Antimicrobial activities encountered by sulfur nanoparticles combating Staphylococcal species harboring sccmecA recovered from acne vulgaris.

Over decades, sulfur has been employed for treatment of many dermatological diseases, several skin and soft tissue, and Staphylococcus infections. Because of its abuse, resistant bacterial strains have emerged. Nanotechnology has presented a new horizon to overcome abundant problems including drug resistance. Nano-sized sulfur has proven to retain bactericidal activity. Consequently, the specific aims of this study are exclusively directed to produce various sulfur nanoparticles formulations with control of particle size and morphology and investigate the antibacterial activity response specifically classified by the category of responses of different formulations, for the treatment of acne vulgaris resistant to conventional antibiotics. In this study, we produced uncoated sulfur nanoparticles (SNPs), sulfur nano-composite with chitosan (CS-SNPs), and sulfur nanoparticles coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG-SNPs) and evaluate their bactericidal impact against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from 173 patients clinically diagnosed acne vulgaris. Accompanied with molecular investigations of ermB and mecA resistance genes distribution among the isolates. Sulfur nanoparticles were synthesized using acid precipitation method and were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersed x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Moreover, agar diffusion and broth micro-dilution methods were applied to determine their antibacterial activity and their minimum inhibitory concentration. PCR analysis for virulence factors detection. Results: TEM analysis showed particle size of SNPs (11.7 nm), PEG-SNPs (27 nm) and CS-SNPs (33 nm). Significant antibacterial activity from nanoparticles formulations in 100% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with inhibition zone 30 mm and MIC at 5.5 µg/mL. Furthermore, the prevalence of mecA gene was the most abundant among the isolates while ermB gene was infrequent. Conclusions: sulfur nanoparticles preparations are an effective treatment for most Staphylococcus bacteria causing acne vulgaris harboring multi-drug resistance virulence factors.

MONITORING THE VIRAL LOAD IN HIV PATIENTS UNDER ANTI-RETROVIRAL THERAPY (ART).

Viral load monitoring is an important factor in managing HIV disease. Antiretroviral therapy is the recommended treatment for HIV patients, and the goal therapy is achieving viral suppression and reducing viral load below the level of detection. Viral load is an important parameter used to monitor the progression of HIV and critically regarding treatment decision. The results of present study revealed that there were statistical significant differences between patients maintained on treatment (GA) and patients without treatment (GB) regarding the viral load, and clearly indicated that adherence to ART playing a role in suppression the viral load supporting the immune system of HIV infected patients. The success of ART for someone living with HIV depends on, starting the treatment at the right time, choosing the right combination of (ART) and monitoring the effectiveness of the treatment through monitoring the vilral load.

Frequency of VKORC1 (C1173T) and CYP2C9 genetic polymorphisms in Egyptians and their influence on warfarin maintenance dose: proposal for a new dosing regimen.

INTRODUCTION: Warfarin is one of the most widely used anticoagulants, yet interindividual differences in drug response, a narrow therapeutic range and a high risk of bleeding or stroke complicate its use. We aimed to determine the allele and genotype frequency of VKORC1 1173 C>T, CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3 variant polymorphisms in the Egyptian population and to evaluate their influence on the interindividual differences in warfarin dosage. METHODS: A total of 154 unrelated healthy adult patients and 46 warfarin-treated patients were included. SYBR Green-based real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was used for studying VKORC1 (C1173T) and CYP2C9*3 polymorphisms. Mutagenically separated PCR assay was used to detect the CYP2C9*2 allele. RESULTS: VKORC1 genotype frequencies were 11%, 24% and 65% for CC, CT and TT, respectively. The prevalence of CYP2C9 haplotypes was 81% (*1\*1), 3.3% (*1\*2), 9.7% (*1\*3), 4.5% (*2\*2) and 0.65% (2\*3 and *3\*3). VKORC1 TT and CYP2C9*2\*2 were associated with a significantly lower warfarin dose. VKORC1 and CYP2C9 accounted for 31.7% and 15.6% of warfarin dose variability, respectively, and together with clinical factors explained 61.3% of total variability. CONCLUSION: VKORC1-TT and CYP2C9 *1/*1 are the most prevalent genotypes among Egyptians. Patients with VKORC1-TT genotype required a lower warfarin dose.

Circulating viral core and E1 antigen levels as supplemental markers for HCV chronic hepatitis.

