Day 1 :
Keynote Forum
Peter Timms
University of the Sunshine Coast
Australia
Keynote: Development of a chlamydial vaccine for koalas: Protection against infection as well as disease
Time : 09:30-10:05
Biography:
Peter Timms is Professor of Microbiology at the University of Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. He is a nationally and internationally renowned microbiologist with specific expertise in the area of Chlamydia. His laboratory is acknowledged as the leading Australian laboratory and one of the leading groups internationally working on all aspects of chlamydial infections. His research group of 12 staff and students is developing vaccines and new diagnostics for chlamydial diseases in humans and animals as well as an improved understanding of chlamydial genomics, cell biology and pathogenicity. The group is widely acknowledged for its major contributions to chlamydial infections in koalas and other wildlife, including the development of a vaccine for koalas. He has published over 250 papers, reviews and book chapters in peer-reviewed international scientific journals.
Abstract:
Wild koala populations continue to experience serious declines as a result of several threatening factors including: loss of habitat; motor vehicle trauma; dog attacks and; chlamydial disease. Chlamydial infections are associated with diseases ranging from ocular disease leading to blindness, as well as urinary and genital tract disease, leading to female infertility. Modeling shows that targeting chlamydial disease would have a major impact on stabilizing population decline. Our previous studies have demonstrated that koalas can be safely immunized with a vaccine containing a mixture of chlamydial major outer membrane protein (MOMP) antigens combined with a single or three-dose subcutaneous regime. In our most recent, large scale, field trial of the vaccine, we vaccinated 30 koalas that were outwardly clinically healthy but either chlamydia PCR negative or chlamydia PCR positive, and followed them for 1-2 years to assess the protective effect of the vaccine (compared to a control group of unvaccinated koalas). We observed strong, specific and long-lasting immune responses in the vaccinated koalas; high titer antibody responses (as measured by ELISA and also in vitro neutralization) as well as chlamydia-specific cytokine responses (interferon-gamma and IL-17 in particular). For animals which were chlamydia PCR positive at the time of vaccination, we observed a significant reduction in their infection PCR load (at both the ocular and urogenital tract sites). We also observed protection from progression to clinical disease in the vaccinated animals. We have also conducted a small trial to vaccinate animals which already have clinical signs of ocular disease. Instead of the normal practice of administering antibiotics (chloramphenicol, daily for 28 days, which severely disrupts the animal’s gut microbiome) we vaccinated four animals with a single dose, 3-MOMP vaccine. For all vaccinated animals, their chlamydia PCR load decreased, often to zero, and in two animals at least, we observed a decrease in their clinical disease score. These results are promising for the future development of an effective chlamydial vaccine for use in captive as well as wild koalas.
Keynote Forum
Zlatko Dembic
University of Oslo
Norway
Keynote: Tuberculosis risk is spread within the hallmarks of the disease
Time : 10:05-10:40
Biography:
Zlatko Dembic is a Professor of Immunology, Cell-Biology and Microbiology at University of Oslo. He has been working in science at various institutions in Academia (Medical Faculty, Zagreb, Croatia; Max-Planck Institute for Immunogenetics, Tubingen, Germany; Basel Institute for Immunology, Switzerland; Institute of Immunology, Oslo, Norway) and industry (Roche, Switzerland). He has his expertise in molecular biology shown by over 100 publications to date and a monograph about cytokines in immunology. He is co-inventor of the US patent (Roche) covering the production and use of etanercept (Enbrel), which is a successful (anti-TNF) biological used to treat several autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis. He was the president of the Norwegian Society for Immunology and Editor-in-chief of the Scand J Immunol (at present, Associate Editor). He is a Visiting Professor of Medicine at medical school in his hometown Rijeka (Croatia).
