Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease最新文献

{"title":"Think Vibrio, Think Rare: Non-O1-Non-O139- <i>Vibrio cholerae</i> Bacteremia in Advanced Lung Cancer-A Case Report.","authors":"Andrea Marino, Bruno Cacopardo, Laura Villa, Adriana D'Emilio, Salvatore Piro, Giuseppe Nunnari","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed9090224","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9090224","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Vibrio cholerae</i>, a Gram-negative bacterium, is widely known as the cause of cholera, an acute diarrheal disease. While only certain strains are capable of causing cholera, non-O1/non-O139 <i>V. cholerae</i> strains (NOVC) can lead to non-pathogenic colonization or mild illnesses such as gastroenteritis. In immunocompromised patients, however, NOVC can cause severe infections, including rare cases of bacteremia, especially in those with underlying conditions like liver disease, hematologic disorders, and malignancies. This case report presents a rare instance of NOVC bacteremia in a 71-year-old patient with advanced lung cancer, illustrating the clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges, and treatment interventions required. The patient presented with fever, asthenia, and confusion, and was found to have bacteremia caused by NOVC, confirmed through blood cultures and molecular analysis. Treatment with intravenous ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin led to a rapid clinical improvement and resolution of the infection. This case, along with an overview of similar incidents, underscores the importance of considering NOVC in differential diagnoses for immunocompromised patients presenting with fever, and highlights the necessity of timely diagnosis and targeted antimicrobial therapy to achieve favorable outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"9 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11436073/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142354673","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chemical Control of Snail Vectors as an Integrated Part of a Strategy for the Elimination of Schistosomiasis-A Review of the State of Knowledge and Future Needs.","authors":"Amadou Garba Djirmay, Rajpal Singh Yadav, Jiagang Guo, David Rollinson, Henry Madsen","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed9090222","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9090222","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>WHO promotes the implementation of a comprehensive strategy to control and eliminate schistosomiasis through preventive chemotherapy, snail control, clean water supply, improved sanitation, behaviour change interventions, and environmental management. The transmission of schistosomiasis involves infected definitive hosts (humans or animals) excreting eggs that hatch (miracidia), which infect freshwater snail vectors (also referred to as intermediate snail hosts) living in marshlands, ponds, lakes, rivers, or irrigation canals. Infective larvae (cercariae) develop within the snail, which, when released, may infect humans and/or animals in contact with the water. Snail control aims to interrupt the transmission cycle of the disease by removing the vector snails and, by so doing, indirectly improves the impact of the preventive chemotherapy by reducing reinfection. Snail control was, for many years, the only strategy for the prevention of schistosomiasis before preventive chemotherapy became the primary intervention. Snails can be controlled through various methods: environmental control, biological control, and chemical control. The chemical control of snails has proven to be the most effective method to interrupt the transmission of schistosomiasis. The current review aims to describe the vector snails of human schistosomiasis, present the chemicals and strategies for the control of snails, the challenges with the implementation, and the future needs. Snail control can play a key role in reducing schistosomiasis transmission and, thus, complements other interventions for disease control. There is a need to develop new molluscicide products or new formulations and methods of applications for existing molluscicides that would target snail vectors more specifically.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"9 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11435910/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142354657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antimalarial Mechanisms and Resistance Status of Artemisinin and Its Derivatives.","authors":"Dan Zheng, Tingting Liu, Shasha Yu, Zhilong Liu, Jing Wang, Ying Wang","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed9090223","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9090223","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Artemisinin is an endoperoxide sesquiterpene lactone isolated from <i>Artemisia annua</i> and is often used to treat malaria. Artemisinin's peroxide bridge is the key structure behind its