H. pylori infection causes peptic ulcer, chronic gastritis, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and gastric carcinoma. It has several virulence factors such as cytotoxin-associated gene A(cagA) and the induced by contact with epithelium antigen (iceA). We aimed to explore the relationship between cagA and iceA of H. pylori and gastrointestinal diseases. One hundred and eighteen patients who attended Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Unit at Zagazig University Hospitals, Egypt, were included in this study. Two gastric biopsies were collected and evaluated by rapid urease test (RUT) and PCR. cagA and iceA genes were amplified by PCR. We found that 54 patients (45.76%) were positive by both RUT and PCR. cagA and iceA genes were present in 57.4% and 46.29% of the studied patients, respectively. cagA was the most prevalent gene in gastritis (33.3%) and peptic ulcer (68.7%). iceA1/iceA2 positive genes were the most prevalent in gastric cancer (75%). iceA1 gene was present in 38.7% of cagA positive cases, but iceA2 gene was present in 45.2% of cagA positive cases. iceA1/iceA2 positive genes were present in 29% of cagA positive cases. In conclusion, cagA and iceA genes could be used as markers for severe gastrointestinal diseases. iceA gene was strongly related to cagA gene.

QFT-GIT is considered a useful tool in detecting LTBI cases, especially in a country where BCG vaccination is a national policy (as in Egypt). Duration of work, profession, diabetes and smoking are the risk factors for LTBI. Active surveillance and infection control measures are recommended to reduce the risk of LTBI.

The tuberculin skin test (TST) has many limitations for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection. The aim of this study in Egypt was to estimate the usefulness of an interferon-gamma release assay (IFN-γ) assay for the detection of latent TB infection in contacts of active TB cases. A total of 116 participants were enrolled and divided into 3 groups: community controls, casual (laboratory and clinic) contacts and close (household) contacts. Subjects diagnosed with latent TB infection by TST were 11.5% of controls, 71.1% of casual contacts and 29.6% of close contacts. Subjects diagnosed as latent TB infection by IFN-γ assay (QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube) were 5.9% of controls, 31.0% of casual contacts and 33.3% of close contacts. The overall agreement between TST and IFN-γ was 66.7% (κ = 0.28). The IFN-γ method could be more helpful than TST for detection of latent TB infection in contacts.

Background: More than 50% of the adult population all over the world are infected with H. pylori. H. pylori infection is a significant reason for chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, and gastric carcinoma. Diagnosis can be achieved by invasive (endoscopic-based) and non-invasive (urea breath test, H. pylori stool antigen test and IgG antibodies) methods. Objective: Comparison between different methods for diagnosis of H. pylori infection. Methodology: This study included 118 patients attending Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Unit at Zagazig University Hospitals. Samples included biopsies, stool, and blood. Biopsies were assessed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) through amplification of ureC (glmM) gene and rapid urease test (RUT). Stool samples were processed for analysis by stool antigen test (SAT) ELISA kit. H. pylori IgG antibodies were detected by Helicobacter pylori IgG ELISA kit. Results: The percentages of positive cases of all tests used were as follows; RUT (67.8%), PCR (50%), RUT and PCR (gold standard) (5.7%), SAT (57.6%), IgG antibodies (51.69%) and combined SAT with IgG antibodies (36.4%). The sensitivities and specificities were as follows; RUT (100%, 59 %), PCR (100%, 92.18%), SAT (77.77%, 59.3%), IgG antibodies (50%, 46.87%) and combined stool antigen test with IgG antibodies (42.59%, 68.7%). Conclusion: Invasive tests were more accurate than non-invasive tests for diagnosis of H. pylori-infected patients. Noninvasive test may be used for follow up after treatment of H. pylori infection. Combination of SAT with anti-H.pylori IgG antibodies improves the specificity and the accuracy as compared to anti-H.pylori IgG antibodies alone but improves the specificity only when compared to SAT alone.

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