Mirna S Abd El Aziz, Shimelis N Doni, Edelawit L Dereje, Petros H Gebre, Hanna B Temesgen, Yeabsera W Zegeye, Saba M Lambert, Stephen L Walker
{"title":"Experiences of Individuals with Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Receiving Intralesional Sodium Stibogluconate or Liquid Nitrogen Cryotherapy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia-A Cross-Sectional Study.","authors":"Mirna S Abd El Aziz, Shimelis N Doni, Edelawit L Dereje, Petros H Gebre, Hanna B Temesgen, Yeabsera W Zegeye, Saba M Lambert, Stephen L Walker","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed10080203","DOIUrl":"10.3390/tropicalmed10080203","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Localised cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) is a common neglected tropical disease in Ethiopia, which is mainly treated with intralesional (IL) pentavalent antimonial such as sodium stibogluconate (SSG) and/or cryotherapy. Both treatments are painful, and studies are lacking on the pain associated with these or affected individuals' experiences of them. A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted at ALERT Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa/Ethiopia. The socio-demographic and clinical data of individuals affected by LCL receiving IL SSG and/or cryotherapy was gathered, and their treatment was observed. Participants quantified their treatment-associated pain using the Wong-Baker Pain Scale. Health-related quality of life was measured using the (Children's) Dermatology Life Quality Index. Adverse effects, participant experiences with local therapies, and dermatologists' experiences and opinions of local LCL treatment were assessed using structured questionnaires. Of the thirty-six individuals with LCL included (64% male, 14% children), 52% reported a treatment-associated pain score ≥ 8. Cryotherapy administered with a cotton bud was associated with lower pain scores ≤ 6 (odds ratio: 0.15, 95% confidence interval: 0.03-0.89) compared to a cryotherapy spray device. There was wide variation in treatment administration. Local LCL treatment is painful, and most individuals experience significant pain. This study highlights the need for less painful but effective treatments, structured training, and clear standard operating procedures.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"10 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12390606/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144970458","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}
Raquel Sánchez-Marqués, Pablo Fernando Cuervo, Alejandra De Elías-Escribano, Alberto Martínez-Ortí, Patricio Artigas, Maria Cecilia Fantozzi, Santiago Mas-Coma, Maria Dolores Bargues
{"title":"Benzalkonium Chloride Significantly Improves Environmental DNA Detection from Schistosomiasis Snail Vectors in Freshwater Samples.","authors":"Raquel Sánchez-Marqués, Pablo Fernando Cuervo, Alejandra De Elías-Escribano, Alberto Martínez-Ortí, Patricio Artigas, Maria Cecilia Fantozzi, Santiago Mas-Coma, Maria Dolores Bargues","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed10080201","DOIUrl":"10.3390/tropicalmed10080201","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Urogenital schistosomiasis, caused by <i>Schistosoma haematobium</i> and transmitted by <i>Bulinus</i> snails, affects approximately 190 million individuals globally and remains a major public health concern. Effective surveillance of snail vectors is critical for disease control, but traditional identification methods are time-intensive and require specialized expertise. Environmental DNA (eDNA) detection using qPCR has emerged as a promising alternative for large-scale vector surveillance. To prevent eDNA degradation, benzalkonium chloride (BAC) has been proposed as a preservative, though its efficacy with schistosomiasis snail vectors has not been evaluated. This study tested the impact of BAC (0.01%) on the stability of <i>Bulinus truncatus</i> eDNA under simulated field conditions. Water samples from aquaria with varying snail densities (0.5-30 snails/L) were stored up to 42 days with BAC. eDNA detection via qPCR and multivariable linear mixed regression analysis revealed that BAC enhanced eDNA stability. eDNA was detectable up to 42 days in samples with ≥1 snail/L and up to 35 days at 0.5 snails/L. Additionally, a positive correlation between snail density and eDNA concentration was observed. These findings support the development of robust eDNA sampling protocols for field surveillance, enabling effective monitoring in remote areas and potentially distinguishing between low- and high-risk schistosomiasis transmission zones.