chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common respiratory disease with episodes of exacerbation. Variable factors including infectious pathogen can predispose for this exacerbation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of intestinal protozoa in COPD exacerbation. A total of 56 patients with COPD were included in this study. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the frequency of exacerbation during the last 6 months: those with ≤1 exacerbation (32 patients) and those with ≥2 exacerbations (24 patients). Stool specimens from each patient were collected two times (one week interval) examined for intestinal parasite. In univariate analysis, rural residence and parasitic infection were more common among patients with frequent exacerbation (45.83% and 33.33%, respectively) than patients with non-frequent exacerbation (18.75% and 9.38%, respectively) with significant differences. However, in multivariate analysis, only body mass index >25 kg/m2 (OR=4.59, 95%CI=1.18-17.86, P=0.028) and parasitic infection (OR=5.51, 95%CI=1.01-30.18, P=0.049) were independently associated with COPD exacerbation. These data indicate a significant association between frequent COPD exacerbation and infection with some intestinal protozoa. However, the cause-effect relationship is debatable.
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a proinflammatory cytokine implicated in the immunopathogenesis of tuberculosis (TB). TB is recognized worldwide as an important public health issue. To study the relationship between the age of patients with pulmonary TB and serum IL-6 levels, from the other hand, the severity of this disease with IL-6 levels. This study included 30 patients (16 female and 14 male) with pulmonary TB and 10 healthy persons (5 female and 5 male) as control group for comparison. An ELISA assay was used to quantify IL-6 in the sera. The results showed a significant increase of IL-6 levels with increase of age of patients, in (23-38) year old patients the IL-6 levels (median= 17.9 pg/ml, range 12.3-29.1), while in (50-70) year old patien
... Show MoreBackground: In the past, an association between Tuberculosis (TB) and Diabetes Mellitus (DM) was widely accepted, today the potential public health and clinical importance of this relationship seems to be largely ignored. The national clinical and policy guidance in the UK on the central of TB, for example, does not consider the relationship with DM.Objectives: To determine the risk of association between diabetes mellitus and pulmonary TB.Methods: A retrospective study conducted in Ibn Zuhr hospital for chest diseases from Jan 2008 – sep 2010 , included in the study 402 patients with TB divided into diabetic & non diabetic, 96 (23.8%) were diabetic while other 306 were TB not diabetic.Results: Risk of TB among DM patients were cle
... Show MoreAcute lung injury (ALI) is a state of inflammation that breaks down the lung endothelial and epithelial cell barriers. In the current study, we investigated the role of resveratrol (RES) in regulating the expression and functions of tight junction proteins (TJP) in epithelial cell responses following exposure to this superantigen. To this end, C3H mice were given resveratrol orally twice prior to intranasal challenge with lethal SEB doses. 16S rRNA results showed that there were microbes transported in the blood in addition to the lung and colonic tissues. For this purpose, we used a reporter E. coli-GFP labeled bacterium to monitor and examine the viability of this bacterium in case
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a public health problem and many studies support the link between kidney dysfunction and cardiovascular events. Aldosterone has been shown for decades that a plasma aldosterone concentration is elevated in CKD. Whilst, Osteoprotegerin (OPG), after its capacity to protect bone, also osteoprotegerin is elevated in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), where it could predict the deterioration of kidney function, cardiovascular, vascular events and all-cause mortality. On the other hand, fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), in patients with CKD, its levels seem to increase progressively as kidney function worsens. The aim of the present study is to assess the correlations between serum osteoprotegerin
... Show MoreBackground : Bone infections is one of the most challenging orthopaedic complications, with considerable morbidity. There is significant impact on the life of the patients; socially, financially, physically, and mentally and it could be a limb-threatening complication. Osteomyelitis is a bone infection usually caused by bacteria, including mycobacteria, but mainly Staphylococcus aureus which is the most commonly responsible bacteria . Aim of study: To evaluate our management policy of chronic osteomylitis (C.O.M).
Methods : 32 patients presented with different types &forms of chronic osteomyelitis in many sites of long & flat bones such as tibia , femur, ,humerus ,iliac bones and knee joint , which are not response to previous
The current study was conducted on goats in various parts of Wasit Province, Iraq, from November 2021 to April 2022. The study aims to find and identify intestinal parasites (IPs) in goats in Wasit province. The goat's fresh fecal specimens (n=180) include cysts, eggs, oocysts, trophozoites and larval stages. One hundred eighty sheep feces samples were collected, and more than one parasite was isolated from one sample (mixed infection). According to the data acquired, the overall prevalence of intestinal parasites in goats was 52.77 (95 samples). In the current investigation, eleven distinct (IPs) species with infection rates were identified, including Toxocara vitulorum (Goeze, 1782) (16.66 %), Cryptosporidium sp.( Tyzzer, 1907) (1
... Show MoreBackground: five clinical phases were described in patients with chronic (HBV) infection: HBeAg- positive HBV infection, HBeAg- positive chronic HB, HBeAg negative HBV infection, HBeAg-negative CHB and occult HBV infection. Aim: This study aimed to determine the incidence of the unclassified phase (gray zone) in chronic hepatitis B patients and its significant in the clinical practice. Patients and methods: The study was conducted retrospectively on 109 patients' who have HBsAg positive for more than 6 months. The data recorded include; HbeAg and anti-HBe Ab, ultrasound of the abdomen, HBV DNA load and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), accordingly; we classify the patients to known clinical phases. Patients who were unfit one of these phases
... Show MoreABSTRACT Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis is rare infiltrative pulmonary disease characterized by intra-alveoli deposition of microliths. We present a familial case of an adult female with complaint of progressive shortness of breath on exertion. Chest radiograph showed innumerable tiny dense nodules, diffusely involving both lungs mainly the lower zones. High-resolution CT scan illustrated widespread intra-alveolar microliths, diffuse ground-glass attenuation areas and septal thickening predominantly in the basal regions. Chest radiograph is all that is needed for the diagnosis of this case but CT scan was done to demonstrate the extent and severity of this disease
Abstract The present study on the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection from July 2003 to July 2004 ,was conducted among children aged(less than 5 -14 )years attending AL-Daura Health Centre in Baghdad City .(350) specimen were choosen randomly and examined, 160(45.7%) of these were infected , 140 (87.5%) harboured one parasite while 20 (12.5%) harboured more than one parasite.190 (54.3%) were non infected with any of intestinal parasite . It was observed that the most common intestinal protozoa among children is Giardia lamblia, followed by Entamoeba histolytica and Blastocystis hominis with pre