Abstract:
Statement of the Problem: Heritable susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB) is complex and polygenic in nature. Only five to ten percent of humans that come in contact with the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mt) will manifest the disease, provided no acquired- or congenital immunodeficiency were present. We still lack a viable explanation for the observed epidemiologic fact. Method: Activation of macrophages via proinflammatory cytokines IFN-v and interleukin (IL)-17 can kill intracellular bacteria such as Mt. Instead, macrophages stimulated by the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-10 agonists show an anti-inflammatory effect. The TLR-10 acts by inhibiting the TLR-2 signaling from the cell membrane. The TLR-2 is the Mt-binding protein by which activated macrophages can internalize (and kill) Mt. Inactivation of the TLR-2 protein might convey a risk for developing the disease. This was supported by our finding that TLR2 gene polymorphisms, which either inactivate the TLR2 gene product or have a dominantnegative role in TLR-2-signaling, associated with elevated risk for tuberculosis in the Croatian Caucasian population. Findings: The genome-wide study found that three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the HLA class II loci were significantly associated with TB; suggesting that adaptive immunity is of paramount importance for defense against TB. In our studied population, SNP in the TLR10 gene was associated with risk for TB, analyzed by the dominant model of inheritance. However, this was contrasted by the fact that SNPs in the IL17A&F genes were not. Conclusion & Significance: Studying genetic risk by association analyses or genome-wide screening led us to propose that clinical manifestation of TB is a state above certain risk-threshold. Threshold is reached by accumulation of seemingly minor susceptibilities divided between the hallmarks of the disease (Fig 1). The model suggests that every human population has its own mosaic of genetic risks for TB.
- Host and Pathogen Interactions | Infection Pathogen Biology | Infection Prevention & Control | Healthcare Infectious Diseases | Epidemiology - Infectious Diseases
Location: Bismarck
Chair
Peter Timms
University of the Sunshine Coast
Australia
Co-Chair
Zlatko Dembic
Norway
Session Introduction
Jean-Pierre Marissal
Cathollic University of LIlle Faculté de Gestion
France
Title: Knowing to design: Costs of and benefits from nosocomial infections for hospitals
Time : 11:00-11:25
Biography:
Abstract:
Alan Ebringer
King's College London
UK
Title: Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) is probably caused by Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) is probably caused by Acinetobacter bacteria and not by prions
Time : 11:25-11:50
Biography:
Alan Ebringer is Professor of Immunology at King's College London and has published over 300 papers in scientific literature. His main interests are immunology of ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE "mad cow disease"). His group has suggested that BSE is caused by Acinetobacter bacteria.
Abstract:
Previous studies have shown that there is molecular mimicry between Streptococcus and cardiac collagens in rheumatic fever. In early 1990’s the British government asked whether there was a role for molecular mimicry in bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease. A cursory review of the literature showed that molecular mimicry was present between the soil and nasal microbe Acinetobacter and myelin, the covering of nerves. The government, through DEFRA (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) then gave a £250,000 grant to King’s College and access to BSE materials to investigate this problem. A pilot study showed that elevated levels of antibodies to the soil and nasal microbe Acinetobacter was found in 29 BSE animals compared to sera from 76 control animals (p<0.001). A second larger study involving 128 BSE compared to 127 controls, confirmed that elevated levels of antibodies to Acinetobacter were present in BSE animals (p<0.001) but not to 6 other bacteria. It appeared that feeding cattle with abattoir materials (meat-and bone meal) caused either contamination with Acinetobacter or with prions and the government banned the use of meat-and-bone meal supplements which led to the disappearance of BSE in British cattle. However a review of the definition of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) revealed that the Pasteur Effect, namely the production of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in experimental animals had not been considered when injecting saline brain homogenates in BSE research studies. The bio-assay is based on a wrong assumption that injecting saline brain homogenates will not cause damage to the healthy, test experimental animals. The concept that prions are infectious particles may require revision.
