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tb gold test :: Article Creator Scientists Develop A TB Test & Find A Genetic Vulnerability In Resistant Strains A rapid diagnostic test for tuberculosis (TB) has been approved for the first time by the World Health Organization (WHO). The assay can identify the tuberculosis-causing pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum samples within a few hours. Tuberculosis is a primary cause of death by infectious disease worldwide. The disease is estimated to kill over one million people every year, and is a huge socio-economic burden, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. "High-quality diagnostic tests are the cornerstone of effective TB care and prevention," said Dr. Rogerio Gaspar, WHO Director for Regulation and Prequalification. "Prequalification paves the way for equitable access to cutting-edge technologies, empowering countries to address the dual burden of TB and drug-resistant TB."  M. Tuberculosis c...
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Reusable Contact Lenses Increase Risk of Rare Eye Infection: Study - WebMD

Sept. 23, 2022 – People who wear reusable contact lenses are about four times more likely to get the sight-threatening eye infection acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) than people who wear daily disposable lenses, says a study published in the journal Ophthalmology.

Researchers say contact lens wearers can easily reduce their risk by not wearing their lenses while swimming or in the shower. They also advise that stickers saying "No Water" be placed on contact lens packages.

Health authorities have seen a rise in AK cases in the United Kingdom and Europe in recent years, the lead author for the study, John Dart of the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said in a news release. The infection is rare but still deserves a public health response, he said.

"Contact lenses are generally very safe but are associated with a small risk of microbial keratitis, most commonly caused by bacteria, and which is the only sight threatening complication of their use," he said. "Given that an estimated 300 million people across the globe wear contact lenses, it is important that people know how to minimize their risks for developing keratitis."

AK causes the cornea to become inflamed because of infection by acanthamoeba, a cyst-forming microorganism, the news release said. About a quarter of severely affected patients end up with less than 25% of their vision or become blind. About 25% of people require corneal transplants to treat the disease or restore vision.

More than 200 patients from Moorfields Eye Hospital completed a survey, including 83 with AK. They were compared to a control group of 122 people who came to eye care clinics with other conditions.

People wearing reusable soft contact lenses were found to have 3.8 times the chances of developing AK, when compared to people who wore daily disposable lenses, the study said. Showering with lenses increased the odds of AK by 3.3 times, while wearing lenses overnight increased the odds by 3.9 times.

Researchers said 30% to 62% of cases in the U.K. could be prevented if people switched from reusable to daily disposable lenses.

"Basic contact lens hygiene measures can go a long way in avoiding infections, such as by thoroughly washing and drying your hands before putting in your lenses," Dart said.

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