Non-infected Persons Research Articles

Chest X-ray Classification Using Deep Learning for Automated COVID-19 Screening.

In today’s world, we find ourselves struggling to fight one of the worst pandemics in the history of humanity known as COVID-2019 caused by a coronavirus. When the virus reaches the lungs, we observe ground-glass opacity in the chest X-ray due to fibrosis in the lungs. Due to the significant differences between X-ray images of an infected and non-infected person, artificial intelligence techniques can be used to identify the presence and severity of the infection. We propose a classification model that can analyze the chest X-rays and help in the accurate diagnosis of COVID-19. Our methodology classifies the chest X-rays into four classes viz. normal, pneumonia, tuberculosis (TB), and COVID-19. Further, the X-rays indicating COVID-19 are classified on a severity-basis into mild, medium, and severe. The deep learning model used for the classification of pneumonia, TB, and normal is VGG-16 with a test accuracy of 95.9 %. For the segregation of normal pneumonia and COVID-19, the DenseNet-161 was used with a test accuracy of 98.9 %, whereas the ResNet-18 worked best for severity classification achieving a test accuracy up to 76 %. Our approach allows mass screening of the people using X-rays as a primary validation for COVID-19.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42979-021-00695-5.

Real Time Face Mask Identification Using Deep Learning

Corona virus disease (COVID-19), one of the most life-threatening diseases which is highly harmful to the people in all over the world. The government of all countries in the world are in the situation to make effective steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the society. If this situation continuous means the extinction of human beings may possible. So, the foremost action towards the virus is to stop spreading from the infected to the non-infected persons. To prevent spreading of the virus, one has to maintain social distancing from other people and personal hygiene. The main mode of transmission of the COVID-19 is by the droplets of saliva and the discharge from the nose. The governments laid a strict rule to wear a mask in the public places to prevent the spreading of the virus. Various technological techniques are well applied in pandemic studies. In this case we applied a deep learning algorithm to determine whether or not an individual is wearing a face mask. This research resulted in identification of face mask in the public places which results in the lowering of spread of the virus. This model is developed using the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). It extracts the facial landmarks of the person and finds the face mask region. It is trained by datasets and predicts the result.

Diverse Mucosal-Associated Invariant TCR Usage in HIV Infection.

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate-like T cells that specifically target bacterial metabolites but are also identified as innate-like sensors of viral infection. Individuals with chronic HIV-1 infection have lower numbers of circulating MAIT cells compared with healthy individuals, yet the features of the MAIT TCR repertoire are not well known. We isolated and stimulated human PBMCs from healthy non-HIV-infected donors (HD), HIV-infected progressors on antiretroviral therapy, and HIV-infected elite controllers (EC). We sorted MAIT cells using flow cytometry and used a high-throughput sequencing method with bar coding to link the expression of TCRα, TCRβ, and functional genes of interest at the single-cell level. We show differential patterns of MAIT TCR usage among the groups. We observed expansions of certain dominant MAIT clones in HIV-infected individuals upon Escherichia coli stimulation, which was not observed in clones of HD. We also found different patterns of CDR3 amino acid distributions among the three groups. Furthermore, we found blunted expression of phenotypic genes in HIV individuals; most notably, HD mounted a robust IFNG response to stimulation, whereas both HIV-infected progressors and EC did not. In conclusion, our study describes the diverse MAIT TCR repertoire of persons with chronic HIV-1 infection and suggest that MAIT clones of HIV-infected persons may be primed for expansion more than that of noninfected persons. Further studies are needed to examine the functional significance of unique MAIT cell TCR usage in EC.

Recent data on adipose tissue, insulin resistance, diabetes and dyslipidaemia in antiretroviral therapy controlled HIV-infected persons.

