Prosthetic joint infections(PJIs),although not very common,currently pose a very significant threat since they are associated with severe complications,high morbidity rates and substantial costs.PJIs are most commonly...Prosthetic joint infections(PJIs),although not very common,currently pose a very significant threat since they are associated with severe complications,high morbidity rates and substantial costs.PJIs are most commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci.The diagnosis of implant-associated infections is very challenging since no single routinely used laboratory or clinical test has been shown to demonstrate adequate results with respect to sensitivity,specificity and accuracy.In most cases,a sum of clinical signs and symptoms,histopathology,blood tests,radiography,bone scans and microbiological testing is considered to arrive at an accurate diagnosis.Treatment of PJIs is also very difficult since most of the infections are caused by biofilm-producing microorganisms which are significantly more resistant to the hosts natural defense mechanisms and antibiotic treatment.For successful management,a combination of both antibiotic and surgical treatment is most often required,and early diagnosis is of the utmost importance.Thus,a multidisciplinary approach is potentially the best option in dealing with PJI,and should include the involvement of microbiologists,orthopedic specialists,clinicians,pathologists and radiologists in order to improve decision-making processes and ensure overall success.The following review aims at briefly outlining the microbiology,diagnostic and treatment options,and preventive measures associated with such infections.展开更多
Viral hepatitis B and C infections are among the leading cause of death in Sub-Saharan Africa. Lack of knowledge and awareness in the general population as in health care settings may enhance the propagation of these ...Viral hepatitis B and C infections are among the leading cause of death in Sub-Saharan Africa. Lack of knowledge and awareness in the general population as in health care settings may enhance the propagation of these diseases. We aimed at determining the prevalence of HBV and HCV in Ebola survivors and health care workers (HCWs) of the Makeni town in Sierra Leone. We conducted a cross-sectional study during the last 2013-2016 Ebola outbreak in Makeni among Ebola survivors (N = 68) and 81 Health care workers from Holy Spirit hospital and Loreto clinic, two health care facilities in Makeni district. Serological markers of HBV (HBs Ag, anti-HBs Ab and anti-HBc Ab) and anti-HCV antibodies detection were done using ELISA techniques. The positive detection rates for HBs Ag, anti-HBs Ab and anti-HBc antibodies in Ebola survivors were 23.53% (16/68), 32.35% (22/68) and 88.89% (16/18) respectively. Survivors with a current HBV infection had a positive rate of 38.89% (7/18) and 16.66% (3/18) of them were considered immune due to past HBV infection. HCV prevalence was 26.47% (18/68) and about 10.29% (7/68) were HBV/HCV co-infected. The positive detection rates of HBsAg, anti-HBs Ab and anti-HBc Ab were 37.07% (30/81), 33.33% (27/81) and 30.86% (25/81) respectively in health care workers. We observed that 4.94% (4/81) of the HCWs were currently infected with HBV. Participants considered as immune due to past infection represented 23.47% (19/81) and those immune due to vaccination represented 2.47% (2/81). The prevalence of HCV infection among health staff was 2.47% (2/81) with 1.23% (1/81) being HBV/HCV co-infection. Our findings showed that viral hepatitis infection is a burden for Sierra Leone government. There is an urgent need to develop and implement strategies that could improve population immunization against HBV and vulgarization of HCV treatment programs.展开更多
Ebola virus disease is a complex zoonosis that is highly virulent in humans. Despite its sorely pathogenic and lethal nature, survivors of this infection and even asymptomatic cases are able to develop both humoral an...Ebola virus disease is a complex zoonosis that is highly virulent in humans. Despite its sorely pathogenic and lethal nature, survivors of this infection and even asymptomatic cases are able to develop both humoral and cellular immunity against several Ebola virus (EBOV) proteins. We aimed at determining immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies level against two Ebola viral antigens, the glycoprotein and the nucleoprotein in Ebola survivors and their relatives. Anti-EBOV glycoprotein (GP) and nucleoprotein (NP) IgG antibodies were quantified using ELISA. We enrolled 199 participants in two different sites as follow: 91 survivors at the Loreto clinic and 70 survivors with 38 relatives of Sierra Leone Association of Ebola Survivors Bombali Branch (SLAESB) tested for anti-EBOV NP and anti-EBOV GP IgG antibodies. Our findings revealed that the median anti-EBOV IgG level among survivors was 5.7128 U/ml [IQR: 2.793 - 7.783] for anti-EBOV GP IgG and 4.431 U/ml [IQR: 2.083 - 7.696] for anti-EBOV NP IgG. Survivors relatives had a median anti-EBOV GP IgG level of ?0.7128 U/ml [IQR: -0.903 to -0.04327] and -2.711 U/ml [IQR: -4.01 to -1.918] for anti-EBOV NP IgG. We observed that IgG levels in survivors were higher than in relatives with a significant difference of about 0.0001. The median value of anti-EBOV IgG level among seropositive relatives was 0.7043 U/ml [IQR: 0.5686 to 3.716] for anti-EBOV GP IgG and 4.05 U/ml [IQR: 0.2765 to 7.759] for anti-EBOV NP IgG respectively. Interestingly, we observed that 3.30% of Loreto clinic survivors did not developed anti-EBOV NP IgG antibodies;also about 10% survivors of the SLAESB were not reactive to anti-EBOV NP IgG and 1.43% of these survivors did not express antibodies against the Ebola viral glycoprotein. Our work is consistent with previous published studies showing heterogeneity in both survivors and asymptomatic cases of Ebola infection developing adaptive immunity against EBOV proteins.展开更多
文摘Prosthetic joint infections(PJIs),although not very common,currently pose a very significant threat since they are associated with severe complications,high morbidity rates and substantial costs.PJIs are most commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci.The diagnosis of implant-associated infections is very challenging since no single routinely used laboratory or clinical test has been shown to demonstrate adequate results with respect to sensitivity,specificity and accuracy.In most cases,a sum of clinical signs and symptoms,histopathology,blood tests,radiography,bone scans and microbiological testing is considered to arrive at an accurate diagnosis.Treatment of PJIs is also very difficult since most of the infections are caused by biofilm-producing microorganisms which are significantly more resistant to the hosts natural defense mechanisms and antibiotic treatment.For successful management,a combination of both antibiotic and surgical treatment is most often required,and early diagnosis is of the utmost importance.Thus,a multidisciplinary approach is potentially the best option in dealing with PJI,and should include the involvement of microbiologists,orthopedic specialists,clinicians,pathologists and radiologists in order to improve decision-making processes and ensure overall success.The following review aims at briefly outlining the microbiology,diagnostic and treatment options,and preventive measures associated with such infections.
