Biochemistry

Chickens are considered potential reservoirs for human extraintestinal infections with pathogenic Escherichia coli. However, information about genetic relatedness between E. coli from healthy chickens and human patients is still limited. In this study, clinical samples from patients with extraintestinal infections and healthy broiler chickens were collected from geographically related locations in Egypt during the 2nd half of 2015. The recovered isolates were tested for susceptibility against β-lactam antimicrobials and screened for the presence of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) and virulence genes; clonal and phylotypes were also determined. Forty-eight percent (48/100) and 31.3% (50/160) of human and chicken samples were positive for E. coli, respectively. Although only 4% (2/50) of the chicken isolates were resistant to the tested β-lactams, over 58% of human E. coli isolates (28/48) exhibited resistance to cefotaxime. For β-lactamases, 52.1%, 33.3%, 20.8%, and 6.25% of human E. coli were positive for bla, bla, bla, and bla, while bla, bla, and bla were found in 32%, 4%, and 34% of chicken isolates, respectively. Low frequencies of virulence genes within human and chicken E. coli isolates were detected by PCR. The majority of E. coli isolates harboring β-lactam resistance genes from human and chicken sources belonged to phylogroup C and B1, respectively. Using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), some E. coli grouped based upon source; however, most clusters contained isolates from both humans and chickens. The above findings suggest that although no single clone appeared to be circulating among E. coli isolates from human and chicken, some shared characteristics exist among isolates from both sources. Increased study will aid to track the dissemination of β-lactam-resistant E. coli from healthy chickens to humans for implementation of effective intervention strategies.

We compared the diagnosis of malaria in 297 patients from Thailand by a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay using the LightCycler with conventional microscopy using Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood films. The PCR assay can be completed in one hour and has the potential to detect and identify four species of Plasmodium in a single reaction by use of

Co-infection of schistosomiasis, HBV and HCV is common in countries where schistosomiasis is endemic. Occult hepatitis B occurs in patients at high risk for HBV infection (e.g., patients on hemodialysis, patients receiving blood transfusions). Schistosomal infection is a risk factor of HBV infection that can increase the incidence of occult hepatitis B. We aimed to determine the prevalence of occult hepatitis B in chronic hepatitis C patients with and without schistosomiasis and to assess the effect of schistosomal infection on the increased risk of exposure to HBV infection and to occult hepatitis B. Two hundred chronic hepatitis C patients who were negative for HBsAg participated. All patients were tested for the following: Anti-schistosome antibodies, Anti-HBc, serum HBV DNA, CBC and liver function. The prevalence of occult hepatitis B in CHC patients with/without schistosomiasis were 12.8% and 8.5% (P=0.042), respectively. Next, 63.8% of CHC patients with schistosomiasis were exposed to HBV infection (Anti-HBc +ve) during their lifetime. In conclusion, the prevalence of occult hepatitis B is higher in CHC patients with schistosomiasis compared to those without schistosomiasis. Periodic laboratory investigations of Schistosoma mansoni, HBV and HCV are recommended for the early detection of the infection and, especially in endemic areas, to avoid infection complications.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a tumor associated with high mortality, has rising worldwide incidence. Occult hepatitis B (OBI) could influence the development of HCC with a strong association with HCV infection. The risk of tumor recurrence or poor response to treatment may be due to the presence of underlying cirrhosis with viral hepatitis. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of OBI among patients who are hepatitis B core antibody positive with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) having HCC and assess its impact on treatment response. A total of 240 patients with CHC who were negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were enrolled. One hundred twenty patients were diagnosed to have HCC for which they underwent interventional treatment whereas 120 patients had no evidence of HCC. Hematological and biochemical tests, Anti-HBc IgG, and HBV-DNA were done. Prevalence of isolated Anti-HBc IgG and HBV DNA in their sera were 70 and 23.8% respectively in HCC patients, but only 43.3% and 15.4% respectively in CHC patients. Patients who tested positive for anti-HBc IgG had one and half times higher risk of having HCC when compared patients who tested negative. Majority (84.6%) of patients with HCC who were non-responders to interventional treatment tested positive for anti-HBc IgG, and 36% of them had detectable HBV DNA in their sera. HBV DNA(+) patient had two times higher risk of having poor response to HCC intervention treatment more than patients with serum HBV DNA(−). Previous exposure to HBV had a strong association with HCC in CHC patients, and OBI is an independent risk factor for poor response to intervention treatment of HCC.

