Panagiotis Karanis
Qinghai University, China
University of Cologne, Germany
Title: Parasitic and bacterial infections in patients at Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital in Xining, Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai Province, China
Biography
Biography: Panagiotis Karanis
Abstract
The present survey investigated patients hospitalized in the Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital (QUAH) in Xining, Tibetan Plateau of Qinghai Province, Northwest of China. Two studies were designed to find out, if unexpected and not-detected pathogens could be found in faecal samples and other body fluids from Chinese diarrhoeal patients: The samples were investigated for the presence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia infections since these pathogens and parasites in general were not included in the hospital laboratory’s routine microbiological screening program. Giardia: 5 (4 stool, 1 sputum sample, generated from 3 patients) of 143 samples have been found to be positive by IFT, from which 2 have been highly positive. 11 stool samples have been found to be positive by nested PCR based on SSU rRNA, 2 based on TPI and 1 based on GDH gene. In microscopically analyzed body fluids no Giardia cysts have been found as expected, except for one sputum sample by IFT. By sequencing, 4 of these samples have been determined as Giardia intestinalis assemblage B. Cryptosporidium: 6 out of 143 samples, which are 1 sputum and 5 stool samples, were found to be positive by IFT, two out of these six positive samples are also positive by m-ZN. 2 samples have been positive by n-PCR based on SSU rRNA and two others based on TRAP C2. One case of double-infection with Giardia and Cryptosporidium was special because of the presence of Giardia in sputum. The third part presents the case study of extra pulmonary tuberculosis (epTB) of the shoulder joint of a 49 years old man, pointing out that tuberculosis often remains undetected even in a country known as second high risk country for TB worldwide. In the present case report, delayed anti-TB treatment has led to serious destruction of the shoulder joint. Physical disability, accompanied by depression, unemployment and social decline are the consequences. Early and clear diagnosis of epTB, adequate management and therapy in Q-T Plateau area still need improvement and the government’s attention.