Background and Objective: Schistosoma japonicum is the causative agent of schistosomiasis in the Philippines. Current diagnostics suffer from low sensitivity and accuracy, hence an accurate and reliable diagnosis of schistosomiasis is essential for its prevention and control. In this study, a PCR-based assay for the detection of Schistosoma japonicumfor patient stool and serum samples was developed. Methodology: Three candidate primer sets targeting mitochondrial genes COX3, NAD4, and NAD5 were assessed. COX3 primer pair was used for the rest of the study for sensitivity, specificity, and performance testing. Lastly, the assay using COX3 primer pair was compared to Kato-Katz and circumoval precipitin test (COPT). Results: COX3 and NAD5 primers showed suitability for the assay as sequencing analyses gave high similarities of 96-98% for S. japonicum, while NAD4 showed no similarity to any organisms. The PCR-assay was shown to have a detection limit of 4 ng/ul DNA and was specific only to S. japonicum. The assay detected seven out of ten S. japonicum-spiked stool samples and ten out of ten S. japonicum-spiked serum samples. Comparative performance testing with Kato-Katz and COPT showed high specificity of 100% for both samples, but low sensitivity for formalin-fixed stool samples and stored serum samples. Conclusion This study developed a sensitive and specific PCR-based assay to detect S. japonicum from human samples. Results suggest that this PCR assay could be useful for the detection of S. japonicum in fresh clinical samples and can be further improved as a reference to improve other diagnostic assays for schistosomiasis.
Schistosoma japonicum ; Schistosomiasis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

INTRODUCTION<p style="text-align: justify;" data-mce-style="text-align: justify;">ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a common and potentially fatal presentation of cardiovascular disease. Once a diagnosis is made, prompt intervention is crucial, with substantial effect on morbidity and even mortality.p>OBJECTIVE<p style="text-align: justify;" data-mce-style="text-align: justify;">The aim of this study was to assess the adherence of physicians of a tertiary care hospital to American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and European Society of Cardiology performance measures for the management of acute STEMI patients. p>METHODOLOGY<p style="text-align: justify;" data-mce-style="text-align: justify;">This was a descriptive retrospective chart review of acute STEMI patients seen in a tertiary care hospital over a 2-year period.p>RESULTS<p style="text-align: justify;" data-mce-style="text-align: justify;">A total of 118 STEMI patients were included in the study. Mean age was 57.8 years with male predominance. High adherence rates (100% achievement score) to recommended discharge medications and counseling for smoking cessation were observed. However, performance measures for time to reperfusion therapy via percutaneous coronary intervention (average, 16.7% over 2 years) and referral to cardiac rehabilitation (average, 38.0%) were consistently low, although time to percutaneous coronary intervention improved from an average of 170 minutes to 142 minutes in the second year of this study.p>CONCLUSION<p style="text-align: justify;" data-mce-style="text-align: justify;">For 2 consecutive years, all STEMI patients seen in our institution were adequately managed with regard to recommended medications. All patients have been advised lifestyle change, particularly smoking cessation for current smokers. There is room for improvement with regards to time to reperfusion therapy and referral to cardiac rehabilitation. Some measures have been suggested, including shortening the time to secure patient consent.p>
Myocardial Infarction ; St Elevation Myocardial Infarction ; Stemi