Tropical Medicine and Health
Online ISSN : 1349-4147
Print ISSN : 1348-8945
ISSN-L : 1348-8945
Volume 32, Issue 1
Displaying 1-6 of 6 articles from this issue
Original article
  • DAVID LUBASI, CHARITY HABEENZU, SATOSHI MITARAI
    2004 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 1-4
    Published: 2004
    Released on J-STAGE: July 30, 2004
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Two egg-based culture media were evaluated for detection of mycobacteria with Löwenstein-Jensen (L-J) as a gold standard. The conventional culture method was modified to improve laboratory diagnosis of tuberculosis in resource scarce countries by employing an inexpensive but sensitive and specific culture method. Sputum samples were collected from pulmonary tuberculosis suspects who visited the chest clinic at the University Teaching Hospital in Zambia. These samples were processed using three different sample treating procedures (with or without sample concentration) and cultured on L-J and Ogawa media for mycobacteria isolation. A total of 276 sputum samples were collected from 138 pulmonary tuberculosis suspects. When the L-J result was used as a standard, the sensitivity of Ogawa and modified Ogawa was 81.7% and 90.3% respectively. Similarly, the specificities of those methods were 96.7% and 92.3% respectively. In total, 90 samples (32.6%) were smear positive and 108 (39.1%) were culture positive. The positivity of each culture method was as follows: 93 (33.7%) in L-J, 98 (35.5%) in modified Ogawa, and 82 (29.7%) in original Ogawa. The contamination rate was 1.1%, 5.1%, and 9.8% for L-J, Ogawa and modified Ogawa respectively. The Ogawa culturing method is economical, simple and quick. Its low sensitivity was overcome by employing the concentration method, the sensitivity significantly improving from 81.7% to 90.3%. Ogawa techniques are ideal in overburdened TB laboratories with poor resources in developing countries.
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  • ZHILIANG WU, ISAO NAGANO, THIDARUT BOONMARS, YUZO TAKAHASHI
    2004 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 5-14
    Published: 2004
    Released on J-STAGE: July 30, 2004
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Three new genes of Cryptosporidium parvum were cloned, including a gene encoding methionine aminopeptidase, one encoding chaperonin containing T-complex protein 1 delta (TCP-1 delta) and one with unknown function. DNA sequence analysis indicated that these genes are quite conserved, but there were some base pair differences between genotype I and genotype II isolates. These differences were confirmed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of the 3 genes from 41 isolates collected from different hosts and geographical origins. In brief, the band patterns generated by endonuclease Hind III or Hinf I restrictions of the gene of methionine aminopeptidase, Sac I restriction of the gene of chaperonin, or Ava II restriction of the unknown gene could differentiate the isolates of C. parvum into genotype I and genotype II. PCR primers based on these genes amplified only C. parvum genes. Even a single oocyst was detectable with these PCR primers. Thus the results provided further evidence that genotype I and genotype II are distinct, and our three new primers can be used to detect and characterize C. parvum isolates with high sensitivity.
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  • AKIRA ISHIH, TOHRU SUZUKI, TAKAKO HASEGAWA, SHIGEO KACHI, HWANG-HUEI W ...
    2004 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 15-19
    Published: 2004
    Released on J-STAGE: July 30, 2004
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The combination effects of chloroquine with Cepharanthin® or minocycline hydrochloride were evaluated against a blood-induced infection with chloroquine-resistant P. berghei NK 65 in ICR mice. The infected mice in an untreated control group showed a progressively increasing parasitemia leading to mouse death. A two-day dosage of 20 mg base/kg of chloroquine alone produced little effect against P. berghei NK 65 infection, and all mice died from day 13 to 15 with an increasing parasitemia. A four-day dosage of 4 mg/kg of Cepharanthin® alone produced no antimalarial activity, and all mice died by day 10. A four-day dosage of 50 mg/kg of minocycline hydrochloride alone produced a slight effect, but all mice died by day 18. Furthermore, mice given chloroquine in combination with Cepharanthin® died from day 14 to 15. Mice given Cepharanthin® plus minocycline hydrochloride also died from day 15 to 17. On the other hand, infected mice treated with chloroquine plus minocycline hydrochloride survived during the experiment. All mice treated with chloroquine alone, minocycline hydrochloride alone, chloroquine plus Cepharanthin® or Cepharanthin® plus minocycline hydrochloride showed low parasitemia levels during drug administration and a few subsequent days, but then malaria parasites re-increased in the bloodstream of the treated mice until death. On the other hand, malaria parasites in the mice given chloroquine plus minocycline hydrochloride decreased on day 6 and then could not be detected by microscopic examination during the observation period. This finding strongly suggests that the combination effects of chloroquine and minocycline hydrochloride are worthy of evaluation in human malaria. The results also clearly demonstrate the necessity and importance of in vivo experiments in estimating the activities of drugs.
