Background: Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila) is gram-negative bacterium, which causes Legionnaires’ disease as well as Pontiac fever. Objective: To determine the frequency of Legionella pneumophila in pneumonic patients, to determine the clinical utility of diagnosing Legionella pneumonia by urinary antigen testing (LPUAT) in terms of sensitivity and specificity, to compares the results obtained from patients by urinary antigen test with q Real Time PCR (RT PCR) using serum samples and to determine the frequency of serogroup 1 and other serogroups of L. pneumophila. Methods: A total of 100 pneumonic patients (community acquired pneumonia) were enrolled in this study during a period between October 2016 to April 2017; 92 samples were collected from patients attended and admitted to Al-Imamein Al-Kadhimein Medical City and 8 samples from those in the (Center of Kidney Diseases and Transplantation) in the Medical City of Baghdad. All patients were under therapy with antibiotics. Serum and urine specimens were obtained from all patients; urine samples were processed for urinary antigen test (rapid test). Serum samples were collected and submitted to DNA extraction for detection of L. pneumophila mip gene by q RT PCR assay. Results: The percentage of L. pneumophila in two hospitals in Bagdad was 30%. Of these 26% was serogroup 1 detected by urinary antigen testing (UAT). In the other hand, 23% of samples were positive by q RT PCR based mip gene, of these 19 % were serogroup 1 and 4% were another serogroup. The sensitivity of UAT is high (P value < 0.001), which means statistically highly significance than q RT PCR. Conclusion: LPUAT is a rapid tool for early diagnosis of Legionella infection, which highlights the need of using this test in hospitals and health institutions and there is a high prevalence of L. pneumophila in Iraq that refer to the necessity of considering this microorganism point of view in future studies for detection and treatment in pneumonic patients. Keywords: L. pneumophila, mip gene, quantitative real time PCR, urinary antigen. Citation: Gauad SA, Abdulrahman TR, Muhamad AK, Jawad AA, Hassan JS. Clinical utility of urinary antigen test and molecular method for detection of Legionella pneumophila. Iraqi JMS. 2018; 16(2): 207-215. doi: 10.22578/IJMS.16.2.13
The present study was set to investigate the potential association between the level of Interleukin-6 (IL-6), as a key component of the pro-inflammatory response, with different thalassemia’s biological and clinical features. For this purpose, one hundred fifty blood samples were collected from 100 beta-thalassemia patients, who attended the Genetic Hematology Centre at Ibn Al- Baladi Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, and 50 healthy subjects who were employed as a control group. IL-6 levels were estimated using an ELISA Kit, whereas other thalassemia-related clinical features (such as HbA, HbF, ferritin, blood transfusions, splenectomy status, and the history of frequent infection) were additionally assessed. The results of the present s
... Show MoreThin films of zinc selenide ZnSe have been prepared by using thermal evaporation method in vacuum with different thickness (1000 – 4000) Ao and a deposited on glass substrate and studying some electrical properties including the determination of A.C conductivity and real, imaginary parts of dielectric constant and tangent of loss angle. The result shows that increasing value of A.C conductivity with increasing thickness and temperature, and increasing capacitance value with increasing the temperature and decrease with increasing frequency . Real and imaginary parts of dielectric constant and tangent of loss angle decrease with increasing frequency
The objective of an Optimal Power Flow (OPF) algorithm is to find steady state operation point which minimizes generation cost, loss etc. while maintaining an acceptable system performance in terms of limits on generators real and reactive powers, line flow limits etc. The OPF solution includes an objective function. A common objective function concerns the active power generation cost. A Linear programming method is proposed to solve the OPF problem. The Linear Programming (LP) approach transforms the nonlinear optimization problem into an iterative algorithm that in each iteration solves a linear optimization problem resulting from linearization both the objective function and constrains. A computer program, written in MATLAB environme
... Show MoreObjective: The goal of this research is to load Doxorubicin (DOX) on silver nanoparticles coupled with folic acid and test their anticancer properties against breast cancer. Methods: Chitosan-Capped silver nanoparticles (CS-AgNPs) were manufactured and loaded with folic acid as well as an anticancer drug, Doxorubicin, to form CS-AgNPs-DOX-FA conjugate. AFM, FTIR, and SEM techniques were used to characterize the samples. The produced multifunctional nano-formulation served as an intrinsic drug delivery system, allowing for effective loading and targeting of chemotherapeutics on the Breast cancer (AMJ 13) cell line. Flowcytometry was used to assess therapy efficacy by measuring apoptotic induction. Results: DOX and CS-Ag
... Show MoreAim: The reduction in the amount of marginal bone is the most important demand for the long term success of dental implants. This prospective clinical study was aimed to investigate the marginal bone loss of early loaded SLActive implants with different dimensions and surgical approaches. Materials and methods Fifteen patients aged from 18 to 60 years were divided into 2 groups (flapped and flapless approach) that underwent delayed implant placement protocol with SLActive implants. The marginal bone level was estimated by cone-beam computed tomography during three different periods: preoperatively, 8 weeks after surgery and 24 weeks after loading of the prosthesis. Results: The mean value of marginal bone level was not significantly chan
... Show MoreAcinetobacter baumannii received attention for its multi-drug resistant associated with many severe infections and outbreaks in clinical environment. The aims of the study are to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility profile of clinically isolated A. baumannii, biofilm production, and the efficiency of Low Frequency Ultrasound (LFU) and honey to attenuate biofilm production. A total of 100 samples were taken from different sources from Baghdad hospitals. The susceptibility patterns revealed the percentage of pan drug resistant (PDR) isolates were 1.5 %, 72.7 % were extended drug resistant (XDR), 16.7 % were multidrug resistant (MDR), and 9.1 % were non MDR and sensitive to most antibiotics used. The ability to form
... Show MoreBackground: Corticotomy-assisted orthodontic treatment is done to induce a state of increased tissue turnover and transient osteopenia, which is followed by a faster rate of orthodontic tooth movement. It considered as an adjunct treatment option for orthodontic treatment of adults. The aim of this Study was to elucidate the effectiveness of a new surgical approach for acceleration of maxillary canine retraction in human with laser assisted flapless corticotomy and evaluate its effect on vitality of pulp and gingival sulcus depth. Materials and methods: the sample comprised of 15 Iraqi patients (9 females and 6 males; mean age 21.7), who were required extraction for their maxillary first premolars followed by retraction of the canines as pa
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