ABSTRACT
The emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains possessing virulence genes encoding such toxins as exfoliative toxins (ETs), toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), is worrying, especially in relation to the increasing frequency of nosocomial infections. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of genes encoding ETs and TSST-1 in MRSA isolates by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results showed that out of 88 investigated MRSA isolates, tst and etb toxin gene were found in 3 (3.4%) and 2 (2.3%) respectively, while none eta toxin genes were detected. It was concluded that the incidence of ET and TSST-1encoding genes among MRSA isolates in Makkah is lower or near to the global prevalence.
ABSTRACT
To determine the diagnostic accuracy of high-resolution MR imaging done at 1.5T in distinguishing bladder-restricted tumor from non-bladder-restricted tumor and compare the mean short axis dimension of metastatic pelvic lymph nodes with benign pelvic lymph nodes. Analytical study. Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, from March 2008 to July 2011. Patients with bladder cancer were enrolled. Based on pathologic T-staging following radical cystectomy, patients were assigned to one of two groups. Patients with stage T1 and T2 disease were assigned to the bladder-restricted tumor [BRT] group and those with stage T3 and T4 disease to the non-bladder-restricted tumor [NBRT]. High-resolution unenhanced MR imaging done prior to cystectomy was reviewed retrospectively [1.5 T MRI unit; GE Healthcare]. Results from MR imaging-based categorization were compared with pathology reports to fulfill the objective. Mean short-axis diameter of largest visible lymph nodes in patients with nodal metastasis was compared with mean short-axis diameter of largest visible lymph nodes in patients with benign lymph nodes. The accuracy of MRI in differentiating distinguishing bladder-restricted tumor from non-bladder-restricted tumor was 67.72%. The mean short axis diameter of metastatic lymph nodes was greater than that of non-metastatic lymph nodes, i.e., 7.4 mm and 5.4 mm respectively. Conventional high resolution 1.5T MRI does not appear to offer advantage over imaging done at low field strength scanners
ABSTRACT
One of the major goals in perinatal practice is to achieve the lowest possible perinatal mortality. We evaluated the pattern of perinatal mortality at the King Khalid University Hospital [KKUH] over four years, from 1403H through 1406H [October 1982 through August 1986]. Over this period the number of births at KKUH increased by 175%. In 1406H perinatal mortality was 14.5/1000 birth; survival of infants weighing 754 g was over 80%, and those weighing between 500 and 750 g was 30%. The likelihood of survival for an infant born at or after 27 weeks of gestation was greater than 80%