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Abstract Background Parasitic infections have been shown to have deleterious effects on host nutritional status. In addition, although helmintic infection can modulate the host inflammatory response directed against the parasite, a causal association between helminths and allergy remains uncertain. The present study was therefore designed to evaluate the relationship between nutritional status, parasite infection and prevalence of allergy among school children. Methods A cross sectional study was performed involving school children in two elementary schools in Gondar, Ethiopia. Nutritional status of these children was determined using anthropometric parameters (weight-for-age, height-for-age and BMI-for-age). Epi-Info software was used to calculate z-scores. Stool samples were examined using standard parasitological procedures. The serum IgE levels were quantified by total IgE ELISA kit following the manufacturer’s instruction. Result A total of 405 children (with mean age of 12.09.1 ± 2.54 years) completed a self-administered allergy questionnaire and provided stool samples for analysis. Overall prevalence of underweight, stunting and thinness/wasting was 15.1%, 25.2%, 8.9%, respectively. Of the total, 22.7% were found to be positive for intestinal parasites. The most prevalent intestinal parasite detected was Ascaris lumbricoides (31/405, 7.6%). There was no statistically significant association between prevalence of malnutrition and the prevalence of parasitic infections. Median total serum IgE level was 344 IU/ml (IQR 117–2076, n = 80) and 610 IU/ml (143–1833, n = 20), respectively, in children without and with intestinal parasite infection (Z = −0.198, P > 0.8). The prevalence of self reported allergy among the subset was 8%. IgE concentration was not associated either with the presence of parasitic infection or history of allergy. Conclusion The prevalence of malnutrition, intestinal parasitism and allergy was not negligible in this population. In addition, there was no significant association between the prevalence of allergy and their nutritional status, and parasite infection. Further research prospective observational and intervention studies are required to address the question of causality between nutritional factors, parasites, and allergy.

Abstract Background Several micronutrients are essential for adequate growth of children. However, little information is available on multiple micronutrient status of school children in Ethiopia. The present study was designed to evaluate the relationship between multiple micronutrient levels and nutritional status among school children. Method In this cross-sectional study, anthropometric data, blood and stool samples were collected from 100 children at Meseret Elementary School in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia. Serum concentration of magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, selenium and molybdenum were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Anthropometric indices of weight-for-age, height-for-age and BMI-for-age were used to estimate the children's nutritional status. Stool samples were examined by standard microscopic methods for intestinal parasites. Results The prevalence of stunting, underweight, wasting and intestinal parasitoses among school children was 23%, 21%, 11% and18%, respectively. The mean serum levels of magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, selenium and molybdenum were 2.42±0.32 (mg/dl), 15.31±2.14 (mg/dl), 328.19±148.91 (μg/dl), 191.30±50.17 (μg/dl), 86.40±42.40 (μg/dl), 6.32±2.59 (μg/dl), and 0.23±0.15 (μg/dl), respectively. Selenium deficiency, zinc deficiency and magnesium deficiency occurred in 62%, 47%, and 2% of the school children, respectively. Height-for-age showed significant positive correlation with the levels of copper and molybdenum (p = 0.01) and with the levels of magnesium (p = 0.05). Conclusion Deficiencies of selenium and zinc were high among the school children although the deficiencies were not significantly related with their nutritional status. The prevalence of both malnutrition and intestinal parasitism was not negligible. These calls for the need to undertake multicentre studies in various parts of the country to substantiate the data obtained in the present study so that appropriate and beneficial strategies for micronutrient supplementation and interventions on nutritional deficiencies can be planned.

