Showing papers in "International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences in 2021"
TL;DR: A dispassionate review of the evidence-based research literature finds preliminary evidence supporting the opinion that aqueous chlorine dioxide may be a safe and effective treatment of COVID-19, and likely for other viral illnesses as well.
Abstract: Chlorine dioxide has been condemned as a dangerous poison and has been touted as a cure for COVID-19. This narrative review examines the controversy surrounding the use of aqueous chlorine dioxide by investigating evidence-based research articles, government documents, press reports, and the results of the first clinical trial utilizing chlorine dioxide as a treatment for COVID-19. Chlorine dioxide was found to be employed by numerous industries for antimicrobial and other uses. Aqueous chlorine dioxide was found to be safe when ingested in low doses, but when ingested in high doses, it can cause adverse hematologic and renal effects. Additionally, chlorine dioxide was found to be a strong and rapidly acting virucide with activity against a wide range of viruses. Results of the first clinical trial utilizing chlorine dioxide to treat COVID-19 are reviewed and this molecule is found to be a safe and effective treatment. A dispassionate review of the evidence-based research literature finds preliminary evidence supporting the opinion that aqueous chlorine dioxide may be a safe and effective treatment of COVID-19, and likely for other viral illnesses as well. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to explore potential uses of chlorine dioxide.
Key words: SARS-CoV-2, virucide, biocide, antimicrobial, oxidant, disinfectant, bleach, food additive, sterilant.
5 citations
TL;DR: Status of first-time blood donor and living in rural settings are primary risk factors of HBV-infection, and henceforth considered as exclusionary criteria for blood donation in Gabon.
Abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is prevalent in Gabon and poses a potential risk of transmission by blood transfusion. However, few studies have examined epidemiological data regarding HBV infection of Gabonese blood donors. This article reports on research conducted to estimate the seroprevalence of HBV and associated risk factors in the urban population of Gabon. A cross-sectional and analytic study survey of blood donors attending at the Gabonese National Blood Transfusion Center, was carried out between June and August 2020. The ELISA technique (Evolis®, BioRad) and the chemiluminescence technique (Cobas® e601, Roche) had been used for the detection of hepatitis B surface antigens in the plasma of donors. Repeatedly reactive hepatitis B surface antigen levels among first-time and repeat donors were used to assess prevalence and risk factors using multivariable logistic regression. Results revealed that a total of 3665 donations were collected at the Gabonese National Blood Transfusion Center, of which 100 were con?rmed HBV positive. The seroprevalence of HBsAg among total blood donors was 5.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.4 - 6.7) indicating a moderate burden. In our multivariate analysis controlling for age, HBsAg positivity was associated with first-time donor status (aOR = 6.5) and residence outside of Libreville (aOR = 1). The prevalence of HBsAg among Gabonese blood donors is at a moderate-level endemicity among first-time donors, indicating the need to further limit the burden. In this Gabonese context, status of first-time blood donor and living in rural settings are primary risk factors of HBV-infection, and henceforth considered as exclusionary criteria for blood donation in Gabon.
Key words: Hepatitis B, prevalence, risk factors, blood donor
TL;DR: A high prevalence of Penicillin Sensitive S. aureus is demonstrated and a low prevalence of MRSA is demonstrated during the study period.
Abstract: Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of hospital and community acquired infections globally. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) prevalence has been reported to be high in various settings and is associated with increased morbidity, mortality and risk of nosocomial outbreaks. Surveillance of prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility patterns is important to ensure appropriate antibiotic prescription. The objective of our study was to establish the prevalence of S. aureus, to identify patterns of susceptibility to commonly used antibiotics and quantify contemporary penicillin resistance among S. aureus. A retrospective study was conducted at the Mater Hospital, Nairobi. The study involved a review of non-duplicate records of specimens analyzed between January 2014 and December 2018. An isolate was categorized as Penicillin susceptible (PSSA) if it was susceptible to Penicillin and Oxacillin, Methicillin susceptible (MSSA) if resistant to Penicillin but susceptible to Oxacillin and Methicillin resistant (MRSA) if resistant to Oxacillin and Penicillin. We present proportions of S. aureus that was PSSA, MSSA and MRSA. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association between the presence of S. aureus isolates and the source of the clinical specimen (inpatient vs. outpatient), age and gender. A total of 659 isolates of S. aureus were analyzed in 5-year period. PSSA was the most prevalent organism seen (60.85%) while MRSA was the least prevalent (0.61%). Most S. aureus were isolated in pus from wound swabs-644 (73. 3%). A significant increase in susceptibility of S. aureus to Penicillin and Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid was observed during the study period. This study demonstrated a high prevalence of Penicillin Sensitive S. aureus and a low prevalence of MRSA.
Key words: Staphylococcus aureus, antimicrobial, penicillin.