clinical significance of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase [MTHFR] polymorphisms in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL] is lie most common pediatric cancer. Genetic polymorphisms in the folate metabolic pathway may contribote to the susceptibility to childhood ALL because they affect the DNA synthesis, methylation and repair. The most common two polymorphisms are methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase [MTHFR] C677T and A1298C. We studied their effect on 30 ALL patients and 30 healthy controls regarding the incidence, toxicity and response to treatment using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism [PCR-RFLP]. MTHFR 1298 AC showed a decrease in incidence of ALL [OR=0.5; 95% CI=0.28-0.8; p=0.01] .Treatment toxicity with MTHFR C677T polymorphism was seen in the form of a decreased platelet Count [p=0.03] and with A 1298C in the form of liver toxicity [p=0.03]. No significant association could be found between the polymorphisms and the response to treatment

Unintended pregnancy in Egypt: evidence from the national study on women giving birth in 1999

The current study aimed to estimate the prevalence and correlates of unintended pregnancy among ever-married women. The study sample was 2349 ever-married women aged 15-49 years who gave birth in 1999. Unintended pregnancy was defined as unwanted and mistimed pregnancies. Of these, 431 [18.5%] women reported unintended pregnancy: 137 were mistimed [5.9%] and 294 were unwanted [12.6%]. Women of older age, living in frontier governorates, with poor knowledge of the ovulatory cycle, having a more than ideal family size, using contraceptive methods and having 4 or more children were at increased odds of reporting unintended pregnancies. Fewer antenatal care visits and low child weight at birth were significantly associated with unintended pregnancy

Serum complement functions and opsonic activity in patients with bacteremia after elective injections sclerotherapy and band ligation for oeshageal varices

Acquired deficiencies of certain complement proteins and, or impaired opsonisation activity of serum have been implicated in the pathogenesis of increased susceptibility to infections of patients with cirrhosis. One handred patients with chronic liver disease complicated with oesophageal varices were included in this study. Eighty of them were randomized to receive either endoscopic injection sclerotherapy [EIS] [40 patients] or endoscopic band ligation [EBL] [40 patients] as elective therapy for their varices. The rest of the patienit 20 were endoscoped but their varices not injected nor ligated. The there groups were well matched as regards clinical, laboratory, ultrasonograhic data, endoscopic findings and Child-Puch classification. Twenty healthy patients- apart from dyspepsia, were exposed to upper GII endoscopy and used as control group. Aerobic and anaerobic blood cutluresd were done for all members before, 30 minutes, 4 hours and 24 hours after the procedures. Throat cultures and cultures of the bands, ethanolamine, injector needle, tip of the endoscope and waer supply were cultural immediately before the procedures, Serum concentration of C3 and C4 and haemolytic complement activity [classic and alternative pathways] of serum and serum opsonic activity were determined in all patients and control group. Aerobic blood cultures were positive in 8 [20%] patients of EIS group and 7 [17.5%] patients of EBL group with a no significant difference between them. Organisms isolated were streptococcus pneumonia and coagulase negative Stahyylococci. 30 minutes positive blood cultures turned negative at 4 hours cultures. Causative organisms were also isolated from the patients throat. All anaerobic cultures were negative. Throat swab, injector needle swab and endoscopic washing swab showed positive culture in 65%, 59.5%, 20%, 28.5% and 22.8% respectively, Other swab cultures from water supply, Scelerosant agent, and bands showed no bacterial growth. Serum C3 and C4 concentration and haemolytic complement activity were significantly reduced [P <0.05 and P0.01 respectively] in patients with bacteremia compared to non bacteremic patients serum opsonic activity showed insignificant difference between bacteremic and non baceremic patients. In conclusion, low serum C3 and C4 concentaration and decreased hemolytic complement functions are major risk factors for bacteremia after both procedures

Some investigations on aflatoxicosis in cultured common carp [Cyprinus carpio L]

The effect of crude aflatoxins on the common carp [Cyprinus carpio] was investigated. The results indicated that common carp exposed to aflatoxin doses intraperitoneally or orally showed non-specific clinical signs. The most common gross post mortem findings were detected in liver and spleen of exposed fish. Different hematological changes were also recorded in common carp in correlation with the aflatoxin doses. Aflatoxin residues, particularly AFB1, and AFG1, could be detected in flesh of exposed fish which could be regarded as human hazards

