Prevalence of Legionella among pneumonia patients and environmental water samples in an Egyptian University Hospital

AbstractObjectives: to diagnose Legionella infection in community- acquired pneumonia (CAP) cases admitted to chest department of Zagazig University Hospital and in hospital- acquired pneumonia (HAP) patients hospitalized in the emergency and surgery ICU, to determine incidence of these disease condition and to identify risk factors. Another objective was to determine the occurrence of Legionella genus in the water of these departments.Subjects and methods: one hundred pneumonic patients; 50 patients with CAP and 50 with HAP were the subject of this laboratory-based, comparative cross sectional study. Full clinical history and lower respiratory tract specimens were collected from each patient. Water samples were taken from 25 water outlets. DNA was extracted by QIAamp DNA Mini Kit, and real time PCR amplification of 16s r-RNA gene was used for diagnosis of Legionella genus. Risk factors were analyzed by logistic regression analysis.Results: Legionella genus was identified in eight out of 50 patients of CAP (16%), and ten out of 50 patients with HAP (20%). As regards CAP, Legionella was prevalent in old- age, smoker males, with diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and neurological manifestations were the main presentations. Seventy-five percent needed ICU admission. Concerning HAP, hospitalization for more than ten days and having a stroke or head trauma were significant risk factors. Ten out of the 25 water samples tested were positive for Legionella genus; seven samples were from the chest department and three were from emergency ICU. No water-contamination with Legionella was found in the surgery ICU.Discussion: diagnosis of Legionella should be considered for both CAP and HAP in our locality. Periodic surveillance for detection of that genus with subsequent disinfection of water sources when indicated should be carried out

Immunological Study of CD34 Positive Stem Cells in Cord Blood

Abstract: Problem statement: The Cluster of differentiation CD34 molecule is present on certain cells within the human body .It mediate attachment of stem cells to bone marrow extra cellular matrix or directly to stromal cells. Approach: In this study we studied the amount of expression of CD34 on cord blood stem cells in babies of normal healthy pregnant females and in unhealthy conditions as diabetes. Materials and methods; the count of CD34 + cells was assessed by flow cytometric analysis. Results: There was statistically significant difference between the count of CD34 + cellsin the cord blood. The count was higher with normal vaginal delivery, heavier infants and higher leukocytic count, a significant reduction in the count of CD34 + cells in the diabetic group. Key words: Significant reduction, diabetic group, human embryonic stem, mediate attachment, embryonic membranes, developed organism Abbreviation:(CD) cluster of differentiation