Indirect immunoperoxidase test for the diagnosis of leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonotic disease that affects all mammals, including humans, in different parts of the world. Clinical recognition of leptospirosis is challenging, and the definitive serologic diagnosis assay, the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), is time-consuming and difficult to conduct. In this study, an indirect immunoperoxidase (IIP) test to detect Leptospira-specific antibodies in human serum samples was developed.

Development of multiplex PCR for the detection of total coliform bacteria for Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens in drinking water.

Multiplex PCR amplification of lacZ, uidA and plc genes was developed for the simultaneous detection of total coliform bacteria for Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens, in drinking water. Detection by agarose gel electrophoresis yielded a band of 876 bp for the lacZ gene of all coliform bacteria; a band of 147 bp for the uidA gene and a band of 876 bp for the lacZ gene of all strains of E. coli; a band of 280 bp for the p/c gene for all strains of C.

Development and evaluation of a latex agglutination test for the rapid diagnosis of scrub typhus.

The purpose of this research was to develop a simple and rapid diagnostic test for scrub typhus using a latex agglutination test (LAT) to detect antibodies against Orientia tsutsugamushi. Five strains of O. tsutsugamushi were propagated in L929 cells.

Short report: detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi in clinical samples by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Orientia tsutsugamushi infection causes scrub typhus, a common zoonosis of rural Asia. Orientia tsutsugamushi was recently detected by a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay in animal specimens. We evaluated the same qPCR assay in specimens obtained from patients with serologically proven scrub typhus infections.

The use of flow cytometry as a diagnostic test for malaria parasites.

A total of 453 clinical blood samples were determined for malaria parasites by flow cytometric assay (FCM) and reagents from Sysmex Corporation, Japan. In this study, the FCM greatly simplified and accelerated parasite detection, with sensitivity of 91.26%, specificity 86.

Prevalence of lower genital tract infection among women attending maternal and child health and family planning clinics in Hanoi, Vietnam.

To determine the prevalence of lower genital tract infection (LGTI) with Candida spp, Trichomonas vaginalis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and bacterial vaginosis among symptomatic and asymptomatic women attending maternal and child health and family planning (MCH/FP) clinics in Hanoi, Vietnam. A multi-centered, cross-sectional descriptive study stratified by reported symptoms of vaginal discharge was carried out in three MCH/FP clinics among 1,000 women aged 18-44 years in 1998. Of these, 89.

Plasmodium falciparum: effect of anti-malarial drugs on the production and secretion characteristics of histidine-rich protein II.

Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein II (HRP2) is one of the best documented malaria proteins. However, little is known about the development of HRP2 concentrations under the influence of anti-malarial drugs. HRP2 levels were determined in cell medium mixture, cellular compartment, and in culture supernatant using a double-site sandwich ELISA specific for HRP2.