Eliette Touati
Institut Pasteur
France
Title: Consequences of H. pylori infection and its VacA cytotoxin on mitochondria and mitochondrial DNA: Impact on gastric pathogenesis
Time : 11:50-12:15
Biography:
Abstract:
Statement of the Problem: Mitochondria alterations and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) instabilities are a hallmark of cancer. Mitochondria represent strategic targets for pathogens also including Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium is a major risk factor for gastric cancer. Up to now, the cytotoxin VacA is the only one H. pylori factor known to target and damage mitochondria.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: By in vitro infection of gastric epithelial cells with wild-type and VacA-deficient H. pylori strains, treatment of cells with purified VacA proteins and infection of a mouse model, we show that H. pylori deregulates mitochondria by two novel mechanisms, both rather associated with host cell survival. First, early upon infection VacA induces transient increase of mitochondrial translocases and a dramatic accumulation of the mitochondrial DNA replication and maintenance factors POLG and TFAM. These events occur when VacA is not detected intracellularly, therefore do not require the direct interaction of the cytotoxin with the organelle. They occur independently of the VacA vacuolating activity. In vivo, these alterations coincide with the evolution of gastric lesions towards severity, concomitantly with the induction of mtDNA mutations and depletion of mtDNA content. Second, H. pylorus also induces VacA-independent alteration of mitochondrial replication and import components, suggesting the involvement of additional H. pylori activities in mitochondria-mediated effects.
Conclusions & Significance: Our findings reveal a novel and early inducer effect of H. pylori infection on mitochondrial translocases and the mtDNA replication/transcription machinery components POLG and TFAM. Moreover, we show that VacA does not account for all consequences of H. pylori infection at mitochondria, pointing to the involvement of other bacterial activities, yet to be determined. These effects of H. pylori infection are also relevant in vivo, suggesting that mitochondrial alterations impact H. pylori-induced gastric inflammation and pathogenicity.
Alla Paskovaty
Memorial Sloan Ketterning Cancer Center
USA
Title: State of the art antimicrobial stewardship in immunocompromized hosts
Time : 12:15-12:40
Biography:
Dr. Paskovaty, holds Doctror of Pharmacy degree from a prestigious Americal Univercity, Albany College of Pharmacy and has been employed for over 15 years as an antimicrobial stewardship coordinator at a world renown cancer center in NYC: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She has been invited lecturer at numerous local and international meetings, has published papers and book chapters on topic of Antimicrobial Stweardship.
Abstract:
Infections cause significant morbidity and mortality in patients with hematologic or solid tumor malignancies. Susceptibility to infection can occur from the malignancy itself, but the primary risk factor is immunosuppression from cancer treatment (e.g., cytotoxic chemotherapy, radiation, combined modality). Administration of broad antimicrobial therapy for empertic treatment of febrile neutropenia is recommended by national guidelines.. This strategy however needs to be balanced against the desire to continue broad-spectrum therapy for prolonged durations during the patient’s hospitalization. Overuse of anitibiotics leads to antimicroibal resistance, higher healthcare costs, and poor health oucomes due to antimicrobial side effects. Immunocompromized paitents are at high risk for being colonized with multidrug resistant organisms, and are at high risk for morbidity and mortality due to such organisms. In addition, cancer patients are at higher risk for drug-related toxicity, due to drug-drug interactions between certain antimicrobials, cancer chemotherapy and supportive therapy. To mitigate the overuse of antibiotics, multidisciplinary approach to atimicriboal steardship needs to be employed. Modern antimicrobial stewardship programs use tactics such as, pre-prescribing review and approval and/or de-escalation: either by changing the antimicrobial agent to something narrower or by stopping an antimicrobial combination or both. To aid in the process, successful stewardship allows collaboration between several departments: Hospital administration, Microbiology, Pharmacy, Departments of Medicine, Oncology and Infection control, Information Technology among a few. Innovative approaches in molecular diagnostics allow antimicrobial stewardship to intevene earlier and with higher success rate. Current technology allows for allerts during prescribing process, allowing for real-time antimicrobial stewardship interventions. Immunocopromized patients present unique challenges for antimicrobial stewardship. This lecture identifies those challenges and presents various strategies that employ up-todate technology and diagnostics to aid in the endavor.