antimalarial action. Scientists have created dihydroartemisinin, artemether, artesunate, and other derivatives preserving artemisinin's peroxide bridge to increase its clinical utility value. Artemisinin compounds exhibit excellent efficacy, quick action, and minimal toxicity in malaria treatment and have greatly contributed to malaria control. With the wide and unreasonable application of artemisinin-based medicines, malaria parasites have developed artemisinin resistance, making malaria prevention and control increasingly challenging. Artemisinin-resistant <i>Plasmodium</i> strains have been found in many countries and regions. The mechanisms of antimalarials and artemisinin resistance are not well understood, making malaria prevention and control a serious challenge. Understanding the antimalarial and resistance mechanisms of artemisinin drugs helps develop novel antimalarials and guides the rational application of antimalarials to avoid the spread of resistance, which is conducive to malaria control and elimination efforts. This review will discuss the antimalarial mechanisms and resistance status of artemisinin and its derivatives, which will provide a reference for avoiding drug resistance and the research and development of new antimalarial drugs.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"9 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11435542/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142354656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"People Who Self-Reported Testing HIV-Positive but Tested HIV-Negative: A Multi-Country Puzzle of Data, Serology, and Ethics, 2015-2021.","authors":"Melissa Metz, Vivian Hope Among, Tafadzwa Dzinamarira, Faith Ussery, Peter Nkurunziza, Janet Bahizi, Samuel Biraro, Francis M Ogollah, Joshua Musinguzi, Wilford Kirungi, Mary Naluguza, Christina Mwangi, Sehin Birhanu, Lisa J Nelson, Herbert Longwe, Frieda Sara Winterhalter, Andrew C Voetsch, Bharat S Parekh, Hetal K Patel, Yen T Duong, Rachel Bray, Shannon M Farley","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed9090220","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9090220","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>During population-based HIV impact assessments (PHIAs), some participants who self-reported testing HIV-positive (PSRP) tested negative in one or more subsequent survey HIV tests. These unexpected discrepancies between their self-reported results and the survey results draw into question the validity of either the self-reported status or the test results. We analyzed PSRP with negative test results aged 15-59 years old using data collected from 2015 to 2021 in 13 countries, assessing prevalence, self-report status, survey HIV status, viral load, rapid tests and confirmatory tests, and answers to follow-up questions (such as years on treatment). Across these surveys, 19,026 participants were PSRP, and 256 (1.3%) of these were concluded to be HIV-negative after additional survey-based testing and review. PSRP determined to be HIV-negative trended higher in countries with a higher HIV prevalence, but their number was small enough that accepting self-reported HIV-positive status without testing would not have significantly affected the prevalence estimates for HIV or viral load suppression. Additionally, using more detailed information for Uganda, we examined 107 PSRP with any negative test results and found no significant correlation with years on treatment or age. Using these details, we examined support for the possible reasons for these discrepancies beyond misdiagnosis and false reporting. These findings suggest that those conducting surveys would benefit from a nuanced understanding of HIV testing among PSRP to conduct surveys ethically and produce high-quality results.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"9 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11435972/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142354667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Schistosomiasis in the Military-A Narrative Review.","authors":"Diana Isabela Costescu Strachinaru, Jemima Nyaboke Nyandwaro, Anke Stoefs, Eric Dooms, Peter Vanbrabant, Pierre-Michel François, Mihai Strachinaru, Marjan Van Esbroeck, Emmanuel Bottieau, Patrick Soentjens","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed9090221","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9090221","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Schistosomiasis is a parasitosis caused by trematodes of the genus <i>Schistosoma</i>. Humans are infected when coming into contact with freshwater containing the parasites' infective stages, which are amplified through freshwater-dwelling snails acting as intermediate hosts. Schistosomiasis has posed significant problems for troops exposed to freshwater in endemic regions ever since the Napoleonic wars. Schistosomiasis has substantial differences in clinical presentation, depending on the type of parasite, intensity of infection and reinfection, clinical form, and disease stage. It can remain