Search

Introduction: Blood parasites pose a significant threat to livestock production in southern Egypt, yet there is a scarcity of information regarding their circulation and epidemiology in sheep in this region. This study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of blood parasite infections in sheep in Assiut governorate, Upper Egypt. Methods: A total of 400 blood samples were collected from sheep of varying ages and genders. The preliminary screening for the presence of piroplasms, mainly Babesia and Theileria spp., via microscopic examination, followed by investigation of the potential risk factors linked with the exposure to infection. Moreover, molecular identification of both parasites on some of positive samples was performed using PCR targeting Babesia 18S rRNA and Theileria annulata Tams1 gene. Results: The microscopic examination revealed that among the examined sheep, there was an overall prevalence of blood parasites at 44% (176 out of 400), with Babesia spp. observed in 14% (56 out of 400) and Theileria spp. in 30% (120 out of 400). Furthermore, the infection rate was non-significantly higher in young animals (50%) compared to adults (38.5%) (P = 0.246). Male sheep exhibited a significantly higher vulnerability to both parasites’ infection (63.3%) compared to females (35.7%) (P = 0.011). Interestingly, the prevalence of both blood parasites was significantly higher during the cold season (66.1%) compared to the hot season (15.9%) (P = <0.001). The molecular analysis identified the presence of Babesia ovis and Theileria annulata among a subsample of the positive sheep’s bloods films. The identified species were recorded in the GenBankTM databases and assigned specific accession numbers (OQ360720 and OQ360719 for B. ovis), and (OP991838 for T. annulata). Conclusions: Taken together, this study confirms a high prevalence of piroplasmosis and oers epidemiological and molecular insights into blood parasites in sheep from Upper Egypt, highlighting the importance of detecting these parasites in various hosts and their competent vectors (ticks) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THE POPULATION surge in Egypt has led to the conversion of agricultural land into urban areas, necessitating urgent agricultural expansion into new areas, particularly in the interference zone between the Nile valley and desert regions. To address this issue, this research study aims at assess the temporal and spatial land cover changes in West Samlout area, El-Minia government, Egypt using remote sensing data and to evaluate land capability and suitability for some agricultural crops. The study area, located in the Western Desert of Egypt, was analyzed using multi-temporal Landsat imagery (2011, 2016 and 2021) and Digital Elevation Models. The Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) was utilized to determine the spatial distribution and temporal changes of vegetation. Soil samples were collected and analyzed to determine soil attributes like depth, salinity, pH, calcium carbonate, and texture. Results showed that the vegetation areas were increased with 18.96 % during the period from 2011 to 2021. The annual rate of vegetation change was increased by 910.42 ha year1 through the same period. Land capability evaluation results showed that the study area was grouped into three grades; Grade 3 (1105.96 ha), grade 4 (20682.83 ha) and grade 5 (967.38 ha) represented 4.61%, 86.14% and 4.03 % of the examined area, respectively. The results of land suitability analysis illustrated that mango, citrus, and olives were the most appropriate fruit crops for the investigated area, where 83.8 5 %, 74.7 %, and 71.8 % of the total area were moderately suitable (S2), respectively. Moreover, barley and wheat were found to be highly suitable field crops. The highly suitable (S1) for barley and wheat covered 77.6% and 55% of the total area were, respectively. While, onion was the most suitable vegetable crop in the study area occupied an area of 2768.4 ha (11.5 %) and 19987.7 ha (83.2 %) as highly suitable (S1) and moderately suitable (S2), respectively. With regarding to the oil crops, the finding conducted that sunflower was the highest suitable crop in investigated area occupied 1914.2 ha and 20842.0 ha as highly suitable (S1) and moderately suitable (S2), respectively. Finally, sorghum and millets, as feed crops, were the most suitable crops occupied 82.1 % and 9.2 % of the total area as high suitable (S1), respectively. Furthermore, results indicated that the soil salinity, slope, depth, and coarse texture were the most limiting criteria for suitability. Overall, this research study provides valuable information for land use planning, agricultural development, and sustainable resource management in the West Samlout area, Egypt. The results emphasize the importance of remote sensing and