Rambir Singh
Bundelkhand University
India
Title: Pharmacoproteomics of Aspergillus fumigatus for identification of novel molecular targets having application immunodiagnosis and therapy
Time : 12:40-13:05
Biography:
Rambir Singh completed his PhD in Biomedical Sciences (Infection Biology) from University of Delhi, India in 2004. After completing PhD, he joined Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, India, as an Assistant Professor in Biochemistry where currently he is working as Associate Professor in Biomedical Sciences. He is teaching microbiology, biochemical techniques and natural plant product based drug discovery at undergraduate and postgraduate level. He is working in the research area of ‘Bioactive molecules from Ayurvedic medicinal plants, health effects of probiotics and proteomics of Aspergillus fumigatus.
Abstract:
Aspergillosis has emerged as threat to public health in recent past. Early stage diagnosis of aspergillosis has been difficult. There are limited options of effective drugs for treatment and invasive infections are always fatal. Importantly, clinical symptoms of aspergillosis overlap with those of TB. This often leads to misdiagnosis of aspergillosis as TB and wrong treatment. Hence, early diagnosis of aspergillosis is essentially needed. Currently, available late stage antigen based serological tests have limited diagnostic efficacy. Hence, there is urgent need for identification of novel molecules of diagnostic and therapeutic relevance. While working with Indian (ITCC-6604) and German (DAYA) strains of A. fumigatus, we were able to identify 111 cytosolic proteins spots from 2D gels. Out of these 111 protein spots, 66 proteins have been identified on comparison with available protein databases. Immuno-proteomics studies on these cytosolic proteins showed the presence of highly immunodominant IgG and IgE reactive proteins. Characterizations of these proteins have immense application in immuno-diagnosis and therapy of aspergillosis.
Omotowo Babatunde
University of Nigeria
Nigeria
Title: Knowledge and practices concerning multi-drug resistance tuberculosis among health workers and TB patients in Enugu, South-East, Nigeria
Time : 14:00-14:25
Biography:
Abstract:
Introduction: Inadequate knowledge and practices of health workers and TB patients concerning MDR-TB may have serious health consequences and significant negative impact in the control of TB.
Objective: The purpose of the study was to ascertain the knowledge, and practices of health care workers and TB patients concerning MDR-TB.
Methods: A cross sectional descriptive survey was conducted by questionnaire designed precisely for the study. Data was collected from 115 health workers at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, and 120 patients from DOTS centers. Data collected included sociodemographic and professional categories, knowledge and practices concerning MDR-TB. Data was analysed using SPSS version 21. Statistical significance of association between variables was assessed using Chi-square test at p<0.05. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of UNTH and consent was obtained from TB patients.
Results: All 115 and 120 respondents among health workers and TB patients respectively returned the completed questionnaires. Among health workers, 60 (52.2%) were females, 55 (47.8%) were males, and mean age was 38.7±11.8 years. Majority of TB patients were females 54.6%, with mean age of 32±12.6. A higher percentage 64.3% had tertiary education among health workers while only 13.5% among TB patients had tertiary education. Majority of TB patients 87.6% had no knowledge of MDR-TB, while only 35.6% of health workers had good knowledge. Category of health workers and knowledge of MDR-TB relationship was not statistically significant (X2=8.296, df=4, p=0.081), but the relationship with their practices concerning MDR-TB was statistically significant (X2=13.426, P=0.001). Practices of both health workers and TB patients towards MDR-TBwere poor.
Conclusion: Both knowledge and practices of health care workers and TB patients concerning MDR-TB were poor. Training on MDR-TB for health care workers and health education for TB patients should be intensified for good treatment outcomes and improvement in TB control programs generally.
Adeyemi A Abati
University Teaching Hospital
Nigeria
Title: The EU public health impact of Campylobacter spp. human infection and the EU control strategy in the poultry meat sector
Time : 14:25 -14:50
Biography:
Adeyemi Adeniyi Abati completed his MBBS in 2004 at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. He was trained in the Department of Infectious Diseases during his Residency. He was able to provide several superior care and consultation that resulted in overall improvement of department patient’s satisfaction quotient. He focused on patient’s treatment and re-evaluated several methods of therapy management dependent on infection types tailored to patient’s individual history and efficacy of previous treatments. He has been practicing in Department of Infectious Disease at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, one of the top three infection disease hospital in Nigeria and also pursuing his PhD.
