Background: Chronic urticarial patients suffer from recurrent wheals which are severely itching for more than 6 weeks. The symptoms are more in auto-reactive urticaria (arCU) where auto-antibodies in blood flares-up the condition. Autologus serum skin test (ASST) is regarded of a great value in the primary assessment of patients' auto reactivity. Autologous serum therapy (AST) is a promising treatment modality for CSU patients with positive ASST by inducing desensitization to the pro-inflammatory mediators expressed in their blood. Aim of the work: Improvement of chronic urticarial symptoms with a therapeutic option that is cheaper, safer and less risky than standard treatment options. Patients and methods: Single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial study was done on 48 CU patients (+ASST) and randomized into 2 groups; 24patients in cases group on anti-histamines will receive 9 weekly injections of AST and another 24 patients in control group will receive antihistamines alone for 9 weeks. We compared the urticarial activity score-7 of both groups at baseline,

The most common bacterial agents of atypical pneumonia are Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Background: Atypical bacterial infections played an important role in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). It is difficult to detect atypical pathogens by conventional microbiological diagnostic methods. Atypical bacteria do not respond to beta-lactam antibiotics. The use of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods enables rapid and simultaneous detection of many pathogens in a single analysis. Aim: detecting the prevalence of atypical bacterial pathogens as etiologic agents of atypical pneumonia, in the Suez Canal region.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted throughout 18 months, from October 2018 to April 2020. It included 84 Egyptians suffered from CA atypical pneumonic patients of all age groups from Suez-Canal region, Egypt. Sputum samples were collected for identification of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, and Legionella pneumophilia by using multiplex PCR.Results: Among the 84 atypical pneumonia patients, L. pneumophila were detected in 12 (14%) patients. M. pneumoniae and C. pneumoniae were not detected in our samples. Compared with L. pneumophila -negative cases, L. pneumophila -positive cases were more prevalent in middle aged males, smokers, COPD, diabetic and asthmatic patients (P values = 0.048). Persistent cough, elevated levels of C-reactive protein (C-RP), bilateral pulmonary infiltration are significant clues for predicting L. pneumophila pneumonia.Conclusions: L. pneumophila incidence is not low in our geographical region in atypical pneumonia patients. Clinicians should consider atypical bacterial pathogens while prescribing antimicrobial management plan.