The performance of polyclonal monospecific rabbit anti-sera raised against synthetic peptides derived from conserved HCV sequences of genotype 4 was evaluated for efficient detection of viral core and E1 antigens in circulating immune complexes (ICs) precipitated from 65 serum samples of HCV patients. The infection was established in those patients by the presence of HCV RNA in their sera. A novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of HCV core and E1 antigen in serum samples. Western blot analyses were used to demonstrate the presence of the core and E1 target antigen in serum samples. The mean OD readings of both core and E1 antigens were significantly higher (P < 0.05) among the viremic patients when compared to controls. Also a significant positive correlation (P < 0.05, r = 0.98) between the values of both core and E1 was recorded. Western blot analysis based on monospecific antibodies against core and E1 recognized the 38-kDa and 88 -kDa bands respectively in the sera of all infected patients. No specific reaction was observed with the sera from uninfected individuals. Interestingly the results of core and E1 antigen levels displayed no positive correlation with the HCV copy number as measured by bDNA. Liver enzymes (ALT and AST) showed a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.44 and 0.47 respectively) with the viral core antigens level. The same trend holds true for E1 (r = 0.43 and 0.64 for ALT and AST respectively). HCV load in infected patients revealed extremely poor correlation with serum ALT and AST levels (r = 0.022 and 0.002 respectively). In conclusion we present a new combination of serological tools correlating with liver enzyme levels that could be utilized as supplemental tests to viral load testing. Also, a sensitive and specific immunoassay was developed for the detection of HCV core and E1 in human serum. This test can be applied for laboratory diagnosis of HCV infection.

A multidrug-resistant Staphylococcal species including Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis that colonizing patients with acne vulgaris were investigated for the presence of resistance determinants. Acne vulgaris patients are usually subjected to topical antibiotic treatment including erythromycin and fusidic acid as the first line of treatments, which have been associated with resistance development. In this study, we attempt to investigate the dissemination of resistance determinants exclusively related to fusidic acid antibiotics mainly the horizontally transmitted fusB and fusC genes among the SCCmecA harboring isolates using the polymerase chain reaction technique. Our results suggested amplified resistance to fusidic acid with a large abundance magnitude of fusC gene among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates, while an increased abundance of fusB gene among Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates compared to other resistance determinants. Conclusion: patients with acne vulgaris who were subjected to a previous fusidic acid treatments should consider treatment with alternative antibiotics other than fusidic acid, to achieve maximum treatment benefits considering clindamycin and aminoglycoside.

Background: Diversity of clones is common in Staphylococci, but the focus on this diversity is less in coagulase negative group. Objective: We aimed to detect the biodiversity of Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from skin lesions. Methodology: S. epidermidis were identified using Gram stain, catalase and coagulase tests, cultured on mannitol salt agar and tested for antibiotic susceptibility. Biodiversity was assessed using PCR of 16s rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis of isolate's sequences and sequences of S. epidermidis retrieved from Gene bank was done. The sequences were aligned to show their degree of similarity. Results: About 86% and 57% were resistant to penicillin and cefoxitin, fusidic acid, and erythromycin; respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed all S. epidermidis involved were belonged to the same cluster with S. epidermidis strain AFATF that was isolated previously from Egypt Conclusion: We confirmed the usefulness of 16s rRNA gene sequence in phylogenetic studies and the biodiversity of our isolates.