Abstract:
Aim: In Nigeria, Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is primarily spread through injection drug use. There is an urgent need to improve access to care for HCV among persons with opioid use disorders who inject drugs. The purpose of our study is to determine the prevalence of HCV, patient characteristics, and receipt of appropriate care in a sample of patients treated with buprenorphine for their opioid use disorders in a primary care setting.
Methods: This study used retrospective clinical data from the electronic medical record. The study population included patients receiving buprenorphine in the office based opioid treatment (OBOT) clinic within the adult primary medicine clinic at Lagos Medical Center between October 2008 and August 2015 who received a conclusive HCV antibody AB test within a year of clinic entry. We compared characteristics by HCV serostatus using Pearson's Chi-square and provided numbers/percentages receiving appropriate care.
Results: The sample comprised 300 patients slightly less than half of all patients (N=134, 27.7%) were HCV AB positive, and were significantly more likely to be older Hausas and Yoruba’s, have diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and bipolar disorder, have prior heroin or cocaine use, and be HIV- infected. Among the 134 HCV AB positive patients, 126 (67.7%) had detectable HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) indicating chronic HCV infection; only eight patients (2.21%) with chronic HCV infection ever initiated treatment.
Conclusions: Nearly half of patients (47.7%) receiving office-based treatment with buprenorphine for their opioid use disorder had a positive Hepatitis C virus antibody screening test, although initiation of HCV treatment was nearly non-existent (2.21%).
Poonam Sharma
Indira Gandhi National Tribal University
India
Title: Epidemiological studies on tuberculosis and ethnopharmacological methods of its control among tribals of Anuppur district, Madhya Pradesh, India
Time : 14:50 -15:15
Biography:
Poonam Sharma completed her PhD in Zoology from Dr. B R Ambedkar University, Agra, India in 2002. Her research interests include “Toxicology, natural antioxidant in prevention of toxicity and infection biology”. She has published over 40 research papers in reputed and peer reviewed journals. He has completed three research projects funded by various funding agencies of Government of India. Presently, she is working as an Associate Professor of Zoology at Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Abstract:
Currently, one third of the world population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative organism of Tuberculosis (TB), and new cases are being reported every year. In 2013, World Health Organization (WHO) reported 9 million new cases of TB and 1.5 million deaths, worldwide. India is having the highest burden of TB in the world, accounting for nearly one third of all TB cases. WHO statistics showed the incidence of 2.1 million new TB cases in India, in 2013. Madhya Pradesh accounts for highest population (14.7%) of scheduled tribes (ST) among Indian states. According to the 2011 population census, 25.7% of the state population is ST. Anuppur district is among the least developed districts in the state. All tehseels of the Anuppur district are having significant number of ST population. The main ST populations in Amarkantak area of Anuppur district are Baiga, Gond, Panika, Kamars, Birhor, Bharias and Hill Korbas. Due to lack of awareness, illiteracy and poverty, sizable number of tribals are suffering from TB. The present paper focuses on the socio-economic, nutritional and health status of tribal population in Annupur district of MP. The possible reasons for TB prevalence and seasonal indices of TB have been explored. We have also explored the ethno-medicinal practices for healthcare management among the tribalpopulation, especially the use of medicinal plants for the control of TB.
Seth Omari Mensah
Kharkov national Medical University
Ukraine
Title: YRF: Prevention of cholera outbreak in chorkor, Accra-Ghana.
Time : 15:15 -15:35
Biography:
Seth Omari Mensah is a 5th year Medical Student of Kharkov National Medical University of Ghanaian Nationality. He has attended numerous conferences held in Ukraine, Denmark and Netherlands regarding various topics of healthcare to share and obtain ideas to assist the public in developing countries with a focus on his Nation of Origin, Ghana, to improve their health conditions.
