Intra- and interobserver reproducibility of grading of helicobacter pylori gastritis according to the updated sydney system

Aims. To study the intra- and interobserver reproducibility of Sydney System amongst pathologists in Cameroon as Sydney System gradation has not gained enough confidence in African pathologists. Methods. We performed a descriptive study including 100 patients who benefited from gastric biopsy by endoscopy. These biopsy specimens were stained with hematein and eosin and modified Giemsa; and read independently using the same microscope by two pathologists with four years experience and no experience with the updated Sydney System. Gastritis was graded according to the updated Sydney System. Levels of intra- and interobserver reproducibility were assessed using the unweighted kappa coefficient. Results. The intraobserver reproducibility of gradation of Helicobacter pylori density; activity; chronic inflammation; atrophy; and intestinal metaplasia showed respective values of kappa: 0.63; 0.34; 0.61; 0.48; and 0.82 for one observer against 0.42; 0.005; 0.41; 0.31; and 0.72 for the other. Interobserver reproducibility kappa values were; respectively; 0.41; 0.18; 0.57; 0.58; and 0.82. Conclusion. Results are encouraging but experience in the updated Sydney System should be improved. The later should be introduced as a means to grade and classify gastritis in Cameroon and African countries

Antibiotics susceptibility profile of staphylococcus aureus isolated from the anterior nares of hospital personnel in Yaounde, Cameroon

Purpose: Hospital personnel are often colonized with resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (SA). These strains could be transmitted to patients; complicating treatment options particularly in resource-limited areas where antimicrobial susceptibility assessment is not systematic. In view of guiding empiric treatment in such patients; we assessed antimicrobial susceptibility profile of SA isolated from the anterior nares of hospital personnel of three health institutions in Yaounde; Cameroon in a cross sectional study. We also assessed risk factors associated with the presence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Methods: The antibiotic susceptibility profile of fifty eight SA strains isolated from hospital personnel to sixteen commonly used antibiotics was assessed using the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. Methicillin resistant strains were determined by the Oxacillin Minimum Inhibitory concentration technique.Results: All the isolates were resistant to penicillin; ampicillin; and amikacin. No resistance was recorded for netilmicin; vancomycin; and low for gentamicin; rifampin and cephalotin. Eight (13.8) of the isolates were found to be MRSA. We found 85of MRSA to be resistant to more than six of the tested antibiotics. No association was found between demographic variables or personal habits and nasal colonization with methicillin-resistant strains.Conclusion: A relatively high proportion of SA isolates in this study were resistant to commonly used antibiotics. This calls for regular monitoring of susceptibility patterns