Increased total body fat with truncal redistribution is common in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-controlled persons living with HIV(PLWH), leading to insulin resistance, prediabetes/diabetes and dyslipidaemia. We address these topics here. Most antiretrovirals are associated with gain in trunk fat, including visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Protease-inhibitors could inhibit white fat ability to dissipate energy (i.e. beiging) favouring fat gain. Expansion of VAT is associated with a pro-inflammatory profile linked to the tryptophan-kynurenine pathway and CD4+ subtypes. ART-associated increased adipose tissue (AT) quantity leads to decreased AT density, insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia that could be improved by lifestyle modifications.PLWH present high level of insulin resistance, regardless of their treatment, and a higher prevalence of prediabetes, but not diabetes, than noninfected persons. Otherwise, HbA1c values appear inaccurate to diagnose prediabetes/diabetes in PLWH.ART-related-dyslipidaemia is characterized by elevated LDL-C and/or high triglycerides and reduced HDL-C. Whereas treatment with protease inhibitors generally results in worsened lipid values, treatment with integrase-strand-transfer-inhibitors is associated with a better profile. Tenofovir-alafenamide is associated with higher lipid levels than tenofovir-disoproxil-fumarate. Treatment of LDL-C-dyslipidaemia could benefit, in statin-insufficiently controlled patients, from the class of proprotein-convertase-subtilsin-kenin-type-9 (PCSK-9) inhibitors. Lifestyle modifications are mandatory to reduce fat and improve dysglycaemia/dyslipidaemia. New drugs can efficiently control diabetes and LDL-C-dyslipidaemia.

Outcomes in Chest Computed Tomography Screening in Asymptomatic Individuals Diagnosed with HIV

Aim: The risk of an unadjusted cell breakdown of the lungs of HIV-contained individuals is two-overlapping or five-increasing. The registered tomography (CT) screening was linked to a decrease in cellular breakdown of the lung mortality of high-risk smokers in the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST). These findings could not be a representation of HIV-positive individuals, in particular in the case of fake CT discoveries. Methods: In multi-center assessment of HIV-related pulmonary emphysema study, we used details such as normalized chest CT filters from 170 contaminated and 142 non-infected experienced persons anywhere in March 2019 to February 2020. Our current research was conducted at Jinnah Hospital, Lahore from March 2019 to February 2020. Unusual results of CT have been concerned about clinical sweep translations and favourably interpreted into NLST rules relative to various findings. From the health record, clinical testing and resulting determinations were involved. Results: The extent of CT filters positive by NLST interventions (32% of HIV sick, 27% of HIV non-infected, P1⁄40.4) did not make a meaningful difference between HIV. In all cases, HIV-populated CD4 β cell inspections of less than 200 cells/ml is fundamentally most probably to have positive weakness. The assessment of irregular CT filtering in HIV infected persons (all p>0.06) was also comparative. Conclusion: HIV position was not related to an increased chance of irregular CT discovery or enhanced follow-up studies for more than 210 CD4 β-cell tested clinically healthy surgical patients. This knowledge closely explores the combination of assistances and injuries involved having lung screening cell loss of less serious HIV-treated smokers.

EVALUATING SOME OF THE HEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS FOR HELICOBACTER PYLORI INFECTED PATIENTS

Helicobacter pylori are Gram-negative curved rods that habitats the gastric mucosa and considered as the leading causes of stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers in humans. The main object of this study was to evaluate the influences of the bacteria on several hematological parameters. A total of 60 patients aged between 15 to 40 years were included in this study (30 male and 30 female) in addition to 30 healthy individuals from the same ages who were considered as a control group. Venous blood (4 ml) was obtained from the study population and investigated for complete blood count (CBC) using an automated hematology analyzer. The results revealed that there is a substantial decrease (p 0.01) in Hemoglobin (Hb), Red cell distribution width (RDW), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) in patients compared to control. However, no significant difference in Red blood cells (RBCs), Hematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) in patients compared to control. Also, no significant differences were found in the white blood cell (WBC) between H. pylori infected and non-infected persons. Otherwise, there are significant differences (p 0.01) in lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes in the patients and healthy individuals. The results also found that there are significant statistical differences in some of the hematologic parameters among study groups according to their gender. The study concluded that Hb, RDW, lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes are decreased in H. Pylori infected patients suggesting that infection may have direct effects on blood parameters.

