Assessment of gonadal and thyroid function for adult transfusion- dependent- beta - thalassemic patients in palestine

beta -thalassemia is an inherited hemoglobin disorder. It is considered as a health problem in Palestine thus, premarital screening for thalassemia became compulsory. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for hypogonadism and hypothyroidism among Palestinian transfusion dependent beta -thalassemic patients. Across-sectional study was conducted in 2010-2011 which involved beta -thalassemic patients in four Palestinian districts. Sixty one adult [>14 yr] patients, 30 cases and 31 healthy controls, were tested for gonadal and thyroid function tests, the first included free testosterone, estradiol, leutinizing hormone [LH] and follicular-stimulating hormone [FSH] while the latter included thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH], free T3 and free T4. The prevalence of hypogonadism in the case group was 47% compared to 9.6% in the control group which is statistically significant [p<0.005]. None of the subjects in the case group suffered from overt hypothyroidism except for two subclinical cases [6.7%] while the control group was completely free from hypothyroidism. The thalassemic patients are significantly shorter and lighter than the controls [P<0.05]. The mean hemoglobin level in the case group [8.1 [1.1] g/dl] is significantly lower than a normal cut-off value of 12 g/dl. The mean ferritin level [4260 ng/ml] is significantly higher than the upper limit [282ng/ml]. About 47% of the case group is not on chelation therapy and 53% are splenectomized. However, Splenectomy and chelation therapy had no statistical association with hypogonadism [P>0.05].The high rate of hypogonadism and related disturbances reveal the insufficient healthcare the patients are receiving. This puts forward the priority for a close and continuous follow-up for thalassemic patients in Palestine

Genetic heterogeneity among Leishmania major isolates in Iran determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism [RFLP] and multilocus microsatellite typing [MLMT]

In recent years, molecular methods for characterizing genetic heterogeneity have found a major place in modern approaches. In this study, two different molecular techniques including Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism [RFLP] and Multi Locus microsatellite typing [MLMT] were carried out in order to evaluate genetic heterogeneity among isolates of Leishmania major in Iran. In this experimental study, 24 Lmajor isolates from different endemic foci of cutaneous leishmaniasis were evaluated. All samples were amplified by specific primers for Internal Transcribed Spacer ribosomal RNA [ITS_rRNA] and miniexon genes [ME]. Ten different microsatellite markers were applied to 24 collected isolates as well. Restriction fragment length polymorphism of Polymerase chain reaction of ITS-rRNA and ME regions was identified in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Size polymorphisms in PCR products of microsatellites markers were measured in the CEQ 8000 automated genetic analysis system. Population structure of the isolates was investigated by Structure Version 2.3.2 software. According to ITS- RFLP and ME-RFLP techniques, three and two different strains of Lmajor were determined, respectively, while microsattellites markers revealed 21 different genotypes, which were clustered in three genetic groups using structure software. Although genetic heterogeneity among studied L. major isolates was identified by molecular tools as used in this study, it seems that microsatellites markers are more useful in population structure and epidemiological studies. Our findings also showed correlation between different identified strains and their geographical regions

Epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the endemic area of Jericho, Palestine

This study of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Jericho city and the adjacent Aqbat-Jaber refugee camp investigated the seroprevalance of Leishmania major and the risk factors associated with acquiring the disease. Clinical and parasitology identification of cases showed children and young men were more affected, with the head most affected in children. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] was used to test sera from 190 individuals. The overall seroprevalence of cutaneous leishmaniasis was 26.3%. A case-control study of 247 individual in 37 households showed that a higher level of education of the head of the household and having children sleep under bed nets were significantly related to a lower incidence of cutaneous leishmaniasis