Background and Objectives: Patients with hemolytic diseases are at higher risk of infections.Moreover, infections are significant contributors to morbidity and mortality in patients with hemolytic disease.Frequent screenings of infections, the spectrum of the organism, site of infection like blood urine sputum.Details of bacteremia must be explored and treated earliest to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with hemolytic disease.The study has aimed to identify the prevalence of infection in patients with hemolytic disease in the Saudi population.Materials and Methods: A total of 113 samples were examined for microbial growth on six different culture media (BAP, NA, MacConkey, CAP, Salmonella Agar and PDA), At microbiology and toxicology laboratories at in Security Forces Hospital and King Fahd Medical City in Riyadh Saudi Arabia.Results: The characteristics of 113 episodes of invasive bacterial infection among patients with hemolytic diseases were examined.Salient pathogens were K. pneumoniae MDR, tissue MARSA, AFB tissue, E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, H. pylori, C. arbiran, Enterobacter cloacae, HBS Group A, H1N1, Candida albicans.The most frequent pathogen was K. pneumoniae MDR, tissue MARSA, the most frequent pathogen in the urine was K. pneumoniae and E. coli.Pathogen isolated in the sputum were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, Acinetobacter.The most frequent pathogen in the stool was Clostridium Bacteremia was caused by tissue MARSA, S. aureus, Enterobacter, K. pneumoniae.Conclusion: Infection is prevalent in patients with hemolytic diseases.K. pneumoniae tissue MARSA, AFB, E. coli 9 (7.96%) and Pseudomonas were salient pathogens.Patients with hemolytic diseases should be investigated early and aggressively for infection.
Background and Objective: The cellular component of innate immunity relies on cluster of differentiation (CD) 14 and toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 to combat harmful pathogens.This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) subtypes smooth (O55:B5) and LPS rough (EH100) on the expression of CD14 and TLR-4 in human leukemia macrophage-derived THP-1 cells.Materials and Methods: Monocyte to macrophage differentiation was achieved in THP-1 cells by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) treatment.Surface expression of CD14 and TLR-4 were determined by flow cytometry after treatment with LPS subtypes.TNF-" was measured by ELISA.Confocal microscopy was used to determine co-localization of CD14 and TLR-4 receptors on THP-1 cell surface.Results: Treatment of THP-1 cells with LPS subtypes significantly increased the expression of CD14 and TLR-4 receptors (p<0.05).Higher levels of TNF-" were released in LPS-subtypes stimulated cells but the differences in the levels of TNF-" in differentiated and undifferentiated cells still unclear.Co-localization showed positive correlation between CD14 and TLR-4 receptors (r>0.83). Conclusion:This study revealed that monocyte to macrophage differentiation in THP-1 cells increases the surface expression of CD14 and TLR-4 receptors and also leads overproduction of TNF-".
Background and Objective: The C-C chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is a coreceptor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is related to immune cells.Therefore, it was investigated immunostimulant effect of red fruit (Pandanus conoideus) oil extract on the level of CCR5 mRNA in HIV infected patients with taking antiretroviral therapy.Materials and Methods: Seventy of HIV infected patients (age of 17-45 years) were into the antiretroviral (ARV) control (n = 35) and the antiretroviral+red fruit capsule (ARV+RFC)-treated (n = 35) groups.In ARV+RFC group, they were given oral RFC (1 g daily for two months).Monitoring evaluations of the laboratory were performed at baseline (0 months) and two months during the study.The quantification of CCR5 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in human blood immune cells was determined using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay.Results: In this study, it was found that ARV+RFC exhibited a significantly increased level of CCR5 mRNA of HIV-infected patients compared with ARV alone (p<0.001).Conclusion: From this, it was concluded that the red fruit oil extract may have an excellent immunostimulant effect and has potential as an adjuvant in the management of HIV-infected patients.
