Chlamydia trachomatis infection and relation to female infertility

Sera from 70 infertile female women [30 with primary and 40 with secondary infertility], 30 women with cervicitis attending the gynaecology clinic of Zagazig University Hospitals, and 30 women selected from the family planning clinic without overt genital disease [control group] were tested for the presence of antichlamydial Ig[G] antibody using the screening test immunoComb., which is based on a [Dot enzyme immunoassay-solid-phase EIA] Antichlamydial Ig[A] antibody was tested in the serum and cervical mucus of the 130 women included in this study by the same screening test. The positive samples for C. trachomatis Ig[G] antibody were confirmed by the indirect fluorescent antibody test [IFA] Antichlamydial antibody Ig[G] was found in 13 [18.57%] of infertile women, 4 [13.33%] of women with cervicitis and one [3.33%] women from control group. No significant statistical; difference between the presence of serum Ig[G] and serum and cervical mucus Ig[A] was found. In this study, though the prevalence of C. trachomatis infection is low, there is 5 times increase in the presence of antichlamydial Ig[G] antibody in infertile women than in control group, with significant statistical difference [P>0.05], which necessitate prompt diagnosis and rapid treatment of C. trachomatis genital infection

Immunological aspects of psoriasis

The serum immunoglobulins [IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and IgE] and complement components [C[3], C[4]] were investigated in 50 patients with psoriasis [Ps] and 50 healthy persons as controls [Cs]. It was observed that mean serum IgA, IgE and C[3] levels were significantly higher in patients compared to controls [IgA: P<0.001, IgE: P <0. 001, C[3]: P < 0. 001], whereas IgG, IgM, IgD and C[4], levels were not altered [IgG: P< 0. 05, IgD: P> 0. 05, IgM: P> 0. 05, C[4]: P > 0. 05]. The proportion of patients that had raised levels of IgA and C[3] levels were also significant [P < 0.001], but the distribution was not significant for IgE [P>0.05]. When the elevated levels of IgA, IgE and C[3] were compared according to the severity of the disease [mild, moderate and severe], no differences were found either for the mean levels or for the proportions of patients that had raised levels. This was taken as indication that the elevation of serum IgA, IgE and C[3] levels were independent of the severity of the disease. It is suggested that raised serum IgA and IgE levels may have a role in autoimmune pathogenesis, while elevated C[3] level [through increased C[3b]] is likely to have proliferative effect on keratinocytes. This seems to fit with the recent theory that psoriasis is a disease of hyperproliferation of keratinocytes, perhaps due to genetic predisposition

Evaluation of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISA in the diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus

Three commercially available ELISA kits and two confirmatory tests were evaluated for human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] [screening and confirmation] on sera from three groups of Saudi. Egyptian. and other nationalities: [1] 2580 new recruits and contractors; [2] 114 carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen; and [3] 82 patients attending the venereal disease [VD] clinic. In all the three groups screened, anti-HIV reactivity was reported by Abbott enzyme linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] screening kit in 24 samples [0. 86%], Boehringer Mannheim Enzymun- test anti-HIV 1+2 kit in 23 samples, [0.83%] and Organon tecknika, Vironostika anti-HTLV-III kit in 21 samples [0.076%] and the difference between the three ELISA screening assays was slight, however, only two samples among group [1] were definitely positive [0.07%] as judged by a confirmatory Immunofluorescent test and the Western blot test. The two confirmed cases were non-arabs and. left the country immediately. The borderline cases and false-positive cases were subjected to follow-up examination extended for 6 monthes without confirmation and considered negative. The high rate of reactivity and slight variability of the results obtained by different commercial ELISA assays strongly indicates that repeat testing by ELISA assay does not replace the essential confirmatory step

Comparative Diagnostic value of stool analysis, serological investigation and tissue examination in intestinal schistosomiasis

Ninty eight bilharzial patients with a history of Schistosomiasis and present gastro-intestinal disturbances were investigated for active Schistosoma infection by repeated stool analysis, serological diagnosis using indirect haemagglutination reaction [IHA], and sigmoidoscopy and tissue examination. By repeated stool examination, we diagnosed only 7 cases [7.14%] of S. mansoni by serological diagnosis using indirect haemagglutination reaction [IHA], 69 cases [70.41%] showed the presence of antibodies against S. mansoni with significant titres, 16 cases [23.19%] with titre 1:16, 13 cases [18.84%] with a titre 1:32, 7 cases [10.14%] with a titre 1:64, 14 cases [20.29%] with a titre 1:128, 12 cases [17.39%] with a titre 1:256, 4 cases [5.8%] with a titre 1:512, and 3 cases [4.35%] with a titre 1:1024. All the cases with significant titres, 1:16 or higher were screened for HBsAg before sigmoidoscopic examination, 22 cases [31.88%] were HBsAg positive. The sigmoidoscopic and tissue examination showed the presence of living S. mansoni ova in 29 cases [42.03%] and dead ova in 11 cases [15.94%], and 29 cases [42.03%], has no sigmoidoscopic findings and Schistosoma ova. It was illustrated that indirect haemagglutination test [IHAT] was comparatively found to be the most sensitive method for diagnosis of S. mansoni infection followed by sigmoidoscopy and tissue examination then stool examination

Prevalence of antibodies to Hepatitis C virus in Egyptian hemodialysis patients

Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis [C] virus [anti-HCV] was determined in 150 adult Egyptian male patients [mean age 47.3 years; range 25 to 75] with end -stage renal disease [ESRD] who are on regular hemodialysis in renal dialysis unit in Mahmmoud Hospital. The prevalence rate was 10%. These figures are considerably higher than in Germany 5.5% and United Kingdom 1%. The possible causes for the high prevalence of anti-HCV in our study are considered and suggestions made for its control

Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus in patients with chronic liver disease

The prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis [C] virus [anti-H C V] has been measured by ELISA test in 87 bilharzial patients with chronic active hepatitis, [C A H], 42 bilharzial patients without C A H and 30 non-bilharzial patients. Antibodies to H C V were detected in 52.87% of bilharzial patients with CAH, 19.05% of bilharzial patients without C A H and 13.33% of non-bilharzial patients, respectively. The differences between these prevalence rates were statistically significant. All the 58 anti-H C V positive samples were retested by RIBA test, and 51 samples [87.93%] were still positive. By comparison, 21 bilharzial patients with C A H, [24.14%], 6 bilharzial patients without CA H, [14, 29%] and 3 non-bilharzial patients [10%] were HBsAg positive