Evaluation of a single tube medium, Y-nitrophenyl-phi-D galactopyranoside phenylalanine motility sulphate for screening pathogenic members of the family enterobacteraceae

Identification of members of the Enterobacteriaceae requires the application of biochemical tests before serological confirmation. Of the important tests in such a setting are ONPG, phenylalanine deaminase, motility, H2S and indole production. ONPG-PA-M sulfate medium is a semisolid medium in which all these reactions can be detected. The present study evaluated this medium for detecting such reactions in comparison to the diagnostic set in the microbiology lab [TSI, MIO and urease] and the standard API 20-E system for enterobacteria were evaluated. The reactions of 192 gram negative isolates from stool and other clinical specimens [urine, pus and sputum] as well as 63 control strains were compared. All tested strain showed identical reactions in the three sets, except for a missed positive ONPG reaction in the ONPGPA-M sulfate medium [by an atypical E. coli] and two missed H2S production in the TSI that were detected by the single tube medium [one E. coli and one Cit. freundii]. The ONPGPA-M sulfate medium appeared to be a reliable in assessing these reactions and even superior to TSI in detecting H2S, in addition to the cost reduction achieved by performing all these tests in a single tube. Thus, its use in routine microbiology laboratories was recommended

Aerobic gram-negative bacilli in Zawia Central Hospital, Libya

Gram-negative bacilli from the hospital environment colonize the patient's pharyngeal, intestinal and other body sites within the first few hours to days of hospitalization. 26.7% of positive cultures from vascular catheters [used commonly in modern medical practice and especially in intensive care units] were Gram-negative bacilli including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter species, Escherichia coli, Serratia species, Klebsiella species and Proteus species. Settlement plates set in the hospital yielded 84 Gram- negative strains [constituting 21.9% of all aerobic airborne bacteria] divided into 14 species exhibiting variabilities in their resistance patterns to 17 antibiotics. Proteus mirabilis was the most frequently isolated species of the Gram-negative bacilli

Virological evaluation of the multiple use system and water renovation at Alexandria poultry processing plant [APPP]

The Egyptian poultry industry has experienced substantial growth during the past five years. The expansion has led to a considerable increase in water consumption and the need for multiple recycling and reuse of processing waters in Egypt. The present study was designed to valuate the multiple use system and water renovation at Alexandria Poultry Processing Plant [APPP] through isolation and identification of viruses. 576 water samples tap water and reused chlorinated APPP water were inoculated on Vero cells, chick fibroblast cells and on the chorioallantoic membrane of 11 days old fertile hens eggs. Water samples were inoculated directly and after Talc-celite concentration. From reused water 8 specimens should cytopathic changes on vero cells, of which 2 were neutralized by polioviruses antisera and one with adenoviruses. Meanwhile 2 specimens gave cytopathic changes on chick fibroblasts and 4 specimens gave pocks on the chorioallantoic membranes. All suspected cytopathic changes and pocks tested by neutralization test for polio, Coksackie, ECHO, Herpes 1 and 2 and NDV and all proved negative. Except the 2 strains of polic from washer and scalder tanks after 6 hours use of 3 and 4 times previously used water. The adenovirus strain was isolated from the chiller tank after 6 hours use of once previously used water. No isolates could be obtained from renovated water. This study stresses the possibility of enteroviruses contamination in the recycling water process, which is a potential hazard to human health. The Talc-celito filter may partially remove viruses from water but not completely. To avoid viruses accumulation in the reuse of recycle process water, the free residual chlorine concentration entering the multiple-use system, must be adjusted to constant level during the whole operational period

role of newly recognized bacterial pathogens in acute diarrheal disorders of children living in Alexandria

Diarrheal diseases in infants and young children are still among the most important public health problems in developing countries. This study was designed to determine the role of different enteropathogens of infantile diarrhea. Five hundred diarrheal cases were randomly selected from El-Shatby and El-Anfoushi pediatric hospitals together with two hundred control subjects. Campylobacter jejuni was taking the upper hand among enteropathogens detected in our study being detected in 20%, ETEC/St and LT in 11.1%, Salmonella species in 2.6%, and Shigella species in 1.8%. On the other hand Yersinia enterocolitica and Vibrio parahaemolyticus were not detected in our study. Campylobacter was found all the year round. ETEC, Salmonella and Shigella were summer pathogens. It was evident that lack of adequate breast feeding played an important role in the high isolation ratio of enteropathogens