Background and Objective: Curcuma longa (C. Longa ) has strong anti-inflammatory effect. This study aims to examine the effect of Curcuma longa extract on Forkhead Box P3 (FOXP3) mRNA expression in early pregnant mice with acute toxoplasmosis. Materials and Methods: This study evaluated 20 early pregnant mice that were divided into 5 groups, four mice in each. Group 1-4 received injections of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites. Three days later, G1 and G2 were given orally 125 and 500 mg kgG1/day of Curcuma longa extract, respectively. The G3 was given 60 mg kgG1/day of spiramycin (positive control) and G4 was given 0.2 mL of distilled water (negative control). The G5 underwent no intervention at all. Blood samples were obtained serially (before and 3 days after injection of tachyzoites, 3 and 7 days after intervention) to assess FOXP3 mRNA expression. Results: The FOXP3 mRNA expression increased significantly in G1-G3 3 days after intervention (p<0.05), whereas, FOXP3 mRNA expression decreased significantly (p<0.05) 7 days after intervention and there was no significant difference between these three groups. The FOXP3 mRNA expression in G4 increased significantly 3, 6 and 10 days after tachyzoites injections, while FOXP3 mRNA expression on G5 fluctuated but considered as insignificant (p>0.05). Conclusion: The administration of Curcuma longa extract at a dose of 125 mg kgG1/day for 3 days effectively increased FOXP3 mRNA expression and 7 days administration resulted in decreased FOXP3 mRNA expression in early pregnant mice with acute toxoplasmosis. Key words: FOXP3 mRNA, Curcuma longa , pregnancy, Toxoplasma gondii , spiramycin
Background and Objective: Gongronema latifolium and Vernonia amygdalina are medicinal plants that have been used in the treatment of nausea, hypertension, diabetes, stomach ache, high cholesterol level etc. However this research was set out to access comparatively the immuno-stimulatory effect of ethanol leaf extract of Gongronema latifolium and Vernonia amygdalina in cyclophosphamide immuno-suppressed rats.Materials and Methods: Thirty Wistar albino rats of 5 rats per group were used for this study and were divided into 6 groups.Group 1 rats were normal control; group 2 (positive control) rats were administered cyclophosphamide only, at the dose of 50 mg kgG 1 b.wt.i.p.Group 3 rats were administered low dose (400 mg kgG 1 b.wt.) of the Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract after cyclophosphamide induction while group 4 rats were administered high dose (600 mg kgG 1 b.wt.) of the extract after cyclophosphamide induction.Group 5 rats were administered low dose (400 mg kgG 1 b.wt.) of Gongronema latifolium leaf extract after cyclophosphamide induction while group 6 rats were administered high dose (600 mg kgG 1 b.wt.) of the extract after cyclophosphamide induction.The results were analyzed using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SPSS version 20.Results: Treatment with Vernonia amygdalina and Gongronema latifolium leaf extract (group 3, 4 and group 5, 6 respectively) showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in SOD activity, glutathione and vitamin C concentrations when compared with group 2 rats treated with cyclophosphamide only.More so treatment with Vernonia amygdalina and Gongronema latifolium leaf extract (group 3, 4 and group 5, 6 respectively) showed a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the liver marker enzymes (ALT, AST and ALP) when compared to group 2 rats treated with cyclophosphamide only, however group 2 rats showed a significant decrease (p<0.05) in total protein concentration and a significant increase (p<0.05) in the total cholesterol concentration and triacylglycerol concentration when compared to the treatment groups.Conclusion: Comparatively, these findings indicate that Vernonia amygdalina may have better antioxidant properties and also exhibited more potency in inhibiting liver damage by lowering the liver marker enzymes compared to Gongronema latifolia.
Background and Objective: Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common fatal diseases in the Egyptian population.Alpha-fetoprotein is widely used for hepatocellular carcinoma screening and diagnosis.Now-a-days, it couldnʼt be considered as an effective diagnostic tool due to its low sensitivity and specificity.So, the aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum endoglin and IL-6 as complementary biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with underlying cirrhosis compared to alpha-fetoprotein.Materials and Methods: There were 70 individuals included and divided into three main groups, group I, 30 liver cirrhosis patients, group II, 30 liver cirrhosis patients with associated hepatocellular carcinoma and group III, 10 matched healthy volunteers as a control group.Serum IL-6 and endoglin levels were estimated in all subjects using the ELISA technique.Results: In group II patients, the sensitivity of endoglin and IL-6 was 93.3 and 83.3%, respectively versus 60% for "-fetoprotein.The combined use of endoglin and "-fetoprotein improved the sensitivity to 97% while the combined use of IL-6 and "-fetoprotein improved the sensitivity to 94%.Conclusion: Based on the results reported in this study, it was found that endoglin and IL-6 are very useful tools for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian cirrhotic patients.They were found more specific and sensitive than AFP.Both serum markers showed significant higher levels in hepatocellular carcinoma patients compared to the liver cirrhosis patients and the control group.Endoglin and IL-6 were found to be more sensitive, specific and reliable serum markers than "-fetoprotein for diagnosis and early detection of liver cirrhosis associated hepatocellular carcinoma.The combined use of each one of them with "-fetoprotein can improve the sensitivity and the specificity in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.So, they could be useful complementary biomarkers in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis associated hepatocellular carcinoma.
