Mycobacterial antigens in pleural fluid mononuclear cells to diagnose pleural tuberculosis in HIV co-infected patients.

Background: Extra pulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis (TB) accounts for approximately one-half of TB cases in HIV-infected individuals with pleural TB as the second most common location. Even though mycobacteria are cleared, mycobacterial antigens may persist in infected tissues, causing sustained inflammation and chronicity of the disease. The aim of this study was to explore various mycobacterial antigens in pleural effusions, the impact of HIV infection and CD4+ T-cell depletion on the presence of antigens, and the diagnostic potential of antigens for improved and rapid diagnosis of pleural TB.

Pediatric invasive disease due to Haemophilus influenzae serogroup A in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: case series.

Unlabelled: We describe the first two cases of invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae serotype A in Saudi Arabia. This is the first known reported invasive Haemophilus influenzae serotype A from Saudi Arabia.

Case Presentation: A ten-month-old and three-month-old male not known to have any past history of any medical illness and who had received H.

Diverse Molecular Genotypes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Isolates Circulating in the Free State, South Africa.

Tuberculosis is a serious public health concern especially in Africa and Asia. Studies describing strain diversity are lacking in the Free State region of South Africa. The aim of the study was to describe the diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.

Immune Components of Liver Damage Associated with Connective Tissue Diseases.

Autoimmune connective tissue diseases are associated with liver abnormalities and often have overlapping pathological and clinical manifestations. As a result, they can present great clinical challenges and evoke questions about diagnostic criteria for liver diseases. Moreover, discriminating between liver involvement as a manifestation of connective tissue disease and primary liver disease can be challenging since they share a similar immunological mechanism.

Infection due to colistin-resistant Enterobacteriacae in critically-ill patients.

Introduction: This study was conducted in response to the rising incidence of drug resistance observed in the intensive care unit (ICU) of King Fahad Medical City.

Methodology: A retrospective observational study was conducted in the ICU of King Fahad Medical City between October 2003 and April 2012. Data were collected using a structured data sheet.

Molecular characterization and second-line antituberculosis drug resistance patterns of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from the northern region of South Africa.

Despite South Africa being one of the high-burden multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) countries, information regarding the population structure of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains is limited from many regions of South Africa. This study investigated the population structure and transmission patterns of drug-resistant M. tuberculosis isolates in a high-burden setting of South Africa as well as the possible association of genotypes with drug resistance and demographic characteristics.

In vitro activity of tigecycline against clinical isolates of carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii complex in Pretoria, South Africa.

Background: The presence of multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii raises a big therapeutic challenge in our hospital. Tigecycline, a new glycylcycline with expanded broad spectrum of activity against multi-drug resistant organisms was recently licensed in South Africa.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro activity of tigecycline against carbapenem resistant A.

Molecular basis of virulence in clinical isolates of Escherichia coli and Salmonella species from a tertiary hospital in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Background: Apart from localized gastrointestinal infections, Escherichia coli and Salmonella species are major causes of systemic disease in both humans and animals. Salmonella spp. cause invasive infections such as enteric fever, septicemia, osteomyelitis and meningitis while certain types of E.

Rapid and specific diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis with immunohistochemistry by detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex specific antigen MPT64 in patients from a HIV endemic area.

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic potential of immunohistochemistry using an antibody to the secreted mycobacterial antigen MPT64, specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex organisms, on formalin-fixed biopsies from patients with pleural tuberculosis (TB) from a high TB and HIV endemic area.

Methods And Results: Pleural biopsies from 25 TB cases and 11 non-TB cases were studied. Ziehl-Neelsen staining for acid-fast bacilli and immunohistochemistry with anti-MPT64 and anti-Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) antibodies was performed.

Adenosine deaminase activity is a sensitive marker for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis in patients with very low CD4 counts.

Background: Adenosine Deaminase Activity (ADA) is a commonly used marker for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion. There has been concern about its usefulness in immunocompromised patients, especially HIV positive patients with very low CD4 counts. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of ADA in pleural fluid in patients with low CD4 counts.

Real-time quantitative PCR in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded pleural tissue in patients from a high HIV endemic area.

The aim of the study was to improve the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis (TB) based on formalin-fixed biopsies from patients living in high TB and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) endemic areas. A real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) assay targeting a segment of the gene for mycobacterial 65-kd heat shock protein was developed and evaluated on pleural biopsies from 25 patients clinically diagnosed as having TB, on the basis of the good response to treatment, and from 11 controls. A nested polymerase chain reaction (N-PCR) assay for the repetitive genetic sequence insert IS6110, common to Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex organisms, was performed for comparison.

Evaluation of immune responses in HIV infected patients with pleural tuberculosis by the QuantiFERON TB-Gold interferon-gamma assay.

Background: Diagnosis of tuberculous (TB) pleuritis is difficult and better diagnostic tools are needed. New blood based interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) tests are promising, but sensitivity could be low in HIV positive patients. The IFN-gamma tests have not yet been validated for use in pleural fluid, a compartment with higher level of immune activation than in blood.