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"10 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12390305/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144970712","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":"Anti-IFN-γ Autoantibody Syndrome Presenting with Disseminated Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Infections: A Case Series of Therapeutic Implications and Review of Literature.","authors":"Brooke Cheng, Barinder Bajwa, Seungwon Choi, Hannah Martin, Tyson Miao, Denise Werry, Michael Perlman, Yazdan Mirzanejad","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070202","DOIUrl":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070202","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Anticytokine autoantibodies (AAbs), particularly anti-interferon-gamma (anti-IFN-γ) AAbs, disrupt cytokine functions, leading to infections, autoimmune-like diseases, and conditions resembling interleukin-12 (IL-12)/IFN-γ pathway defects. Advances in genetic testing have clarified overlaps between autoinflammatory, autoimmune disorders, and primary immunodeficiencies but reveal complex phenotypes and pathways. While these insights deepen our understanding of immune mechanisms, they also complicate diagnosis and treatment, with limited options for IFN-γ deficiencies caused by genetic mutations. The adult-onset immunodeficiency with disseminated lymphadenitis due to nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and other opportunistic infections has been linked to high levels of anti-IFN-γ AAbs. This syndrome, initially identified in HIV-negative Asian patients, frequently affects individuals of Asian descent and may be associated with specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles. The presence of neutralizing anti-IFN-γ AAbs impairs the IFN-γ-dependent immune response, likely contributing to the persistent NTM infection. This study underscores the potential for late-onset anti-IFN-γ AAb syndrome to manifest with disseminated NTM (dNTM) infections, highlights the importance of timely diagnosis and considers rituximab as a potential therapeutic option.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"10 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12301023/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144708981","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}
Ayfer Bakır, Betül Yüzügüldü, Eylül Beren Tanık, Muhammed Furkan Kürkçü, Gizem Korkut, Firdevs Şahin Duran
{"title":"Investigation of the Prevalence of High-Risk Human Papillomavirus, Human Herpesvirus-8, and Herpes Simplex Virus-2 in Cervical Biopsy Samples Using the Real-Time PCR Method.","authors":"Ayfer Bakır, Betül Yüzügüldü, Eylül Beren Tanık, Muhammed Furkan Kürkçü, Gizem Korkut, Firdevs Şahin Duran","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070200","DOIUrl":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070200","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection is closely associated with the development of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer. In recent years, the potential impact of viral co-infections on this process has also been investigated. This study investigated the presence of HR-HPV, HSV-1/2, and HHV-8 DNA in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) cervical biopsy samples, as well as their association with lesion severity. A total of 276 FFPE cervical tissue samples were evaluated. Viral DNA was detected by real-time PCR. The samples were histopathologically classified as normal/non-dysplastic, low-grade (LSIL), and high-grade (HSIL) lesions. HR-HPV DNA was detected in 112 samples (40.6%), with the highest prevalence observed in the 30-39 age group (51.2%). Among the HPV-positive cases, 46.5% (52/112) had single-type infections, 32.1% (36/112) had multiple-type infections, and 21.4% (24/112) were untypable. Together, these categories accounted for all HPV-positive samples. The most common genotype was HPV-16 (16.7%). HHV-8 and HSV-2 DNA were not detected. HSV-1 DNA was detected in only three non-dysplastic, HPV-negative cervical samples. In conclusion, HR-HPV DNA was detected in 40.6% of cervical biopsy samples and showed a significant association with increasing histological severity, highlighting its critical role in the progression of cervical lesions. Although the absence of HHV-8 and HSV-2 suggests a limited contribution of these viruses to cervical disease, the use of a single real-time PCR assay limits the ability to draw generalized conclusions regarding their clinical relevance. Further large-scale, multicenter studies employing both tissue-based and serological approaches are needed to validate these findings and to better understand the dynamics of viral co-infections in cervical disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"10 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12300383/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144708991","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}
