A scoping review on the field validation and implementation of rapid diagnostic tests for vector-borne and other infectious diseases of poverty in urban areas.

BACKGROUND: Health personnel face challenges in diagnosing vector-borne and other diseases of poverty in urban settings. There is a need to know what rapid diagnostic technologies are available, have been properly assessed, and are being implemented to improve control of these diseases in the urban context. This paper characterizes evidence on the field validation and implementation in urban areas of rapid diagnostics for vector-borne diseases and other diseases of poverty. MAIN BODY: A scoping review was conducted. Peer-reviewed and grey literature were searched using terms describing the targeted infectious diseases, diagnostics evaluations, rapid tests, and urban setting. The review was limited to studies published between 2000 and 2016 in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were refined post hoc to identify relevant literature regardless of study design and geography. A total of 179 documents of the 7806 initially screened were included in the analysis. Malaria (n = 100) and tuberculosis (n = 47) accounted for the majority of studies that reported diagnostics performance, impact, and implementation outcomes. Fewer studies, assessing mainly performance, were identified for visceral leishmaniasis (n = 9), filariasis and leptospirosis (each n = 5), enteric fever and schistosomiasis (each n = 3), dengue and leprosy (each n = 2), and Chagas disease, human African trypanosomiasis, and cholera (each n = 1). Reported sensitivity of rapid tests was variable depending on several factors. Overall, specificities were high (> 80%), except for schistosomiasis and cholera. Impact and implementation outcomes, mainly acceptability and cost, followed by adoption, feasibility, and sustainability of rapid tests are being evaluated in the field. Challenges to implementing rapid tests range from cultural to technical and administrative issues. CONCLUSIONS: Rapid diagnostic tests for vector-borne and other diseases of poverty are being used in the urban context with demonstrated impact on case detection. However, most evidence comes from malaria rapid diagnostics, with variable results. While rapid tests for tuberculosis and visceral leishmaniasis require further implementation studies, more evidence on performance of current tests or development of new alternatives is needed for dengue, Chagas disease, filariasis, leptospirosis, enteric fever, human African trypanosomiasis, schistosomiasis and cholera.

Leprosy: a glossary.

Leprosy continues to afflict residents from a number of countries in Africa, South America, and southeast Asia, despite the marked reduction in the number of cases of leprosy worldwide, after the introduction of the multidrug regimens as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO-MDT). With the increasing immigration of individuals from risk areas to Europe and the United States, knowledge of the basic concepts of leprosy would be helpful to clinicians caring for immigrants in nonendemic areas. We present a comprehensive, updated, and critical glossary of the most relevant terms related to leprosy.

Biomarkers for serum diagnosis of infectious diseases and their potential application in novel sensor platforms.

Nanotechnological tools and biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis, as well as strategies for disease control and monitoring populations at higher risk, are continuous worldwide challenges for infectious diseases. Phage display and monoclonal antibody combinatorial libraries are important sources for biomarker discovery and for improved diagnostic strategies. Mimetic peptides were selected against polyclonal antibodies from patients with dengue fever, leprosy, and leishmaniasis as model diseases, and from immunized chickens with total antigens from all three pathogens. Selected single or combined multi-epitope peptide biomarkers were further associated with four different sensor platforms, classified as affinity biosensors, that may be suitable as general protocols for field diagnosis. We have also developed two methods for nanoparticle agglutination assays (a particle gel agglutination test and a magnetic microparticle [MMP]-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) and two electrochemical biosensors (impedimetric and amperometric) for DNA and antibody detection. For the agglutination tests, micro- and nanoparticles were coupled with filamentous bacteriophages displaying the selected mimotopes on their surfaces, which has favored the formation of the antigen-antibody or peptide-protein complexes, amplifying the optical detection in ELISA assays or after the chromatographic separation of the microagglutinates. We have also demonstrated a proof-of-concept for the electrochemical biosensors by using electrodes modified with novel functionalized polymers. These electrochemical biosensors have proven to be fast, very sensitive, and specific for the detection of pathogen DNA and circulating antibodies of patients, which may become important in a wide range of diagnostic devices for many infectious agents.

