Comparison between PCR and mycoplasma duo kit culture system for the detection of mycoplasma hominis and ureaplasma urealyticum in cervicovaginal secretions

Molecular methods are the gold standard for diagnosis of Mycoplasma, due to the difficulty of culture isolation and variability of antibody response to serologic assays. This study aimed at comparing the results of a commercially available culture system for Mycoplasma hominis [M. hominis] and Ureaplasma to the results of the detection using PCR amplification. A total of 160 endo-cervical swabs have been collected "2 swabs from each of 40 infertile females undergoing intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection "ICSI", as well as from the control group which included 40 multiparous women". All samples were subjected to isolation and identification of urogenital mycoplasmas [Bio-Rad,USA] and PCR amplification using specific primers for M. hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum [U. urealyticum]. PCR revealed 7 cases and 2 controls were positive to M. hominis, while 12 cases and 16 controls were positive to U. urealyticum. The Duo kit revealed 9 cases and 2 controls were positive to M. hominis while 14 cases and 16 controls were positive to U. urealyticum. The sensitivity of Duo kit in relation to PCR was 89.47% and the specificity was 90.48. This work confirms the reliability of Mycoplasma Duo kit culture system for diagnosis of genitourinary colonization of the female genital system with M. hominis or U. urealyticum. Besides, higher sensitivity than the PCR was reported

Prevalence of staphylococcus aureus superantigen genes among Egyptian children suffering from atopic dermatitis

Researchers reported high carriage rate of S.aureus on skin of Atopic dermatitis [AD] patients with suggestion of local production of exotoxin causing the inflammatory condition. The objective of this study was to identify prevalence of S. aureus on skin of AD children and to test for presence of superantigen genes using multiplex PCR. 118 swabs from AD children and 40 swabs from apparently healthy children were subjected to routine microbiologic culture. Revealed S. aureus isolates have been further subjected to Multiplex PCR for detection of superantigen gene sequences. S. aureus strains have been isolated from 40 out of 118 AD patient [33.8%] and in 26 out of 40 skin swab among the control group [65%]. Detection of superantigen gene sequence positivity by multiplex PCR was 82.5% in S. aureus isolates from AD patients which is statistically significant higher than the controls 0% [X[2]=42.9]. Our study agree with studies accusing S. aureus carrying superantigen genes as one of the causes triggering atopic dermatitis evidenced by absence of these genes in strains isolated from healthy children versus a high rate of detection in strains isolated from AD children. Our novel observation that S.aureus not carrying superantigen coding gene have no role in triggering AD could lead to new preventive approaches

Chlamydia trachomatis in idiopathic subfertile males

Chlamydia trachomatis genital infection is the most common of all the sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. The prevalence in Egypt was found to be five percent. Asymptomatic infection is common in males and may lead to many complications. Infection is also possibly implicated in idiopathic infertility. The aim of this study was to assess the role of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in idiopathic subfertile males in Alexandria, Egypt, and its impact on semen analysis parameters. Eighty male patients with idiopathic oligoasthenospermia and forty healthy males with proven fertility and normal seminal parameters were subjected to two tests: PCR for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis DNA in the semen, and ELISA for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis IgG and IgM in the serum. Four of the semen samples tested in infertile males were positive for Chlamydia trachomatis on PCR testing. Each control group had only two PCR positive results. There were two positive results in those patients for IgG tested in serum using ELISA. While in the two control groups, four and two cases were positive [X[2] = 3.48, p = 0.201 - non significant]. PCR Positive results total amounted to 5% of the entire studied population [X[2] =0.044, p = 0.97 - non significant]. No significant correlations could be made between idiopathic male infertility and the positivity of the tests carried out. In conclusion, Chlamydia trachomatis plays little or no role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic infertility in the male population of Alexandria