Frequency and genotyping of group A rotavirus among Egyptian children with acute gastroenteritis: a hospital-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: This hospital-based cross-sectional study aims to investigate the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of rotavirus group A (RVA) infection among children with acute gastroenteritis and to detect the most common G and P genotypes in Egypt. METHODS: A total of 92 stool samples were collected from children under five who were diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis. RVA in stool samples was identified using ELISA and nested RT-PCR. Common G and P genotypes were identified utilizing multiplex nested RT-PCR assays. RESULTS: RVA was detected at a rate of 24% (22 /92) using ELISA and 26.1% (24 /92) using VP6 nested RT-PCR. The ELISA test demonstrated diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 91.7%, 100%, and 97.8%, respectively. G3 was the most prevalent G type (37.5%), followed by G1 (12.5%), whereas the most commonly detected P type were P[8] (41.7%) and P[6] (8.2%). RVA-positive samples were significantly associated with younger aged children (p = 0.026), and bottle-fed (p = 0.033) children. In addition, RVA-positive samples were more common during cooler seasons (p = 0.0001). Children with rotaviral gastroenteritis had significantly more frequent episodes of diarrhea (10.87 ± 3.63 times/day) and vomiting (8.79 ± 3.57 times/day) per day (p = 0.013 and p = 0.011, respectively). Moreover, they had a more severe Vesikari clinical score (p = 0.049). CONCLUSION: RVA is a prevalent cause of acute gastroenteritis among Egyptian children in our locality. The discovery of various RVA genotypes in the local population, as well as the identification of common G and P untypeable strains, highlights the significance of implementing the rotavirus vaccine in Egyptian national immunization programs accompanied by continuous monitoring of strains.

Biofilm-producing and carbapenems-resistant Escherichia coli nosocomial uropathogens: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional study aims to determine the incidence and potential risk factors associated with biofilm-producing uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) nosocomial strains from a tertiary care hospital and to examine the prospective correlation between biofilm generation and antibiotic resistance phenotypes and genotypes. METHODS: A total of 130 UPEC nosocomial isolates were identified, their biofilm formation was quantified using a modified microtiter plate assay, and their antibiotic susceptibilities were assessed utilizing the disc diffusion method. Isolates were then subjected to PCR assays targeting blaKPC, blaVIM, blaIMP, and blaOXA48 genes. RESULTS: Over half of the isolates (n = 76, 58.5%) were biofilm producers. Among 17 carbapenem-resistant isolates, 6 (42.9%) isolates harbored the blaOXA48 gene, and only 1 (9.1%) isolate was positive for the blaVIM gene. Prior antibiotic therapy (aOR 15.782, p 0.000) and diabetes mellitus DM (aOR 11.222, p 0.016) were the significant risk factors associated with biofilm production, as determined by logistic regression analysis of the data. In addition, gentamicin resistance was the only statistically significant antibiotic resistance pattern associated with biofilm production (aOR 9.113, p 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study emphasize the significance of implementing proper infection control measures to avoid the horizontal spread of biofilm formation and associated antimicrobial resistance patterns among UPEC nosocomial strains.

Maintenance of Antibody Response in Egyptian Healthcare Workers Vaccinated with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccine during Delta and Omicron Variants Pandemic: A Prospective Study.

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a constantly evolving virus, resulting in an increased burden on the existing COVID-19 vaccines. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are the first line of defense against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and have been prioritized among the risk categories receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. This work aimed to investigate the maintenance of antibody response of the Oxford−AstraZeneca vaccine (ChAdOx1/nCoV-19). Methods: Anti-spike immunoglobulin G (IgG) was measured at baseline point (immediately prior to vaccination) and 12- and 24-week (w) points following vaccination. Adverse reactions to the vaccine were reported. Participants were followed up for the incidence of COVID-19 during the 12 w interval between vaccination doses for 24 w after the second dose. Results: A total of 255 HCWs participated in the study. Prior to vaccination, 54.1% experienced COVID-19, 88.2% were seropositive after the first dose, while seropositivity reached 95.7% after the second dose. Following the first and second doses, the anti-spike IgG serum level was significantly higher in subjects with past COVID-19 than in others (p < 0.001 and =0.001, respectively). Conclusions: The Oxford−AstraZeneca vaccine is generally safe and provides a highly effective long-term humoral immune response against the Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2.

Interleukin-4 -590C/T gene polymorphism in Egyptian children with acute lower respiratory infection: A multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) is the leading cause of child mortality, especially in the developing world. Polymorphisms in the interleukin 4 (IL-4) gene have been linked to a variety of human diseases. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the IL-4 -590C/T (rs2243250) polymorphism could be a genetic marker for susceptibility to ALRIs in young Egyptian children. METHODS: This was a multicenter study conducted on 480 children diagnosed with pneumonia or bronchiolitis, and 480 well-matched healthy control children. Using PCR-RFLP analysis, we genotyped a -590C/T (rs2243250) single nucleotide polymorphism of the IL-4 gene promoter, meanwhile the serum IL-4concentration was measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The frequency of the IL-4 -590 T/T genotype and T allele were overrepresented in patients with ALRIs in comparison to the control group (OR = 2.0; [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.38-2.96]; for the T/T genotype) and (OR: 1.3; [95%CI: 1.07-1.56]; for the T allele; P < 0.01). The IL-4 -590 T/T genotype was associated with significantly higher mean serum IL-4 concentration (58.7 ± 13.4 pg/mL) compared to the C/T genotype (47.6 ± 11 pg/mL) and the C/C genotype (34.8 ± 9.6 pg/mL); P < 0.01. CONCLUSION: The IL-4 -590C/T (rs2243250) polymorphism may contribute to susceptibility to ALRIs in young Egyptian children.