RESUMEN
Abstract: SEN virus [SENV] is a single stranded DNA virus that belongs to the Circoviridae family. Nine genotypes [A-I] have been identified. Among them, it has been shown that two SENV genotypes [SENV-D and SENV-H] are significantly associated with transfusion-associated non-A-E hepatitis. The exact role of this virus in the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease, including chronic hepatitis and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC] remains to be established. Aim of work: to invesigate the presence of SENV-D and SENV-H viremia among Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C and hepatitis C virus [HCV] related hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC] and to assess its possible implications
Subjects and Methods: Using polymerase chain reaction [PCR] amplification to detect SENV-D and SENV-H strains in serum, we investigated SENV viremia in 43 patients with chronic liver disease [chronic hepatits C], 25 hepatits C virus related HCC and 25 community based individuals as a control group
Results: SENV-H strain was detected in 18/43[42%] of chronic hepatitis C patients, 11/25 [44%] of HCV related HCC patients compared to 4/25 [16%] of the controls. The difference was statistically significant between patients with Chronic viral hepatitis C and the controls [P=0.0338] and between patients with HCC and the controls [P=0.031]. SENV-D strain was detected only in 7/43 [16%] of the chronic viral hepatitis C cases, 6/25 [24%] of HCC compared to 2/25 [8%] of the controls and the difference was ststistically insignificant between the three studied groups. A statistical insignificant difference was found between SENV positive and SENV negative community based subjects regarding age, sex and ALT level No difference between SENV-infected and non-infected liver patients was demonstrated with respect to ALT level, serum bilirubin, albumin level and prothrombin time
Conclusion: SENV infection is frequent among patients with chronic liver disease and HCC. SENV, at least genotypes D and H are not associated with increased evidence of liver diseases and do not increase the risk for hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis C patients
RESUMEN
Abstract: Down's syndrome [DS] is the most common chromosomal abnormality in humans. It is characterized by precocious immunologic aging that results, among other things, in alterations of T lymphocyte subsets and natural killer cells. DS subjects have an increased prevalence of autoimmune disorders. The most common autoimmune disease in DS is related to the thyroid gland
Aim of work: investigate some indicators of immune response, such as white blood cells, lymphocytes, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD56+ peripheral blood mononuclear cells and to study thyroid function and the presence of thyroid autoantibodies in DS children and to compare them with the same items in healthy children
Subjects and Methods: This study was carried on twenty six children; 15 children with DS, their age ranged from 13 to 63 months [32.8+/-15.6] and 11 healthy children matching in age and sex with DS children. Five ml venous blood samples were collected aseptically from each child. Evaluation of total leucocytic count, lymphocytes, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD56+ cells was carried for each subject. TSH and FT4 were measured by chemiluminesence and thyroid autoantibodies [antithyroglobulin and anti TSH receptor antibodies] were measured by radioimmunoassay
Results: Total leucocytic count, Lymphocyte count, CD3+ and CD4+ cells were lower in DS children [total leucocytic count was 5773.3 cells /mm3 +/- 1862.2, lymphocyte count was 2235.3+/-598.9, CD3+ cells were 1775.3+/-397.6, and CD4+ cells were 762.0+/-299.5] than healthy controls [total leucocytic count was 7909.1+/-1465.9, lymphocyte count was 3160.0+/-723.6, CD3+ cells were 2253.1+/-637.9, CD4+ cells were 1390.4+/-380.5] with statistical significant difference. CD8+ and CD56+ cells were higher in DS children [CD8+ cells were 980.5+/-286.3 and CD56+ cells were 394.3+/- 104.0] than healthy controls [CD8+ cells were 742.9+/-171.7 and CD56+ cells were 176.6+/-53.9] with statistical significant difference. CD4/CD8 ratio was reversed in DS children [0.79+/- 0.28]. Seven patients [46.7%] with DS were hypothyroid according to thyroid profile tests; while none of the control group revealed any abnormality in thyroid function. Thyroid autoantibodies were detected in 3 [20%] of DS children [2 hypothyroid and 1 euthyroid patients] and in none of the control group. In conclusion, a complex impairment of T-lymphocytes and natural killer cell production takes place in DS children. The sum of these alterations is likely the cellular basis of the defective immune responses and of the increased susceptibility to infectious diseases occurring in DS subjects. Thyroid dysfunction is common in DS children and thyroid autoantibodies are not uncommon in preschool DS children
