Fibroscan of chronic HCV patients coinfected with schistosomiasis

Both hepatitis C virus [HCV] and schistosomiasis are highly endemic in Egypt and coinfection is frequently encountered. Such coinfection is responsible for leading to a more severe liver disease. Hence, the aim of the study was to assess the fibroscan in chronic HCV patients coinfected with Schistosoma. This study included 231 chronic HCV patients. Routine pre-treatment work-up was done including anti-schistosomal antibodies. Liver stiffness measurements using fibroscan and reference needle-liver biopsy were done. Patients were categorised into two groups: HCV patients with positive schistosomal serology and HCV patients with negative schistosomal serology. Anti-schistosomal antibody was positive in 29% of the studied population. Positive schistosomal serology status was significantly associated with the disagreement between the results of liver biopsy [Metavir] and the fibroscan results [p value = 0.02], which was more obvious in F2 and F3 fibrosis stages. The sensitivity of fibroscan for the detection of the F2 stage decreased from 64% among negative schistosomal serology patients to 30.8% among positive schistosomal serology patients, and for the F3 stage it decreased from 43.8% to 21.4%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression showed that fibrosis stages [FO-F1 and F4] were the most independent factors that were associated with the agreement between fibroscan and liver biopsy [odds ratio [OR] 3.4, 7.12 and p value <0.001, <0.001, respectively]. Although the sensitivity of fibroscan for the detection of fibrosis stages [F2 and F3] was impaired in patients with positive schistosomal serology, fibrosis stages [FO-F1 and F4] were the most independent factors associated with the agreement between fibroscan and liver biopsy

Bone marrow culture versus blood culture in diagnosis of typhoid fever

This study was performed on 50 patients with the diagnosis of enteric fever admitted to the Armed Forces Fever Hospital from March to September 1990 to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of bone marrow culture. Fifty percent were infected with S.paratyphi B. Ninety two percent of cases were diagnosed by bone marrow culture while only 52 percent were diagnosed by blood culture [P<0.001]. This diagnostic superiority of bone marrow culture was even greater in patients with prior antibiotic intake [93.7 percent diagnosed by bone marrow culture versus 23.7 percent by blood culture]. The diagnostic efficacy of bone marrow culture increased with the duration of the disease, while that of blood culture decreased. Bacteriological recovery from bone marrow culture was faster than that from blood culture. Although bone marrow culture is clearly superior to blood culture in the diagnosis of enteric fever, yet when both are done simultaneously, the diagnostic yield is greater than if either one is done alone

changing pattern of meningococcal carriage among new army recruits

This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of meningococcal carrier state among new army recruits and to identify the prevailing serogroups as well as their antibiotic sensitivity. Two hundred and forty eight healthy recruits from a military training centre were studied. Their ages ranged between 20 and 23 years. Nasopharyngeal swabs showed that 38.3 percent were carriers for Neisseria meningitides. Typing of the isolated strains revealed that 14.7 percent were serogroup A, 62.1 percent serogroup B, 5.2 percent serogroup X, 1.1 percent serogroup Y and 1.1 percent serogroup Z. Polyagglutinable strains were found in 8.4 percent and autoagglutinable strains in 7.4 percent of recruits. All isolated strains were found to be highly sensitive in vitro to chloramphenicol, penicillin G, ciprofloxacin, rifampin and cefixime. Only 12.6 percent were sensitive to trimetheprim sulfamethoxazole

Experimental evaluation of phagocytic function of autotransplanted splenic tissue

Splenectomy was done in 15 mongreal dogs with autotrasnplantation of spleinc tissue in the greater omentum. Eight weeks after surgery Indian ink was injected intravenously then re-exploration, and rerival of splenic autotransplant was done for histological examination. Histological examination revealed that the autoransplanted tissue the histological appearance of normal spleen and in addition it retains its phagocytic function