spatial analysis techniques in understanding land cover changes and making informed decisions for agricultural expansion and development projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the heavy metals concentrations in muscles of three raw fish species; mullet (Mugil cephalus), Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and catfish (Clarias gariepinus) obtained from four different locations; the Nile River and Lakes of Wadi El-Rayan, Edku and Burullus during July 2019, and to study the effect of common grilling technique on their concentration in Nile tilapia samples as abundant fish. 17 elements were determined in fish muscles by ICP-OES Agilent 5100 VDV. Results revealed that the concentrations of heavy metals in fish species based on location were taken the following order; Burullus > Nile River > Wadi El-Rayan > Edku. Whereas they were tilapia > catfish > mullet of Nile River, mullet > tilapia > catfish of Wadi El-Rayan, catfish > tilapia > mullet of Edku and catfish > tilapia > mullet fish of Burullus. The grilling process reduced the heaviest metals concentrations in tilapia species compared to raw samples. In conclusion, the heaviest metals in the muscles of fish species were lower than the maximum permissible limits set by International and Egyptian Standard Specifications and Legislations of food. Also, the grilling technique is an appropriate method to reduce the harmful effect of some heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of the three insecticides, Chlorpyrifos (Dursban) (organophosphate), Fenvalerate (Sumicidin) (pyrethroid) and Carbosulfan (Marshal) (carbamate) was tested on pre-imaginal stages of the egg parasitoid, Trichogramma cacoeciae. The parasitoid was reared in the grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella L. eggs, at the Biological Control Laboratory, Alexandria University, Egypt. Results showed a disruptive effect of the insecticides on T. cacoeciae emergence rate, as it increased when the parasitoid advanced in development in the host eggs. Marshal was the most toxic compound to T. cacoeciae, followed by Sumicidin and then Dursban. Therefore, Dursban was relatively more compatible or better suited for conserving natural or released populations of the Trichogramma wasps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human dirofilariasis caused by Dirofilaria repens is a parasitic infection, currently considered to be an emerging zoonosis, that has been observed in many areas of the Old World. Dogs are the main 'reservoir' host. In humans, D. repens can cause inflammatory nodules, most commonly in the subcutaneous tissues or in the subconjunctival space. Lung involvement, which is the most common of the non-cutaneous and non-ocular manifestations, is frequently mis-diagnosed as a primary or metastatic lung tumour. Two new subcutaneous cases and one new pulmonary case, all observed in the Egyptian governorate of Assiut, are described here. This represents the first report of human pulmonary dirofilariasis caused by D. repens on the African continent. All the worms collected from the cases, including a living worm from the left lung of the pulmonary case, were identified morphologically, and the identity of the lung parasite was confirmed by PCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) offer optimal climatic conditions for tick reproduction and dispersal. Research on tick-borne pathogens in this region is scarce. Despite recent advances in the characterization and taxonomic explanation of various tick-borne illnesses affecting animals in Egypt, no comprehensive examination of TBP (tick-borne pathogen) statuses has been performed. Therefore, the present study aims to detect the prevalence of pathogens harbored by ticks in Egypt., Methodology/principal Findings: A four-year PCR-based study was conducted to detect a wide range of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) harbored by three economically important tick species in Egypt. Approximately 86.7% (902/1,040) of the investigated Hyalomma dromedarii ticks from camels were found positive with Candidatus Anaplasma camelii (18.8%), Ehrlichia ruminantium (16.5%), Rickettsia africae (12.6%), Theileria annulata (11.9%), Mycoplasma arginini (9.9%), Borrelia burgdorferi (7.7%), Spiroplasma-like endosymbiont (4.0%), Hepatozoon canis (2.4%), Coxiella burnetii (1.6%) and Leishmania infantum (1.3%). Double co-infections were recorded in 3.0% (27/902) of Hy. dromedarii ticks, triple co-infections (simultaneous infection of the tick by three pathogen species) were found in 9.6% (87/902) of Hy. dromedarii ticks, whereas multiple co-infections (simultaneous infection of the tick by ≥ four pathogen species) comprised 12% (108/902). Out of 1,435 investigated Rhipicephalus rutilus ticks collected from dogs and sheep, 816 (56.9%) ticks harbored Babesia canis vogeli (17.1%), Rickettsia conorii (16.2%), Ehrlichia canis (15.4%), H. canis (13.6%), Bo. burgdorferi (9.7%), L. infantum (8.4%), C. burnetii (7.3%) and Trypanosoma evansi (6.6%) in dogs, and 242 (16.9%) ticks harbored Theileria lestoquardi (21.6%), Theileria ovis (20.0%) and Eh. ruminantium (0.3%) in sheep. Double, triple, and multiple co-infections represented 11% (90/816), 7.6% (62/816), and 10.3% (84/816), respectively in Rh. rutilus from dogs, whereas double and triple co-infections represented 30.2% (73/242) and 2.1% (5/242), respectively in Rh. rutilus from sheep. Approximately 92.5% (1,355/1,465) of Rhipicephalus annulatus ticks of cattle carried a burden of Anaplasma marginale (21.3%), Babesia bigemina (18.2%), Babesia bovis (14.0%), Borrelia theleri (12.8%), R. africae (12.4%), Th. annulata (8.7%), Bo. burgdorferi (2.7%), and Eh. ruminantium (2.5%). Double, triple, and multiple co-infections represented 1.8% (25/1,355), 11.5% (156/1,355), and 12.9% (175/1,355), respectively. The detected pathogens' sequences had 98.76-100% similarity to the available database with genetic divergence ranged between 0.0001 to 0.0009% to closest sequences from other African, Asian, and European countries. Phylogenetic analysis revealed close similarities between the detected pathogens and other isolates mostly from African and Asian countries., Conclusions/significance: Continuous PCR-detection of pathogens transmitted by ticks is necessary to overcome the consequences of these infection to the hosts. More restrictions should be applied from the Egyptian authorities on animal importations to limit the emergence and re-emergence of tick-borne pathogens in the country. This is the first in-depth investigation of TBPs in Egypt., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
, (Copyright: © 2024 Senbill et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Using marker vaccines to control bovine alphaherpesvirus-1 (BoHV-1) is a novel strategy for differentiation between infected and vaccinated animals (DIVA). In this study, multiplex real-time PCR targeting gD and gE genes was applied for BoHV-1 screening on 60 clinical samples from cattle with a history of vaccination, in some cases by US2-deleted marker vaccines, that were suffering from severe respiratory symptoms. Conventional PCR targeting the gC and US2 flanking region was done for molecular characterization and identification of the US2-deleted vaccine strain. Six samples were positive for BoHV-1 by both RT-PCR and conventional PCR. Surprisingly, a conventional PCR DIVA trial based on the US2 gene revealed that only one sample that exhibited the US2 gene was a wild virus, while others that did not exhibit the US2 gene were vaccine viruses. Phylogenetic characterization classifies the samples as BoHV-1.1. This finding reveals the circulation of vaccine virus in field-diseased animals, which threatens the eradication program., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The high prevalence of chronic diseases in urban slums poses increasing challenges to future social and economic development for these disadvantaged areas. Assessing the health status of slum residents offers guidance for formulating appropriate policies and interventions to improve slum residents' health outcomes. This research aimed to identify the social determinants of chronic diseases reporting among slum dwellers in Egypt. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from March to December 2021 in three slum areas in Giza governorate, Egypt, including 3,500 individuals. We constructed an asset index and a welfare index to measure the economic status and living conditions of slum residents, respectively. We used these indices, along with demographic and socio-economic factors, as independent variables in the analysis. We modeled factors associated with health status using a two-level mixed logistic model to control the effects of slum areas and the potential correlation between household members. The study contributed significantly to a better understanding of the context in which slum dwellers live and the interlinkages among poor living conditions, low economic status, and health outcomes. The results showed a high rate of self-reported chronic diseases among adults aged 18 and older, reaching more than 22%, while it did not exceed 2.0% among children in the slum areas. Therefore, measuring the determinants of chronic diseases was limited to adults. The sample size was 2530 adults after excluding 970 children. The prevalence of chronic diseases among adults ranged between 16.3% in Zenin and 22.6% in Bein El Sarayat. Our findings indicated that low socio-economic status was significantly associated with reporting chronic diseases. Future policies should be dedicated to improving living conditions and providing necessary healthcare services for these vulnerable areas.

