Seroprevalences and local variation of human and livestock brucellosis in two villages in Gharbia Governorate, Egypt

This study aimed at assessing the epidemiology of brucellosis among both human and livestock populations in an endemic area in Egypt. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in two villages, where 616 inhabitants (aged 3-75 years) and 350 livestock of 97 households were enrolled. Sera were tested for Brucella spp. antibodies by tube agglutination test for both populations. Proportions of seropositive sera were 0.0 and 1.7% among the inhabitants, and 0.0 and 16% among livestock of villages I and II, respectively. Calculated seroprevalences considering the clustering of brucellosis within households were 0.03 for people and 5.2 for livestock in village II. The village variable (P = 0.07) and keeping sheep in the household (P = 0.01) were significant risk factors for human brucellosis, whereas only the village was significant for livestock (P < 0.001). Sheep showed the highest seropositive proportions of brucellosis among livestock. No association could be detected between human and livestock brucellosis. In conclusion, we found local variation of seroprevalences of brucellosis among human and livestock in the two surveyed villages. Further epidemiological studies have to be conducted in randomly selected governorates, not only to confirm the low seroprevelance of human brucellosis, but also to assess the risk factors of livestock infection for terms of prophylaxi

Responding to Emerging Diseases Requires Multi-disciplinary and One Health Training, Egypt

Background: In Egypt, several infectious diseases of zoonotic origin have emerged in recent years like H1N1, MERSCoV and H5N1, the latter now endemic. Responding to these diseases requires a workforce trained in multi-disciplinary approaches to zoonotic disease research and control. It is difficult to deliver multidisciplinary and one health training globally because of the limited number of higher education programs that support such training. In low and middle-income countries where the impacts of emerging zoonotic diseases are felt more directly there is enthusiasm for such training and the use of e-technology can foster international, long-term collaborations. Objectives: To provide health training for infectious diseases research and to foster multidisciplinary collaboration. Methods: We designed and simultaneously held two training workshops, one focused on pediatric infectious diseases and another on emerging infectious diseases to meet the objective. Both workshops had pre- and post-workshop activities for multi-disciplinary methods with an emphasis on the use of mobile technologies to enhance emerging infectious diseases surveillance and research for public health professionals in Egypt. Faculty and scientists from all universities in Egypt and from the National Research Center were invited to participate. Results: 85 participants attended, 31 abstracts were submitted, and over a 3 year period 3 international grant applications were submitted, and 4 abstracts were presented at international conferences. An online forum was developed to continue building collaboration. Conclusions: Interactive on-site workshops are suitable for providing multi-disciplinary training for disease surveillance, research and disease control. Participants shared the opinion that grant proposal and scientific manuscript writing were important skills that they felt they did not have. Long term investments in workshops of this nature are needed to build upon the excitement generated by these activities

Prediction of Preclinical Myocardial Dysfunction among Obese Diabetics with Preserved Ejection Fraction Using Tissue Doppler Imaging and Speckle Tracking Echocardiography

