Microbiological aspects of diaper dermatitis and breast milk zinc

This study was conducted on 185 infants divided into two groups: Group I 75 breast fed full term infants [42 males and 33 females] and group II 60 breast fed preterm infants [33 males and 27 females] suffering from resistant diaper dermatitis, aged one month to 12 months, in addition 50 clinically free infants were selected as a control group. Bacterial growth was obtained in 117 [86.7%]. Aerobic facultative bacteria or candida were present in 56 cases [47.9%] and anaerobic bacteria only in 23 cases [19.7%] and mixed anaerobic with aerobic, facultative or yeast was present in 38 cases [32.4%]. So, colonization of candida in this study was 94 cases [80.3%]. The results recorded that the most common candida species isolated were C. albicans 67%, followed by C. tropicals, C. parapsilosis, C. macedoniensis and C. deformans 20.2%, 5.3%, 4.3% and 3.2%, respectively. The commonest strict anaerobic isolates were bacteroid fragilis [39.1%] then peptostreptococcus [30.4%], propionibacterium acnes [17.4%] and peptococcus [13.1%]. The most common aerobic facultative isolates in this study were staphylococcus aureus [41.1%], streptococcus [33.9%] especially non-hemolytic streptococcus, beta-hemolytic streptococcus, alpha-hemolytic streptococcus [14.3%, 10.7% and 8.9%], respectively, staphylococcus epidermidis [14.3%] and E. coli [10.7%]. Diagnosis of zinc deficiency must be considered in any infant with a napkin dermatitis which fails to respond to appropriate treatment

Clinical value of urinary alpha 1-microglobulin and N-acetyl beta-D-glucosaminidase in pediatric renal diseases

Measuring urinary alpha[1]-microglobulin [alpha1 MG] and acetyl beta-D-glucosa-minidase [NAG] excretion is widely used as a valuable clinical tool in assessing renal glomerular and tubular lesion in adult, However few data are on values for urinary alpha[1]MG and NAG in pediatrics. The aim of this study was to measure urinary alpha[1]MG and NAG in children in health and diseases and if these might reflect disease activity. We studied 31 children with some clinical renal diseases during active disease and remission over follow-up period of 3 years and 10 healthy children were included as a control group. 10 children with nephritic syndrome [group I], 11 children with nephrotic syndrome [group II] and 10 children with lupus nephritis [group III]. Urinary alpha[1]MG and NAG was measured by radial immunodiffusion technique assay and colorimetric assay respectively. Our results showed significantly higher levels of urinary alpha[1]MG in children with active disease versus controls. The urinary alpha[1]IMG level was in the control [19.67 +/- 8.481, in group 1[53.61 +/- 2.95, p<0.05]. In group 11[91.29 +/- 31.91 p<0.01] in group III [81.27 +/- 15.09, p<0.001] compared to control. Urinary alpha[1] MG level showed no significant difference in patients in remission period versus control [p>0.05]. Urinary level of alpha[1] MG showed significant correlation to proteinuria in group I [r=0.783<0.01] and group 11 [r=0.925, p<0.001] only. On the other hand urinary NAG level showed significantly higher levels in all patients groups [group I, group II, group III], compared to controls [p<0.001] and there was no significant difference in all patients in remission phase compared to controls [p >0, 5]. There was a significant positive correlation between urinary alpha[1]MG and NAG