Plasma fibronectin level in erysipelas.

The level of plasma fibronectin was measured to 20 patients suffering from erysipelas and 10 normal controls. Significantly low levels of plasma fibronectin were detected in the group of patients (134 +/- 7.4 g./ml) in comparison to the normal control group (352.6 +/- 42.9 g./ml) p less than 0.001. This could be of prognostic value and also of therapeutic one. Some centres have tried fibronectin replacement therapy in the treatment of critically ill patients with severe bacterial sepsis.

Study of cell mediated and humoral immunity in acute bacterial meningitis.

Twenty (20) patients suffering from acute bacterial meningitis and ten (10) normal individuals were included in this study. Patient's age ranged from 3-50 years; they were chosen from Abassia Fever Hospital. Serum as well as CSF immunoglobulin G and M were measured at admittance and 2 days later, E rosette test was done and compared with the control group. Significant increase in IgM in CSF was recorded in early acute cases. IgG was significantly increased in CSF in both early and late cases. The increase in serum immunoglobulins was insignificant in all cases. Using E rosette test no significant difference was detected in T-lymphocytes in patient groups as compared with normal controls. From this work we can conclude that the increase in the type of CSF immunoglobulin could differentiate acute (increase in IgM) from late cases (increase in IgG). Also we can conclude that cell mediated immunity has no role in bacterial meningitis as the increase in T lymphocytes was insignificant.

Natural Schistosoma mansoni infection in Arvicanthis niloticus in Ismailia, Egypt.

In a Survey for Zoonotic helminthic infection in rodents Schistosoma mansoni eggs were detected in the large intestine and liver of Arvicanthis niloticus.

Comparative study between different schedules for sclerosing oesophageal varices.

There were no significant differences between the one week and the 2 weeks interval groups with regard to total number of sclerotherapy sessions, total volume of the sclerosant used (5% ethanolamine oleate) or rate of complications such as pyrexia, stricture ulcer and/or slough formation. Neither early nor recurrent bleeding occurred in any patient in the two (2) groups. Eradication of varices in the 2-week interval group was achieved significantly earlier (P less than 0.05) than in the one week interval group.

Studies on gastric bacterial growth and gastric PH in endemic schistosomal hepatosplenomegaly.

Acid content and bacterial flora were studied in the gastric juice of 30 patients with endemic hepatosplenomegaly and 10 normal controls. The acid content in the gastric juice was significantly low in the group of patients. Also the bacterial flora were present in larger number of patients (80%) opposite to (30%) in normal control group.

Evaluation of gastric carcinoembryonic antigen in endemic schistosomal hepatosplenomegaly.

In endemic hepatosplenomegaly with histopathologically proved atrophic gastritis, the gastric juice carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) showed significant increase. Comparing this group of patients with histopathologically proved gastric neoplasia the levels were significantly higher in the later group. The level of (CEA) was only increased in 75% of cases with endemic hepatosplenomegaly and atrophic gastritis opposite to 100% of cases with gastric neoplasia. The level of serum (CEA) was also studied in patients and control groups. In patients with endemic hepatosplenomegaly and atrophic gastritis the level was insignificantly higher than the control group and significantly lower than the group with gastric neoplasia.

Acute phase proteins in endemic chronic liver diseases.

Forty patients with chronic liver disease and ten normal controls were investigated for acute phase proteins. Mixed schistosomal cases with chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis showed more marked changes, while pure schistosomal group showed serum levels closer to normal values. This could be a differentiating point between the two categories. Also the more significant changes in the mixed groups indicate more involvement of the immune system in the pathogenesis of those groups.

Histochemical studies on rectal mucosa in active intestinal schistosomiasis.

Thirty patients suffering from active intestinal S. mansoni infection, were classified into 3 groups. The first group: 13 cases with early active intestinal schistosomiasis without hepatosplenomegaly. The second group: 11 cases with hepatosplenomegaly and the third group: 6 cases with splenomegaly and ascites. Also 10 normal individuals were included as a normal control group. Histopathological examination of rectal mucosa showed hyperaemia with extravasation of blood in early cases and granulomatous lesions in the second group with hepatosplenomegaly. The structural changes were severe in the late ascitic group. In this group the rectal mucosal glands showed distorted irregular tubular branching in addition to the granulomatous and the fibrous reactions. Histochemical studies including periodic acid schiff, alkaline phosphatase and acetyl cholinestrase reactions were done. Using the periodic acid shiff stain, the goblet cells showed strong reaction for neutral mucin in cases of group I (early cases) and group II (late hepatosplenomegalic cases). In group III (late ascitic cases) the goblet cells were faintly stained. A notable difference was observed between the lightly and heavily infected patients of this group. No alkaline phosphatase reactivity could be identified in rectal crypts of patients and controls. Alkaline phosphatase reactivity was sharply localised in S. mansoni egg shell. There was obvious decrease in the acetyl cholinesterase stained nerve fibres in the rectal mucosa of all studied patients. The decrease was more in chronic and heavily infected cases rather than in the acute and lightly infected ones.