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AIM:To determine the risk factors associated with H. pylori infection and possible correlation with clinicopathological parameters.MATERIAL AND METHODS:Gastroduodenal biopsies were examined by rapid urease test and Gram staining. Cag A cytotoxin was detected by in situ hybridization.RESULTS:Risk of H. pylori acquisition reported as following: Males have 1.38 fold, rural residents have 0.63 fold, Nonsmokers have 0.39 fold, mild smokers have 18 fold, and moderate smokers have 1.4 fold while heavy smokers have 1 fold. A person who’s in contact with animals has 1.52 fold risks. Illiterates and patients with primary education have 5.36 & 3 fold risk respectively. Patients under proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy have 1.02 fold. Patients under NSAID therapy have 3.48 fold while nonalcoholic Patients have 0.75 fold. Patients using tap water have 0.45 fold risk. H. pylori infection positively correlated with age, weight loss, and heartburn. H. pylori inversely correlated with endoscopic diagnosis, Cag A positivity, and education level. Cag A positivity correlated with animal contact and NSAID usage.CONCLUSIONS:Several life style factors, education, animal contact, using of PPI, and NSAIDs increase the risk of H. pylori infection. Weight loss and heartburn cardinal signs for H. pylori infection. Endoscopic diagnosis and clinicopathological parameters not strictly associated with Cag A positivity.

OBJECTIVE:To determine the immunopathological correlation between Cag A+ H. pylori-specific IgG; pepsinogen I&II (PI&PII); gastrin-17 (G-17); status of gastric and duodenal mucosa and inflammatory activities on different gastroduodenal disorders.METHODOLOGY:Eighty gastroduodenal biopsies were taken from patients with gastroduodenal disorders for histopathological evaluation and H. pylori diagnosis. Serum samples were used for evaluation of gastric hormones and detection of H. pylori-specific IgG antibodies. The tissue expression of H. pylori Cag A gene was detected by in situ hybridisation.RESULTS:H. pylori IgG antibodies were detected in (88.8%) of enrolled patients. According to Cag A gene expression, Significant difference (P value ˂ 0.05) was detected in levels of PG I; PGII, PG I/PG II among patients with gastric disorders. Serum G-17 level was negatively correlated with Cag A gene expression (P-value = 0.04). There was a significant correlation between H. pylori IgG and PG I; PG II; G-17. The current study revealed that corpus atrophic gastritis was diagnosed histologically with (5%) gastric ulcer cases; (3.75%) of duodenal ulcer cases; (3.75%) of duodenitis cases; (1.25%) of gastropathy cases and (8.75%) of gastritis cases. At the same time H. pylori gastritis diagnosed concurrently with (8.75%) of gastric ulcer cases; (11.25%) of duodenal ulcer cases; (17.5%) of gastropathy cases; (3.75%) of duodenitis cases and (2.5%) of prepyloric ulcer cases. A significant correlation was reported between the Immunopathological status of gastric mucosa and endoscopic mucosal finding among duodenal ulcer cases and gastritis cases only. A positive correlation was reported between serum levels of PGI; PGII; PGI/PGII; G-17; PMNs grade and Immunopathological status of the gastroduodenal mucosa of H. pylori Infected patients. A significant difference was reported in lymphocyte grades among gastric disorders without correlation with immunohistopathological changes in the mucosa (P-value = 0.002). A significant difference was reported in lymphocyte grades among different disorders according to H. pylori IgG. A significant difference was reported in serum level of PG I; PG II; PG I/PG II; G-17 according to PMN and lymphocyte grades (P-value ˂ 0.01). PMNs grades positively correlated with gastric Cag A expression; H. pylori IgG; PG II; G-17 levels. PG I; PG I/ PG II correlated with lymphocyte grades (P-value ˂ 0.05); while PGII has a negative correlation (P-value = 0.039).CONCLUSION:Endoscopic mucosal finding does not reflect exactly the actual immunopathological changes of gastric mucosa during H. pylori infection. Secretion of gastrin was not affected by the presence of Cag A in gastric tissue. Instead, the fluctuation in the hormone level appears to be due to the presence of H. pylori infection in gastric tissue. Gastric tissue infiltration with PMNs & lymphocytes inflammatory infiltrates has a direct effect on PGs and gastrin levels in serum of infected patients. The level of PG I; PG II; G-17 secretion correlated with the d...

AIM: The main objective is isolation and molecular characterisation of Malassezia spp. from pityriasis versicolor (PV) patients with special emphasis to risk factors in Diyala province, Iraq. METHODS: Fifty patients (32 males and 18 females) presented with PV, the age ranged (15-45) years were included. Direct wet mount using KOH 10%, culture of skin scraping and PCR were used for confirmatory diagnosis. RESULTS: Malassezia spp. was isolated from (54%) of skin scraping; M. furfur (32%); M. pachydermatis (8%) and M. globosa (14%). The age group (15-22) years were frequently exposed to Malassezia infection. A significant inverse correlation was reported between age and exposure to Malassezia spp. Infection. Males were frequently exposed to Malassezia infection, (40%). A significant correlation was reported between gender and exposure to Malassezia spp. Infection. Females were at risk of getting Malassezia infection (2.619) time than males. Patient resident in the urban area frequently exposed to Malassezia infection, (34%). Patients resident in the rural area appears to be at risk of getting Malassezia infection (1.093) time than those in an urban area. Patient with good economic status was frequently exposed to Malassezia infection, (36%). Patients with middle economic status appear to be at risk of getting Malassezia infection (0.42) time than those with good economic status. Patients with primary education were frequently exposed to Malassezia infection, (22%). A significant correlation was reported between education level and exposure to Malassezia spp. Infection. No significant correlation was reported between economic status; type of job; source of water; contact with dogs and birds and Malassezia spp. Infection. CONCLUSION: M. furfur, M. pachydermatis and M. globosa represent the most common Malassezia spp. causing PV. Using of PCR is very critical to confirm the diagnosis of Malassezia spp. Malassezia infection inversely correlated with age and positively correlated with females gender and education. The residency in a rural area and middle economic status increase the possibility of infection. Infection was not affected by the source of water; job and contact with dogs and birds.