Background: With the widespread outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many countries, including Egypt, have tried to restrict the virus by applying social distancing and precautionary measures. Understanding the impact of COVID-19-induced risks and social distancing measures on individuals' mental health will help mitigate the negative effects of crises by developing appropriate mental health services. This study aimed to investigate the most contributing factors that affected individuals' mental health and how individuals' mental health has changed over the lockdown period in Egypt in 2021., Methods: The study draws on a nationally representative sample from the combined COVID-19 MENA Monitor Household Survey conducted by the Economic Research Forum. The data were collected in Egypt by phone over two waves in February 2021 and June 2021. The total number of respondents is 4,007 individuals. The target population is mobile phone owners aged 18-64 years. The 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) is used to assess the individuals' mental health over the past 2 weeks during the pandemic. Penalized models (ridge and LASSO regressions) are used to identify the key drivers of mental health status during the COVID-19 pandemic., Results: The mean value of mental health (MH) scores is 10.06 (95% CI: 9.90-10.23). The average MH score for men was significantly higher than for women by 0.87. Rural residents also had significantly higher MH scores than their urban counterparts (10.25 vs. 9.85). Middle-aged adults, the unemployed, and respondents in low-income households experienced the lowest MH scores (9.83, 9.29, and 9.23, respectively). Individuals' mental health has deteriorated due to the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Regression analysis demonstrated that experiencing food insecurity and a decrease in household income were independent influencing factors for individuals' mental health ( p < 0.001). Furthermore, anxiety about economic status and worrying about contracting the virus had greater negative impacts on mental health scores ( p < 0.001). In addition, women, middle-aged adults, urban residents, and those belonging to low-income households were at increased risk of poor mental health ( p < 0.05)., Conclusion: The findings reveal the importance of providing mental health services to support these vulnerable groups during crises and activating social protection policies to protect their food security, incomes, and livelihoods. A gendered policy response to the pandemic is also required to address the mental pressures incurred by women., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Abdel-Rahman, Awwad, Ismail, Kibria and Abonazel.)

Ticks represent a major source of growing economic and public health concern, especially in the tropics and sub-tropics. Towards evidencing ticks' invasion in the North and North-Western parts of Egypt, the present study aimed to investigate the morpho-molecular aspects of those ectoparasites using stereomicroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and sequencing of the mitochondrial 16S ribosomal DNA gene (rDNA) and nuclear second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2). Our analysis confirmed the presence and well-distribution of Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. infesting dogs and sheep (Alexandria governorate), Rhipicephalus annulatus infesting cattle (Beheira governorate), and Hyalomma dromedarii infesting camels (Marsa Matruh governorate) from North/North-Western Egypt. 16S rDNA and ITS2 sequences of the ticks were amplified using universal and gene-specific sets of primers, sequenced and analyzed. Lengths of amplified 16S rDNA sequences in all examined tick species were found to be similar in size (approximately 460 bp); however, they differed in base pair constitutions, whereas ITS2 lengths were 1,500 bp, 1,550 bp, and 1,800 bp for Rh. annulatus, Rh. sanguineus s.l., and Hy. dromedarii, respectively. Phylogenetically, based on the 16S rDNA results, Rh. sanguineus s.l. ticks clustered with the southeastern Europe lineage from Romania and Greece, Rh. annulatus ticks were similar to Turkish populations, and Hy. dromedarii were close to the isolates from Tunisia. Similarly, based on ITS2 sequences, Rh. sanguineus s.l. from dogs were showing 99% similarity to Nigerian populations; however, those collected from sheep were closer to Iranian populations with 4.1% nucleotide divergence between the two populations of different hosts. Rh. annulatus ticks