undiagnosed for long periods of time, with well-known long-term morbidity and mortality risks. The diagnosis of schistosomiasis depends on its stage and relays on several tests, all with limitations in sensitivity and specificity. The diagnostic gold standard is the detection of eggs in urine, feces, or tissue biopsies, but this can raise problems in patients such as military personnel, in which the worm burden is usually low. Praziquantel is the drug of choice for schistosomiasis. Currently, there is no available commercial vaccine against any <i>Schistosoma</i> parasite. Avoiding freshwater exposure is the best prevention. Herein, we review the clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of schistosomiasis in the military. This information may decrease the impact of schistosomiasis on this particular professional group.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"9 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11436125/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142336643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of Chemokines MIG and IP-10 as Immunological Biomarkers of Human Visceral Leishmaniasis: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Bruna Eduarda Freitas Monteiro, Elis Dionísio da Silva, Walter Lins Barbosa Júnior, Amanda Virginia Batista Vieira, Roberta Dos Santos Souza, Maria Karollyne Dos Santos Paiva, Pablo Cantalice Santos Farias, Diego Lins Guedes, Gilberto Silva Nunes Bezerra, Zulma Maria de Medeiros","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed9090219","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9090219","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected tropical disease that is potentially fatal when untreated. Current diagnostic methods have limitations that contribute to ongoing transmission and poor prognosis. Thus, new tests are needed to provide quick, accurate diagnoses and evaluate clinical progression and treatment efficacy. The monokine induced by interferon-gamma (MIG) and interferon-gamma-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) has been associated with the host susceptibility to VL with potential diagnostic and prognostic purposes. We performed a systematic review using four search databases (Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and MEDLINE) to identify studies assessing MIG and IP-10 as potential biomarkers in patients with VL across various clinical conditions. A total of 13 studies were potentially eligible and included in this review. The articles, in general, reveal that the chemokines MIG and IP-10 are elevated in response to infection by <i>Leishmania</i> spp., acting on the host's resistance to the development of the disease. They are associated with asymptomatic conditions and after VL treatment, and this relationship can be observed in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. Consequently, these chemokines hold relevance in the diagnoses and appropriate management of individuals with VL.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"9 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11435945/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142354660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tolerability and Safety of Miltefosine for the Treatment of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.","authors":"Nadav Astman, Chen Arbel, Oren Katz, Aviv Barzilai, Michal Solomon, Eli Schwartz","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed9090218","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9090218","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Miltefosine, an orally administered drug, is an important component of the therapeutic arsenal against visceral and mucosal forms of leishmaniasis. However, data regarding the safety and tolerability of miltefosine treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) are relatively limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the tolerability, safety, and adverse events (AEs) of miltefosine treatment in patients with CL. In this cohort study, we reviewed the medical records of all miltefosine-treated patients between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2022, at Israel Defense Forces military dermatology clinics and the dermatology and Tropical Medicine Clinics at Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel. A total of 68 patients (54 males, 79%) with a median age of 30.3 ± 15.6 years (range: 18-88) were included in this study. <i>Leishmania</i> species were identified as <i>L. major</i> (n = 37, 54.4%), <i>L. tropica</i> (n = 12, 17.6%), <i>L. braziliensis</i> (n = 18, 26.5%), and <i>L. infantum</i> (n = 1, 1.5%) using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Miltefosine tablets were administered orally at a dose of 50 mg, three times daily, for 28 days. Overall, 44 patients (65%) completed the 28-day treatment, and the remaining patients required dose reduction or early discontinuation of treatment. AEs (of any degree) were common, reported in 91% of patients. Both previously