Background: Globally, hepatitis B is one of the most common infectious diseases. Estimates indicate that at least 2 billion people have been infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), with more than 378 million people being chronic carriers. Those individuals at higher risk for acquiring HBV and transmitting disease like pregnant women should be screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) to prevent transmission by vaccination and operation. Aim of study: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBsAg and its associated parameters in pregnant women who referred to antenatal clinic in Baghdad Province. Methods: The 234 apparently healthy pregnant women and their families, husbands and children were selected as study subjects from among those who had attained prenatal care clinic in Baghdad province between 2010 to 2012. Serological test was done for HBV using ELISA test (Dialab REF:Z00360,LOT2052-2). Results: Of these, 234 cases were brought into the study. Their age were ranged from 16-42 years old. Based on a different parameters , women positive for HBV and their children were negative constitute the highest percentage 85.4% and lowest one was pregnant women who lived with positive family history of HBV were 8.9%. Conclusions: The seroprevalence of HBsAg was of moderate severity according to WHO. This finding would suggest for the introduction of routine screening for HBV to all pregnant women during the antenatal period, and that “at birth dose” vaccination is given to new born babies of mothers found to be HBsAg positive so as to reduce and prevent the spread of infection. However more data is required from larger studies to support the findings so that ultimately this can be recommended as a policy.
The levels of lead (pb), copper (cu), cobalt (co) and cadmium (cd) were determined in different kinds of milk and the health risks were evaluated. The mean levels were 0.73±0.21, 0.06±0.01, 0.12±0.01 and 0.14±0.01 ppm for these metals respectively. The levels of pb and cu were found to be insignificant differences (p<0.05), whereas the levels of co and cd, were no significant differences (p>0.05). The dry and liquid kinds of milk were different significantly (p<0.05), whereas the original, was no significant differences (p>0.05). The values for all metals were more than one. The metals pb and cd were detected at highest concentrations in most dry and liquid milk samples.
Background: In developing countries, neonatal death account for 99% of neonatal deaths in the world. In Iraq, the neonatal death rates are still unknown.
Objectives: To assess the death rate and the major causes of neonatal death in the neonatal care unit (NCU) in Baghdad Teaching Hospital-Medical City/ Baghdad.
Patients &Methods: A descriptive study of 564 neonatal deaths in the neonatal care unit (NCU) from 1st of January 2007 to 31st of December 2009 in Baghdad Teaching Hospital-Medical City/ Baghdad was carried out, and the causes of death as registered in the neonatal medical records and death certificates were studied.
Results: Neonatal death rate relative to admission was (18.5%). The Neonatal death rates were lower i
(1)
Background: Estimation of the in situ expression of Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) in aborted women compared with normal human pregnancy .
Patients and Methods: A technique utilizing in situ hybridization(ISH) was performed to detect and determine the in situ expression of Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) mRNA using paraffin embedded sections of curettage samples obtained from 42 women, who were divided into two groups: 30 women with first trimester abortion and 12 women with induced abortion as control.
Results: The levels of the in situ expression of both Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) mRNA were found to be highly significant increased in group 1 as compared with group 2
(p<0.01), with a significant positive correla
The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between microRNA 378 and BMP15 gene expression levels in blood samples collected from 50 healthy fertile females as controls and 50 hyperprolactinemia infertile females by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Specific primers were designed for this purpose based on the sequences of microRNA 378 and BMP15 retrieved from NCBI and designed by primer 3 software. The result assessing the expression level of BMP15 in hyperprolactinemia (HPL) was 0.220, while the control group's fold change value was 1.000. The HPL group showed downregulation in the expression of the BMP15 gene. While the fold expression values of the miRNA378 gene in the hyperprolactinemia
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This study was aimed to investigate the effect of anti- type 4 pili antibody in
prevention pulmonary infections caused by P. aeruginosa in vivo. This was
achieved by Evaluation of biofilm formation by the microtiter plate method to
select P.aeruginosa isolate with highest biofilm formation capacity, Extraction
and the partial purification of type IV pili from the selected isolate, then
Preparation of type IV pili antibodies by rabbit immunization. The lung
histological sections of non immunized mice were severly damaged ,while the
damage were markedly decrease in the lung of immunized mice with anti-type 4
pili antibody.
Klebsiella pneumoniae capsular polysaccharide (CPS) antigen was evaluated for their capability to increase immune responses. And, CPS neutralizing antibodies were approved as the main response to vaccination in many disease. Therefore, killed Stapthylococcus aureus bacteria was employed to evaluate K. pneumoniae CPS adjuvanticity. The mice groups were immunized (orally, intra-peritoneally and by swab skin)with a dose of (25μl of formalin killed S. aureus (1.5 x 108) with a CPS at dose 175μl/kg at a conc.50 μg/ml) vaccination occurred in first day then recurrent vaccination as booster dose beyond seven days. After first 7 days, the results revealed elevation of IL2,4,10,12 and IgG levels occurred mainly in oral and swab skin groups, an
... Show MoreBackground: Several causes stand behind prolonged neonatal Jaundice (Jaundice that persists more than 2 weeks).
Objectives: To find out the frequency of association between Urinary tract infections (UTI) and prolonged neonatal jaundice in term infants during the first two months of life.
Patients and methods: We conducted an observational prospective study in children welfare teaching hospital, Medical City Complex, Baghdad. Fifty term infants, less than two months of age, with clinically evident jaundice that has persisted for more than 14 days of life were enrolled; UTI was confirmed by urine culture and sensitivity. Demographic features, historical characteristics, lab
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One hundred fifty bacterial strains were isolated from patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs). They were belong to ten different species of gram-negative bacteria and to two genera of gram–positive bacteria. E. coli was the major causative agent and comprise 40% of all cases. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis were second and third with 18.67% & 18.0% respectively. Other gram-negative bacteria were belong to the genera Enterobacter, Acinitobacter, Pseudomonas, Citrobacter and Serratia. Ten cases (6.67%) were caused by genus Staphylococcus and seven (4.66%) were caused by Streptococcus. Out of the 150 positive cases, 96(64%) were from female patients, while 54(36%) were from males. High percentage of all
... Show MoreArthropod-borne infections, known as vector-borne diseases, are a significant threat to both humans and animals. These diseases are transmitted to humans and animals through the bites of infected arthropods. In the last half century, there have been a number of unexpected viral outbreaks in Middle Eastern countries. Recently, Iraq has witnessed an outbreak of the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever virus with high morbidity and mortality rates in humans. However, very little is known about the prevalence and distribution of CCHFV in Iraq, and therefore, it is impossible to quantify the risk of infection. CCHFV is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected ticks. However, transmission can also occur through contact with the blood or ti
... Show MoreIn this paper, a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) model is proposed and investigated. In fact, the pandemic spread through a close contact between infected people and other people but sometimes the infected people could show two cases; the first is symptomatic and the other is asymptomatic (carrier) as the source of the risk. The outbreak of Covid-19 virus is described by a mathematical model dividing the population into four classes. The first class represents the susceptible people who are unaware of the disease. The second class refers to the susceptible people who are aware of the epidemic by media coverage. The third class is the carrier individuals (asymptomatic) and the fourth class represents the infected ind
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