were identical to a population from Romania, whereas Hy. dromedarii was close by 99.7% similarity to a population from Kenya. This is the first study reporting nucleotide sequences of 16S rDNA and ITS2 in integration with morphological identification of ticks from this part of Egypt., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This paper investigated the appropriate specifications of Engel curves for non-food expenditure categories and estimated the deprivation indices of non-food needs in rural areas using a semi parametric examination of the presence of saturation points. The study used the extended partial linear model (EPLM) and adopted two estimation methods-the double residual estimator and differencing estimator-to obtain flexible shapes across different expenditure categories and estimate equivalence scales. We drew on data of the Egyptian Household Income, Expenditure, and Consumption Survey (HIEC). Our paper provides empirical evidence that the rankings of most non-food expenditure categories is of rank three at most. Rural households showed high economies of scale in non-food consumption, with child's needs accounting for only 10% of adult's non-food needs. Based on semi-parametrically estimated consumption behavior, the tendency of non-food expenditure categories to saturate did not emerge. While based on parametrically estimated consumption behavior, rural areas exhibited higher deprivation indices in terms of health and education expenditure categories, which indicates the need to design specific programs economically targeting such vulnerable households., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae is a common infectious pathogen. We performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 39 randomly selected, geographically diverse MDR K. pneumoniae from nine Egyptian hospitals. Clinical sources, phenotypic antibiotic resistance, and hyper-mucoviscosity were documented. WGS data were epidemiologically interpreted and tested for the presence of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. Based on WGS data, we identified 18 classical multi-locus sequence types (MLST), the most common type being ST101 (23.1%) followed by ST147 (17.9%). Phylogenetic analyses identified small numbers of closely related isolates in a few of the centers, so we mostly documented independent nosocomial acquisition or import from public sources. The most common acquired resistance gene found was bla CTX-M-15 , detected in 27 isolates (69.2%). Carbapenemase genes encountered were bla NDM-1 (n = 13), bla NDM-5 (n = 1), bla OXA-48 (n = 12), bla OXA-181 (n = 2), and bla KPC2 (n = 1). Seven strains (18%) contained more than a single carbapenemase gene. While searching for virulence-associated genes, sixteen wzi alleles were identified with wzi137, wzi64, and wzi50 most commonly found in ST101, ST147, and ST16, respectively. Yersiniabactin was the most common virulence factor (69.2%). Hyper-mucoviscosity was documented for 6 out of 39 isolates.This is the first genomic study of MDR K. pneumoniae from Egypt. The study revealed a clear spread of well-known international clones and their associated antimicrobial resistance and (hyper)virulence traits. The clinical situation in Egypt seems to reflect the scenario documented in many other countries and requires close attention.

In spite of annual mass vaccination programs with polyvalent inactivated vaccines, the incidence and economic impact of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Egypt is high. Viruses of the A, O and SAT 2 serotypes are endemic and repeated incursions of new lineages from other countries lead to an unstable situation that makes the selection of appropriate vaccine antigens very difficult. In this study, whole genome sequencing of a 2016 serotype A isolate from Egypt revealed a recombination event with an African serotype O virus. Based on available vaccine matching data, none of the vaccines currently used in Egypt are expected to sufficiently protect against this virus or other viruses of this lineage (A/AFRICA/G-IV) circulating there since 2012. In addition to the risk of vaccine failure caused by strain mismatch, the production of inactivated FMD vaccines is dangerous if adequate biosafety cannot be maintained. Using a high-throughput sequencing protocol optimized for short nucleic acid fragments, the composition of a local inactivated vaccine was analyzed in depth. The serotype O strain identified in the vaccine was genetically identical to viruses found in recent FMD outbreaks in Egypt.

