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
Objective: The evaluation of serum osteocalcin (OSN) for Iraqi infertile patients to see the effect of osteocalcin insufficiency, which may lead to a decreased level of testosterone production in males that may cause infertility. Methods: Forty two newly diagnosed infertile males age range (24–47) years and thirty two apparently healthy males as controls age range (25–58) years. Serum levels of testosterone (TEST), stimulating follicle hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PROL), osteocalcin OSN, and fasting blood sugar (FBS) were performed in both patients and controls. Estimation of serum OSN by Immulite1000 auto-analyzer, TEST, FSH, LH, PROL, and FBS by Immulite2000 auto-analyzer. Results: Infertile patients
... Show MoreThis study been conducted and applied in Alrashed Health Center/Mahmodia Sector/ kerigh Sector/Ministry of Health/Baghdad City, and conducted on samples of women who are suffering from iron deficiency (Hemoglobin%) in blood for the year 2013. Fifty women been selected (married, unmarried), their ages ranging between 19-40 years old, they been given dried grinding spinach tablet. The dose been given was 3 tablet/day/4-6 weeks, after taken the percentage of Hemoglobin and Uric acid for all studied samples before and after dried spinach tablet given. It was appeared from samples analysis primarily and statically for 50 women, that 4% upon them only suffering high Iron deficiency (8.0-9.9 mg/100ml), 38% upon them suffering from middle iron def
... Show MoreCultured fruits of theCorundum Coriandrum sativum were sown On 11/11 / 2008 in basins containing 15 kg of soil (Silty Loam) .Fruits were divided into two parts the first was soaked in normanl water and the second was magnetized for a period of 24 hours Irrigation was up to (75% of capacity field.Two types of water (normal water and magnetized water)with three repetitions were used the access to magnetic water was supplied from a special electric device. Recorded measurements were plant height the number of stems / plant, weight of plant, number of flowers, 1000 seed weight) during the cultivation period, which ended on 11/5/2009. Results indicated the absence of any effect of magnetic water on plant growth of Fenugreek while seeds tre
... Show MoreThe synthesized ligand (3-(2-amino-5-(3,4,5-tri-methoxybenzyl)pyrimidin-4-ylamino)-5,5-dimethylcyclohex-2-enone] [H1L1] was characterized via fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 1H, 13C – NMR, Mass spectra, (CHN analysis), UV-vis spectroscopic approaches. Analytical and spectroscopic techniques like chloride content, micro-analysis, magnetic susceptibility UV-visible, conductance, and FTIR spectra were used to identify mixed ligand complexes. Its (ML13ph) mixed ligand complexes [M= Co (II), Ni (II), Cu (II), Zn (II), and Cd (II); (H1L1) = β-enaminone ligand=L1 and (3ph) =3-aminophenol= L2]. The results demonstrate that the complexes are produced with a molar ratio of M: L1:L2 (1:1:1). To generate the appropriate compl
... Show MoreThis research paper attempts to explore problems facing the teaching of written expression among first-year female university students. The focal point behind conducting this research is to show the importance that writing is taking as a skill in learning the language. To achieve this goal, the researcher prepared a questionnaire consisting of 20 items. The sample, whose size is 60 participants, was selected randomly from the department of Arabic, College of Education for Women, University of Baghdad. Through the use of a set of statistical means including weighting means and percentage, the findings revealed that the students face many difficulties in learning writing. The researcher suggested some recommendations, mainly improving the
... Show MoreA fluorescence microscopy considered as a powerful imaging tool in biology and medicine. In addition to useful signal obtained from fluorescence microscopy, there are some defects in its images such as random variation in brightness, noise that caused by photon detection and some background pixels in the acquired fluorescence microscopic images appear wrongly auto-fluorescence property. All these practical limitations have a negative impact on the correct vision and analysis of the fluorescent microscope users. Our research enters the field of automation of image processing and image analysis using image processing techniques and applying this processing and analysis on one of the very important experiments in biology science. This research
... Show MoreSingle-photon detection concept is the most crucial factor that determines the performance of quantum key distribution (QKD) systems. In this paper, a simulator with time domain visualizers and configurable parameters using continuous time simulation approach is presented for modeling and investigating the performance of single-photon detectors operating in Gieger mode at the wavelength of 830 nm. The widely used C30921S silicon avalanche photodiode was modeled in terms of avalanche pulse, the effect of experiment conditions such as excess voltage, temperature and average photon number on the photon detection efficiency, dark count rate and afterpulse probability. This work shows a general repeatable modeling process for significant perform
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