Abstract Background Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is known to be a major public health problem among women of reproductive age in South East Asia and Africa. In Ethiopia, there are no studies conducted on serum vitamin A status of HIV-infected pregnant women. Therefore, the present study was aimed at determining the level of serum vitamin A and VAD among pregnant women with and without HIV infection in tropical settings of Northwest Ethiopia. Methods In this cross-sectional study, blood samples were collected from 423 pregnant women and from 55 healthy volunteers who visited the University of Gondar Hospital. Serum concentration of vitamin A was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. Results After controlling for total serum protein, albumin and demographic variables, the mean ± SD serum vitamin A in HIV seropositive pregnant women (0.96 ± 0.42 μmol/L) was significantly lower than that in pregnant women without HIV infection (1.10 ± 0.45 μmol/L, P < 0.05). Likewise, the level of serum vitamin A in HIV seropositive non-pregnant women (0.74 ± 0.39) was significantly lower than that in HIV negative non-pregnant women (1.18 ± 0.59 μmol/L, P < 0.004). VAD (serum retinol < 0.7 μmol/L) was observed in 18.4% and 17.7% of HIV infected and uninfected pregnant women, respectively. Forty six percent of non-pregnant women with HIV infection had VAD while only 28% controls were deficient for vitamin A (P = 0.002). Conclusion The present study shows that VAD is a major public health problem among pregnant women in the tropical settings of Northwest Ethiopia. Considering the possible implications of VAD during pregnancy, we recommend multivitamin (which has a lower level of vitamin A) supplementation in the care and management of pregnant women with or without HIV infection.

Background Both helminth and malaria infections result in a highly polarized immune response characterized by IgE production. This study aimed to investigate the total serum IgE profile in vivo as a measure of Th2 immune response in malaria patients with and without helminth co-infection. Methods A cross sectional observational study composed of microscopically confirmed malaria positive (N = 197) and malaria negative (N = 216) apparently healthy controls with and without helminth infection was conducted at Wondo Genet Health Center, Southern Ethiopia. A pre-designed structured format was utilized to collect socio-demographic and clinical data of the subjects. Detection and quantification of helminths, malaria parasites and determination of serum IgE levels were carried out following standard procedures. Results Irrespective of helminth infection, individuals infected by malaria showed significantly high levels of serum IgE compared with malaria free apparently healthy controls (with and without helminth infections). Moreover, malaria patients co-infected with intestinal helminths showed high level of serum IgE compared with those malaria patients without intestinal helminths (2198 IU/ml versus1668 IU/ml). A strong statistically significant association was observed between malaria parasite density and elevated serum IgE levels (2047 IU/ml versus 1778 IU/ml; P = 0.001) with high and low parasitaemia (parasite density >50,000 parasite/μl of blood), respectively. Likewise, helminth egg loads are significantly associated with elevated serum IgE levels (P = 0.003). Conclusions The elevated serum IgE response in malaria patients irrespective of helminth infection and its correlation with malaria parasite density and helminth egg intensity support that malaria infection is also a strong driver of IgE production as compared to helminths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is known to be a major public health problem among women of reproductive age in South East Asia and Africa. In Ethiopia, there are no studies conducted on serum vitamin A status of HIV-infected pregnant women. Therefore, the present study was aimed at determining the level of serum vitamin A and VAD among pregnant women with and without HIV infection in tropical settings of Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, blood samples were collected from 423 pregnant women and from 55 healthy volunteers who visited the University of Gondar Hospital. Serum concentration of vitamin A was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. Results: After controlling for total serum protein, albumin and demographic variables, the mean ± SD serum vitamin A in HIV seropositive pregnant women (0.96 ± 0.42 μmol/L) was significantly lower than that in pregnant women without HIV infection (1.10 ± 0.45 μmol/L, P < 0.05). Likewise, the level of serum vitamin A in HIV seropositive non-pregnant women (0.74 ± 0.39) was significantly lower than that in HIV negative non-pregnant women (1.18 ± 0.59 μmol/L, P < 0.004). VAD (serum retinol < 0.7 μmol/L) was observed in 18.4% and 17.7% of HIV infected and uninfected pregnant women, respectively. Forty six percent of non-pregnant women with HIV infection had VAD while only 28% controls were deficient for vitamin A (P = 0.002). Conclusion: The present study shows that VAD is a major public health problem among pregnant women in the tropical settings of Northwest Ethiopia. Considering the possible implications of VAD during pregnancy, we recommend multivitamin (which has a lower level of vitamin A) supplementation in the care and management of pregnant women with or without HIV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrio vulnificus is a ubiquitous toxigenic bacterium found in a coastal environment but little is known about its occurrence and seasonality among seaweeds, which are widely consumed as seafood in Japan. Therefore, we have observed the bacterium's abundance in seawater and seaweed samples from three areas of the Kii Channel, Japan, during June 2003 to May 2004. A total of 192 samples were collected: 24 from each source in summer, autumn, winter and spring. The samples were selectively cultivated following the most probable number (MPN) technique. Vibrio vulnificus population ranged from 0 to 103 MPN 100 mL−1 seawater or 10 g seaweeds; higher counts were observed during summer. The optimum temperature, salinity and pH for the bacterium were 20–24 °C, 24–28 p.p.t. and 7.95–8.15, respectively. However, seaweeds always contained higher V. vulnificus than seawater. Among 280 V. vulnificus strains, detected by species-specific colony hybridization and PCR, 78, 74, 11 and 16 were from seaweeds and 46, 42, 2 and 11 were from seawater during summer, autumn, winter and spring, respectively. Ribotyping of 160 selected strains revealed a higher genotypic diversity (18 patterns) among strains from seaweeds than from seawater (10 patterns). Seaweeds can thus act as a potential habitat for V. vulnificus and are more unsafe for consumption during summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of allergic diseases to a variety of allergens has only been studied in a few countries and it has never been studied in Ethiopia. This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of skin sensitivity reactions to allergens in Ethiopian subjects. A total of 216 subjects were tested with a skin scratch test using five types of allergens and also for total and differential white blood cell counts. Positive reaction to one or more allergens was detected in 49.5% of the subjects, the most prevalent allergen being mite extract. Some 27% showed a positive reaction to multiple allergens. The mean eosinophil count was higher in the subjects reacting to at least one of the allergens compared to those with no reaction (p = 0.038). The results demonstrate a high prevalence of allergic reactions to the few allergens tested. Further studies using several allergens are recommended to substantiate this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the characterization of Holstein cow's milk and Japanese-Saanen goat's milk in terms of their fatty acid composition, lipid digestibility and protein profile. It is indicated that the caprine milk has more substantial quantities of C4:10 up to C10:00 than the cow's milk. Key information regarding the digestibility of lipids by porcine lipase are also discussed.