Serodiagnosis of asthmatic tuberculous adult patients

This study was conducted on 30 adult patients with bronchial asthma, out of them 10 suffering also from chronic pulmonary tuberculosis. These cases were selected by systematic random sampling from the attendants of the allergy unit. Microbiology Department. Faculty of Medicine. Zagazig University during the year 1993. A control group of 30 apparently healthy adults crossly matched with cases was selected. Thorough history taking, clinical, sputum and radiological examinations for cases and control were made and cases were categorized into 2 groups. Group I included 10 asthmatics with pulmonary tuberculosis and group II included 20 patients with bronchial asthma only. It was found that house dust and house dust mite were the most prevalent allergens among the studied cases [43.3% and 33.3% respectively]. Positivity of skin testing to these allergens was mostly higher than the corresponding allergen specific IgE levels. Circulating immune complexes [CICs] levels were neither related to severity of asthma nor positivity of skin testing [P < 0.05] but most tuberculosis patients of group I [80.0%] had higher levels of CICs. It was also revealed that neither Zeil-Nelson staining nor culture methods of sputum could detect tubercle bacilli among group I with pulmonary shadowing suggestive of clinical tuberculosis. The most sensitive method for serodiagnosis of tuberculosis of ELISA [90.0%] followed by Indirect Immunofluoresent Antibody test [IFA. 80.0%] and lastly Passive Haemagglutination Test [PHT, 60.0%]

Bacteriofungal study of otitis media in adults

In the present study, 50 cases of acute suppurative otitis media [ASOM] and 50 cases of chronic suppurative otitis media [CSOM] were collected from the E. N. T. outpatient clinic. Their ages ranged from 14 years upwards. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent organism isolated [40% of cues with [ASOM] and 30% of cases [CSOM.] cases]. Fungi were detected more frequently in CSOM [16%] compared to 10% in ASOM. It was found that among 50 cases of treated ASOM, 16 cases had early recurrence of infection either with the same type of the organism as shown by the antibiogram [Relapse] or with different pathogens other than those isolated at the initial episode [Reinfection]. Honey had an antibacterial action, it can inhibit certain bacteria [aerobic] at lower concentrations than others [anaerobic]. It had also an antifungal action as it inhibits the submerged fungal growth

Lumbar spines brucellosis: presentation, diagnosis and treatment

Nineteen cases with lumbar spines brucella were studied during a 3 year period. The diagnosis was based on history of exposure, compatible symptoms and signs, plain radiographs, CT [in some cases] and high antibody titre. Combined antibiotic treatment [tetracycline, streptomycin and rifampicim] for long duration [3 months] was considered the most effective tool in the treatment. The adequacy of treatment was best monitored with repeated agglutination titers, and the duration of treatment proved to be more important than the antibiotic agent itself

Prevalence of brucellosis among man and animal in three different Egyptian localities

A total of 150 human serum samples were collected from 60 patients admitted to Fever Hospitals with pyrexia of unknown origin and 90 from apparently healthy persons in close contact with cattle. Sixty three [42%] samples showed serological evidence of brucella infection using ELISA technique for the detection of IgG and IgA specific antibodies for brucella. Fifteen [25%] pyrexial cases and 48 [53%] apparently healthy subjects in close contact with cattle had specific antibodies to brucella. Milkers and butchers had the highest incidence of brucella infection followed by veterinarian and animal attendants, while office employees and agricultural engineers showed the least incidence. In addition, 300 serum samples and 300 milk samples were collected from 3 different farms, 58 bovine serum samples showed IgG and IgA specific to Brucella abortus using ELlSA, while only 28 milk samples had an evidence of brucella infection using MRT. From serological point of view, ELlSA method was found highly sensitive and specific compared to CFT, RBPT and STAT respectively for laboratory diagnosis of brucella infection in man and animal. Rose Bengal Plate test and Milk Ring test, are still simple, rapid and economic screening techniques in contract to the technically expensive difficult and time consuming culture methods. The data presented, showed high prevalence of human and bovine brucellosis in two farms [Embaba and Sharkia] compared to that form in Cairo which showed the least

Role of mycoplasma in empyema in children

100 patients with empyema were selected and subjected to full history, careful clinical evaluation and laboratory investigation. 7 cases showed positive isolation with mycoplasma [7%], while isolation of mycoplasma from the upper air passages of normal children were positive in 2%. Cultures and sensitivity tests to antibiotics showed that the erythromycin and tetracyclines are the drugs of choice in managing such cases