Abstract:
Statement of the Problem: Chorkor is a fishing community in Accra, Ghana. It has a population of about 3000 people. Chorkor like many other communities close to the capitals of many West African countries suffers from overcrowding and pollution due to the inability of town planning activities to catch up with rural urban migration. Cholera is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Chorkor. The incidence of cholera tends to increase during the rainy season and cholera is responsible for about 30% of the total deaths in Chorkor. A close second is tuberculosis which is responsible for 15% of the total deaths and can easily be attributed to overcrowding.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: We carried out a descriptive cross sectional study to investigate the epidemiological link of the cholera outbreak in Chorkor Greater Accra region of Ghana. Index cases were identified with the help of line lists. Univariate analyses were expressed as frequency distributions, percentages, mean±standard deviation, and rates (attack rates, case-fatality rates etc.) as appropriate. Maps were drawn using Arc GIS and Epi info software to describe the pattern of transmission.
Findings: We found 1733 cases with 20 deaths (CFR=1.2%) with an overall attack rate of approximately 25 per 3000 population with sex specific attack rates of 24% and 18% for males and females respectively. 90 stool samples yielded V. cholerae O1 Ogawa with ciprofloxacin and tetracycline being sensitive to the cholera strains.
Conclusions & Significance: The lack of personal hygiene, safe drinking water, open defecation, poor sanitation and foodwere some of the causes of the cholera outbreak in Chorkor. We recommend the Ministries of Local Government and Rural Development, Works and Housing and Water Resources to ensure proper liquid and solid waste disposal systems and provide adequate potable water to the populace and also our research with the help of sustainable medical missions helped curb cholera in Chorkor with the distribution of fliers which educated them more on how cholera could be prevented.
- Infection and Immune System| Microbes and Infections | Infection Pathogen Biology |Infection Prevention & Control| Healthcare Infectious Diseases | Vector Borne Infectious Diseases | Microbes and Infections
Location: Berlin, Germany
Chair
Zlatko Dembic
University of Oslo
Norway
Session Introduction
Hanan Polansky
The Center for the Biology of Chronic Disease (CBCD)
USA
Title: Can herbal treatment be better than the leading drugs? A comparison of Gene-Eden-VIR/ Novirin, acyclovir and valacyclovir in oral herpes
Time : 10:00-10:25
Biography:
Hanan Polansky is the Director of the Center for the Biology of Chronic Disease (CBCD). He is also developer of Computer Intuition, a psycholinguistic-based datamining program that analyzes scientific text and assigns a rating to all ideas found in the text.
Abstract:
Background: Our previous papers showed that suppressive or preventive treatment with the herbal Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin reduced the number and duration of genital herpes outbreaks with no adverse effects. These studies also revealed that the herbal Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin is mostly superior to acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir drugs in genital herpes. This study tested the effect of Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin in oral herpes (also called cold sores and fever blisters).
Methods: The framework of the study was a retrospective chart review. The study included 68 participants. The participants took 1-4 capsules per day over a period of 2-36 months. The study included two FDA recommended controls: baseline and a no-treatment.
Results: Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin was effective in 89.3% of participants. The treatment reduced the mean number of outbreaks per year from 6.0 and 3.6 in the control groups to 2.0 in the treatment group (P<0.0001 and P=0.07, respectively). Gene- Eden-VIR/Novirin reduced the mean duration of outbreaks from 9.8 and 5.8 days in the control groups to 3.2 days in the treatment group (P<0.0001 and P=0.02, respectively). There were no reports of adverse experiences. Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin was compared to acyclovir and valacyclovir in six tests. In all tests, Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin showed higher efficacy. Gene- Eden-VIR/Novirin also showed superior safety.
Conclusions: This clinical study showed that suppressive or preventive treatment with the herbal Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin reduced the number and duration of outbreaks in oral herpes without any adverse effects. The study also showed that the herbal Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin had better clinical effects than acyclovir and valacyclovir, the leading drugs in the category. Based on these results, we recommend using the herbal Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin as preventive treatment for oral herpes, and specifically, as an alternative to the acyclovir and valacyclovir drugs.
