ABSTRACT
Hepatitis C virus [HCV] is considered the most common etiology of chronic liver disease in Egypt. It infects immune cells such as B and T lymphocytes, altering their normal functions. Thus liver damage is thought to be the result of these factors that affect the immune response to viral antigens. This study aimed to determine the role of serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor [sIL-2R] and cellular interleukin-2 receptor in the hepatitis C virus disease, and to determine whether other cellular markers have any role to play in that process. In addition to assess the relationship between different diagnostic tools for estimating HCV activity, particularly measurement of serum viral load by branched DNA technology. Levels of sIL-2R were measured by ELISA in the sera of 35 chronic liver disease [CLD] patients, 35 asymptomatic hepatitis C virus carriers [ASC] and 15 healthy subjects negative for HCV markers served as normal controls [NC]. Also, we studied peripheral blood mono-nuclear cells [PBMNCs] samples from the study groups for the surface expression of CD7, CD19 and CD25. The mean serum sIL-2R levels were significantly elevated in the CLD group compared to ASC and NC groups [P. value <0.001, <0.001 respectively]. Patients with CLD showed significant increase in both CD7[+]/CD25[+] PBMNCs [represent mostly active T lymphocytes] and CD19[+]/CD25[+] PBMNCs [represent mostly active B lymphocytes] than other groups. Both patients groups showed decrease in both CD7[+]/CD25[+] PBMNCs [represent mostly T lymphocytes] and CD19[+]/CD25[+] PBMNCs [represent mostly B lymphocytes] than normal control group. Soluble interleukin -2 receptors [sIL-2R] concentration may be a useful non-invasive surrogate marker of disease activity in HCV infection; high levels of sIL-2R are related to activity of the disease rather than to virus replication
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Receptors, Interleukin-2/blood , Liver Diseases , Biomarkers , Disease ProgressionABSTRACT
Tuberculosis [TB] is responsible for about one third of preventable deaths worldwide. Accurate and rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis is essential for controlling the spread of the disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube [[MGIT 960] [M960]] which is a fully automated, non-invasive, system for growth and detection of mycobacteria and Lowenstein-Jensen [LJ] media for the recovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from sputum samples. Out of 67 specimens processed, 60 isolates [89.5%] were recovered by M960 media while, 50 isolates [74.6%] were obtained by LJ. M960 as a single system detected 11 [16.4%] isolates more than L.J media while; L.J media detected 2 [2.9%] isolates [revealed no growth in MGIT 960]. In total, Out of these 67 specimens, 48 [71.6%] were positive by all methods [Z-N smear, culture on both LJ and MGIT broth] and 48 [71.6%] isolates also were obtained by the combined use of both culture methods. Average detection time of M960 and LJ media was 14.6 days [2-38] and 30.6 days [7-58] respectively. The contamination rates in our study were [2.9%] for M960 and [1.49%] for L.J media. In conclusion, comparable to LJ media, M960 system is a rapid and efficient method for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. But for maximum recovery of mycobacteria, a combination of both M960 and LJ media should be used
ABSTRACT
Objective: A prospective study aimed at isolation, biochemical identification and determination of the antibiotic resistance pattern of the bacteriologic agents causing surgical site infection in surgical wards in Sohag University hospital and confirmation of isolated MRSA by detection of mecA gene by PCR assay
Patients and Methods: This study included 100 patients suffering from nosocomial SSI and recruited from different surgical wards in Sohag University hospital in the period from October 2005 to July 2006. SSI was identified using CDC definitions. The collected samples were cultured, the isolated organisms identified, tested for their antibiotic sensitivity and mecA gene detected in the isolated MRSA strains by PCR assay
Results: Gram-negative bacteria were involved in 62 [70.5%] and Gram-positive cocci in 26 [29.5%]. Five species were isolated most frequently: Staphylococcus aureus [20], Escherichia coli [20], Pseudomonas aeruginosa [16], Proteus mirabilis [12] and Klebsiella pneumoniae [11]. Resistance to most commonly available antibiotics was moderate to very high among Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates. Almost all Gram-negative bacteria were sensitive to imipenem and amikacin. PCR assay revealed that all the isolated Staphylococcus aureus strains [100%] were positive for mecA gene
Conclusion: It is of utmost importance to estimate the frequency of surgical site infections and identify associated risk factors in order to undertake adequate measures for their prevention and control