Pedro Cecilio, Manuela da Silva Solcà, Nuno Santarém
{"title":"Leishmaniasis: Vector-Host-Pathogen Interactions in Health and Disease.","authors":"Pedro Cecilio, Manuela da Silva Solcà, Nuno Santarém","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070199","DOIUrl":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070199","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Leishmaniases comprise a group of diseases caused by protozoan parasites belonging to different species of the genus <i>Leishmania</i>; of note; in humans, leishmaniasis presents as a spectrum of clinical syndromes, with the visceral, cutaneous, and mucosal forms being the most prominent [...].</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"10 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12298656/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144709005","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":"Impact of Nutritional Counselling and Support on Body Mass Index Recovery and Treatment Outcomes Among Tuberculosis Patients in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.","authors":"Donekham Inthavong, Hend Elsayed, Phonesavanh Keonakhone, Vilath Seevisay, Somdeth Souksanh, Sakhone Suthepmany, Misouk Chanthavong, Xaysomvang Keodavong, Phonesavanh Kommanivanh, Phitsada Siphanthong, Phengsy Sengmany, Buahome Sisounon, Jacques Sebert, Manami Yanagawa, Fukushi Morishita, Nobuyuki Nishikiori, Takuya Yamanaka","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070198","DOIUrl":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070198","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tuberculosis (TB) and undernutrition are intricately linked, significantly impacting health outcomes. However, nutritional support for TB patients is not systematically implemented in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). This study evaluated the effects of nutritional counselling and support on nutritional recovery and TB treatment outcomes. A longitudinal study involved 297 individuals with drug-susceptible TB, 39.4% of whom had a body mass index (BMI) below 18.5 kg/m<sup>2</sup>. Participants were divided into an observation group and an intervention group, the latter receiving nutritional support. Nutritional support included ready-to-use therapeutic food and therapeutic milk products, tailored to patients' nutritional status. Data collection was conducted at four intervals during treatment. By the end of treatment, 84.3% of participants improved their nutritional status to a BMI of 18.5 kg/m<sup>2</sup> or higher. The intervention group showed early nutritional recovery, particularly during the intensive phase of TB treatment, although the <i>p</i>-value (<i>p</i> = 0.067) should be interpreted with caution. The overall treatment success rate was high at 90.6%, with no significant difference between groups. Factors associated with treatment success included age under 45, HIV-negative status, a BMI of 18.5 kg/m<sup>2</sup> or higher, and clinically diagnosed pulmonary TB. Further assessment is required for the operational feasibility to provide systematic nutritional assessment and counselling for people with TB in Lao PDR.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"10 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12300389/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144708990","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}
Taki Jean Deles Avenié, Kigbafori Dieudonné Silué, Négnorogo Guindo-Coulibaly, Naférima Koné, Sadikou Touré, Kouamé Laurent Valian, Kouassi Séraphin Kouadio, Alloua Marie Joelle Bédia, Boza Fulgence Déabo, Klotcholman Diabagaté, Christian Nsanzabana, Jean Tenena Coulibaly
{"title":"Epidemiological Profile and Risk Factors for Malaria in Rural Communities Before the Operationalization of the Singrobo-Ahouaty Dam, Southern Côte d'Ivoire.","authors":"Taki Jean Deles Avenié, Kigbafori Dieudonné Silué, Négnorogo Guindo-Coulibaly, Naférima Koné, Sadikou Touré, Kouamé Laurent Valian, Kouassi Séraphin Kouadio, Alloua Marie Joelle Bédia, Boza Fulgence Déabo, Klotcholman Diabagaté, Christian Nsanzabana, Jean Tenena Coulibaly","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070197","DOIUrl":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070197","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Malaria remains a major public health issue, especially near hydroelectric dams that often promote mosquito breeding. This study aimed to establish baseline epidemiological data during the construction of the Singrobo-Ahouaty dam to support assessment and decision-making for short- and long-term health impacts on surrounding communities. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in randomly selected households. Blood samples were analyzed using thick/thin smears and rapid diagnostic tests, while sociodemographic and behavioral data were collected via questionnaires. Statistical analyses included chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and logistic regression. The malaria prevalence was 43.1% (394/915). The parasite density averaged 405.7 parasites/µL. School-age children (6-13 years) showed the highest prevalence (74.3%, <i>p</i> < 0.0001), while younger children (0-5 years) had the highest parasite density (1218.0 parasites/µL, <i>p</i> < 0.0001). Highly elevated infection rates (>51%) occurred in Sokrogbo, N'Dènou, and Amani-Menou, with the highest density in Ahérémou 1 (5663.9 parasites/µL). Risk factors included being an informal worker (ORa = 1.5), working in the raw material sector (ORa = 1.4) or market gardening/rice farming (ORa = 0.9; <i>p</i> = 0.043), and frequent mosquito bites (OR = 0.4; <i>p</i> = 0.017). These results underscore the need for stronger vector control strategies, improved bed net distribution and follow-up, and enhanced intersectoral collaboration in dam-influenced areas to reduce malaria transmission.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"10 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12300484/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144708983","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}
Godfred Amoah Appiah, Jerry John Babason, Anthony Yaw Dziworshie, Abigail Abankwa, Joseph Humphrey Kofi Bonney
{"title":"Is Ghana Prepared for Another Arboviral Outbreak? Evaluating the 2024 Dengue Fever Outbreak in the Context of Past Yellow Fever, Influenza, and COVID-19 Outbreaks.","authors":"Godfred Amoah Appiah, Jerry John Babason, Anthony Yaw Dziworshie, Abigail Abankwa, Joseph Humphrey Kofi Bonney","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070196","DOIUrl":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070196","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Arboviruses are a growing concern in many nations. Several reports of arboviral outbreaks have been recorded globally in the past decade alone. Repeated arboviral outbreaks in developing countries have consistently highlighted vulnerabilities in disease surveillance and response systems, exposing critical gaps in early detection, contact tracing, and resource allocation. The 2024 Dengue fever outbreak in Ghana, which recorded 205 confirmed cases out of 1410 suspected cases, underscored the urgent need to evaluate the country's preparedness for arboviral outbreaks, given the detection of competent vectors in the country. A retrospective analysis of Ghana's 2009-2013 pandemic influenza response plan revealed significant deficiencies in emergency preparedness, raising concerns about the country's ability to manage emerging arboviral threats. This review assessed Ghana's current arboviral outbreak response and preparedness by examining (a) the effectiveness of vector control measures, (b) the role of early warning systems in mitigating outbreaks, (c) laboratory support and diagnostic capabilities, and (d) community engagement strategies. It highlights the successes made in previous outbreaks and sheds light on several gaps in Ghana's outbreak response efforts. This review also provides recommendations that can be implemented in many countries across Africa as they brace themselves for any arboviral outbreak.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"10 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12298412/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144709003","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}
Anyela Lozano-Parra, Víctor Herrera, Luis Ángel Villar, Silvio Urcuqui-Inchima, Juan Felipe Valdés-López, Elsa Marina Rojas Garrido