Background: Early diagnosis of penile size abnormalities is both medically and psychologically important. It is important in the diagnosis of penile problems. Therefore, a current established reference for penile size in newborns and children is vital for diagnosis and early management of micropenis., Objectives: The aim of the present study was to establish reference values for penile length in newborn and prepubertal boys at different ages in Minia Governorate, Egypt., Methods: The study was conducted on 1000 boys with ages ranging from 1 day to 13 years. Stretched penile length (SPL) was measured in mm by using a ruler with markings along the dorsum of the penis. The suprapubic fat tissue was pressed with one end of the ruler through the pubic ramus, and the penis was fully stretched and measured., Results: The mean SPL increased with age from newborn to 5 years, with a rapid growth observed in the first 8 months of life. After 5 years, SPL showed a slower growth rate until the age of 10 years, where it started to increase significantly again., Discussion: Comparison of the SPL in different age groups revealed significant statistical differences between most groups. It showed a noticeable and significant increase, especially from birth to the age of 5 years. Although there was a mild increase in SPL from 5 to 10 years, it showed a significant level in few age groups, indicating that the change is trivial. After that, high growth rate occurred again and statistical differences remained from age 10-13 years., Conclusion: An updated reference for normal SPL in Egyptian boys from birth to 13 years old was provided in this study., (Copyright © 2018 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The leopard moth, Zeuzera pyrina (L.) (Lepidoptera: Cossidae), is a damaging pest for many fruit trees (e.g., apple [Malus spp.], pear [Pyrus spp.] peach [Prunus spp.], and olive [Olea]). Recently, it caused serious yield losses in newly established olive orchards in Egypt, including the death of young trees. Chemical and biological control have shown limited efficiency against this pest. Field tests were conducted in 2005 and 2006 to evaluate mating disruption (MD) for the control of the leopard moth, on heavily infested, densely planted olive plots (336 trees per ha). The binary blend of the pheromone components (E,Z)-2,13-octadecenyl acetate and (E,Z)-3,13-octadecenyl acetate (95:5) was dispensed from polyethylene vials. Efficacy was measured considering reduction of catches in pheromone traps, reduction of active galleries of leopard moth per tree and fruit yield in the pheromone-treated plots (MD) compared with control plots (CO). Male captures in MD plots were reduced by 89.3% in 2005 and 82.9% in 2006, during a trapping period of 14 and 13 wk, respectively. Application of MD over two consecutive years progressively reduced the number of active galleries per tree in the third year where no sex pheromone was applied. In all years, larval galleries outnumbered moth captures. Fruit yield from trees where sex pheromone had been applied in 2005 and 2006 increased significantly in 2006 (98.8 +/- 2.9 kg per tree) and 2007 (23 +/- 1.3 kg per tree) compared with control ones (61.0 +/- 3.9 and 10.0 +/- 0.6 kg per tree, respectively). Mating disruption shows promising for suppressing leopard moth infestation in olives.

Our objective was to determine whether the presence of the human leukocyte antigen HLA-DRB1 locus is associated with production of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP Abs) and to what extent they are associated with increased susceptibility to and severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Egyptian patients. Twenty-nine RA patients gave informed consent to participate in a case-control study that was approved by the Ain Shams University Medical Ethics Committee. RA disease activity and severity were determined using the simplified disease activity index and Larsen scores, respectively. We used a wide scale national study on the pattern of HLA typing in normal Egyptians as a control study. Anti-CCP Abs and HLA-DRB1 typing were determined for all subjects. The alleles most strongly associated with RA were HLA-DRB1 [*01 , *04 and *06] (41.4%). RA patients with serum anti-CCP Ab titers above 60 U/mL had a significantly higher frequency of HLA-DRB1*01 (58.3%) and HLA-DRB1*04 alleles (83.3%). Significant positive correlations were found between serum and synovial anti-CCP Ab titer, RA disease activity, and severity (r = 0.87, 0.66 and 0.63, respectively; P < 0.05). HLA-DRB1 SE+ alleles [*01 and *04] were highly expressed among Egyptian RA patients. The presence of these alleles was associated with higher anti-CCP Ab titer, active and severe RA disease. Early determination of HLA-DRB1 SE+ alleles and serum anti-CCP Ab could facilitate the prediction of the clinical course and prognosis of RA when first evaluated leading to better disease control.

