Anti-Chlamydia Monoclonal antibody, Clone JDL

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) in Portuguese women of childbearing age. Cervicovaginal self-collected samples of 680 childbearing-age women (15-44 years) were tested for NG and TV by polymerase chain reaction. Sociodemographic, clinical and behavioural data were assessed through an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. NG and TV prevalence was 1.3% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.7-2.5%) and 1.0% (95% CI 0.5-2.1%), respectively. The prevalence of TV was significantly higher in women aged >22 years (p = .003), with >6 years after sexual intercourse (p = .003), and who reported previous pregnancy (p = .004). Our study suggests that NG and TV are rare in Portuguese women of childbearing age. However, larger epidemiological studies with a nationally representative sample of female subjects are warranted, to clarify the need for screening of these microorganisms in Portuguese women, since its prevalence is probably underestimated.IMPACT STATEMENT What is already known on this subject? Studies on the prevalence of NG and TV have been performed in several developed and developing countries. However, limited data is available in Portuguese women. The detection of NG and TV is necessary because, beside the risk of transmission to sex partners, these STIs may be associated with an increased risk of HIV acquisition and transmission, and ultimately with reproductive, pregnancy and perinatal complications. What do the results of this study add? Our study adds new findings to the body of knowledge on NG and TV prevalence in Portuguese women of reproductive age. As so, we found a low prevalence of both NG (1.3%) and TV (1.0%) in the studied population. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Our results may be a step ahead to encourage future nationally representative studies evaluating the prevalence of NG and TV genital infection and, consequently, to clarify the need for screening of these microorganisms. In clinical practice, it should be highlighted the appropriate management of NG and TV infection in specific situations, such as pregnancy. Also, sexual partners must be treated to prevent the recurrences in the index cases and reduce transmission to other partners.

Co-infection has been reported in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome, but there is limited knowledge on co-infection among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The prevalence of co-infection was variable among COVID-19 patients in different studies, however, it could be up to 50% among non-survivors. Co-pathogens included bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumonia, Legionella pneumophila and Acinetobacter baumannii; Candida species and Aspergillus flavus; and viruses such as influenza, coronavirus, rhinovirus/enterovirus, parainfluenza, metapneumovirus, influenza B virus, and human immunodeficiency virus. Influenza A was one of the most common co-infective viruses, which may have caused initial false-negative results of real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Laboratory and imaging findings alone cannot help distinguish co-infection from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Newly developed syndromic multiplex panels that incorporate SARS-CoV-2 may facilitate the early detection of co-infection among COVID-19 patients. By contrast, clinicians cannot rule out SARS-CoV-2 infection by ruling in other respiratory pathogens through old syndromic multiplex panels at this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, clinicians must have a high index of suspicion for coinfection among COVID-19 patients. Clinicians can neither rule out other co-infections caused by respiratory pathogens by diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infection nor rule out COVID-19 by detection of non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory pathogens. After recognizing the possible pathogens causing co-infection among COVID-19 patients, appropriate antimicrobial agents can be recommended. Copyright (C) 2020, Taiwan Society of Microbiology. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC.