Epidemiology of drug-resistant tuberculosis in a tertiary care center in Oman, 2006-2015

Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and identify the risk factors for the development of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in a tertiary care center in Oman

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional review of culture-confirmed tuberculosis [TB] cases diagnosed at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital between August 2006 and March 2015. We compared drug-resistant TB cases with drug-sensitive cases to identify predictors of drug-resistant TB using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis

Results: Of the 260 TB cases reviewed, 73.1% were confirmed by culture. The proportion of multi-drug resistant TB was 1.8%. TB isolates resistant to any of the first-line TB drugs comprised [7.5%] of cases. Pyrazinamide monoresistance was the most frequently reported drug monoresistant pattern [3.5%]. Previous treatment for TB [odds ratio [OR] 14.81; 95% CI 3.09-70.98, p < 0.001], female gender [OR 3.85; 95% Cl 1.07-13.90, p < 0.039], and younger age [OR 6.80; 95% Cl 1.61-28.75, p < 0.009] were found to be risk factors for development of first-line antituberculosis drug-resistant TB in multivariate analysis

Conclusions: Our results show that the rate of drug-resistant TB in our population is a public health issue of great concern. Previous treatment with antituberculosis drugs, female gender, and younger age are risk factors for the development of drug-resistant TB. These findings are useful adjuvants to guide clinicians and public health professionals in the early detection and appropriate treatment of cases of drug-resistant TB

Epidemiology of schistosomiasis in Gezira area Central Sudan and analysis of cytokine profiles

OBJECTIVE@#To determine and compare anti-schistosoma IgG, interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interferon-γ(IFN-γ) levels in the serum of patients and endemic controls and to investigate the epidemiological situation of Al-Hebaika village in the northern part of Gezira Agricultural Irrigation Scheme in 2005.@*METHODS@#During 2005 survey, serum were collected from 118 villagers. Sixty eight were parasitological positive (patients), and 50 were negative (endemic controls). Indirect ELISA was used to measure and compare the levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) against Schistsoma mansoni (S. mansoni) soluble worm antigen (SWA) in the patients and endemic control groups from the village and compared with 20 healthy non endemic controls. Sandwich ELISA was also used to measure and compare IL-10 and IFN-γ in the serum of the selected groups.@*RESULTS@#The overall prevalence of S. haematobium was 20.0% and 0.9% in the first and the second surveys respectively, while the intensity of infection was the same in the two surveys 1.38 [geometric mean egg count (GMFC)]. The overall prevalence of S. mansoni infection was 68.5% and 15.4%, while the intensity of infection was 2.75 (GMEC) and 1.70 (GMEC) in the two surveys respectively. IgG reactivity against SWA showed no significant difference between Schistosoma positive patients and endemic controls. However, there were high significant differences between each of these two groups and the non endemic control group (P= 0,000). Schistosoma patients and exposed controls had significantly higher IL-10 concentration compared with non endemic controls. While endemic controls showed significantly higher IFN-γ concentration than patients (P = 0.000). Also there was very significant difference between IFN-γ levels of each of patients endemic controls and that of the non endemic controls (P = 0.003).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The study concluded that IFN-γ has a role in the natural resistant to schistosoma mansoni infection. The prevalence and intensity of S. mansoni in the Gezira Irrigation Scheme was greatly reduced. S. haematobium has disappeared from the area.

Detection of schistosomiasis antibodies in urine patients as a promising diagnostic maker

OBJECTIVE@#To determine secreted antischistosoma antibodies in urine and to discern the epidemiological situation of schistosomiasis in the agricultural field labourers'camps city in the Gezira State-central Sudan.@*METHODS@#Total of 66 urine and 66 serum paired samples were collected from those who confirmed parasitologically positive and negative with schistosomiasis from the two camps. Samples were tested using ELISA technique to measure and compare the immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels in serum and urine samples of schistosomiasis patients.@*RESULTS@#The overall prevalence of S. mansoni and S. haematobium was 53.8% and 15.4%, while the intensity were (2.04 GMEC) and (0.9 GMEC) respectively. The relative percentage of positive IgG individulas in urine was 92.40% where as 96.97% in serum. Statistically no significant difference between the IgG levels in serum and urine samples was observed.@*CONCLUSIONS@#This study shows that the detection of secreted IgG antibodies in urine can substitute serum for diagnosis of schistosomiasis.

Distiftbution of freshwater snails with special reference to schistosomiasis intermediate host in El-Genaid sugar cane farm, central sudan

Several sugar cane factories for production of sugar in the Sudan. To each of these factories, a sugar cane farm was attached. Snail distribution, and specially distribution of the intermediate host snails of schistosomiasis, in the cane farms, in the Sudan, was never studied. The study was carried out from February 1995 to May 1996. The objectives is to study on the distribution of fresh water snails in a sugar cane farm in the Sudan, To determine the distribution of the different species seasonally in the canalization system of the sugar cane farm, with special reference to schistosomiasis intermediate host snails. Twenty scoops were taken at each sampling site during the monthly visits. Snails were identified to the species level intermediate host snails were screened for patent infection. The canalization system farm is a suitable habitat for fresh water snails. Seven species of snails are found in the canals. The prosobranchs snails, Cleopatra and Melanoides, dominate all other species. Snail species show marked variation between the canals and in the monthly distribution. The density of all snail species drops during the rainy season. Environmental factors; such as water flow, water level and density of vegetation; do no effect the distribution of the fresh water snails in the canalization system. The reproduction of B. pfeifferi snails in Algenaid farm has been affected by unknown factors which need further investigation to determine the reasons. There is the possibility of shifit from S. mansoni to S. haematobium

Laboratory evaluation of a new molluscicide application method

The paper reports an investigation, in the laboratory, of a new method for the application of the molluscicide, Niclosamide, using the concept of slow-release with local materials as matrices. The local matrices tested were the seeds of the mango and the cobs of the maize. The objective was to reduce the cost of the snail control operations. 1, 5 and 10 seeds and/or cobs were immersed into 4 concentrations [0.6, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 ppm] of Niclosamide for different hours [1, 2, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hrs]. B. pfeifferi snails were then exposed to the immersed seeds and cobs for different hours [1, 2, 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours]. Different statistical procedures were used to analyze the data. The mean time of mortality of B. pfeifferi snail indicated that the cobs of the maize were a superior matrix for Niclosamide than the seeds of the mango. The LC[50] and LC[95] indicated that the combination of 10 cobs immersed for 12 hours in 4.0 ppm was the effective combination to achieve high mortality rates among B. pflefferi snails after 48 hours exposure. The method proved to be, in the laboratory, cost-effective in terms of the quantity of Niclosamide required to result in a high mortality among the snails