The endometrial necropsies of 165 she donkeys were examined and the endometria were classified into four grades according to histological features (I, IIa, IIb, III). Category I was observed in 86 cases (52.12%) and diagnosed as normal endometria. Category IIa was observed in 18 cases (10.91%) and diagnosed as slight endometritis. Category IIb was observed in 28 cases (16.97%) and diagnosed as moderate endometritis (two to four nests/field), while category III was observed in 33 cases (20%) and diagnosed as severe endometritis (eight nests/field). A bacteriological examination was carried out and oestrogen and progesterone were estimated. Our results indicate that endometritis and the prognosis of fertility in she donkeys were more or less parallel to mares.

The genital tracts of 165 female donkeys were collected and examined with special concern to neoplasms. Ovarian Neoplasms were found in 12 cases (7.72%). A granulosa cell tumor was found in one case (0.61%). A cavernous haemangioma was found in 11 cases (6.67%). Uterine neoplasms were found in 14 cases (8.84%). Endometrial polyps and fibroleiomyoma were found in one case (0.61%) each. Leiomyoma was found in 2 cases (1.21%). Cavernous haemangioma was found in 10 cases (6.06%), and cervical polyps in 5 cases (3.03%).

Egypt has an unusually high proportion of early-onset colorectal cancer under age 40 years. Environmental exposures and low DNA repair capacity are among the risk factors. Because GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene deficiencies may act as risk modifiers for colorectal cancer risk, we investigated the relationship between genetic polymorphism in these genes and colorectal cancer risk in Egyptians. Sixty-six patients and 55 controls were included. Genotyping for GSTM1 and GSTT1 was conducted using PCR techniques and the results were related to epidemiologic and clinical information. No overall association was observed between GSTM1 or GSTT1 null genotypes and colorectal cancer risk. However, the data suggest a possible role for GSTM1 genotype in influencing tumor site. Furthermore, GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes, in conjunction with gender and place of residence, may play a role in modifying disease risk. Further studies on a larger population in Egypt are needed to generalize the results of this study.

The role of the polymorphic glutathione S-transferase genes GSTM1 and GSTT1 in the development and in the clinicopathological outcome of bladder cancer was investigated in 37 Egyptian bladder cancer patients and 34 matched controls. Of the 37 patients studied, 26 had transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) and 11 had squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Fourteen out of twenty-six TCC and four out of eleven SCC patients were infected with schistosoma. We observed an increased relative risk for bladder cancer associated with the GSTM1 null genotype (OR = 2.99; 95% CL = 1.01-9.00; p = 0.02). The relative risk was more pronounced in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (OR = 5.70; 95% CL = 0.91-36.70; p = 0.03) than in transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) (OR = 2.39; 95% CL = 0.73-7.90; p = 0.08). Our results also indicate that the GSTT1 polymorphism is individually associated with increased risk for bladder cancer (OR = 4.93; 95% CL = 1.39-18.42; p = 0.004) with no preferential increase in risk with respect to the type of the carcinoma. Individuals with the null genotype for both GSTM1 and GSTT1 were at a significantly higher risk for developing bladder cancer than individuals with both genes present (OR = 9.92; 95% CL = 1.84-46.90; p = 0.001). These individuals were more susceptible to developing SCC than TCC (OR = 14.16; 95% CL = 1.35-131.35; p = 0.01; and OR = 8.5; 95% CL = 1.38-60.10; p = 0.007, respectively). In conclusion, our results indicate that the null genotypes for GSTM1 and GSTT1, either individually or in combination, are important host risk factors for bladder cancer. In addition, the null GSTM1 genotype may also affect the clinicopathological tumor outcome. Since the deleted genotypes for GSTM1 and GSTT1 are prevalent in the general population, the identification of these individuals may provide a useful public health approach for early detection and prevention of environmental cancers.

