Detection of Toxoplasma gondii IgM and Cytomegalovirus IgM antibodies among blood donors in Mosul

Background: Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. This parasite can be transmitted via blood transfusion. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a herpes virus that can cause many complications and mostly transfer via blood transfusion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the percentage of risk of infections that could occur due to blood transfusion. Subjects and methods: Ninety blood donor samples were randomly obtained from central blood bank of Mosul city and investigated for IgM of toxoplasmosis and CMV by the serological method ELISA, IgM. Results: ELISA test for Toxoplasma gondii IgM test showed 3% seropositive and for CMV showed 10% seropositive. Conclusion: The results indicate a risk of infection with toxoplasmosis and CMV via blood transfusion

Air conditioning systems and nosocomial infections in Mosul hospitals

Background: Nosocomial infections (NIs) have proven to be persistent and sometimes complicated problem. More than one third of all nosocomial infections possibly involve airborne transmission. The aim of this study is to estimate the types of bacteria that could be present in air-conditioning systems of some hospitals and their antibiotic sensitivity profile. Materials and methods: Swab samples were taken from air-conditioning system filters and rendered for bacterial identification and evaluation of their antibiotic susceptibility. Results: The results showed twenty isolates from three different hospitals. Ibn Sina showed ١٦ isolates (٥ S. aureus; ٣ S. epidermidis; ٤ S. saprophyticus; ١ E. coli; ١ Proteus mirabilis; ١ Klebsiella pneumoniae and ١ Pseudomonas aeruginosa), Ibn Al- Atheer hospital showed only ٢ isolates (١ S.aureus, and ١ Streptococcus) and Al- Jumhori hospital showed only ٢ isolates (١ S. aureus, and ١ S. saprophyticus); most of this isolates are resistant to the antibiotics used in this study. Conclusion: there are a risky bacteria located in air conditioners especially indoor conventional systems more than the hospital designed systems and still both represent a susceptible source for nosocomial infection

Synthesis of new metronidazole derivatives with suspected antimicrobial activity

Metronidazole has a bactericidal effect against many anaerobic gram positive and gram negative bacteria, but has no activity against aerobic bacteria. Metronidazole activity is mostly contributed to its reduced form that produced from anaerobic reduction inside the micro-organisms. In this research, the reduced form of metronidazole was synthesized and termed compound ( I ) which diazonated to form a diazonium interme-diate, this intermediate coupled with two phenolic compounds to give compounds ( II ) and ( III ) which are azo derivatives. The structures of these compounds were identified by physical and spectroscopic ( U.V. and FTIR ) techniques. The antibacterial activity of the synthesized compounds were examined against two aerobic gram positive bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae ); two aerobic gram negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli ) and one anaerobic gram positive bacteria ( Clostridium Perfringens ) by using two techniques: dilution and disc diffusion methods. Opposite to our expectance, these products showed no antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria at the concentrations use