Diagnostic accuracy of immunological methods in patients with tuberculous pleural effusion from Venezuela.

In recent years, better diagnostics for tuberculosis (TB) has received increasing attention, especially the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion, which is difficult and at present the main tool in TPE diagnostic is pleural effusion smear and culture, but unfortunately, sensitivities are low, therefore better TPE diagnostic tools are needed. The aim of this study was to find a diagnostic algorithm to assess the progress in TPE diagnostic at the Hospital Vargas de Caracas, that permits identification of the majority of patients, at a satisfactory cost-benefit ratio, evaluating the levels of IFN-gamma and IL-12p40 in pleural effusion and serum, as well as the antibody reactivity in order to compare it with microbiological tests. A total of 60 individuals with pleural effusion were studied; 20 patients with tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) formed the patient group and 40 patients with non-tuberculous pleural effusion (NTPE) formed the control group.

A high-throughput colorimetric and fluorometric microassay for the evaluation of nitroimidazole derivatives anti-trichomonas activity.

Several nitroimidazole derivatives were synthesized and tested as possible trichomonicidal agents. A fast, simple, practical and reliable in vitro colorimetric method was applied to the screening of the nitroimidazole derivatives anti-trichomonas activity. The colorimetric technique was based on the use of Alamar blue as a redox-indicator.