highlights Eritrea's progress in trachoma elimination from 2006 to 2024, emphasizing the Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial Cleanliness and Environmental Improvement (SAFE) strategy, pillars of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Roadmap, and geostatistical mapping's role in achieving elimination targets.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Trachoma Impact Surveys (TIS) and Surveillance Surveys (TSS) monitored WHO-endorsed SAFE strategy interventions and progress, with model-based geo-statistics providing more precise prevalence estimates.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Eritrea has attained open defecation-free status in 93% of villages, performed 22,546 Trachomatous Trachiasis (TT) surgeries, and integrated surveillance data into the District Health Information System (DHIS2). TT prevalence among those 15 years and older has significantly decreased, with many areas below the World Health Organization (WHO) threshold of 0.2%. Eritrea reduced TF prevalence among children aged 1 to 9 years from over 10% in 2006 to less than 5% in 2022, and TT prevalence among adults aged 15 and older from 3% to below 0.2% in most regions.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Eritrea's innovative approaches and strong partnerships provide a model for other countries facing NTDs. Reliable data have been crucial for targeting resources and monitoring progress toward trachoma elimination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14006,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"152 ","pages":"Article 107814"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143079742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}