High SARS CoV2 antibody-prevalence among health care workers with variable exposure to COVID-19 patients: A cross-sectional university hospital study.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the pattern of medical services changed to minimize transmission to health care workers (HCWs) or hospitalized patients. Despite the care of COVID-19 patients in a special ward, new cases are accidentally discovered. This study aimed at determining the antibody seroprevalence among asymptomatic HCWs and the associated risks. Methods: The study involved 190 participants, including physicians, nurses, technicians, and administrative staff. All were inquired for sociodemographic, specialty, previous isolation, and previous infection, and their blood was tested for SARS-CoV2 antibody. Results: Of 190 HCWs; 72,1% were females, the mean age was 32.6±7.9 years, 10.5% were smokers, and 15.8% reported co-morbid illness. SARS CoV2 antibodies were found in 68 (35.8%); being IgG, IgM and both IgM and IgG in 47 (69.1%), 10 (14.7%) and 11 (16.2%) participants respectively. The prevalence was higher (47.6%) among HCWs of the COVID unit, [OR=1.7 (95% CI: 0.69-4.3)] and HCWs with previous COVID-19, OR:1.61 (95% CI:0.88-2.94). The prevalence was significantly lower among smokers (p=0.049), OR:0.29 (95% CI:0.08-1.01), and significantly higher in HCWs who recalled cough (p=0.036) OR: 1.97 (95% CI: 1.05-3.69). The likelihood of antibody seropositivity increased in technicians [OR:2.02 (95% CI: 0.92-4.44)], followed by physicians [OR:1.7 (95% CI: 0.7-4.33)] while the odds ratio was low among nurses [OR:0.58 (95% CI: 0.32-1.07). Conclusion: A considerable proportion of antibody positive HCWs had evidence of past SARS CoV2. Provision of adequate personal protective equipment and periodic screening of HCWs are urgently needed to lessen the transmission within the health care settings

The prognostic value of p53 mutation in pediatric marrow hypoplasia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The tumor suppressor gene p53 is involved in the control of cell proliferation, particularly in stressed cells. p 53 gene mutations are the most frequent genetic event found in human cancers. Fanconi Anemia (FA) is the most common representative of inherited bone marrow failure syndromes (IBMFS) with a leukemic propensity. P 53 DNA alteration has not been studied before in Egyptian children with FA.</p> <p>Patients and methods</p> <p>we investigated p53 mutation in the bone marrow and peripheral blood of forty children, FA (n = 10), acquired aplastic anemia (AAA) (n = 10), and immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) as a control (n = 20), using real-time PCR by TaqMan probe assay</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mutation of p53 gene was demonstrated in the BM of 90% (9/10) of children with FA, compared to 10% (1/10) in AAA (p < 0.001), while, no p53 DNA mutation was seen in the control group. A positive correlation between DNA breakage and presence of p53 mutation was seen in FA (p < 0.02, r0.81).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>mutation of p53 gene in hypoplastic marrow especially FA may represent an early indicator of significant DNA genetic alteration with cancer propensity.</p

Oxidative stress and vascular endothelial growth factor in experimental animal model of schistosoma mansoni treated with myrrh or praziquantel

No Abstract. The Egyptian Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Vol. 24(1) 2006: 25-3

‎Clinical and laboratory predictors of disease severity and outcome in ‎COVID 19 infected patients in Suez Canal University Hospital, single ‎center study from Egypt

Background: The novel corona virus is a high contagious disease, ‎declared by World Health Organization (WHO) as a global pandemic in 2020 with profound ‎impact on morbidity and mortality, assessment of outcomes in infected patients and ‎knowledge of prediction of mortality and morbidity are important. We aimed to assess ‎the clinical and laboratory findings in predicting COVID-19 severity and outcome in ‎patients admitted to Suez Canal University Teaching Hospital.‎ Methodology: This cross-sectional prospective study included 500 ‎confirmed PCR COVID-19 infected patients, selected through random sampling‎. A ‎structured checklist was used to collect patient data.‎ Results: Mean age was 61.8 years, 56.2% were males, 74.8% had ‎comorbidities. Lung involvement was evident in more than 75% on CT, 17.2% had ‎leukopenia, 42.2% had lymphocytopenia between 5 – 10% and 93% of the patients ‎had elevated neutrophil- lymphocyte ratio. 65.8% had elevated D-dimer, and elevated ‎liver and kidney functions were found in 40.6% and 25% respectively. The mortality ‎rate in studied population was 30.2% and it was significantly associated with old age, ‎hypoxemia, having high involvement of the lungs on CT. Decreased WBC count, ‎high D-dimer level and high NLR associated with severity and increased death rate of ‎the disease.‎ Conclusion: The study revealed many findings with impact on the patient's severity and outcome old age, laboratory findings, CT imaging and need to antiviral therapy the most predicting factors of the ‎severity and prognosis of the patients

