Caracterización genotípica y nuevos tipos de secuencia multilocus de exoU+ de Pseudomonas aeruginosa presente en diferentes infecciones clínicas y entornos

Introducción: The exoU gene, a marker for highly virulent strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, is the major contributor to a wide varietyof healthcare-associated infections. Methods: In this study, the antibiotic susceptibility profile, prevalence and genotyping of exoU+ P.aeruginosa were demonstrated. A total of 101 isolates of P. aeruginosa were analysed from different clinical and environmental sources. Results: The antibiotic susceptibility profile classified these isolates as extensively drug resistant (35.6%), multidrug resistant (40.5%) and non-multidrug resistant (23.7%). The prevalence of exoU gene was screened by PCR and 23 exoU+ genotypes were detected which all were clinical isolates. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis of seven loci assigned these exoU+ genotypes to 21 sequence types (STs) from which 16 new STs were identified. The prevalent STs were ST-308 and ST-235. Phylogenetic analysis using the concatenated nucleotide sequences of the seven housekeeping genes, exoU and the ITS region differentiated these exoU+ strains into five main groups. However, distinct evolutionary origins for some new sequence types were also indicated. Conclusions: The studied isolates showed the coexistence of exoU- and exoU+ genotypes of clinical P. aeruginosa in Kurdistan with a majority of MDR and XDR pattern. The prevalent STs found in other hospitals worldwide and at the international level

Factor V Leiden Mutation in Iraqi Patients with Deep Venous Thrombosis.

Background: Factor V Leiden is considered the most common inherited risk factor for venous thrombosis in Caucasian populations, including those in the Eastern Mediterranean region. While several studies have addressed Factor V Leiden prevalence in patients with venous thrombosis in the Eastern Mediterranean countries, none have been reported from Iraq. Objective: To study the prevalence of Factor V Leiden in an unselected group of Iraqi patients with Deep Venous thrombosis. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 unselected patients with deep venous thrombosis referred to the Medical City Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, as well as 40 age and sex matched controls, were enrolled. The evaluation included in addition to detailed history, Factor V Leiden by polymerase Chain reaction and reverse hybridization. Results: Factor V Leiden mutation was documented in 8 patients (16%), compared to 1 control (2.5%) (Odds Ratio 7.4; p= 0.0397). The mutation was more frequent among younger patients, those with family history of thrombosis and those with recurrent thrombosis, but only the latter was of significance. Conclusions: The study suggests that Factor V Leiden is frequently encountered in Iraqi patients with Deep venous thrombosis from Baghdad, but less so than in some surrounding Eastern Mediterranean countries. Although further larger studies maybe warranted, the current study favors screening for Factor V Leiden in the workup of newly diagnosed venous thrombosis cases in this city

Molecular characterization of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient variants in Baghdad city - Iraq

Background: Although G6PD deficiency is the most common genetically determined blood disorder among Iraqis, its molecular basis has only recently been studied among the Kurds in North Iraq, while studies focusing on Arabs in other parts of Iraq are still absent. Methods: A total of 1810 apparently healthy adult male blood donors were randomly recruited from the national blood transfusion center in Baghdad. They were classified into G6PD deficient and non-deficient individuals based on the results of methemoglobin reduction test (MHRT), with confirmation of deficiency by subsequent enzyme assays. DNA from deficient individuals was studied using a polymerase chain reaction-Restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for four deficient molecular variants, namely G6PD Mediterranean (563 C®T), Chatham (1003 G®A), A- (202 G®A) and Aures (143 T®C). A subset of those with the Mediterranean variant, were further investigated for the 1311 (C®T) silent mutation. Results: G6PD deficiency was detected in 109 of the 1810 screened male individuals (6.0%). Among 101 G6PD deficient males molecularly studied, the Mediterranean mutation was detected in 75 cases (74.3%), G6PD Chatham in 5 cases (5.0%), G6PD A- in two cases (2.0%), and G6PD Aures in none. The 1311 silent mutation was detected in 48 out of the 51 G6PD deficient males with the Mediterranean variant studied (94.1%). Conclusions: Three polymorphic variants namely: the Mediterranean, Chatham and A-, constituted more than 80% of G6PD deficient variants among males in Baghdad. Iraq. This observation is to some extent comparable to othe