reported and previously unreported AEs were documented. Gastrointestinal symptoms (66.1%) and malaise (23.5%) typically occurred during the first two weeks of treatment and tended to subside. Other AEs, including acute renal failure (20.6%), sudden and severe pleuritic chest pain (7.6%), acne exacerbation (11.8%), suppuration of CL lesions (17.8%), and AEs related to the male genitourinary system (39.6% of males), typically occurred towards the end of treatment. The latter included testicular pain, epididymitis, diminution or complete absence of ejaculate, inability to orgasm, and impotence. Severe AEs necessitated treatment discontinuation (29.4%) or hospitalization (10.3%). URTI-like symptoms, arthritis, cutaneous eruption, pruritus, and laboratory abnormalities were also observed. Overall, the cure rate (for all patients combined) evaluated 3 months after the completion of treatment was 60%. The tolerability of miltefosine treatment for CL is low. Close clinical and laboratory monitoring is required during treatment, as severe AEs are not uncommon. As new insights regarding its toxicities emerge, further studies are required to define the role of miltefosine in the treatment of CL.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"9 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11436031/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142354674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multidrug-Resistant <i>Proteus mirabilis</i> and Other Gram-Negative Species Isolated from Native Egyptian Chicken Carcasses.","authors":"Bassant Ashraf El-Saeed, Hend Ali Elshebrawy, Amira Ibrahim Zakaria, Adel Abdelkhalek, Kálmán Imre, Adriana Morar, Viorel Herman, Khalid Ibrahim Sallam","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed9090217","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9090217","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Poultry carcasses may be reservoirs for the zoonotic transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria to humans and pose a major public health hazard. During the isolation of <i>Salmonella</i> from poultry and other foods, many of the presumptive typical <i>Salmonella</i> colonies on xylose lysine deoxycholate (XLD) agar were found to lack the <i>invA</i> gene, which is the specific target gene for <i>Salmonella</i> spp. Therefore, the current study aimed to estimate the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance profiles of extensively drug-resistant <i>invA</i>-negative non-<i>Salmonella</i> isolates recovered from native Egyptian chicken carcasses as presumptive <i>Salmonella</i> colonies on XLD agar. The non-<i>Salmonella</i> isolates were detected in 84% (126/150) of the examined native Egyptian chicken carcasses and classified into five genera, with prevalence rates of 64% (96/150), 14% (21/150), 6.7% (10/150), 3.3% (5/150), and 1.3% (2/150) for <i>Proteus</i>, <i>Citrobacter</i>, <i>Shigella</i>, <i>Pseudomonas</i>, and <i>Edwardsiella</i>, respectively. One hundred and ninety-five <i>invA</i>-negative, non-verified presumptive <i>Salmonella</i> isolates were recovered and classified at the species level into <i>Proteus mirabilis</i> (132/195; 67.7%), <i>Proteus vulgaris</i> (11/195; 5.6%), <i>Citrobacter freundii</i> (26/195; 13.3%), <i>Shigella flexneri</i> (8/195; 4.1%), <i>Shigella sonnei</i> (6/195; 3.1%), <i>Shigella dysenteriae</i> (3/195; 1.5%), <i>Pseudomonas fluorescens</i> (6/195; 3.1%), and <i>Edwardsiella tarda</i> (3/195; 1.5%). All (195/195; 100%) of these isolates showed resistance against cefaclor and fosfomycin. Additionally, these isolates showed high resistance rates of 98%, 92.8%, 89.7%, 89.2%, 89.2%, 86.7%, 80%, 78.5%, 74.4%, and 73.9% against cephalothin, azithromycin, vancomycin, nalidixic acid, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, cefepime, gentamicin, cefotaxime, and ciprofloxacin, respectively. Interestingly, all (195/195; 100%) of the identified isolates were resistant to at least five antibiotics and exhibited an average MAR (multiple antibiotic resistance) index of 0.783. Furthermore, 73.9% of the examined isolates were classified as extensively drug-resistant, with an MAR index equal to 0.830. The high prevalence of extensively drug-resistant foodborne <i>Proteus</i>, <i>Citrobacter</i>, <i>Shigella</i>, <i>Pseudomonas</i>, and <i>Edwardsiella</i> isolated from native chicken carcasses poses a great hazard to public health and necessitates more monitoring and concern about the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals. This study also recommends the strict implementation of GHP (good hygienic practices) and GMP (good manufacturing practices) in the chicken meat supply chain to protect consumer health.