Abstract: Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous protozoan parasite that is estimated to infect one-third of the world’s human population causing a wide range spectrum of diseases. Reports on the prevalence of T. gondii infection among infertile females are scarce. This case-control study aimed to screen the infertile females and pregnant controls for Toxoplasma infection investigating a possible association with infertility. A total of 319 female infertility ladies and 103 pregnant controls were examined for the pres-ence of IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Ages in infertile ladies (26.8 years ± 4.7) was comparable with that of the controls (26 years ± 5.3), (p > 0.05). The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii in this study was 57.52%. Anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies indicating latent infection with T. gondii was found in 193 (61.85%) of 312 infertile ladies and 44 (44%) of 100 controls. There was a highly significant difference between the 2 groups (p = 0.002). Our results found an association between toxoplasmosis and infertility. This finding encourage both prompting health education to prevent Toxoplasma infection in female population especially in childbearing age and further investigation to elucidate the causative relation between T. gondii infection and female infertility.

Abstract: Background/aim: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) protects against atherosclerotic plaque formation. The present study examined the relationship between HDL serum concentrations and markers of inflammation in patients on renal replacement therapies. Methods: We studied 96 dialyzed patients, 62 males and 34 females, on mean age 62.1 ± 14.27 years old and 24 healthy controls. The treatment modalities which were applied were: regular hemodialysis (HD, n = 34), predilution hemodiafiltration (HDF, n = 42) and peritoneal dialysis (PD, n = 20). Dialysis adequacy was defined by Kt/V for urea and serum bicarbonate levels were measured in gas machine. Cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL concentrations were biochemically measured. Oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) and hsCRP serum concentrations were measured by ELISA. Beta2-microglobulin (beta2M) and leptin serum concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassays. Results: The patients presented increased beta2M, hsCRP, leptin and triglycerides than control group, but HDL exhibited significant reduction (p < 0.05). The patients on PD had significantly higher serum bicarbonate levels and lower oxLDL than other groups of patient (p < 0.05). HDL positively associated with Kt/V, presented negative correlation with both, ox-LDL and beta2M (r = -0.237, p = 0.02 and r = -0.291, p = 0.004 respectively). Beta2M was positively associated with hsCRP (r = 0.257, p = 0.01). Serum bicarbonate levels were inversely associated with hsCRP and oxLDL (r = -0.232, p = 0.05 and r = -0.289, p = 0.01 respectively). Conclusions: The low HDL was associated with increased beta2M concentrations in patients on renal replacement therapies. The HDL reduction was combined with an elevation of oxLDL, which was lower in PD patients compared to hemodialysis modalities patients. The acidosis state influenced both, the inflammatory environment and the increase of oxidized lipids. Dialysis adequacy was positively correlated to HDL serum concentrations.

Abstract: Sexually transmitted infections are now recognized as a serious global threat to the health of populations. Adolescents and young adults (15-24) are the age groups at the greatest risk for acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and 3 million become infected each year. These infections and diseases can have severe consequences, especially in women, if not treated. The aim of this study was to assess the comprehensive knowledge and practices about sexually transmitted infections among young married scheduled castes women in rural areas of Thiruvarur district of Tamilnadu state in India. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in 28 villages selected using multistage sampling technique for selecting 605 women in the age group of 15-24 years during July 2010-April 2011. Data analysis was by use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences version-17, with statistical significance set at p-value of 0.05. The result shows that only 37.9% of women had knowledge about STIs. Nearly 8.8% of women had experienced STIs among study population. Majority of the scheduled caste women had the tendency of seeking treatment for their infection problems (77.4%). The women in households in the highest standard of living index (SLI) were more likely to receive STIs (100%) than women in households in the lowest SLI (72.7%). Birth order had a negative influence on treatment seeking behaviour for STIs. The higher birth order pregnancies were less likely to receive treatment for sexually transmitted infections (66.7%) than lower birth order pregnancies (90%). It concludes that, most of the women do not seek treatment until discomfort is quite high because of women tend to consider many symptoms as normal, feeling of shy and lack of female health workers in health care centers. The low socio-economic status of women appears to have influence on high rate of infection. Education and health care efforts should be implemented to improve the sexual health of young people in rural areas of Tamilnadu state.