The level of HIV infection and intestinal parasitoses among TB patients was assessed in a hospital-based cross-sectional study involving 257 patients in Gondar, Ethiopia. In TB patients, our study reported co-infection with HIV (52.1%) and intestinal parasites (40.9%) The high prevalence of HIV and intestinal parasites indicates an increased morbidity inTB patients and emphasized the importance of continued HIV sero-surveillance, stool analysis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on age, sex, occupation, HIV serostatus and year of donation were collected from the blood donors log book of Gondar College of Medical Sciences Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, for the period between January 1995 and December 2002 and analysed. The crude HIV seroprevalence was 9.9% (1109/11,204). A declining trend in the prevalence was observed from as high as 15.7% (207/1321) in 1995 to 9.3% (123/1327) in 1999 and down to 4.3% (68/1576) in 2002. The declining trend observed in recent years is encouraging and should further be strengthened by making use of the blood bank as an entry point for HIV testing and counselling services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: One strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus was found to produce a bacteriocin-like substance in the culture filtrate. The substance was produced in a growth-associated manner, showed heat stability at neutral and acidic pH and exhibited antibacterial activity against various species of Lactobacillus including L. acidophilus itself. The molecular weight of the substance was in the range of 6.2–9.5 kDa. N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis suggests that the substance may belong to class IIb bacteriocin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and genetic diversity of Staphylococcus aureus and staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) in ready-to-eat foods marketed in Hanoi, Vietnam. Out of 212 samples tested, 45 were contaminated with this bacterium and 18 contained strains having classical SEs. Among different food products, the bacterial occurrence ranged between 12.5% and 35.4% and milk samples had the highest prevalence. The production of SEs varied according to the food types and 26 different ribotype patterns were observed among the 45 strains. Our dendogram analysis showed the existence of many clones without clear-cut affiliation to any particular food type indicating both diverse primary and secondary contamination sources. The SEs also occurred in a wide variety of genetically different S. aureus strains which might facilitate the bacterium with better ecological fitness to cause epidemics. It can be concluded that Vietnamese ready-to-eat foods pose a high risk of contamination by toxigenic S. aureus population urging the need of implementing proper hygienic practices. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Gastroenteritis caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus has recently been associated with foods prepared with seaweeds, but little is known about the bacterium''s abundance and diversity among seaweeds in coastal environment. Therefore, we determined its phenotypic and genotypic diversity in relation to its seasonal abundance in seawater and seaweed samples from three areas of Kii Channel, Japan during June 2003 to May 2004. Isolates were obtained by selective enrichment of samples and detection of V. parahaemolyticus by colony hybridization with a species-specific probe. A total of 128 isolates comprising 16 from each source in each season were characterized by serotyping and ribotyping. V. parahaemolyticus was more abundant in seaweeds (3762 isolates) than in water samples (2238 isolates). Twenty and 17 serotypes were found among the selected seaweed and seawater isolates, respectively. Cluster analysis revealed 19, 11, 7 and 9 ribotypes during summer, autumn, winter and spring, respectively. Seaweeds supported a diverse V. parahaemolyticus population throughout the year and thus seaweeds are a reservoir for the organism. However, V. parahaemolyticus occurrence had positive correlation with water temperature and its abundance in seaweeds was at least 50 times higher during summer than in winter. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Diarrhea, micronutrient deficiencies and HIV/AIDS are major public health problems in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was aimed to investigate serum levels of vitamin A in diarrheic patients with and without HIV co-infection compared to healthy controls. Two hundred eleven diarrheic patients (110 HIV infected), 87 apparently healthy controls and 41 asymptomatic HIV seropositive blood donors who visited the University of Gondar Hospital, in Gondar, Ethiopia were included. Stool samples were examined for enteropathogens following the standard procedures. Serum vitamin A levels were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. Shigella species were isolated from 8.5% of the patients while intestinal parasites were detected in 32.2% without significant difference by HIV serostatus. The mean±SD serum vitamin A in diarrheic patients with (0.82±0.59 µmol/L) and without (0.84±0.54 µmol/L) HIV co-infection and in asymptomatic HIV infected blood donors (0.96±0.52 µmol/L) was significantly lower than that in healthy controls (I.52±0.71µmol/L), p<0.001. Vitamin A deficiency (VAD, senam retinol < 0.70 µamol/L) was observed in 52.7% and 45.5% of diarrheic patients with and without HIV co-infection, respectively. About 13% of healthy controls and 29.3% of asymptomatic HIV infected blood donors were deficient in vitamin A. The levels of serum vitamin A were not associated with the presence of intestinal parasites or Shigella species. The findings demonstrate that VAD is a severe public health problem among diarrheic patients in Gondar, Ethiopia. Intervention programmes involving health and nutrition education and supplementation of vitamin A might help in reducing morbidity in such patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Studies were conducted on the ecology of potentially pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus in three coastal areas of Kii Channel, Tokushima, Japan. Seawater and seaweed samples were collected seasonally between June 2003 and May 2004. Total and toxigenic strains of V. parahaemolyticus were isolated using most probable number culture and colony blot hybridization. Toxigenic strains were serotyped and further characterized by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and ribotyping. Six thousand strains of V. parahaemolyticus were isolated and 18 were found positive for tdh. V. parahaemolyticus were detected in all samples during summer and autumn, and from some samples during winter and spring. Among the toxigenic strains seven serotypes, five ribotypes and RAPD patterns were observed. Seven strains belonged to O3:K6 clone with identical ribotypes and RAPD patterns to that of a pandemic reference strain. The presence of toxigenic V. parahaemolyticus with pandemic potential might indicate a human health risk due to consumption of marine food sources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The prevalence of trace elements deficiencies, vitamin A deficiency, anemia, and their relationships were investigated in a cross sectional study involving 243 children aged from 12 to 72 months in rural Vietnam. Serum levels of copper, zinc, selenium and magnesium were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer and that of retinol by high performance liquid chromatography. Hemoglobin concentration in whole blood was measured by the cyanmethemoglobin method. The prevalence of deficiencies in zinc, selenium, magnesium, and copper was 86.9%, 62.3%, 51.9%, and 1.7%, respectively. On the other hand, 55.6% were anemic and 11.3% had vitamin A deficiency. Deficiency in two or more micronutrient was found in 79.4% of the children. Parameters associated significantly with anemia were selenium deficiency (OR 2.80 95% CI 1.63-4.80, p=0.0002) and serum retinol<1.05 micromol/L (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.10-3.05, p=0.021). Magnesium deficiency (OR 3.09 95% CI 1.36-7.03) was found to be a risk factor for zinc deficiency and vice versa. The results indicate that micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent among preschool children in Vietnam. In addition, the results also demonstrate a strong relationship between selenium deficiency and anemia. Clearly, sustainable strategies are urgently required to overcome the problems in the country.