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is one of the classic acute phase proteins. The study of induction of acute phase reactants synthesis in parasitic infections would aid in understanding the host -parasite relationship. Methods: Seventy three children with parasitic diarrhoea that proved through clinical and microbiological investigation were selected. Thirteen of selected children were infected with G.lamblia and the rest sixty were infected with E.histolytica. Nineteen of the control group was females while the rest eleven were males. Venous Blood were collected from patients and control group for detection of CRP level via latex agglutination test. Results: The high rate of infection was detected among the age group (19-36) months. The highest level of CRP was (192 mg/dl) while the lowest one was (12 mg/dl) with a mean level (51.20 mg/dl). The mean level of CRP in control group was (3.7500 mg/dl). Positive significant correlations between CRP level and the age of infected children (r=0.290, p=0.013), the chronic infection with G.lamblia and E.histolytica (r=0.760, p=0.000). Positive significant correlation between the age group and the chronic infection with G.lamblia and E.histolytica (r=0.493, p=0.000). Significant difference was detected between the patients group and control group regarding the CRP level (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study proved that CRP level was increased in association with the age and chronic presentation of diarrhoea caused by G.lamblia and E.histolytica and can be used as a nonspecific immunological marker for monitoring of clinical presentation of G.lamblia and E.histolytica associated diarrheal .

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AIM:To evaluate the Immunomodulatory effects of CagA expression; pepsinogen I, II & gastrin-17 on PMNs and lymphocytes Fas expression in inflammatory and gastric cells; demographic distribution of Fas molecule in gastric tissue and inflammatory cells.METHODS:Gastroduodenal biopsies were taken from 80 patients for histopathology and H. pylori diagnosis. Serum samples were used for evaluation of pepsinogen I (PGI); (PGII); gastrin-17 (G-17).RESULTS:Significant difference (p < 0.001) in lymphocytes & PMNs Fas expression; epithelial & lamina propria Fas localization among H. pylori associated gastric disorders. No correlation between grade of lymphocytes & PMNs Fas expression in gastric epithelia; lamina propria and types of gastric disorder. Significant difference (p < 0.001) in total gastric Fas expression, epithelial Fas; lamina propria and gastric gland Fas expression according to CagA, PGI; PGII; PGI/PGII; Gastrin-17. Total gastric Fas expression has significant correlation with CagA, PGII levels. Gastric epithelial and gastric lamina propria Fas expression have significant correlation with CagA, PGI; PGII levels. Significant difference (p < 0.001) was found in lymphocytes & PMNs Fas expression; epithelial & lamina propria localization of lymphocytes & PMNs Fas expression according to CagA, PGI; PGII; PGI/PGII; Gastrin-17. Lymphocytes Fas expression have correlation with PGI, PGII, PGI/PGII. PMNs Fas expression have correlation with PGI, PGII.CONCLUSION:Fas gene expression and localization on gastric and inflammatory cells affected directly by H. pylori CagA and indirectly by gastric hormones. This contributes to progression of various gastric disorders according to severity of CagA induced gastric pathology and gastric hormones disturbance throughout the course of infection and disease.

Objectives are to determine antifungal activity of Ivermectin and Calvatiacraniiformis as a novel alternative therapy for aspergillus niger associated acute otitis media (AOM) among rural children of Diyala province; correlation of sociodemographic factors with frequency of infection. Ear swabs taken from 58 infected children and cultured onSabouraud dextrose agar for 7-14 days .Macroscopic and microscopic criteria used for diagnosis of A.niger .High isolation rate for A.niger (27.59%) among children of (4-6) years with significant difference between age groups ( p value 0.039); genders ( p value 0.004);house status(p value=0.018);family size (p value =0.00006334) and month of infection (p value=0.000). A.niger infection negatively correlated with patients age (p value =0.039), family economy and house status (p value =0.000),family size (p value =0.000). Alcohol extract of C.craniiformis (100mg, 200mg, 400mg, 500mg, 600mg, 800mg and 1000 mg) and ivermectin (0.5%,1 % and 2%) restricted the growth of A. niger after 3 days .Significance difference reported between all concentrations except 100 mg and 200 mg ; 600 mg and 800 mg. Significance difference in inhibitory activity between concentration 1% and 2%,0.5% and 2% of Ivermectin respectively. Conclusions: A.niger infections positively correlated with family size and inversely with age and family economy. The growth of A nigersignificantly restricted by alcohol extract of C.craniiformis and Ivermectin in concentration dependent manner. The powerful concentration was 1000mg, for C.craniiformis and 2% for Ivermectin. Thus, C.craniiformis and Ivermectin consider a novel antifungal agents that can be used in clinical practice for treatment of A.niger associated otitis media that represents a clinical problem in children and need serious attention from clinicians.