Risk factors of hepatitis B virus infection in urban and rural areas of Qena governorate, Upper Egypt

Background: HBV infection is a significant health problem in Egypt which is categorized as an HB virus intermediate endemic area, with HB carrier rate ranging from 2%-7%. HBV infection is the 10[th] leading cause of death and HBV related hepatocellular carcinoma is the 5[th] most frequent cancer worldwide

Aims of the study: The present study aims to investigate the most important risk factors for transmission of HBV and HCV in urban and rural areas in Qena Governorate, Egypt

Patients and Methods: A matched case control study was conducted. The study included 600 patients, 100 HBV cases and 500 controls, aged above 20 years and below 70 years. Direct interview was done with each participant separately for filling the questionnaire during the period from January 2013 to January 2014. The collected data were reviewed, entered and statistically analyzed using SPSS version 19

Results: The mean age of cases and controls were 38.83 [ +/- 12.62] and 44.26 [ +/- 11.68] years respectively. Multivariate analysis shows that odds ratio of HBV infection is significantly higher among cases with some risk factors: injection by reused needle, sharing razors with others, dental procedures or oral surgery, blood transfusion and intravenous infusion and/or injection

Conclusion and Recommendations: The common risk factors exposures of hepatitis B infection included blood transfusion, dealing with patient blood, hospital admission, surgery, accidental stick with a blood contaminated needle, intravenous catheterization and dental procedures. There are statistically significant differences between HBV cases and their controls in the majority of these risk factors. The presence of these risk factors emphasizes the need for increasing the uptake of HB vaccine. Health care providers, health educators, and other community-based organizations must play an active role in counseling high-risk people

Determinants of the risk for diabetic foot ulceration in Sohag University Hospital

One of the most common complications of diabetes in the lower extremity is the diabetic foot ulceration [DFU]. To identify the determinants of the risk for diabetic foot ulceration [DFU] in terms of peripheral neuropathy [PN] or peripheral vascular disease [PVD] among a sample of diabetic foot patients. A cross sectional study included 100 diabetic foot patients attending Sohag University Hospital for follow up during the period from January 2009 to January 2010. They were subjected to complete medical history taking and thorough clinical examination. Diabetic Neuropathy Symptoms [DNS] along with the Diabetic Neuropathy Examination [DNE] scores were used together to define and assess PN. PVD diagnosis was based on identification of claudication pain symptoms; absent or weak foot pulses on palpation of the dorsalis pedis and/or the tibialis posterior arteries; coldness of skin; and finally confirmed by arterial doppler of lower limbs. The mean age of the patients was 57.92 +/- 9.2 years; 65% were males and 79% lived in rural areas. The majority [79%] had type 2 DM with mean disease-duration of 13.4 +/- 6.9 years. Fifty percent of the study patients were smokers and ex-smokers, 33% were hypertensive and 24% had previous history of foot ulceration or amputation. Male gender, old age, low socioeconomic status, smoking, hypertension, type 2 DM, long duration of DM, uncontrolled DM, and previous history of foot ulceration, amputation or other diabetic complications were all significant determinants of PN and PVD; two major risk factors of DFU