Leptospirosis from water sources

Leptospirosis outbreaks have been associated with many common water events including water consumption, water sports, environmental disasters and occupational exposure. The ability of leptospires to survive in moist environments makes them a high risk agent for infection following contact with any contaminated water source. Water treatment processes reduce the likelihood of leptospirosis or other microbial agents causing infection provided they do not malfunction and the distribution networks are maintained. Notably, there are many differences in water treatment systems around the world, particularly between developing and developed countries. Detection of leptospirosis in water samples is uncommonly performed by molecular methods.

Networked aquatic microbial observing systems: An overview

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Ability of silver-impregnated contact lenses to control microbial growth and colonisation

Purpose: To examine the ability of silver nano-particles to prevent the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus in solution or when adsorbed into contact lenses. To examine the ability of silver nano-particles to prevent the growth of Acanthamoeba castellanii. ----- ----- Methods: Etafilcon A lenses were soaked in various concentrations of silver nano-particles. Bacterial cells were then exposed to these lenses, and numbers of viable cells on lens surface or in solution compared to etafilcon A lenses not soaked in silver. Acanthamoeba trophozoites were exposed to silver nano-particles and their ability to form tracks was examined. ----- ----- Results: Silver nano-particle containing lenses reduced bacterial viability and adhesion. There was a dose-dependent response curve, with 10 ppm or 20 ppm silver showing > 5 log reduction in bacterial viability in solution or on the lens surface. For Acanthamoeba, 20 ppm silver reduced the ability to form tracks by approximately 1 log unit. ----- ----- Conclusions: Silver nanoparticles are effective antimicrobial agents, and can reduce the ability of viable bacterial cells to colonise contact lenses once incorporated into the lens.----- ----- Resumen: Objetivos: Examinar la capacidad de las nanopartículas de plata para prevenir el crecimiento de Pseudomonas aeruginosa y Staphylococcus aureus en soluciones para lentes de contacto o cuando éstas las adsorben. Examinar la capacidad de las nanopartículas de plata para prevenir el crecimiento de Acanthamoeba castellanii.----- ----- Métodos: Se sumergieron lentes etafilcon A en diversas concentraciones de nanopartículas de plata. Las células bacterianas fueron posteriormente expuestas a dichas lentes, y se compararon cantidades de células viables en la superficie de la lente o en la solución con las presentes en lentes etafilcon A que no habían sido sumergidas en plata. Trofozoítos de Acanthamoeba fueron expuestos a nanopartículas de plata y se examinó su capacidad para formar quistes.----- ----- Resultados: Las lentes que contienen nanopartículas de plata redujeron la viabilidad bacteriana y la adhesión. Hubo una curva de respuesta dependiente de la dosis, en la que 10 ppm o 20 ppm de plata mostró una reducción logarítmica > 5 en la viabilidad bacteriana tanto en la solución como en la superficie de la lente. Para Acanthamoeba, 20 ppm de plata redujeron la capacidad de formar quistes en aproximadamente 1 unidad logarítmica.----- ----- Conclusiones: Las nanopartículas de plata son agentes antimicrobianos eficaces y pueden reducir la capacidad de células bacterianas viables para colonizar las lentes de contacto una vez que se han incorporado en la lente.

Tubal damage, infertility and tubal ectopic pregnancy : chlamydia trachomatis and other microbial aetiologies

Infertility is a worldwide health problem with one in six couples suffering from this condition and with a major economic burden on the global healthcare industry. Estimates of the current global infertility rate suggest that 15% of couples are infertile (Zegers-Hochschild et al 2009) defined as: (1) failure to conceive after 12 months of unprotected sexual intercourse (i.e. infertility); (2) repeated implantation failure following ART cycles; or (3) recurrent miscarriage without difficulty conceiving (natural conceptions). Tubal factor infertility is among the leading causes of female factor infertility accounting for 7-9.8% of all female factor infertilities. Tubal disease directly causes from 36% to 85% of all cases of female factor infertility in developed and developing nations respectively and is associated with polymicrobial aetiologies. One of the leading global causes of tubal factor infertility is thought to be symptomatic (and asymptomatic in up to 70% cases) infection of the female reproductive tract with the sexually transmitted pathogen, Chlamydia trachomatis. Infection-related damage to the Fallopian tubes caused by Chlamydia accounts for more than 70% of cases of infertility in women from developing nations such as sub-Saharan Africa (Sharma et al 2009). Bacterial vaginosis, a condition associated with increased transmission of sexually transmitted infections including those caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Mycoplasma genitalium is present in two thirds of women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This review will focus on (1) the polymicrobial aetiologies of tubal factor infertility and (2) studies involved in screening for, and treatment and control of, Chlamydial infection to prevent PID and the associated sequelae of Fallopian tube inflammation that may lead to infertility and ectopic pregnancy.