Study of the cytokine transforming growth factor beta-1 in patients with chronic virus hepatitis

This work was conducted on 40 patients with chronic virus hepatitis [21 patients with chronic hepatitis C with bilharzial periportal fibrosis, 2 patients with combined chronic hepatitis B and C and 17 patients with chronic hepatitis C alone] in addition to 10 healthy age and sex matched control subjects. The objective of this work was to study the status of TGF- beta-1 among patients with chronic virus hepatitis and its relation to age and sex and to evaluate the effect of colchicine and oral enzyme therapy on the level of TGF- beta-1. Patients were divided into 2 groups, group I who received oral enzyme therapy and group II who received colchicine, plasma level of TGF- beta-1 was estimated by ELISA with [MEDGENIX TGF- beta-1, ELISA kit] before and after receiving the treatment. It was found that plasma TGF- beta-1 level was significantly higher in patients with chronic virus hepatitis than control group and this level is not related to age or sex. The plasma TGF- beta-1 level was significantly higher in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection with bilharzial periportal fibrosis of liver than in patient with chronic hepatitis C alone, also it was significantly higher in patient with ultrasonographic findings of cirrhosis than those without cirrhosis. The plasma TGF- beta-1 level had no correlation with liver function tests but had positive correlation with serum procollagen III. Before treatment there was no significant difference in clinical picture, laboratory investigations, serum procollagen III and plasma TGF- beta-1 level between group I and group H but after treatment, there was improvement in clinical picture, liver function tests and significant reduction of serum procollagen III and plasma TGF- beta-1 level in group I but not in group II. So it can be concluded that plasma TGF- beta-1 level is a good marker of liver fibrogenesis and oral enzyme therapy is anti-TGF- beta-1 and can reduce the hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis

Pattern of meningitis in kalyobia. Governorate Egypt in the last therteen years [1984 to 1996]

Total of 3822 cases of meningitis were reported to the central laboratories of Kalyobia Governorate [Egypt] from the first of January 1984 to the end of December 1996. The main trend of the disease showed peak incidence in the period from 1989 to 1991 [Epidemic wave]. Haemophilus influenzae [35.04%] and Nesseria meningitidis [24.23%] were the most common bacterial agents diagnosed. Meningococcal meningitis was mostly caused by group A [30.24%] and group B [13.17%] allover the period of the study, while other new groups were diagnosed during the epidemic period [CD, W 135, Y and Z], the later showed high frequency [28.94%]. 11.30% of the cases had purulent meningitis but without detectable aetiology owing to the early use of antibiotics. A govemomental fever hospital taken as a sample model, high frequency of cases was below 15 years with 1.22 male to female ratio, but epidemic period showed increase in the female frequency. Meningococci were the responsible agent during the epidemic and responsible for 23.07% of all the hospital mortalities. The highest case fatality rate was in the preepidemic period [15.7%]. From this study it is recommended to establish a preventive program aiming at reducing the disease incidence, morbidity and mortality through: increasing the immunization coverage, improve the vaccine quality, disease surveillance and proper management of the diagnosed cases