Rapid diagnosis of bacterial meningitis by latex agglutination test.

Forty-three patients admitted to Abassia Fever Hospital suffering from meningitis were studied. They were 27 male and 16 female and divided into 3 age groups, as a control, 4 normal CSF samples were collected. A sterile CSF was collected and examined for pressure, aspect, glucose, protein and cellular content. Although all these tests were helpful in differentiating the type of meningitis, a remarkable overlap between the results were detected. Bacteriological study of CSF showed that bacterial culture was more sensitive than the Gram-stained film in (80% and 72% respectively) (p less than 0.05). However, it is a time consuming and its results greatly affected by prior uses of antibiotics. Also the antigen of N. meningitidis A & C, H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae were detected by latex agglutination (L.A.) and gave positive results in 76% of cases. It was less sensitive than the culture method. As a conclusion, L.A. test is a rapid and simple method of diagnosis of bacterial meningitis which give immediate information to the clinician. The sensitivity and specificity of L.A. can be greatly improved by using a higher quality of antibody for all serotypes in the locality.

Effect of zinc supplementation on S. mansoni-infected hamsters.

Golden hamsters were used to determine whether intraperitoneal Zn supplementation can improve the outcome of infection with Schistosoma mansoni. The animals were divided into two groups; one received an initial intraperitoneal dose of Zn chloride (0.75 mg 100 g body wt.-1) followed by booster doses (0.25 mg 100 g body wt.-1) twice weekly for four weeks, the other group received no Zn supplement. After one week, when the initial and one booster doses were given, half of the animals in each group were exposed to S. mansoni cercariae for two hours using body immersion technique. After five weeks (one week after the final Zn supplement) the animals were killed, their worm burdens determined and their livers, kidneys, spleens, hearts and sera examined. There was a significant reduction in total worm counts in the Zn supplemented group (P less than 0.05). Also, Zn supplementation of infected animals protected them against the hepatomegaly which is very often associated with schistosomiasis. Spleen weight and Zn uptake were highest in the infected Zn supplemented group, indicating that this organ requires larger amounts of Zn to perform its various Zn-dependent immunological functions. The data suggest that Zn may enhance the ability of the body organs to resist some of the harmful effects of schistosomal infection.