Background and Purpose: We have previously shown that bisphenol A (BPA) augments T-helper (Th) 1 activity with no significant effects on an established oral tolerance to ovalbumin (OVA) in mice fed with a normal protein diet. The present study aimed to examine the effect of BPA on the immune response in a mouse model maintained on a very low protein diet (5% casein)., Methods: Mice were fed on a 5% protein diet, together with either OVA (OVA-fed) or water (water-fed), immunized intraperitoneally with OVA at 3-week intervals and administered BPA between the 2 immunizations. A week after the last immunization, animals were sacrificed and examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serum titers of total immunoglobulin E (IgE), OVA-specific IgE, immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgG1, IgG2a, and the production of interferon-gamma, interleukin (IL)-4, and IL-12., Results: In both BPA-treated and non-treated animals, OVA feeding resulted in lower titers of total and OVA-specific IgE, and OVA-specific IgG (p<0.05). There were higher levels of interferon-gamma (p<0.05), IL-4, and IL-12 (p<0.05) in animals with OVA tolerance following BPA treatment. However, IL-12 production was augmented only in BPA-treated water-fed animals (p<0.01)., Conclusion: BPA administration in mice fed with a low level of dietary protein augmented Th1 cytokines more profoundly in the animals with OVA tolerance than in the non-tolerant animals.

