Molecular epidemiology and genotyping of TT virus isolated from Saudi blood donors and hepatitis patients

In Saudi Arabia, the epidemiology and clinical significnance of Torque Teno virus [TTV] infection alone and in patients with hepatitis virus infections have not been determined in a single study. In this paper, we molecularly investigated the rate and genotypes of TTV infection among Saudi Arabian blood donors and patients with viral hepatitis. The effect of TTV coinfection on viral hepatitis was also examined. DNA was extracted from the sera of 200 healthy blood volunteers, 45 hepatitis B virus patients, 100 hepatitis C virus patients, 19 hepatitis G virus patients, and 56 non-A-G hepatitis patients. TTV DNA was amplified using primers derived from the ORF1 and 5'UTR regions. The alanine aminotransferase [ALT] level was determined for each specimen. Sequencing of ORF1 amplicons was carried out to investigate TTV genotypes. Using primers derived from ORF1 and 5'UTR, TTV DNA was detected in 5.5% and 50.5%, respectively, of healthy blood donors, in 2.2% and 88.8% in hepatitis B patients, in 2.0% and 70% of hepatitis C patients, in 15.8% and 100% of hepatitis G patients, in 5.4% and 12.5% of non-A-G hepatitis patients and in 4.8% and 56.4% overall. No detrimental effect of TTV coinfection in viral hepatitis patients was noted. An overall prevalence of 4.8% and 56.4% was established. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the most common genotype of TTV among Saudis is 2c. The rate of TTV infection among Saudi Arabians seems to be lower than that stated in previous reports on Saudi Arabia and in some other countries. The virus does not seem to worsen the status of those who are suffering from viral hepatitis infection

Susceptibility of enterococcal isolates from Riyadh city hospitals to some antimicrobial agents

A total of 138 clinical enterococcal isolates were collected from three major hospitals in Riyadh city, namely King Khalid University Hospitals [KKUH, 59]. King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center [KFSH and RC, 25] and King Fahad National Guard Hospital [KFNGH, 54]. The identity of the genus was checked and the isolates were identified to the species level to E. faecalis [108], E. faecium [26] and other Enterococcus species [4]. Using agar disk diffusion method, the isolates demonstrated high susceptibility to ampicillin [99.3%], sulfamethoxa.zole-trimethoprim [95%], vancomycin [89.1%], chloramphenicol [86.2%], and penicillin G [85.5%]. Moderate susceptibility was shown to rifampin [58.7%]. Low susceptibility was expressed to ciprofloxacin [37.7%] and tetracycline [30.4%], whereas very low susceptibility was shown to erythromycin [7.2%]. Except for rifampin which showed higher efficacy against E. faecium, the latter had relatively lower susceptibility to antimicrobials compared with E. faecalis isolates Minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] data showed that 4 E. faecalis [3.7%] and 12 E. faecium [46.15%] isolates had MIC > 16 micro g/ml for penicillin. Among these, only one E. faecalis isolate and two E. faecium isolates had MICs of 16 micro g/ml for ampicillin. None of the 16 penicillin resistant isolates could be identified as beta-lactamase positive. Three [2.8%] of E. faecalis isolates and 10 [38.5%] of E. faecium isolates with an overall percentage of 9.4% had MICs of vancomycin greater than the breakpoint of resistance [32 micro g/ml]. All these 13 isolates were also resistant to teicoplanin, expressing Van A phenotype. MICs data revealed no susceptible isolates to ciprofloxacin and erythromycin and resistance the rates were 28.2% and 44%, respectively. For these two antimicrobial agents, discrepancy between the results of the two methods with respect to the susceptibility and resistance was evident. The MIC results, confirm the very high susceptibility of the isolates to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim combination. The results were discussed in the light of the available literatures and demonstrate the usefulness of ampicillin as a drug of choice and the alarming situation for vancomycin that needs attention

Response of high level gentamicin resistant enterococci to penicillin and gentamicin combination

In the present study the incidence of high level resistance [HLR] to gentamicin [MIC >/= 500 micro g/ml] was determined for 138 clinical enterococcal isolates, representing 108 E. faecalis, 26 E. faecium and 4 other Enterococcus spp. A 28.3% of the isolates, comprising 42.3% of E. faecium and 25.9% of E. faecalis isolates were found to be HLR to gentamicin. A 5% of the isolates were resistant to 2000 micro g/ml of gentamicin, representing one [0.9%] of E.faecalis isolates and 7[23%] of E. faecium isolates. Eight selected isolates were used to evaluate the bactericidal activity of penicillin-gentamicin combination by the time-kill curve method. Bactericidal synergy for the combination was obtained for two E. faecium isolates [No. 16 and 32] whereas a synergistic bacteriostatic activity was observed for a third E. faecium isolate [No.35], despite their resistance to penicillin alone. No synergy was obtained for the other two E.faecalis isolates [No.19 and 32]. No synergy was obtained for the other non-E. faecium isolates. Although penicillin alone was bactericidal, the two E. faecalis isolates [No.2 and 137] did not show synergistic bactericidal activity for the combination, irrespective of the level of resistance to gentamicin [No. 2 is not HLR but 137 is]. For the other Enterococcus raffinosus [isolate], although it was not HLR to gentamicin and being susceptible to penicillin neither bactericidal effect for penicillin nor for the combination was observed

levels of zinc and magnesium in seminal fluid and seminal plasma of fertile and infertile men

Zinc and magnesium levels were measured in seminal plasma and seminal fluid of infertile men classified into Normozoospermic, Severe Oligozoospermic, Azoospermic, sperm motil, and sperm hypomotile groups. Although seminal fluid zinc levels were significantly higher in control fertile subjects than total infertile subjects and also in normozoospermic subjects than those with lower spermatozoa counts, no association could be found between seminal plasma zinc and spermatozoa count or motility. On the other hand magnesium levels in both fluids were significantly higher in fertile control subjects, and also in normozoospermic subjects than in those with lower spermatozoa counts. Furthermore, seminal fluid magnesium levels in infertile men with motile spermatozoa were significantly higher than those with hypomotile spermatozoa. It is hereby concluded that seminal fluid magnesium and zinc levels, rather than seminal plasma levels, might be related to male infertility

effect of crude Cerastes Gasperetti venom on the activity of key metabolic enzymes in cultured human fibroblasts

Cultured human fibroblasts were used to study the effect of a crude extract of Cerastes cerastes gasperetti venom on the activity of a profile of key enzymes of metabolism. A single concentration of the crude venom was incubated with confluent fibroblasts established from six normal subjects for a period of three hours. A dramatic reduction in the specific activities of glucose and glycogen degradative enzymes was observed [23.1 +/- 3.9%, 36.3 +/- 8.7% and 71.1 +/- 5.7% of control for citrate synthase, glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphofructokinase respectively]. Furthermore, the specific activity of creatine kinase was doubled. No significant change in the activity of three transaminases was noticed. Incubation of the same concentration of venom for the same period of time with serum did not result in any change in the activity of the enzymes studied. It is suggested that the cells mobilize stored phosphocreatine for the production of adenosine triphosphate [ATP] to compensate for the reduced rate of sugar catabolism. Furthermore, it is hereby suggested that the effects noticed on the enzyme activities are not directed at the enzyme protein itself, but are of mediated nature