Helicobacter pylori infection among school children in Alexandria: Possible association with intestinal parasitic infections

This study was conducted on 170 pupils of a primary school in Backos area of Alexandria, Egypt. A complete clinical examination was undertaken together with a thorough past and family history taking. The children completed a pre-designed questionnaire regarding some socioeconomic data and past medical history. A stool examination was carried out to detect different parasitic infections. Helicobacter pylori infection was diagnosed immunologically by the detection of anti-H. Pylori IgG antibodies in salivary samples using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]. The results revealed that the prevalence of H. Pylori among the examined pupils was 27.1%. Boys were more infected than girls [32.5% vs. 22.2%]; however, the gender effect was not statistically significant. Age was more important as an epidemiologic determinant and H. Pylori infection increased significantly with age. Of the socioeconomic factors investigated, the education of parents, especially mothers, was the most important and H. Pylori infection increased significantly with the decrease of the level of mother's education. A degree of association, which was not statistically significant, was found between H. pylori infection and intestinal parasitic infections, especially helminths as Ascaris, Trichuris, Hymenolepis and Fasciola sp. Suggesting the fecal-oral route of transmission, role of food and the effect of household environment and food hygiene

Antibody response in schistosomiasis mansoni: IgG and IgE response to three anti-schistosomal candidate vaccines glutathione -S- transferase, schistosoma mansoni 217 and schistosoma mansoni 23

A total of 199 serum samples from individuals living in a Schistosoma mansoni endemic Egyptian village were tested for their IgG and IgE response to various schistosomal antigens using ELISA. In addition, it was possible to examine the IgE response in serum samples from 54 S. mansoni infected and uninfected Sudanese subjects. IgG responses were examined against AWA, SEA, Sm GST, Sm 21.7, Sj 26, KLH and Sm 23. IgE responses were examined to these antigens as well as to a detergent extract of adult worm antigen [DAWA] and a schistosomular antigen [Somule Ag]. In the Egyptian patients studied, there was a significant negative correlation between IgG response to Sm GST intensity of infection. In male patients there was a significant difference between negative and positive IgG responses to AWA and Sm 21.7 in relation to the intensity of infection with the positive responses being associated with lower intensities of infection. However, there was no relationship between age and different IgG or IgE responses. The infected and uninfected persons did not differ significantly in their responses. In contrast, most of the IgE responses in Sudanese patients were significantly higher than those of the uninfected persons. Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between age and IgE responses to KLH and Sm 23. Despite the contrast between the Egyptian and the Sudanese responses, the study shows an interesting pattern of antibody response to three candidate vaccines [Sm GST, Sm 21.7 and Sm 23]