Hepatitis B virus infection among staff in three hospitals in Khartoum, Sudan, 2006-07

This study was conducted to determine the seropositivity of hepatitis B infection, associated risk factors and history of vaccination among staff in 3 teaching hospitals in Khartoum. The study was carried out from March 2006 to March 2007. Participants comprised 245 randomly selected hospital staff; 12 [4.9%] reacted positively for HBsAg, 6 of whom were nurses, 4 domestic staff and 2 laboratory staff. Only 37 participants [15.1%] said that they had attended training courses in biosafety. Just over 50% indicated that they had had needle-stick or sharp injuries during work; 61 [24.9%] indicated that they always followed the bio-safety precautions, 52 [21.4%] said that they always wore gloves during their work while 43 [17.6%] said they never wore them. Only 11 [4.5%] of the participants had received the full vaccination dose for hepatitis B

Sub-acute toxicity studies of Catha edulis [Khat]

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of [Catha edulis on some biochemical parameters on short and long-term basis. Fresh Khat in a dose of 20 grams/kilogram, was given to three groups of rabbits [nine each], for one, two, and three weeks, and a fourth group was left as a control, and in another trial fresh Khat was given in three doses 20, 30 and 40 gram/kilogram to three groups of rabbits [six each], for six months, and a fourth group was left as a control. The results were as follows: fasting blood sugar [FBS], triglyceride [TG], GOT, and GPT were increased in both trials. The CBC which was measured only in the second trial showed that Khat lowered hemoglobin, WBCs, and lymphocytes while it increased neutrophils. The Khat treated groups showed lowered body weights in the second [six months] trial. The heart weight relative to the body weight was increased in the first trial, while this result was not seen in the second trial