Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in Myanmar.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most serious health problems in Myanmar. Because TB drug resistance is associated with genetic mutation(s) relevant to responses to each drug, genotypic methods for detecting these mutations have been proposed to overcome the limitations of classic phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (DST). We explored the current estimates of drug-resistant TB and evaluated the usefulness of genotypic DST in Myanmar.

Linezolid for treatment of chronic extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Background: Linezolid has antimycobacterial activity in vitro and is increasingly used for patients with highly drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Methods: We enrolled 41 patients who had sputum-culture-positive extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis and who had not had a response to any available chemotherapeutic option during the previous 6 months. Patients were randomly assigned to linezolid therapy that started immediately or after 2 months, at a dose of 600 mg per day, without a change in their background regimen.

Development and evaluation of an automated stainer for acid-fast bacilli.

The current strategy for the control of tuberculosis (TB) relies on early diagnosis, and smear microscopy is an essential component of the laboratory diagnosis of TB in most countries with a high prevalence of the disease. However, even simple smear microscopy examination is far from satisfactory because staining results can vary among individual technicians. In an effort to minimize variations in manual staining procedures, we developed an automated stainer for AFB and evaluated its usefulness in comparison with manual staining.

Anthelmintic effect of amidental (Bay d 8815) against Ancylostoma duodenale infection.

A new anthelmintic, amidantel(Bay d 8815), an acetylated p-amino-phenyl-acetamidine was tried in 140 patients with Ancylostoma duodenale and other helminth infections. In the first trial, each 16 cases in 64 patients with A. duodenale were treated with 3.

Effectiveness of anthelmintic drugs against Clonorchis sinensis infection of rabbits.

In order to find a highly efficient compound against Clonorchis infection, the anthelmintic activity of disophenol, Tremerad (SYD-230), dithiazanine iodide, dehydroemetine-late-release tablets(RO 1-9334/20), niridazole (Ambilhar), hexachlorophene (G-11), Hetol(1, 4-bis-trichloromethylbenzol) and Bilevon (niclofolan) was tested against Clonorchis sinensis experimentally infected rabbits. All drugs showed a progressive increase in efficacy as the dose rate. They were highly efficient against Clonorchis infection if sufficiently high, potentially toxic doses were given.