Faculty of Health Sciences
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/11
Browse
3 results
Search Results
Item The impact of cryptococcal antigenaemia screening among patients attending King Dinuzulu Hospital(2022-09-29) Yohali, Missi Emilienne; Mbatha, Joyce Nonhlanhla; Niehaus, Abraham J.Introduction The goal of this study was to give a general overview of Cryptococcus as a cryptococcosis causative agent. The morbidity, mortality and management of this type of infection are discussed, as well as the collaboration between the diagnostic laboratory service and the Department of Health. Aim The goal of this study was to see how cryptococcal antigenemia screening affected patient care at KDH. Objectives To determine whether screening for cryptococcus antigenemia leads to doctors necessary follow-up investigations. To report how often positive serum cryptococcal antigen screening results in cryptococcal meningitis treatment. To see if the current CD4 antigenemia threshold of less than 100 cells/µl is suitable for our patient population. Materials and Method This study took samples from patients at King Dinuzulu Hospital in Durban, eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The Laboratory Information System was utilized to diagnose cryptococcal infections in patients’ serum, plasma, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), as well as for normal patient management (Trakcare). Clinicians gathered specimens from patients as part of standard clinical care and forwarded them to the laboratory as data sources for this study. Cross-sectional, descriptive, and quantitative research were conducted on these specimens. Results The data that satisfied the inclusion criteria of the study were collected and analysed. Assay of 724 CSF and serum/plasma cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) results, including CSF culture results (n = 264) and CD4 counts (n = 446), were analysed for this section of the study. The bulk of CD4 counts, 433 (97.1%), were < 100 cell/µl whereas 13 (2.9%) were > 100 cells/µL. The number of patients with a CD4 count who stuck to their treatment was 22 out of 62. Eighty-five CrAg positive findings were obtained, with 62 receiving a CD4 count. There were 31 CrAg with a CD4 count of 0-49 cells/µL, 28 with a CD4 count of 50-99 cells/µL, one with a CD4 count of 100-149 cells/µL, one with a CD4 count of 150-199 cells/µL, and one with a CD4 count of more than 200 cells/µL. A higher percentage of patients had a follow up appointment. There was a higher proportion of patients who received a follow-up (10, 55.6%) than those who did not (3, 6.8%) p ˂ 0.001. Furthermore, those who started treatment within seven days had a higher proportion of patients without follow up (81.8 percent, n = 36) than those who had a follow up (0 percent, n = 0). Conclusion In conclusion, there was no positive benefit of CrAg screening on HIV-positive patients attending KDH, as stated in the study’s goal. In terms of the study’s goal and objectives, the findings revealed that the majority of positive CrAg samples were nt followed up on.Item Directed evolution: tailoring biocatalysts for industrial applications(Taylor and Francis Online, 2012-09-18) Kumar, Ashwani; Singh, SurenCurrent challenges and promises of white biotechnology encourage protein engineers to use a directed evolution approach to generate novel and useful biocatalysts for various sets of applications. Different methods of enzyme engineering have been used in the past in an attempt to produce enzymes with improved functions and properties. Recent advancement in the field of random mutagenesis, screening, selection and computational design increased the versatility and the rapid development of enzymes under strong selection pressure with directed evolution experiments. Techniques of directed evolution improve enzymes fitness without understanding them in great detail and clearly demonstrate its future role in adapting enzymes for use in industry. Despite significant advances to date regarding biocatalyst improvement, there still remains a need to improve mutagenesis strategies and development of easy screening and selection tools without significant human intervention. This review covers fundamental and major development of directed evolution techniques, and highlights the advances in mutagenesis, screening and selection methods with examples of enzymes developed by using these approaches. Several commonly used methods for creating molecular diversity with their advantages and disadvantages including some recently used strategies are also discussed.Item Cervical cancer screening among University students in South Africa : a theory based study(PLOS, 2014-11) Hoque, Muhammad Ehsanu; Ghuman, Shanaz; Coopoosmay, Roger; Hal, Guido VanIntroduction: Cervical cancer is a serious public health problem in South Africa. Even though the screening is free in health facilities in South Africa, the Pap smear uptake is very low. The objective of the study is to investigate the knowledge and beliefs of female university students in South Africa. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among university women in South Africa to elicit information about knowledge and beliefs, and screening history. Results: A total of 440 students completed the questionnaire. The average age of the participants was 20.39 years (SD = 1.71 years). Regarding cervical cancer, 55.2% (n = 243) had ever heard about it. Results indicated that only 15% (22/147) of the students who had ever had sex and had heard about cervical cancer had taken a Pap test. Pearson correlation analysis showed that cervical cancer knowledge had a significantly negative relationship with barriers to cervical cancer screening. Susceptibility and seriousness score were significantly moderately correlated with benefit and motivation score as well as barrier score. Self-efficacy score also had a moderate correlation with benefit and motivation score. Students who had had a Pap test showed a significantly lower score in barriers to being screened compared to students who had not had a Pap test. Conclusion: This study showed that educated women in South Africa lack complete information on cervical cancer. Students who had had a Pap test had significantly lower barriers to cervical cancer screening than those students who had not had a Pap test.