Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is an important respiratory bacterial pathogen, especially among children. It causes acute upper and lower respiratory infections.Objective: This study was aimed to measure anti- M. pneumoniae antibodies among hospitalized children who were admitted to hospital diagnosed with acute respiratory tract infections.Method: Automated ELISA technique was performed to detect anti- M. pneumoniae antibodies (IgM and IgG antibodies) in serum from 108 children less than 5 years old. The children were admitted to the Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Suleimani city/Kurdistan Region/Iraq because of acute respiratory tract infections. A questionnaire was designed to collect demographic and clinical data from those children.Results: IgM anti- M. pneumoniae antibodies were positive in 15 (13.9%) out of 108 children. The highest seroprevalence was found in the age group 25-36 months while the lowest is in the age group 1-12 months. M. pneumoniae infections were more common among males than females though results were statistically not significant, and attendance of kindergarten or nursery, residency, history of chronic diseases, history of contact with similar conditions, and family history of chronic diseases, they were all statistically not significant. The IgMseropositive children were suffering from bronchitis, croup, pneumonia, or other respiratory infections, in frequencies of 7 (46.6%), 4 (26.7%), 3 (20%), and 1 (6.7%) respectively. Increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, diagnosis of croup, and diagnosis of bronchitis were more frequent in M. pneumoniae infected group and the results were statistically significant. The IgG anti- M. pneumoniae antibodies were positive in 31 (28.8%) out of the 108 children, and the greatest IgG seroprevalence was highest in age group 49-60 months.Conclusion: M. pneumoniae is an important respiratorypathogen among hospitalized children in Sulaimanigovernorate/Kurdistan/Iraq, and nearly one third of childrenhad experienced M. pneumoniae infection by the age of fiveyears
Objectives: To assess the quality of life for adult patients with peptic ulcers in the city of Sulaimani.
Methodology: A descriptive study, using the assessment approach was conducted on patients with peptic ulcer
disease from January 12th, 2009 to September 30th, 2009. A purposive "non-probability" sample of (100) paƟents
(males and females) with peptic ulcers who attended Kurdistan Center for Gastroenterology and Hepatology were
selected for the study. A questionnaire was adapted from the World Health Organization quality of life questionnaire
(1998) for the purpose of the study. It is comprised of (3) parts that included sociodemographic characteristics form,
medical history form and adult peptic ulcers patients' qu
This cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study evaluated the knowledge, attitude and practice towards breast cancer and breast self-examination [BSE] among 387 [302 females and 85 males] educated Iraqis affiliated to 2 Iraqi universities. The participants were categorized into 3 occupations: student [71.3%], teaching staff [10.3%] and administrative staff [18.3%]. About half of the participants had a low knowledge score [< 50%]; only 14.3% were graded as [Good] and above. Almost 75% of the participants believed that the best way to control breast cancer was through early detection and other possible preventive measures. Most participants [90.9%] had heard of BSE, the main source of informatio
... Show More
(40)
(39)
Background: Congenital heart disease is one of the most common developmental anomalies in children. These patients commonly have poor oral health that increase caries risk. Dental management of children with congenital heart disease requires special attention, because of their heightened susceptibility to infectious endocarditis. The aims of this study were to assess the severity of dental caries of primary and permanent teeth and treatment needs in relation to nutritional indicator (Body Mass Index) among children with congenital heart disease. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, case group consisted of 399 patients aged between 6-12 years old with congenital heart disease were examined for dental status in Ibn Al-Bitar spec
... Show More
(2)
A total of 228 domestic and wild animals, including sheep, goats, cows, buffaloes, camels, horses, donkeys, dogs, cats, wild hares, Asiatic jackals, and red foxes were examined for ixodid ticks in the central region of Iraq. Nine species of ixodid ticks belong to two genera namely Hyalomma anatolicum Koch, 1844, H. excavatum Koch, 1844, H. turanicum Pomerantsef, 1946, H. scupense Delpy, 1946, H. dromedarii Koch, 1844, H. schulzei Olenev, 1931, Rhipicephalus annulatus (Say, 1821), R. turanicus Pomerantsef & al., 1940 and R. leporis Pomerantsef, 1946 were recovered. Their distribution among hosts and infestation rates were di
... Show MoreBackground: Personality could be defined broadly as those characteristics of individuals that describe the pattern of feeling, cognition and behaving. Personality types can be measured by using one of personality type’s measures. Personality has been proposed to influence the oral health. The purpose of the present study was to assess the influence of Personality Types on caries experience in relation to salivary testosterone hormone among teachers in Baghdad city. Materials and Methods: Female teachers (n=534) of randomly selected schools were subjected to personality questionnaire using The Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator. Teachers were examined to estimate the caries experience according to the decayed-missing and filled i
... Show More
Enzyme activity were studied in the sera of children with leukemia than healthy children, where 31 cases were studied, including 21 cases of patients with acute lymphatic leukemia
This study compared the effects of citric acid (CA) derived from microbial fermentation using Aspergillus niger (400 mg kg-1) and natural extraction from Citrus limon (400 mg kg1) in albino mice. Parameters assessed included cytogenetic damage via the micronucleus (MN) assay, immunological response through immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG, IgM) titers, and hepatoprotective activity based on liver enzyme levels (AST, ALT, ALP) and histopathological inves tigation. Mice were divided into six groups (n=10/group) as follows: (1) negative control, (2) carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄ 0.02%), (3) lemon CA, (4) A. niger, (5) CCl₄ + lemon CA, and (6) CCl₄ + A. niger CA. The CCl4 group exhibited a significantly higher MN frequency (0.06 ± 0.008) compa
... Show More
Background: The vertical distance between the upper and lower incisal edge of the central incisors when the mouth is opened as wide as possible is called maximum mouth opening (MMO). Any pathological change in the masticatory system had a direct effect on the maximal mouth opening. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the maximum bite force and the maximum mouth opening among group of children. Materials and methods: Four hundred children of both genders were included in this study, their age ranged from eight to ten years. Anterior and posterior (right, left) bite force were measured using bite force sensor. Maximum mouth opening was evaluated by electronic digital caliper. Data was statistically analyzed
... Show More
(1)
Background: The vertical distance between the upper and lower incisal edge of the central incisors when the mouth is opened as wide as possible is called maximum mouth opening (MMO). Any pathological change in the masticatory system had a direct effect on the maximal mouth opening. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the maximum bite force and the maximum mouth opening among group of children. Materials and methods: Four hundred children of both genders were included in this study, their age ranged from eight to ten years. Anterior and posterior (right, left) bite force were measured using bite force sensor. Maximum mouth opening was evaluated by electronic digital caliper. Data was statistically analyzed by de
... Show More
(5)
(1)
As major nosocomial pathogens,
In this study, 20
