An audit on the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about the uses and side-effects of antibiotics among outpatients attending 2 teaching hospitals in Jordan.

This study aimedto assess general knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of people towards the use of antibiotics. Individuals referring to the outpatient pharmacies of 2 major teaching hospitals in the north of Jordan completed a self-administered, validated questionnaire. A total of 1091 individuals (56.8% males) participated in the study. Of these, 20.1% of the participants stated that antibiotics were used for bacterial infections, while 18.3% thought they were used for viral infections and 43.6% for mixed bacterial/viral infections. The average knowledge score of the participants about antibiotic uses and side-effects was low. Middle-aged participants and those with an education beyond high school had significantly higher knowledge scores about antibiotics use. Almost 75% of the participants disagreed that antibiotics could be given without a prescription.

An audit on the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about the uses and side-effects of antibiotics among outpatients attending 2 teaching hospitals in Jordan

This study aimed to assess general knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of people towards the use of antibiotics. Individuals referring to the outpatient pharmacies of 2 major teaching hospitals in the north of Jordan completed a self-administered, validated questionnaire. A total of 1091 individuals [56.8% males] participated in the study. Of these, 20.1% of the participants stated that antibiotics were used for bacterial infections, while 18.3% thought they were used for viral infections and 43.6% for mixed bacterial/viral infections. The average knowledge score of the participants about antibiotic uses and side-effects was low. Middle-aged participants and those with an education beyond high school had significantly higher knowledge scores about antibiotics use. Almost 75% of the participants disagreed that antibiotics could be given without a prescription

Possible mechanisms of action of the compounds injected intralesionally in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis, in addition to their direct effects on the parasites.

By injecting uninfected rabbits intradermally with one of the test compounds or the isotonic saline (0.9% NaCl) used as a control, the possible mechanisms of the indirect action of some drugs used intralesionally in the treatment of human cutaneous leishmaniasis [sodium stibogluconate, 2% zinc sulphate, and hypertonic (7% NaCL) saline] were explored. The 24 injected rabbits (six for the control and six for each test compound) were followed up for 30 days, both macroscopically, with checks for erythema and increases in skin thickness, and microscopically, with the histopathological examination of sections of biopsies from the injection sites. Although the microscopy revealed inflammatory-cell infiltration, beginning with eosinophils, followed by lymphocytes and finally by the proliferation of fibroblasts, at all of the injection sites, these changes were most intense with the sodium stibogluconate and 2% zinc sulphate, less marked with the hypertonic saline, and minimal and relatively short-lived with the isotonic saline. Presumably as a result of their metal content, sodium stibogluconate and zinc sulphate each probably induce tissue damage and, subsequently, severe inflammatory changes. The antileishmanial activity of hypertonic saline, however, may be entirely attributable to its osmotic effects.

Effect of garlic bulb extract on the growth and enzymatic activities of rhizosphere and rhizoplane fungi.

Eighteen fungal species were isolated from rhizospheric soil and rhizoplane samples of three plant crops in southern Iraq. The fungal isolates were examined for the activities of four enzymes (amylase, cellulase, phenoloxidase, and protease), as well as their growth, against crude garlic extract added to the culture agar medium. A high reduction or inhibition of enzymatic activities was observed for the fungi treated with garlic extract compared with untreated fungal cultures. However, most of the species showed inhibition of enzymes due to the effect of garlic extract. The growth of the fungal species was also remarkably reduced by the garlic extract.