DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY
Professor John F. Lindo, BSc, PhD UWI
Head of Department
WoRk of tHe DepARtment
The Department of Microbiology continues to provide laboratorydiagnostic services in the areas on bacteriology, virology, mycology,
immunology parasitology, molecular biology and Fluorescence microscopy.
The main client of the department is the University Hospital of the West
Indies and we also serve the Ministry of Health especially in the area of
virology. The department also serves a small number of private laboratories
and other clients. During the period under review a total of 61,398
samples were tested with the heaviest service being bacteriology followed
by virology (Table 1). 
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FACULTY  OF  MEDICAL  SC IENCES
Table 1. Clinical work done in sections
Service Number of specimens Units
Bacteriology 30,777 1,442,422
Virology 13,986 1,980,012
Enteric/Parasitology 1,305 64,689
Immunology 7,102 244,099
Fluorescence Antibody test 4,342 182,190
Emergency samples 3,268
Mycology 511 15,330
Molecular Biology 107 4,815
Total 61,398 3,933,557
There was no significant change in the number of specimens tested
between 2011/2012 and 2012/2013. The only significant increase was
seen in the area of virology which saw a 56.06 increase (Table 2).
Table 2. Comparison of total specimens by sections
Section 2011/2012 2012/2013 Change
Bacteriology 31,059 30,777 0.91↓
Virology 8,962 13,986 56.06↑
Enteric/Parasitology 1,330 1,305 1.88↓
Serology 7,233 7,102 1.81↓
Fluorescence
4,324 4,342 0.42↑
Antibody test
Molecular Biology 132 107 12.94↓
Mycology 495 511 3.23↑
Emergency 2,858 3,268 14.35↑
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Department of Microbiology
The department has failed to implement an income generation strategy
for sustainability by offering its services to private clients. 
BiosAfety level iii lABoRAtoRy
Work is almost completed on the construction of Jamaica’s first Biosafety
Level III laboratory. The last steps are to train the staff in use of the
laboratory and to have it certified by a consultant. 
cARiBBeAn meDicAl mycology RefeRence lABoRAtoRy
(cmmRl)
The CMMRL continues to provide improved services to the clinical
disciplines with improved turnaround time and the addition of new
diagnostic assays. In addition, the laboratory has started to make strides
with the undertaking of environmental fungal studies. This includes
environmental mold sampling for buildings on the University campus
(Mona School of Business and Management) and the University Hospital
of the West Indies for surveillance purposes and determination of the
need for decontamination of relevant areas.
nAtionAl inflUenzA centRe
Established in 1952, in the Department of Microbiology, the National
Influenza Centre (NIC) Jamaica continues to work in collaboration with
National Authorities through the Ministry of Health (MoH) Influenza
and International Health Regulation Focal Point. The NIC engages in
collaborations with the CDC, the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance
and Response System and through the MoH with the PAHO and
CARPHA. The NIC continues to contribute to the following national,
regional and international weekly publications:
1. Weekly PAHO Influenza Regional Reports (EW 1-52, 2013 to
present): http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_
content&view=article&id=3352&Itemid=2469&to=2246&lang=en
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FACULTY  OF  MEDICAL  SC IENCES
2. Weekly CARPHA reports – (EW 1 to 52, 2013 to present)
3. Weekly Surveillance Bulletin – Jamaica, Surveillance Unit, Ministry
of Health (EW 1 to 52, 2013 to present)
4. Weekly WHO FluNet Charts:
http://www.who.int/influenza/gisrs_laboratory/flunet/charts/en/
In April 2014 Jamaica was represented by Dr. S Jackson at the WHO
Informal Consultation on Improving Influenza Vaccine Virus Selection
in Geneva. Such contributions are important to the appropriate selection
of antigenic virus compositions for influenza vaccines for the Northern
Hemispheres, in which Jamaica grouped.
In May 2014, the NIC Jamaica successfully participated along with 182
laboratories from 142 countries in six WHO regions in the World
Health Organization (WHO) External Quality Assessment Programme
(EQAP) for the Detection of Influenza Viruses with a turnaround time
of 24 hours.
