Hepatitis C viraemia and cortisol level in thalassaemic children along with other viraemia risk factors

Hepatitis C virus [HCV] is the major cause of post-transfusion hepatitis world-wide and as thalassaemic patients are exposed to repeated bloodú transfusions, theyú are at' high-risk to get HCV infection. This study aimed at shedding some light on any association between serum cortisol, human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] or Schistosoma mansoni [S. manson i] infections and HCV viraemia in Egyptian thalassaemic children. This study was carried out on 51 thalassaemic children [34> and 17 +], aged 1-14 y attending the Hematology unit. Thirty-eight had been found to be + ve for HCV antibody [Ab], whereas 23 of them had HCV-RNA by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR]. All children were investigated for complete blood picture, hemoglobin electrophoresis, some liver function tests, HIV infection and serum cortisol level. Most of them tested for infection and S. mansoni serology. HCV -Ab +ve group were associated with blood transfusion >/= 10 units [P < 0.001]. heptomegaly [P < 0.05], hepatic tenderness [P< 0.0001], splenectomy [P < 0.02], elevated ALT [P < 0.01] and decreased serum cortisol [P < 0.000 1]. HCV -viraemia was associated with tender hepatomegaly [P < 0.05] only. Serum cortisol decrease was dependent on multiple blood transfusion rather than on HCV infection, whether associated with viraemia or not, in HCV-Ab the thalassaemic children. We recommend farther study for decrease of serum cortisol in HCV infected thalassaemics and other factors, not tested in the present study, behind HCV viraemia in these patients

Study on some protective factors in breast milk

Breast milk plays an important role in protection against infectious diseases. Epidemiological study performed on 27 breast fed babies and 23 bottle fed babies showed significant decrease in the incidence of diarrhea and dehydration in 1[st] group and marked decrease in the incidence of respiratory diseases. Otitis media and tonsillitis in the same group. In vitro studies performed on 10 mature milk and 10 colostrum samples showed that human milk is a very rich source of anti-adherent SlgA. The bacteriostatic agent lactoferrin. And has a very good anti-adherent properties. These properties are higher in colostrum than mature milk. Human milk contains macro and microphages. But-their phagocytic activity is very low compared to white blood cells

Weight, height and head circumference versus age in school children of Dakahlia governorate

In a trial to assess, anthropometrically, the nutritional status of school children in urban and rural areas of Dakahlia Governorate, 2400 children [1200 from each community] with ages 6.5-11.5 years were studied. Weight, height and head circumference were measured for all children. It was found that the mean weight and mean height of school boys exceed those of girls till the age of 10.5 years [in urban areas] and 9.5 years [in rural areas], after which the weight and height of girls exceed those of boys. The mean head circumference of boys slightly found to exceed that of girls throughout all school age period. Rural standards for weight, height and head circumference have marked lower position as compared with the urban standards and with the British standards. Malnutrition was more prevalent among rural school children than in urban school children