Rapid Immune-chromatographic Test Research Articles

Evaluation of Hepatitis C Virus and Hepatitis B Virus infection in Drug Abusers

Background: Pakistan is one of the world’s uppermost burdens of hepatitis C and B. Our research will assist to enhance and update preventative and treatment methods across the country. Methods: We screened 408 drug abusers for HBV and HCV in the medical and public health literature from study 1 June 2021 to 31 December 2021 on oral and injection drug users from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mardan District, Pakistan to evaluate the frequency of hepatitis B and C. Results: Out of 408 half of the individuals were screened for HCV-specific antibodies 204 and 204 for HBV surface antigen by a one-step rapid immune-chromatographic test. For all those who were screened for HCV antibodies, 171 individuals were negative and 30 individuals were positive and 14 % prevalence was observed in drug-addicted individuals. All those were screened for HBV surface antigen 161 individuals were negative and 43 % individuals were positive and 21 % prevalence was observed in drug addicted individuals. According to Age –wise distribution the high prevalence was found between 17-30 years Age 57 % and then followed by the 31-45 years age group having 28 % and the lowest HBV infection was observed in above 45 years Age group was only 15 %. Among HBV 43 positive individuals 70 % were drug abusers while the rest 30 % were oral drug users. In HCV 30 positive individuals 76 % were drug abusers while the rest 23 % were oral drug users. Among drug abusers, an injection drug user infectivity rate of 72 % was high as compared to oral drug abusers' 28 %. Conclusions: Our findings show that the prevalence of HCV and HBV is much higher among IDUs than in the overall population of Pakistan. Injecting drug users are at high risk of HBV and HCV infection transmission, and they can transfer diseases to the community through risky behavior such as syringe exchange and unsafe sex. As a result, various levels of prophylaxis are necessary for these fatal illnesses. Keywords: Drug abuser, Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus, Pakistan.

Awareness, Risk Factors and Prevalence of Viral Hepatitis B and C among Antenatal Attendees in South-southern Nigeria: A Cross-sectional and Hospital-based Study

Background: Viral hepatitis was responsible for 1.34 million deaths globally in 2015, a number comparable to deaths caused by tuberculosis and higher than those caused by HIV. Although hepatitis B and C viral infections are major causes of liver cirrhosis or/and hepatocellular carcinoma, knowledge is limited and prevalence underestimated because of poor surveillance programs in most developing countries. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of awareness/knowledge, risk factors and prevalence of viral hepatitis B and C amongst antenatal attendees in a secondary health-care facility. Study design: The study was cross-sectional, descriptive and hospital-based. Methods: A total of 218 pregnant women were recruited from the antenatal clinic of Central Hospital Warri using simple random technique after approval from the institutional review board and consent from the participants. They were screened for Hepatitis B and C viral infections using a rapid immune-chromatographic test strip. Samples positive for HBsAg were screened for other HBV biomarkers using a 5 in one test cassette. Result: Of the 218 women screened, 3 (1.4%) were positive for HBsAg while 4 (1.8%) reacted for HCV antibodies. All positive cases for HBsAg were negative for HBeAg and HBsAb, but positive for HBeAb and HBcAb. Age-grade 31-40 gave the highest age-based prevalence 1.92% for HBsAg while participants younger than 20 years had the highest age-based prevalence of 20% (2/10) for HCV. Multiparous women had 2.8% for HBsAg while nulliparous/primiparous participants have the highest HCV antibody prevalence of 3.1%. For other variables measured, self-employed, Secondary school education, lack of HBV vaccination, women who share sharps and participants that engaged the services of quacks for invasive procedures gave the highest prevalence in their respective categories. Conclusion: The prevalence of 1.4% and 1.8% reported by this study for HBV and HCV respectively is relatively low when compared to a previous report for the study region and other Nigerian studies. However, the poor level of awareness/knowledge and high level of exposure to predisposing risk factors among the study population calls for urgent intervention if vision 2030 will be a reality for the study region.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Recipient of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Life-threating Features Within the Early Post-engraftment Phase.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Recipient of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Life-threating Features Within the Early Post-engraftment Phase.