{"title":"Acute Immunological Biomarkers for Predicting Chronic Rheumatologic Disease After Chikungunya Virus Infection.","authors":"Anyela Lozano-Parra, Víctor Herrera, Luis Ángel Villar, Silvio Urcuqui-Inchima, Juan Felipe Valdés-López, Elsa Marina Rojas Garrido","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070195","DOIUrl":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070195","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Early biomarkers are needed to predict the long-term persistence of rheumatical symptoms in patients infected with Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). This nested case-control study aimed to assess immunological factors during the early phases of CHIKV infection to predict the risk of post-CHIK chronic rheumatism (pCHIK-CR) in adult patients of two prospective cohorts. We evaluated 46 febrile patients (median age: 33.5 years; IQR: 19 years; women: 50.0%) with CHIKV infection confirmed during the 2014-2015 outbreak in Santander, Colombia. The participants were classified by a rheumatologist as either cases (pCHIK-CR) or controls (WoRM, without rheumatical manifestations). We quantified serum levels of IL-4, IL-6, IL-8/CXCL-8, IL-27, CCL-2, CXCL-9, CXCL-10, and IgG using Luminex and ELISA assays during the acute and subacute phases of infection. Then, we evaluated the association of these immune factors with the case-control status using piecewise logistic regression adjusted for age and sex. There were non-linear associations between IL-8/CXCL-8, CXCL-9, and CXCL-10 with pCHIK-CR. Increases in the levels of IL-8/CXCL-8 (<35.7 pg/mL), CXCL-9 (≥6000 pg/mL), and CXCL-10 (≥36,800 pg/mL) were significantly associated with a reduced risk of pCHIK-CR (adjusted ORs: 0.85, 0.96, and 0.94, respectively). These results suggest that increases in IL-8/CXCL-8, CXCL-9, and CXCL-10 levels, measured in the early stages of CHIKV infection, may predict a chronic disease risk. This suggests the possibility that an early and strong immune response could contribute to enhancing CHIKV control and potentially reduce the risk of persistent joint symptoms. Given their expression patterns and timing, these three immune factors may be considered promising biomarker candidates for assessing the risk of chronic rheumatologic disease. These findings should be considered as exploratory and validated in additional cohort studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"10 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12300443/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144708978","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}
Adriana Cabrera, Tracy Lee, Kathleen Kolehmainen, Trevor Hird, Danielle Jorgensen, Calvin Ka-Fung Lo, Hasan Hamze, Alan O'Dwyer, Dan Fornika, Rupinder Kaur KhunKhun, Mabel Rodrigues, Natalie Prystajecky, John Tyson, James E A Zlosnik, Inna Sekirov
{"title":"Series 2: Development of a Multiplex Amplicon Next Generation Sequencing Assay for Rapid Assessment of Resistance-Associated Mutations in <i>M. tuberculosis</i> Clinical Cases.","authors":"Adriana Cabrera, Tracy Lee, Kathleen Kolehmainen, Trevor Hird, Danielle Jorgensen, Calvin Ka-Fung Lo, Hasan Hamze, Alan O'Dwyer, Dan Fornika, Rupinder Kaur KhunKhun, Mabel Rodrigues, Natalie Prystajecky, John Tyson, James E A Zlosnik, Inna Sekirov","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070194","DOIUrl":"10.3390/tropicalmed10070194","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Treatment of <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> requires multi-drug regimens, and resistance to any individual antibiotic can compromise outcomes. For slow-growing organisms like <i>M. tuberculosis</i>, rapid detection of resistance-conferring mutations enables timely initiation of effective therapy. Conversely, confirming wild-type status in resistance-associated genes supports confidence in standard regimens. We developed an amplicon-based next generation sequencing (amplicon tNGS) assay on the Illumina platform targeting eight genes linked to resistance to isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, pyrazinamide, and fluoroquinolones. Sequencing results were analyzed using a custom bioinformatics pipeline. Forty-seven samples were used for assay development, and 37 additional samples underwent post-implementation clinical validation. Compared to whole genome sequencing (WGS), amplicon tNGS demonstrated 97.7% sensitivity, 98.9% specificity, and 98.7% overall accuracy for variant detection in targeted regions. Resistance prediction showed 79.3% concordance with WGS; discrepancies were primarily due to mutations outside of target regions. Among post-implementation samples, 27/37 passed quality metrics for all targets, with 95.7% concordance between amplicon tNGS results and final susceptibility results. This assay is now in use in our laboratory and offers significantly faster turnaround than both WGS and phenotypic methods on cultured isolates, enabling more rapid, informed treatment decisions for tuberculosis patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"10 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12300215/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144709010","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}