Abstract: The main objective of this current study is to provide information about HIV positive patients’ experiences toward realizing HIV test results by using qualitative method. Ten HIV positive patients participated in30- to 60-min semi-structure interviews which involved open ended questions. Five main codes were identified. The findings revealed reasons for HIV testing including: emotional reactions in time of realizing HIV status, physical reactions towards understanding of HIV status, mitigating factors, aggravating factors. Based on the findings of this study, it is suggested that HIV service providers should consider post -test counseling for HIV positive patients. This counseling might be more helpful when done by a HIV specialist and trained HIV positive patients.

Abstract: Background: Mother to child transmission of HIV remains a major public health problem. To solve this problem WHO developed the PMTCT program. Involving male partners in the program is associated with improved outcome. However, in Cameroon, only 1.6% of men participated in the program in 2010 and the program’s target of 80% was not reached. Hence, this study sought to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of men with regards to PMTCT in the Buea Health District of Cameroon. Methods: It was a cross sectional survey of 384 community men and 384 women attending ANC/PMTCT and IWF clinics in the Buea Health District using a structured questionnaire. Ethical clearance was obtained from the FHSIRB. Each health area in the district represented a stratum. In each stratum, there was sampling of women at the clinics and men in the community. Written consent was obtained from all participants. Data was analysed on EPI INFO version 3.5.1. Results: More than 81% of respondents had heard of the PMTCT program (95%CI: 93.5-97.9%). However, the proportion of men and women with correct knowledge of PMTCT was less than the 80% target (95%CI: 72.5%-81.2% for men and 68.2-77.4% for women). The health services (p=0.0001), radio and television (p=0.0001) were the main sources of information on PMTCT. Attitudes towards PMTCT program activities and male involvement was largely positive. Male participation at ANC/PMTCT clinic was low (41.3%). Non-invitation to clinic and lack of time were the main reasons for low male participation. Use of condom during pregnancy and breastfeeding was low (74.5%) and practice of multiple sexual partners was common in the district. Community sensitisation, creation of clinic days for men and participation of couples at ANC clinics were proposed methods for improving male participation. Conclusion: Men have a role to play in PMTCT and should be given adequate knowledge of PMTCT for improved outcome.

Abstract: Impact Factor (IF) is used for evaluating journals; it represents a measure of the average frequency with which an article in a specific journal is cited by other articles in a given period of time. In a previous report we showed that in Neonatology, clinical trials published between 1998 and 2003 were more likely to be published in journals with lower IF had they reported negative results (NR) vs. positive results (PR). This study aimed at determining which biases exist in clinical trials in the field of Pediatric Infectious Diseases; we tested the effect of 5 factors on the likelihood of an article to be published in a high vs. low IF journal: NR vs. PR, sample size, study design (prospective, randomized, double-blinded), funding source, and originating region of the report. We selected articles of clinical trials in the field of Pediatric Infectious Diseases registered in MEDLINE from 2007 to 2011. We recorded the aforementioned factors and the IF of each journal, corresponding to publication year. Trends over time and the differences between studies with NR or PR were examined. IF and sample size were not significantly higher in PR vs. NR studies. Conversely, the aforementioned study design elements produced publications in journals of significantly higher IF. IF increased respectively with the following funding source categories: (i) no source stated; (ii) pharmaceutical company; (iii) non-US competitive; (iv) US national agency (non-NIH); (iv) NIH. Pediatric Infectious Diseases articles with NR vs. PR are not more likely to be published in journals with lower IF. Also, no apparent relationship exists between sample size and IF. Factors associated with the quality of the study, namely design and source of funding, may be more related to the IF of the journal than the type of results reported therein.

Abstract: Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal helminth, which infects millions of people worldwide. In the present study, 542 individuals from six indigenous villages were enrolled of whom 24 (4.43 %) were positive for S. stercoralis based on analysis by microscopy of fecal concentrates. S. stercoralis was more prevalent in males (5.32 %, 14/263) than females (3.58 %, 10/279), though without a significant statistic difference (P = 0.66). Likewise, the infection by S. stercoralis could not be related to age of the indigenous (P > 0.05). This study is the first report of the prevalence of S. stercoralis in members of the indigenous Tapirapé ethnic group from the Brazilian Amazon. The results suggest a contamination by infective forms of S. stercoralis in the environment where these indigenous live.

