Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
Year:2023 | Volume:11 | Issue:1|Papers Count:8

The SARS-COV-2 virus is the cause of the 2020 pandemic that has infected and killed millions worldwide. While the upper respiratory tract cells are the primary targets of COVID-19, the virus can infiltrate other tissues and organs, leading to potentially serious complications. The new coronavirus primarily affects angiotensin II receptor and cytokine pathways, which can result in acute pulmonary inflammation, pulmonary edema, acute respiratory distress syndrome, vascular endothelial dysfunction, pulmonary embolism in the lungs, and cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, heart failure, and intravenous thrombosis in the heart. COVID-19 infection can be associated with gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Also, reports of mild and transient liver damage, polyneuropathy, encephalitis, stroke, acute renal failure, hypocortisolism, and damage to the hypothalamus and pituitary system are available. COVID-19 can also be associated with skin symptoms such as rash, urticaria, maculopapular lesions, and vascular lesions such as chill blain, petechiae purpura, and scalpopathy. This narrative review evaluates the pathogenesis of novel coronavirus on body organs based on relevant published papers and reference books.

Introduction: Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Typhi (Salmonella typhi) causes typhoid fever. This disease is a global public health problem, particularly in developing countries like Gabon. Unfortunately, to our knowledge, little information exists in the epidemiological literature on the prevalence of Salmonella enterica infection in patients presenting with febrile illness in Gabon, particularly at the Sino-Gabonese Friendship Hospital in Franceville, in the southeast of the country. Methods: A retrospective, crosssectional study was conducted using the "Widal and Felix" serodiagnostic test results of febrile patients archived in the Medical Analysis Laboratory Records of the Sino-Gabonese Friendship Hospital in Franceville from June 2019 to May 2021. Results: The prevalence of Salmonella typhi in febrile patients was 58. 88% [95% CI: 0. 5-0. 6]. The participants' age ranged from 15 to 49 years (mean 24. 79 years). We observed that with 1724 cases and a percentage of 62. 15% (P < 0. 001), women were more infected than men, and the most affected age group was 14 to 49 years, with 1379 cases (49. 71%). During the study period, the seasonal distribution of Salmonella typhi infection indicated that quarter 6, corresponding to the small rainy season, with 16. 58%, i. e., 460 cases, had the highest cases. Conclusion: These results highlight the need to strengthen food safety hygiene in community markets and environmental sanitation to break the Salmonella typhi transmission in Franceville, Southeast Gabon.

Introduction: Trichostrongyloiasis is a prevalent infection in humans and some animals worldwide. Morphology is a reliable tool for identifying Trichostrongylus species. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Trichostrongylus infection in livestock and compare the morphometric characteristics of the species in sheep and goats referred to Kashan Abattoir, Iran, in 2018. Methods: This crosssectional study was performed on 130 goats and 154 sheep. The small intestine was collected from the slaughterhouse,the samples were opened and examined, and the genus and species of worms were identified based on morphological features reflected in diagnostic keys. Five morphometric indices, including body length and width, copulatory bursa width, shape length of the spicule, and gubernaculum length, were measured in 70 worm isolates. The data were analyzed using the ANOVA test in SPSS 18 software. Results: Of 284 livestock (130 goats and 154 sheep) examined, 26 (9/15%) were infected with Trichostrongylus. The prevalence of infection in goats and sheep was 12. 3% and 6. 5%, respectively. The most frequent species were Trichostrongylus colubriformis (48. 7%), followed by Trichostrongylus vitrinus (25. 7%). Trichostrongylus capricula and Trichostrongylus probolurus had an incidence of 12. 8%. T. probolurus showed a higher length of spicule and gubernaculum, while T. vitrinus showed a wider copulatory bursa compared to the other species (P <0. 001). Conclusion: The prevalence of Trichostrongylus infection in this region was remarkable. Morphometric and morphological methods are practical tools in differentiating male Trichostrongylus species. However, in addition to morphometric studies, molecular methods are required to identify female worms, larvae, and eggs accurately.

Introduction: Infections caused by ESBL-producing bacteria are a growing concern worldwide, especially in developing countries like Nigeria. Hence, this study aimed to isolate, screen, and identify ESBL-producing Escherichia coli from clinical samples and analyze their antibiotic resistance patterns. Methods: 200 clinical samples were collected, consisting of 60 stool, 88 urine, and 52 wound pussamples. We used the pourplate method on MaCconkey agar (MAC) for isolation. After suspected E. coli was isolated, we sub-cultured it on eosin methylene blue (EMB) agar. To confirm E. coli identification, we used cultural and biochemical assays. Disc and double disc diffusion methods were employed to screen and confirm ESBL-producing E. coli. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted by disc diffusion technique, and the results were interpreted using CLSI standards. Results: A total of 47 E. coli isolates were obtained, with 48. 5% of the isolates originating from urine samples. These isolates were among six different genera of bacteria. Among the E. coli isolates, 16 were confirmed to be ESBL producers. The ESBL-producing E. coli demonstrated high resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (87. 5%), ampicillin (75. 0%), and cefotaxime (50. 0%). Before plasmid curing, the bacteria demonstrated a high susceptibility to chloramphenicol (81. 3%) and amikacin (56. 3%). However, varying antibiotic resistance and susceptibility degrees were observed after plasmid curing. Conclusion: ESBLproducing E. coli showed a high resistance level (34. 0%) against most discs used. However, chloramphenicol and amikacin showed promise as potential treatments for ESBL-producing E. coli infections. In addition, it is recommended that clinical laboratories should include routine ESBL detection methods for ongoing surveillance of antibiotic-resistant isolates. This will serve as a helpful guide for empirically treating bacterial infections.

