Campylobacter Infection as a Trigger for Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Egypt

BACKGROUND: Most studies of Campylobacter infection triggering Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) are conducted in western nations were Campylobacter infection and immunity is relatively rare. In this study, we explored Campylobacter infections, Campylobacter serotypes, autoantibodies to gangliosides, and GBS in Egypt, a country where Campylobacter exposure is common. METHODS: GBS cases (n = 133) were compared to age- and hospital-matched patient controls (n = 374). A nerve conduction study was performed on cases and a clinical history, serum sample, and stool specimen obtained for all subjects. RESULTS: Most (63.3%) cases were demyelinating type; median age four years. Cases were more likely than controls to have diarrhea (29.5% vs. 22.5%, Adjusted Odds Ratio (ORa) = 1.69, P = 0.03), to have higher geometric mean IgM anti-Campylobacter antibody titers (8.18 vs. 7.25 P<0.001), and to produce antiganglioside antibodies (e.g., anti-Gd1a, 35.3 vs. 11.5, ORa = 4.39, P<0.0001). Of 26 Penner:Lior Campylobacter serotypes isolated, only one (41:27, C. jejuni, P = 0.02) was associated with GBS. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike results from western nations, data suggested that GBS cases were primarily in the young and cases and many controls had a history of infection to a variety of Campylobacter serotypes. Still, the higher rates of diarrhea and greater antibody production against Campylobacter and gangliosides in GBS patients were consistent with findings from western countries

Prevalence of red cell allo-antibodies among muti-transfused autoimmune hemolytic anemia Egyptian patients

Background: The aim is to detect the prevalence and specificity of red cell allo-antibodies underlying pan reactive auto-antibodies in Egyptian AIHA patients Patients and Methods: Sixty multi-transfused Egyptian AIHA patients received 715 units of blood were studied during the period from February 2013 to November 2013. Initial antibody screening and identification (using pre-warming technique in cases of cold auto-antibodies), direct antiglobulin, auto-control and immediate spin, allogenic adsorption for patients` plasma then detection of possible underlying allo-antibodies were done. Results: Five patients with cold auto-antibodies were identified with absence of underlying allo-antibodies. From the 55 patients with warm auto-antibodies, 23 (41.8%) had allo-antibodies with a total number of 40 underlying allo-antibodies indicating that Egyptians carry the highest percentage of allo-antibodies compared to other studies. Conclusion: Red cell allo-immunization has a very high frequency among multi-transfused Egyptian AIHA patients

Exploitation of industrial solid wastes for preparing zeolite as a value-added product and its kinetics as adsorbent for heavy metal ions

Aluminum and fumed silica as solid industrial wastes were converted to zeolite NaPas a value-addedproduct without any template. The hydrothermal process was optimized using static autoclave. The crystallization was carried out at 100, 120 and 150°C for 24, 48 and 72 h. The prepared zeolite of Si:Al ratio of 1.2 was characterized using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) provided with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), Surface Area, Fourier Transmitted Infra-Red (FTIR) and Thermal Analysis (TG-DSC). The crystalline phase was formed at 100°Cafter 72 hours and at 120°C after 48 hours, while it was formed after 24 honlyat 150°C. Increasing temperature and time lead to the conversion of the prismatic gibbsite crystals into plate-like structure of zeolitewhich is then formedcauliflower-like structure.The prepared zeolite was employed as adsorbent for $Ni^{2+}$ and $Cu2+ions from aqueous solution.The kinetic studies of adsorption processes were performed

High Disease Burden of Diarrhea Due to Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli among Rural Egyptian Infants and Young Children

The incidence of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli diarrhea among Egyptian children was 1.5 episodes per child per year and accounted for 66% of all first episodes of diarrhea after birth. The incidence increased from 1.7 episodes per child per year in the first 6 months of life to 2.3 in the second 6 months and declined thereafter

Natural log of IgM serum antibody titers against Campylobacter among Guillain-Barré Syndrome cases and patient-controls and among cases and controls reporting diarrhea or excreting Campylobacter, the Arab Republic of Egypt, April 2001 through September 2003.

<p>Natural log of IgM serum antibody titers against Campylobacter among Guillain-Barré Syndrome cases and patient-controls and among cases and controls reporting diarrhea or excreting Campylobacter, the Arab Republic of Egypt, April 2001 through September 2003.</p

Percent of each Penner and Lior (Penner:Lior) <i>Campylobacter</i> serogroup isolated from Guillain-Barré Syndrome cases and patient-controls, the Arab Republic of Egypt, April 2001 through September 2003.

a<p>One case specimen and two controls specimens were not serotyped.</p>b<p>Fisher's exact test.</p>c<p>Subscript “J” = <i>C jejuni</i> and subscript “C” = <i>C coli</i>.</p

Characteristics of cases and controls enrolled in study of <i>Campylobacter</i> infection and Guillain-Barré Syndrome, the Arab Republic of Egypt, April 2001 through September 2003.

a<p>Median (interquartile range).</p>b<p>Patients were matched to controls for age (±2 years) and hospital for all cases and controls; matching was incomplete when analyzing subgroups (e.g., Cases and controls with diarrhea).</p>c<p>P = .002; Odds Ratio = 1.86 (95% CI: 1.25 to 2.78), univariate unconditional logistic regression.</p>d<p>Owned three or more luxury items (e.g., cell phone, car).</p>e<p>P = .04; Odd Ratio = 0.10 (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.93), univariate unconditional logistic regression.</p

Odds of having IgM serum antibodies against GMI, GM2, GD1a, GD1b, and GT1b gangliosides in Guillain-Barré Syndrome cases and patient-controls for all cases and controls, for patients reporting diarrhea, and for patients excreting <i>Campylobacter</i>, the Arab Republic of Egypt, April 2001 through September 2003.

a<p>Conditional logistic regression controlling for age, gender, ownership of farm animals, and ownership of luxury items.</p>b<p>Unconditional logistic regression controlling for age, gender, livestock ownership, and possession of luxury items.</p>c<p>Unconditional logistic regression controlling for possession of luxury items. Other variable were excluded because of sparse data.</p>d<p>Odds Ratio (95% CI).</p>e<p><.0001.</p>f<p>P = 0.047.</p>g<p>P = .004.</p>h<p>P = 0.04.</p>i<p>P = 0.006.</p>j<p>P = .007.</p