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Microbiology

The Research Microbiology Lab covers the broad spectrum of infectious diseases. Isolating, identifying and carrying out antimicrobial sensitivity testing on a wide range of pathogens found in enteric, central nervous diseases, zoonoses, respiratory and nosocommial infections.

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Importance of The Microbiology Research Group

Microbiology is the backbone of diagnostic work in infectious diseases but also provides a strong basis for research work looking at things like the trends of bacterial infection, the source and transmission of infection, antimicrobial resistance patterns, trends and mode of resistance. Antimicrobial resistance is one of the biggest problems in infectious disease in Viet Nam as the numbers of antimicrobials doctors can use to treat infections are decreasing rapidly. Worldwide work done here in Viet Nam is of great scientific value and is regularly cited throughout the medical/scientific world.

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What we are doing to improve outcomes in this field

Patients in the adult intensive care unit benefit from the continuous surveillance of respiratory infections and have a fast and accurate diagnosis. The antimicrobial therapies are based on the results of testing in the research micro. We carried out two projects in this location. The Ventilator Pneumonia study looking at the cause and treatment of ventilator associated pneumonia in severely ill patients. The second is to study the carriage and transfer within the ward of possible pathogenic bacteria along with looking at their antimicrobial susceptibilities.

In other fields we complement and help the HTD Micro Lab in diagnostic work helping to find a diagnosis and suitable treatment regime especially in the diagnosis of Brucellosis. We have put in place a speedy reporting system with the HTD Micro Lab. We have also incorporated rigid measures to allow safe handling of these samples for the Lab personnel.

Our research work is varied and includes diarrheal diseases in children and adults looking at incidence of Salmoella spp, Campylobacter spp and antimicrobial resistance in these species, Pneumocystis carinii incidence in HIV/AIDS patients, antimicrobial resistance in the broad spectrum of pathogenic bacteria, skin lesions HIV/Aids patients, parasitic meningitis and CNS infections. We are attempting to see if the treatment of fungal CNS infections can be monitored using live/dead ratios.

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Our Researchers

  • Jim Campbell
  • Nguyen Minh Van Hoang
  • Nguyen Thanh Vinh
  • Tran Thi Thu Nga
  • Cao Thu Thuy
  • Pham Van Minh
  • Nguyen Thi Song Chau
  • Vo Kim Phuong Linh
  • Tri Le Anh

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Our research locations and collaborations

  • Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City
  • Ministry of Health
  • National Hospital of Tropical Diseases
  • National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology
  • Dong Thap Provincial Hospital
  • Hue Central General Hospital
  • Khanh Hoa General Provincial Hospital
  • Hospital for Tropical Diseases Khanh Hoa
  • Dak Lak General Provincial Hospital
  • BV Viet Tiep
  • BV Saint Paul
  • BV Viet Duc
  • BV Uong Bi
  • BV DK Tinh Binh Dinh
  • BV DK Can Tho
  • Regional Animal Health laboratory (RAHO) 5, Dak Lak
  • Sub-department of Animal Health (Tien Giang)
  • Sub-Department of Animal Health (Dong Thap)
  • National hospital for Dermatology Quang Ninh
  • National hospital for Dermatology Quang Ninh
  • National hospital for Dermatology Hai Phong
  • National hospital for Dermatology Hanoi
  •  National hospital for Dermatology Binh Dinh
  • National hospital for Dermatology Ho Chi Minh City
  • Medical University, Yangon General Hospital
  • Livestock, Breeding, Veterinary Department Yangon
  • Patan Hospital, Kathmandu Nepal

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Publications

Trung NV, Matamoros S, Carrique-Mas JJ, Nghia NH, Nhung NT, Chieu TT, Mai HH, van Rooijen W, Campbell J, Wagenaar JA, Hardon A, Mai NT, Hieu TQ, Thwaites G, de Jong MD, Schultsz C, Hoa NT. Zoonotic Transmission of mcr-1 Colistin Resistance Gene from Small-Scale Poultry Farms, Vietnam. Emerg Infect Dis. 2017 Mar;23(3):529-532. doi: 10.3201/eid2303.161553.

Campbell JI, Huong Lan NP, Phuong PM, Buu Chau L, Duc TP, Guzmán-Verri C, Ruiz-Villalobos N, Thi Minh TP, Muñoz Álvaro PM, Moreno E, Thwaites GE, Rabaa MA, Chau NVV, Baker S. Human brucella melitensis infections in southern Vietnam. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2017 Jun 29. pii: S1198-743X(17)30352-X. doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2017.06.028. [Epub ahead of print]

Thuy DB, Campbell J, Hoang NVM, Trinh TTT, Duong HTH, Hieu NC, Duy NHA, Hao NV, Baker S, Thwaites GE, Chau NVV, Thwaites CL. A one-year prospective study of colonization with antimicrobial-resistant organisms on admission to a Vietnamese  intensive care unit. PLoS One. 2017 Sep 14;12(9):e0184847. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184847. eCollection 2017.