A study in Egypt determined the prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infections among barbers (n = 308) and their clients (n = 308) in Gharbia governorate, and assessed knowledge, attitude and practices during hair-cutting and shaving. HBsAg was detected among 4.2% of barbers and 3.9% of clients (more urban than rural). Anti-HC antibodies were detected in 12.3% of barbers and 12.7% of clients. HCV-RNA prevalence was 9.1% among both barbers and clients (more rural than urban). Knowledge was high among the majority of participants and good practices during shaving and hair-cutting were observed for the majority of barbers. Barbers appeared to have no job-related risk of acquiring viral hepatitis.

Routine serological diagnosis of toxoplasmosis provides high sensitivity, but specificity varies depending on the test used; false-positive results (IgM) have been reported. Blood samples were collected from 88 women (59 pregnant and 29 nonpregnant) and 86 contact animals (62 sheep and 24 goats) at El Fayoum Governorate during the period from October 2005 to December 2006. All collected samples were tested for Toxoplasma gondii infection by serological tests (ELISA IgM & IgG and Sabin-Feldman dye test) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results revealed specific IgG in 45.8% and 41.4%, IgM in 30.5% and 24.2%, and positive Sabin-Feldman dye test in 23.7% and 17.2% in pregnant and nonpregnant women, respectively. Positive PCR products were detected in 32.2% and 27.6% in pregnant and nonpregnant women, respectively. Regarding animals, positive ELISA IgG and PCR were detected in 98.4% and 67.7% of sheep and 41.7% and 25.0% of goats, respectively. It was concluded that serological tests can detect higher rate of toxoplasmosis than PCR, so ELISA combined with the PCR technique is a recommended tool for accurate diagnosis of toxoplasmosis.

Peripheral and autonomic neuropathy has high prevalence in patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease. On the other hand, vitamin B12 level is high in those patients and there is no role for vitamin B12 in the liver cirrhosis-related neuropathy.

The present study was aimed to select the specificity of antigens for Fasciola gigantica depending on its diagnostic utility and field applications. The tested antigens were coproantigen, excretory-secretory (ES) antigen and egg antigen. Coproantigen and Copro Hyperimmune serum were able to reflect the lowest level of cross-reaction with other tested F. gigantica antigens. By using SDS-PAGE, a structural homology was observed in F. gigantica ES and egg antigens. Intense cross reaction was observed between ES and egg antigens by ELISA technique even when there was no cross-reaction with coproantigen. The 27.6 kDa band proved to be the most specific in F. gigantica coproantigen and was different from the band at the same molecular weight by ES antigen. The results conclude that coproantigens show specific diagnostic ability for Fasciola and have low numbers of cross-reaction proteins reflecting its high specificity. Moreover, detection of coproantigen in faeces offers a new potential for diagnostics as compared to serum samples. This fact holds promise for a more accurate diagnostic technique in the near future for suspected Fasciola infection.

Background , The detail structure of chromosomes depicted by their banding pattern is very useful in drawing homology and analogy in the structure of chromosome within and between the species.Results, In the present study, the diploid number of chromosomes was 50 in the fresh water teleost, Clarias batrachus in which 18 metacentric, 20 submetacentric and 12 telocentric chromosomes were observed. Structurally, the G bands revealed that transverse bands were visible after banding. These were due to the presence of heterochromatin and presence and absence of bases, these bands were observed at two pairs of submetacentric chromosomes. The NOR bands on the chromosomes were detected by silver staining in the two pairs of medium size telocentric chromosomes. It was believed that silver staining bound with the non-histone proteins of the transcriptionally active NOR region. Conclusion,Our results showed that basic information of chromosome number and morphology with G and NOR banding can be used as an important tool for cytogenetic data of fresh water teleost Clarias batrachus.