Strategies for laboratory detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2: a review

Nowadays, the global pandemic of coronovirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has brought a severe impact on medical environment of the world because the lack of specific treatment and early detection of SARS-CoV-2 for timely diagnosis, isolation and registration of COVID-19 cases has become an effective mean to contain the pandemic. The sensitivity of COVID-19 case diagnosis is poor based on clinical manifestations and signs of the disease, so physicians need to identify infected and non-infected persons according laboratory detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test or other indicators. The study reviewed genomic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and its related detection principles. At different stages of COVID-19, the performance of different tests varied greatly. Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) based nucleic acid test is sensitive in the early and middle stage of SARS-CoV-2 infection, but serological detection, which may identify the late stage of the infection, could be used as an auxiliary detection to identify nucleic acid-negative but suspected infections. To avoid ‘false negative’ resulting in misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis, the multi-index detections should be used in laboratory detections to make up for the deficiency of a singular test.

The impact of false positive COVID-19 results in an area of low prevalence

False negative results in COVID-19 testing are well recognised and frequently discussed. False positive results, while less common and less frequently discussed, still have several adverse implications, including potential exposure of a non-infected person to the virus in a cohorted area. Although false positive results are proportionally greater in low prevalence settings, the consequences are significant at all times and potentially of greater significance in high-prevalence settings. We evaluated COVID-19 results in one area during a period of low prevalence. The consequences of these results are discussed and implications for these results in both high and low prevalence settings are considered. We also provide recommendations to minimise the risk and impact of false-positive results.

La Direction des affaires juridiques et des droits des patients de l’AP–HP et la première vague de la pandémie Covid-19

To facilitate the analysis and the management of claims related to the last Covid-19 pandemic, the DAJ of the AP–HP constituted a medical group assisted by lawyers intending to review the scientific knowledge and organizational measures during the first wave of this pandemic. This group brought together medical doctors with both scientific expertise in the main specialties requested during this viral infection and knowledge of repairing bodily damage. Based on the data provided by the hospital dashboards and the collection of hospital procedures for Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 patients, the goal of this group was to assess the level of scientific knowledge and organizational measures respectively at the start of the epidemic, its peak and at the end. During the three periods of this pandemic the main changes observed included a greater selectivity on admissions with increasing consideration on the patient's comorbidity; a continual evolution in drug management and more rigorous isolation measures with interruption of visiting rights. The target was to prevent contamination of the non-infected persons with an obsession to protect healthcare workers. The absence of selection for patients requiring intensive care for compensation of their respiratory failure forced AP–HP to double the number of intensive care beds and to refer some patients in other regions. In a context of unstable scientific knowledge and evolving organizational measures, the collection of these data should facilitate the management of claims related to Covid19 during the first wave of this pandemic and open a prospective study for the next pandemic.

Infection with Entamoeba histolytica and its effect on some blood parameters in Najaf City

The study was done in Al- Najaf Health Department \\ Alforat Al-Awsat Hospital. The total number of examined patients were (80) for both sexes (males and females) in different ages (children’s and adults). The chosen patients had single infection with Entamoeba histolytica was diagnosed in 32(40%) stool samples from the total number examined. The results showed no significant differences between males (40%) and females (40%) in tested with parasites. The samples were recorded the average percentage in the cyst stages of E. histolytica at a higher rate, where it reached (87.5%) than the trophozoite stage of E. histolytica, where it reached (12.5%). There were significant differences at the level of p <0.05 when studying the effect of E. histolytica parasite in both stages (cyst and trophozoite) in some blood parameters (PCV, Lymphocyte, Granulocyte and Platelets count). Also, results showed a significant differences only in the cyst stage in (MCV, MCH and Monocyte) and there were no significant differences in the other blood parameters (Hb, WBC, RBCand MCHC) among the infected and non-infected person with E.histolytica parasite.