Ethiopia is one of the countries in which sexually transmitted infections are highly prevalent. However, the data needed to present a realistic picture of the infections are lacking. This study was therefore designed to determine the seroprevalence of syphilis and HIV-1 among pregnant women at the University of Gondar Teaching Hospital. A prospective cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted between March and June, 2005. Blood samples were collected from 480 pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of the hospital. Sera were tested for syphilis using the Rapid Plasma Regain (RPR) and Treponema pallidum hemagglutination (TPHA) kits, and serostatus for HIV infection was checked using rapid HIV diagnostic test kits following the manufacturers' instructions. The mean (+/-SD) age of the study participants was 26.1 (+/-7.2) years. The seroprevalence of syphilis was 1%. Antibodies against HIV-1 were detected in 9.6% of the pregnant women. A higher HIV-1 prevalence (13%) was observed in the 25- to 29-year-old age group followed by the 30- to 34-year-old age group (10.2%). Only one subject (2.2%) was found to be positive for both HIV-1 and syphilis. The data indicated a relatively declined prevalence of syphilis and HIV-1 among pregnant women in an urban antenatal clinic. However, incidence and behavioral studies are required to substantiate the findings.

Background and Purpose: The pattern of clinical presentations of tuberculosis (TB) is reflected in the microbiological, radiological, and histological characteristics of the disease. However, coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) poses special diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. This study was aimed at assessing the clinical manifestations of TB in patients with or without HIV coinfection in a hospital-based cross-sectional study in Gondar, Ethiopia., Methods: TB was diagnosed following standard clinical, bacteriological, radiological, and histological procedures. HIV serostatus was checked by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay., Results: This study included 257 TB patients, of whom 52.1% were coinfected with HIV. Pulmonary TB and extrapulmonary TB were diagnosed in 64.2% and 35.8% of the patients, respectively. No significant association was found between sputum smear positivity and HIV serostatus. One-fifth of the patients reported hemoptysis. More than one-third had chest pain, and >90% reported fever and weight loss. Night sweats and cough were reported by 86% and 82.5%, respectively. Coarse crepitations were the most frequent auscultatory finding (33.9%). Sputum smear positivity rate was 26.8%. Cavitation was significantly associated with sputum smear positivity (odds ratio = 9.0, 95% confidence interval = 2.4-34.1). Wasting, cough of

To understand the predominant HIV subtype and drug-resistant viruses in northwest Ethiopia, isolates from 92 antiretroviral drug-naive HIV-1-infected tuberculosis patients were analyzed. Of these patients, 90 (97.8%) were found to be infected with viral subtype C. Other isolates had subtype A (1.1%) and subtype D (1.1%). No primary mutations were associated with protease inhibitor drug resistance. One case (1.1%) had the reverse-transcriptase mutation, V75I. Two patients (2.2%) had the G190A mutation, which confers resistance to the nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, nevirapine. Our study demonstrates that subtype C is the major HIV-1 subtype in northwest Ethiopia. Our results also reveal that the population in the study area had been exposed to antiretrovirals and that treatment-naive patients had drug resistance mutations. Thus, our results emphasize the need for routine drug resistance monitoring in northwest Ethiopia.

