Identification of helicobacter pylori in gastric biopsies: a comparison of haematoxylin and eosin staining with immunohistochemistry

Helicobacter pylori remains widely prevalent today despite modern medical advances.1 It is responsible for an ever increasing number of gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal diseases.2 Objective was to compare the efficacy of H and E staining with immunohistochemistry in the detection of H. pylori in gastric biopsies. It was a descriptive study and was carried out in the Pathology Department, Post Graduate Medical Institute, Lahore - Pakistan during the period of 1.2.211 to 30.10. 2011. Seventy gastric biopsies were collected from Lahore General Hospital, Lahore. The tissue sections were stained with routine haematoxylin and eosin [H and E] stain and also with H. pylori immunostain. Histopathological examination of the sections was carried out under an optical microscope. The results of histological examination [H and E as well as immuno - staining], and clinical data were subjected to statistical analysis. Helicobacter pylori was detected by H and E staining in 27.2% of our 70 cases while 72.8% were negative for this. In 20% cases there was mild colonisation where in 7.1% this was moderate. Immunohistochemistry carried out with Helicobacter pylori immunostain yielded 31.4% positive cases while 68.6% were negative. Among the 70 cases there were 64.3% males and 35.7% females. The maximum number of cases were found to be in the age group of 20 - 29 years and was 18 or 25.71%. This was followed by age groups 30 - 39 years and 50 - 59 years each of which had 12 [71.14%] patients. Age was compared in male and female patients. There was no significant age difference among males and females. A comparison between mean age in H. pylori positive and negative cases was also carried out. There was no significant correlation between age and H. pylori detection. A comparison between sex distribution and H. pylori positive and negative cases did not yield any significant difference between males and females. Histopathological examination of gastric biopsies is still an accurate and efficient means of diagnosis. Immunostaining increases the diagnostic yield

Differential preservation of rabbit kidney and liver tissue in ringer lactate, euro collins and university of wisconsin solutions

Formalin, the most widely used preservative, has certain drawbacks. The foremost of them is interference with immunohistochemistry. To evaluate the efficacy of three commonly used organ preservation solutions for tissue preservation this experimental study was carried out on rabbit kidney and liver The tissue slices were stored in Ringer Lactate, Euro Collins awl University of Wisconsin solutions [UW solution], for various fixed time intervals. The three solutions were used in their original form as well as with addition of antimicrobial agents. Morphological preservation was assessed by a semi quantitative method. Kidney slices showed better morphological preservation than liver tissue. UW solution demonstrated the highest preservation of the three solutions tried. UW solution was especially effective for liver preservation. Addition of anti microbial agents was more beneficial to kidney preservation than liver. Thus it was concluded that organ preservation solutions may be used for tissue preservation as well

study of the digestive effect of dates on sucrose and starch

A study of the digestive effect of dates on sucrose and starch has been carried out. Digestion of sucrose and dates and starch and dates at pH 7.4 results in the breakdown of both sucrose and starch to glucose and fructose. On the contrary, digestion of sucrose and starch alone at pH 7.4 does not cause any breakdown suggesting that dates do affect the breakdown of sucrose and starch in the intestine. The variations in the analytical results are of the order of 1-2% in terms of RSD

Evaluation of mineral contents of some edible medicinal plants

The contents of macro-[Cd, Al, Pb, Mg, Ca, Na, K] and trace- metals [Cu, Ni, Cr, Fe, Mn] in ten edible medicinal plants have been determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry using a wet digestion method. The overall reproducibility of the method is within

Pattern of primary pulmonary malignancies in central Punjab

Three hundred patients of primary malignancies of the lung from Gulab Devi Chest Hospital and other hospitals of Lahore were studied. The history of the patients and their clinical findings were recorded. The sections of the tissues were stained with haematoxylin and eosin whereas all large cell carcinomas were stained with Alcian Blue-Periodic Acid-Schiff [AB-PAS] stain. There were 255 males and 45 females with a male to female ration of 5.7:1. The age ranged from 10-90 years with a mean age of 54.17 +/- 3.46 years. Different tumours were significantly more [p<0.001] in males than in females. The mean age in squamous cell carcinoma cases was significantly high [P<0.001] as compared to adenocarcinoma. Small cell carcinoma cases had significantly low [P<0.02] mean age as compared to squamous cell carcinoma. The difference of mean age in cases of adenocarcinoma approached significant level [0.1> P>0.05] as compared with small cell carcinoma

Intra-cranial space occupying lesions a morphological analysis

The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary data on morphological patterns of intracranial space occupying lesions [ICSOL] in central Punjab province. This is a cross-sectional prospective study on 100 consecutive cases of intra-cranial space occupying lesions admitted to both the neurosurgery units of Lahore General Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. The biopsy materials were examined histologically using paraffin sections. Eighty nine [89] patients had neoplasms, while eleven [11] had non-neoplastic lesions. Neuroepithelial tumours comprised 41% of all the neoplasms, followed by meningiomas being 23%, schwannomas 11% and metastatic tumours 6%. Males were affected slightly more than females [1.17:1]. Tuberculomas constituted 3% of the lesions. It was concluded that age and sex distribution were generally comparable to the other published literature. Similarly neuroepithehal tumours formed majority of the lesions. However meningiomas had a higher frequency as compared to the western literature; moreover tuberculomas should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of such lesions in this part of the world

Preliminary studies on the population of phytonematodes with betlevine [piper betle] and their control by indigenous nematicide

Two nematicides viz. Furadan and Tenekil-M were tested for their efficacy against phytoparasitic nematodes i.e. Helicotylenchus indicus, H. digonicus, Hoplolaimus indicus, Rotylenchus reniformis and Longidorus siddiqui that are attacking betlevine. After 16 weeks of the experiments the number of these nematodes was reduced in treated plots than control. Tenekil-M was found to be a good nematicide. The nematicide is indigenous and economical for betlevine industry

Incidence of glaucoma in pseudophakia and its management

Early postoperative ocular hypertension was noted in 25 [13.89%] of 180 pseudophakic eyes. Specific medical treatment was provided to normalize the raised intra-ocular pressure [IOP]. Six eyes developed permanent ocular hypertension resulting in chronic pseudophakic glaucoma. Out of these, four eyes had good improvement after medical treatment and surgical intervention while the remaining two were visual failures. This study reveals that glaucoma in pseudophakia is not so frequent and is not always related to the presence of an intra-ocular lens [IOL]. Pupillary block glaucoma, uveitis glaucoma hyphaema [UGH] syndrome and pseudophakic pigment dispersion glaucoma are sometimes related to intra-ocular lens implantation. The role of viscoelastics, inflammation, haemorrhage and lens material in obstructing aqueous out flow channels is emphasized. Iridectomy, laser iridotomy and trabeculectomy are also mentioned as surgical treatment to secondary glaucoma in pseudophakia