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Objective To determine Blastocystis frequency and subtypes (ST) in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and analyse some laboratory findings between Blastocystis positive and negative cases. Methods Faecal samples from 150 UC patients in Adnan Menderes University, Training and Research Hospital were examined by direct microscopy and cultivated in Jones medium. Blastocystis positive cultures were subjected to DNA isolation and subtypes were identified by sequencing of barcode region. A retrospective analysis was conducted on C reactive protein (CRP), leucocyte counts (WBC), neutrophil counts, and sedimentation rates. Results The overall positive rate of Blastocystis was 8% (12 patients) and the most abundant subtype was ST3 (eight isolates, 66.7%), followed by ST1, ST2 and ST7. Laboratory findings between Blastocystis infected and non-infected UC patients were not significantly different. Blastocystis frequency was 3.8% among the patients in active stage, while it was 11.8% among the patients in remission stage. Conclusions The present study confirms previous findings that have indicated the predominance of Blastocystis ST3 in humans and contributes additional evidence that suggests the low colonisation of Blastocystis infection in ulcerative colitis patients during active stage.
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OBJECTIVE@#To determine Blastocystis frequency and subtypes (ST) in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and analyse some laboratory findings between Blastocystis positive and negative cases.@*METHODS@#Faecal samples from 150 UC patients in Adnan Menderes University, Training and Research Hospital were examined by direct microscopy and cultivated in Jones medium. Blastocystis positive cultures were subjected to DNA isolation and subtypes were identified by sequencing of barcode region. A retrospective analysis was conducted on C reactive protein (CRP), leucocyte counts (WBC), neutrophil counts, and sedimentation rates.@*RESULTS@#The overall positive rate of Blastocystis was 8% (12 patients) and the most abundant subtype was ST3 (eight isolates, 66.7%), followed by ST1, ST2 and ST7. Laboratory findings between Blastocystis infected and non-infected UC patients were not significantly different. Blastocystis frequency was 3.8% among the patients in active stage, while it was 11.8% among the patients in remission stage.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The present study confirms previous findings that have indicated the predominance of Blastocystis ST3 in humans and contributes additional evidence that suggests the low colonisation of Blastocystis infection in ulcerative colitis patients during active stage.
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A prospective study was carried out to evaluate the sensitivity of dengue NS1 antigen-capture ELISA in comparison with dengue virus isolation, conventional RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR for laboratory confi rmation of acute dengue based on single-acute serum samples. Four primary healthcare centres were involved to recruit patients with clinical diagnosis of dengue illness. Patient’s demographic, epidemiological and clinical information were collected on a standardized data entry form and 5 ml of venous blood was collected upon consent. In the laboratory, six types of laboratory tests were performed on each of the collected acute serum sample. Of the 558 acute serum samples collected from 558 patients with clinical diagnosis of dengue from mid-August 2006 to March 2009, 174 serum samples were tested positive by the dengue NS1 antigen-capture ELISA, 77 by virus isolation, 92 by RT-PCR and 112 by real-time RT-PCR. A total of 190 serum samples were tested positive by either one or a combination of the four methods whereas, only 59 serum samples were tested positive by all four methods. Thus, based on singleacute serum samples, 190 of the 558 patients (34.1%) were laboratory-confi rmed acute dengue. The overall test sensitivity was 91.6%, 40.5%, 48.4% and 58.9% for dengue NS1 antigen-capture ELISA, virus isolation, conventional RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR respectively. Statistically, dengue NS1 antigen-capture ELISA was the most sensitive and virus isolation was the least sensitive test for the laboratory confi rmation of acute dengue based on single-acute serum specimens. Real-time RT-PCR was signifi cantly more sensitive than the conventional RT-PCR.
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Cancer incidence in North Cyprus (NC), deemed an interesting epidemiological case due to possible contrasting prevailing factors in relation to South and North Europe (SE and NE), was evaluated for the period 1990-2004. Age standardized rates (ASRs) and average age of incidence (AAI) values were determined for 12 different cancers, separately for males and females. Annual trends were analyzed using linear regression slopes. Absolute values were compared by two-tailed t-tests. The order of prevalence for incidences of male (M) cancers were: lung, skin, colorectal, prostate, brain, bladder, liver and stomach. Similarly, for females (F) they were: breast, gynaecological, skin, colorectal, lung, liver, brain, stomach and bladder. The following cancer cases were more common than in SE and NE: lung (M) and skin (both genders). Breast (F), prostate, stomach (F), bladder (both sexes), cervix and corpus were less frequent; the rest were comparable. There was no difference in the annual trends of ASR or AAI for NC, compared with SE or NE. Thus cancer incidence in NC shares many quantitative features with the rest of Europe. The worst cases could be improved by reducing smoking and protection from the sun.
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In this study, 152 students [90 males and 62 females] of primary [5[th] and 6[th] grades, 52 males and 30 females] and preparatory [1[st] and 2[nd] grades, 38 males and 32 females] schoolchildren of different age and sex group inhabited in two endemic villages with Schistosoma mansoni in Taiz Governorate were examination. The highest prevalence and intensity of S. mansoni were-among males at the age group from 10-<12years. A significant relationship was recorded between prevalence and intensity of infection and those who using pond water for human usage. The prevalence was significantly higher among children who received previous praziquantel treatment as well as those who didn't have TV, Radio and/or Video. The results were discussed on the light of certain variables
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Humans , Male , Female , Prevalence , Child , Schools , Health EducationABSTRACT
To determine the etiological agents of diarrhea in children from a small semi-urban city in Libya and the association of age, gender, seasonal variation, breast-feeding, source of water for drinking, or antibiotic use with the isolation of enteropathogens and whether such agents are community or hospital acquired. Using standard microbiological techniques we examined stool samples from 169 children [70 females] aged a few days to 12 years with acute diarrhea for viral, bacterial and parasitological agents. We used the disc diffusion method to determine the susceptibility of bacterial pathogens to antimicrobial agents. We carried out the study between April 2000 to March 2001. We detected a single agent in 44.4%, rotavirus in 26.6%, Salmonella in 13.6%, and Cryptosporidium in 13% of patients and other enteric pathogens, Shigella in 3.6%, Aeromonas in 5.5%, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar in 11.8, and Giardia lamblia in 1.2%. Serotyping of isolated Salmonella resulted in 21 being Salmonella enteric serotype heidelberg and 3 Salmonella enteritidis. We detected both serotypes in one child. More than 75% of the isolated Salmonella were resistant to 6 different commonly used antimicrobial agents. We found rotavirus, non-typhoid Salmonella and Cryptosporidium to be the most important enteric agents associated with childhood diarrhea in Zliten. The isolated bacterial pathogens showed high resistant rates, particularly among the Salmonella, to the commonly used antimicrobial agents. The ease of which one can obtain these drugs in Zliten may play a role in such resistance