Ameliorative effects of propolis and wheat germ oil on acute toxoplasmosis in experimentally infected mice are associated with reduction in parasite burden and restoration of histopathological changes in the brain, uterus, and kidney.

Toxoplasmosis continues to be a prevalent parasitic zoonosis with a global distribution. This disease is caused by an intracellular parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii, and the development of effective novel drug targets to combat it is imperative. There is limited information available on the potential advantages of wheat germ oil (WGO) and propolis, both individually and in combination, against the acute phase of toxoplasmosis. In this study, acute toxoplasmosis was induced in Swiss albino mice, followed by the treatment of infected animals with WGO and propolis, either separately or in combination. After 10 days of experimental infection and treatment, mice from all groups were sacrificed, and their brains, uteri, and kidneys were excised for histopathological assessment. Additionally, the average parasite load in the brain was determined through parasitological assessment, and quantification of the parasite was performed using Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction targeting gene amplification. Remarkably, the study found that treating infected animals with wheat germ oil and propolis significantly reduced the parasite load compared to the control group that was infected but not treated. Moreover, the group treated with a combination of wheat germ oil and propolis exhibited a markedly greater reduction in parasitic load compared to the other groups. Similarly, the combination treatment effectively restored the histopathological changes observed in the brain, uterus, and kidney, and the scoring of these reported lesions confirmed these findings. In summary, the present results reveal intriguing insights into the potential therapeutic benefits of wheat germ oil and propolis in the treatment of acute toxoplasmosis.

Circulation of thermophilic Campylobacter in pigeons, turkeys, and humans at live bird markets in Egypt.

Live bird markets increase the risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases. Few studies have investigated the potential zoonotic transmission of Campylobacter in Egypt. Therefore, our study was carried out to investigate the presence of Campylobacter species, mainly Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) and Campylobacter coli (C. coli), in pigeons and turkeys sold at poultry shops. Furthermore, the study aimed to explore the potential occupational risk of Campylobacter infection, mainly among workers at poultry shops. Six hundred (n = 600) samples from various organs were obtained from pigeons and turkeys from live bird shops in the Giza and Asyut provinces in Egypt. Additionally, 100 stool samples were collected from persons working at poultry shops. Circulation of thermophilic Campylobacter in pigeons, turkeys, and humans was investigated based on culture and molecular methods. The rate of detection of Campylobacter species from the samples was significant when the culture method was used alone in comparison to when it was used in combination with mPCR. The prevalence rates of Campylobacter species detected by mPCR were 36% (C. jejuni 20%; C. coli 16%), 28% (C. jejuni 12%; C. coli16%), and 29% (C. jejuni 15%; C. coli 14%) in pigeons, turkeys, and workers, respectively. In pigeons, significant variations in the C. jejuni and C. coli occurrence rates were reported in terms of the intestinal content (15, 4%), liver (4, 13%), and skin (9, 7%), respectively. In turkeys, Campylobacter species were mostly detected in liver samples with a percentage of 19%, followed by the skin (12%), and the intestinal content (8%). In conclusion, Campylobacter species are circulating in poultry farms in Egypt and could represent a hazard for humans. It is recommended that biosecurity measures should be applied to mitigate the occurrence of Campylobacter in poultry farms. Moreover, there is an urgent need to transform live bird markets into chilled poultry markets.

Perception of COVID-19-related stigma and associated psychological challenges among healthcare workers at Cairo University hospitals.

OBJECTIVES: The current study explores the level of perceived social stigma and associated psychological challenges among healthcare workers during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 150 healthcare workers at Cairo University hospitals that were confirmed positive for COVID-19 infection. Participants were interviewed for assessment of perceived COVID-19-related stigma and associated psychological symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire for depression, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment for anxiety, and the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for post-traumatic stress symptoms. RESULTS: Two-thirds of participants perceived moderate-to-severe COVID-19-related stigma. Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms were observed at varying levels in 58.0%, 38.0%, and 11.3% of participants, respectively. Female sex and occupation as a nurse were significantly associated with the total perceived COVID-19-related stigma score. COVID-19-related stigma perception significantly correlated with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. CONCLUSION: Perceived social stigma prevails among healthcare workers and is associated with numerous psychological disturbances.

