comparative analysis of routine techniques: Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] and five cell lines for detection of enteroviruses in stool specimens

Each year, Enteroviruses infect millions of people and cause different diseases. The agents are usually detected using cell culture. RD [Rhabdomyosarcoma] and L20B [L cells] are among the recommended cells by the World Health Organisation [WHO] for this purpose. Even though cell culture is the most common method used in diagnosing Enteroviruses in stool specimens, this particular method poses some problems, which include false positive or negative results, lack of a unique cell line for diagnosing all Entero virus types in addition to being time consuming. For these reasons, an attempt was made to find better techniques of Entero virus detection. RT-PCR [Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction] is a technique used in place of the cell culture method. In this study, the cell culture method was compared with RT-PCR for detection of Enteroviruses in stool specimens. First, the chloroform treated stool samples were inoculated onto five cell lines, including RD, L20B, Hep-2 [Human Epidermoid carcinoma cell line], Vero [Verde Reno] and GMK [Green Monkey Kidney]. The results were then compared with data from Entero virus detection using the RT-PCR technique. The difference between RT-PCR and cell culture results was significant. Enteroviruses were detected in 24% of specimens using RT-PCR while cell lines could isolate Enteroviruses in just 14.4% of the samples

Reinjection of Intravitreal Triamcinolone for refractory diabetic Macular Edema

To evaluate the effect of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide [IVT] reinjection on clinical and optical coherence tomographic [OCT] features in refractory diabetic macular edema [DME]. In an interventional case series, all IVT-treated patients enrolled in a previous clinical trial [45 subjects], were recalled for performing a new ophthalmologic examination and OCT. Suitable eyes for reinjection received 4 mg IVT. Complete ophthalmologic examination and OCT were performed after two and four months.From 45 recalled patients, 23 were included for the new study [51.1% response rate]. Of these, only 12 cases were considered as candidates for reinjection. Visual acuity [VA] changes were not significant in the reinjected eyes after both the first and the second interventions, although there was a relative improvement [0.14 logMAR] at two months after the first injection. Central macular thickness [CMT] was reduced by 27 and 49 pt two and four months after the reinjection and 43 and 40.t at two and four months after the first injection. None of the mentioned changes was significant. I013 elevation was significant two and four months after the second injection [3.6 and 2.4 mmHg, respectively, P<0.05]. However, it was significant [5.58 mmHg, P=0.001] only two months after the first injection. The transient beneficial effects of IVT on refractory DME are not repeated with second injections. However, IVT-related ocular hypertension is more persistent after reinjection