Multilocus genotyping of Giardia duodenalis isolated from patients in Egypt.

Human giardiasis is a common waterborne/foodborne parasitic disease worldwide, especially in developing countries. Prevalence and molecular identity of Giardia parasites are largely controversial. The present study was conducted to determine the occurrence of Giardia parasites and the genetic profile of circulating assemblage(s) in patients attended the outpatient clinic at Kafrelsheikh University hospital, Kafr El Sheikh Province, Egypt. A total of 318 patients, of different age and sex, referred to the clinic were subjected to fecal examination. Microscopic results revealed that 181/318 (56.9%) were positive for Giardia parasites. Multilocus genotyping by PCR/sequencing of beta-giardin (bg), triose phosphate isomerase (tpi), and glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) genes of representative number of positive samples (65) revealed that assemblages A, B and mixed infections (A + B) occurred in 26/65 (40.0%), 32/65 (49.2%) and 10.8% (7/65) of the analyzed isolates, respectively. MLGs analysis indicated that assemblage A sequences clustered in two novel types of AII sub-assemblage. In assemblage B sequences, BIII was the predominant (22/23, 95.7%) sub-assemblage compared to BIV (1/23, 4.3%). Collectively, assemblage B MLGs displayed greater levels of genetic diversity compared to assemblage A. Our data indicate that assemblages A and B of G. duodenalis circulate in humans at Kafr El Sheikh Province, Egypt, and that high genetic diversity exists at the assemblage and/or sub-assemblage levels.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus among the newcomer students, Kafrelsheikh University, Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) constitutes a global public health problem in Egypt, as it has the highest worldwide prevalence. This study aimed at determining the seroprevalence of HCV among the newcomer students of Kafrelsheikh University, Egypt. METHODS: A cross-sectional serosurvey was conducted including 9049 students. Medical examination, ultrasonography, and laboratory investigations were done. Liver function tests and HCV antibody testing were carried out for all students who gave an informed consent; HCV-RNA polymerase chain reaction was performed for students with positive HCV antibody testing. RESULTS: The mean age of screened students were 18.6 ± 0.39 years. In total, 4233 (46.8%) were males and 4816 (53.2%) were females. Using HCV antibody testing, only 25 students (0.0028%) had positive antibodies; among them, 24 students (0.0026%) had HCV RNA positive; the study showed none statistically significant higher percentage of HCV infection among males (13 out of 24, 54.2%) than females (11 out of 24, 48.5%), P > 0.05. The results of liver function tests were not significantly different between the HCV-positive and HCV-negative students. However, the liver transaminase enzymes were significantly higher ( P < 0.0001) in HCV positive students compared to the negative ones, despite its mean values did not exceed the upper normal level. HCV infection among young Egyptian generations showed a marked decline. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of HCV infection among young Egyptian generations had markedly decline, indicating the start of successful control of HCV infection.

Possible role of angiotensin-converting enzyme polymorphism on progression of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Many functional polymorphisms in the rennin-angiotensin system (RAS) have been described; these polymorphisms have been postulated to contribute to fibrosis in several diseases. Our aim was to study the frequency of ACE I/D polymorphism in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and its association with liver fibrosis and response to treatment. This study included 90 patients with chronic hepatitis C. All patients received antiviral therapy in the form of pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Patients were grouped according to the stage of liver fibrosis by biopsy into: group 1 (fibrosis: 0 or 1); group 2 (fibrosis: 2 or 3) and group 3 (fibrosis: 4 or 5). The study included also 170 healthy subjects, as a control group. Polymerase chain reaction was carried out to detect the different ACE genotypes. The D/D genotype was significantly more prevalent among HCV patients compared to controls (65.6% vs 48.2%, P=0.006). Degree of necroinflammation was significantly higher among patients with I/I genotype when compared to patients with D/D genotype (P=0.04). No significant difference in the distribution of the ACE I/D genotypes between the fibrosis groups and between responders and non responders to interferon therapy. The D/D genotype may increase the susceptibility to infection with hepatitis C.