Accuracy of the Traditional COVID-19 Phone Triaging System and Phone Triage-Driven Deep Learning Model.

OBJECTIVES: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a quick and reliable phone-triage system is critical for early care and efficient distribution of hospital resources. The study aimed to assess the accuracy of the traditional phone-triage system and phone triage-driven deep learning model in the prediction of positive COVID-19 patients. SETTING: This is a retrospective study conducted at the family medicine department, Cairo University. METHODS: The study included a dataset of 943 suspected COVID-19 patients from the phone triage during the first wave of the pandemic. The accuracy of the phone triaging system was assessed. PCR-dependent and phone triage-driven deep learning model for automated classifications of natural human responses was conducted. RESULTS: Based on the RT-PCR results, we found that myalgia, fever, and contact with a case with respiratory symptoms had the highest sensitivity among the symptoms/ risk factors that were asked during the phone calls (86.3%, 77.5%, and 75.1%, respectively). While immunodeficiency, smoking, and loss of smell or taste had the highest specificity (96.9%, 83.6%, and 74.0%, respectively). The positive predictive value (PPV) of phone triage was 48.4%. The classification accuracy achieved by the deep learning model was 66%, while the PPV was 70.5%. CONCLUSION: Phone triage and deep learning models are feasible and convenient tools for screening COVID-19 patients. Using the deep learning models for symptoms screening will help to provide the proper medical care as early as possible for those at a higher risk of developing severe illness paving the way for a more efficient allocation of the scanty health resources.

Diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 and the potential role of deep learning: insights from the experience of Cairo University Hospitals.

OBJECTIVES: Early detection of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is crucial for patients and public health to ensure pandemic control. We aimed to correlate clinical and laboratory data of patients with COVID-19 and their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results and to assess the accuracy of a deep learning model in diagnosing COVID-19. METHODS: This was a retrospective study using an anonymized dataset of patients with suspected COVID-19. Only patients with a complete dataset were included (n = 440). A deep analytics framework and dual-modal approach for PCR-based classification was used, integrating symptoms and laboratory-based modalities. RESULTS: Participants with loss of smell or taste were two times more likely to have positive PCR results (odds ratio [OR] 1.86). Participants with neutropenia, high serum ferritin, or monocytosis were three, four, and five times more likely to have positive PCR results (OR 2.69, 4.18, 5.42, respectively). The rate of accuracy achieved using the deep learning framework was 78%, with sensitivity of 83.9% and specificity of 71.4%. CONCLUSION: Loss of smell or taste, neutropenia, monocytosis, and high serum ferritin should be routinely assessed with suspected COVID-19 infection. The use of deep learning for diagnosis is a promising tool that can be implemented in the primary care setting.

Serological and Molecular Detection of Bartonella henselae in Cats and Humans From Egypt: Current Status and Zoonotic Implications.

Bartonellosis is a vector-borne zoonotic disease caused by the intracellular bacterium of genus Bartonella. The disease has a worldwide distribution and cats represent the major reservoir of this disease. Despite its global distribution, very limited previous studies have investigated the occurrence of bartonellosis in cats and their owners in Egypt. In an endeavor to explore this topic, we investigated the occurrence of Bartonella henselae (B. henselae) infection in 225 samples (blood, saliva, and claw) obtained from 75 healthy cats in Upper Egypt. These samples were routinely obtained during veterinary clinic visits. This study also involved an examination of 100 humans, including cat owners and people with a history of contact with cats. Attempted isolation and identification of B. henselae in cats were also performed. Furthermore, PCR was performed for molecular identification of B. henselae in blood samples from cats. Meanwhile, an immunofluorescent assay was performed to study the seroprevalence of B. henselae infection in humans. In this study, B. henselae could not be isolated from any of the examined blood, saliva, or claw samples from cats. Interestingly, B. henselae was identified molecularly in 8% (6/75) of blood samples from cats. The seroprevalence of B. henselae in humans was 46% and its occurrence was higher in females (46.6%) than in males (41.7%) (P = 0.748). B. henselae infection was higher among cat owners [51.4% (19/37)] than among people with a history of contact with cats [42.9% (27/63)] (P = 0.410). Infection was higher in rural regions [79.5% (31/39)] than in urban regions [24.6% (15/61)] (P < 0.001). Collectively, this data provide interesting baseline information about the occurrence of B. henselae in cats and humans in Upper Egypt, which reflects the potential zoonotic transmission of this bacterium. Future study is mandatory to explore the occurrence of B. henselae in major reservoirs in Egypt.