Background. Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are two interrelated and preventable disorders. However, they are responsible for significant global mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Clinical studies have demonstrated that global longitudinal strain (GLS) using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE), can assess myocardial function accurately in apparently, healthy patients with diabetes and obesity in the settings of acute and chronic ischemia and suspected cardiomyopathy without heart failure. No such studies have been published to date regarding subclinical detection of cardiac dysfunction among obese patients with T2DM. This study aims to investigate the role of STE in the early pre-clinical diagnosis of impairment of diastolic and systolic dysfunction in obese patients with T2DM. This study also investigated whether it is possible to detect early pre-clinical impairment of diastolic and systolic dysfunction in obese T2DM patients, via Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI), maximum rate of left ventricular pressure development (peak dP/dt) and GLS using STE for comparison. Subjects and Methods. After clearance from the review board of Dibba- Hospital, Alfujairah, UAE, all the available records of patients with the diagnosis of obesity and diabetes were examined. The study included 214 patients presenting with obesity in conjunction with diabetes and 93 age-matched healthy control subjects. STE was performed among all the patients and subjects along with Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI). This study assessed maximal rate of pressure rise during ventricular contraction (peak dP/dt) and global longitudinal strain (GLS) using STE methods. Transthoracic echocardiography, myocardial Doppler-derived systolic (sm), early diastolic velocity (em) and GLS were also obtained, among all the subjects. Results. The results show that cardiac functions via conventional echocardiography (CE) were similar in the 2 groups. Using TDI and conventional mitral Doppler flow, obese subjects with diabetes showed an evidence of diastolic function abnormalities in the form of lower Ea velocity (9.5 ± 2.9 vs. 18.4 ± 3.5 cm/s, p < 0.0001), an increased Aa velocity (16.5 ± 2.4 vs. 14.1 ± 2.2 cm/s p < 0.05), higher left ventricular filling pressure (E/Ea = 12 ± 4.4 vs 8±3.1), p 35) (n = 26) had reduced LV systolic and diastolic function compared with healthy controls. Regarding, systolic function indices, the findings revealed lower average longitudinal peak systolic strain, sm and reduced em, although, LV ejection fraction remained normal (56.48% ± 8.81). Among subjects with severe obesity (n = 26), the findings reveal that global longitudinal presystolic strain (GLPSS) is highly correlated with maximum rate of pressure development of LV (dp/dt), although the LVEF remained normal, in comparison to systolic strain and dp/dt. (.5% ±1.4 vs -19.54% ± 4.5; p < 0.001), in the age-matched healthy subjects. However, the frequency/grade of DCM detected by STE, among patients having obesity with T2DM, correlated closely with the degree of obesity, metabolic abnormalities and clustering of other major risk factors, especially high blood pressure. The findings also revealed that chest pain due to coronary heart disease (CAD), dyspnea and DCM were more common among female patients compared to men. Conclusion. The results indicate that patients having obesity with T2DM should be advised to undertake early TDI and STE for early diagnosis of decreased cardiac diastolic and systolic dysfunctions and cardiomyopathy, which is likely to be missed by conventional echocardiography. Significant differences in regional and global strain were also identified between the severely obese diabetic (BMI ≥ 35), (GLPSS (-13) patients compared to less obese subjects

Perception and practices of Shisha smoking among Kafr El-Sheikh University students, Egypt

Introduction College life is a critical transition stage through which young adults set out to discover tobacco use. Objectives To identify students’ perception and practices towards Shisha smoking and factors influencing it. Methods The study included 953 randomly chosen students form faculties of medicine and engineering using a structured questionnaire for data collection. Results Ever Shisha smokers represented 26.1% of study participants, and 22.5% were current Shisha smokers. Current smokers among engineering students represented 43.6% compared to 3.8% of medical students. In faculty of engineering 51.3% of Shisha smokers reported smoking Shisha only compared to 42.1% among medical students. Smoking for two or more years was reported by 47.4% of medical students compared to 34.9% of engineering students. Traditional Café was the preferred place for shisha smoking for both medical and engineering students (68.4% & 63.6%, respectively). Peer pressures was cause for starting Shisha smoking (63.1%) followed by curiosity (29.4%), then entertainment (26.2%). Regarding reasons for continuing Shisha smoking, more than two thirds of participants reported "Anxiety or tension", followed by "Keeping pace with friends or relatives" (69.6% & 66.4%, respectively). Nearly two fifths (39.7%) of Shisha smokers tried to quit. Nearly two fifths (42.4%) couldn`t quit for more than one month, and 10.6% tried to quit for about one year but failed. Conclusion Shisha smoking prevalence was relatively not high. Anti-smoking interventions and campaigns should be implemented for university students to keep it low

Assessment of clinical and radiographic efficiency of manual and pediatric rotary file systems in primary root canal preparation: a randomized controlled clinical trial

Abstract Introduction The success of primary teeth pulpectomy is strongly reliant on instrumentation techniques and their impact on obturation quality & postoperative pain. Recently, pediatric rotary file systems have been implemented. Aim to compare two pediatric rotary file systems (Kedo-S-Square & Fanta AF™ Baby) with manual K-files concerning obturation quality, instrumentation time, and postoperative pain in root canal preparation of primary molars using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods A randomized clinical trial was conducted with the trial registration number (TRN: NCT05619796 and date of registration: (17/11/2022) on sixty primary lower 2nd molars in healthy children aged 4–7 years. Molars were assigned randomly to three groups (n = 20). Group-I and -II were prepared with Kedo-S-Square & Fanta AF™Baby rotary systems respectively while group-III was prepared with a manual K-file. Instrumentation time was recorded using a stopwatch. CBCT was used to assess obturation quality immediately & recorded as optimal, underfilled, or overfilled. Postoperative pain was evaluated at 6, 12, 24, 48 h-time intervals using a four-point pain intensity scale. Statistical analysis was performed for the collected data. Results Among the three groups, group-I revealed a greater number of optimally filled teeth (85%) & less instrumentation time (74.75 s) followed by group-II & manual-K file group (p < 0.05). The hand K-file group had significantly more postoperative pain than the two rotary groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion the tested rotary file systems resulted in better obturation quality, less instrumentation time, and less postoperative pain compared to manual-K files during primary teeth pulpectomy