NTCP gene polymorphisms and hepatitis B virus infection status in a Ghanaian population

BackgroundSLC10A1 gene codes NTCP, a receptor through which the hepatitis B virus (HBV) gets access into hepatocytes - a stage of the viral cycle necessary for replication. Polymorphism variants of SLC10A1 play roles in HBV infection, viral clearance, treatment outcome, and complications, in diverse ethnic groups and countries. However, no such study has been conducted in the Ghanaian population, a country with HBV endemicity. Therefore, an exploratory study was conducted to investigate the presence of three (3) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SLC10A1 gene (rs2296651, rs61745930, and rs4646287) and assessed the risk of HBV infection among the Ghanaian population.MethodPolymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to determine the presence of the SNPs among 292 participants comprising 146 HBV infected persons as case-subjects and 146 HBV non-infected persons as control-subjects.ResultsThe minor allele frequency (T) of rs2296651 was present in a significantly high proportion of cases compared with the control group (11.6% vs. 3.1%, p < 0.0001). The homozygote recessive variant of rs61745930 was present in 2.7% of the control group and 5.5% of the case group. Moreover, the minor allele frequencies of rs4646287 were 9.3 and 8.2% among the control and the case group, respectively (p = 0.767). Under the dominant (CC) genetic model of inheritance, rs2296651 was found to be protective of HBV infection [OR = 0.18 (0.07–0.44)], whereas under the co-dominant and additive model, rs2296651 was a potential risk factor for HBV infection [OR = 5.2 (95%CI: 2.1–12.8); 3.5 (95%CI: 1.6–7.6], respectively. Variants of rs61745930 and rs4646287 were not associated with HBV infection (p > 0.05). Polymorphisms in SLC10A1, however, did not show any significant association with HBV infectivity (p > 0.05).ConclusionThe study highlights some polymorphism proof that variants rs2296651, rs61745930, and rs4646287 exist in HBV-infected individuals in Ghana. Although variant rs2296651 was found to be associated with HBV infection, this association warrants more studies. Polymorphisms in SLC10A1 were not associated with HBV infectivity among the Ghanaian population. Further investigation is warranted to assess the offensive role of the relationship between rs2296651 and HBV infectivity.

Legislative and Administrative Responses to COVID-19 Virus in the Republic of Korea

South Korea had learned a valuable lesson from the Middle East Respiratory Syndromes (hereinafter “MERS”) outbreak in 2015. Learning form the MERS outbreak, South Korea has been successfully fighting COVID-19 to a standstill, without being in lockdown and seriously infringing civil liberties. In this regard, emergent legislative and administrative responses to the pandemic of OVID-19 are essential to fight against the infectious diseases. This paper explores how South Korea can make expeditious legislation and administrative measures to combat COVID-19 virus and effectively respond to the virus outbreak. Emergent legislative and administrative responses to the pandemic of infectious diseases such as COVID-19 are necessary for a nation to effectively prevent and control them. During the pandemic of the next infectious diseases, emergent legislative and administrative countermeasures need to be carried out against shortage of medical or non-medical products such as test kits, facial masks, cotton swabs for diagnostic tests, hand sanitizers, etc. and sudden rise of their price. In this regard, the South Korean legal system can be one of the good models to effectively deal with the pandemic of infectious diseases. Especially, contact tracing system in South Korea draws attention from foreign media and legal communities. When we take into account the pandemic of deadly COVID-19 virus, right to life, right of occupation and right to know information on the movement paths of the infected patients which non-infected persons have should take precedence over the right to move and the freedom of privacy, of the infected persons and their contacts. In this regard, even though the KCDC provided with and distributed to local governments the guidelines for disclosure of information on the movement paths of the infected patients on March 14, 2020, the guidelines are not binding upon local governments. Nonetheless, non-binding effect of the guidelines does not affect the constitutionality of the relevant provisions which allow contact retracing under the IDPC Act of 2020.