Antibodies titre of herpes simplex virus and herpes zoster virus in sera of patients with facial palsy

This work aimed to study the causative relationship between acute non traumatic facial palsy [Bell's palsy] and HSV or HZV. This was demonstrated by serological test using ELISA technique. Fifty patients and 50 normal controls were studied. Out of the 50 normal controls, 10% had specific IgG antibodies for HSV-1, 20% of whom were found to have specific IgG antibodies for HSV-2. No control had specific IgG antibodies for HZV. 62% had signs of activity of HSV-1, 36% of HSV-2, 24% of both strains of HSV, 6% of HZV and 2 patients had signs of activity of both HSV-1 and HZV. In a whole, 94% of patients had signs of activity of one or both of the 2 strains of HSV. 96% had signs of viral activity compared to 30% of normal controls. 30% of patients reported immediate viral prodrome just before the onset of Bell's palsy

prevalence of cytomegalovirus [CMV] infection in multi transfused children

This study was earned out on 25 patients with chronic blood diseases necessitating repeated blood transfusions, together with 25 normal controls. The ages of cases and controls ranged from 2 to 13 years. Cases reveived blood transfusions repeatedly from 50 to 300 times. From all cases and controls urine and sera were collected and tested by the ELISA technique for both cytomegalovirus [CMV] antigen and antibody 56% of the cases had CMV antigen in their urine and 44% In their sera they had CMV antibody. Meanwhile in the control group 16% and 8% had the antigen and antisera respectively. The difference for both the antigen and antisera was statistically significant between the cases and controls. There was no statistical difference concerning the age, sex, blood grouping clinical variety of the blood disease, or according to the number of blood transfusions given. The risk of CMV Infection after blood transfusions is not a remote possibility. Screening f or CMV of blood donors is strongly recommended, specially if the donated blood is intended to be used In. vulnerable cases as pregnant ladies and newborn infants

effect of idoxuridine treatment on the antibody level in herpetic stomatitis cases, using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]

Sixty four children clinically diagnosed as having herpetic gingivo stomatitis were included in the study. Scrapings from the lesions were inoculated on vero cell tissue culture cells for HSV isolation. Acute and convalescent sera were collected from all patients as well as from 50 control children. 45 HSV isolates were obtained. Half of these cases received idoxyuridine local ointment and the other half had 1% gentian violet paint. Antibodies were tested by the enzyme linked immunosorbent among [ELISA] using goat horse radish peroxidase cenjugate antihuman IgG as a substrate optical density was measured by Dynatech microplate ELISA reader at 410 nm filter. Significant difference was detected between the acute convalescent HSV antibody titer. The difference between HSV antibody titers in those received IDU and gentian violet was found to be statistically non significant. It was concluded that IDU acts only locally and has no remote or systemic effect on the virus or the antibody production capacity

role of cytomegalovirus [CMV] in hepatitis of children, using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay [elisa]

Hepatitis is a common concomitant of cytomegalo virus [CMV] infection in infancy. Using ELISA technique, 25 children with hepatitis were studied for CMV infection. Together with 25 children as control.Sera were tested for liver function tests, and for CMV antibody. Urine was tested for CMV antigen for both cases and controls. Liver function tests showed that all cases had liver impairment. CMV antisera were detected in 16% of the cases in 8% of the controls. CMV antigen was detected in 32% of the cases and in 20% of the control. The role of CMV in the causation of hepatitis has been discussed

In vitro biological behaviour of meningioma cells

Fourteen pathologically verified specimens of meningiomas obtained from patients with 2 spinal and 12 intracranial tumors of different histopathological subtypes has been carried out. Using the technique of monolayer tissue culture, the morphologic characters of the cultivated cells were compared with those of the original tumor. The rate of growth of the cells was measured [and a correlation was made between the in vitro cell kinetics and the clinical course of the tumor under study]