Lipid accumulation product and visceral adiposity index: two indices to predict metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in chronic kidney disease patients

Objective. Chronic kidney disease (CKD), metabolic syndrome (MetS) and insulin resistance (IR) are the major health problems associated with the increasing risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications

Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Children and Adults: What is New?

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the most common form of cardiomyopathy and cause of cardiac transplantation in children and young adults; mortality is high among this patient population. However, mortality, clinical course, and illustrative echocardiographic data of DCM in children and adults are not well established. Our objective was to provide a research article of detailed descriptions of the incidence, causes, outcomes, related risk factors, and new echocardiographic criteria of risk of death from DCM. Our results showed that independent risk factors at DCM diagnosis for subsequent death or transplantation in children cohorts were older age, congestive heart failure, lower left ventricular ejection fraction (EF ≤ 25%), low global strain, significant mitral valve incompetence, pulmonary hypertension, diastolic dysfunction, right ventricular involvement, and cause of DCM (p < 0.001 for all). In adults, low ejection fraction (<30–35%), global peak systolic strain <-7.6%, increased EDV, ESV, LBBB, diastolic dysfunction, and left ventricle dyssynchrony were the main independent risk factors for major cardiac events and need for CRT or transplantation (p < 0.001 for all). Our conclusions were that in children and adults, DCM is a diverse disorder with outcomes that depend largely on cause, age, heart failure status at presentation, and echocardiographic parameters of the heart (systolic and diastolic function of left ventricle, pulmonary artery pressure, global strain, and valvular function of the mitral valve). This study will present new findings in the diagnostic area

Perception and experiences of suicide among university students in Egypt

Abstract Background The worldwide prevalence of suicide ideation, planning, attempt, and death is a major public health issue. The highest rates of suicide are seen in those aged 15 to 29, largely correlating to their time spent in higher education. Objectives Identify the perception and experiences of medical students towards suicidal thoughts and attempts and explore some predictors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at Kafrelshiekh University in Egypt, included 554 university students using predesigned questionnaire that included sociodemographic characteristics, perception of students about suicide, and their experience with knowing a person who had suicide thoughts or attempts and if they themselves had suicidal thoughts or attempts. Results Self-experience with suicidal thoughts was reported by 25.3% while 12.3% reported attempting suicide, and among those who attempted suicide the most frequent reason was feeling depressed (61.8) followed by educational pressures (54.4%) and feeling lonely (41.2%). Accepting the concept of suicide was the main predictor for having suicidal thoughts (OR = 7.784) followed by knowing a person who had suicidal attempt (OR = 2.234) or thoughts (OR = 4.609). Conclusion Our results indicate the suicide ideation and behavior are prevalent among college undergraduates. Universities have the responsibility to educate students with effective life education as well as suicide prevention and intervention programs

Some risk factors of chronic gastroenteritis among preschool children in a rural area in Basyun District, Gharbia governorate

Background: Gastroenteritis, also known as infectious diarrhea, is inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract the stomach and small intestine. Symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain. The aim of this work was to reduce morbidity and mortality from chronic gastroenteritis among preschool children. Methods: This case control study was carried out on 100 study children &lt; five years having chronic gastroenteritis and 100 control children were healthy children chosen randomly from children attending nurseries and from the same family health care unit, they were matched by age and sex with cases. Results: Age of child, residence, fathers education and job and mothers age and education were not found to significantly affect occurrence of chronic diarrhea among studied children. Crowding index and family size had high odds ratio whereas the odds of exposure to a high crowding index (more than or equal to 2) among cases were double that among the control. Odds of exposure to a large family size (more than or equal to 5) among cases were double that among the control (p&gt;0.05). Fathers age &gt;40 years in cases was 25% which was higher than 13% of control (OR=2.231).&nbsp