Hepatitis C virus infection and risk factors in health-care workers at Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt

The objectives of this study were to document the background prevalence and incidence of HCV infection among HCWs in Ain Shams University Hospitals in Cairo and analyse the risk factors for HCV infection. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2008 among 1770 HCWs. Anti-HCV prevalence was age-standardized using the Cairo population. A prospective cohort was followed for a period of 18 months to estimate HCV incidence. The crude anti-HCV prevalence was 8.0% and the age-standardized seroprevalence was 8.1%. Risk factors independently associated with HCV seropositivity were: age, manual worker, history of blood transfusions and history of parenteral anti-schistosomiasis treatment. The estimated incidence of HCV infection was 7.3 per 1000 person-years. HCWs in this setting had a similar high HCV seroprevalence as the general population of greater Cairo

Prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infections and their related risk factors in Libya: a national seroepidemiological survey

A high prevalence of hepatitis B [HBV] and C virus [HCV] infections has been reported among specific patient groups in Libya; a survey was thus designed to determine the extent of the problem at the national level. A multi-stage sampling design covering all administrative areas of Libya was applied, covering > 65 000 individuals of all age groups. All subjects gave a blood sample and completed a questionnaire on demographic and risk behaviour data. The prevalence of HBV surface antigen [HBsAg] and anti-HCV were 2.2% and 1.3% respectively. The prevalence of anti-HCV increased with age, rising gradually after age 30 years, in contrast to a stable prevalence of HBsAg in all age groups 10+ years. Age-adjusted risk factors for HCV infection were previous hospitalization, surgical operations, previous blood transfusions and intravenous drug use; for HBV infection only family exposure or contact with HBV case were identified

Studies on the phytochemistry and antimicrobial activity of four plant species from Egypt

The antimicrobial and phytochemical properties of four medicinal plants [Anastatica hierochuntica, Artemisia monosperma, Juniperus phoenicae and Nigella sativa] were screened. The crude alcoholic plant extracts [80% ethyl alcohol] were tested against two bacteria [Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes], two yeast [Candida tropicalis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae] and two moulds [Aspergillus oryzae, Bipolaris hawayensis]. The antimicrobial activity of the alcoholic extracts was tested using two antimicrobial assay methods, i.e. disc-agar diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC]. The Gram-positive bacteria [Listeria monocytogenes] was more sensitive than the Gram-negative [Escherichia coli]. Anastatica hierochuntica showed the highest activity against most test organisms. The phytochemical screening of the crude alcoholic plant extracts detected tannins, sterols, terpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, resins, phenols and glycosides in the extracts of the four plants except resins was not found in Nigella sativa. Phenols, flavonoids and saponins were found in significant amount in the extracts of plants. Saponins represented the major components in the extracts of the four plants

X-ray diffraction study of intraocular lenses explanted from eyes with uveitis

In some eyes where an intraocular lens [IOL] is implanted, intractable uveitis supervenes some time postoperatively. In order to determine whether structural changes in the polymer substance of these all-polymethylmethacrylate [PMMA] IOLs might contribute to such a chronic inflammatory reaction, we subjected five all-PMMA lenses, explanted at 6 to 12 months after extracapsular cataract surgery from five eyes of children aged between 3 and 9 years, to X-ray diffraction. The results were compared to those obtained by X-ray diffraction of 5 virgin [unused] IOLs of the same material. We found that there was evidence of crystallization within the previously amorphous material of the IOL. The degree of crystallization was greater, the longer the lens had remained within the eye. Further studies are required before a direct causal relationship between this crystallization and the postoperative chronic uveitis can be established