Expression of TSLC1 in patients with HAM/TSP.

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is chronic myelopathy characterized by slowly progressive spastic paraparesis and urinary dysfunction. A few biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid are known to be related to disease activity, but no biomarker has been reported in peripheral blood. This study aims to explore the expression level of the adhesion molecule during the expression level of the adhesion molecule among HAM/TSP disease activity. In lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 and DNAX accessory molecule 1, no variation in expression levels specific to HTLV-1 infection was observed in CD4-positive T cells; however, TSLC1 expression was higher in HAM patients than in asymptomatic carriers and non-infected persons. TSLC1 tended to be higher in patients whose symptoms were worsening. On the contrary, the expression level of TSLC1 in CD8-positive T cells was lower in HAM patients than in asymptomatic carriers, and this tendency was stronger in patients whose symptoms had deteriorated. No significant correlation was found between TSLC1 and either of the transcription factors Tax or HBZ in any T cell group. Therefore, TSLC1 expression in CD4-positive T cells might be a useful biomarker of HAM/TSP disease activity.

Isolation, quarantine, social distancing and community containment: pivotal role for old-style public health measures in the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.

Public health measures were decisive in controlling the SARS epidemic in 2003. Isolation is the separation of ill persons from non-infected persons. Quarantine is movement restriction, often with fever surveillance, of contacts when it is not evident whether they have been infected but are not yet symptomatic or have not been infected. Community containment includes measures that range from increasing social distancing to community-wide quarantine. Whether these measures will be sufficient to control 2019-nCoV depends on addressing some unanswered questions.

Changes of gene expression profiles of infants inflammatory genes after Rota virus infection.

Rotavirus is a medical important pediatric pathogen causes severe gastroenteritis in infants, leading to 450,000 deaths globally each year. RT-PCR-Array technique analysis is a powerful method to determine global profiles of gene expression in cells and tissues after viral infections. Using this analysis, the Ct values of 14 immune inflammatory genes were subjected to determine their gene expression rates compared with Ct values of control (non-infected persons). Five housekeeping genes were used as internal control genes. All mRNA transcripts of these genes were upregulated (from 2.2974 fold change for CCL3, CCR1, CCR3, CXCL2, IFN-a, IFNA-g, IL1B, IL1R and 21.1121 fold change for TNF-b) after infection with rotavirus. This results revealed that rotavirus infection increase the gene expression rate of 14 inflammatory genes and lead to high impact on key immune pathways in infected infants.

Obstructive sleep apnea among HIV-infected men in the highly active antiretroviral therapy era: a nation-wide longitudinal cohort study in Taiwan, 2000–2011

ObjectivesThis study compared the incidence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) between HIV-infected and matched non-infected persons and aimed to determine the effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on the incidence of OSA among HIV-infected men. MethodsA population-based cohort design was conducted using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), which contained 13,552 HIV-infected persons and 134,361 matched age-, sex-, and index year-controls. The incidence density rates (IRR) were calculated to estimate the OSA incidence both in the HIV group and matched controls. Cox proportional hazard models were applied to assess the HAART effect on the incidence of OSA among HIV-infected men. ResultsThe IRR of OSA was lower in the HIV group than in the matched controls (1.91 vs. 2.26 per 1000 person-years, respectively). The associated factors for OSA in HIV-infected men were higher monthly salary (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.97, p < 0.01), obesity (aHR, 3.99, p < 0.01), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (aHR, 2.02, p < 0.01). Continued HAART at least a half year was associated with less diagnosed OSA (AHR, 0.70, p = 0.03) in HIV-infected men. ConclusionsHIV-infected persons had a lower rate of OSA diagnosis compared to the matched controls. Healthcare providers are needed to increase awareness in HIV-infected men with sleep disorders, especially for those with low social economic status, comorbidities, and non-continuous HAART use.

