Histopathological and histochemical studies on the sigmoidal and rectal tissues of hepatosplenic children with gastro-intestinal troubles.

Hepatosplenomegaly accompanied with different intestinal troubles is more or less a marked clinical manifestations in children. The histopathological and histochemical changes were studied in biopsied materials taken from the sigmoidal and rectal tissues of 49 children. These children had schistosomiasis mansoni (26), schistosomiasis and amoebiasis (4), schistosomiasis and tuberculosis (TB.) (2), amoebiasis (4), thalassemia (6), acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) (1), mucopolysaccharidosis (1) and bacillary dysentery (5). The pathological changes were erosion ulceration hyperplasia, atrophy, crypt-abscess and fibrosis (mucosa) and oedema, congestion, cellular infiltration (Lamina propria). The chemical changes were the mucin secretion, deposition of collagen and fibrin and activity of the argentaffin cells. Not all the disease agent had the same effect, but changes were marked mainly in children with S. mansoni and/or E. histolytica.

Evaluation of different immunodiagnostic techniques for diagnosis of hydatidosis in Egypt.

In this study detection of the circulating hydatid antibodies was performed by three serological tests: Immunoelectrophoresis (IEP), Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Enzyme linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) technique. The antigen which was used in these tests was Echinococcus granulosus antigen free of host (camel) antigen by immunoaffinity chromatography. Most serum samples were pre-selected from the patients on the basis of clinical syndrome or past history of possible diagnosis of echinococcosis. In addition, physical aids to diagnosis, especially sonographic and plain X-ray examination have already been carried out. The hydatidosis group was subgrouped according to the site of the cysts in different organs. The surgical removal of hydatid cysts was taken as a sure diagnosis of hydatid disease. The outcome of comparison between the three serological tests in surgically confirmed cases, showed that ELISA technique is a good screening test (88.2% sensitivity, 88.8% specificity and 88.5% diagnostic efficacy) and EITB is a good confirmatory test (100% sensitivity, 100% specificity and 100% diagnostic efficacy).