Inheritance of certain polymorphic metabolizing genes is associated with the development of a number of environmental cancers and may also influence the clinicopathological tumor outcome. We have investigated the association between the inheritance of the polymorphic cytochrome P-450 2D6 (CYP2D6) gene and the development of transitional and squamous cell carcinomas (TCC and SCC) of the bladder in 37 Egyptian cancer patients and 27 matched controls. Genotypic analysis using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assays revealed that the CYP2D6 extensive metabolizer genotype (CYP2D6*1A) is over represented in bladder cancer patients compared to controls (79 versus 44%, respectively) and is significantly associated with increased risk for bladder cancer (odds ratio (OR) = 4.5, 95% confidence limit (CL) = 1.3-15.7, P = 0.006). Our results also indicate that individuals who have inherited this genotype are more likely to develop TCC (OR = 5.9, 95% CL = 1.4-27.9, P = 0.006) rather than SCC (OR = 3.1, 95% CL = 0.7-15.9; P = 0.09). When the relative risk associated with this genotype was estimated among subjects who were smokers or schistosoma infected, the same tendency towards the development of TCC was observed. These data suggest that the predisposing CYP2D6 gene may not only increase the risk for bladder cancer among Egyptians, but may also influence the clinicopathological tumor outcome.

A deletion polymorphism in glutathione S-transferase theta (GSTT1) gene was recently discovered in humans. Similar to the GSTM1 gene, GSTT1 is also recognized as a risk modifier in exposed populations. To evaluate the role of genetic polymorphism in health effects, the combined genetic polymorphism of different genes should be taken into consideration. In the present study, we have developed a multiplex PCR approach for simultaneous replication of both genes for molecular analysis. The multiplex PCR protocol was validated using donor DNA with different polymorphic combinations for both genes from two different ethnic populations (North Americans and Egyptians). The prevalence of the GSTM1 null genotype was 51% among North Americans and 44% among Egyptians. The prevalence of the GSTT1 null genotype was 15% among North Americans and 14.7% among Egyptians. Combined polymorphism analysis of both genes revealed that 6.3% of North Americans harbor the deleted genotype of both genes compared to 8.8% of the Egyptians. The data indicate that there is no major difference in allelic distribution of both genes between the ethnic populations. The multiplex PCR assay used in this study has the advantage of reducing the time, effort and cost required to carry out such analysis. It will also significantly enhance the ability to use genetic screening techniques as a potential tool for early detection of health outcomes in exposed populations.

Polymorphic changes in the GSTM1, CYP2E1 and the CYP2D6 genes have been reported to be individually associated with increased susceptibility to certain cancers. In the present study, the relationship between genetic polymorphism for these genes and development of urinary bladder cancer among Egyptian patients was investigated. Our results indicate that the frequency of bladder cancer patients with the GSTM1 null genotype is significantly higher than that of the normal controls (86.3 and 47.6%, respectively) with an odds ratio (OR) of 6.97 (95% CL -1.59-30.57, Fisher's exact P = 0.008). In contrast, our investigation failed to demonstrate any difference in the distribution of CYP2E1 polymorphism between bladder cancer patients and controls as detected by PstI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. RFLP analysis of the CYP2D6 gene revealed a non-significant increase in the number of extensive metabolizers (EM) among the patients compared to the controls (68 versus 48%). However, the EM genotypes enhances the risk further for individuals harboring the GSTM1 null genotype as individuals harboring both the EM and the GSTM1 null genotypes have an odds ratio of 14.0 (95% CL = 1.3- 151.4, Fisher's exact P = 0.02) compared to individuals harboring the EM and the GSTM1 +/+ genotypes. In conclusion, our results indicate that genetic polymorphism, especially in GSTM1 and CYP2D6 could play an important role as host risk factors for development of urinary bladder cancer among Egyptians.

Four toxic peptides from local fresh water cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa were purified and identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ion spray mass spectroscopic studies as: RR; YR; LR and LA with molecular weights of 1006.8, 1073, 984.8 and 910.6 respectively. Amino acid analysis indicated the presence of equimolar amounts of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, arginine, leucine and tyrosine, in addition to both alanine and dehydroalanine. Mouse assay toxicity indicated that the first two peptides, at the peak area of RR, YR, were highly toxic with LD50 20, 18.2 micrograms/kg body weight; however, the latter two, at the peak areas LR and LA, have a lesser toxicity with LD50 36 and 40 micrograms/kg body weight respectively. Three linear peptide analogs to those naturally found devoid of Adda were synthesized using the continuous flow technique. HPLC pure synthesized analog products were tested for toxicity using male mice (i.p. injection). None of them induced toxic activity.