Gender Difference in Perceived Symptoms and Laboratory Investigations in Suspected and Confirmed COVID-19 Cases: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Evaluating gender-specific effects of COVID-19 is important to develop effective therapeutic strategies. The aim of this study was to explore gender difference in perceived symptoms and laboratory investigations in suspected and confirmed cases. METHODS: This is a retrospective study that included data from suspected COVID-19 patients during the first wave of the pandemic. Participants using the phone triaging system at Kasralainy outpatient clinics were included. The analyzed data included patient history and results of nasopharyngeal swab and laboratory data. RESULTS: Out of 440 COVID-19 suspected cases, 56.36% were females. The perceived COVID-19 symptoms showed no significant gender difference in suspected cases while in confirmed cases females were 4 times more likely to complain of cough [OR (95% CI) 3.92 (1.316-11.68), P-value .014] and 5 times more likely to experience loss of smell or taste [OR (95% CI) 4.84 (1.62-14.43), P-value .005]. Laboratory markers revealed high levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, blood urea, serum creatinine, creatine kinase, and serum ferritin in males and this was statistically significant (P-value <.001) in suspected and confirmed cases. Females confirmed with COVID-19 were 80%, 97%, and 97% less likely to have high levels of ALT, creatin kinase, and serum ferritin [OR (95% CI) 0.20 (0.07-0.54), 0.07 (0.01-0.38), and 0.07 (0.01-0.90), P-value .002, .002, and .041, respectively]. CONCLUSION: Gender differences were found in laboratory markers in COVID-19 suspected and confirmed cases and in perceived symptoms in confirmed cases.

Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and the associated risk factors in sheep and pregnant women in El-Minya Governorate, Egypt.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The cosmopolite protozoan, Toxoplasma gondii, has a significant economic and medical impact. Cats traditionally play a predominant role in the disease maintenance cycle; however, humans can be infected as a result of milk and meat consumption of Toxoplasma-infected livestock. In addition, infected pregnant women, even symptomless, can pass the disease to their unborn fetus. The limited clinical records and absence of specific national educational programs in countries like Egypt underscore the need for periodic toxoplasmosis disease evaluation. Here, we identified T. gondii seroprevalence among sheep and pregnant women and the associated risk factors in El-Minya Governorate, Egypt. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using peripheral blood, we detected T. gondii-specific antibodies in 151 sheep and 96 pregnant women sera from El-Minya Governorate using latex agglutination and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The impact of different environmental and behavioral risk factors identified with in-person interviews and serology results on acquiring toxoplasmosis was statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The overall toxoplasmosis seroprevalence was 39.1% and 22.9% in sheep and pregnant women, respectively. Significantly higher seroprevalence was correlated with increasing sheep age and geographical location. Nonetheless, no statistical significance was found based on abortion history and pregnancy status of the examined sheep. Exposure factors important for pregnant women included pregnancy trimester, contact with cats, and the habit of eating undercooked sheep meat, which all had a statistically significant association with Toxoplasma seropositivity. CONCLUSION: The current study confirms increased antibodies against toxoplasmosis in both sheep and pregnant women in El-Minya Governorate and a clear association between women's age, contact with cats, and the habit of eating undercooked sheep meat and seroreactivity to T. gondii. These results strongly suggest the need for a more comprehensive epidemiological study and public health awareness education for toxoplasmosis.

Seroprevalence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus in dromedaries and their traders in upper Egypt.

