Polymerase chain reaction targeting insertion sequence IS6110 for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis among sudanese children and young adults

This study was carried out in Khartoum State during the period from January 2011 to 1 December 2013 to improve the rate of detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis [MTB] in children with symptoms of tuberculosis [TB] infection using different conventional and ,: advanced diagnostic techniques. One hundred and ninety-seven specimens of gastric f lavage and sputum were collected from different hospitals in Khartoum State, including | Elbolok Hospital, Jafar Ibn Owf Hospital, Elasha'ab Teaching Hospital, Soba University Hospital and Academy Charity Hospital. ; All children participating in the study were subjected to the Mantoux test after obtaining: appropriate consent injected by 5 tuberculin units of tuberculin purified protein derivative, and the results were recorded after three days. Specimens were decontaminated and inoc-i ulated on Lowenstein-Jensen media according to the modified Petroffs method. Two smears were prepared and stained by Ziehl-Neelsen stain and Auramine fluorescent dye; bacterial DNA was extracted from each specimen by using phenol chloroform method, and then the Polymerase Chain Reaction technique was adopted to detect Insertion Sequence IS6110 gene of MTB in these specimens. This study showed that the positive results for TST, ZN, Auramine, Culture and PCR were 86 [43.7%], 16 [8.1%], 22 [11.2%], 32 [16.2%] and 35[17.8%], respectively. The study concluded that the PCR technique is the most sensitive and specific technique for a quick identification of MTB in gastric lavage and sputum from children who are unable to expectorate a good quality sputum sample or who are diagnosed as negative using conventional diagnostic methods

Immunological evidence in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Immunological factors in the pathogenesis of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy [IDC] were suggested previously on the basis of the demonstration of mononuclear cell infiltrates and autoantibodies against the myocardium. Was to determine the changes in the percentage of T cell subsets in peripheral blood in order to investigate the role of cellular immunoregulation in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The surface markers of peripheral T and B lymphocytes were detected and percentages of helper [CD4+] and suppressor [CD8+] T lymphocytes subsets in the peripheral blood and their ratio. [CD4+/CD8+] were determined in 62 patients with IDC and in 50 healthy controls. There were no significant differences between IDC and control groups with respect to CD4+T cell subsets [p=0.4]. CD8+T cell percentage was significantly decreased in patients with IDC than in controls [p=0.005]. CD4+/CD8+ratio was markedly higher in patients with IDC than controls [p=0.005]. Decreased CD8+T cell subset is the cause of increased CD4+/CD8+ratio, which may imply decreased self-tolerance and an immunoregulatory defect in the pathogenesis of IDC