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"9 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11436119/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142354663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Murine Extraparenchymal Neurocysticercosis: Appropriate Model for Evaluating Anthelminthic and Anti-Inflammatory Treatment Schedules.","authors":"Vinícius Tadeu Oliveira, Tatiane de Camargo Martins, Renato Tavares Conceição, Diego Generoso, Vânia Maria de Vasconcelos Machado, Sabrina Setembre Batah, Alexandre Todorovic Fabro, Marco Antônio Zanini, Edda Sciutto, Agnès Fleury, Pedro Tadao Hamamoto Filho","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed9090215","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9090215","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Experimental models of neurocysticercosis (NCC) are helpful for an improved understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of human diseases and for testing novel therapeutic approaches. Controlling inflammation without reducing the effectiveness of anthelmintics is an important challenge in treating neurocysticercosis. This study investigates the effects of currently used drugs (Albendazole and Dexamethasone) in treating murine extraparenchymal NCC.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty-two rats were inoculated with <i>Taenia crassiceps</i> in the subarachnoid space. The animals underwent magnetic resonance imaging to ascertain the success of infection 3 months after inoculation. The infected animals were randomly assigned to one of the three groups (five rats each): control (no treatment), Albendazole (ABZ), or Albendazole + Dexamethasone (ABZ + DXM) for 14 days. The animals were subsequently euthanised for morphological assessment 2 weeks after the end of treatment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Macroscopically integrated cysts were found in all animals. The ABZ + DXM animals demonstrated lower ventricular sizes, lymphocyte infiltration rates, and immunopositivity for IL-6, with statistical differences in lymphocytes within the arachnoid region.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This experimental model, which has previously shown similarities to human infections, is also helpful in reproducing the morphological changes upon treatment with Albendazole and Dexamethasone.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"9 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11436084/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142354664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing the Interpretability of Malaria and Typhoid Diagnosis with Explainable AI and Large Language Models.","authors":"Kingsley Attai, Moses Ekpenyong, Constance Amannah, Daniel Asuquo, Peterben Ajuga, Okure Obot, Ekemini Johnson, Anietie John, Omosivie Maduka, Christie Akwaowo, Faith-Michael Uzoka","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed9090216","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9090216","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Malaria and Typhoid fever are prevalent diseases in tropical regions, and both are exacerbated by unclear protocols, drug resistance, and environmental factors. Prompt and accurate diagnosis is crucial to improve accessibility and reduce mortality rates. Traditional diagnosis methods cannot effectively capture the complexities of these diseases due to the presence of similar symptoms. Although machine learning (ML) models offer accurate predictions, they operate as \"black boxes\" with non-interpretable decision-making processes, making it challenging for healthcare providers to comprehend how the conclusions are reached. This study employs explainable AI (XAI) models such as Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME), and Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT to clarify diagnostic results for healthcare workers, building trust and transparency in medical diagnostics by describing which symptoms had the greatest impact on the model's decisions and providing clear, understandable explanations. The models were implemented on Google Colab and Visual Studio Code because of their rich libraries and extensions. Results showed that the Random Forest model outperformed the other tested models; in addition, important features were identified with the LIME plots while ChatGPT 3.5 had a comparative advantage over other LLMs. The study integrates RF, LIME, and GPT in building a mobile app to enhance the interpretability and transparency in malaria and typhoid diagnosis system. Despite its promising results, the system's performance is constrained by the quality of the dataset. Additionally, while LIME and GPT improve transparency, they may introduce complexities in real-time deployment due to computational demands and the need for internet service to maintain relevance and accuracy. The findings suggest that AI-driven diagnostic systems can significantly enhance healthcare delivery in environments with limited resources, and future works can explore the applicability of this framework to other medical conditions and datasets.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"9 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11436130/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142354659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}