This study sought to determine whether oral tolerance to ovalbumin (OVA), responsible for food allergy, is affected by different amounts of protein intake. For this, 6-wk-old BALB/c mice were fed with low protein (5%, LP), normal protein (20%, NP) and high protein (40%, HP) diets, orally given either OVA (OVA-fed) or water (Water-fed) for 4 d, and then immunized intraperitoneally twice at a 3-wk interval with alum-precipitated OVA. After the last immunization, sera were collected to measure total and OVA-specific IgE by enzyme assay (ELISA). Splenocytes were cultured and stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A), lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or OVA and assayed for 3H-thymidine incorporation. The culture supernatants from their splenocytes stimulated with OVA were analyzed for interleukin (IL)-4, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and IL-12. Total IgE was significantly higher in OVA-fed HP groups as compared to NP and LP groups (p<0.05). The highest and the lowest OVA-specific IgE were observed in HP and LP diet groups, respectively (p<0.05). OVA-fed mice receiving the LP diet demonstrated significantly lower IL-4 as compared to the other two groups (p<0.05), while IFN-gamma was significantly higher in the LP compared to the HP group (p<0.05). Levels of IL-12 did not differ among the OVA-fed groups. Splenocytes of OVA-fed mice kept on the LP and HP diet showed significant impairment of proliferation to OVA as compared to the NP group (p<0.01). Proliferation against Con A was impaired in the LP group compared to the NP group (p<0.05) but not in Water-fed groups. However, it was higher against LPS in the HP than the LP group (p<0.05) both in Water-fed and OVA-fed animals. All these findings indicate that established oral tolerance to OVA is clearly affected by the amount of protein diet. They support the suggestion that dietary protein plays an important role(s) in IgE-mediated food allergies.

Lemon, lime and sudachi juices were tested for antibacterial activity against seven strains of Vibrio species. All juices were effective in inhibiting the growth of the Vibrio strains. Citric acid, the major organic acid in these juices, was found to be responsible for inhibiting the growth of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Sauce prepared from sudachi juice showed a strong bactericidal activity against Vibrio parahaemolyticus, whereas the sauce adjusted to higher pH values had no bacterial activity. Diluted sudachi juice or citric acid solution also had antibacterial activity independently. These results suggest that citrus fruit juices are effective in preventing infection with Vibrio species.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) among dyspeptic patients and to assess the relationship between H pylori infection, blood group, HIV infection and life style of the patients., Methods: In a hospital-based cross-sectional study, patients attending Outpatient Department of University of Gondar Hospital were enrolled. Socio-demographic information was collected using questionnaires. Serum was analyzed for anti-H pylori IgG antibodies using a commercial kit. HIV serostatus was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Blood grouping was performed by slide agglutination tests., Results: A total of 215 dyspeptic patients were included in the study. One hundred and sixteen patients (54%) were females and 99 (46%) were males. Anti-H pylori IgG antibodies were detected in sera of 184 (85.6%) patients. The prevalence was significantly higher in patients aged 50 years and above. Twenty point five percent of the patients were found to be seropositive for HIV. No significant association was found between sex, ABO blood groups, consumption of spicy diets, socio-economic status and seropositivity for H pylori. However, alcohol consumption was significantly associated with H pylori serology., Conclusion: The prevalence of H pylori infection is associated with a history of alcohol intake and older age. The effect of different diet, alcohol and socioeconomic status as risk factors for H pylori infection needs further study.

