18^th World Congress on Infection Prevention and Control July 04-05, 2022 London, UK

Session Introduction

Khedhiri Marwa

Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunisia

Title: Overview of the epidemic history of hepatitis C rare subtypes 2i and 4d in Tunisia and in the world

Biography:

Khedhiri Marwa, PhD in Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Tunisia. I got my PhD in Biology on September 2021 at the University of Tunis el Manar, Tunis, Tunisia. I have a background in Molecular Biology and Virology with a Master’s degree in Microbiology and Biotechnology. Currently I work as research assistant in the framework of an international Project at Pasteur Institute of Tunis. The goal of this EU-funded project is to develop an intelligent decision support platform for pandemic prediction and management.

Abstract:

The impressive improvements in qua therapy efficacy alone are not sufficient to substantially reduce the Hepatitis C Virus burden because of the usually very long asymptomatic phase of the infection. In turn, this renders prevention of infection of great importance. The value of learning how the virus has spread in the past is that this can provide clues as to what routes the virus likely spreads through today, which can feedback into prevention policy. In Tunisia, HCV subtypes 2i and 4d are minor circulating subtypes. Here, we introduce a Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo method for visualization of spatial and temporal spread of HCV-2i and 4d in Tunisia and some other countries in the world. Our analyses included sequences retrieved from Genbank and isolated from several countries in the world; 30 HCV-NS5B subtype 2i genome sequences obtained during the period 2000-2020 and 293 HCV-NS5B-4d sequences detected between 2000 and 2019. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that no consistent geographical clusters could be identified in HCV-2i tree with two clearly distinguished clusters in HCV-4d Tree. The estimated time for the most recent common ancestor suggested that current HCV-2i strains emerged in 1999 [1998, 2000] and current HCV-4d strains emerged in 1984 [1977, 1990] in Tunisia and other countries from the world included in the present study. Our study highlights the importance of epidemic molecular investigation to monitor the evolution of circulating HCV strains especially in this challenging period before the global elimination.

Huang Wei Ling

Medical Acupuncture and Pain Management Clinic, Brazil

Title: What do we need to know to prevent and control nosocomial infections completely?

Biography:

Huang Wei Ling, born in Taiwan, raised and graduated in medicine in Brazil, specialist in infectious and parasitic diseases, a General Practitioner and Parenteral and Enteral Medical Nutrition Therapist. Once in charge of the Hospital Infection Control Service of the City of Franca’s General Hospital, she was responsible for the control of all prescribed antimicrobial medication and received an award for the best paper presented at the Brazilian Hospital Infection Control Congress in 1998. Since 1997, she works with the approach and treatment of all chronic diseases in a holistic way, with treatment guided through the teachings of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Hippocrates. Researcher in the University of São Paulo, in the Ophthalmology department from 2012 to 2013.Author of the theory Constitutional Homeopathy of the Five Elements Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine. Author of more than 100 publications about treatment of variety of diseases rebalancing the internal energy using Hippocrates thoughts.

Abstract:

Introduction: Nosocomial infections are a widespread problem around the world. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that nosocomial infections affect around 1.7 million patients per year, and cause 99.000 deaths. According to CDC, 32% of all healthcare acquired infections are urinary tract infections, 22% are surgical site infections, 15% are pneumonia and 14% are bloodstream infections. Nowadays, only 1/3 of nosocomial infections can be prevented with the Infection Control Programs. The other 2/3 cannot be prevented with the programs used nowadays. In USA, 31 billions of dollars are spent in the treatment of nosocomial infections per year.  Purpose: The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how this 2/3 of nosocomial infections could be controlled with the use ancient medicines reasoning, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine and Hippocrates theories. Another goal is to make evident the possible economy to healthcare when using these techniques and tools in the treatment of nosocomial infections. Methods: The methodology used was a review of studies, such as those presented by Hippocrates (“Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.”), as well as others from oriental medicines, which comprehend the disease as originated from three factors: external (exposure to cold, heat, humidity, wind and dryness), internal (emotional) and dietary. Findings: When comprehending the patient in a broader view, considering the energy imbalances of Yin, Yang, Qi, Blood and Heat retention, it is possible to control and prevent better more nosocomial infections, reducing the costs for the healthcares.  Conclusion: The 2/3 of not controlled nosocomial infections cannot be prevented because of the reasoning used in the treatment of infections in Western Medicine. When using ancient oriental medicines reasoning, a different thinking can be used. According to Einstein, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”.