In April 2014, Dr. Jackson was awarded the Certification in Infection
Control and Epidemiology (CIC) by the Certification Board of Infection
Control in the USA.
lABoRAtoRy infoRmAtion system
During the period under review the Central Accessioning Area was
completed and commissioned. This allows the recoding of all sample
submitted to the laboratories of the UWI to be catalogued, aliquoted
where necessary and dispatched to individual laboratories. Work is to
commence on moving phlebotomy and cashiering to the CAA which
will increase the friendliness of the services to patients. The build of the
system is completed and the LIS is being piloted in the laboratories.
Preliminary rollout to nursing staff has commenced while training of
departmental staff (medical technologists, consultants and residents) has
progressed satisfactorily. In the implementation of the system there has
been a significant amount of facility upgrade including network cabling
and UPS provisioning. The LIS is slated to Go Live before the end of
calendar year 2014. 
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Department of Microbiology
ReseARcH
We continued our collaboration with University College London’s
Centre for Clinical Microbiology with the visit of Ms Jennifer Ratner
who participated on a project on the molecular diagnosis of zoonotic
infections of dogs. This project has significant public health and health
tourism implications and the collaboration will continue to build on
preliminary results obtained.
The department established new research collaboration with the Department
of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University to study. The
co-PIs were Professors John Lindo and Corina Tarnita and Ms Danielle
Martin travelled to Jamaica to undertake studies on the biology of
Angiostrongylus cantonensis in Thelidomus aspera which is a major
snail host in Jamaica. This formed the basis of her undergraduate thesis
Collaboration between Nicole Christian and Camille-Ann Thoms-
Rodriguez from the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the
West Indies and six researchers (Dr. Doris Gomez, Dr. Claudio Gomez,
Dr. Margarita Ochoa Diaz, Dr. Ronald Maestre, Dr. Jose Pomares, Dr.
Javier Bahema, Dr. Angelo Alario Dr. Enrique Mazenett) from the
Faculty of Medicine at the University of Cartegena, led to the development
of a biomedical research group that is working together to develop
research can potentially address health problems faced in Jamaica and
Colombia. This research group was born out of the first meeting of the
International Network of SUE Caribe – University of the West Indies
Caribbean Researchers held in 2014 in Jamaica that resulted in the
establishment of research groups that were formed to develop research
projects aimed at addressing problems faced in the Caribbean region.
They are currently working on projects that will look at the molecular
resistance seen in P. aeruginosa isolates obtained from sputum samples
in patients diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in Colombia. They will also
evaluating the molecular diagnosis of tuberculosis in Caribbean patients
using the Gene Xpert machine.
Dr Alison Nicholson continued her collaboration on pneumococcal
vaccine coverage in paediatric and adult populations in Jamaica. 
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FACULTY  OF  MEDICAL  SC IENCES
postgRADUAte tRAining
The department has the following postgraduate students on register:
MSc – 12
MPhil – 3
PhD – 2
DM – 5
Ms Tiffany Butterfield was awarded a postgraduate scholarship. 
pApeRs pResenteD
• Anzinger J, Zhou J, Lam L, McCune J, Crowe S, Palmer C. Glut1
expressing intermediate monocytes are elevated in cART-treated and
untreated HIV-1+ subjects. 20th International AIDS Conference.
July 2014, Melbourne, Australia.
• Anzinger J, Glut1 expression on intermediate monocytes is a potential
marker of inflammation in HIV-positive subjects. UWI, Mona
Faculty of Medical Sciences 22nd Annual Research Conference and
Workshop. Kingston, Jamaica; 2013.
• Thoms-Rodriguez C, R Hardie, G Reynolds-Campbell, Y Rodriguez,
A Nicholson: Epidemiology of diabetic foot infections at the University
Hospital of the West Indies, 2012 . West Indian Medical Journal.
2013; 62 (Suppl. 6) page 45–46. (POSTER PRESENTATION at
the 22nd Annual Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS) Research
Conference and Workshop on Affairs of the Heart, Kingston,
Jamaica, November 2013)
• R Hardie, AM Nicholson, JP Walker, GJA Stevens, G Reynolds-
Campbell, Thoms-Rodriguez C: Production of Betalactamase in
common urinary pathogens at the University Hospital of the West
Indies. W Indian Med J 2013; 62 (Suppl. 6) page 56. (POSTER
PRESENTATION at the 22nd Annual Faculty of Medical Sciences
(FMS) Research Conference and Workshop on Affairs of the Heart,
Kingston, Jamaica, November 2013)
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Department of Microbiology
• AM Nicholson, JP Walker, R Hardie, G Reynolds-Campbell GJA
Stevens, K Roye-Green, Thoms-Rodriguez C. Antibiotic susceptibility
patterns of bloodstream isolates over a six month period at the
University Hospital of the West Indies, Jamaica.W Indian Med J
2013; 62 (Suppl. 6) page 58. (POSTER PRESENTATION at the
22nd Annual Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS) Research Conference
and Workshop on Affairs of the Heart, Kingston, Jamaica, November
2013).