INTRODUCTION: Camel trade in Egypt depends mainly on importation. Seemingly healthy imported camels are responsible for the ingress of serious diseases into Egypt. A striking example of this concerning public health globally is the Middle East respiratory coronavirus (MERS-CoV) which causes case fatalities of over 34%. Here, we determined the seroepidemiological situation of the MERS-CoV in imported camels and their traders in Upper Egypt. METHODOLOGY: Sera of sixty-three dromedaries and twenty-eight camel traders were recruited (January 2015-December 2016). The age, gender, and sampling locality of each sampled camel and human were obtained. Semi-quantitative anti-MERS-CoV IgG ELISAs which utilize the purified spike protein domain S1 antigen of MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV S1) were used to detect specific IgG antibodies against the virus. RESULTS: The data showed that 58.73% of imported camels and 25% of traders had antibodies specific to MERS-CoV. Interestingly, like seroreactive camels, all seropositive humans were apparently healthy without any history of developing severe respiratory disease in the 14 days prior to sampling. Having specific antibodies among the examined camel sera was significantly different (P < 0.0001) in relation to various sampling localities, gender and age groups. In contrast, the seropositivity rate of MERS-CoV IgG in humans did not differ significantly by any of the studied factors. CONCLUSIONS: The current study provides the first serological evidence of occupational exposure of humans to MERS-CoV in Africa. Additionally, it reports that imported camels could be implicated in introducing MERS-CoV into Egypt. Accordingly, application of strict control measures to camel importation is a priority.

Phylogenetic analysis of Salmonella species isolated from cows, buffaloes, and humans based on gyrB gene sequences.

This study aimed to investigate the role of dairy cows and buffaloes as reservoirs of nontyphoidal salmonelloses (NTS), to reveal the occurrence of NTS among dairy workers and children with acute diarrhea and to study the gyrB gene phylogenetic relations of the obtained Salmonella strains, 300 samples were chosen randomly from clinically infected animals, including 100 feces and 50 raw milk from buffaloes and cows. Five hundred samples were chosen randomly from healthy animals, including 150 feces and 100 raw milk from buffaloes and cows. A total of 160 stool samples were randomly chosen from healthy workers (60) and children with acute diarrhea (100). Salmonella species were isolated from the examined samples and identified by polymerase chain reaction. Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of gyrB gene were also performed. S. enteritidis and S.typhimurium were isolated from 0.5% (2/400) of the cows and buffaloes, respectively. Dairy workers were found to be at greater risk of exposure to Salmonella infection (5%) than children (1%). S. enteritidis was isolated from 1.7% (1/60) of dairy workers. S. typhimurium was isolated from 3.33% (2/60) and 1% (1/100) of dairy workers and children, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of Salmonella species gyrB gene sequences from both animals and humans falls inside one clade, and all of them were closely related to each other with less significant genetic distance (99.9:100). In conclusion, cows and buffaloes act as reservoirs of Salmonella infection in dairy farms in Egypt and contribute a risk of zoonotic transmission to human.

Sero-epidemiological study on Dengue fever virus in humans and camels at Upper Egypt.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Dengue fever (DF) is an important mosquito-borne viral zoonosis affecting over 100 countries worldwide and putting about 3.9 billion people at risk of infection. The disease has re-emerged in Egypt since 2011; however, there is a paucity of recent epidemiological data available. Therefore, in this study, we employed a cross-sectional study to determine DF prevalence in humans and camels in Asyut and Sohag Governorates, Egypt, during 2019. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 91 humans and a similar number of dromedary camels were utilized in this study. Sera were obtained and analyzed for the presence of specific antibodies against DF virus using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Related epidemiological data affecting the disease spread in humans and camels were recorded and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The seroprevalence of DF in humans and camels was 12.09% and 3.3%, respectively. The disease varied significantly by the species examined as humans were found to be at a higher risk of acquiring the infection compared to camels. Nearly equal odds of exposure (odds ratio [OR]) were seen in the individuals with close contact with camels compared to those without; however, individuals exposed to mosquitoes were at approximately 3 times higher risk of infection (OR=2.95 [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73-11.93]) compared to individuals who were not exposed to mosquitoes (OR=0.033 [95% CI, 0.084-1.37]). Interestingly, DF seropositivity in camels was significantly related to the presence or absence of symptoms within 2 weeks before sampling (p=0.02) where symptomatic animals had higher odds of exposure (OR=19.51 [95%, 0.97-392.3]) compared to asymptomatic ones (OR=0.05 [95%, 0.002-1.03]). CONCLUSION: The current study reports the presence of specific antibodies against dengue virus (DENV) in humans residing within Asyut and Sohag Governorates, Egypt. Furthermore, it provides the first serological evidence of DENV circulation in camels which is alarming. A more comprehensive study is needed; however, this baseline investigation underscores the urgent need for increasing awareness among people residing in the area as well as application of the appropriate mosquito control measures to avoid further spread of the disease.