Background and Objective: Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interleukin-18 (IL-18) are important immune regulators that may have a role in HBV infection outcome.Gene polymorphisms of these cytokines can affect their expression and serum level and may be associated with liver disease severity in patients with viral hepatitis.This study aimed to investigate the polymorphisms of IL-10 and IL-18 and to explore whether such polymorphisms are associated with the natural course of HBV infection in Saudi population.Materials and Methods: The study included 327 Saudi patients with different HBV clinical outcomes.Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected by restriction fragment length polymorphism after polymerase chain reaction (PCR-RFLP) for both IL-10 (1082G/A and 592A/C) and IL-18 (607C/A and137G/C).Results: The IL-10-1082GG genotype among cirrhotics was significantly lower than controls ((3.7 and 12.7%, respectively).While, IL-10-592AA genotype was significantly less prevalent among cirrhotics (6.4%) compared to recovered and control groups.IL-18 (607C>A) SNP analysis showed no significant difference between the studied groups.The IL-18-137CC genotype was less prevalent among cirrhotic patients (1.8%) compared to recovered group (9.7%).Also, GG genotype was statistically more prevalent among HBV cirrhotics.The polymorphisms of the promoter region of IL-10 and IL-18 genes are closely associated with susceptibility to chronic active hepatitis B and development of hepatic cirrhosis.Conclusion: The patients with AA at position IL-10-592AA may be protected against HBV infection.Moreover, CC genotype at position IL-18-137CC may be closely linked to HBV-DNA recovery.
Leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease of livestock with worldwide occurrence, can have debilitating and life threatening consequences on humans. Thus to determine the sero-epidemiology of Leptospira antibodies in Nigeria, prevalent circulating serovars in the population and provide data for health policy makers, in the control and treatment of leptospirosis, this study was undertaken. Two hundred and sixty-three blood samples from male and female abbatoir workers from four locations in north central Nigeria; Benue State, Plateau State, Nassarawa State and the Federal Capital Territory were screened for the antibodies to leptospirae by Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) and IgG ELISA techniques, where 87.7 and 81.0% sero-positive rates were obtained, respectively. Nassarawa State had the highest sero-positive rate of 94.3%, while the least rates were found in Plateau State with 82.8%. Across all study locations, more males were seropositive than females. Leptospira hardjo was the highest circulating serovar; 66 (28.6%), while, the least was L. tarassovi 8 (3.5%). Symptoms of Leptospira infection closely mimic those of many febrile illnesses in Nigeria and accurate diagnosis may be missed. Education of susceptible individuals and close collaboration between research and medical workers is advocated to help combat the infection.
The study aimed to use the several advantages of nuclear techniques for developing irradiation vaccine against Mannheimia haemolytica using different gamma radiation doses for vaccines preparation and different inoculation doses of irradiation vaccine.The M. haemolytica was exposed to different doses of gamma radiation.The dose rate was considered the optimum irradiating dose that was Lethal to M. haemolytica cells and selected for optimal gamma irradiation vaccine.Experimental animals were divided into four groups.The experimental groups injected twice with three weeks interval for tested vaccines.The first group (G 1 ) inoculated with 4×10 9 bacterial cells/dose from optimum irradiation vaccine.The second group (G 2 ) inoculated with 2×10 9 bacterial cells/dose from optimum irradiation vaccine.The third group (G 3 ) inoculated with 4×10 9 bacterial cells/dose from high irradiation vaccine.The fourth group (C) injected (S/C) with 2 mL sterile PBS and was kept as a control group.Vaccination challenge with wild M. haemolytica life organism (0.5 mL of 3.6×10 10 mLG 1 ) was two doses for all experimental animals.ELISA was used to evaluate the efficiency of vaccines.The antibodies production are evaluated using Optical Density (OD) value as an indication of the efficiency of vaccine against M. haemolytica.The results revealed that after the second vaccination dose, the OD value of G 2 showed a significant difference compared to G 1 and G 3 groups and it was non-significant between G 1 and G 3 groups.Comparative analysis of control and the different doses of gamma irradiation vaccines showed that after the second vaccination dose, the mean of OD value of the G 2 was a significant different while it was non-significant in the G 1 and G 3 compared to the control group.After vaccination challenge, the mean of OD value of G 2 was with high significant different compared to all of vaccinated and control groups.
