Causative agents, diseases, epidemiology and diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are caused by more than 30 species; the organisms with the highest frequency and clinical importance are Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, Mycoplasma genitalium, the hepatitis B and C viruses, the human immunodeficiency virus, the human papillomavirus, the herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 and Trichomonas vaginalis. Most of these infections are present without symptoms, and when they are present, the most common clinical manifestations of sexually transmitted diseases include vaginal discharge, genital ulcers and abdominal pain in women. Worldwide ...
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - December 24, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Bacteriology Source Type: research
A case of scrofuloderma complicated with genital elephantiasis and saxophone penis
We report a case of a 29-year-old male patient diagnosed as scrofuloderma with genital elephantiasis and saxophone penis. (Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology)
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - December 24, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Bacteriology Source Type: research
The differential diagnosis of Rickettsia prowazeki infection
Conclusion: According to our knowledge, this is the first study to report the case of R. prowazeki in Central Europe. (Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology)
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - December 24, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Bacteriology Source Type: research
Obituary
No abstract available (Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology)
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - September 30, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Parasitology Source Type: research
Review on current and future molecular diagnostic tests for bancroftian filariasis
In a public health perspective, filariasis is still a problem in tropical countries, which warrants an appropriate diagnosis and drug-based prophylaxis in the endemic areas to reduce the number of diseased individuals. Among the four species causing filariasis, Wuchereria bancrofti is reported to cause 90% of infections globally. Difficulty in accurate diagnosis of filarial infections remains a problem in filariasis control programs. Improved simple methods are needed for monitoring W. bancrofti infection and thereby to accomplish success in elimination programs. Conventional methods available are tedious and time consumin...
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - September 30, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Parasitology Source Type: research
Measles eradication in Morocco: molecular epidemiology of measles virus 1998–2014
The molecular characterization of measles is essential in a context of elimination. Indeed, it allows identifying the origin and transmission pathways to establish or reject the connections between cases and outbreaks, to observe the evolution of circulating strains and differentiate between indigenous strains, strains imported, or vaccine strains. Therefore, the molecular characterization of the measles virus is an essential element for the documentation of the interruption of endemic transmission.
The introduction of the measles molecular surveillance in Morocco has shown significant changes over time, including the dis...
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - September 30, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Virology Source Type: research
Advances in Brucellosis and Brucella infection biology
Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that is caused by a bacteria called Brucella abortus. It is a zoonotic disease which means that it can transferred from animals to human beings. More than half a million people are affected with brucellosis each year. It is a Gram-negative, facultative, and intercellular bacterium. The bacteria is of the α-2 subdivision in the proteobacteria. The bacterium localizes in the reproductive organs of the host animals causing abortion and sterility. Its mode of transmission from animals to human beings is through ingestion of infected food products, having a direct contact with infected animals...
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - September 30, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Bacteriology Source Type: research
Gut microbiota and metabolic disease: from pathogenesis to new therapeutic strategies
Gut microbiota is well known to regulate and maintain host metabolic and immune function. Change in stability and diversification of gut microbiota can affect progression of many metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, liver disease, and so on. Studies on the association of the gut microbiota and host diseases are therefore significant, shedding light on the understanding of the role of gut microbiota in the development of such disease. In particular, human and animal model studies have explained how qualitative and quantitative alterations in the composition of gut microbiota are able to have an influence on the int...
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - September 30, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Bacteriology Source Type: research
Burkholderia cepacia pseudobacteremia traced to contaminated antiseptic used for skin antisepsis prior to blood collection
Conclusion: B. cepacia has the potential to cause fatal infections and its multidrug resistance makes its presence dangerous in hospital settings. The surveillance of B. cepacia infections should not be neglected, especially in the ICUs. Given the high transmissibility of the microorganism and previous epidemic reports, strict infection control measures should be applied in the case of diagnosis of B. cepacia infection. (Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology)
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - September 30, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Bacteriology Source Type: research
Evaluating nested-PCR of urine to diagnose smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis
The PCR and its variations such as nested-PCR are currently considered as a rapid and sensitive method for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The standard laboratory procedure for diagnosing the tuberculosis (TB) disease based on microscopic examination of acid-fast bacilli has low sensitivity, and mycobacterium culture is time-consuming. In addition, in some cases obtaining samples for smear and culture is difficult. Urine may, therefore, be a convenient, noninvasive sample to use for the identification and diagnosis of M. tuberculosis. The current study aimed at evaluating the diagnostic value of nested-PCR to dete...
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - September 30, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Bacteriology Source Type: research
Brucellosis in an HIV-positive patient: a case report
This article presents an HIV-positive patient that was affected by brucellosis in Yazd, Iran. (Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology)
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - September 30, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Bacteriology Source Type: research
Potential mechanism of IL-22 on microbial agents and cutaneous wound healing
Interleukin (IL)-22 structurally belongs to the IL-10 family of cytokines, which is expressed by Th22 cells, in addition to natural killer cells, lymphoid tissue inducer cells, lymphoid tissue inducer-like cells, and some other cells. Recently, the role of IL-22 in creating the protection and natural defense mechanism for controlling the bacterial infections, viral hemostasis, and the tissue recovery has been proved. IL-22 plays a protective role in wound healing of tissues such as skin. IL-22 acts by heterodimeric receptors consisting of IL-22R1 and IL-10R2. Human skin has the highest IL-22R1 expression among other tissue...
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - June 6, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Immunology Source Type: research
Applications and modifications of aptamers: potential tool for medical microbiology
Aptamers are ligands made of single-stranded DNA, oligonucleotide RNA or short peptides which bind specifically to their target molecules with high affinity. They resemble different types of monoclonal, polyclonal and recombinant antibodies in their mode of attachment. Aptamers optimally bind their targets in a range of μmol to ρmol. Targets vary from small molecules to macromolecules to whole cells. Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment is an affinity-based screening method for aptamers. Examples of aptamer applications include structural analysis of molecules, affinity/specificity testing, epitope m...
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - June 6, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Bacteriology Source Type: research
The conserved two-component systems orchestrate the pathophysiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Pathogenic bacteria have to adapt to the various microenvironmental conditions encountered during its infective cycle. Therefore, an efficient transcriptional regulatory mechanism becomes a precondition to ensure survival of bacteria inside the host. Intracellular pathogenic bacteria basically rely on two-component signalling systems (TCSs) for this purpose. However, the reductive evolution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) complex encompassed a significant reduction in the number of TCSs. Nevertheless, the 11 conserved TCSs, selected under the evolutionary pressure of Mtb, play crucial roles in the successful establishm...
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - June 6, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Bacteriology Source Type: research
Bacteriocins synthesized by Bacillus thuringiensis: generalities and potential applications
The members of the Bacillus thuringiensis group, commonly known as Bt, produce a huge number of metabolites, which show biocidal and antagonistic activity. B. thuringiensis is widely known for synthesizing Cry, Vip and Cyt proteins, active against insects and other parasporins with biocidal activity against certain types of cancerous cells. Nevertheless, B. thuringiensis also synthesizes compounds with antimicrobial activity, especially bacteriocins. Some B. thuringiensis bacteriocins resemble lantibiotics and other small linear peptides (class IIa) from the lactic acid bacteria bacteriocins classification system. Although...
Source: Reviews in Medical Microbiology - June 6, 2016 Category: Microbiology Tags: Bacteriology Source Type: research