The objective of this study was to elucidate if Bisphenol A (BPA) administration modulates T helper (Th) cell component of immune responses in a mouse challenged with ovalbumin (OVA), a major food antigen. BALB/c mice, (6 weeks old, female) were orally given either OVA (OVA-fed) or water (Water-fed), immunized intraperitoneally with OVA and injected with either BPA in corn oil or the vehicle alone. After subsequent 2nd immunization, serum titers of total IgE, OVA-specific IgE, IgG, IgG1 IgG2a and ability of their splenocytes for production of interferon (IFN) -gamma, interleukin (IL) -4 and IL-12 were examined by ELISA. Lymphocyte proliferation assay against concanavalin A (Con A) or OVA was also performed for 3H-Thymidine incorporation. In Water-fed groups, treatment with BPA resulted in lower titers of total IgE (P<0.01) and higher levels IgG2a (P<0.05) followed by a higher IFN-gamma (P<0.05) and IL-12 (P<0.05) with an intact IL-4. When OVA-fed groups were examined, the compound did not change production of total and OVA-specific IgE and -IgG2a but resulted in lower production of IFN-gamma (P<0.05). Also, BPA resulted in impaired lymphocyte proliferation to Con A in Water-fed groups (P<0.05) but not in tolerated animals. The findings indicate that BPA results in augmentation of Th1 immune responses but no significant effect on an established tolerance to OVA.

The prevalence of HIV has been continually increasing both in urban and rural Ethiopia. As yet, there has been no report on the magnitude of the problem in the elderly and rural population. This study assessed the seroprevalence of HIV and syphilis infection among 706 elderly and predominantly rural subjects in Northwest Ethiopia. Socio-demographic information was collected using a structured questionnaire. Venous blood was collected and the serostatus of HIV and that of syphilis were checked by ELISA and RPR, respectively. The total HIV-1 seroprevalence was 5% (35/706). Sex-specific prevalences of HIV for males and females were 5.6 and 4.7% respectively. A 4.2% difference in prevalence was observed by area of residence, which was statistically significant, P = 0.018. Only 6% of subjects positive for syphilis were also positive for HIV, while 4.9% of subjects negative for syphilis were positive for HIV. The data indicates that the prevalence of HIV among elderly people in Northwest Ethiopia was high. This indicates the importance of involving the elderly in HIV/AIDS prevention and control programs.

Urban areas often have more allergy than rural areas. Dietary patterns and parasite infection have been suggested as possible related factors. This study evaluated the prevalence of allergy in school children in one rural and suburban area of Vietnam where parasite infection is common. A total of 195 children aged 9 to 13 years old completed a self-administered allergy questionnaire and provided blood and stool samples for analysis. Nutritional status, dietary intake and parasite infection were determined in all participants. Allergy was more common in girls (10.7% vs. 7.6%), suburban children (11.8% vs. 6.9%), children with weight-for-age (16.7% vs. 6.0%) and height-for-age (14.8% vs. 4.9%) in the 10th to 75th percentile compared to <3rd percentile, and in children without trichuriasis compared to light trichuriasis (12.5% vs. 9.3%), although none of these comparisons were statistically significant. Logistic regression adjusted for sex, age and area of residence revealed no association between allergy and nutritional status, food intake or parasite infection. Intake of riboflavin, however, was negatively associated with allergy (OR=0.00, 95% CI:0.00-0.65, p=0.038). In conclusion, we were unable to detect any association between allergy and nutritional status, diet, or parasite infection. However, in a population with high undernutrition and parasite infection, the prevalence of allergy was low and the extremely low intake of riboflavin was associated with a higher risk of allergy.

The magnitude of intestinal parasitic infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) /AIDS patients requires careful consideration in the developing world. However, there have been very few studies addressing this issue in Ethiopia. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection in HIV/AIDS patients at Jimma Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia, between January and February 2002. Stool specimens from HIV/AIDS patients and control groups were screened for intestinal parasitic infections using direct and formalin-ether sedimentation concentration methods. Out of 78 HIV/AIDS patients, 52.6% (41/78), and out of 26 HIV-negative individuals, 42.3% (11/26), were infected with one or more types of intestinal protozoa and/or helminthes. The parasites detected among HIV/AIDS patients included Ascaris lumbricoides (30.8%), Blastocystis spp. (14.1%), Entamoeba histolytica (10.3%), Trichuris trichiura (6.4%), Strongyloides stercoralis (5.1%), Giardia lamblia (3.8%), Schistosoma mansoni (2.5%), hookworm species (2.5%), and Taenia spp. (1.3%). Multiple infections were more common among HIV/AIDS patients. Blastocystis spp. were found to be significantly higher in HIV/AIDS patients than in controls (P < 0.05). The magnitude of intestinal parasitic infection was high both in HIV/AIDS patients and in controls. Routine examinations of stool samples for parasites would significantly benefit the HIV-infected and uninfected individuals by contributing to reduce morbidity.

