Of 93 strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from inpatient wards of Ismailia General Hospital, 48 (51 %) were proven to be methicillin resistant (MR). Of these MR S. aureus strains, 44 were isolated from patients and 4 were isolated from healthy carriers, who were newly arrived interns working in the same wards. Bacteriophage patterns of MR S. aureus were identified by using routine test dilution (RTD) and 100-fold dilutions (100 RTD) of phages. Of these 48 strains, 37 (75%) (33 from patients and 4 from interns) were nontypeable when using RTD and 100 RTD of phages. Of the other 11 strains, 8 were nontypeable by RTD of phages, but 5 of them had the phage pattern D11/1136 when tested by 100 RTD. Three strains had the phage pattern 3A/3C/55/71, and three strains had different phage patterns, 29/81, 96, and 95/D11. The finding of colonization with virulent MR S. aureus strains in interns working on the wards in which these patients were located suggested that new strategies for control of MR S. aureus nosocomial infections must be considered and evaluated.

In maturity onset diabetes the blood levels of total blood keto acids in terms of pyruvic, serum citric, calcium are significantly higher than in normal adults, while there is a decrease in reduced-blood glutathione, serum zinc, potassium and sodium levels. There were no significant differences between diabetes and normal adults in the serum levels of copper, ceruloplasmin oxidase activity, iron and magnesium.

In cases of juvenile diabetes, there were lower than normal levels of reduced glutathione, ceruloplasmin oxidase activity, zinc, copper and sodium, while the other elements show no significant changes. The lower level of serum zinc, copper and sodium may be due to the osmotic diuresis and consequent polyurea of diabetes.