Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist among chronic renal failure pediatric patients with and without hemodialysis

During hemodialysis [HD], human blood leucocytes in circulation are exposed to several extraneous challenges, thus stimulated to secrete many inflammatory cytokines and its inhibitors as inter-leukin-1 and interieukin-1 receptor antagonist [IL-Ira]. The aim of this study was to investigate difference in the level of IL-IRa synthesis by peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMC] between CRF patients under conservative treatment and CRF patients under hemodialysis, and if this cytokine-specific inhibitory protein of PBMC can be used as a marker of dialysis related morbidity. The study included 44 subjects divided into 3 groups: [A] control group, [B] Chronic renal failure[CRF] under conservative treatment, [C] CRF under HD. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMC] were separated by ficoll-Hypaque. Spontaneous and Phytohemagglutinin [PHA] stimulated total IL-1Ra synthesis [cell-associated and secreted] by cultured PBMC was measured using EL-ISA method. The results of the study revealed that there were significant spontaneous total IL-IRa synthesis by PBMC in dialysis patients [group C] 2812 +/- 836 and in patients with conservative treatment [group B] 1791.2 +/- 252 compared to control group [group A] 940 +/- 227.8 [P value <0.001]. There were significant spontaneous total IL-IRa synthesis by PBMC in dialysis patients [group C] 2812 +/- 836 compared to patients with conservative treatment [group B] 1791.2 +/- 252 [P value <0.001]. There were significant PHA stimulated total IL-IRa synthesis by PBMC in dialysis patients [group C] 34041 +/- 8906 and in patients with conservative treatment [group B] 8565 +/- 1244 compared to control group [group A] 2980 +/- 608 [P value <0.001]. There were significant PHA stimulated total IL-IRa synthesis by PBMC in dialysis patients [group C] 34041 +/- 8906 compared to patients with conservative treatment [group B] 8565 +/- 1244 [P value <0.001]. There was positive correlation between PHA stimulated total synthesis of ILIRa and spontaneous total synthesis of ILIRa by PBMC in the 3 groups [P value <0.001]. There was significant correlation between IL-IRa [spontaneous and stimulated] with blood pressure, urea and creatinine level [P value <0.001]. This study concluded that PBMC of CRF patients synthesize significant level of IL-IRa compared to PBMC of healthy subjects. Also, PBMC of CRF patients on HD synthesize significant level of IL-IRa compared to PBMC of CRF under conservative treatment. Lastly, IL-IRa synthesis by PBMC of CRF patients was correlated with blood urea, serum creatinine and blood pressure level

role of chlamydia trachomatis in neonatal and infantile pneumonia

Chlamydia Trachomatis infection in pregnant women may be related to variety of perinatal complications as conjunctivitis and pneumonia. Our aim was to detect C. Trachomatis as a causative agent among infants having the clinical picture of afebrile pneumonia and to identify the clinical manifestations of Chlamydia Trachomatis pneumonia. A total of 40 patients aged 2 weeks to 6 months with chronic afebrile chest manifestations and 20 apparently healthy subjects with matched age were involved in this work. Throat swabs for detection of C. trachomatis inclusion bodies by Giemsa stain, direct fluorescent antibody test [DFA] and serologic tests for detection of IgM and IgG against Chlamydia Trachomatis by ELISA were done. All the 18 cases which were IgM positive [as a gold standard] also, were positive for IgG rising level but only 15 cases were positive DFA among 18 IgM positive cases. All cases that were IgM negative also were negative for IgG rising level. The sensitivity of Giemsa stain was 55.6% and specificity was 100%. On the other hand the sensitivity and specificity of IgG positive rising level after 2 weeks were 100% but DFA were 83.3% and 100% respectively. The serologic tests for detection of IgM and IgG rising level against Chlamydia Trachomatis by ELISA have the advantages of low cost and suitability for testing large number of specimens

Microbiological aspects of diaper dermatitis and breast milk zinc

This study was conducted on 185 infants divided into two groups: Group I 75 breast fed full term infants [42 males and 33 females] and group II 60 breast fed preterm infants [33 males and 27 females] suffering from resistant diaper dermatitis, aged one month to 12 months, in addition 50 clinically free infants were selected as a control group. Bacterial growth was obtained in 117 [86.7%]. Aerobic facultative bacteria or candida were present in 56 cases [47.9%] and anaerobic bacteria only in 23 cases [19.7%] and mixed anaerobic with aerobic, facultative or yeast was present in 38 cases [32.4%]. So, colonization of candida in this study was 94 cases [80.3%]. The results recorded that the most common candida species isolated were C. albicans 67%, followed by C. tropicals, C. parapsilosis, C. macedoniensis and C. deformans 20.2%, 5.3%, 4.3% and 3.2%, respectively. The commonest strict anaerobic isolates were bacteroid fragilis [39.1%] then peptostreptococcus [30.4%], propionibacterium acnes [17.4%] and peptococcus [13.1%]. The most common aerobic facultative isolates in this study were staphylococcus aureus [41.1%], streptococcus [33.9%] especially non-hemolytic streptococcus, beta-hemolytic streptococcus, alpha-hemolytic streptococcus [14.3%, 10.7% and 8.9%], respectively, staphylococcus epidermidis [14.3%] and E. coli [10.7%]. Diagnosis of zinc deficiency must be considered in any infant with a napkin dermatitis which fails to respond to appropriate treatment