Shyamapada Mandal

University of Gour Banga, India

Title: Exploring the inhibitory role of persicaria hydropiper bioactive compounds against 2KID protein associated with staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation: Molecular docking, dynamic simulation and pharmacological property analysis

Time : 11:00-11:30

Biography:

Dr. Shyamapada Mandal is Professor and Head of the Department of Zoology, and Dean (Science), University of Gour Banga, India. He is interested on infectious diseases, probiotics, and genomics and bioinformatics research. He did pre-PhD, PhD, and post-PhD research under the guidance of Professor Nishith Kumar Pal at Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, India. He has published 118 articles with eight book chapters. He is life member of IAMM and IASR, India, and fellow member of SASS, India. Eight national academic and research awards have been conferred to him. He has guided 52 post graduate students; supervised three MPhil and three PhD students, and supervising 6 PhD and one MPhil students. Professor Mandal is among the world’s top 2% scientists as per the survey of the Stanford University, published in PLOS (Public Library of Science) Biology (October, 2020). He is featured in the top 2% world scientists list for second consecutive time as published by the Stanford University-Elsevier BV (October, 2021).

Abstract:

The current communication states the role of Persicaria hydropiper (L.) bioactive compounds in the inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus sortase A through bioinformatic approaches. The P. hydropiper-derived phytochemicals (kaempferol, winterin, isalpinin, quercitrin, and confertifolin) 3D structures (on retrieval from PubChem) were docked to Staphylococcus aureus sortase A (2KID) protein, using AutoDoc Vina. Pharmacological properties of the phytochemical ligands were determined through Lipinski’s rule of 5, and ADMET analysis and bioavailability score prediction. All the ligands displayed good affinity to 2KID protein, displaying binding energy ranging from -8.0 kcal/mol (kaempferol)) to 7.1 kcal/mol (confertifolin), compared to a conventional antibiotic, ciprofloxacin (binding energy: -6.7 kcal/mol). Because of its highest affinity to 2KID protein, kaempferol was subjected to molecular dynamic simulation study, which along with the binding free energy calculation will help characterize the stability of 2KID- kaempferol interaction. Hence, P. hydropiper phytochemicals might be useful in the development of drugs for the treatment against infection caused with biofilm forming Staphylococcus aureus.

Chun-Hsi Tai

Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan

Title: Hospital environmental sampling of SARS-CoV-2 during COVID-19 pandemic

Biography:

Tai Chun-Hsi is an infection control medical examiner from the infection control center of Taichung Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan. She is interested in microbiology and molecular biology. She once studied HIV drug resistance in the infectious disease department, which can be applied to the patient's drug cocktail treatment, and the bacterial drug resistance gene expression. Both are related to the epidemiology of microorganisms and relevance to infection control. Research papers and posters have been published. Now she is an infection control medical examiner at Taichung Veterans General Hospital. Mainly monitoring the environment, operating room air, Legionella in the water supply system, microorganisms in the water supply system, and the efficacy of reused medical equipment and MDRO monitoring in the hospital, will be further studied and analyzed. She is now a member of the Taiwan Society for Infection Control.

Abstract:

Environmental sampling is a process to monitor hospital environmental cleaning efficacy. The aim of this study is implement regular environmental sampling to monitor the efficacy of UV-C and bleach for terminal disinfection of hospital environment and identify the surfaces types contaminated by SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The hospital environment was disinfected by 10 minutes of UV-C irradiation and 1000 ppm bleach solution according to cleaning practice guideline. The environmental sampling was carried out at the negative pressure isolation wards for COVID-19 patients and emergency room. The samples were collected from the patient rooms, nursing stations, and staff rest areas. The samples were then analyzed using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In the negative pressure isolation wards, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected on 1 (0.65 %) of 152 samples from environmental surfaces, i.e. the patient's pillow. In the other areas, only 3 (0.12%) of 2489 samples were detected, including the nursing station bench, nursing station telephone, and emergency elevator buttons. During the pandemic period, there were no staff infected. This indicates effective cleaning can reduce the risk of fomite transmission. However, some surface types may facilitate the survival, persistence, or spread of SARS-CoV-2. We suggest that careful cleaning for these surface types should be emphasized in the education and practice of cleaning procedures. Regular hospital environmental sampling of SARS-CoV-2 during COVID-19 pandemic is essential to implement infection control practice, protect the hospital staff and patients, and prevent nosocomial transmission.