• Foster AN, Nicholson AN, Detchvijitr D, Good CE, Antoine M,.
Richards-Dawson M, M JacobsR Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotype
Distribution and Antimicrobial Susceptibility in Jamaican Children, 
• Nation N, ST Jackson, D Eldemire-Shearer, A Klimov, N Cox, M
Bullock-DuCasse, S Jackson, Q Simmons. Influenza vaccine composition
and circulating influenza viruses in Jamaica, 2010 to 2012. Annual
Research Conference and Workshop on Affairs of the Heart. West
Indian Medical Journal.Vol 62 (Suppl. 6)  November 2013.
• S Jackson, D Eldemire-Shearer, K James, M Bullock-DuCasse
.Influenza viremia and its significance among Jamaican patients,
2009 to 2012. Annual Research Conference and Workshop on
Affairs of the Heart. West Indian Medical Journal.Vol 62 (Suppl. 6).
November 2013.
• S Jackson, E Williams, S Holder, C Vanderpool K Collins, H
Robertson, P Morgan, R Kanneganti, A Howell, H Williams, J
Barnett. The economic burden of Dengue at the University Hospital
of the West Indies, 2006 to 2012 . Annual Research Conference and
Workshop on Affairs of the Heart. West Indian Medical Journal.Vol
62 (Suppl. 6). November 2013.
• S Jackson, D. Eldemire-Shearer, D M Bullock-DuCasse, K James, K
Collin, H Williams. Evaluating the disease burden of influenza
among Jamaican children during 2012. Ministry of Health Annual
Research Conference, November 2013. Jamaica 
• S Jackson, K James, D. Eldemire-Shearer,T McCartney, D M
Bullock-DuCasse. Evaluation of Influenza Pandemic Preparedness
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FACULTY  OF  MEDICAL  SC IENCES
among Jamaican Doctors. Ministry of Health Annual Research
Conference, November 2013. Jamaica 
• T Rhoden, ST Jackson, W McLaughlin, D Soares, JF Lindo.
Molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii in patients presenting
with neurological manifestations in Jamaica. Annual Research
Conference and Workshop on Affairs of the Heart. West Indian
Medical Journal. Vol 62 (Suppl. 6) . November 2013. 
• T Rhoden, ST Jackson, W McLaughlin, D Soares, JF Lindo Genetic
Diversity of Toxoplasma gondii in patients with Neurotoxoplasmosis
in Jamaica. Annual Research Conference and Workshop on Affairs
of the Heart. West Indian Medical Journal. Vol 62 (Suppl. 6).
November 2013.
pUBlicAtions
Refereed Journal Articles
• Freeman SR, Jin X, Anzinger JJ, Xu Q, Purushothaman S, Fessler
MB, Addadi L,Kruth HS. ABCG1-mediated generation of extracellular
cholesterol microdomains. J Lipid Res. 2014 Jan;55(1):115-27. doi:
10.1194/jlr.M044552. Epub 2013 November 8. 
• Anzinger JJ, Butterfield TR, Angelovich TA, Crowe SM, Palmer
CS. Monocytes as regulators of inflammation and HIV-related
comorbidities during cART. J Immunol Res. 2014;2014:569819.
doi: 10.1155/2014/569819. Epub 2014 June 12. 
• Fonjungo PN, Kalish ML, Schaefer A, Rayfield M, Mika J, Rose LE,
Heslop O, Soudré R, Pieniazek D. Recombinant viruses initiated
the early HIV-1 epidemic in Burkina Faso. PLoS One. 2014 Mar
19;9(3):e92423. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0092423. eCollection
2014. 
• Heslop OD, Roye-Green K, Coard K, Mulvey MR. A unique strain
of community-acquired Clostridium difficile in severe complicated
infection and death of a young adult. BMC Infect Dis. 2013. 1;13:299.
doi:10.1186/1471-2334-13-299. 
