Field evaluation of two diagnostic antigen tests for Wuchereria bancrofti infection among Indian expatriates in Saudi Arabia.

Two commercially available diagnostic tools (Tro-Bio ELISA and ICT card test) were used to detect circulating filarial antigen of Wuchereria bancrofti infections among Indian expatriate workers in Saudi Arabia. Daytime serum samples collected from 302 individuals (210 men and 92 women) were tested. Night blood surveys for microfilaraemia were restricted to those individuals who became positive for the trop-Bio assay test. The overall prevalence of filarial antigeaemia was 10.6% (32 individuals). Of these 32 antigen positive cases, microfilariae were found in 10 men (31.3%), with a mean microfilarial count of 105 mff/ml. No positive antigen results were found in control sera from 200 native healthy Saudis or from patients with helminthic infections (schistosomiasis, echinicoccosis, hookworm, ascariasis and trichuriasis). All 32 positive sera with the Trop-Bio ELISA showed a positive ICT card reaction (specificity and sensitivity 100%). It is concluded that, in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, where a continuous flow of south- and southeastern workers coming from areas endemic for bancroftian filariasis, the ICT card test may be useful in monitoring the potential risk of introducing bacncroftian filariasis to the host countries.

Survey of computed tomography technique and radiation dose in Sudanese hospitals.

The purpose of this study was to survey technique and radiation absorbed dose in CT examinations of adult in Sudan and to compare the results with the reference dose levels. Questionnaire forms were completed in nine hospitals and a sample of 445 CT examinations in patients. Information on patient, procedure, scanner, and technique for common CT examinations were collected. For each facility, the radiation absorbed dose was measured on CT dose phantom measuring 16 cm (head) and 32 cm (body) in diameter and was used to calculate the normalized CT air kerma index. Volume CT air kerma index (CVOL), CT air kerma-length product (PKL,CT) values were calculated using the measured normalized CT air kerma index and questionnaire information. The effective dose, E estimates was determined by using PKL,CT measurements and appropriate normalized coefficients. Assuming the sample to offer a fair representative picture of CT practice patterns in Sudan, the mean CVOL and PKL,CT values were comparable or below the reference doses: 65 mGy and 758 mGy cm, respectively at head CT; 11.5 mGy and 327 mGy cm, respectively at chest CT; 11.6 mGy and 437 mGy cm, respectively at abdominal CT; and 11.0 mGy and 264 mGy cm, respectively at pelvis CT. Estimated effective doses were 1.6, 4.6, 6.6 and 4.0 mSv, respectively. The study offered a first national dose survey and provided a mean for quality control and optimization of CT practice within the country.

False positive serology for visceral leishmanias (kala-azar) using the indirect haemagglutination (IHA) method.

Persistent false serology for kala-azar using the indirect haemagglutination technique is described in two patients. One patient had Behcet's disease and the other infective endocarditis.