immunological study on ascaris lumbricoides among primary school age Egyptians

A cross-sectional immunological study on Ascaris infected and non- infected children was conducted in a semi-urban district in Giza, Egypt. 115 children were included in the study: 72 children with Ascaris and 43 control children. Full clinical examination was carried out on each child. Immunological studies included were intradermal skin test using Ascaris antigen, detection of total serum IgE and specific serum IgE to Ascaris. Stool analysis was also done. The mean serum total IgE in the Ascaris infected group was 388 +/- 252.8 as compared to 36.78 +/- 20.2 in the control group. The correlation between degree of skin test positivity and level of total serum IgE was statistically significant. The percentage of skin test positivity was 84.6% in infected children as compared to 42% in the controls. It is evident from the results that both skin testing and detection of specific serum IgE to Ascaris are complementary tools in the diagnosis of ascariasis

Long term immunotherapy in asthma

Slow immunotherapy with aquous extracts of some important chosen inhalant allergens was given to 180 selected atopic asthmatic patients for six months as an initial course. Cases with severe steroid dependent asthma were excluded. Another 130 atopic asthmatics, age and sex matched with the first group were given placebo and symptomatic treatment only. Excellent or significant responses were obtained in 84.4% in the first group compared to 70.8% in the control group. Long-term maintenance [loses for three years were give to 95 patients among the good responders in the first group, and 52 patients of the same group were followed up after stopping the vaccine as controls. Recurrence rates were significantly lower in those who received the long-term regimen [14.7%] compared to those who stopped the vaccine after six months [69.2%] side effects were mild and controllable

Asthma in infancy and early childhood pitfalls in diagnosis

Bronchial asthma is well known to be the commonest cause of wheezing in infancy and early childhood. Over as well as under-diagnosing asthma may be hazardous. The study included 300 wheezy infants and children aged 3 months to 4 years referred by pediatricians and general practitioners for further management of asthma. From a detailed history, clinical and radiological examination and immunological investigations in some cases we could reach a provisional diagnosis. Immunological investigations included humoral immunoglobulins and T- cell functions in suspected cases of immunodeficiency. Follow up for 2-3 years showed that only 30 percent of the patients proved to be asthmatics. Wheezy bronchitis following an upper respiratory viral infection occurred in about 50 percent of cases. Acute bronchiolitis could be diagnosed in 2 percent, most of which were hospitalized. About 8 percent of the cases had foreign body inhalation which was extracted by bronchoscopy. Immunodeficiency, mainly humoral though sometimes combined, could be diagnosed in 7 percent of cases. Other less common causes as tuberculous hilar nodes, cardiomyopathy and congenital anomalies were diagnosed in about 3 percent of cases

Common inhalant allergens in extrinsic atopic asthmatic children in rural areas in Egypt

One hundred atopic asthmatic children from rural areas and 20 age matched atopic asthmatics from urban areas were studied. Among rural children, 27+ACU- started their symptoms in their first year of life, 54+ACU- before the age of 3 and 89+ACU- before the age of six. The male: female ratio was 0.96: 1. Thirty nine% had positive family history of allergy and 55+ACU- had positive personal history of associated atopic manifestations. On skin testing house dust, dust mites and mixed moulds were the commonest sensitizers in both urban and rural asthmatics. Feathers sensitivity was more common in urban children but sensitivities to hay dust, straw dust, mixed grass pollens, wheat grain pollens,plantain pollens, sheep wool and horse hair were higher among rural children. The differences were only significant with house dust, straw dust and wheat grain pollens

Some hematological studies on bacterial and viral pneumonia in young children

The study included twenty patients suffering from pneumonia. Their ages ranged from one month to four years and they included 11 males and 9 females. Anemia was present in 55% of cases. A TWBC [greater than 15.000/ mm**2] in 10% of cases while 30% had normal TWBC. An elevated E. S. R. [greater than 30 mm first hour] was noted in 50% and positive CRP was found in 60% of cases

Hypersensitivity reactions to pigeon droppings in Egyptian children

The study included 75 children aged 3-14 years. All were continuously exposed to pigeons. Sixty children had symptoms of cough, dyspnea + wheezing [group I]. The other children were asymptomatic [group II]. Fifteen normal children age and sex matched with no history of exposure to avian antigens were taken as controls [group Ill]. Asthma could be diagnosed in 23.3% of the patients as evidenced by an immediate skin test response and serum specific IgE. Rast scores correlated with the degree of skin test reactions. 33.3% of the patients in group I could be diagnosed as extrinsic allergic bronchioloalveolitis [EABA]. They had a delayed skin response and positive serum precipitins to pigeon droppings. The other 43.4% had an overlap presentation between asthma and alveolitis. Specific IgE could also be found in 13.3% and serum precipitins in 6.56% of group II children. None were detected in group III children. It is concluded that pigeon droppings are important allergens causing both asthma and EABA in Egyptian children exposed to them