Oxford University Clinical Research Unit Vietnam PhD Programme 2014-15
Project 3:
The impact of antimicrobial resistance on bloodstream infections at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City
Required person: Basic laboratory scientist
Type of project: Bacteriology
Potential start date: First quarter 2015
Duration: Four years
Techniques: Data analysis, bacteriology, bioinformatics, molecular biology
Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Group: Enteric Infections
Supervisor: Stephen Baker / Guy Thwaites
Current status: Ethical approval, funded, publication
Collaborations: The Hospital for Tropical Diseases, The University of Sydney – Australia
Brief outline
Antimicrobial resistance is a global issue, particularly with infections that necessitate antimicrobial therapy, such as bacteremia. The problem of antimicrobial resistance appears to be exaggerated in Vietnam when resistance to carbapenems, 3rd generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones seems to be out of control. We hypothesize that early diagnosis and understanding the molecular mechanisms of can lead to earlier antimicrobial therapy and better patient outcome. The candidate will perform antimicrobial susceptibility testing and molecular characterization to identify specific groups of antimicrobial resistance genes. Selected organisms will be genome sequenced and the data will be used to infer and detect groups of informative antimicrobial resistance genes.
Potential thesis areas
- The etiology of bacteremia at the hospital for tropical diseases
- The impact of antimicrobial resistance on the outcome of bacteremia
- DNA microarray design and development to detect antimicrobial resistance genes
- The genomics of invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella in Southern Vietnam
Associated group publications
Nga TV, Parry CM, Le T, Lan NP, Diep TS, Campbell JI, Hoang NV, Dung le T, Wain J, Dolecek C, Farrar JJ, Chau NV, Hien TT, Day JN, Baker S. The decline of typhoid and the rise of non-typhoid salmonellae and fungal infections in a changing HIV landscape: bloodstream infection trends over 15 years in southern
Vietnam. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2012 Jan;106(1):26-34. doi: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2011.10.004. PubMed PMID: 22137537
Vien le TM, Minh NN, Thuong TC, Khuong HD, Nga TV, Thompson C, Campbell JI, de Jong M, Farrar JJ, Schultsz C, van Doorn HR, Baker S. The co-selection of fluoroquinolone resistance genes in the gut flora of Vietnamese children. PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e42919. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042919. Epub 2012 Aug 24. PubMed PMID: 22937000; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3427306.
