International Journal of Infection
Volume:9 Issue: 3, Jul 2022

Context: 

Microsporidiosis is an emerging disease in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Diagnosis of human microsporidiosis is challenging. Parasitological tests using staining methods have limitations for detecting spores in stool samples. The performance of molecular methods for diagnosing human microsporidiosis is satisfactory, but these methods are expensive and time-consuming. Serodiagnosis tests for the detection of antibodies have insufficient specificity. Detecting microsporidia antigens seems to be an appropriate method for diagnosing human microsporidiosis. Therefore, the present study reviewed serological approaches to assess the current status of these methods for diagnosing human microsporidiosis.

Evidence Acquisition: 

All related published articles were searched. The search terms were “microsporidiosis”, “microsporidiasis”, “human microsporidiosis”, and “human microsporidiasis”, combined with the search terms “diagnosis”, “serodiagnosis”, “immunodiagnosis”, “antigen detection”, and “antibody detection”. Data were extracted from the articles that met our eligibility criteria. Immunodiagnosis studies in experimentally infected animals were excluded.

 Few studies have evaluated the performance of serological tests for diagnosing human microsporidiosis. The IgG response against spore wall protein or polar tube antigens remains at least three years after infection and shows more cross-reactivity with other species. Therefore, the western blot should be conducted as a confirmatory method. Serodiagnosis tests using monoclonal antibodies against microsporidia showed less cross-reactivity and more efficacy compared to polyclonal antibodies.

 Indirect fluorescent antibody test based on the monoclonal antibody is highly effective in diagnosing microsporidia species in clinical samples.

The recent severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in millions of confirmed cases of infection and death. Vitamin D modulates the adaptive and innate immune systems; therefore, vitamin D deficiency may be related to the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

This study was performed on 122 COVID-19 patients and 122 non-COVID-19 individuals to determine the possible relationship between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 severity. Besides, the relationship between vitamin D status and the severity of disease was investigated in 49 patients without an underlying disease. The COVID-19 severity was defined based on O2 saturation, respiratory rate, and pulmonary involvement. Also, vitamin D status was defined as follows: Vitamin D deficiency (< 30 ng/mL) and vitamin D sufficiency (≥ 30 ng/mL).

The mean age of 122 COVID-19 patients, including 71 (58.2%) male patients and 51 (41.8%) women patients, was 59 ± 16 years in this study, while the mean age of the controls, including 61 male participants and 61 female participants, was 48 ± 13 years (P < 0.05). The mean vitamin D level was 34.14 ± 1 ng/mL in the patients and 32.94 ± 1 ng/mL in the controls (P = 0.872). However, there was no significant correlation in none of all the 122 patients and 49 patients without an underlying disease (P = 0.074, P = 0.261).

Based on the present findings, the correlation between vitamin D status and COVID-19 severity was not significant neither in 122 patients, and nor in 49 patients without an underlying disease.

Infection is a possible problem in operating rooms. The aseptic technique is one of the circulating nurses’ duties to prevent infections and keep patients safe against microorganisms in the operating room.

This study aimed to assess the circulating nurses’ aseptic practices in orthopedic and general surgeries.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 296 circulating nurses who worked in public hospitals in Shiraz, Iran, during the 2020 summer. Data collection tools included a demographics questionnaire and the Aseptic Practices among Circulating Nurses Scale. The data were collected after the assessment of the psychometric properties of the tool. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22).

The mean score of the aseptic practice scale was 3.50 out of 5. Although the aseptic practice score was higher than the average level, the circulating nurses had low scores in several items. Age and work experience had a weak negative correlation with the “establishment of a sterile field” subscale. The aseptic practice score was significantly different in circulating nurses with different academic educational levels.

There is a need to improve some aseptic practices. Supplying the hospitals with necessary materials, using appropriate guidelines and educational programs, supervising, and setting appropriate policies can help improve aseptic practices.

In Nigeria, intestinal parasitic infection (IPI) is one of the neglected tropical diseases of public health importance.

This study investigated intestinal parasitic infection and associated risk factors among primary school-aged children in Sagbama Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

A total of 622 stool samples (335 males and 287 females) were collected from 13 primary schools in nine communities and analyzed using parasitological techniques (direct wet mount and formal ether concentration method). The Tukey Honest Significance Difference test (HSD) was used to determine the association and variation between prevalence and socioeconomic variables.

Nine parasite species were encountered with a total prevalence of 23.95%, including Ascaris lumbricoides (7.32%), Entamoeba histolytica (4.98%), Strongyloides stercorals (2.09%), Giardia lamblia (1.93%), Hookworm (1.77%), Trichuris trichiura (1.61%), Schistosoma mansoni (1.45%), Diphyllobotium latium (0.64%) and Fasciola hepatica (0.32%). A total of 4.50% of infections were mixed. With 30.26%, the age group 5 - 7 years had the highest infection rate. The second most prevalent age group was 8 - 10 years old (26.53%), while the least prevalent age group was 14 - 16 years old (12.60%). Males were more infected with the disease, 25.07%, than females, 22.65%. Ascaris lumbricoides were the most predominantcommon parasites encountered across the nine communities. There was a significant difference between the infected population in the nine communities at P < 0.05 (P = 0.001).

There was a relatively high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection among primary school children in Sagbama local government area. Improved sanitation, safe drinking water, and set-up health education in the communities will reduce the exacerbation of the infection in the area.

 Many nosocomial infections, which cause death and cost society, may be transmitted through healthcare workers’ contacts. Preventive health measures greatly reduce their prevalence.

 This study aimed to investigate the microbial contamination of healthcare workers’ hands in different wards of Sheikh Hospital. In addition, the alcohol-based hand sanitizers’ ability to reduce microbial load of nosocomial infections was evaluated.

 The present study was performed in spring 2019. Thirty-two nurses’ hand samples were obtained from different wards of the hospital, including emergency, ICU, surgery, peritoneal dialysis, nephrology, and hematology-oncology. Biochemical tests determined the isolates. Participants’ hands were cleaned using a standard procedure using soap and 70% isopropyl alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

 Different species, including coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS), Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus, Klebsiella oxytoca, Acinetobacter baumannii, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and Burkholderia cepacia complex were isolated. Following hand hygiene procedure, the most effective decontamination for a wide variety of organisms was observed.

 Separation of dangerous pathogenic bacteria such as S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, and E. coli from healthcare workers may be a great warning sign for these infections in the hospital. Therefore, hand hygiene procedures may be considered an appropriate method to decrease nosocomial infections.

Breast Tuberculosis is relatively uncommon in the modern era. However, it is necessary to understand how to manage this disease since most patients require medical management, despite presenting as a lump.

Both patients were young females presented with lump breasts. Bilateral breast ultrasound with axilla was suggestive of infective aetiology. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) revealed ZN stain positive acid-fast bacilli. Both patients were started on anti tubercular treatment. One patient had complete resolution of the lump; however, another patient developed an abscess drained via percutaneous aspiration. Subsequently, the dissolution of the lump was observed.

The diagnosis of breast tuberculosis is challenging and involves constant vigilance, detailed clinical history, examination, and supporting investigations, including chest X-ray, breast ultrasound with axilla, CT thorax, FNAC, and blood investigations such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate and Mantoux test. After diagnosis, treatment with antitubercular drugs should be started and regularly followed up. Inappropriate diagnosis and treatment can result in complications such as the non-resolution of lump and/or abscess.