Circulating intercellular adhesion molecules in patients with virus related chronic liver diseases

During inflammation, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 [ICAM-1] plays a key role in promoting migration of immunological cells from the circulation to target site. Is to investigate serum level of ICAM-1 in patients with virus related chronic liver diseases namely chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis to determine the possible significance of this marker in assessment of the grade and severity of chronic liver disease. 36 patients with chronic hepatitis, 48 patients with liver cirrhosis and ten healthy controls from El-Minia university hospital were subjected to Abd.U/S, serum level of transaminases [ALT, AST] end serum level of soluble ICAM-1. Patients with liver cirrhosis had significantly higher serum ICAM-1 levels than those with chronic hepatitis 720.3 +/- 93.6VS 569.8 +/- 55.8 [P<0.05] and those patients had significantly higher values than controls 569.8 +/- 66.8, [P<0.05]. In chronic hepatitis group, serum ICAM-1 values were significantly related to inflammatory grades and stages of fibrosis F4 VS F1, F2 [P<0.05] and to transaminases [ALT, AST] serum values [P<0.001]. In liver cirrhosis group serum ICAM-1 values were significantly related to child's score class C vs. A, B. [P<0.05]. Our results suggest that determination of serum ICAM-1 is considered as an additional non invasive marker of activity and severity in virus related chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis and can be used as a prognostic marker for the efficacy of antiviral therapy in chronic virus hepatitis

Study of the disturbance of S. hematobium in El-Menya Governorate

Schistosomiasis is an endemic disease and one of the major health problems in Egypt. Although schistosomiasis is essentially a rural disease, it is increasingly seen in urban and semi-urban areas. In this study, all districts of El-Minya Governorate were examined for S. haematobium aiming to determine the prevalence and seasonality of the disease in the different districts. The clinical and laboratory results were collected and validated in the field and centrally analysed in the Department of Community Medicine, with cooperation of Tropical Medicine Department, El-Minya University. The study revealed that the prevalence rates of S. haematobium for population in general and school children in particular vary in different districts with seasonal variation. The highest rates were observed in EI-Edwa [8.9 percent]. The lowest rates were in El-Minya rural district [3.5 percent] The prevalence rates were higher in Autumn [6.1 percent] and winter [5.9 percent] than in Spring [4.5 percent] and Summer [4.7 percent] and were higher in school children [6-15 years] in the different localities. The overall prevalence rate of S. haematobium in the governorate is decreasing. Terminal hematuria and dysuria were; the main complaints of examined positive cases. In conclusion, the prevalence rates of S. haematobium in E!-Minya Governorate show variation in relation to locality and seasons. These rates were higher in school children [6-15 years] in the different districts. The overall prevalence rate of S. haematobium in the governorate is decreasing. Study of the intensity of infection linked to disease morbidity in addition to well planned health education program with more attention to environmental health are recommended by the authors