Hepatitis B surface antibody response of household contacts of hepatitis B virus carriers in Palestine

To evaluate the effectiveness of hepatitis B virus [HBV] vaccination of household contacts of HBV carriers in Tulkarm district, Palestine, quantitative hepatitis B surface [anti-HBs] antibody response in 161 household contacts was measured after vaccination. A seroprotective anti-HBs response [titre > or = 10 IU/L] was elicited in all vaccinated subjects. Of these 2.5% had titres of 10-99 IU/L, 61.5% 100-999 IU/L and 36.0% > or = 1000 IU/L.The number of vaccination doses had no effect on the achievement of seroprotection. HBV infection was demonstrated in 13 cases and their anti-HBV titres were in the range 25-350 IU/L

Typing of methicilin-resistant staphylococcus aureus by quantitative antibiogram and arbitrarily primer PCR.

A total of 34 isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] obtained from Rafidya Hospital, Nablus, Palestine was analyzed by quantitative antibiogram and arbitrarily primed PCR. Quantitative antibiogram typing classified the isolates into 13 groups. The use of AP-PCR provided a high resolution typing method and allowed the definition of 21 different clusters. However, three major clusters, based on the combination of both typing methods, represented 44% of the isolates. Resistance rates of MRSA isolates were ciprofloxacin [27%], clindamycin [47%], erythromycin [88%], gentamicin [71%] and co-trimoxazole [3%]. No resistance to vancomycin was observed. Eight of the cluster isolates were noted to be multiple resistant, i.e. resistant to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin and gentamicin or clindamycin