Background: Fungal keratitis is a serious ocular infection that can cause corneal scarring and blindness. Currently, diagnosis of fungal pathogens remains a difficult problem. Objectives: To investigate the application of semi-nested PCR targeted ITS genes for detection of fungal agents causing keratitis. Material and method: Ten identified fungal strains, 4 bacterial strains, 20 scraping samples from patients with suspected fungal keratitis and 2 scraping samples from patients with suspected bacterial keratitis were tested using semi-nested PCR. Results: Semi-nested PCR showed positive results for the samples of identified fungal strains and for the 20 scraping samples from patients with suspected fungal keratitis. Neither samples of bacterial strains nor scraping samples from suspected bacterial keratitis patients gave positive PCR results. Conclusion: Semi-nested PCR is a robust tool for specific and rapid detection of fungal agents causing keratitis.
Fungal keratitis ; semi-nested PCR

Background: In Vietnam, there are a number of studies on the application of ATRA in treating acute promyelocytic leukemia (AML \u2013 M3) but they have still faced with certain difficulties. Objectives: (1). Study PML/RAR alpha fusion gene on the patients diagnosed with AML \u2013 M3. (2). Study the index of hematology of the PML/RAR alpha positive group. Subject and Method: 21 patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (M3) were studied. All patients were examined with morphology, coagulation and cytogenetic tests and RNA were extracted from leukemic cells and PCR for PML/RAR alpha fusion transcript. Result and conclusion: PML/RAR alpha positive in 67% including 4 patients which were not discovered t(15; 17) by cytogenetic technique. Rates of three subtype (bcr1, bcr2 and bcr3) of PML/RAR alpha were 7 patients (50%), 3 patients (21,5%) and 4 patients (28,5%), respectively. WBC and bone marrow cells of PML/RAR alpha positive group were 5.08+/-3.87 and 155.82+/-106.21. D \u2013 Dimer level was 1954.89+/-1575.28; 93% of patients in the PML/RAR alpha positive group had DIC.
Acute promyelocytic leukemia ; M3 ; PML/RAR alpha

Background: Chromosome mutation type t(8;21) has quite a high frequency in acute myelogenous leukemia, which accounted for about 15% among adult patients. From 2001, the WHO has a new classification for acute myelogenous leukemia based on genetic mutations. Form had AML1/ETO were arranged into genetic mutation group with better prognosis and ability to fully recover after chemotherapy with a high dose of cytarabin. Objective: Study AML1/ETO fusion gene on the patients diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML), as well as the clinical features and some haematologic parameters of the AML1/ETO positive group. Subject and methods: 76 patients with AML were treating in the National Institute of Hematology & Blood Transfusion and the Department of Hematology & Blood Transfusion of Bach Mai Hospital from April 2007 to July 2008. These patients were studied for clinical examination, morphology and RNA were extracted from leukemic cells and PCR for AML1/ETO fusion transcript was performed. Results and conclusions: The incidence of AML1/ETO positive in the AML patients was 24%. The incidence of AML1/ETO positive in AML-M2 was 28%. In the AML1/ETO positive group: median age was 26.94+/-9.22; rate of severe anemia, hemorrhage, fever, infection, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy and gum hypertrophy was 44%, 33%, 28%, 11%, 44%, 28%, 17% and 6%, respectively. Median hemoglobin, WBC, platelet, bone marrow cell count, % blast in peripheral blood and in bone marrow was 84.41+/-28.97 g/l, 29.42+/-31.36 g/l, 42.12+/-33.83 g/l, 215.93+/-134.42 g/l, 56.21+/-26.58% and 65.14+/-16.12%, respectively.
acute myelogenous leukemia ; AML1/ETO fusion gene