Evaluation of in vitro screening and diagnostic kits for hepatitis B virus infection

BackgroundFor the diagnosis of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the detection and quantification of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV DNA are used. Several kits are available for this purpose, and there is a growing need for the evaluation of these kits because their performance may be affected by HBV genotype- or strain-specific polymorphisms. Objectives and study designIn this study, we used International Standards and the established regional reference panel to evaluate the performance of two HBV DNA quantitative kits, five HBsAg qualitative kits, seven HBsAg quantitative kits and three rapid immune-chromatographic tests for HBsAg. ResultsThe quantification values of two HBV DNA quantitative kits exhibited excellent correlation. In the evaluation of HBsAg qualitative and quantitative kits, the titers of several specimens in the HBV-positive panel were below the detection limits of a few kits, and the specimens were determined as HBV-negative. Notably, the quantitative kit results exhibited low correlation values. However, when these data were analyzed for each genotype, the correlations improved. These results suggest that the HBsAg quantification data are influenced by HBV genotypes. The novel rapid immune-chromatographic test exhibited the comparable level of sensitivity to the HBsAg quantitative kits. ConclusionsWe evaluated the performance of kits for the detection of HBV infection. The HBV DNA quantification data correlated with an excellent agreement, whereas the HBsAg quantification data were affected by HBV genotype. Such evaluations will be useful for estimating the quality of currently available and new HBV assay kits, and for the quality control of these kits.

Deranged liver among Sudanese Patients with Dengue Virus Infection in Port Sudan Teaching Hospital

Background Deranged liver is a well-recognized feature of dengue infection, often demonstrated by coagulopathy and mild to moderate increase in transaminase levels although jaundice and fulminant hepatic failure are generally uncommon. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the hepatic effect of dengue fever amongst Sudanese patients.Materials and Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study recruited in Port Sudan teaching hospital in the period from February 2013 to June 2014. 334 cases of dengue along with 101 cases of control were enrolled. Rapid immune chromatographic test was used to confirm positive dengue cases and WHO criteria were used for classifying the dengue severity. Prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), fibrinogen level (FB), platelet count (PLT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were all measured. Results PT, PTT, and FB were found to be significantly higher in the infected cohort when compared to the controls (P< 0.0001). PT was prolonged in 9%, PTT was prolonged in 12.6% and shortened by 5.4% of the patients, whereas hypofibrinogenemia in 18.3% and hyperfibrinogenemia in 67.4% of the patients. Bleeding was seen in 10.5% of patients and thrombocytopenia was detected in 83.5% of patients. Out of 334 patients, 101 (30.2%) had abnormal coagulation results. Of 101 patients, 72 were subjected mixing studies for PT and PTT that revealed deficiencies in factors VIII (35%), IX (10%), V (10%), X (19%), and XII (14%). 43.6% patients had elevated AST and 21.8% had elevated ALT.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that hepatic dysfunction may be attributed to dengue virus infection which evident by prolongation in PT and PTT as well as hypofibrinogenemia and factor deficiencies.

Accuracy of parasitological and immunological tests for the screening of human schistosomiasis in immigrants and refugees from African countries: An approach with Latent Class Analysis.

BackgroundSchistosomiasis is a neglected infection affecting millions of people, mostly living in sub-Saharan Africa. Morbidity and mortality due to chronic infection are relevant, although schistosomiasis is often clinically silent. Different diagnostic tests have been implemented in order to improve screening and diagnosis, that traditionally rely on parasitological tests with low sensitivity. Aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of different tests for the screening of schistosomiasis in African migrants, in a non endemic setting.Methodology/Principal findingsA retrospective study was conducted on 373 patients screened at the Centre for Tropical Diseases (CTD) in Negrar, Verona, Italy. Biological samples were tested with: stool/urine microscopy, Circulating Cathodic Antigen (CCA) dipstick test, ELISA, Western blot, immune-chromatographic test (ICT). Test accuracy and predictive values of the immunological tests were assessed primarily on the basis of the results of microscopy (primary reference standard): ICT and WB resulted the test with highest sensitivity (94% and 92%, respectively), with a high NPV (98%). CCA showed the highest specificity (93%), but low sensitivity (48%). The analysis was conducted also using a composite reference standard, CRS (patients classified as infected in case of positive microscopy and/or at least 2 concordant positive immunological tests) and Latent Class Analysis (LCA). The latter two models demonstrated excellent agreement (Cohen’s kappa: 0.92) for the classification of the results. In fact, they both confirmed ICT as the test with the highest sensitivity (96%) and NPV (97%), moreover PPV was reasonably good (78% and 72% according to CRS and LCA, respectively). ELISA resulted the most specific immunological test (over 99%). The ICT appears to be a suitable screening test, even when used alone.ConclusionsThe rapid test ICT was the most sensitive test, with the potential of being used as a single screening test for African migrants.

Detection of rabies antigen in the saliva and brains of apparently healthy dogs slaughtered for human consumption and its public health implications in abia state, Nigeria.

The study was carried out in eight dogs slaughtering outlets within four Local Government Areas of the State for the determination of rabies antigen in the saliva and brain of apparently healthy dogs slaughtered for human consumption. A total of one hundred (100) samples each of saliva and brain were collected before and after slaughter, respectively, between April to June, 2013, in the selected areas. The saliva was subjected to rapid immune-chromatographic test (RICT) while direct fluorescent antibody test (DFAT) was carried out on the brain samples. Structured questionnaire was administered to nineteen (19) dog meat processors comprising 18 males and 1 female in the selected areas. Sixty four percent of the samples tested were from female dogs while 36% were from males, 5% tested positive for rabies antigen with the use of both tests; there was no statistical association between sex and rabies status of the dogs sampled (P > 0.05). Butchers bitten during the course of slaughtering were 94.7% out of which 72.8% utilized traditional method of treatment and only 27.8% reported to the hospital for proper medical attention. This study has established the presence of rabies antigen in apparently healthy dogs in the study area.

Neurological Manifestaions in Acute Onset of Viral Gastroentritis

Back ground: AGE is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in infants and children in developing countries with near 11,000 deaths per day in the world. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of neurological manifestations in acute onset of viral gastrointestinal. Methods: A cross sectional /descriptive study performed upon 50 children admitted due to acute viral gastrointestinal infections in Department of pediatric Infectious Disease, Rasul Hospital, Tehran, Iran, 2010- 2011. Initially, a questionnaire was completed by an authorized physician for each cases (eg: age, gender, clinical signs, vomiting, diarrhea (type, time of onset, frequency) attending time from onset ,type of neurologic symptoms ,analysis of lab test (stool direct exams, biochemical parameters, stool culture, direct viral test in stool). All cases with bacterial or other known causes (except viral causes) for gastroenteritis, chronic diarrhea excluded from study. The studied cases were evaluated for existence of neurologic signs .Stool samples were searched for viral antigens (Rota & Adeno virus) by Rapid immune chromatographic test. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Neurological manifestations observed in 16% of cases included seizure 12% aseptic meningitis 4%, 20% of adenoviral, 13.5% of rota virus and 33.3% of bi-infection had neurologic signs, with no differences (P=0.619). Mean age of cases had not significant difference between cases with and without neurologic manifestation. There was no significant association between neurological symptoms with age (P=0.755), sex, virus type and attending time (P>0.05). Conclusions: This study indicated that viral agents, especially rota virus can be obtained from near 60% of studied cases. Adenovirus (20%); Human Boca virus (8%) and other (undiagnosed) viral infection were less common causes. Neurological symptoms including seizure or aseptic meningitis might observe in 16% of children especially in cases with co-infection rota and adenoviral infection (33.3%) which is not related to age, sex and attending time. Rotavirus-associated encephalopathy described by some authors. Due to presence a safe and effective rotavirus vaccination, we prefer to routine usage of it as a public health priority in Iran. Further study is required to determine the role of rotavirus and other viral infection in diarrhea associated encephalopathy.

Evaluation of Two Rapid Diagnostic Tests for Rabies Diagnosis under Field and Laboratory Conditions in Nigeria

The study was carried out to evaluate two rapid diagnostic rabies diagnostic tests in South Eastern Nigeria. One hundred samples each of saliva and brains were collected before and after slaughter from apparently healthy dogs brought for slaughter. The saliva was subjected to rapid immune chromatographic test while the brain tissues were subjected Direct Fluorescent Antibody Test (DFAT) and direct Rapid Immunohistochemistry Test (dRIT). Five (5%) tested positive for rabies antigen with the use of the three tests. Result obtained from this study have shown total agreement in the results of the entire tests used. This study therefore recommends the use of RICT and dRIT for rabies virus screening under field and laboratory conditions.