Genetic Variability of Antigen B among Echinococcus granulosus Egyptian Isolates

Genetic polymorphisms of encoding antigen B2 gene (AgB2) in Echinococcus granulosus were studied using PCR-RFLP and DNA sequencing among 20 Egyptian isolates. Five isolates from different host origins (humans, camels, pigs, and sheep) were collected and used. All examined isolates of each host group gave very similar patterns of PCR-RFLP after restriction enzyme digestion with AluI, with the gene size of approximately 140 bp and 240 bp for sheep and human isolates, and approximately 150 bp and 250 bp for pig and camel isolates. No digestion pattern was obtained after incubation of all studied isolates with EcoRI. These results reveal high intra-group homogeneity. DNA sequence analysis highlighted that human infecting strain showed 100% identity with respect to sheep infecting isolate, 96% and 99% with pig and camel infecting isolates, respectively.

cilnical significance of ultrasound-guided lymph node biopsy and fine needle aspiration cytology [FNAC] in patients with abdominal lymphadenopathy

This study included 65 patients [32 males and 33 females] with enlarged abdominal lymph nodes [ALNs] detected by ultrasonography [US]. They underwent US-guided percutaneous ALN biopsy and fine needle aspiration cytology [FNAC] after initial clinical, laboratory, US and Doppler evaluation. Cases with very small [<1 cm] or highly vascular ALNs and those with bleeding tendency, marked obesity or tense ascites were excluded from the procedure. In all patients, both biopsy and FNAC were successful to obtain a sample without major complications. ALNs of different groups and locations were biopsied, the commonest were the para-aortic, coeliac and porta hepatic groups. A definite diagnosis was given by the percutaneous procedures in 58 cases. The diagnosis of other four cases was achieved by laparoscopic or surgical biopsies and the last three cases remained undiagnosed. It was concluded that US-guided biopsy and FNAC of ALNs are efficient methods in the diagnosis of both malignant and benign conditions. They require a perfect cytological and histopathological interpretation supplemented by the use of advanced histochemical techniques. The procedure is easy in experienced hands with no considerable complications