Background: a rapid and accurate identification of Methicillim-Resistant Staphylococci (MRS) is of a particular clinical significance because they have cross-resistance to other antibiotics with high ability to be transmitted among hospitalized patients known as epidemic MRS.
Objectives: the detection of MRS and the susceptibility of isolates to antimicrobial agents, also to determine inducible and constitutive macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB) resistance mechanisms by pharmacodynamic interpretative reading approaches.
Methods: standard disk diffusion method was performed for 30 Staphylococcus aureus and 10 Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from wound, burn patients admitted to Ramadi General Hospital in Ramadi and e

By- products of corn starch industry were used to prepare media for propagation the lactic acid bacteria as a natural auxotroph. The by- products used were the corn steep water (S) and gluten extract (G) after a proper treatment to get them ready for media preparation. The results showed that it was possible to replace the peptone and meat extract by gluten extract in MRS medium. The growth was approximately similar to that obtained in standard MRS media. Corn steep water (S) was used as well and the growth enhanced by including Tween – 80 at 1% level. The later media named MZ, which was superior for growing standard and local strains and starters. The MZ medium modified by adding acetate and glacial acetic acid similarly to

Aims: The present study aims at assessing mothers’ knowledge of breastfeeding in Kirkuk governorate,
besides determining the relationship between mothers’ knowledge and some of their demographic
attributes.
Methodolgy: A descriptive study was used the assessment approach and applied on mothers in Kirkuk
governorate from January 15th 2011 to July 25th
, 2011. Non-probability sampling a convenience sample of
(72) mothers, attending pediatric general hospital in Kirkuk governorate for following up the health status
of their children, was selected for the purpose of the study. A questionnaire was developed for the
purpose of the study. It was comprised of two parts; the first part includes the mothers' demographic

Background: Anti-RA33 antibodies and anti-CCP antibodies are highly specific markers for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but are not detectable in all RA patients.

Anti-RA33 antibodies are directed to the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2 (hnRNP-A2),while anti-CCP antibodies are directed to modified epitope on proteins that undergo conversion of amino acid arginine to citrullin by citrullination.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to show the correlation between anti-RA33 antibodies, anti-CCP antibodies and rheumatoid factor (RF) in terms of sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis in Iraqi patients.

Subjects and methods: This s

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is still a major global public health problem worldwide. The global prevalence of Mycobacterium (M tuberculosis) infection has been estimated in 32% of the world population with more than 8 million new cases diagnosed each year.

Materials and Methods: A total of 192 M tuberculosis complex isolates were collected from patients with positive sputum smear who had been treated previously with the four main anti- tuberculosis drugs for more than two months. The isolates were identified by their colonial morphology, pigmentation, shapes on Ziehl-Neelsen smears, growth on Löwenstein-Jenson medium and biochemical tests as niacin and nitrate tests. A propor

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the major cause of cancer related deaths among Iraqi women. Due to the relatively late detection of breast cancer, the majority of the patients are still treated by modified radicle mastectomy. Aim: To assess the time lag between diagnosis of breast cancer and mastectomy among Iraqi patients; correlating the findings with other clinicopathological characteristics of the disease. Patients and methods: This retrospective study enrolled 226 Iraqi female patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer. Data were registered on the exact time period between signing the histopathological report and the surgical treatment. Other recorded variables included the age of the patients, their level

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the major cause of cancer related deaths among Iraqi women. Due to the relatively late detection of breast cancer, the majority of the patients are still treated by modified radicle mastectomy. Aim: To assess the time lag between diagnosis of breast cancer and mastectomy among Iraqi patients; correlating the findings with other clinicopathological characteristics of the disease. Patients and methods: This retrospective study enrolled 226 Iraqi female patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer. Data were registered on the exact time period between signing the histopathological report and the surgical treatment. Other recorded variables included the age of the patients, their level

Background: malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is uncommon neoplasm arising from mesothelial cells of the pleura. The most important etiologic agent is typically related to exposure to minerals fibers such as asbestos and erionite. Computed tomography (CT) plays essential role in characterization, diagnosis and staging of MPM.
Objectives: to determine the value of CT scan in characterization of MPM and its impact on diagnosis, and staging of the disease with histopathological correlation.
Patients and methods: the CT scan of 27 patients who had diagnosed of MPM were retrospectively evaluated, additionally CT findings of histopathological subtypes were compared and determine staging of the disease according to their documented CT

Background: Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is the most common form of inherited ataxia, comprising one-half of all hereditary ataxias with a carrier rate between 1 in 60 to 1 in 90 and with a disease prevalence of 1 per 29,000. It can occur in two forms the classic form or in association with a vitamin E dependent ataxia. The precise role of Vitamin E in the nervous system is unknown; An Oxidative attack is suspected to play a role in Ataxia with Vitamin E deficiency, as well as in Friedreich ataxia. Vitamin E is the major free-radical-trapping antioxidant.

Objective: Theobjectives of the study is to asses vitamin E level in patients with Friedreichs ataxia phenotype in Iraqi patients.

Staphylococcus aureus, which includes the methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), is a significant human pathogen producing different toxins and results in many different infection types, which include bacteremia, soft-tissue infections, as well as staphylococcal food poisoning. S. aureus is an important food-borne pathogen of humans due to ingestion of food containing enterotoxigenic strains. Detecting S. aureus femA and mecA genes was evaluated with the use of a Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification Method (LAMP). The accuracy of this approach was similar to that attained using the approach of the conventional polymerase chain (PCR). Those two methods characterized 43 isolates of MRSA which