Evaluation of the universal screening strategy in Qatar for the management of pregnant women carrying group B streptococci

Group B Streptococcus infection [GBS] has emerged as a serious disease, infecting 18, 000 people in the United States annually including life-threatening illness in about 8, 000 newly-born infants. To evaluate the efficiency of the current universal screening strategy for the management of GBS carriers a retrospective analysis was made of the records of 1, 620 pregnant women in Qatar, 550 of whom were found to be carriers. These latter were then used as a group to be compared with 450 uninfected pregnant women in terms of nationality, parity, age, treatment, and outcome. Young and nullipara pregnant women had a high incidence of GBS but there was no significant effect on birth mortality and morbidity regardless of whether or not they received treatment with antibiotics. It is suggested that the cost of screening for GBS at the 35th week of gestation cannot be justified

Screening of nosocomial methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] in the intensive care units of Assiut university hospital

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of nosocomial infections that uses numerous virulence factors, such as extracellular toxins and enzymes. Epidemic Methicillin-resistant S. aureus [MRSA] strains were described as multi-resistant strains with special capacity to colonize patients and staff and cause widespread outbreaks of infections. Rapid identification of MRSA from clinical specimens and screening of high risk patients for MRSA colonization have been found to be cost effective measures for limiting the spread of the organism in hospitals. The aim of this study was screening of MRSA infection in patients admitted to the Internal Medicine Department in Assiut University Hospital, using oxacillin resistance agar screen base [ORSAB] and MRSA screen test and to compare the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of MRSA infected patients with those of house-hold contacts and paramedical staff to evaluate their role in transmission of MRSA. The present study included 455 patients with nosocomial infections admitted to the ICU of Neurology and Chest Departments and the Diabetic Foot Care Unit. 154 nurses and workers in these units as well as 110 healthy volunteers who were household contacts of the patients with S. aureus infections were also included. Swabs were collected from the anterior nares of all studied groups and from the bed sores of patients who developed nosocomial beds sores. Sputum samples and endotracheal aspirates were also collected from patients who developed nosocomial pneumonia. Pus samples were collected from post-operative infected wounds of diabetic foot patients. All samples were cultured on mannitol salts agar. Colonies were identified by growth characteristics, Gram staining, biochemical reactions and confirmed by coagulase tube test. Coagulase positive mannitol-fermenting colonies were subcultured on ORSAB medium then subjected to MRSA screen test to detect PBP2a. Sensitivity patterns of the isolated strains were detected by Kirby and Bauer technique. It was found that 24% of the patients [110/455] were infected nosocomially with S. aureus. 60 patients were infected with MRSA [55% of S. aureus infected patients and 13% of the whole patients]. MRSA nasal colonization was reported in 17.5% of the patients [80/455], 5.2% of paramedical staff [8/154] and 18% of the household contacts [20/110]. The results of antibiogram showed that MRSA strains remained sensitive to ciprofloxacin, rifampin, gentamycin and vancomycin with the highest sensitivity obtained by ciprofloxacin. MRSA strains of patients and paramedical staff had the same antibiogram type while slightly different from those of their household contacts denoting that the paramedical staff had a major role in transmission of MRSA. Regular screening of patients gives an early warning of the presence of MRSA and assess the efficiency of barrier and application of basic infection control measures [standard precautions]. Prevention is better than treatment, but for those who are already affected, control is the most likely achievable goal rather than eradication to prevent cross transmission. We recommend the use of molecular methods for accurate and rapid typing of MRSA

Effect of flunixin meglumine on fertility of male rats

The effect of flunixin meglumine [FM] in doses of 4 and 8 mg/kg b. wt. on reproduction in rats were studied. The tested doses were given daily intramuscularly to male rats for 65 days. Sex organs weights, anal semen picture, testosterone, FSH and LH hormone levels as well as mating performance were the criteria used to evaluate the reproductive efficiency of treated rats. Prolonged i.m. administration of FM for 65 days to male rats, significantly decreased the weights of most genital organs, sperm cell concentration, sperm motility and live sperm% associated with an increase in the percentages of dead and morphological abnormal spermatozoa of treated rats. A decrease in plasma testosterone level and increase in plasma LH and FSH levels was observed in the treated groups. Administration of the tested drug to male rats decreased their ability to mate females. Moreover, the number of viable feti in some pregnant rats was significantly decreased as compared with that of controls

Kinetic disposition, systemic bioxvailbility and tissue distribution of pramycin in broiler chickens

The present study was initiated to describe the kinetic disposition, bioavailability, tissue distribution pattern and residue of apramycin in chickens when given after oral i.m. and i.v. administration

Certain pharmacological studies on some new furocoumarin synthetic derivatives

The anticoagulant activity of some new synthetic derivatives of 4-hydroxyisopimpinellin [compound I = C33H24O12 and compound II = C33H23O12Br] and 4-hydroxybergapten [compound III = C33H20O10, compound IV = C31H19O10Cl and compound V = C29H18O10S] and dicumarol was studied in rats. The acute toxicity [LD50] of the tested compounds were studied in mice. The studied parameters were blood coagulation by screening tests [PT and APTT] and platelets count. AST and ALT activities and histopathological changes were also studied following the prolonged oral administration of the tested compounds for 5 days. The administration of compounds I, II, III, IV, V and dicumarol showed that the LD50 in mice by oral route of 4.5, 4.5, 4.75, 4.25, 4.75 and 0.27 g/kg b. wt., respectively. The administration of compounds III, IV, V and dicumarol significantly increased the PT and APTT and decreased the platelets count as compared to that of control values. The results of enzymes activities and histopathological examination showed that compounds I and II may be toxic to the hepatic cells, kidney and heart while compounds III, IV and V did not affect the liver functions and are considered safe if used as oral anticoagulants like dicumarol