Bacteremia in non-prolonged febrile patients

Sixty febrile patients were studied and divided after the results of blood culture into 2 groups: -Group I : 40 patients with bacteremia, as cases. - Group II : 20 patients without bacteremia, as control. The mean age and the male : female ratio in the 40 bacteremic cases showed no significant difference when compared to controls, while the mean temeperature of the bacteremic group showed significant increase when compared to controls. As regard pulse and blood pressure, there was a statistical difference between both groups. Also leucocytosis and high E.S.R. were characteristics of bacteremia. The main pathogens isolated from the blood were Salmonella, Streptococcus pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli and Klebsiella pneumonia. The major sources of bacteremia were gastrointestinal tract, respiratory and urinary tracts. An index of Summation of features including : chills, Change in Mental status, blood pressure less than 90/70 mmHg, E.S.R. greater than 30 mm/h and W.B.Cs. greater than 15000/mm3 were diagnostic aids for bacteremia

study of cell mediated immunity and presence of cryptosporidium in cases of chronic liver disease

Twenty five cases presenting with chronic liver disease were studied for the occurrence of cryptosporidium and for cellular immunity by MIT and opsonophagocytic activity. In no case cryptosporidium was detected and T-cell function was found to be suppressed by MIT in all cases while opsonophagocytic activity was found to intact in all comparison to controls

Hepatoma associated with alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency

Forty patients having hepatoma +/- liver cirrhosis were studied. They included 31 males [77. 5%] and 9 females [22. 5%]. Their ages ranged between 44 - 63 years. [mean 54. 25 +/- 5. 89]. They were subjected to careful history, thorough clinical examination, X -ray chest, liver function tests, hepatitis and malignancy markers, liver biopsy and histophathological examination, tissue markers and determination of antitrypsin. Fifteen patients having known liver cirrhosis were taken as controls. they were 12 males [80%] and 3 females [20%]. Their ages ranged between 40 - 55 years [mean 46. 06 +/- 4. 42]. Two [5%] out of the 40 hepatoma cases had very low levels of antitrypsin. They were both males aged 50 and 58 years respectively. Histopathological examination of liver biopsies revealed one mixed and other trabicular type of hepatoma grade III. Coincident cirrhosis was present in one case and undetermined cirrhosis in the other. Both were positive for HBsAg and HBcAB and both had high levels of alpha feto proteins and low plasma carcinoembryonic antigen. Two [13%] out of the 15 control liver cirrhosis cases had low levels of alpha [1] antitrypsin. Both were males aged 40 and 55 years respectively. HBcAg was positive in one and HBcAB was positive in the other one. It is concluded from this study that cases with alpha] antitrypsin deficiency should be followed up clinically and laboratorily for their susceptibility to develop hepatic cirrhosis and/or hepatoma