Predicting and Validating Malaria Vulnerability in Rural Kwara State, Nigeria: A Geospatial - Clinical Laboratory Approach

Background: Geographical Information System (GIS) establish relationship or link between vector borne diseases and associated environmental factors thereby providing explanation for the spatial distribution pattern, possible causes of diseases outbreak and implication on the community. We hypothesized, if GIS data could correlates with laboratory-based quantitative assessment of malaria prevalence pattern in rural Kwara State, Nigeria. This work focuses on utilization of GIS hardware, software to map, predict, communicate risk, in some selected geographic area and was substantiated with determination of malaria prevalence with RDTs and Giemsa Microscopy. Methods: Garmin GPS was used to capture the coordinates (Lat/Long) of 6 selected settlements and overlaid with a geo-referenced satellite image in the study area. A total of One hundred and thirty five (135) vulnerable individuals were diagnosed for Malaria with light Olympus microscope and rapid diagnostic kit. Data were entered and analyzed using R-Package for Statistical Computing and Graphics. Results: Apodu and Elemere had the highest malaria vulnerability index within 300m radius and the vulnerability index increases as one move away from the center of the settlement. The possible explanation for this high vulnerability could be the presence of pond/lake in Apodu. This is a good breeding site for mosquito couple with dense vegetation as one move from the centre of the settlements. Unlike Apodu, Gbugudu was at highest risk at 100 m buffer (60%) but the vulnerability index decreases as one move away from the settlement centre. The absence of thick vegetation and presence numerous cultivated farmlands on the eastern part could have been responsible for this observation. The RDT results revealed 37% malaria prevalance in all three communities combined while Light microscopy recorded 48% positivity rate. However, with Light microscopy, Apodu community had a higher infected to non-infected persons' ratio at 58.7% to 41.3% than Gbugudu and Elemere, both of which showed lower prevalence rates at 30.3% and 46.2% respectively. Conclusions: Findings of this study showed dense vegetation and ponds within Apodu, Elemere and Malete centres serves a good breeding site for mosquito coupled with dense vegetation was responsible for the high vulnerability index at these areas. Settlements within 1 km radius around KWASU campus recorded lower index possibly due to low vegetation. Results from this study indicate that the degree of malaria parasitaemia in the three settlement correlates directly with the remote sensing data. Funding Statement: Oluwasogo A Olalubi was a recipient of Tertiary Education (Tetfund) Institution Research Grant No:KWASUTETFUND/2016ABUJA/1/31. Declaration of Interests: No competing interests were disclosed. Ethics Approval Statement: All aspects of the study were approved by Kwara State University Research Committee and Ethical Review Board. Verbal and written Informed consent was obtained from all the community leaders/respondents in the three major settlement screened. They were assured of voluntary participation,confidentiality of their test results and responses and the opportunity to withdraw at any time withoutprejudice in line with the Helsinki Declaration was emphasized (World Medical Association, 2001).

The microbiome in urogenital schistosomiasis and induced bladder pathologies.

