Propolis derivatives inhibit the systemic inflammatory response and protect hepatic and neuronal cells in acute septic shock

BACKGROUND

Severe pathogenic infection triggers excessive release of cytokines as part of the massive inflammatory response associated with septic shock.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the protective effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced endotoxemia, hepatic and neuronal damage and the associated systemic inflammatory response (SIR).

METHODS

Fifty male Wister rats were divided into: control, LPS, and CAPE+LPS groups. Plasma concentrations of various cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-4, IL-10, and sICAM-1 were evaluated. In addition, the histopathological changes in the hepatic and neural cells were assessed.

RESULTS

The LPS group showed high inflammatory cytokines and sICAM-1 levels reflecting the presence of SIR. Hepatocyte necrosis, apoptosis, extensive hemorrhage and inflammatory cellular infiltration together with brain astrocytes swelling, early neuron injury and presence of inflammatory foci confirmed the toxic tissue damage. Use of CAPE decreased the inflammatory cytokines and increased the anti-inflammatory cytokines levels. This biochemical evidence of decreased SIR was confirmed histologically by decreased cellular infiltration in the liver and brain tissue which coincides with preserved structure and protection of the liver and brain cells from the toxic effects of LPS.

CONCLUSION

The ability of CAPE to alleviate the SIR, hepatic and neuronal cell damage induced by LPS and galactosamine could be attributed to its ability to reverse the imbalance of the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines which may lead to the inhibition of adhesion molecules' expression. CAPE is a promising agent that could help in the prophylaxis and treatment of septic shock.

Association of human leucocyte antigen Class I (HLA-A and HLA-B) with chronic hepatitis C virus infection in Egyptian patients

Egypt has the highest prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the world, ranging from 6% to 28% with an average of approximately 13.8% in the general population. It has been reported that human leucocyte antigen (HLA) alleles are associated with the outcome of HCV infection, but this associations showed ethnic and geographical differences. The objective of this study is to investigate the association between the frequencies of HLA Class I and chronic HCV infection in Egyptian patients and to find out whether there is a relation between certain HLA Class I antigens and HCV viral load, degree of fibrosis, activity and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level. A case control study was conducted on 100 patients with chronic HCV infection and 150 healthy controls. HLA-A and HLA-B typing by complement-dependent micro-lympho-cytotoxicity assay was performed for both groups. HLA-A11 antigen was significantly increased in patients with chronic HCV infection versus controls (OR 3.98; 95% CI = 1.85-8.89; P = 0.001; and Pc = 0.021). HLA-B12, HLA-B13, HLA-B17 and HLA-B40 were higher in patients, and HLA-A32 and HLA-B14 were higher in controls, although the significance was lost after correction for multiple testing. HLA-A9 was significantly associated with low viral load (P = 0.008, Pc = 0.048). The results of this work implicate that HLA-A11 antigen may influence chronic HCV infection and may play a role in viral persistence. Different HLA Class I antigens are not associated with degree of liver fibrosis, grades of activity or level of ALT. However, HLA-A9 is associated with low HCV viral load in chronic HCV Egyptian patients.

Erectile dysfunction in spinal cord-injured men: different treatment options

To evaluate the efficacy, safety and patients' preference of different treatment modalities of ED in men with SCI. Sixty SCI men with ED were included in the study. They were divided into three groups. Group A received sildenafil, group B received intracorporal injection (ICI) and were then shifted to sildenafil and group C used vacuum constriction devices (VCD) and were then shifted to sildenafil. Erection was evaluated before and after each treatment. Ninety percent of patients reported improvement of erection after sildenafil and ICI treatment according to IIEF-EF and only 70% of patients reported improvement in erection with VCD. However, 14 patients reported that they preferred sildenafil due to the easier route of administration. In men with SCI, sildenafil is the most effective treatment and is widely accepted. ICI, VCD therapy in SCI patients should be used according to patient's preference and choice.

Cytophotometric estimation of hepatocytes DNA in chronic liver diseases including schistosomiasis for detection of early preneoplastic changes

No doubt chronic liver diseases due to schistosomiasis and other causes as virus hepatitis are not uncommon among Egyptian patients. Besides, neoplastic changes in such patients are always seen. So, the aim of this work was to evaluate the estimation of hepatocytes DNA in chronic liver diseases as a diagnostic feature for early preneoplastic changes in different groups of patients. These groups included (a) chronic persistent hepatitis, (b) chronic active hepatitis, (c) liver cirrhosis due to schistosomiasis and other causes & (d) hepatocellular carcinoma. The results were evaluated histochemically and histopathologically. It was concluded that the cytophotometic evidence of hepatocytes DNA in chronic liver diseases is a promising mean in detecting early preneoplastic changes.

Some clinical features of pediculosis among school children

Pediculosis is one of the most conspicuous and important type of contagious disease among school children. Lice infestation is always accompanied with different clinical manifestations. Thirty lousy school children were clinically examined. The common manifestation was pruritus with or without lymphadenopathy. The least common manifestation was erythema. Other manifestations as excoriation, bite reaction, impetigo contagiosa, crusts behind ears. Conjunctivitis and psoriasis were also seen. It was concluded that school children are the group at high risk for lice infestation.

A case of human fascioliasis in Qualyobia Governorate

Human fascioliasis has been recently become a health problem in Alexandria and Dakahlia governorates. This paper report a new focus of human fascioliasis.

On the specificity of the indirect haemagglutination in diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis

Human sera were collected from parasitologically proven cases of filariasis, strongyloidiasis, hymenolepiasis and ascariasis. Antibodies against these parasites cross react in the indirect haemagglutination for the antileishmanial antibodies at dilution up to 1:128. The diagnostic titer should be raised to 256 in order to increase the specificity of the test in areas where such parasites occur.

Some aspects of sandflies of the genus Phlebotomus in El Agamy, Alexandria

Leishmaniasis presents a health problem in several countries of the old world. Cutaneous and now visceral leishmaniasis have been reported in Egypt. Visceral leishmaniasis has been reported in El Agamy, Alexandria. In this paper, the seasonal and daily hours of activities of both P. papatasi and P. langeroni as well as the blood preference were studied over two successive years. The results showed a bi-model or two peaks a year. The sandflies started to appear in the last of March or beginning of April and ended in last of November or beginning of December. The indoor hours of activity standard earlier and ended later than the outdoors one. The blood of the females of P. papatasi was mainly human blood, while that of P. langeroni was mainly non-human blood.