Prevalence of Candida blood stream infections among children in tertiary care hospital: detection of species and antifungal susceptibility.

BACKGROUND: Of all blood stream infections (BSI), candidaemia poses the greatest threat with a high fatality rate among children. There has been an increase in the number of reports of non-C. albicans species and antifungal resistance has progressively emerge. AIM: The present study aimed to demonstrate the prevalence of candidaemia among children and to characterize the involved species and their susceptibility to antifungal agents. METHODOLOGY: Microbes were isolated from blood samples and identified via standard microbiological procedures. Chromogenic media was used to characterize the Candida species. The susceptibility of the isolates to the antifungal agents; caspofungin, amphotericin, itraconazole, and fluconazole was determined with the E-test. STATISTICAL METHODS: The data were analysed with Statistical Package for the Social Science SPSS; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) version 15 for Microsoft Windows. Comparisons between the study groups were performed using the Chi square (χ2) test. p-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: Candidaemia accounted for 17.3% of all BSIs. C. albicans and non-C. albicans species accounted for 36% and 64% of the cases of candidaemia, respectively. Caspofungin, amphotericin, itraconazole, and fluconazole antifungals had activities of 99%, 97%, 73% and 64%, respectively. In total, 64% of patients with candiaemia died. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of candidaemia was high, the fatality rate was alarming and non-C. albicans species were predominant. Fluconazole was the least effective of the tested antifungal agents owing to the high level of resistance.

Detection of viral acute lower respiratory tract infection in hospitalized infants using real-time PCR.

INTRODUCTION: Acute lower respiratory tract infection in children causes significant morbidity in the developing countries. Documentation of virus infection using PCR and clinical characteristics of patients affected with viral pneumonia are reviewed in this study. METHODS: 51 children less than three years admitted to the Pediatric Hospital, Cairo University with viral pneumonia were included. All patients had undergone nasopharyngeal aspirate for PCR viral detection. RESULTS: A total of 51 cases were enrolled in the study, of which 7 cases were negative while 44 children were positive for viruses. The most common respiratory virus was Rhinovirus in 32 patients (72.2%), then parainfluenza virus (PIV) in 12 (27.3%), of which subtypes PIV1 were 2 (4.5%), PIV3 were 5 (11.4%) and PIV4 were 5 (11.4%) cases. The third common viruses were respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in 9 (20.5%) cases of which 3 (6.8%) were RSVA and 6 (13.6%) were RSVB and adenovirus in 9 cases (20.5%). Boca virus was found in 8 (18.2%) patients, corona virus 2 (4.5%) patients, H1N1 2 (4.5%) patients, enterovirus 2 patients (4.5%) and human metapneumovirus in one case (2.3%). Influenza B and PIV2 were not detected. Coinfection was found in 28 (63.7%). Mortality occurred in 12 (23.5%). There was no significant relation between virus type or coinfection with disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: RV was the most commonly detected virus in children under 3 years admitted with acute lower respiratory tract infections. Coinfection was present in the majority of our patients; however it was not related significantly to parameters of disease severity.

