Prevalence, risk factors and impacts of schistosomal and intestinal parasitic infections among rural school children in Sohag governorate

Parasitic diseases represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality in childhood in most parts of the world. Hygiene and play habits make children especially vulnerable to schistosomal and parasitic infections. The aim of this study is to define the prevalence of different types of parasitic infections, to define their risk factors and to determine their impacts on health and scholastic absenteeism and achievement of rural school students in Sohag Governorate, Egypt. A cross-section, analytical study design was chosen to perform this research on 960 rural school students. All the students were interviewed and examined clinically and laboratory. The study showed that 38.5% of the students were infected by parasites. Entaemoeba histolytica, Enterobius vermicularis and Giardia lamblia had the highest percentages, 20.4%, 16.6% and 15.2%, respectively. Male sex, last birth order, poor personal hygiene, low socioeconomic level, >/=3 infected siblings, previous parasitic infections and no early consultation for therapy were important risk factors [ORs=1.41, 2.32, 2.63, 2.86, 4.17, 9.80 and 10.83, respectively]. Also, 29.2% and 31.6% of infected students were below the 5th percentiles as regard weight-for-age and height-for-age, respectively. Anemia was present among 52.4% of infected students. Further, 3.2% of them had hepatomegaly. Also, 37.8% and 41.1% of infected students had 0-3 and 4-6 days/month absent, respectively, while, 34.3% of infected students had a scholastic achievement <50.0%. Improving personal and environmental hygiene and regular screening, treatment and health education for students as regard parasitic infections in Egypt is recommended

Commercial non-invasive immuno-assay versus upper gastrointestinal invasive endoscopy in diagnostic approach to helicobacter pylori infection in pediatric cases with recurrent abdominal pain. [immuno-assay versus histological and electron microscopic study]

Knowledge about Helicobacter pylori [H. pylori] infection is evolving, particularly in the pediatric age group for which there are still large gaps in knowledge. Some hope to find an explanation for a larger number of the pediatric recurrent abdominal pain [RAP] was raised with the discovery of H. pylori. Clinical trials are underway for the validation of non-invasive diagnostic tests for theH. pylori infections. The purpose of the present study was to find out the association between RAP and H. pylori infection as well as to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the stool antigen test [HpSA] versus the invasive endoscopic biopsy and other non-invasive serological methods for detection of H. pylori infection in Egyptian children: Patients and methods: Seventy the children were classified into 2 groups: Group I: 50 children suffered from obscure RAP. Group II: 25 children [control group] underwent endoscopy for indications other than RAP. Each patient was subjected to I] Upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination and multiple gastric biopsies were taken for histological examinations. 2] Non-invasive tests [Serology] for H. pylori infections: Sera and saliva were assayed for H. pylori IgG antibodies. Stool specific H.pylori antigen [HpSA] assay. Results: Endoscopic examination observed that 76% of children presented by obscure RAP had pathological findings in the form of antral gastritis [32%], esophagitis [20%], pangastritis [14%], duodenal ulcer [6%], duodenal erosions [2%] and esophageal varices [2%]. The prevalence of H. pylori organism among children presented by RAP was 38% versus 16% in control group. The most common findings among children colonized by H. pylori were non active and active chronic superficial antral gastritis. H. pylori stool antigen assay showed a diagnostic accuracy [92.5%; 95.5%], sensitivity [93.8%; 100%] and specificity [9 1.7%; 80%] in both RAP and control groups respectively. In conclusion: Prevalence of H. pylori among children presented by RAP was 38% but with no significant etiological relationship. The HpSA test is a very sensitive, specific, and easy to perform non-invasive diagnostic tool for the primary diagnosis of H. pylori infection in Egyptian children

Hepatic tumors: predictive accuracy and role of radio frequency [R.F.] percutaneous thermal ablation on guidance of multiphase spiral-[C.T.] and color doppler U/S.

A retrospective assessment of the use of [R. F.] in the management of [25] patients with hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC] was carried out, The study of multiphase spiral [C.T.] and Color Doppler U/S of these patients and under guidance of both. The mean age was 55 years [99%] were farmers from Lower Egypt. The impact of needle [RE] on the management of these patients at high risk was limited [the lesion more than 6 cm diameter and with ascites]. However, unnecessary operations was avoided in 3 cases proved no changes by follow up until 12 months. The management of the patients was usually determined by other factors rather than by results of [R.F.] only [size of lesions, presence and severity of liver cirrhosis, histology, -number of lesions, early detection, Precise localization, and characterization of Liver lesions and presence or absence of distant metastases]. It was found that the contribution of [R.F.] to the management of the patients with [HCC] at high risk of malignancy [over the age of 55 years and with metastases, more than [4] lesions and with size more than 5 cm] is not significant and direct referral of the operable cases to surgery is justifiable On the other hand, those at lower risk could benefit from this technique, as a positive malignancy will prompt an early treatment and should improve the prognosis of some of these patients