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Biomedical subjects

M Yates

Publications and source records attributed to M Yates.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Identification and antibiotic susceptibility of Nocardia farcinica and N. nova in the UK.

Nocardia asteroides has long been recognised as a heterogeneous group of organisms. The description and identification of two new subgroups, N. farcinica and N. nova, in other countries encouraged us to re-examine a collection of N. asteroides isolates from the UK. Of 73 clinical isolates identified as N. asteroides from different parts of England and Wales during 1991-1993, and now subjected to further differentiation tests by the Mycobacterial/Nocardial Reference Laboratory, 15 (20.5%) were identified as N. farcinica based on three out of four characteristics: growth property, acetamide production, rhamnose assimilation and a distinct antibiogram. No isolates were identified as N. nova. A revised identification and susceptibility system has significant clinical and taxonomic implications. Its introduction will improve speciation, identify antibiotic resistance and influence the choice of safer alternative therapy for patients infected with Nocardia spp. in the UK.

Bacterial Typing Techniques↗
PubMed1997

The prevalence of hookworm infection, iron deficiency and anaemia in an aboriginal community in north-west Australia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of hookworm infections, iron deficiency and anaemia in an Aboriginal community in the north of Western Australia. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional survey conducted in 1992, examining faecal specimens and blood samples from Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals in a remote coastal community in the north of Western Australia. PARTICIPANTS: All those living in the community at the time of the survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Parasite status and haematological values for haemoglobin, serum iron, ferritin, transferrin and mean red cell volume. RESULTS: Infections with hookworm were present throughout the Aboriginal population (77%; n = 243), with the highest prevalence in children aged 5-14 years (93%; n = 74). Hookworm was not detected in non-Aboriginals (n = 24). Iron deficiency was common throughout the Aboriginal population, especially in children aged 5-14 years (79%; n = 68) and women aged over 14 years (72%; n = 65). Anaemia was highly prevalent among Aboriginal children aged 5-14 years (84% in hookworm-positive children, 75% in hookworm-negative) and women aged over 14 years (63% in hookworm-positive women, 31% in hookworm-negative). Aboriginals over 14 years of age who had hookworm (n = 82) had significantly lower levels of haemoglobin, serum iron and serum ferritin, a lower mean red cell volume and significantly higher transferrin levels than uninfected Aboriginals (n = 38) and non-Aboriginals (n = 19) in the same age group. Hookworm infections were associated with anaemia (P < 0.01) and iron deficiency (P < 0.01) in people over 14 years of age. The species of hookworm, determined after examining 13 larval cultures and two adult worms, was found to be Ancylostoma duodenale. CONCLUSION: Infections with A. duodenale are endemic in Aboriginals in this community, and are likely to contribute to the high prevalence of iron deficiency and anaemia observed in the Aboriginal population, particularly in children and women.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Urinary tract infections in primary biliary cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases.

In a study to determine the prevalence of urinary tract infections (UTI) in primary biliary cirrhosis, midstream specimens of urine from 97 females with primary biliary cirrhosis and 85 females with other chronic liver diseases were investigated prospectively for urinary pathogens and Mycobacterium gordonae. No significant differences between primary biliary cirrhosis and the two groups were observed in the prevalence of significant bacteriuria (11.3% vs. 7.1%), the prevalence of Escherichia coli UTI (9.3% vs. 7.1%) or the colony morphology of Escherichia coli. No mycobacterial species were grown from any sample. In both groups, the prevalence of UTI was higher in patients with cirrhosis (20% in both) than in those without.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Cutaneous myiasis in a traveller returning from Africa.

Cutaneous myiasis is seen in travellers returning from the tropics. The flies commonly involved are Cordylobia arthropophaga and Dermatobia hominis. Humans become infected by contact with eggs laid by the female fly on soil or contaminated clothing. The clinical presentation is boil-like skin lesions. Treatment involves asphyxiation of larvae forcing emergence, application of toxic agents or surgical removal.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Randomised trial of immediate versus deferred treatment strategies for the management of minor cervical cytological abnormalities.