Tayimetha Carolle Yanique
Catholic University of Central Africa
Cameroon
Title: Study of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain antibiotic sensitivity profiles (collected in Yaoundé from 2009 to 2014) and determination of reference laboratory (Centre Pasteur, Cameroun) role in the surveillance of bacterial resistance to antibiotics.
Time : 10:25-10:50
Biography:
C Y Tayimetha is currently working as a expertise in microbes and infection biology, at Catholic University of Central Africa, Cameroon.
Abstract:
The resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to antibiotics as recommended by WHO, poses a real public health problem. Thus, a study of the sensitivity profiles and the determination of the role of the reference laboratory in the surveillance of this resistance were carried out in Yaoundé. The aims of this study were to contribute to the therapeutic management of infected patients with appropriate antibiotics; monitor the resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to antibiotics; limit its emergence in order to preserve the recommended antibiotics. Objectives of the study were to study the susceptibility profiles of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to antibiotics and to determine the role of the laboratory in monitoring this resistance. This retrospective and prospective study was carried out at Centre Pasteur of Cameroon from 1st January 2009 to 30th September 2014. It consisted of isolation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains from the human genital specimens, identification and determination of their resistance phenotypes to antibiotics by the diffusion method in agar medium. This highlighted the role of the reference laboratory in resistance monitoring. A total of 193 strains of gonococci were isolated and identified. The most infected age classes were 20-29 and 30-39. Men were more infected than women (sex ratio 2.01). Several phenotypes of resistance have been described. High resistance to penicillin G (93.3%), tetracycline (58.5%) and nalidixic acid (17.6%) were observed. Ceftriaxone, azithromycin, spectinomycin, and chloramphenicol were effective at resistance rates of 1.0%, 2.6%, 3.1% and 7.2%, respectively. The overall percentage of strains producing penicillinase is 81.1%. Only ceftriaxone is still effective among the two WHO recommended molecules in Cameroon. The other (ciprofloxacin) should be monitored. As resistances to nalidixic acid (quinolone marker) have been observed since 2010 and continue to grow up exponentially (25% in 2013 and 50% in 2014). Monitoring Neisseria gonorrhoeae resistances to antibiotics is one of the best strategies to prevent resistances in order to preserve the recommended molecules. Centre Pasteur of Cameroon is the reference laboratory chosen by the WHO for monitoring the resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to antibiotics in Central Africa.
Cri Sajjana Prajna Wekadigunawan
Sebelas Maret University
Indonesia
Title: Patient support group in MDR-TB treatment: a study at Moewardi Hospital Surakarta Central Java, Indonesia
Time : 10:50-11:15
Biography:
Wekadigunawan C S P is currently working as a expertise in healthcare infectious diseases, Sebelas Maret University, Indonesia.
Abstract:
Background: Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) have been an applied strategy in Indonesia for years. But, still, Indonesia has challenge to decrease number of patients who decided drop out from treatment. The number of patients with MDR TB increases year to year. The study was carried out in Moewardi Hospital in Surakarta to explore a patient support group in term of contributing patient awareness to complete their treatment course.
Methods: A focus group discussion was conducted in a room at Faculty of Medicine Sebelas Maret University. The respondents are former MDR-TB patients who have been declared as totally cured after two years. Interviews, notes, and then transcript were analyzed using coding to identify emerging patterns and themes. Ethics approval was received from the Health Research Committee of Moewardi Hospital.
Result: Adherence to taking medication for six to nine months or more is very challenging especially for MDR-TB patients who have to take medication for 18 months and more. The themes are: I have been declared as cured after six months of treatment, but why I got the disease again?; the side effects of treatment made me tired; I need a more patient and pleasant health worker and; I am very excited to hear of patients who have successfully recovered from MDR-TB. Most of former MDRTB patients stated that the patient support group is very important to help them in achieving recovery.
Conclusion: Patient support groups have very important role in MDR-TB patients to achieve their recovery.