Detection of Bacterial Biofilms in Chronic Pharyngitis Resistant to Medical Treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role played by adenoids as a reservoir for infection in children assigned for adenoidectomy. METHODOLOGY: The study included 35 children with adenoid hypertrophy. All patients underwent clinical examination and adenoidectomy, adenotonsillectomy, or myringotomy with insertion of aeration tube according to indications. Surgical specimens were processed for conventional bacterial culture examination and to assay for biofilm formation. The obtained adherence values using spectrophotometer at 595 nm (OD595) was used to classify isolates according to its biofilm forming capacity. RESULTS: We did adenotonsillectomy and myringotomy with insertion of aeration tube in 5 patients having adenotonsillitis with otitis media with effusion. We did adenotonsillectomy in 12 patients having adenotonsillitis and adenoidectomy in 18 patients having adenoid hypertrophy. Thirty-one surgical specimens showed bacterial growth on conventional media, while 4 specimens failed to give growth. The predominant organism was H influenzae then Staph aureus and Strept pneumoniae. Thirty-two specimens showed biofilm forming capacity (BFC) of variable extent, while others showed no BFC. CONCLUSION: Adenoids act as a bacterial reservoir secondary to bacterial biofilm formation so could induce chronicity and initiate development of complications. Determination of BFC using the proposed protocol is feasible, inexpensive, and available and spares the need for sophisticated instruments or approaches.

The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection among Saudi women attending the infertility clinic in Central Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) infection among Saudi women, its clinical presentation, and its association to infertility. METHODS: This study was conducted between October 2012 and July 2013 at King Khalid University Hospital and King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Female patients aged between 19 and 46 years old with infertility problems seen at both hospitals were recruited to join the study. A separate group of female patients without infertility problems was also recruited from both hospitals to serve as controls for the study. Endocervical swabs were collected from both groups of patients, and samples were analyzed using real time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: There was a statistically significantly greater prevalence of C. trachomatis infection in infertile women (n=8, 8.0%) compared with the fertile group of women (n=1, 1.0%). The C. trachomatis infection was significantly correlated to infertility. CONCLUSION: A significant association between infertility and increased prevalence of C. trachomatis infection is shown in this study, thus, we suggest that screening for Chlamydial infection to be part of the routine investigation for infertility. 

Spectrographic analysis of Egyptian Cairene /r/: is it a trill or a tap?

The /r/ phoneme is variable in manner and place of articulation, and difficult to correct worldwide. Variability could exist within the same language. The objective of this study was to determine whether Egyptian Cairene /r/ was a trill or a tap and, if both forms were present, whether they were affected by word position or adjacent vowels/consonants. The information obtained was intended to improve correction of /r/ in faulty articulation. Spectrographic analysis was done for 50 Cairene subjects, who produced /r/ in different word positions in carrier phrases. Results have shown presence of both forms in the speech of every subject, but taps were more common than trills. Trills were more common in geminated /r/, in word-medial syllable final position, especially when preceded with /e/, /æ/ or /α/, and in word-medial syllable initial position, especially when preceded by non-back consonants.

Use of FTA cards for direct sampling of patients' lesions in the ecological study of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

The FTA card (Whatman) was assessed for its utility as a molecular epidemiological tool in collecting samples from patients with leishmaniasis in Peru because the card has a variety of merits; it is less invasive for patients and easy to handle for both physicians and other medical personnel for sample collection or diagnosis, in addition to its simplicity and easy countrywide and/or intercountry transportation for analysis. Samples were collected from 132 patients suspected of having leishmaniasis, and Leishmania species were successfully identified in samples from 81 patients in 15 departments of Peru by cytochrome b and mannose phosphate isomerase gene analyses. Of these, 61.7% were identified as Leishmania (Viannia) peruviana, 22.2% as L. (V.) braziliensis, 12.3% as L. (V.) guyanensis, 2.5% as L. (V.) shawi, and 1.2% as L. (V.) lainsoni. The three predominant species, L. (V.) peruviana, L. (V.) braziliensis, and L. (V.) guyanensis, were mainly found in the Andean highlands, in the tropical rainforest, and in northern and central rainforest regions, respectively. This is the first time L. (V.) shawi has been identified outside Brazil. The present study showed that the FTA card will be a useful tool for the ecological study of different forms of leishmaniasis. Furthermore, collecting samples directly from patients' lesions by using the FTA card eliminates (i) the possibility of contamination of Leishmania isolates during short- and/or long-term passages of culture in vitro in each laboratory and (ii) pain and suffering of patients from taking samples by skin biopsy.

Seroepidemiological study on human brucellosis in Assiut Governorate.