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Department of Microbiology
• Evans-Gilbert T, Lindo JF, Henry S, Brown P, Christie CD. Severe
eosinophilic meningitis owing to Angiostrongylus cantonensis in
young Jamaican children: case report and literature review. Paediatr
Int Child Health. 2014 May;34(2):148-52. doi: 10.1179/2046905513Y
.0000000106. 
• Lindo JF, Brown PD, Vickers I, Brown M, Jackson ST, Lewis-
Fuller E. Leptospirosis and malaria as causes of febrile illness during
a dengue epidemic in Jamaica. Pathog Glob Health. 2013
September;107(6):329-34. doi: 10.1179/2047773213Y.0000000112. 
• Whittle DO, Williams NP, Nicholson AM, King-Robinson K,
Kirsch R, Riddell R, Mazzulli T, Lee MG. Whipple's Disease in an
Afro-Caribbean National. West Indian Med J. 2014 January
6;63(1):106–108. doi: 10.7727/wimj.2012.220. 
• Reyes-Batlle M, Todd CD, Martín-Navarro CM, López-Arencibia
A, Cabello-Vilchez AM, González AC, Córdoba-Lanús E, Lindo JF,
Valladares B, Piñero JE, Lorenzo-Morales J. Isolation and characterization
of Acanthamoeba strains from soil samples in Gran Canaria, Canary
Islands, Spain. Parasitol Res. 2014 Apr;113(4):1383-8. doi:
10.1007/s00436-014-3778-z. Epub 2014 January 22. 
• Fletcher SM, Lewis-Fuller E, Williams H, Miller Z, Scarlett HP,
Cooper C, Gordon-Johnson KA, Vickers I, Shaw K, Wellington I,
Thame J, Pérez E, Indar L. Magnitude, distribution, and estimated
level of underreporting of acute gastroenteritis in Jamaica. J Health
Popul Nutr. 2013 December 31(4 Suppl 1):69-80.
• White YG. Tuberculosis in HIV: making good with what we have.
West Indian Med J. 2013;62(2):107–108a. 
• Stennett D, White Y. Possible economic gains from cancer research.
West Indian Med J. 2013;62(3):16–70. PubMed PMID: 24564033.
• Ezinne CC, Yoshimitsu M, White Y, Arima N. HTLV-1 specific
CD8+ T cell function augmented by blockade of 2B4/CD48
interaction in HTLV-1 infection. PLoS One. 2014 Feb 5;9(2):e87631.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087631. eCollection 2014.
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FACULTY  OF  MEDICAL  SC IENCES
• Yoshimitsu M, White Y, Arima N. Prevention of human T-cell
lymphotropic virus type 1 infection and adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.
Recent Results Cancer Res. 2014;193:211-25. doi: 10.1007/978-3-
642-38965-8_12. Review. 
• White Y, Yoshimitsu M, Kozako T, Matsushita K, Koriyama C,
Uozumi K, Suzuki S,Kofune H, Arima N. Effects of exogenous
interleukin-7 on CD8(+) T-cell survival and function in human T-
cell lymphotropic virus type 1 infection. Leuk Lymphoma. 2013
Oct;54(10):2243-50. doi: 10.3109/10428194.2013.772174. Epub
2013 Mar 8.
income geneRAtion/gRAnts
grants obtained
1. National HIV/STI programme, Ministry of Health, Jamaica,
“Laboratory Strengthening Grant”, US$51,374.00. 2014 (Investigators
JF Lindo, JJ Anzinger, N Christian and C. Thoms-Rodriguez).
2. National HIV/STI programme, Ministry of Health, Jamaica, “Vaginal
Lactobacillus capture of HIV”, US$21,507.51. (Principal Investigator.
JJ Anzinger, 2014)
pUBlic seRvice
Dr Kristian Angeby
– Member, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease 
– Member, European Society of Mycobacteriology
– WHO TBTEAM expert in the field of laboratory strengthening.
Professor John Lindo
– Membership Chair, Rotary Club of New Kingston
– Member, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
– Member, Inter-American Development Bank Civil Society Consulting
Group (ConSOC)
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Department of Microbiology
Dr Sandra Jackson
– Member, Ministry of Health’s IHR Technical Advisory Group of
Experts
– Member, Pandemic Preparedness Committee
– Member, American Biological Safety Association
Professor Monica Smikle
– Member, Lions Club of Mona
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