Oral tolerance is a potential strategy for preventing or minimizing aberrant immune responses. Although, oral tolerance has been extensively studied, to date the effects of dietary protein on the induction of oral tolerance are poorly understood. We have previously shown that restricted dietary protein induces oral tolerance to ovalbumin. This study was designed to investigate whether or not such tolerance occurs with beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) instead of ovalbumin (OVA) and if the tolerance resulting from this feeding regimen involves Th1-mediated immune response. Female BALB/c mice fed either 20% or 5% dietary protein were given 5 mg BLG or water orally for four consecutive days and then immunized intraperitoneally (ip) twice with BLG at 3-wk intervals. Oral tolerance induction was compared in BLG-fed and water-fed mice by measuring total IgE, BLG-specific antibodies, footpad reactions, splenocyte proliferation, and cytokine production. When mice were given BLG orally before ip immunization, the Th1-mediated immune responses (production of IL-2, IFN-gamma, and IgG2a) were significantly reduced, whereas the Th2-mediated immune responses (production of IL-4 and IgG1) were unchanged. The Th1-mediated immune responses were markedly down-regulated in mice fed 5% protein as compared to those in mice fed 20% protein. Moreover, the production of total IgE, BLG-specific IgE, splenocyte proliferation, and footpad reactions were more reduced in mice fed 5% protein than those in mice fed 20% protein. The present study provides evidence that dietary protein plays an important role in the induction of oral tolerance against BLG as the result of, clear down-regulation of Th1 helper activity accompanied by a reduction in IgE.

The suitable development of oral tolerance against ingested dietary foods is of critical importance to escaping food allergy. Using mice as an animal model for oral tolerance against ovalbumin (OVA) as a dietary antigen, we investigated the effects of dietary protein on their immunological tolerance. Female BALB/c mice fed either a 20% or 5% protein diet were orally administered 5 mg of OVA for four consecutive days, then immunized intraperitoneally with 100 microg of OVA. The immunized group of mice were fed and treated in the same manner, except that they received orally distilled water for four consecutive days before receiving intraperitoneal immunization with the antigen. Immunization alone with OVA elevated the total IgE and induced the production of OVA-specific antibodies IgE, IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a in the sera of both the 20% and 5% protein diet groups. The oral administration of OVA to mice before intraperitoneal immunization significantly reduced the total IgE and OVA-specific antibodies in mice fed 5% protein diet, but it had hardly any effect on those in mice fed a 20% protein diet. When spleen cells from these groups of mice were cultured with OVA as a mitogen, they responded substantially to OVA in the immunized groups fed 20% and 5% protein diets and in the presensitized group fed 20% protein, but those from the presensitized group fed a 5% protein diet did not respond. Furthermore, when IL-4 was assayed in the spleen cell cultures of the 20% and 5% groups, mice in the presensitized group fed a 5% protein diet produced a significantly less amount of IL-4 than those fed a 20% protein diet. Moreover, irrelevant to the protein amount in the diet, the production of IFN-gamma from spleen cell cultures dramatically decreased in the group without presensitization and profoundly increased in the presensitized group of mice fed a 5% protein diet. These findings suggest that a low-protein diet leads to an induction of oral tolerance against dietary antigens; this appears to involve a clear down-regulation of Th2 cytokine, IL-4.

Twenty four reference strains (serotype a-h) belonging to the mutans group of streptococci were compared for DNA fragment patterns of rDNA after treatment with Hind III. It was shown that Streptococcus cricetus (serotype a), S. rattus (serotype b), and S. downei (serotype h) reveals comparatively homogeneous patterns while S. mutans (serotype c, e and f) exhibits differences between the different serotypes as well as within single serotypes. S. sobrinus had an intermediary diversity. These data support the previous findings that S. mutans is heterogeneous at the serological, biochemical and genetical level.