Respiratory Syncytial Virus is the most common cause of acute viral bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants and young children. This study is designed to examine the presence of anti-RSV IgM and IgA antibodies in infants and young children aged between 2 months up to 5 years old. ELISA was used to examine the levels of IgM and IgA antibodies in the serum samples from 90 individuals (60 are with respiratory symptoms and 30 healthy as controls). The results were analysed by systematically dividing those individuals into two groups according to their age and clinical status. The age groups included infant between 2 months and 1 year of age and young children between 2-5 years whereas the clinical grouping includes the severity of infection of those hospitalized with acute respiratory symptoms and /or with chest pain from two main children hospitals in Baghdad. ELISA results revealed that anti-RSV IgM levels were 80% and 72% for those with acute infection and those with chest pain, respectively, whereas the levels of IgA were 45% for both groups. On the other hand, the level of IgM for individuals from group I and group II of age distribution were 63% and 35%, respectively; while the levels of IgA were only 27% for group I and 8% for group II. This study showed that the level of IgM antibodies for RSV is indicative of early detection of viral infection and it is more likely to be associated with the onset of recent infection with RSV regardless of the severity of infection. By including another test together with IgM detection may significantly improve early detection of RSV infections. These results may contribute for better understanding for the prevalence of RSV among infants and young children as well as the status of respiratory infection with RSV in children from Baghdad areas which may eventually lead to better rationale for the unnecessary prescription of antibiotics in community.
Abstract: Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are the most common bacterial infection in humans and a major cause of morbidity and they are the most common cause of hospital visits worldwide. Proper knowledge in identifying factors associated with urinary tract infection may allow the intervention to easily control of the disease in a timely manner. Therefore, the purpose of the study is determining the prevalence of UTI, diagnosis of causative bacterial agents and identifying the factors associated to the urinary tract infection among patients attending Medical City Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. A total of 237, morning mid-stream urine samples were collected aseptically and the samples were diagnosed according to the standard methods. I
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Background:-M. pneumoniae is an important human pathogen that produces community-acquired respiratory tract infection. Diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection is challenging and crucial for the timely initiation of the effective antibiotic therapy.
Objective: This study has been undertaken to detect M. pneumoniae in respiratory samples (throat swabs, throat wash and sputum) in patients with respiratory tract infection qualitatively by conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Also, more advanced one, real time PCR was used to determine mycoplasmal target gene qualitatively and quantitatively.
Patients and methods: The study was performed on Seventy-five patients and thirty healthy subject as control. Genomic DNA was extracted and
Background: Lumbar puncture is a procedure that is frequently performed in the pediatric practice.
Objective: To review some (patient, provider and technique- related) characteristics of lumbar puncture performed at the Children Welfare Teaching Hospital, Baghdad / Iraq.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the period from April to September, 2017. A self-prepared questionnaire was used to collect the data. It included 32 items, which were divided into three sections: Residents doctors' information (3 items), patient's information (2 items) and procedure’s information (27 items).
Results: The total number of performed procedures was 103, of which 51 (49.5%) were performed in the oncology ward. About ha
This study was conducted to detect C.sakazakii PIF and raw milk. Two hundred samples of PIF were taken from the infected hospital infants who used this type of milk and from the local markets in addition to 16 sample of raw milk were collected. The study is the first to report the isolation of C. sakazakii and Enterobacter spp. from raw milk in Iraq. The distribution of C.sakazakii and Enterobacter spp. among the presumptive isolates using Vitek-GN2 system gave 1/16(6.25%) isolates of C.sakazakii and 4/16 (25%) isolates of Enterobacter spp. Enterobacter spp. isolates include (E.cloacae ssp. cloacae and E.cloacae ssp. dissolvens, E.hormaechei, and E.ludwigii) that isolate from raw milk Differences in between percentages of each isolate perse
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Gastrointestinal diseases and especially chronic gastritis are mainly induced by Helicobacter pylori infection, and provides the basis for gastric carcinogenesis and colorectal cancer. The study involved the detection of serum anti-H. pylori IgG and IgA antibody of and some serum biomarkers ;CEA and CA19-9 in patients with gastrointestinal diseases. Fifty eight serum samples were collected from 25 males and 33 females .Peripheral venous blood was collected from each patient and sera obtained by centrifugation. Serum anti-H. pylori IgG and IgA ,serum CEA and CA19-9 were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assays (ELISA).Forty eight serum samples were positive for IgG (82.7% ) divided int
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Abstract Background Infections with helminths are associated with deficient sanitary facilities, unsafe human waste disposal, inadequate and lack of safe drinking water, and low socioeconomic status. Objective To determine the prevalence of some gastrointestinal helminths among Iraqi people, and association of infections with age, sex, and region in Iraq. Method This study is retrospective, including reported cases of infections using an available surveillance database from January 2013 to December 2013 of all provinces of Iraq by the Ministry of Health. Result The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthiasis was 1.39%. Enterobius vermicularis found to be the predominant helminth parasite. No significant (P < 0.05) rel
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Background: Infection with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease, WHO estimated that about 170 million people are infected with Hepatitic C virus, Silymarin (Legalon) have been recently shown to be effective in treatment of Hepatitic C virus infection.
Objectives: The effectiveness of Legalon (Silymarin) on viral load in patients with Hepatitic C virus infection.
Patients and methods: A prospective case – control study included 400 patients with Hepatitis C virus infection. 200 patients (group A) were treated with (peg-interferon, ribavirin, silymarin) the other 200 patients (group B) were treated with (peg-interferon, ribavirin) . only G1 & G4 genotypes were included , viral load were assessed ini
Forty – two elderly hypothyroidism patients and forty – two apparently healthy as control groups , divided to (21) male (M) and (21) female (F) also (21) control male C(M) and (21) control female C(F) aged > 60 years, were tested for the presence of thyroid peroxidase autoantibody (TPo – Ab) and thyroglobulin auto antibody (Tg – Ab) , also for Se and Zn levels in their sera . The results revealed a significant increase in (TPO – Ab) and (Tg – Ab) for group (M) and (F) compared to control group , also a siginificant increase in TPo – Ab and Tg – Ab for (F) compared to (M) was found. A significant decrease in Se and Zn level for (M) and (F) compared to control group, while no significant difference between (M) and (F). In conc
... Show MoreBackground: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a commonly prevalent gastrointestinal disorder in adults, it develops when the stomach contents reflux and rise up into the esophagus as a result from lower esophageal sphincter dysfunction. Very few studies on magnitude of GERD in student community have been done. The study aim was conducted to determine the prevalence of GERD among sample of medical students and the potential risk factors associated with it.
Method: A cross sectional descriptive study conducted on a sample of 300 undergraduate students of medical college/Baghdad university from 15th of January -1st of June 2020. All participants answered online qu
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