Visão da população do Município de São Paulo quanto à ocorrência da hanseníase e seu comportamento para a prevenção / Vision of the population of the city of São Paulo in relation to leprosy occurrence and its behavior for the prevention

Introdução - O referido trabalho de pesquisa teve por objetivo avaliar o grau de informação e conhecimento da população do Município de São Paulo, em relação à hanseníase e quão nossa sociedade é carente no que diz respeito a campanhas preventivas. Materiais e Métodos - Para obtenção das informações foi aplicado um questionário composto por oito questões objetivas previamente confeccionadas para a coleta de dados. Resultados - Pode-se perceber de forma clara e concisa através da pesquisa, que o público alvo sabe que a hanseníase é uma doença infectocontagiosa, cuja transmissão ocorre através do sistema respiratório, porém desconhecem seus sintomas e tratamento. Conclusão - Diante dos resultados obtidos através desta pesquisa, pode -se concluir que a população entrevistada ainda possui certa carência de informações referente à doença.

Introduction - The research work had as objective to evaluate the information and the knowledge of the population of the city of São Paulo, in relation to leprosy and how much our society is devoid in terms of preventive campaigns. Materials and Methods - For the attainment of the information was applied a questionnaire composed by eight objective questions previously confectioned for the collection of data. Results - Can be perceive, in clear and concise way, through there search that the interviewed people know that leprosy is a contagious "infectum" disease, that the transmission occurs through the respiratory system, however they are unaware of the way of transmission, symptoms and treatment of the disease. Conclusion - With the results obtained throughout our research, can be conclude that the interviewed people still possess a lack of information in relation to the disease.

Proceedings of a joint meeting between the Norwegian Society of Infectious Diseases and the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Oslo, 20 June 2008.

This paper presents the proceedings of a scientific meeting that was held between the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and the Norwegian Infectious Diseases Society at Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo on 20 June 2008. Seven speakers updated the audience on recent advances in relevant issues, including international maternal and child health, podoconiosis, schistosomiasis and HIV, leprosy in the UK, rapid diagnostic tests for malaria, delayed diagnosis of tuberculosis and the Global Filariasis Programme. The meeting ended with a series of case presentations.

Infectious diseases in paediatric pathology: experience from a developing country.

Infectious and parasitic diseases have always challenged man. Although many of them are typically seen in some areas of the world and can be adequately managed by just improving socioeconomic status and sanitary conditions, they are still quite prevalent and may sometimes be seen outside their original geographical areas. Human migration due to different reasons, tourism, blood transfusion and solid organ transplantation has created new concerns for health professionals all over the world. If not for diagnostic purposes, at least these tropical and infectious diseases should be largely known because their epidemiology, pathogenesis, host/parasite interaction, inflammatory and reparative responses are quite interesting and teach us about human biology. Curiosity is inherent to pathology practice and so we are compelled to look for things other than tumours or degenerative diseases. This review focuses on infectious and parasitic diseases found in a developing country and brings up-to-date information on diseases caused by viruses (dengue, yellow fever), bacteria (typhoid fever, leprosy), parasites (Chagas' disease, cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, amoebiasis, Capillaria hepatica, schistosomiasis, cysticercosis) and caused by fungi (paracoccidioidomycosis, cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis) that may be useful for pathologists when facing somewhat strange cases from developing countries.

Infectious diseases in paediatric pathology: experience from a developing country

Infectious and parasitic diseases have always challenged man. Although many of them are typically seen in some areas of the world and can be adequately managed by just improving socioeconomic status and sanitary conditions, they are still quite prevalent and may sometimes be seen outside their original geographical areas. Human migration due to different reasons, tourism, blood transfusion and solid organ transplantation has created new concerns for health professionals all over the world. If not for diagnostic purposes, at least these tropical and infectious diseases should be largely known because their epidemiology, pathogenesis, host/parasite interaction, inflammatory and reparative responses are quite interesting and teach us about human biology. Curiosity is inherent to pathology practice and so we are compelled to look for things other than tumours or degenerative diseases. This review focuses on infectious and parasitic diseases found in a developing country and brings up-to-date information on diseases caused by viruses (dengue, yellow fever), bacteria (typhoid fever, leprosy), parasites (Chagas' disease, cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, amoebiasis, Capillaria hepatica, schistosomiasis, cysticercosis) and caused by fungi (paracoccidioidomycosis, cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis) that may be useful for pathologists when facing somewhat strange cases from developing countries.

Current status of communicable and non-communicable diseases in India.

India is going through a period of transition, both epidemiological and demographic transition. Infectious diseases are still persisting as major health problems in spite of having national programmes for the control of most of these diseases for almost half a century now. This paper focuses on two national programmes: the success story of the National Leprosy Eradication Programme; and the National Anti-Malaria Programme that has failed to achieve its objectives. There are re-emerging infectious diseases which are adding to the burden of diseases. In addition, there is an increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases as a result of lifestyle changes and urbanization. These are the challenges that are to be tackled in the new millennium.

Pathology of renal diseases in the tropics.

