Expanding the comprehensive national neonatal screening programme in the United Arab Emirates from 1995 to 2011

The national neonatal screening programme in the United Arab Emirates currently includes 16 disorders: congenital hypothyroidism, sickle-cell diseases, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, biotinidase deficiency and 12 amino acid, organic acid and fatty acid disorders. This paper reports data since the programme started in January 1995 up to December 2011 on the incidence of screened disorders and the molecular basis of positive screened cases. Screening used a combination of tandem mass spectrometry, molecular technologies and biochemical analysis. A total of 750 365 infants were screened and 717 babies saved from associated morbidity and/or mortality. The incidence of screened disorders were 1:1 873 for congenital hypothyroidism, 1:14 544 for phenylketonuria, 1:3 526 for amino acid, organic acid and fatty acid disorders, 1:9 030 for classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia, 1:8 300 for biotinidase deficiency, 1:2 384 for sickle-cell disease and 1:121 for sickle-cell traits. Coverage of neonatal screening in the population reached 95% in 2010

Serum calcium level as a marker of pregnancy-induced hypertension

Regulation of intracellular calcium plays a key role in hypertension. Hypertension has been estimated to complicate 5% of all pregnancies and 11% of first pregnancies. Half of the pregnant women with hypertension have pre-eclampsia. Hypertensive disorders account for up to 40 000 maternal deaths annually. To compare total serum calcium levels in pregnant women complicated with pre-eclampsia with those in normotensive control. This is a case-control hospital based study carried out at Omdurman Maternity Hospital, Khartoum Teaching Hospital, and Khartoum North Teaching Hospital in Khartoum State, Sudan in the period from October 2006 to June 2007. One hundred thirty-five women were enrolled in this study. 90 women with pregnancy - induced hypertension [PIH] admitted after 20[th] week of pregnancy represented the study group. Forty five women with normal pregnancy, at same age; same gestational age were selected as control group. The mean [ +/- SD] serum calcium of the study group was 8.38 +/- 1.04 mg/dl, while that of the control group was 9.04 +/- 1.13mg/dl [P= 0.001]. Low level of maternal total calcium may have a role in the development PIH. Therefore calcium consumption in pregnancy should be encouraged. Calcium supplement is recommended for women who live in places of low socioeconomic status as well as for women who prefer to skip milk and milk products due to personal preference

Incidence of haemoglobinopathies detected through neonatal screening in the United Arab Emirates

In January 2002, a pilot programme of neonatal screening for sickle cell disease was launched in the United Arab Emirates [UAE] in 3 districts of Abu Dhabi emirate. This paper reports the incidence of sickle cell diseases, other haemoglobinopathies and haemoglobinopathy carriers over a 12-month period using high performance liquid chromatography as a primary screening method. The overall incidence of sickle cell disease among 22 200 screened neonates was 0.04% [0.07% for UAE citizens and 0.02% for non-UAE citizens]. The incidence of sickle cell trait was 1.1% overall [1.5% for UAE citizens and 0.8% for non-UAE citizens]. Universal neonatal screening for sickle cell haemoglobin at the national level should be considered

Preliminary study on oral transmission of plasmodium falciparum

In order to assess the possibility of the oral transmission of human Plasmodium falciparum to animals, 40 male Swiss albino mice were orally inoculated with human blood parasitized with Plasmodium falciparum [infected group] and another 12 mice were inoculated with non-infected human blood [control group]. Ten infected mice and three non-infected control ones were sacrificed weekly at first, second, third and fourth week from the beginning of infection. It was observed that out of 40 infected mice, 18 acquired malaria as demonstrated by the observation of parasites in their blood and all control mice were negative for malaria parasite. So, it can be concluded that human Plasmodium falciparum may be transmitted to mice by the ingestion of infected blood

Cryptosporidium parvum and microsporidial species in obstructive biliary diseases

Biliary and duodenal aspirates were collected from 60 patients to detect Cryptosporidium parvum [C. parvum] and microsporidial species in obstructive biliary diseases. Patients were classified into three groups: Group I, benign obstructive biliary diseases [30 cases]; Group II, malignant obstructive biliary diseases [30 cases] and Group III, ten normal persons served as controls. C. parvum oocysts were detected in higher percentage in malignant obstructive biliary diseases than benign obstructive biliary diseases, but no oocysts were detected in stool samples. Microspora was also detected in higher percentage in group II than group I. Concerning types of obstructive biliary diseases in benign type, C. parvum and microspora were detected with a higher percentage in calcular type than stricture or dyskinesia. In malignant obstructive group, a higher percentage of C. parvum oocysts was detected in carcinoma of biliary tree

Changes in serum levels of aspartate, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine and urea induced by aerobic and anaerobic exercise

In order to study the effect of aerobic and anaerobic muscular exercise on serum aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], alkaline phosphatase [Alk. ph.], creatinine [Cr] and urea, twenty female volunteers were selected from various sports teams. All of them were clinically free, without any menstrual disturbances. While fasting, the volunteers were allowed to perform planned aerobic and anaerobic bouts. Blood samples were taken before and 10 minutes after the exercise bouts for estimation of serum levels of AST, ALT, Alk. ph., creatinine and urea. The results revealed that aerobic exercise bouts decreased significantly the serum levels of transaminases [AST, ALT], alkaline phosphatase and urea and induced insignificant elevation of serum creatinine. While the effect of the anaerobic exercise bouts was significantly increase in serum transaminases [AST, ALT], alkaline phosphatase and urea. As the aerobic exercise reduced the previous parameters significantly, the anaerobic exercise elevated it significantly