The relation between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains unknown. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and genotyping of HCV among patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Methods: A case-control study was conducted at the outpatients’ clinics of Suez Canal University Hospital, from June 2015 to June 2016. In this study, 91 type 2 diabetic patients were selected as cases and 135 healthy controls were also included. Clinical and demographic data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Laboratory investigations including, blood glucose level and screening for anti-HCV antibodies by using VIDAS Anti-HCV assay were performed. The quantitative detection of HCV RNA in the plasma samples was estimated by real-time polymerase chain reaction, sequencing analysis was done by Macrogen Company for HCV-positive samples, and then a blast search was done for the sequenced HCV fragments. Results: out of 91 type 2 diabetic cases...

This study was undertaken to evaluate the comparison among three different assays: extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) Nordmann/ Dortet/ Poirel (NDP) test, flow cytometric assay and disc diffusion method for the detection of ESBL production. Sixty clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae were isolated from patients’ clinical samples admitted to Suez-Canal University Hospital, Ismailia Governorate. The percentages of ESBLs producing Klebsiella pneumoniae ranged from 70 to 80% by ESBL NDP and flow cytometric assays, respectively in comparison to 76.6% by disc diffusion method. The sensitivity and specificity of the three assays were evaluated and the sensitivity by ESBL NDP and disc diffusion method was 100%, while by the flow cytometric assay, it was 91.3%. The specificity of disc diffusion method in detection of ESBLs was 100%, followed by the ESBL NDP test (85.7%) and flow cytometric assay (77.8%). Kappa testing showed perfect agreement between the ESBL NDP test and disc dif...

Plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes (PMQR) are mainly associated with clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae and complicate treatment of infections caused by these isolates worldwide. Extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria are resistant to common antibiotics and also through many mechanisms, ESBL could be disabling other types of antibiotics. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of quinolone resistance and ESBL among Enterobacteriaceae strains and investigated the presence of qnrA and qnrB genes in these strains which were isolated from urinary tract infections in Ismailia, Egypt. Ninety-four Enterobacteriaceae isolates were collected from cases of UTIs admitted to the intensive care unit, Suez-Canal University Hospitals, between October 2017 and January 2018. Antibacterial susceptibility was determined by the disk diffusion method. A polymerase chain reaction assay was used to detect qnrA and qnrB resistance genes in quinolone- and fluoroquinolone-...

Hepatitis C and B viruses (HCV & HBV) are the main causes of chronic liver disease worldwide whereas 130 170 million people are affected by HCV infection worldwide [1]. In Egypt, It is estimated that HCV prevalence among the 15 59 years age group to be 14.7% [2]. Accordingly, Egypt has the highest HCV prevalence in the world [3, 4]. The prevalence of HBsAg ranges from 3% to 11% in Egypt but a decrease in HBV incidence is expected among children where 90% immunization coverage has been achieved [5,6].

Rapid resistance to mupirocin occurs among strains of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) which the main etiological agent is causing community-acquired and hospital-acquired infections. Powdered samples of Sr-doped glass, of composition 70 SiO2- (30–x) CaO- xSrO were prepared by sol – gel method. XRD and FTIR confirmed the calcined glass existed in the amorphous state. Sr doped glass exhibited antibacterial effect onmupirocin resistant MRSA strains by the agar-disk diffusion method. The inhibition zone increased as the concentration of Sr ions was increased. Sr release was dependent on bioactive glass composition with increasing Sr substitution resulting in higher concentrations in the medium. Sr for Ca substitution in the glass is a promising bactericidal bioactive material till 3% SrO, but SrO substitution above that ratio doesn’t further improve bactericidal effect

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is considered as an autoimmune disorder in around 30-50% of cases and referred to as chronic autoimmune urticaria. T regulatory cells (Tregs) may be involved in the pathogenesis of CSU. However, their exact role has not yet been fully defined in those patients. This study aimed to investigate the possible role of Tregs cells subsets in CSU patients. In a case-control study, conducted at dermatology clinics, Suez- Canal University Hospitals, Ismailia, Egypt; 25 CSU patients and 25 apparently healthy control blood donors with matched age and gender were recruited. CSU patients were subjected to history taking, physical examination, assessment of urticaria activity score (UAS) and autologous serum skin test (ASST). Blood samples were obtained from both groups to estimate the number of Tregs cells by flow cytometric analysis. The mean values of CD4+ Fox P3+ and CD4+ FoxP3+ CD25+ Tregs in the study cases were increased significantly compared to the con...