Carriage sand an tibiotic resistance of S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis colonizing the nasopharynx of children

Data about the carriage rate and antibiotic resistance pattern in the common respiratory pathogens Streptococcuspneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis is variable from country to the other. The aim of our study was to evaluate these data in our country. It was found that the carriage rate is higher in children attending daycare centers; S.pneumoniae was the most commonly isolated organism followed by M.catarrhalis and finally H.influenzae. Penicillin resistant S.pneumoniae was discovered in 57 percent of positive cases, Beta-lactamase producing M.catarrhalis was also discovered in about 50 percent of isolates. Resistance to penicillin in S.pneumoniae isolates led to a higher rate of resistance to other antibiotics as well such as Cefotaxime, Azithromycin and Co-trimoxazole. It is to be noted that resistance to various antibiotics differed from one country to the other

Triclabendazole [CGP 23030] in the treatment of fascioliasis in man

Triclabendazole had been tested in veterinary medicine against fascioliasis. This study, using a form of triclabendazole, especially prepared for human use, aimed to assess tolerability and the clinical efficacy of that drug in the treatment of liver fluke infection in humans. 25 patients admitted to Tropical Medicine Research Institute. None less than 10 years of age, were diagnosed as positive cases for fascioliasis. The diagnosis was confirmed by repeated stool examination. All patients were examined and laboratory investigation included hematological studies, liver and kidney function tests, and abdominal ultrasonography were done before treatment and repeated at day 4 and 6, 30 and 60 post treatment. The cure rate was 100% after one week of therapy and 88% at 2 months post treatment. Triclabendazole [CGP] is tolerable, safe and effective in the treatment of cases with fascioliasis

Role of colonic bacteria in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infection

160 children aged between 2-12 years [60 circumcised males and 100 females] with clinically suspected urinary tract infection [UTI] were examined. Culture for urine stool and anogenital swab were done. Evaluation of personal habits and local hygiene of anogenital area for every case assessed using suitable questionnaire. Bacteriological examination of urine showed that 86.9% of the cases had positive urine culture and significantly bacterial count with predominance of E. coli 53.2% of cases, Klebsiella in 17.3% and Proteus 8.6%. The other organisms represent 20.8% of the total cases. Pathogenic organisms were isolated from stools in 45% of cases. Swabs of anogenital region revealed that 38.8% of cases had a positive swab culture. Matching between culture of urine, stools and anogenital region found that serotyping of E. coli stains are the same in 20 cases. Klebsiella and Proteus isolated from urine, stools and perianal region had the same biochemical reaction in 13 cases. 6.1% of the cases had local hygienic cause related to anogenital region. Thus, it is advisable to follow a strict hygienic measures for carring of anogenital region and for prevention of contamination and ascending urinary tract infection

Clustering of major chromosomal abnormalities among azoospermic males in Kuwait: a study of 280 patient

Two hundred and eighty cases of azoospermic males were confirmed in the Kuwait Medical Genetics Centre from Jamjar 1979 to December 1992. Major chromosomal abnormalities were found in 40.7% of the patients including cases of klinefeter's syndrome [34.6%] and structural chromosomal rearrangements [4.3%]. In this study, the ratio of numerical to structural chromosomal abnormalities was 8.1:1 and XX males represented 1.8% of azoospermic men. The calculated average parental inbreeding coefficient was 0.02055. The data are compared with those of a previous study of oligospermic and azoospermic men in Kuwait and with other worldwide surveys

Differential effect of the DNA analogue, 5-azacytidine, on the constitutive heterochromatic blocks in B and T lymphocytes

A selective under-condensation of the heterochromatic blocks Iqh, 9qh and 16qh was induced in normal peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures, using the DNA analogue 5-azacytidine. With 5-azacytidine at a concentration of 3.5 x 10-7 micro M, phytohemagglutinin [PHA]-stimulated cultures [predominantly proliferating T lymphocytes] showed a significantly higher percentage of metaphases with under-condensation of heterochromatic blocks than pokeweed [PWM]-stimulated cultures [mainly activated B lymphocytes]. When the concentration of 5-azacytidine in the culture medium was increased ten times, no significant difference was noticed between PHA- and PWM-stimulated cultures. At this higher dose, the response in PHA cultures remained the same while the response of PWM cultures increased dramatically. Thus, there is a differential in vitro relaxation of the heterochromatin condensation by 5-azacytidine, with T lymphocytes being much more sensitive than B lymphocytes

Changes in the blood coagulability and fibrinolytic activity induced by muscular exercise and their relation to the low incidence of atherosclerosis in athletes

The effect of exercise on both the blood coagulability and fibrinolytic activity, and the relation between the changes observed and the low incidence of atherosclerosis in atheletes, were investigated in 24 young male athletes. Blood coagulability and fibrinolytic activity were estimated by determination of the venous coagulation time and the euglobulin lysis time respectively, which were measured at rest and following an exhausting muscular exercise. After work performance, both the venous coagulation time and the euglobulin time were decreased. The decrease in the coagulation time was slight [5.13%] and of no statistical significance. On the other hand, the decrease which occurred in the euglobulin lysis time was much more marked [41.6%] and of a highly statistical significance. These changes suggest that physical activity alters the coagulation fibrinolytic equilibrium, favouring the blood fibrinolytic activity. According to the fibrin-deposit theory of atherosclerosis, this effect may be the possible mechanism by which work performance lowers the incidence of atherosclerosis and occlusive vascular diseases in atheletes. Since the exercise-induced fibrinolytic activity is transient and proportional to the intensity of work performance, it can be concluded that the greatest benefit would be obtained by daily strenuous exercise performance

Relation between work-induced changes in some blood electrolytes and the state of physical fitness

The work induced changes in the serum level of sodium, potassium, calcium and inorganic phosphates, as well as the relation between the magnitude of such post-exercise changes that were observed in these electrolytes, and the level of physical fitness [indicated by the maximal oxygen consumption], were investigated in 15 male athletes. All changes that occured in these electrolytes after vigorous work performance, were found to be, statistically, insignificant. The serum sodium level was increased by 2.74% compared with the average resting value due to loss of water in sweat in excess than the salt loss which led to a rise in the plasma sodium concentration. The serum potassium level was almost not changed after exercise. In fact, it was very slightly decreased [0.47% compared with the average resting level]. This relative stability, in spite of the great loss in sweat is most probably due to mobilistation of potassium ions from its stores in the intracellular compartments. The serum calcium and inorganic phosphate levels were on the other hand, more markedly decreased, in spite of their poverty in sweat. This may be due to their entry into the tissue cells or deposition in bone as a result of physical stress. The serum inorganic phosphate level was more decreased than the serum calcium level [12.6% and 5.27% respectively], most probably due to additional deposition of phosphates in skeletal muscles as phosphocreatine. The study also revealed that almost no relation existed between the magnitude of the post-exercise changes that occurred in the investigated blood electrolytes and the level of physical fitness, judged by the maximal oxygen consumption. This was confirmed statistically by calculation of the correlation factor [R] which was found to be 0.15, 0.11, 0.07 and 0.09 in cases of sodium, potassium calcium and inorganic phosphate, respectively