Group B streptococcal vaginal colonization in pregnant women

This study comprised 100 pregnant [cases] and 25 non pregnant [controls] women, who were selected from those attending Maternal and Child Health Care Units in Menoufia and from Gynaecology and Obstetrics Outpatient Clinic in Menoufia Faculty of Medicine. Their ages ranged between 18 and 45 years. From all subjects [cases and controls] vaginal swabs were obtained, inoculated immediately on crystal violet blood agar plates. The isolated organisms were identified by the conventional methods. Identification of group B streptococci [GBS] was achieved by both hippurate hydrolysis and by latex agglutination methods. All strains of GBS were tested for their susceptibility to different antimicrobial agents. The study revealed that vaginal carriage rate of GBS among cases was 18% and 16% when strains were grouped by latex agglutination and sodium hippurate hydrolysis respectively. Vaginal carriage rate in controls was 8% with no significant difference between cases and controls. Increasing of age and frequency of parity were associated with lower colonization rate. Colonization rate was found to increase with the duration of pregnancy and among rural women. A high frequency of history of complications of pregnancy and diabetes mellitus was found among GBS positive cases and the reverse among the GBS negative ones. Most strains of GBS were found to be sensitive to penicillin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol and erythromycin. Resistance to gentamycin and kanamycin was detected

In-vitro susceptibility of dermatophytes to griseofulvin and ketoconazole and bioassay of ketoconazole

Antibiogram together with minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] of griseofulvin and ketoconazole were determined against 24 dermatophyte strains that were isolated from different ring worm lesions by using the agar dilution methods. These dermatophytes included 7 strains of Trichophyton violaceum, 6 strains of Microsporon canis, 5 strains of Trichophyton rubrum, 3 strains of Trichophyton mentagrophytes, 2 strains of Trichophyton schoenlinii and one strain of Epidermophyton floccosum. All tested dermatophytes were generally susceptible to ketoconazole and to griseofulvin in varying concentrations except one strain of Trichophyton mentagrophytes which was resistant to all concentration of griseofulvin. The [MIC] of griseofulvin Indicated a high susceptibility [0.78 micro gram/ml] of Microsporum canis and a low susceptibility [12.5 micro gram/ml] of Epidermophyton floccosum, The [MIC] of ketoconazole Indicated a high susceptibility of Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton violaceum [2 micro gram/ml and 4 micro gram/ml for each respectively] and low susceptibility [16 micro gram/ml] to Epidermpophyton floccosum. Bioassay of ketoconazole on the tested serum samples, indicated that its level had ranged between 0.7 and 4 micro gram/ml and proved that the drug was not accumulated

Dermatophytosis in Menoufia governorate

One hundred eighty nine patients with various ringworm lesions of both sexes and of different ages representing urban and rural areas at Menoufia Governorate, were investigated during the period from September 1990 to August 1991 for dermatophytic as well as any associated bacterial infections. Specimens were collected by scraping method and by plucking of the affected hairs and they were examined for detection of dermatophytic infections by both direct microscopy using [KOH] mount and by culturing onto Sabourauds cycloheximide chloramphenicol agar. Culturing onto blood agar plates was used for detection of any associated bacterial infections. Ninety strains of dermatophytes were isolated indicating the prevelance of Trichophyton spp. 63 [70%] followed by Microsporum canis 24 [26.7%] and lastly by Epidermophyton floccasum 3 [3.3%]. An associated bacterial infection was detected in 65, 91% of ring worm cases with prevalence of 66.2% of staph aureus. The results obtained by direct microscopy and by culture technique were variable. Age, sex residence and seasons were found to play a role in dermatophytosis

Comparison of two assay techniques for B-lactamase activity

Two techniques for the assay of B-lactamase activity have been compared. 10 strains of Staph. aureus and 13 strains of Gram negative bacteria were estimated for B-lactamase activity [Penicillinase and cephalosporinase] BYUSING Perret's macroiodometric method and rapid spectrophotometric Yamabe's method. Strong correlation between the two methods was obtained with staphylococcus exo-penicillinase while a moderate correlation was obtained with cellular Gram negative penicillinase. The iodometric assay was rapid, reliable and does not require any specialized or expensive equipment