Renal diseases unique to the tropics are those that occur in association with infectious diseases including dengue hemorrhagic fever, typhoid fever, shigellosis, leptospirosis, lepromatous leprosy, malaria, opisthorchiasis, and schistosomiasis. These renal complications can be classified on the basis of their clinical and pathologic characteristics into acute transient reversible glomerulonephritis, chronic progressive irreversible glomerulonephritis, amyloidosis, and acute renal failure (ARF) resulting from acute tubular necrosis, acute tubulointerstitial nephritis, and thrombotic microangiopathy. Certain primary glomerular diseases including immunoglobulin (Ig) M nephropathy and focal segmental and global glomerulosclerosis are prevalent in some tropical countries. Renal complications of venomous snakebites also are common in the tropics. This article discusses and summarizes important works in the literature in respect to the clinical syndromes, pathologic features, and pathogenesis of tropical renal diseases both in humans and experimental animal models.

Pathology of renal diseases in the tropics

Renal diseases unique to the tropics are those that occur in association with infectious diseases including dengue hemorrhagic fever, typhoid fever, shigellosis, leptospirosis, lepromatous leprosy, malaria, opisthorchiasis, and schistosomiasis. These renal complications can be classified on the basis of their clinical and pathologic characteristics into acute transient reversible glomerulonephritis, chronic progressive irreversible glomerulonephritis, amyloidosis, and acute renal failure (ARF) resulting from acute tubular necrosis, acute tubulointerstitial nephritis, and thrombotic microangiopathy. Certain primary glomerular diseases including immunoglobulin (Ig) M nephropathy and focal segmental and global glomerulosclerosis are prevalent in some tropical countries. Renal complications of venomous snakebites also are common in the tropics. This article discusses and summarizes important works in the literature in respect to the clinical syndromes, pathologic features, and pathogenesis of tropical renal diseases both in humans and experimental animal models.

Manual de enfermedades infecciosas: clínica y epidemiología / Manual of the infectious diseases: clinical and epidemiology

Orientación semiológica en enfermedades infecciosas. Septicemia. Enfermedades estreptococicas en general. Meningitis. Bronconeumopatías agudas bacterianas. Enfermedades producidas por bacilos anaerobios. Carbunco. Enfermedades producidas por enterobacteriaceas. Enfermedades producidas por pasteurelas. Enfermedades producidas por el gonococo. Enfermedades producidas por bartonelas. Enfermedad de Hansen. Enfermedades producidas por leptospiras y borrelias. Enfermedades producidas por micoplasmatales y por clamidaceas. Enfermedad por poxvirus. Virosis respiratoria. Enfermedades por virus varicela-herpe. Enfermedades producidas por enterovirus. Enfermedades producidas por arbovirus. Rabia. Hepatitis viricas primarias o hepatotropas. Síndrome maligno de las enfermedades infecciosas. Shock infeccioso. Parasitosis. Micopatias. Toxiinfecciones alimentarias

Manual de enfermedades infecciosas: clínica y epidemiología / Manual of the infectious diseases: clinical and epidemiology

Orientación semiológica en enfermedades infecciosas. Septicemia. Enfermedades estreptococicas en general. Meningitis. Bronconeumopatías agudas bacterianas. Enfermedades producidas por bacilos anaerobios. Carbunco. Enfermedades producidas por enterobacteriaceas. Enfermedades producidas por pasteurelas. Enfermedades producidas por el gonococo. Enfermedades producidas por bartonelas. Enfermedad de Hansen. Enfermedades producidas por leptospiras y borrelias. Enfermedades producidas por micoplasmatales y por clamidaceas. Enfermedad por poxvirus. Virosis respiratoria. Enfermedades por virus varicela-herpe. Enfermedades producidas por enterovirus. Enfermedades producidas por arbovirus. Rabia. Hepatitis viricas primarias o hepatotropas. Síndrome maligno de las enfermedades infecciosas. Shock infeccioso. Parasitosis. Micopatias. Toxiinfecciones alimentarias

Patología regional argentina: enfermedades prevalentes y exóticas conminantes / Argentina regional pathology

Patologías por protozoarios: enfermedad de chagas; paludismo; leishmaniasis. Patologías por helmintos: hidatidosis; uncinariasis. Patologías por bacterias: brucelosis; lepra. Patologías por hongos: paracoccidioidomicosis; histoplasmosis. Patologías por virus: fiebre hemorrágica argentina. Patologías por intoxicaciones: hidroarsenicismo crónico regional endémico. Patologías exóticas conminantes: cólera; dengue; esquistosomiasis