Polymerase chain reaction versus conventional methods in the diagnosis of vaginal trichomoniasis

A total of 200 females of whom 120 had manifestations of vaginal trichomoniasis and 80 asymptomatic ones were studied. In 54/120 symptomatic female [45%] and in 28/80 asymptomatic ones [35%], T. vaginalis was diagnosed by wet mount of bedside vaginal swab samples of 120 samples from symptomatic females, T. vaginalis was detected in 93 [77.5%] when cultured onto InPouch and 95 [79.16%] in modified thioglycolate media. Culturing 80 samples of asymptomatic females showed T. vaginalis in 35 [43.75%] onto either media. T. vaginalis genomic DNAs was amplified by PCR from 130 [65%] by using TVA5-TVA6 primer pair in 95 [79.16%] samples of 120 symptomatic females, and in 35 [43.75%] samples of 80 asymptomatic ones. Difference between groups was statistically significant. The motile trichomonads was detected by wet mount in 82/130 positive cultures giving 63.07% sensitivity and 100% positive predictive value [PPV]. Flagellates were not detected by wet mount in any negative culture, giving 100% specificity and 59.32% negative predictive value [NPV]. The wet mount diagnostic accuracy [DA] was 76%, without false-positive, but false negative was 48/130 [36.93%]. DNA was amplified from 129/130 positive culture by TVA5-TVA6 primer pair, giving 99.23% sensitivity. No amplification was detected from one positive culture. DNA was not amplified from 69/70 negative culture using TVA5-TVA6 primer pair, giving 98.57% specificity, 99.23% PPV, 98.57% NPV and 99% DA

Serum-zinc levels in aborted cases with toxoplasmosis and some other diseases

In ninety-eight aborted cases serum-zinc concentration was determined by the AAS, whereas, the toxoplasmosis cases were detected by the haemagglutination test. The correlation between toxoplasmosis as a cause of pregnancy termination and its responsibility for serum zinc disturbancies was discussed. Other chronic diseases revealed a decrease in zinc level

Evaluation of the therapeutic effect of diethylcarbamazine [hetrazan] in bancroftian filariasis using various technique in upper Egypt

Diethylcarbamazine [Hetrazan], in a dosage schedule of 6 mg/kg body weight daily for 10 days was used in a filarious area, El-Nikhila village, in Assiut Governorate. Ultra-low density of Wuchereria bancrofti microfilariae was achieved in Hetrazan treated patients. Both standard thick blood film slide method and counting chamber techniques were unsatisfactory in determining the infection in five randomly selected treated patients, with ultra-low level of parasitaemia, while xenodiagnosis technique proved most reliable in such condition. More light was thrown on the approach of eradication of lymphatic filariasis in Upper Egypt