Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism and polycystic ovary syndrome susceptibility.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy in women. This study was designed to investigate the associations of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene variants with PCOS risk and the severity of the disease phenotype among Egyptian women. METHODS: In this study, 185 women with PCOS and 207 fertile women as controls were recruited. Cases were divided into phenotype groups based on their clinical and paraclinical features. Clinical and laboratory data were measured in the patient and control groups. All individuals were genotyped for nine single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located across the VDR gene using TaqMan allelic discrimination real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Women with PCOS were significantly (P ≤ 0.001) higher body mass index (BMI) (22.77 ± 2.5) than controls (21.68 ± 1.85 kg/m2). Women with PCOS had significantly higher anti-Mullerian hormone, prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH), LH/follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), free testosterone, total testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels than the control group (P ≤ 0.001). The level of FSH was significantly lower in women with PCOS than in the control group (P ≤ 0.001). Analysis of the VDR rs4516035, rs2107301, rs1544410 (BsmI), and rs731236 (TaqI) SNPs showed a significant association with PCOS phenotype A. Furthermore, rs2228570 (FokI), rs3782905, rs7975232 (ApaI), and rs739837 SNPs showed a significant association with PCOS phenotype C. Furthermore, rs11568820 SNP showed a significant association with PCOS phenotype D (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicate that variations in the VDR gene were associated with an increased risk of PCOS in Egyptian women.

Viral pathogens of acute gastroenteritis in Egyptian children: role of the parechovirus.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Human parechovirus (HPeV) has emerged as a pathogen associated with acute gastroenteritis (AGE). AIM: To detect the presence of HPeV in the stool samples from Egyptian children with AGE seeking care and the possibility of its co-infection with other enteric viruses. METHODOLOGY: One hundred stool samples were collected from children attending Mansoura University Children's Hospital with AGE. HPeV and astrovirus were detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). At the same time, detection of rotavirus antigen and norovirus was achieved by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and rapid immunochromatographic method, respectively. RESULTS: The most frequently detected virus was rotavirus (39%), followed by norovirus (27%), HPeV (19%), and astrovirus (12%). Interestingly, the single infection with HPeV was 5%. Among the 19 HPeV positive samples, the co-infection of HPeV with other enteric viruses was detected in 9(43.9%) for rotavirus, 7(36.8%) for norovirus, 2(10.5%) for astrovirus, in 3(15.8%) for rotavirus and norovirus and 1(5.3%) for norovirus and astrovirus. Regarding the clinical presentation, there was no significant difference between children infected with HPeV alone and those infected with viruses other than HPeV alone; fever (p = 0.3), vomiting (p = 0.12), abdominal pain (p = 0.12), and grades of severity (P = 0.82). HPeV alone infected children were of mild severity (60%), and their main presenting symptom was fever (60%). CONCLUSIONS: Detection of HPeV as a single viral pathogen in the stool of some children with AGE showed that this virus could be a causative agent of AGE in Egyptian children. Therefore, HPeV could be included as one of the viruses screened for AGE diagnosis in children in Egypt.

Study of MicroRNA-122 as a Diagnostic Biomarker of Sepsis.

Sepsis in intensive care units (ICUs) represent a threat with need for rapid and accurate diagnosis. We aimed to assess miR-122 as an early biomarker for diagnosis and outcome prediction in patients with hospital acquired sepsis in ICU. This case control study included 25 adults' patients with sepsis and 25 patients with local wound infections as a control group. C-reactive protein (CRP), total leucocytes count (TLC), liver function, and molecular determination of miR-122 levels were assessed. miR-122 had significant higher area under curve (AUC) when compared with CRP and TLC for differentiation of sepsis from wound infections. The cut off value for miR-122 was 0.16 folds expression with sensitivity, specificity and accuracy 100%. The TLC cut off value was 14.00 x103/cmm with 100% sensitivity, 84% specificity and 92% accuracy. While CRP cut off value was 41 mg/l with 76.0% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 88.0% accuracy. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed non statistically significant difference between survivors and non survivors regarding sepsis biomarkers. Receiver operation curve (ROC) for different biomarkers, CRP, TLC and miR-122 to differentiate patients with poor outcome of sepsis compared to patients with recovery, revealed that AUC was 0.61, 0.6, and 0.45 respectively. miR-122 as a prognostic biomarker for sepsis had 66.6% sensitivity, 50% specificity, and 56.0% accuracy. The present study highlights important points in the use of biomarkers in diagnosis of sepsis in adults' patients above 50 years old. miR-122 is an accurate and specific biomarker for diagnosis of sepsis. miR-122 has limited predictive value for determination of the outcome of patients with sepsis even when used in combination with another biomarker such as CRP and TLC.

Molecular Study of Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates for Metallo-ß-Lactamases and Extended-Spectrum-ß-Lactamases Genes in Intensive Care Unit, Mansoura University Hospital, Egypt.

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) has been known as a causative pathogen of hospital acquired infections. The aim of this study is to examine the presence of A. baumannii among clinical isolates from intensive care unit (ICU) in Mansoura University Hospital (MUH), its antibiotic resistance pattern, and prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes metallo-ß-lactamases (MBLs) and extended-spectrum-ß-lactamases (ESBLs) among A. baumannii isolates. A. baumannii was identified by colony morphology, API 20E, and confirmed by detecting the bla OXA-51-like carbapenemase gene by PCR. Phenotypic expression of MBLs resistance was demonstrated by Combined Disk Test (CDT) in 273 isolates (97.5%) and of ESBLs was demonstrated by double disc synergy method (DDST) in 6 isolates (2.1%). MBLs genes were positive in 266 isolates (95%) and ESBLs genes were positive in 8 isolates (2.9%). The most frequent genes of MBLs studied genes were IMP (95.7%) followed by SIM and GIM (47.1% and 42.9%; resp.). For ESBL genes, the most frequent gene was TEM (2.9%). From this study, we conclude that multidrug resistant (MDR) A. baumannii with MBLs activity was the most common isolate. Careful monitoring for the presence of MDR A. baumannii among hospitalized patients is recommended to avoid wide dissemination of antibiotic resistance.