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Background: There are considerable evidences for a cytokine orchestrated chronic inflammatory response in long term hemodialysis patients. It is possible that genetically determined lower production of IL-10 might influence disease susceptibility and or severity caused by altered proinflammatory antiinflammatory cytokine balance
Aim of work: to determine the relative frequency of specific genotypes of IL-10 among a group of Egyptian patients with end stage renal disease on hemodialysis and to evaluate the relationship of specific genotypes to nutritional and biological markers and indices of function and comorbidity
Subjects and Methods: The study comprised 50 patients with end stage renal disease [ESRD] on maintenance hemodialysis. Patients were legible for inclusion into the study if they were between 18 and 80 years and had been receiving hemodialysis three times per week. Functional status was assessed by means of the Karnofsky Index [KI]. The comorbidities were categorized using the Index of CoExisting Disease [ICED]. IL-10 promotor polymorphism was detected by PCR using primers that amplified a short fragment of DNA containing the polymorphism [-1082 G/A]. Identification of the 2 alleles at the polymorphic site was performed by restriction enzyme[MnI I]
Results: Among the 50 patients included in the study,the high IL-10 producers [GG] were 6 [12%], intermediate producers[AG] were 29 [58%] while the low producers [AA] were 15 [30%] No statistical significant difference was found in serum albumin or body mass index [BMI] between the high IL-10 producers [GG] and low IL-10 producers [AA]. Patients with high IL-10 producer genotype had higher KI [better functional status [88.3+4.08]] compared with low IL-10 producers [66.67+8.16] [P<0.05]. All patients with low IL-10 producer genotype [100%] had ICED score of 2 or 3 [higher comorbidity] compared with high IL-10 producer genotype [17%][p<0.05]
Conclusion: Single nucleotide polymorphism in the regulatory monokine IL-10 is strongly associated with indices of function and comorbidity
RESUMEN
Methicillin resistance and infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] represent a growing problem and a challenge for health-care institutions. Resistance to methicillin is primarily associated with acquisition of mecA gene. The aim of the current study was to find out the incidence of MRSA bacteraemia among ICU bacteraemic patients and evaluate direct mecA gene detection from blood culture bottles and the oxacillin [methicillin] disk diffusion method commonly used in hospitals to identify MRSA using PCR for mecA detection in isolates as the golden. The study was conducted on 300 ICU patients with pyrexia of unknown origin. Blood samples were collected under complete aseptic precautions for blood culture onto BACTEC blood culture bottles. Detection of mecA gene by Polymerase Chain Reaction [PCR] was carried directly on any bottle showing Gram-positive cocci in clusters in film. Isolates of all positive blood culture bottles were identified. For Staph aureus isolates oxacillin disk diffusion and mecA gene detection was carried. Out of 300 samples included in the study, 190 [63.3%] yielded growth. Methicillin resistant Staph aureus was isolated from 88/190 patients [46.3%]. The agreement between the results of mecA gene detection among isolates and those among blood culture bottles was found to be 100% [Kappa = 1] and the sensitivity 100%. Disk diffusion method detected 79 cases out of the 88 MRSA strains The agreement between the results of oxacillin disk diffusion sensitivity method and mecA detection either in isolates or blood culture bottles was found to be 94% [Kappa= 0.87] and the sensitivity was 89. 8%.Methicillin resistant Staph. aureus bacteraemia is a major problem in ICU. Detection of mecA gene by PCR from blood culture bottles is a good tool for rapid detection of methicillin resistance in staph aureus bacteremia. To confirm the specificity of this test, more samples from patients with Enterococcus and Streptococcus species bacteraemias need to be studied