Amoebicidal activity of essential oils and essential oil-based microemulsions of Aloysia citrodora Ortega ex Pers., Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt ex Bor, and Ocimum gratissimum L. against Acanthamoeba polyphaga trophozoites.

Aims: Evaluate the in vitro efficacy of the essential oils derived from Aloysia citrodora (Verbenaceae), Cymbopogon winterianus (Poaceae), and Ocimum gratissimum (Lamiaceae) against Acanthamoeba polyphaga trophozoites. Additionally, microemulsions formulated with these essential oils, along with their major components, were analyzed.

Methods And Results: The prepared microemulsions were characterized using polarized light microscopy and rheological techniques.

Cost analysis of smear microscopy and the Xpert assay for tuberculosis diagnosis: average turnaround time.

Introduction: Rapid and accurate tuberculosis detection is critical for improving patient diagnosis and decreasing tuberculosis transmission. Molecular assays can significantly increase laboratory costs; therefore, the average time and economic impact should be evaluated before implementing a new technology. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost and average turnaround time of smear microscopy and Xpert assay at a university hospital.

Genotype®MTBDRplus and Xpert®MTB/RIF in the diagnosis of tuberculosis and resistant tuberculosis: cost analysis in a tertiary referral hospital.

Introduction: The present study sought to assess the mean and activity based cost (ABC) of the laboratory diagnosis for tuberculosis through the application of conventional and molecular techniques-Xpert®MTB/RIF and Genotype®MTBDRplus-in a tertiary referral hospital in Brazil.

Methods: The mean cost and ABC formed the basis for the cost analysis of the TB laboratory diagnosis.

Results: The mean cost and ABC were US$ 4.

Multicenter evaluation of TB-SPRINT 59-Plex Beamedex®: accuracy and cost analysis.

Background: Molecular tests can allow the rapid detection of tuberculosis (TB) and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). TB-SPRINT 59-Plex Beamedex® is a microbead-based assay developed for the simultaneous spoligotyping and detection of MDR-TB. The accuracy and cost evaluation of new assays and technologies are of great importance for their routine use in clinics and in research laboratories.

Evaluation of the Mean Cost and Activity Based Cost in the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in the Laboratory Routine of a High-Complexity Hospital in Brazil.

At a global level, with the increase in healthcare costs, there is a need to assess the economic impact of the incorporation of new technologies in different health disorders in different countries. There is scarce information regarding costs incurred with the use of current or new diagnostic tests for tuberculosis or from the vantage point of their incorporation within the healthcare systems of high-burden countries. The present study aimed to assess the mean cost and the activity based cost of the laboratory diagnosis for tuberculosis by means of conventional techniques and from the Detect TBLabTest molecular test kit in a general high-complexity hospital of the public health system in Brazil.

Standardization of in-house polymerase chain reaction for the identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis at the reference Tropical Disease Hospital in the State of Goiás, Brazil.

This study compares smear, growth in Lowenstein-Jensen medium, and in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A total of 72 specimens from 72 patients with clinical symptoms of tuberculosis, including 70 sputum and two bronchial aspirate samples, were tested in parallel by smear, culture, and in-house PCR techniques. From these, 48 (66.