Brucellosis is the most important zoonotic disease constituting a public health problem in Assiut Governorate, hence this study was carried out to determine the prevalence of brucellosis among humans in Assiut Governorate. A total of 7154 peripheral blood samples were collected from patients with fever at Assiut Fever Hospital during the period from 2002-2003. A full detailed anamnestic and clinical assessment in the form of questionnaire was designed for each individual to determine the risk factors with specific emphasis to age, sex, residence and occupation. All serum samples were screened for Brucella antibodies by slide agglutination test. Positive sera were further analyzed by standared tube agglutination test. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was carried out to detect IgM and IgG Brucella antibodies. Statistical analysis was performed and correlation coefficient was done between all risk factors. Results declared that the prevalence of brucellosis was (1.29 +/- 0.004 %) and (1.22 +/- 0.002 %) as detected by agglutination and ELISA, respectively. IgM antibodies were estimated in 9.8 % of the examined patients, while IgG antibodies were found in 30.4 % of the examined patients, moreover both IgM and IgG antibodies were detected in 54.3 % of the examined patients. The prevalence of brucellosis was significantly (P < 0.05) affected by sex, where the rate of detection was higher among females (1.76 +/- 0.009 %) than males (1.05 +/- 0.004 %) as detected by agglutination test. On the other hand, the prevalence rate based on ELISA was (1.64 +/- 0.39 % and 1.01 +/- 0.89 %) for females and males, respectively. Prevalence of brucellosis was higher in rural areas (1.3 +/- 0.005 % & 1.25 +/- 0.009 %) than in urban areas (1.23 +/- 0.001% & 1.12 +/- 0.01 %) as detected by agglutination test and ELISA, respectively. The prevalence of brucellosis varied significanctly between different occupational and age groups. Public health impact of brucellosis is discussed and suggestive measures for control are explained.

IL-10 and IL-12p40 in Egyptian patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide with a prevalence of approximately 14% in Egypt. IL-10 is a cytokine produced by Th2 cells. It down-regulates the proinflammatory response and modulates hepatic fibrogenesis. IL-12 is produced by antigen presenting cells. It promotes Th1 cell response and has many antiviral properties. Data concerning the Th-1/Th-2 balance in chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) are rather conflicting. Using ELISA, we assessed serum IL-10 and IL-12p40 levels in 66 Egyptian patients with HCV-related liver illness (CH-C, cirrhosis, and HCC), and their relationship to disease activity. Our results showed that spontaneous IL-10 was undetectable in patients with CH-C, HCC or controls. Only 5/22 (23%) of patients with cirrhosis showed detectable levels of IL-10. IL-12p40 was elevated in the patient groups compared to controls (p= 0.01, p= 0.01, p= 0.05 in CH-C, cirrhosis and HCC, respectively). The presence of IL-12p40 was associated with HCV level of viremia and serum AST. Serum ALT level was significantly associated with the level of IL-12p40. IL-12p40 was unrelated to liver histology or fibrosis. We concluded that in the Egyptian patients an augmentation of IL-12p40 and a suppression of IL-10 are both found. Whether this pattern is related to HCV genotype 4, or to the presence of schistosomiasis would need to be further investigated.

TT virus infection among Egyptian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV) have been associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recently, a novel DNA virus was isolated from a patient with posttransfusion hepatitis of unknown etiology and designated TT virus (TTV). To examine whether this virus is associated with HCC, we investigated sera from 82 Egyptian patients with histopathologically-diagnosed HCC. All subjects underwent serological investigations for detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg), hepatitis B core antibody (HbcAb) and anti-HCV. Detection of TTV-DNA was performed by semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using TTV-specific primers. TTV-DNA was detected in 28% of the patients. Age, gender, risk factors and biochemical liver functions did not significantly differ between TTV-DNA positive and negative patients. TTV was detected in 27.1% of patients with HCV-HCC, 25% of HBV-HCC, 66.7% of dual HCV and HBV infection and 40% of those with non-B, non-C-HCC (NBNC-HCC). It is concluded that, in this the cohort of Egyptian patients with HCC, TTV infection is common and is not associated with HCV, HBV, NBNC-HCC, history of schistosomiasis or blood transfusion.