Assessment of serum level of interleukin 33 in genital warts patients

Background: Genital warts (GWs) are highly prevalent sexually transmitted viral illnesses that are most prevalent in young, sexually active people of both sexes. Human papillomaviruses (HPV) cause GWs. The cytokine IL-33, an IL-1 family member, stimulates immune cells necessary for type 2 immune reactions. Immune cells like CD8+ T lymphocytes, neutrophils, and macrophages, Th1 cells, and B cells, and natural killer cells that are engaged in type-1 immunity, infection, and chronic inflammation are activated in part by IL-33. Aim: This study aims to examine whether there is a difference in levels of serum IL-33 between genital warts patients and healthy controls and its correlation with genital warts' characteristics. Subjects and Methods: Levels of serum IL-33 were assessed in 40 patients with GWs and 40 healthy control persons using enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay kits. Results: Levels of serum IL-33 were significantly lower among patients with GWs compared to the control group (p= &lt;.001). Patients with recurrent warts had slightly lower levels of these substances. Additionally, a modest inverse relationship between the quantity of warts and levels of serum IL-33 was found. Conclusion: patients with genital warts had considerably lower levels of serum IL-33 than normal controls.&nbsp; &nbsp

Expression of Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase in Psoriatic Lesional Skin

Background: Little information is known about telomerase expression in the chronic benign hyperproliferative skin disease, psoriasis. Further studies are still required to investigate its usefulness as a biomarker of this skin disorder. Aim: To investigate the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) in psoriatic lesional skin and its relation to disease severity. Methods: The levels of hTERT-mRNA were quantified using real time RT-PCR in lesional versus nonlesional skin specimens from 24 psoriatic patients. Results: The expression of hTERT was detected in 16 psoriatic lesional specimens (66.7%), but in none of the normal skin. There was no relation between hTERT expression level and age of the patient or the duration of the disease. Among hTERT-positive patients, a significant positive correlation was observed between hTERT-mRNA levels and both the Psoriasis Area-and-Severity Index (PASI) and scaling scores (p = 0.012 & p = 0.006, respectively). Conclusion: Telomerase mRNA is detectable in lesional skin of most psoriatic patients and correlates with the severity of the disease and the rate of epidermal proliferation

Thrombocytopenia in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C: A Possible Role of HCV on Platelet Progenitor Cell Maturation

A total of 30 patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV) thrombocytopenia (TP) and 20 healthy controls were studied. Both groups were subjected to complete medical history, clinical examination in addition to assessment of hepatitis markers: level of thrombopoietin (Tpo), Geimsa-stained bone marrow smears, and in vitro short-term megakaryocytic progenitors culture (CFU-MK). Serum Tpo level was significantly elevated in patients with TP HCV. Short-term CFU-MK showed an evident depression in the colony-forming unit-megakaryocyte (CFU-meg). There is a positive correlation between the number of CFU-meg and the platelet count and between serum Tpo level and prothrombin time, transaminase, albumin, and the Child Pugh score of liver disease; a negative correlation between serum Tpo level and the number of CFU-meg and between serum Tpo level and the platelet count. Thus, the level of Tpo could be an indicator of intact functional response of the hepatocytes

Role of minimal hepatic encephalopathy in road traffic accidents

Abstract Background The term minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is defined as encephalopathy that does not lead to clinically overt cognitive dysfunction but can have an impact on quality of life, risk of involvement in road traffic accidents, and ability to function in daily life. Objective To identify the incidence of minimal hepatic encephalopathy in patients actively involved in a road traffic accident and its role in the increased incidence of road traffic accidents. Patients and methods We included 74 patients presented in road traffic accidents (drivers, history of fall, pedestrians whom accidents occur during crossing the road) with clinically proven hepatic cirrhosis, without clinical manifestation of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Thorough history taking, clinical examinations, routine laboratory investigations, serum IL-6 and ammonia in blood were done. Diagnosis of MHE is based on psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) which includes digit symbol test (DST), number connection test-A (NCT-A), number connection test-B (NCT-B), serial dotting test (SDT), and line drawing test (LDT). Results The mean age was 52.0 ± 7.47 in MHE patients. Most of the MHE patients were males. Most of the patients with MHE were working other jobs and were not drivers (63.2% vs 36.8%). MHE was observed in 19 patients (25.7%). Albumin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and ammonia were statistically significantly different between both groups. Conclusion Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) was observed in 25.7% of patients which points that we must give attention in the screening of MHE as road traffic accident is considered the main cause of mortality in our community with high incidence of liver disease