Abstract: Background: Early detection of leprosy is important for elimination, but most cases are diagnosed only when lesions occur and nerves and skin are damaged. The determination of the risk of contacts to develop leprosy is still unpredictable, and elimination is not possible as long as contacts can still develop the disease. Methods: A modified PGL-I ELISA using tris-HCl as buffer and D-BSA as antigen evaluated IgM leprosy antibodies for the detection of subclinical leprosy infection and monitor effective chemotherapy. This case-control study took place in a leprosy endemic area among lepers diagnosed clinically and bacteriologically, intra-familial and extra-familial contacts and controls consisting of patients attending a health facility for reasons other than leprosy. Results: The highest mean absorbance of positive sera was from leprosy patients (0.14 ± 0.06), contacts (0.12 ± 0.05) and controls (0.04±0.04). The proportion of sero-positive subjects for IgM anti-bodies to M. leprae was 43.5 % (95% CI: 37.6% - 49.4%). Twenty-three (44.2%) discharged cases since 1985 were still sero-positive for leprosy IgM anti-bodies; 15 years after treatment. We found a risk factor of 6 among contacts and controls suggesting a high level of transmission. Boyo division had a higher seropositivity (51.5%) compared to Mezam division (30%). Positive cases were clustered among students (44.8%), farmers (42.5%), the self-employed (44.7%), those with paid employment (37.5%) and the unemployed (60.0%) (P=0.01). Conclusion: The PGL-I ELISA with D-BSA and tris-HCl as buffer is a useful epidemiological surveillance tool for the detection of sub-clinical leprosy infection and chemotherapy monitoring. The discharged patients who tested positive should be re-evaluated for relapses.

Abstract: The objectives of the present study were to investigate strain identification of Echinococcus granulosus infecting camel and human in . Therefore partial sequences were generated after gel purification of nested PCR amplified products of mitochondrial NADH 1gene of Echinococcus granulosus complex. Sequences were further examined by sequence analysis and subsequent phylogeny to compare these sequences to those from known strains of E.granulosus circulating globally and retrieved from GenBank. All isolates are homologous to the camel strain, E. canadensis (G6) genotype. Nucleotide mutations generate polymorphism at position of 275 nucleotide, where a thymine replaced a cytosine and at the levels of 385 and 386 nucleotides, where two cytosine substituted a guanine and a thymine respectively. KF815488 Egypt showed typical identity (99.5%) with JN637176 Sudan, HM853659 Iran, AF386533 France and AJ237637 Poland with 0.5% diversion.. Phylogenetic analysis showed a robust tree clustering all isolates with sequences belonging to the camel genotype (G6) variant with strong bootstrap values at relevant nodes and the evolutionary distance between groups is very short. There are two mutations in the sequences of amino acids at the position of 92, where an Alanine is changed to a Valine and at the position of 129, where a Valine is transformed to a Proline. Our record of a single genotype determined a strain which could be incriminated for camel and human infectivity and responsible for its persistence in the endemic areas. Such epidemiological data could guide the application of efficient control strategies of hydatidosis in Egypt.

Abstract: Aerobic, Gram positive, catalase positive and non-spore forming bacilli, which are morphologically similar to Corynebacterium diphtheriae are described as either diphtheroids or coryneform bacteria, resembling C diphtheriae. Corynebacteria are a group of bacteria placed under the family corynebacteriaceae, which come under the phylum, Actinobacteria. Among the members of genus Corynebacterium, only C diphtheriae is considered as a pathogen but other species are present either as normal flora in human or as saprophytes in the environment and have rarely been associated with human infections. Of late, there have been increased reports of both new species of genus Corynebacterium and their occurrence in various human infections. It is now imperative that clinical microbiologists and clinicians understand the potential role of NDC in human infections. Only few studies globally have characterized the human clinical isolates of NDC and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. This review tries toexamine? the potential pathogenic nature of NDC, which warrants their identification and prompt reporting when isolated from human clinical specimens.