Yvonne Qvarnstrom

Publications (22) View all

• Article: Eosinophilic Meningitis in a Previously Healthy 13-year-old Child.

  Andreas Thyssen, Michelle Mitchell, Yvonne Qvarnstrom, Suchitra Rao, Timothy A Benke, Mary P Glodé
  The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 02/2013; 32(2):194. · 3.58 Impact Factor
• Article: Workshop on research priorities for management and treatment of angiostrongyliasis(1).

  Robert H Cowie, James R Hollyer, Alexandre J da Silva, Robert G Hollingsworth, Marlena C Dixon, Praphathip Eamsobhana, Leanne M Fox, William L Gosnell, Kathleen Howe, Stuart Johnson, [......], John Teem, Silvana C Thiengo, Cheridah D Todd, Hung-Chin Tsai, Gordon D Wallace, Cecelia A Waugh, A Christian Whelen, Patricia P Wilkins, Ting-Bao Yang, Hoi-Sen Yong
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  ABSTRACT: In a concluding session of the workshop, the participants developed a list of 115 research and outreach needs, outlining the top 5-7 needs in each of 8 areas (Table). For complete information, including presenter details and abstracts, visit the workshop website at www.hawaii.edu/cowielab/Angio%20website%20home.htm.
  Emerging Infectious Diseases 12/2012; 18(12):e1. · 6.79 Impact Factor
• Article: Acute Chagas Disease in a Returning Traveler.

  Yvonne L Carter, Jonathan J Juliano, Susan P Montgomery, Yvonne Qvarnstrom
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  ABSTRACT: Acute Chagas disease is rarely recognized, and the risk for acquiring the disease is undefined in travelers to Central America. We describe a case of acute Chagas disease in a traveler to Costa Rica and highlight the need for increased awareness of this infection in travelers to Chagas-endemic areas.
  The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 10/2012; · 2.59 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Duncan Webster

  Article: Treatment of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis with voriconazole and miltefosine in an immunocompetent soldier.

  Duncan Webster, Imram Umar, George Kolyvas, Juan Bilbao, Marie-Christine Guiot, Kevin Duplisea, Yvonne Qvarnstrom, Govinda S Visvesvara
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  ABSTRACT: A 38-year-old male immunocompetent soldier developed generalized seizures. He underwent surgical debulking and a progressive demyelinating pseudotumor was identified. Serology and molecular testing confirmed a diagnosis of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis caused by Acanthamoeba sp. in this immunocompetent male. The patient was treated with oral voriconazole and miltefosine with Acanthamoeba titers returning to control levels and serial imaging demonstrating resolution of the residual lesion.
  The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 08/2012; 87(4):715-8. · 2.59 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Yvonne Qvarnstrom

  Article: Sensitive and specific detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in clinical specimens using a multi-target real-time PCR approach.

  Yvonne Qvarnstrom, Alejandro G Schijman, Vincent Veron, Christine Aznar, Francis Steurer, Alexandre J da Silva
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  ABSTRACT: The laboratory diagnosis of Chagas disease is challenging because the usefulness of different diagnostic tests will depend on the stage of the disease. Serology is the preferred method for patients in the chronic phase, whereas PCR can be successfully used to diagnose acute and congenital cases. Here we present data using a combination of three TaqMan PCR assays to detect T. cruzi DNA in clinical specimens. Included in the analysis were DNA extracted from 320 EDTA blood specimens, 18 heart tissue specimens, 6 umbilical cord blood specimens, 2 skin tissue specimens and 3 CSF specimens. For the blood specimens both whole blood and buffy coat fraction were analyzed. The specimens were from patients living in the USA, with suspected exposure to T. cruzi through organ transplantation, contact with triatomine bugs or laboratory accidents, and from immunosuppressed patients with suspected Chagas disease reactivation. Real-time PCR was successfully used to diagnose acute and Chagas disease reactivation in 20 patients, including one case of organ-transmitted infection and one congenital case. Analysis of buffy coat fractions of EDTA blood led to faster diagnosis in six of these patients compared to whole blood analysis. The three real-time PCR assays produced identical results for 94% of the specimens. The major reason for discrepant results was variable sensitivity among the assays, but two of the real-time PCR assays also produced four false positive results. These data strongly indicate that at least two PCR assays with different performances should be combined to increase the accuracy. This evaluation also highlights the benefit of extracting DNA from the blood specimen's buffy coat to increase the sensitivity of PCR analysis.
  PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 07/2012; 6(7):e1689. · 4.69 Impact Factor