Sentinel surveillance for patients with acute hepatitis in Egypt, 2001-04

Viral hepatitis is a major problem in Egypt. To define the epidemiology of the disease, sentinel surveillance was established in 5 hospitals in diverse areas of the country in 2001. Data were completed for patients meeting the case definition for viral hepatitis. Of a total of 5909 patients evaluated, 4189 [70.9%] showed positive antibody markers for hepatitis. Out of those, 40.2% had evidence of hepatitis A virus [HAV] infection, 30.0% hepatitis B virus [HBV] and 29.8% hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection. This surveillance system was useful in identifying the variable endemicity of acute HAV infection in different regions and for better understanding the epidemiology of HBV and HCV infection

case-control study of preterms in El-Hussein University Hospital

The aim of this work is to identify the different causes of the preterm births. The sample of this study was taken from Obstetric Department of El-Hussein University Hospital and included, case and control groups. The case group comprised 128 women with preterm deliveries while the control group included an equal number of women whose had full-term babies. Both groups were interviewed, clinically examined and laboratory investigated. High gravidity; poor antenatal care, poor nutrition; pregnancy of mothers before 20 years old; and multiple pregnancy were significantly associated with preterm labour. The author recommended motivation of mothers, by all means, to practice properly the antenatal care and family planning practices. Raising, the age of marriage of females to 20 instead of 16 years old

Pregnancy over 35 years of age

This study was conducted on 258 women selected randomly from those seeking delivery services in Obstetric Department of El- Hussein University Hospital. Half of them were aged more than 35 years and considered as a case group while other women were aged 35 years or less and considered as a control group. Both groups were interviewed, examined and investigated. Pregnancy wastage was significantly higher in the case group than in the control group [63% versus 43% respectively]. Several factors contributed to the high wastage in this case group. These included high parity; short inter-pregnancy spacing; had obstetric history; poor antenatal care and low socio-economic standard. Males and multiple pregnancy outcome were significantly higher in the case group while the mean birth weight of babies in this group was slightly lesser than that for the control group

Factors affecting perinatal mortality [PNM] in women attending Bab El-Shaaria University Hospital

This study was conducted to identify and to assess certain epidemiologic differentials affecting the perinatal mortality [PNM] in our country. The subjects of this study were 200 women selected randomly from Gynaecology and Obstetric Department in Bab EI-Shaaria University Hospital. Half of this number was the case group of perinatal deaths while the other half was the normal control group. Both groups had the same life style nearly. The attendance rate for antenatal clinic was more frequent among the control group. high parity; short spacing; twins; preterms; birth order [B.O.] 4+; anaemia; diabetes mellitus; and the age of mother [30-] were more prevalent among the case Group and considered risky factors for the perinatal mortality. The author recommended that women must be educated about maternal and child health care; importance of antenatal care [ANC]; and more than one year inter-pregnancy sparing