文摘Viral hepatitis B and C infections are among the leading cause of death in Sub-Saharan Africa. Lack of knowledge and awareness in the general population as in health care settings may enhance the propagation of these diseases. We aimed at determining the prevalence of HBV and HCV in Ebola survivors and health care workers (HCWs) of the Makeni town in Sierra Leone. We conducted a cross-sectional study during the last 2013-2016 Ebola outbreak in Makeni among Ebola survivors (N = 68) and 81 Health care workers from Holy Spirit hospital and Loreto clinic, two health care facilities in Makeni district. Serological markers of HBV (HBs Ag, anti-HBs Ab and anti-HBc Ab) and anti-HCV antibodies detection were done using ELISA techniques. The positive detection rates for HBs Ag, anti-HBs Ab and anti-HBc antibodies in Ebola survivors were 23.53% (16/68), 32.35% (22/68) and 88.89% (16/18) respectively. Survivors with a current HBV infection had a positive rate of 38.89% (7/18) and 16.66% (3/18) of them were considered immune due to past HBV infection. HCV prevalence was 26.47% (18/68) and about 10.29% (7/68) were HBV/HCV co-infected. The positive detection rates of HBsAg, anti-HBs Ab and anti-HBc Ab were 37.07% (30/81), 33.33% (27/81) and 30.86% (25/81) respectively in health care workers. We observed that 4.94% (4/81) of the HCWs were currently infected with HBV. Participants considered as immune due to past infection represented 23.47% (19/81) and those immune due to vaccination represented 2.47% (2/81). The prevalence of HCV infection among health staff was 2.47% (2/81) with 1.23% (1/81) being HBV/HCV co-infection. Our findings showed that viral hepatitis infection is a burden for Sierra Leone government. There is an urgent need to develop and implement strategies that could improve population immunization against HBV and vulgarization of HCV treatment programs.
文摘Ebola virus disease is a complex zoonosis that is highly virulent in humans. Despite its sorely pathogenic and lethal nature, survivors of this infection and even asymptomatic cases are able to develop both humoral and cellular immunity against several Ebola virus (EBOV) proteins. We aimed at determining immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies level against two Ebola viral antigens, the glycoprotein and the nucleoprotein in Ebola survivors and their relatives. Anti-EBOV glycoprotein (GP) and nucleoprotein (NP) IgG antibodies were quantified using ELISA. We enrolled 199 participants in two different sites as follow: 91 survivors at the Loreto clinic and 70 survivors with 38 relatives of Sierra Leone Association of Ebola Survivors Bombali Branch (SLAESB) tested for anti-EBOV NP and anti-EBOV GP IgG antibodies. Our findings revealed that the median anti-EBOV IgG level among survivors was 5.7128 U/ml [IQR: 2.793 - 7.783] for anti-EBOV GP IgG and 4.431 U/ml [IQR: 2.083 - 7.696] for anti-EBOV NP IgG. Survivors relatives had a median anti-EBOV GP IgG level of ?0.7128 U/ml [IQR: -0.903 to -0.04327] and -2.711 U/ml [IQR: -4.01 to -1.918] for anti-EBOV NP IgG. We observed that IgG levels in survivors were higher than in relatives with a significant difference of about 0.0001. The median value of anti-EBOV IgG level among seropositive relatives was 0.7043 U/ml [IQR: 0.5686 to 3.716] for anti-EBOV GP IgG and 4.05 U/ml [IQR: 0.2765 to 7.759] for anti-EBOV NP IgG respectively. Interestingly, we observed that 3.30% of Loreto clinic survivors did not developed anti-EBOV NP IgG antibodies;also about 10% survivors of the SLAESB were not reactive to anti-EBOV NP IgG and 1.43% of these survivors did not express antibodies against the Ebola viral glycoprotein. Our work is consistent with previous published studies showing heterogeneity in both survivors and asymptomatic cases of Ebola infection developing adaptive immunity against EBOV proteins.
