Biochemical studies on fibronectin in patients with chronic liver diseases

The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic value of fibronectin to discriminate between significant [F2-F4] and none significant fibrosis [F0-F1] in order to avoid liver biopsy. Fibronectin was identified using specific monoclonal antibody and Western blot at 90-kDa in serum of chronic HCV patients. Fibronectin was quantified in serum using ELISA technique. The Cut-off level of fibronectin was 400 micro g/ml. The mean +/- SD [micro g/ml] of serum fibronectin concentration in patients with none significant liver fibrosis were 317 +/- 184 and in patients with significant liver fibrosis were 587.8 +/- 322. There were significant differences among two groups of patients [P<0.0001]. The area under the receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve of fibronectin for discriminating patients with none significant liver fibrosis from those with significant liver fibrosis were 0.78. The diagnostic values of the fibronectin in discriminating patients with none significant liver fibrosis from patients with significant liver fibrosis were high with 82% sensitivity, 68% specificity, 81% negative predictive value, 69% positive predictive value and 76% efficiency. In conclusion, serum fibronectin has a good diagnostic performance and can be used for discriminating patients with non significant liver fibrosis from patients with significant liver fibrosis

Fast-dot ELISA using urine, a rapid and dependable field assay for diagnosis of schistosomiasis

The fast dot-enzyme linked immunosorbent assay [FD-ELISA] was used as a field applicable tool for rapid diagnosis of schistosomiasis. 700 fecal specimens were parasitologically examined for detection of S. mansoni eggs and other parasitic infection. Egg count was done for 100 infected patients. Rectal biopsies [394] were taken from individuals with no S. mansoni egg in their stool where it was used as golden standard for diagnosis of schistosomiasis. Cross- reactivity with other parasites was studied. Serum samples were tested by ELISA technique for detection of human IgG anti-schistosomal antibodies. 700 urine samples [433 S. mansoni infected patients and 267 healthy individuals] were tested by FD-ELISA for detection of a schistosomal antigen excreted in urine using BRLF4 mouse monoclonal antibody. FD- ELISA results were compared with ELISA detecting antischistosomal IgG and stool analysis where it showed highest efficiency [91%] compared with 81% and 60% for ELISA and stool analysis, respectively. The sensitivity of FD-ELISA was high ranging from 90 to 94% in the 4 different clinical stages of schistosomiasis [simple intestinal, hepatosplenomegaly, shrunken liver and splenomegaly, and shrunken liver-splenomegaly and ascites]. FD-ELISA was highly sensitive, detecting infection cases with 20 eggs/g feces and its specificity was 89%. The antigen was characterized as a protein with a molecular weight of 74 KDa using Western Blot technique

Seroprevelance of H pylori infection in asymptomatic healthy individuals and in patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms in relation to schistosoma mansoni infection

The seroprevalence of IgG antibodies to Helicobacter pylori and antischistosomal antibodies were determined by the ELISA technique in the sera of 140 healthy asymptomatic subjects and 22 patients who underwent endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal symptoms. The overall prevalence of H. pylori in the asymptomatic group was 82.9% and 95.45% in the patients group. The incidence increased by age reaching its peak in the third decade and 50% of the studied children below 10 years old were seropositive. The seroprevalence of H. pylori antibodies had no relation to sex, habit of smoking or infection with Schistosoma mansoni. These data suggest that the serological tests for diagnosis of H. pylori infection are not recommended for developing countries hyperendemic for parasitic and diarrheal diseases due to the early acquisition of infection during childhood

Comparative study between cytology and DOT eliza for early detection of bladder cancer

A newly developed monoclonal antibody CK1K10 to keratinized grade 1 squamous cell carcinoma was used in a dot enzyme linked immunosorbent assay [dot ELISA] to test urine samples of 118 patients with bladder carcinoma, 291 patients with genitourinary pathology other than bladder carcinoma, in addition to 550 healthy controls. The overall sensitivity of the dot ELISA was 90% among 118 patients with bladder carcinoma. 82% of the transitional cell carcinoma, 96% of the squamous cell carcinoma, 70% of the undifferentiated tumors and 100% of the adenocarcinoma were positive with this assay. The specificity was 90% in the sample population [negative predictive value = 98%]. A comparative study of diagnosis by cytology and dot ELISA was carried out in 57 patients with bladder carcinoma. Dot ELISA was found to be superior as a screening tool for high risk groups [P value <0.001 using Chi square test]. Cytology detected 21% of transitional cell carcinoma, 68% of squamous cell carcinoma, 50% of adenocarcinoma and 86% of undifferentiated tumors. The dot ELISA assay should be useful for screening high risk groups since it does not require sophisticated equipment, is noninvasive, does not require highly trained staff and can be performed in less than 30 minutes