ABSTRACT
The current study was designed in order to elucidate the most sensitive method for daily practice as well as to evaluate the risk factors for HCV infection associated with blood transfusion in District Peshawar. A total of 1400 healthy volunteer blood donors were tested for Anti-HCV. A questionnaire was used to evaluate the risk factors. Initial testing of all blood samples was done by Immuno Chromatographic Technique [ICT] and confirmed by micro particle enzyme immunoassay [MEIA] and Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay [ELISA]. The comparison among ICT, ELISA and MEIA techniques was also evaluated for the purpose of sensitivity. Among 1400 blood donors, 26 [1.85%] cases were found positive for Anti-HCV. These 26 cases were positive on MEIA, 16 individuals were positive on ELISA while 14 were positive on ICT. These 26 cases had different histories of dental treatment [50%], traveled abroad [23.07%], surgery [11.53%], blood transfusion [7.69%] and unknown reason [7.69%]. Among all these different histories of dental treatment and blood transfusion were the main risk factors for HCV infection. The results revealed that MEIA ia a quick and reliable technique for routine screening of blood donors particularly for controlling the spread of HCV
ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the drugs susceptibility pattern of mycobacterium tuberculosis [M.TB] in multi-drug resistant tuberculosis [MDR-TB] patients' attendants in North Western, Pakistan
Study Design: Cross sectional study
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at Peshawar Tuberculosis Research Laboratory [PTRL], Provincial TB Control Program Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar, [KP] from August 2013 to March 2014
Material and Methods: A cross sectional study in which four hundred and eighty sputum samples from MDR-TB patients' attendants were processed for the detection of M.TB through Ziehl-Neelsen staining, Lowenstein-Jensen, BACTEC MGIT-960 culture and line probe assay
Results: Out of 480 samples, 06 [2.1%] were found positive for M.TB through Ziehl-Neelsen staining while 10 [2.8%] were positive through LJ and BACTEC MGIT-960 culture. The 10 positive samples were further subjected to drugs susceptibility testing and line probes assay test to find out rifampicin, isoniazid, streptomycin and ethambutol resistant and it was found that 6 M.TB isolates were resistant while 4 were sensitive to rifampicin and isoniazid. Among the 6 resistant M.TB strains, 4 showed mutation in rpoB gene at 531, 516 and 526 codons
Conclusion: Majority of MDR-TB patients' attendants had drug-resistant tuberculosis and the rate of drug susceptible TB was low