We used broad-range bacterial PCR combined with DNA sequencing to examine prospectively cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with suspected meningitis. Fifty-six CSF samples from 46 patients were studied during the year 1995. Genes coding for bacterial 16S and/or 23S rRNA genes could be amplified from the CSF samples from five patients with a clinical picture consistent with acute ba...

BACKGROUND Since 2002, the Nigerian government has deployed consultants to states to provide technical assistance for routine immunization (RI). RI consultants are expected to play a role in supportive supervision of health facility staff, capacity building, advocacy, and monitoring and evaluation. METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of the RI consultant program's strengths and weakne...

A growth transport system, the GO Slide (Roche Diagnostica), for the isolation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from clinical specimens was evaluated. This system was compared with culture on chocolate agar (CA) and modified Thayer-Martin (MTM) agar, and Gram-stained smear for the diagnosis of gonorrhoea. Of 94 urethral specimens from symptomatic males, 77.7% were positive on MTM, 80.9% were positive o...