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Mycoplasma Hominis Increases the Risk for Ureaplasma Parvum Infection in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infected Pregnant Women
Nikita Nundlall, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Nikita Nundlall is a 24 year old clinical medical science PhD candidate at UKZN under the supervision of Professor Nathlee Abbai. Throughout her schooling career she participated in many Mathematics and Science programmes/ Olympiads and received academic awards. She completed her BSc degree majoring in Genetics and Microbiology (2017-2019), Honours degree majoring in Medical Microbiology (summa cum laude) (2020) and Masters degree majoring in Clinical Medicine (2021) at UKZN. She is a part of the Golden Key society and actively involved in demonstrations and workshops held at the clinical medical laboratory. Her research interests include clinical medicine focusing on new and emerging STIs among men and women. Her current research focuses on Trichomonas vaginalis and Mycoplasma genitalium infection in South African men who have sex with men. She is inspired to pursue a career in research as she is passionate about helping to make a difference.
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Characterization of Candida isolates from South African Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Women
Gloria Sukali, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Ms Gloria Sukali Holds a Masters of Medical Science in Medicine degree obtained from the university of KwaZulu-Natal. She was funded by Prof Nathlee Abbai research funds at the clinical medicine laboratory. Her Masters project was on the: Characterization of Candida isolates from South African pregnant and non-pregnant women. The findings of her Masters project revealed a high prevalence of Candida in both pregnant and non-pregnant women. It also found a high level of resistance to the antifungal amphotericin B. ‘In the local setting, resistance patterns to commonly used antifungals to treat Candida infections are not being monitored.
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Evaluation of an Opa Gene-Based Real-Time PCR Assay for Detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in South African Populations
Deshanta Naicker, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Deshanta Naicker is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), South Africa. She completed her undergraduate degree in BSc LES stream (Microbiology and Biochemistry) with Dean’s commendation, her Honours degree (Medical Microbiology) Cum Laude, and thereafter her Master in Medical Sciences (Medicine) at UKZN. Deshanta is a member of the Golden Key Honours Society. Deshanta won first prize in the College of Health Sciences Symposium in 2018 at UKZN. She presented her Master’s work at the 33rd IUSTI-Europe Congress in Estonia and 8th FIDSSA Congress in Johannesburg 2019. She has published her first journal article pertaining to bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women. Deshanta was also featured in the Durban North News for International Women in Science Day. She has done a research internship for 6 months at the University of Konstanz for her Ph.D. in 2021. Her research interest focuses on Sexually Transmitted Infectious.
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The M. tuberculosis F15/LAM4/KZN Strain is not more Virulent than the Globally Prevalent Beijing Strain during Early Infection of Alveolar Macrophages
Nontobeko Mvubu & Asanda Nomfundo Graduate Nyide, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Dr Nontobeko Mvubu completed her PhD in 2016 and was appointed as a Lecturer in the School of Life Sciences (2017) and a Senior Lecturer in the School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences in 2023 at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She has secured two National Research Foundation grants (2018 and 2021) and became an awardee of the international European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership career development fellowship in 2021. She has supervised 6 Masters and 1 PhD students to completion in Tuberculosis, Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology research with several publications in Quartile 1 and Quartile 2 international journals. She currently holds a National Research Foundation (NRF) Y-rating (2023). Her research interests are on host immune response to Tuberculosis and exploiting Bioinformatics tools to understand infectious disease pathogenesis.
Asanda Nyide completed her MSc (Microbiology) in 2022 and was appointed as a Senior Medical Microbiology Laboratory Technician in the School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science in 2023 at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine. She is a divergent thinker, who enjoys getting new ideas and finding practical solutions to broadly relevant problems. Her research interest are on Molecular Biology and Infectious Diseases, with special interest on host immune response to Tuberculosis and exploiting Bioinformatics tools to understand infectious disease pathogenesis. She is an early career research scientist who has within the last two years produced two publications in Quartile 1 and Quartile 2 international journals.
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The Distribution of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the Academic Complex Central Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Nwabisa Rexe, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Nwabisa Rexe is currently pursuing her master’s degree in medical microbiology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), South Africa. She completed her undergraduate degree in BSc (Microbiology and Biochemistry). She is a growing Scientist with a big mind believing that one day she will be known for her remarkable work and innovations. She grew up having a hunger of improving the human health. Infectious Diseases and Molecular Biology are her areas of interest, and her current study is examining the distribution of pathogenic and antibiotic resistance determinants in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) at the Academic Complex Central Hospital in Kwa Zulu-Natal.
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Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Risk Factors for Hepatocarcinoma at the China-Guinea Friendship Hospital of Kipe in Conakry
Abdoulaye Makanera, Biomedical Laboratory of the China-Guinea Friendship Hospital, Kipe, Cite des Medecins, Conakry, Republic of Guinea.
