Diagnosis of hepatitis C virus infection using different methods

Hepatitis C virus [HCV] is now recognized as one of the major health problems allover the world. More than 50 percent of individuals exposed to HCV develop chronic infection. Approximately 20 percent to 30 percent will develop liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. HCV is generally transmitted by the parentral route. Methods to identify HCV include a highly sensitive second generation immunoassay that detects antibodies to structural and non-structural proteins in serum. Viremia is detected by polymerase chain reaction [PCR] technology. This study was done on 200 subjects who were divided into four groups, and 30 apparent healthy persons [blood donors] as a control group. Sera were subjected to detection of antibodies to HCV using enzyme linked immunosorbant assay [ELISA] test and the detection of viral RNA by PCR. HCV antibodies were present in 82 [35.36 percent] out of 230 tested subjects. Sera from these subjects [230] were subjected to detection of HCV- RNA, we found HCV - RNA in 22 [14.9 percent] out of 148 hCV antibody - negative subjects and in 72 [87.8 percent] out of 82 HCV antibody - positive subjects

Meningitis in El-Minia locality

In this work, 48 cases presented with meningitis were studied. The collection of the cases was during six-month-period [from December to May 1988]. The age ranged between two months and fifteen years. According to age distribution, the majority of the cases were in the age group two months-one year [19 cases]. Pyogenic infections were the cause in thirty- two cases, tuberculous meningitis was present in nine cases and viral meningitis was the cause in seven cases. CSF examination revealed meningococcal infection in 25% of the studied cases, TB in 18.7% and viral infection in 14.6%. The other organisms isolated were pneumococci [6.3%], gram -ve bacilli [6.3%] and mixed infections [4.1%]. A considerable number of cases [25%] proved to be due to pyogenic infection but no organisms could be isolated. The presenting features in order of frequency were fever, signs of meningeal irritation, impaired sensorium, motor system affection, symptoms of increased intracranial pressure, convulsions, cranial nerves affection, loss of sphincteric control, conjugate eye deviation and cerebellar manifestations. There was no significant difference in the presenting features between pyogenic, TB and viral cases. It was observed that convulsions were more common the younger the age, while signs of increased intracranial pressure were more common the older the age. The CSF findings were discussed

Incidence of mycoplasma pneumoniae in lower respiratory tract infection in infants and children

Two hundred infants and children suffering from lower respiratory tract infection and 53 healthy controls from the paediatrics clinic of El-Minia University hospital were the subjects of this study from Dec. 1992 to Aug. 1993. Mycoplasma pneumoniae was isolated from 20 percent of the patients. It was more prevalent in the age group 4-10 years [30 percent], followed by 10-12 years [11.6 percent] and finally those aging from 1 to 4 years [7.5 percent]. M. pneumoniae was isolated from three [5.6 percent] of the control group. The post-pharyngeal swabs were the ideal method for sampling M., pneumoniae, followed by gastric lavage and lastly the sputum samples. The incorporation of high percentage of bacterial inhibitors in addition to anaerobic incubation in a humid atmosphere at 37 C was essential for the primary isolation of the causative agent. The best medium for isolation of mycoplasma species was the SP4 medium followed by S. Hayflick and finally the biphasic media. The most sensitive and specific test for sero logical identification of M. pneumoniae colonies was the dot ELISA test. Moreover, the ideal method for detection of M. pneumoniae antibodies was the ELISA technique which showed better results than the complement fixation test

Recurrent urinary tract infection in female patients

One hundred and fifty female patients suffering from recurrent urinary tract infection presented to El-Minia University Hospital in a period of 1.5 years were included in this study. All cases were randomly selected and divided into 6 groups; 42 pregnant, 24 pregnant diabetics, 56 middle aged, 18 diabetic middle aged, 10 unmarried females and 15 cases non - symptomatized were investigated as control. Mid-stream urine samples were taken from every patient and examined for biochemical reactions, microscopic examination, bacterial culture and sensitivity. We found significant bacteriaria in 42.7 percent of cases with bacterial count above 10[5] organisms per ml,., 52 percent of cases with bacterial count less than 10[5], while in 5.3 percent of cases the results of the cultures showed no growth although they were presented with urinary tract infection [U.T.I.]. Escherichia coli, staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus pyogenes and staphylococcus albus were the commonest organisms isolated from the diabetic pregnant females. While E. coli, Klebsiella, proteus and staphylococcus aureus were the commonest organisms isolated from the non - pregnant females. The most effective types of antibiotics used were Norfloxacin, Ofloxacin, Cefotaxim, and Cefoperazone. Short term therapy with these agents gave good results in uncomplicated upper U. T. I. with stones, abnormalities and other pathologies. Pseudomonas followed by E. Coli, staph. aureus and Klebsiella were the strongest [beta- lactamase producing organisms. Significant bacteriuria may be present in the absence of pyuria and vice versa

commonest causative organisms of gastroenteritis in El-Minia locality

Our study presents bacteriological and parasitic findings together with silent clinical features from a prospective study of 145 children aged less than 6 years with gastroenteritis, attending the pediatrics outpatient clinic of El Minya University hospital. Putative Organisms were identified in the stools of 128 of these children, 23 cases were infected with multiple organisms. Enteropathogenic E.coli was the most frequent Enteropathogen [28.3 percent] followed by Campylobacter [6.9 percent], Klebsiella [3.4 percent], Shigella Spp. [2.8 percent], Salmonella [2.1 percent], Proteus [2.1 percent], Staph aureus [1.4 percent] and Pseudomonas Pyocyanea [1.4 percent]. As regards parasitic infection, Giardia lamblia and E.histolytica were detected in 15.8 percent and 24.1 percent respectively. The prevalence of infectious diarrhea was higher in weaned infants than in breast fed ones