Neopterin levels in patients with post hepatitis C chronic liver disease

Hepatitis C virus causes biochemical, immunological and histological changes in host immuno response against the virus. Neopterin [NPT] is a valuable marker of cell-mediated immunity that reflects the degree of T helper-1 [Th-I] immune activation. Evaluation of the significance of serum neopterin as a marker of cellular immune response in patients with different states of post hepatitis C chronic liver disease. Seventy patients with post hepatitis C chronic liver disease were included in the current study: 40 patients with chronic hepatitis C and 30 patients with liver cirrhosis in addition to 15 healthy individuals as a control group. Patients were assessed and evaluated by laboratory instigations and liver biopsy to determine the severity of the disease. Serum neoterin level was significantly elevated in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and cirrhosis compared to the control group with distinctly higher concentrations in the cirrhotic stage than those in he non-cirrhotic stage of disease. Neopterin may be an early and valuable biochemical marker of cellular immunity which is activated upon simulation of cells by interferon. Measurements of immune activation by NPT could potentially be helpful surrogate markers in progression of liver disease

Cryptosporidium, blastocystis hominis dientamoeba fragilis in acute diarrhea in Egypt

This study was conducted on 187 patients with acute diarrhea and 20 controls attending the out patient clinics of Abbaseya Fever Hospital and Kasr El Aini Hospital. They included both sexes and different age groups. This study has demonstrated the high frequency of protozoal infections [68/187] in acute diarrhea in different age groups. Giardiasis represented 13 percent and amoebiasis 8 percent, with even a higher frequency in non-diarrhoeic cases [35 percent]. As regards cryptosporidiosis it was detected in 4 percent of diarrheic patients and all cases were below 2 years of age with the exception of one patient aged 60 years. Blastocytis hominis was detected in a high frequency [16 percent], only 7 of them had pure infection with no other enteric pathogens. Dientamaeba fragilis show a low frequency of only 1 percent. The details of age predilection and clinical presentations of each of these parasites were also studied

Acute bacterial diarrhea in Egyptian adults

This study was done on 83 patients with acute diarrhea and 20 controls, all were above 13 years of age. 70% of diarrheic patients were below 30 years of age, and most cases occurred during summer months [June-August], this seasonality is best evident in Shigellosis. The frequency of positive bacterial cultures was 17 cases [20%] in diarrheal patients compared with only one case [5%] in controls. However, there was a high rate of isolated parasitic pathogens in both groups. Shigella was the most frequent isolate [9 cases], 5 of them were Shigella dysenterae, 2 cases - Shigella flexeneri, one case Shigella boydii and another one Shigella sonnei. Diarrheogenic E. coli was detected in 6 patients [3 heat toxin [LT] and 3 heat stable toxin [ST]] and in 2 controls [2LT]. Campylobacter jeujeni, Salmonella species and Aeromonas hydrophilia were less frequently detected. The complaints of patients and the sensitivity to various antibiotics were also studied

Toxoplasma antibodies in patients with meningoencephalitis

This study was carried on 42 patients with meningoencephalitis who had negative C. S. F. cultures for common pathogenic bacteria. The percentage of seropositive Toxoplasma antibodies [lgG] using Indirect Immuo Flourescent Assay was 10/42 [26%]. The clinical presentation and C. S. F. changes with high antibody titres were encountered. The results may incriminate toxopIasmosis as an etiologic agent for meningoencephalitis