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  • YOSHINORI MITSUI, CHARNCHUDHI CHANYASANHA, CHAWEEWON BOONSHUYAR, MASAA ...
    2004 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 21-26
    Published: 2004
    Released on J-STAGE: July 30, 2004
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    A cross-sectional survey of 327 Japanese short-term travelers (≤3 weeks) arriving in Bangkok, Thailand was conducted to assess the incidence of travelers’ diarrhea (TD) as well as their symptoms and treatment-seeking behaviors. The incidence of the first episode of TD (FTD) was ascertained retrospectively by questionnaire. Reported by 69 travelers, FTD clustered within the first 8 days of arrival in Thailand, and the incidence rate varied from 2% to 8% with the highest incidence on the third day.
    Cumulative probability of FTD was 19% for those arriving in Thai directly from Japan, 42 % for those arriving via Southeast Asia, and 25% for those arriving via other regions at Day 7 by the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Log rank test revealed a higher FTD risk for travelers arriving via other Southeast Asian countries than for those arriving directly from Japan (P < 0.005). Of all the 69 FTD episodes, 33% had classic TD defined as ≥3 unformed stools per 24 hours with at least one accompanying symptom, 49% had moderate TD defined as ≤2 unformed stools with at least one additional symptom or more unformed stools without additional symptoms, and 17% had mild TD defined as with ≤ 2 unformed stools without additional symptoms. Cumulative probability of FTD at Day 7 was 12% for classic TD, 25% for classic plus moderate TD and 30% for all the TD. More than 38% of travelers with diarrhea took medicine brought from Japan. Among travelers with classic TD, 35% bought medicine in Thailand, whereas 47-50% of travelers with moderate and mild TD took only rest without any treatment.
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  • ARMAND RANDRIANARIVO, MAMINIRINA RAZAFINANEFA, MONIQUE RASOLOMAHARO, A ...
    2004 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 27-30
    Published: 2004
    Released on J-STAGE: July 30, 2004
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is lower in Madagascar than in continental African countries, but recently it has steadily risen. To identify factors that facilitate or deter condom use among married couples in Madagascar, a cross-sectional study was conducted by means of a questionnaire survey of 977 women attending 10 health facilities for antenatal care and child care. Information on reproductive and socioeconomic factors was obtained, and logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors contributing to condom use. Child death and women’s earnings were statistically significant factors for condom use, with an odds ratio of 2.0 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2-3.5) for the former and 1.6 (95% CI: 1.1-2.3) for the latter in the logistic regression analysis. The promotion of economic independence among women and the reduction of child mortality deserve greater attention in the planning of HIV prevention policy in Madagascar.
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  • HIROYUKI TAKAOKA, WEJ CHOOCHOTE
    2004 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 31-36
    Published: 2004
    Released on J-STAGE: July 30, 2004
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Two new black-fly species of the subgenus Simulium (Simulium) are described and illustrated, based on female specimens captured while approaching a human near a mountain summit in Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand. The first species, Simulium suchariti sp. nov., is assigned to the griseifrons species-group and is distinguished from most other related species by the cibarium with tubercles near the base of its medial projection; the second, S. setsukoae sp. nov., is very similar to S. rufibasis of the tuberosum species-group but is distinguished from the latter by the shorter length of clustered stout hairs on the seventh abdominal segment and the ovipositor valve with its posteromedial corner widely bare.
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