ABSTRACT
Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs] are commonly used in market to treat inflammatory diseases by inhibiting cyclooxygenase [COX], the ratelimiting enzyme in prostaglandins [PGs] synthesis. There are constitutive expression of COX-1 in most cells and inducible expression of COX-2 at inflammatory sites. In recent years NSAIDs like ketoprofen and diclofenac begin to show an immunomodulatory activity predicting its promising use in the treatment of autoimmune disorders. In the present study, we investigate the role of both ketoprofen and diclofenac in dexamethasone-immunosuppressed rats according to some haematological parametes like white blood cells [WBCs] count and neutrophil lymphocyte count ratio [NLCR]. Four groups of experimental rats were used in this study, G1 was used as control, G2 was immunosuppressed by dexamethasone for 3 days, G3 and G4 were immunosuppressed by dexamethasone for 3 days followed by administration of ketoprofen and diclofenac potassium respectively for 18 days. WBCs and NLCR were used as indicators of immune system activity. Ketoprofen was proved to have an immunosuppressive role and diclofenac potassium was suggested to cause immunomodulation. Based on our findings NLCR was suggested to be predictor of immune system activity and ketoprofen and diclofenac as commonly used NSAIDs may have an important role in the treatment of autoimmune disorders in the future
ABSTRACT
Acinetobacter baumannii [A. baumannii] is a rapidly emerging pathogen in the healthcare settings. It usually causes different nosocomial infections, which are usually resistant to several antibiotics. Rapid identification of A. baumannii among hospital patients and the hospital environment is very important to control its spread. Very limited data are available about the prevalence of A. baumannii in Egyptian hospitals particularly at Minia University Hospital [MUH]. In this study, a total of 264 and 109 pus samples were collected from patients suffering from wound and burn infections, respectively. In addition, a total of 549 environmental samples were collected from the environment of MUH Herellea agar was used for isolation of A. baumannii. Identification of the isolates was carried out using culture characteristics, biochemical, staining properties and detection of bla [oxa-51-like] gene; which is intrinsic to A. baumannii; by polymerase chain reaction. A total of 20 [5.4%] and 32 [5.8%] A. baumannii isolates were identified and confirmed by PCR in pus and environmental samples, respectively. While A. baumannii represented the least commonly isolated organism, Klebsiella species [14.5%] and P. aeruginosa [10.4%] were the most frequently isolated aerobic Gram-negative organisms from pus and environmental samples; respectively. Bla axa-51-like gene expression was examined by PCR directly on 48 pus samples after DNA extraction. A. baumannii was identified in 4 pus samples [8.3%] that were negative for culture on here/lea agar and in 8 pus samples [16.7%] that were positive for culture on here/lea agar. So, PCR is a more sensitive and rapid technique for identification of A. baumannii than microbial culture. In conclusion, although A. baumannii does not represent a current major health hazard at MUH, it could lead to significant problems in the future