BackgroundHuman schistosomiasis is a highly prevalent neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by Schistosoma species. Research on the molecular mechanisms influencing the outcomes of bladder infection by Schistosoma haematobium is urgently needed to develop new diagnostics, therapeutics and infection prevention strategies. The objective of the research study was to determine the microbiome features and changes in urine during urogenital schistosomiasis and induced bladder pathologies.MethodologySeventy participants from Eggua, southwestern Nigeria provided morning urine samples and were screened for urogenital schistosomiasis infection and bladder pathologies in a cross-sectional study. Highthroughput NGS sequencing was carried out, targeting the 16S V3 region. Filtered reads were processed and analyzed in a bioinformatics pipeline.Principal findingsThe study participants (36 males and 34 females, between ages 15 and 65) were categorized into four groups according to status of schistosomiasis infection and bladder pathology. Data analytics of the next-generation sequencing reads revealed that Proteobacteria and Firmicutes dominated and had influence on microbiome structure of both non-infected persons and persons with urogenital schistosomiasis. Furthermore, gender and age influenced taxa abundance independent of infection or bladder pathology. Several taxa distinguished urogenital schistosomiasis induced bladder pathologies from urogenital schistosomiasis infection alone and from healthy persons, including known immune-stimulatory taxa such as Fusobacterium, Sphingobacterium and Enterococcus. Some of these significant taxa, especially Sphingobacterium were projected as markers of infection, while several genera including potentially beneficial taxa such as Trabulsiella and Weissella, were markers of the non-infected. Finally, expected changes in protein functional categories were observed to relate to cellular maintenance and lipid metabolism.ConclusionThe urinary microbiome is a factor to be considered in developing biomarkers, diagnostic tools, and new treatment for urogenital schistosomiasis and induced bladder pathologies.

Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus Markers and Serum Alanine Amino-Transferase (ALT) Levels, in a Young Adult Population of Sylhet District

Objective: To find out the seroprevalence of the hepatitis B and C viruses in a young adult population along with estimation of aminotransferase levels. And so as to increase the awareness and augment preventive measures against these viral hepatitis related morbidity.Methods: A total of 2611 apparently healthy young adults were screened from January 2010 to December 2010 at a Medical Checkup center of Sylhet for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis C virus antibody (anti HCV), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspertate aminotransferase (AST) levels.Results: Out of 2611 subjects 2536(97.1%) were male and 75(2.9%) were female with comparable mean ages (29.08 vs. 30.6 years, P .056). A total of 77(3.0%) men were HBsAg positive and only four (0.16%) men were positive for anti HCV. Women were all negative for HBsAg or anti HCV. None had co-infection with HBV and HCV. Mean ALT and AST levels of study population were 31.85 I.U./L and 26.18 I.U./L respectively and were not found to vary with age and sex. Mean ALT levels were more in in HBsAg positive cases (42.03 I.U/L vs. 31.5 I.U./L, P .000) and HCV infected cases (49 I.U./L vs. 31.51 I.U./L, P.000) than non-infected persons.Conclusion: Hepatitis B infection is of intermediate endemicity among young adults while hepatitis C virus infection is low among this group. Mean amino transferase levels were higher in asymptomatic infected persons in comparison to non-infected person. We suggest the need for revision of upper limit of normal for ALT in our population for early detection and treatment of liver diseases.J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2016; 34(4): 199-205

Étude comparative de l’insuffisance rénale aiguë communautaire chez le sujet VIH positif et le sujet VIH négatif : expérience d’un service de médecine interne à Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)

BackgroundAcute kidney injury (AKI) is commonly associated with HIV infection. ObjectivesTo describe the profile of AKI in HIV infected versus non-infected persons. Patients and methodsThis is a prospective study that was carried out during the study period from January 2010 to December 2015 in the department of nephrology-internal medicine D of Treichville University Hospital (Côte d’Ivoire). ResultsThe prevalence of HIV infection was 35.2% in the population of AKI. The average age of patients was 42±18 years in the HIV positive group against 51±18 years in the HIV negative group (P=0.0001). Etiologies were infections in 65.1% in the HIV positive group against 38.8% in the HIV negative group (P=0.0001) and water loss in 24.7% in the HIV positive group against 7.8% in the HIV negative group (P=0.0001). Factors such as the AIDS stage (P=0.002), severe sepsis (P=0.002) and acute pyelonephritis (P=0.001) were associated with mortality in HIV positive patients against severe anemia (P=0.0001) and severe sepsis (P=0.0001) in the HIV-negative group. ConclusionHIV positive patients are younger with a female predominance. The mortality rate is identical in both groups.