The performance of polyclonal monospecific rabbit anti-sera raised against synthetic peptides derived from conserved HCV sequences of genotype 4 was evaluated for efficient detection of viral core and E1 antigens in circulating immune complexes (ICs) precipitated from 65 serum samples of HCV patients. The infection was established in those patients by the presence of HCV RNA in their sera. A novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of HCV core and E1 antigen in serum samples. Western blot analyses were used to demonstrate the presence of the core and E1 target antigen in serum samples. The mean OD readings of both core and E1 antigens were significantly higher (P < 0.05) among the viremic patients when compared to controls. Also a significant positive correlation (P < 0.05, r = 0.98) between the values of both core and E1 was recorded. Western blot analysis based on monospecific antibodies against core and E1 recognized the 38-kDa and 88 -kDa bands respectively in the sera of all infected patients. No specific reaction was observed with the sera from uninfected individuals. Interestingly the results of core and E1 antigen levels displayed no positive correlation with the HCV copy number as measured by bDNA. Liver enzymes (ALT and AST) showed a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.44 and 0.47 respectively) with the viral core antigens level. The same trend holds true for E1 (r = 0.43 and 0.64 for ALT and AST respectively). HCV load in infected patients revealed extremely poor correlation with serum ALT and AST levels (r = 0.022 and 0.002 respectively). In conclusion we present a new combination of serological tools correlating with liver enzyme levels that could be utilized as supplemental tests to viral load testing. Also, a sensitive and specific immunoassay was developed for the detection of HCV core and E1 in human serum. This test can be applied for laboratory diagnosis of HCV infection.

A high hepatitis E virus (HEV) seroprevalence among unpaid blood donors and haemodialysis patients in Egypt.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection among unpaid blood donors and haemodialysis patients in Egypt and to find out any possible relationship between HEV and HCV. METHODS: Serum samples collected from 95 unpaid blood donors and 96 haemodialysis patients were screened for HEV and HCV antibodies by enzyme immunoassay techniques. RESULTS: The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG was 45.2% (43/95) in blood donors and 39.6% (38/96) in haemodialysis patients. Anti-HEV IgG was found in 69.2% (18/26) and 28.6% (20/70) in haemodialysis patients positive and negative for HCV, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes that HEV is endemic in Egypt and tends to accumulate in certain groups showing evidence of hepatitis C virus infection as in haemodialysis patients suggesting either shared parenteral risk or increased sensitivity to HEV coinfection; that is to say a possibility of combined route of transmission for HEV.

Serum and salivary IgG and IgA response to radiation therapy.

Patients undergoing radiotherapy for malignant tumors of the head and neck invariably develop extensive oral and dental diseases particularly when the major salivary glands are within the radiation fields. Unless the patient receives a strict oral hygiene home care and the teeth are protected by topical application of fluoride gel, caries or gingival disease onset inevitably follows radiation induced xerostomia is. The importance of saliva as a controlling factor in the development of oral diseases is underscored by the dramatic increase in dental decay and gingival diseases that inevitably follows the surgical extirpation of the major salivary glands in animals and the onset of xerostomia in man.

Simultaneous determination of theophylline and guaiphenesin by third-derivative ultraviolet spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography.

Two methods are described for the simultaneous determination of theophylline and guaiphenesin in combined pharmaceutical dosage forms. The first method depends on third-derivative ultraviolet spectrophotometry, with the zero crossing technique of measurement. Third-derivative amplitudes at 222 and 278 nm were selected for the assay of guaiphenesin and theophylline, respectively. The second method is based on high-performance liquid chromatography on a reversed-phase column using a mobile phase of 0.01 mol dm-3 sodium dihydrogen phosphate-methanol-acetonitrile (8 + 2 + 1) (pH 5.5) with detection at 245 nm. Both methods showed good linearity, precision and reproducibility. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the determination of these drugs in laboratory-prepared mixtures and in capsules or elixir.

Nephropathy in asymptomatic patients with active Schistosoma mansoni infection.

In this study 240 patients with active Schistosoma mansoni infection with no symptoms suggestive of glomerular disease were subjected to investigation. All were evaluated clinically and their urine was examined for proteinuria. Out of the 240 patients 48 (20%) had proteinuria as detected by the dipstick test. All these patients were found to be free of any secondary cause other than schistosomiasis which could explain their proteinuria. Out of these 48 patients, 15 agreed to be subjected to kidney biopsy. When examined by light microscopy and immunofluorescent microscopy, kidney biopsies showed positive findings in 8 cases. These were mainly focal mesangial proliferation and immunofluorescent deposits which were mainly IgM and C3. We have concluded that early kidney lesions could be detected in 20% of this particular group of patients.

Spectrophotometric determination of benzothiadiazines in dosage forms.

The analytical utility of ethyl acetoacetate for the spectrophotometric determination of benzothiadiazine diuretics has been studied. The procedure developed is based on coupling of the diazotized drugs with the reagent, which possesses an active methylene group. The stoichiometry of the reaction is presented. The nominal recovery of the drugs from pharmaceutical preparations ranges from 97.6 +/- 0.7 to 102.3 +/- 0.3%. The suggested method is simple, sensitive and applicable to unit dose analysis.