ABSTRACT
To evaluate the most common causative agents associated with infectious diarrhea in elderly and to estimate the possible changes of serum IgA that may lead to increase the susceptibility to gastrointestinal infection among them. Sixty patients were included in this study, all of them were suffering from diarrhea, admitted to Alexandria fever hospital. They were divided into two groups: group I, 50 patients aged 65 years and above and group II, 10 patients aged from 20-30 years, all patients and controls were subjected to make stool culture, examination of stool for excess fats and detection of serum IgA by using ELISA technique. The results of this study showed that the percent of patients with normal inhabitant was significantly lower in group I [24%] compared to group II [70%] P= 0.004. The negative samples in stool cultures were submitted to test for IgM rotavirus; the results revealed 8 subjects of group I and 2 of group II were positive for Rota virus IgM. E-coli was present in 42% of group I and 20% of group II with no significant differences [P= 0.191], C.difficile was present in 18% of group I and 0% of group II with no significant difference [P- 0.146], Shigella was present in 16% of group I and 10% of group II with no significant difference [P= 0.628]. In group I, 86% of the patients had fat in the stool and 14% were negative, in group II, all patients were negative and this difference was statistically significant [P= 0.000]. Serum IgA ranged from 100-905 in group I with a mean of 475.15 +/- 246.2, while in group II, it ranged from 77 - 430 with a mean of 178.4 +/- 134.58. It was significantly higher in group I compared to group II, [P= 0.001]. Infectious diarrhea is an important disease in elderly. There is a higher mortality rat among them. Infectious diarrhea may be associated with abnormal immune function of old age [immuno senescence]. Certain bacterial infections are commoner among them [e.g. C.difficile, E.coli 1.57-H.7 and salmonella]
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Feces/microbiology , Aged , Immunoglobulin A/bloodABSTRACT
Transit time, bacterial growth together with both light and electron microscopy of small intestine were studied in relation to different portal pressure levels in 23 patients with schistosomal hepatic fibrosis Schistosomal patients were divided into two groups: the first included those without ascites or elevated portal pressure [100-150 mm H[2]0] while the second group comprised patients with ascites and a portal pressure varying between 180 and 400 mm H[2]0. Although all findings were within normal in the first group patients, yet those of the second group showed delayed intestinal transit time[80%], small bowel bacterial overgrowth whether aerobic or anaerobic [80%] along with mild, moderate or marked light and electron microscopic pathological changes which seemed to depend on the extent of rise of the portal pressure. In spite of the fact that all studied parameters seem to be of importance, yet further attempts should be made in order to clarify the role and sequence of event, each of these factors play, in induction of altered intestinal functions in hepatic schistosomiasis patients