OBJECTIVE: To compare immediate and deferred treatment in women with cervical smears showing borderline nuclear abnormalities or mild dyskaryosis. DESIGN: Prospective randomised trial. SETTING: Colposcopy clinics at Birmingham and Midland Hospital for Women and the City Hospital NHS Trust, Dudley Road, Birmingham. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred and thirty-five women with minor cytological abnormality younger than 35 years of age, of whom 353 were randomised to immediate treatment or deferred treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparison of histologies in the subsequent two years in the immediate and deferred treatment groups. RESULTS: Thirty-six women (21%) defaulted from follow up. The percentage of high grade abnormalities (CIN II and III) in the deferred treatment arm at two years is similar to that in the immediate treated arm at first colposcopy (25% vs 24%). Cytology failed to pick up two cases of CIN III and there was one case of early invasive carcinoma at the six month follow up. If treatment is deferred, the proportion with CIN I is almost halved (25% vs 13%); the proportion with koilocytic atypia is slightly reduced (51% vs 42%) and the proportion with no abnormality is substantially increased (0.6% vs 20%). CONCLUSION: Immediate referral and a select-and-treat management strategy of all women with any degree of dyskaryosis is recommended based on the case of invasive cervical cancer, high default rate and the failure of cytology to pick up two cases of CIN III.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Individual risk factors for early repetition of deliberate self-harm.

This study investigated individual factors associated with repetition of deliberate self-harm (DSH) within three months of a first-ever episode. Individuals from an 'at risk' population who repeated DSH (N = 25) were compared with a socio-demographically matched group of 'at risk' individuals who did not engage in a further episode of DSH (N = 18). In comparison with the 'single DSH' individuals, those in the 'repeated DSH' group demonstrated significantly higher levels of depression and hopelessness, were significantly less skilled at problem solving, were significantly less likely to report the availability of a confidante and significantly more likely to identify that the reason for their DSH was to communicate their desperation. The implications of these findings for risk assessment and interventions are noted.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1997

PCR-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and partial rRNA gene sequencing: a rational approach to identifying mycobacteria.

A PCR-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for amplification and rapid identification of mycobacterial DNA coding for 16S rRNA was developed. The PCR selectively targeted and amplified part of the 16S rRNA gene from all mycobacteria while simultaneously labelling one strand of the amplified product with a 5' fluorescein-labelled primer. The identity of the labelled strand was subsequently determined by hybridization to a panel of mycobacterial species-specific capture probes, which were immobilized via their 5' biotin ends to a streptavidin-coated microtiter plate. Specific hybridization of a 5' fluorescein-labelled strand to a species probe was detected colorimetrically with an anti-fluorescein enzyme conjugate. The assay was able to identify 10 Mycobacterium spp. A probe able to hybridize to all Mycobacterium species (All1) was also included. By a heminested PCR, the assay was sensitive enough to detect as little as 10 fg of DNA, which is equivalent to approximately three bacilli. The assay was able to detect and identify mycobacteria directly from sputa. The specificities of the capture probes were assessed by analysis of 60 mycobacterial strains corresponding to 18 species. Probes Avi1, Int1, Kan1, Xen1, Che1, For1, Mal1, Ter1, and Gor1 were specific. The probe Tbc1 cross-hybridized with the Mycobacterium terrae amplicon. Analysis of 35 strains tested blind resulted in 34 strains being correctly identified. This method could be used for rapid identification of early cultures and may be suitable for the detection and concurrent identification of mycobacteria within clinical specimens.

DNA Probes↗
PubMed1996

Randomized controlled trial of a drug regimen that includes ciprofloxacin for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

The fluoroquinolones are promising new antituberculous agents. A randomized controlled trial of 200 adult patients with sputum smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis was conducted in Tanzania. Patients received either a trial regimen (HRC) consisting of isoniazid (300 mg), rifampin (600 mg), and ciprofloxacin (750 mg) or a control regimen (HRZE) consisting of isoniazid (300 mg), rifampin (600 mg), pyrazinamide (25 mg/kg), and ethambutol (15 mg/kg). The 168 evaluable patients all had negative smears and cultures by month 6, but the time to conversion to negativity was longer for the HRC group than for the HRZE group because of the poor response of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to the HRC regimen. Relapse was more frequent in the HRC group. The sterilizing activity of ciprofloxacin does not appear to be equal to that of the combination of pyrazinamide and ethambutol, but the difference in outcome was significant only among HIV-infected patients.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1995

Ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequences are identical among Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex isolates from AIDS patients, but vary among isolates from elderly pulmonary disease patients.

