Risk of hepatitis E virus infection among some schistosomiasis patients in Egypt

This study included 200 individuals; 100 were suffering from S. mansoni as confirmed by stool egg count, rectal snip, abdominal ultrasound and liver biopsy and the second 100 cases were parasite- free individuals serving as normal controls. The main symptoms of group I were dyspepsia, fatigue, dysentery, bleeding per rectum and hepatomegaly. There was no significant difference in the transaminase levels [SGPT and SGOT] between both groups. The prevalence of HEV-ab [ab [IgM] among group I was 31% and group II 14%, with a highly significant increase in group I. There was no correlation between the number of egg count in stools and HEV infectivity. Thus, the prevalence of HEV was higher in the rural areas and in schistosomiasis patients, in particular, due to low socio-hygienic conditions under which the patients are living. Also, schistosomiasis may play a role in virus infection by altering the immune system

Radio-immuno assay estimation of plasma endothelin levels in patients with bilharzial and post viral liver cirrhosis: a possible new additive factor in aggravation of portal hypertension

Radio immunoassay estimation of plasma endothelin level was carried out on 90 patients with bilharzial and post viral chronic liver diseases with portal hypertension associated with bleeding and non- bleeding esophageal varices as well as 10 normal control subjects. It was found that plasma endothelin level was significantly elevated in such patients when compared with normal controls. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between the elevated levels of plasma endothelin and portal vein diameter as well as bleeding esophageal varices. It may be concluded that plasma endothelin, which is a very potent vasoconstrictor for both systemic and portal circulation, plays an important role in the aggravation of portal hypertension in liver cirrhosis

Cytophotometric estimation of hepatocytes DNA in chronic liver diseases including schistosomiasis for detection of early preneoplastic changes

The aim of this work was to evaluate the estimation of hepatocytes DNA in chronic liver diseases as a diagnostic feature for early preneoplastic changes in different groups of patients. These groups included chronic persistent, chronic active hepatitis, liver cirrhosis due to schistosomiasis and other causes and hepatocellular carcinoma. The results were evaluated histochemically and histopathologically. It was concluded that the cytophotometric evidence of hepatocytes DNA in chronic liver diseases is a promising mean in detecting early preneoplastic changes

Immunocytological detection of T-lymphocyte subpopulation in schistosomiasis mansoni patients

Pan T-lymphocytes, T4 [helper cells], T8 [suppressor cells] and T4/T8 ratio were studied in 51 bilharzial patients as well as 30 healthy controls using monoclonal antibodies and indirect immunofluorescence technique. There was no significant alteration in cell mediated immunity in early noncomplicated schistosomal infection with the advance of the disease, and the development of granuloma cell mediated immunity was markedly decreased as evidenced by significant reduction in pan T-lymphocytes, T4 [helper cells] as well as T4/T8 ratio in hepatosplenic group in comparison to healthy controls. Splenomegaly in such cases may play an additional role in the immunosuppression

Plasma fibronectin and serum complement c3 levels in chronic active hepatitis following virus B versus virus C infection

Plasma fibronectin and serum complement C3 levels were estimated in 30 patients with chronic active hepatitis [CAH] post virus B and another 30 patients with CAH post virus C as well as 20 normal healthy subjects. Fibronectin level was significantly increased in CAH when compared to normal controls. Moreover, fibronectin level was significantly increased in CAH following virus C when compared to CAH following virus B hepatitis. Concerning complement C3 there was no significant changes in the different groups studied. It is concluded that CHA following virus C may lead to vigorous inflammatory damage than CAH following virus B infection

Immunofluorescent diagnosis of chlamydia trachomatis infection of the respiratory tract and the eye

Direct and indirect immunofluorescent antibodies as well as IgM antichlamidia antibodies were studied for diagnosis of 60 patients with Chlamydia trachomatis infection as well as 20 normal controls group [C]. 30 Patients were suffering from C, trachomatis pneumonia [group A] and the other 30 patients were suffering from trachoma eye infection [group B]. Indirect immunofluorescent technique [IIF] was positive 9.9% of group A. IgM antichlamydia antibodies by ELISA was positive in 23.3% and 16.6% in group "A" and "B" respectively. while highly positive results [60%] were obtained in conjunctival smears of group "B" when using direct immunoflorescent staining