Abdoulaye Makanera is a Lecturer (Bacteriology-Virology) at University Gamal Abdel Nasser of Conakry, Republic of Guinea and Head of Biomedical Laboratory Department at the China-Guinea Friendship Hospital (HASIGUI) of Kipe. He did Research and internships in different laboratories in Tunisia (from 1997 to 2004), in France (2001/2002) in China (2011), in Senegal (2014). He is the Teacher-Researcher and practitioner in Medical Biology Laboratory in Tunisia and Guinea since 1999.
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A Two-Year Follow-Up Study on the Detection of Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) in Healthcare Workers after MRNA-Based Anti-SARSCOV-2 Vaccines
Maria Cristina Sacchi, SS Antonio and Biagio and C Arrigo Hospital, Italy.
Dr. Maria Cristina Sacchi is a specialist in Clinical Pathology, Microbiology and Virology, holding a PhD in Molecular and Experimental Pathology and author of numerous national and international publications. Currently she is Head of the Laboratory of Autoimmunology of the Hospital of Alessandria. She carried out research activities, first at the Department of Medicine and Oncology of the University of Turin, then participating in the "Genome" Project under the guidance of Prof. Renato Dulbecco at the CNR of Milan and then dealt with cell cultures, in particular stem cells and bioengineering studies (tissue regeneration). He was Scientific Director of the multi-specialist group on "Platelet Gel", a new biotechnology (International Patent N. WO 01/43787 A2, Applicant and Inventor: Dr. Sacchi Maria Cristina) which is used in the treatment of surgical wounds and chronic ulcers (diabetic, vascular, decubitus and burns) and in oral, implant and maxillofacial surgery.
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Evaluation of an In-House PCR Assay for the Detection of Neisseria gonorhoeae
Zodidi Dilinga, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Zodidi Dilinga is currently a senior registrar in Medical Microbiology at Inkosi Albert Luthuli hospital/King Edward Hospital/National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) and the University of Kwazulu Natal in Durban. She completed her undergraduate MBChB degree at the university of NRM School of medicine in Kwazulu Natal followed by 2 years of internship, community service and medical officer in clinical medicine around some of the district hospitals in the province as well as clinics later she joined NHLS in 2020 just before the onset of the Covid19 pandemic. She has taken a keen interest in STIs and prevention especially in our high burden country, where she believe early diagnosis of STI especially in pregnancy will prevent so many complications to the unborn baby.
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The Role of E6/E7 mRNA in the Prevalence and the Progression of Cervical Neoplasia in High Risk Human Papilloma Virus (HR-HPV) and Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Positive Women in South Africa.
Londiwe Cele, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Londiwe Cele is a South African born, she holds a Master’s degree (MMED) in medical science (cum laude) obtained from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and currently finishing her PhD in Medicine in the same University. Her undergraduate studies were on Bachelor of science in Life and Earth science (BSc LES) majoring in Microbiology and Plant Pathology. She also has a Postgraduate Diploma in Natural science majoring in Nature conservation. The current presentation is on the work done in her PhD from a clinical trial study on Human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer research done by the International Agency Research on Cancer (IARC) in collaboration with the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
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Investigating Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns in Gardnerella vaginalis Isolates
Thasmika Durga, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Thasmika Durga is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Clinical Medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban, South Africa. Her current project focuses on the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Gardnerella vaginalis clinical isolates. In 2021, she completed her Bachelor of Science Degree in Genetics and Microbiology at UKZN. Thereafter, in 2022, she completed her degree, Bachelor of Medical Sciences Honours in Medical Microbiology, and received a certificate of merit for her research project which focused on the genetic diversity of the vaginolysin gene from G. vaginalis across different BV states. She believes that her drive for success aids her in not only setting goals but achieving them. The research field that she isinterested in is sexually transmitted infections and diseases. Therefore, vaccine development as well as the identification of genetic markers which can aid in combatting STI’s and STD’s before aggressive progression of infection.
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A Multidrug- Resistance Pattern of an Escherichia coli Strain Isolated from Diarrheal Stools at the China-Guinea Friendship Hospital of Kipe in Conakry
Abdoulaye Makanera, Biomedical Laboratory of the China-Guinea Friendship Hospital, Republic of Guinea.
Abdoulaye Makanera is a Lecturer (Bacteriology-Virology) at University Gamal Abdel Nasser of Conakry, Republic of Guinea and Head of Biomedical Laboratory Department at the China-Guinea Friendship Hospital (HASIGUI) of Kipe. He did Research and internships in different laboratories in Tunisia (from 1997 to 2004), in France (2001/2002) in China (2011), in Senegal (2014). He is the Teacher-Researcher and practitioner in Medical Biology Laboratory in Tunisia and Guinea since 1999.
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Lack of Association between Unhealthy Vaginal pH and Bacterial Vaginosis Positive Status
Ntombizethu Msomi, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Ntombizethu Msomi is a south African born, she holds a master’s degree in microbiology (Merit) obtained from the University of Zululand and is currently finishing her PHD in Medicine in the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Her undergraduate studies were on Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Microbiology (BSc BM) majoring in Biochemistry and Microbiology. The current presentation is on the work done in her PHD Lack of association between unhealthy vaginal pH and bacterial vaginosis positive status.
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