ABSTRACT
Congenital Toxoplasma gondii infection may lead to abortion, stillbirth, neonatal death as well as severe congenital toxoplasmosis in the newborn infants. No doubt, early and proper diagnosis of infection pregnant women or her baby pave the way to effective treatment and minimize complications. In this study; the PCR and ELISA-IgM were used to diagnose active toxoplasmosis. The results revealed that PCR detected very recently infection (23/70 subjects) than ELISA-IgM (18/70 ones). However, the use of both ELISA-IgM and PCR together improved the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.
Subject(s)
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic/diagnosis , Toxoplasmosis, Congenital/diagnosis , Toxoplasmosis/diagnosis , Animals , Antibodies, Protozoan/blood , Female , Humans , Immunoglobulin M/blood , Infant, Newborn , Male , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic/epidemiology , Prevalence , Sensitivity and Specificity , Toxoplasma/immunology , Toxoplasma/isolation & purification , Toxoplasmosis/epidemiology , Toxoplasmosis/transmission , Toxoplasmosis, Congenital/epidemiologyABSTRACT
A total of 200 cases aged 10-30 years complaining of symptoms suggestive of giardiasis in addition to thirty cross matched normal individuals as a control group was examined clinically and laboratory using stool examination and detection of Giardia coproantigen in faeces by the Dot-ELISA. Stool examination detected 39 cases (19.5%) while Dot-ELISA detected 49 cases (24.5%) with 100% sensitivity and 93.8% specificity. The common clinical findings were diarrhea, abdominal cramps, anorexia, underweight, pallor and manifestations of vitamin deficiency.
Subject(s)
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods , Feces/parasitology , Giardia/immunology , Giardia/isolation & purification , Giardiasis/diagnosis , Adolescent , Adult , Animals , Antigens, Protozoan/immunology , Case-Control Studies , Child , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Giardiasis/pathology , Humans , Male , Sensitivity and SpecificitySubject(s)
Home Childbirth , Trial of Labor , Vaginal Birth after Cesarean , Adult , Female , Humans , PregnancyABSTRACT
A total of 200 cases aged 1-13 years complaining of symptoms suggestive of giardiasis in addition to thirty normal healthy children as a control group was examined clinically and laboratory using stool examination and detection of Giardia coproantigen in faeces by Dot ELISA and direct IFA. Stool examination detected 39 cases (19.5%) while Dot ELISA and direct IFA detected 49 cases (24.5%) with 100% sensitivity and 93.8% specificity. The common clinical findings were diarrhea, abdominal cramps, anorexia, underweight, pallor and manifestations of vitamin deficiency. The results were discussed.
Subject(s)
Antigens, Protozoan/analysis , Feces/parasitology , Giardia lamblia/isolation & purification , Giardiasis/diagnosis , Adolescent , Animals , Child , Child, Preschool , Diagnosis, Differential , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods , Female , Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct/methods , Giardia lamblia/immunology , Humans , Infant , Male , Parasite Egg Count , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
Whereas Toxoplasma gondii infection in the immunocompetent adult usually causes no serious clinical symptoms, congenital infection can lead to abortion or severe disease in the newborn infant. Early diagnosis should be made as soon as possible particularly in pregnant women and newborn babies since early treatment can minimize fetal sequelae. This work evaluates IgM-ELISA and PCR in diagnosis of recent T. gondii infection. The results revealed that PCR detected very recently infected cases (23 out of 70 suspected cases) than IgM-ELISA (only 18 cases). The combination of both tests may help to improve the sensitivity of diagnosis (45% in suspected group) more than either PCR (32.8%) or IgM-ELISA alone (25.7%).
Subject(s)
DNA, Protozoan/blood , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods , Immunoglobulin M/blood , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Toxoplasma/isolation & purification , Toxoplasmosis/diagnosis , Animals , Female , Humans , Male , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic/prevention & control , Sensitivity and Specificity , Toxoplasma/genetics , Toxoplasma/immunologyABSTRACT
In this study, 62 water samples were collected from two water treatment plants (WTPs) in Suez Canal cities (Port Said and Ismaillia) and one plant in Cairo (Giza WTP) in addition to the beginning of the two Nile river branches (Rosetta and Damietta). Viruses were concentrated by adsorption-elution ethod sing 142 mm-diameter nitrocellulose membrane of 0.45 microm pore size and eluted with 3% beef extract at pH 9.5. The concentrated samples were inoculated for 3 successive passages in three cell culture types (Vero, BGM and RD). Enterovirus RNAs in CPE-induced samples were extracted by guanidinium thiocyanate/ phenol/chloroform and heat shock methods and detected by RT-PCR and neutralization test. The results showed that eight samples [14.5% (8/62)] contained enteroviruses most of them were polioviruses [87.5% (7/8)] and coxsackievirus type B2 [12.5% (1/8)]. The three cell cultures were of the same sensitivity to detect the isolated viruses. Also, RT-PCR followed by neutralization assay facilitates and accelerate the results. The guanidinium thiocyanate extraction method was more sensitive than heat shock method. The results turned our attention to review our technology of water treatment and disinfection step in addition to the selection of suitable intake for the drinking water treatment plants.
Subject(s)
Enterovirus , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Viral Plaque Assay/methods , Virus Cultivation , Water Microbiology , Water Purification , Culture Media , Egypt , Enterovirus/genetics , Enterovirus/isolation & purification , Enterovirus/pathogenicity , Enterovirus B, Human/genetics , Enterovirus B, Human/isolation & purification , Enterovirus B, Human/pathogenicity , Humans , Neutralization Tests/methods , Neutralization Tests/standards , Poliovirus/genetics , Poliovirus/isolation & purification , Poliovirus/pathogenicity , RNA, Viral/analysis , RNA, Viral/genetics , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/standards , Rivers/virology , Sampling Studies , Sensitivity and Specificity , Viral Plaque Assay/standards , Water Purification/methodsABSTRACT
This study reports on the separate effect of Cannabis sativa smoking and of alcohol consumption on handwriting performance in Cannabis users and in alcoholic volunteers, respectively. Handwriting samples were obtained prior to, during, and after 1 hr of Cannabis or alcohol consumption. Handwriting was evaluated for speed, letter forms, size, slant, and alignment. Cannabis sativa smoking exerted greater effect on handwriting than did alcohol drinking. This effect was noted during Cannabis smoking and lasted for 1 hr thereafter. Changes noted in handwriting performance test, which reflect involuntary muscular movement and tremor, suggest a differential CNS depressant action of the compounds used under the experimental trials listed. The results suggest possible forensic application, i.e., the use of handwriting for the purpose of signature comparison obtained under the influence of alcohol or under Cannabis intoxication.