Introduction: Cholera is a highly contagious disease that causes severe diarrhea and dehydration. This study investigated podophyllotoxin, deoxypodophyllotoxin, and ursolic acid as inhibitors of tcpA, ompW, and ctxB genes in Vibrio cholerae. Methods: We obtained the crystallized structure of podophyllotoxin, deoxypodophyllotoxin, and ursolic acid from the PubChem database for use as a ligand. The mm2 method in Chem3D v20. 1. 1. 125 was used to optimize the structure of the ligands. We used AutodackVina v. 1. 2. 0 to evaluate the ligands as inhibitors against the active site of the tcpA, ompW, and ctxB proteins. The output results were analyzed and assessed by BIOVIA Discovery Studio 2016 V16. 1. 0 X64. Results: The reported affinities ranged from-6. 8 and-8. 7 kcal/mol. The highest diversity of links was found in tcpA and ctxB. Hydrogen bonds were established with Threonine (91, 111), Glycine (113, 114, 94), and Alanine (92) of tcpA, indicating the effectiveness of ligands against tcpA. The ligands podophyllotoxin, deoxypodophyllotoxin, and ursolic acid showed a variety of hydrogen bonds against ompW and ctxB, respectively, with Arginine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Glycine, and Glutamine. These results demonstrate the excellent inhibitory effects of the ligands against Vibrio cholerae. Conclusion: Vibrio cholerae plays a crucial role in causing pandemic cholera in humans. The predicted conformations of the ligands in this study showed that podophyllotoxin and deoxypodophyllotoxin have higher inhibitory potential than ursolic acid. Therefore, podophyllotoxin and deoxypodophyllotoxin can be potential agents for further research in developing Anti-Vibrio cholerae drugs.

Introduction: HIV continues to be a significant public health concern worldwide, having claimed over 35 million lives. The Integrated Counseling and Testing Center (ICTC) serves as the entry point to care. HIV-positive individuals referred to ICTC are more likely to practice safer sex and reduce risky behaviors, decreasing the likelihood of transmitting the virus to others. Within this study, we delved into the socio-demographic profile and risk behavior patterns of HIV-positive individuals who sought care at ICTC. Methods: The Oxford Medical College Hospital and Research Center conducted a cross-sectional observational study in a hospital setting. Between July 2018 and January 2020, 7389 individuals were registered at the ICTC. Results: Out of all the clients, 1. 04% were HIV reactive. Males had the highest seropositivity rate, accounting for 70. 1% of the cases. Seropositivity was most common among individuals aged 35-49 years. Among the seropositive males, 11 (20. 3%) were identified as local transport truck drivers. Out of the females included in the study, 16 (69. 5%) were identified as housewives. Heterosexual transmission (97. 4%) was found to be the most prevalent mode of transmission. Conclusion: As a crucial entry point for HIV prevention, ICTC plays a critical role in promoting awareness through aggressive health education programs and addressing the various needs of people seeking its services.

Introduction: This quantitative study aims to conduct a literature evaluation on COVID-19 and pregnancy published since September 2022. Methods: The data was retrieved from the Web of Science database. Authors, co-cited authors, publishing journals, keywords, countries, affiliations, H indexes, citation numbers, and connections between these parameters were used to identify and analyze the data. Microsoft Excel was used to assess the descriptive characteristics of publications, and VOSviewer was used to analyze and visualize selected criteria. Results: We extracted 1574 publications on COVID-19 and pregnancy according to search criteria. The majority (81. 96%) were published in Science Citation Index Expanded journals, and 670 (42. 56%) were published in 2021. Although 100 countries contributed to this topic, the highest number f articles was published by the United States of America (n=473), followed by the United Kingdom, Italy, China, and India. The University of London and Harvard University were the most productive affiliations, and the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology published the most (n=84). The publications received 17, 406 citations, an average of 11. 06 per document. Conclusion: Since the emergence of COVID-19 and pregnancy, numerous countries, affiliations, and academics have focused on this issue, resulting in a rapid expansion of publications in this field of literature. So far, American, British, and Italian scientists have collaborated the most on COVID-19 and pregnancy research internationally.

Beta-lactam antibiotics are traditionally not considered for intrathecal therapy, despite their poor penetration into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during intravenous therapy, because target concentrations of the beta-lactam antibiotic in the central nervous system can usually be achieved with a higher intravenous dose. . . .