Selcuk Özdemir
Izmir Institute of Technology
Turkey
Title: HIV-1 Tat up-regulates Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor (SLPI) expression in African Green Monkey (AGM) cells and leads to the suppression of HIV-LTR promoter
Time : 11:35-12:00
Biography:
Selcuk Ozdemir has expertise in mammalian gene expression analysis, environmental toxicology and animal genetics. He currently works as Assistant Professor at Ataturk University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
Abstract:
Statement of the Problem: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) leads to AIDS in humans by reducing CD4(+) T lymphocytes which are crucial for proper adaptive cellular and humoral immune responses. Old World Monkeys (OWM) on the other hand is resistant to HIV-1 infection. Although these monkeys can be successfully infected by monkey adapted HIV-1 strains, they eventually clear the infection and virus numbers drop to undetectable levels unless the animals are immunecompromised by CD8 cell depletion during and after experimental infections. These results indicate the possibility of the presence of yet unidentified factor(s) that restrict HIV-1 in OWM cells after integration of the viral genome into the host cell. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether any anti-HIV factors were expressed in AGM cells in the presence of HIV-1 Tat protein. Tat is among the first viral proteins produced in infected cells and is known to affect the expression of many human host genes as well as HIV’s own gene expression.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: SLPI was identified by 2D-PAGE and mass spectrometry using MALDI TOF. Over expression of SLPI gene was investigated by qRT-PCR on mRNA, and by western blot on protein level, using anti SLPI antibodies. SLPI’s effect on NF-kB and HIV-LTR promoter was investigated through the luciferase reporter gene expression.
Findings: We identified that SLPI expression was highly upregulated in presence of HIV-1 Tat in AGM but not in human cells. Furthermore, we showed that SLPI decreased both NF-kB and HIV-LTR promoter driven luciferase reporter gene expressions.
Conclusion & Significance: SLPI is a potential HIV-1 restricting protein. It leads to reduced viral replication in infected cells and should be further investigated. In such case, SLPI can open new avenues in the treatment of HIV-1 infection.
Alfonso Magaña-Méndez
Universidad Autónoma de Baja California
Mexico
Title: Life conditions and infectious diseases: A correlation analysis from mega clinic 2017
Time : 12:00-12:25
Biography:
Alfonso Magaña is on his last year medical student in School of Medicine from Universidad Autonoma de Baja California. He has been part of multiple researches in molecular biology, histology and public health and epidemiology. He has been in a few institutes in research residence in: Laboratorio de Epidemiologia Ecologia Molecular from Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, Center for Health and the Environment in University of California Davis and Instituto Nacional de Neurologia y Neurocirugia, Dr. Manuel Velasco Suarez, Mexico.
Abstract:
Life conditions are considered by the World Health Organization, and the Pan-American Health Organization, as determinants of health, associated with the emergence of diseases. We discovered in Maneadero, Ensenada, Baja California, conditions of sub-developed countries with dirt floors, absent of public services, among others; it is a population highly susceptible to diseases, and a wide outcome of clinical manifestations. They present a higher prevalence on chronic-degenerative illness as rich countries. That is why Mexico is in an epidemiological transition, showing health problems, because poverty is highly prevalent(43.6% of population), and significant prevalence of contagious diseases, but, also non-transmissible, like cardiovascular disease as the first cause of death. We realized a descriptive-analytical and transversal study, with a random population of 29 subjects from nearly 400 patients in our data bank who attended a medical program (Clinica Movil) from July 13-16 of 2017. Inclusion criteria: patients would have filled a questionnaire (from INEGI: ENGASTO 2012) for evaluate economic conditions, and medical history. We analyzed the data on Excel software, and made a correlational analysis through odds ratio (OR). Our results showed the highest frequency of diseases on: Chronic degenerative, musculoskeletal and Infectious. Population in overcrowding has an OR=2 for infectious diseases, those without medical attention has an OR=3.5 to have a second disease; and OR=2.77 for a lack of money to eat in the last three months. We conclude there is a relationship between health determinants and disease, perhaps not the main etiology, but, improve life conditions, it is essential in the attempt of decrease prevalence and control diseases.