Sequencing 280 bp of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) between the 16S and 23S rRNA genes in a collection of 46 clinical isolates of the Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAI complex) identified nine different sequences, grouping these isolates in nine 'ITS sequevars'. This analysis extends the subdivision within the MAI complex to 18 ITS sequevars and also improves discrimination from other mycobacterial species. Evaluation of the sequevar grouping among different clinical sources revealed strong association of the M. avium sequevar Mav-B with AIDS and with lymphadenitis in children (18 out of 20 and 3 out of 3 respectively). Isolates from elderly patients with pulmonary disease and not suspected of being HIV infected belonged predominantly to M. intracellulare ITS sequevars and sequevars not assigned to either M. avium or M. intracellulare. On the other hand, animal isolates were of both the Mav-A and Mav-B sequevars. We conclude that ITS sequevar typing is an accurate way of identifying distinct MAI complex strains. The observed differences between clinical sources suggest that ITS sequevars reflect possibly important, biologically and clinically relevant polymorphisms between MAI complex organisms.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1994

Insertion sequence typing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: characterization of a widespread subtype with a single copy of IS6110.

DNA fingerprinting with the insertion sequence IS6110 (also known as IS986) has become established as a major tool for investigating the spread of tuberculosis. Most strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis have multiple copies of IS6110, but a small minority carry a single copy only. We have examined selected strains from Malaysia, Tanzania and Oman, in comparison with M. bovis isolates and BCG strains carrying one or two copies of IS6110. The insertion sequence appears to be present in the same position in all these strains, which suggests that in these organisms the element is defective in transposition and that the loss of transposability may have occurred at an early stage in the evolution of the M. tuberculosis complex.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Antibodies to atypical mycobacteria in primary biliary cirrhosis.

Recent work has shown that there is antigenic similarity between common bacterial proteins and epitopes on biliary epithelial cells. Following evidence that the sera of all of a series of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis contained antibodies to an extract of Mycobacterium gordonae (a ubiquitous environmental organism) and that these antibodies cross-reacted with the major mitochondrial M2 epitopes, the study below has been performed to investigate this phenomenon further. Using Western blotting of membrane extracts of Mycobacterium gordonae and seven other atypical mycobacterial species, no such antibodies were detected in the serum of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, but antibodies to a 65 kDa mycobacterial protein were found in most patients with primary biliary cirrhosis as well as in normal controls and patients with other chronic liver diseases.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1993

Amyloid precursor protein mRNA levels in the mononuclear blood cells of Alzheimer's and Down's patients.

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is expressed by many non-neural tissues and it is possible that over-expression of the APP gene in non-neural tissue is responsible for the deposition of amyloid beta-protein in the brain and elsewhere. One possible source of beta-protein is circulating mononuclear blood cells which have previously been shown to express APP. To test this hypothesis, RNA was isolated from the mononuclear blood cells of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease (n = 27), Down's syndrome (n = 13), senile dementia non-Alzheimer type (n = 14) and from normal individuals (n = 48). The relative abundance of mRNA coding for different splicing variants of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) mRNA was measured using multiprobe oligonucleotide solution hybridisation (MOSH). There was no significant difference in APP mRNA levels between any of the groups. This indicates that Alzheimer's disease is not characterised by an increase in production of APP in circulating mononuclear blood cells.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Infection caused by Mycobacterium chelonae: a diagnostic and therapeutic problem in the neutropenic patient.

Mycobacterium chelonae, a rapidly growing species, is a significant cause of fever in neutropenic patients. We describe three febrile neutropenic patients at the Royal Free Hospital from whom this organism was isolated on several occasions. The condition of the first patient improved as the neutrophil count recovered. The second patient developed pulmonary disease and required surgical resection of a pulmonary lesion. The third patient, who had rapidly progressive, diffuse pulmonary disease, responded to an antibiotic regimen including erythromycin and ciprofloxacin. Both our findings and reports in the literature suggest that neutropenia may be a major risk factor for disseminated infection due to M. chelonae and that treatment is effective only after the recovery of the neutrophil count.

Adult↗