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Background and objective. An abnormal vaginal discharge and an increase in intestinal aerobic bacteria indicate a vaginal infection. The aim of this study was to assess the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of bacterial species present in the vaginal microbiota of both non-pregnant and pregnant women. Material and method. A total of 211 vaginal swabs were collected from 120 pregnant and 91 non-pregnant women. The VITEK 2 Compact Automated System validates bacterial isolate diagnosis and antibiotic susceptibility. Results. Out of 120 vaginal samples of pregnant women, 105 samples were identified as Gram-positive (GP) (79) and Gram-negative (GN) (26) while 15 samples were unidentified by VITEK®. The 91 nonpregnant samples comprised identified GP (53), GN (23) and unidentified samples (15). The GP bacteria were highly resistant to Oxacillin (OX1) in both groups, while the GN bacteria were resistant to Ceftazidime (CAZ) and ticarcillin (TIC) in nonpregnant group and TIC in the pregnant groups. The GP bacteria in both groups were sensitive to Tigecycline (TGC). Pregnant and non-pregnant GN bacteria were sensitive to Meropenem (MEM) (61.5%) and Piperacillin/Tazobactam (TZP) (91.3%), respectively. Conclusion. The current study showed that TZP and MEM were both groups' most effective antibiotics against GN isolates. GP bacteria were significantly TGC-sensitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective. Toxoplasma gondii and CMV cause congenital defects in TORCH (Toxoplasmosis, Rubella virus, cytomegalovirus, and Herpes simplex virus) infections. The primary objective of the study was to estimate the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii (TOXO) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections among pregnant women in Al Qurnah, Iraq, and identify the presence of specific Immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies indicating recent infections. Material and method. The study tested 1000 healthy pregnant women using VIDAS® TOXO and CMV IgM kits. Results. The findings revealed a significant seroprevalence, with 37.2% of samples positive for Toxoplasma IgM, 22.8% for CMV IgM, and 9.6% for mixed infections. The highest rate of abortions occurred in the first trimester, with a significant increase in abortion parameters among pregnant women infected with T. gondii and CMV. Our study comprised 372 pregnant women with Toxoplasma infection; 286 (76.9%) were rural and 86 (23.1%) urban. Our analysis identified CMV in 228 pregnant women, 159 rural (69.7%), and 69 urban (30.3%). Conclusion. The study suggests a higher prevalence of Toxoplasma IgM compared to CMV IgM infections in the region, emphasizing the importance of early detection and prevention, especially during the first trimester. The results also highlight the need for routine antenatal screening and educational measures to reduce the impact of these infections on pregnancy outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optic disc pits are a rare but significant anomaly of the optic nerve head that can lead to visual impairment and associated complications. These pits are characterized by a small, oval-shaped depression in the disc, which can cause fluid accumulation and subsequent damage to the adjacent retina. Although the etiology and pathogenesis of optic disc pits are not fully understood, several theories have been proposed, including abnormal embryonic development and degenerative changes. Diagnosis is typically made through a comprehensive eye examination, including a dilated fundus exam and optical coherence tomography. Management options vary depending on the severity of the condition and associated complications, ranging from observation to surgical intervention., 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 Esmaeil, Ali, Almutairi, Alkandari, Behbehani and Alali.)

This is a systematic review of the literature specifically aimed to explore myocardial injury in coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) patients who were hospitalized with severe complicated infections. The medical literature was examined through the large medical databases, including Medline, Ovid, PubMed, and Embase, over the last year between January 2020 and May 2021. The search terms used were a combination of "myocardial injury" AND "COVID-19" AND "Hospitalization". Then we applied a step to filter the results to select original research articles only evaluating the myocardial injuries in severe COVID-19 hospitalized patients. Selected trials mentioned the type of myocardial injury detected with the infection. A total of 245 articles were extracted. Considering the exclusion of ineligible articles, 42 articles appeared. A total of 42 articles were eligible and were included in the review. These studies included a total of 4326 COVID-19 patients. The 30-day mortality was found to be associated with increased cardiac troponin and myocardial infarction could be a systemic reaction rather than the direct action of COVID-19. Patients with myocardial injury were significantly older and with co-morbid conditions. Studies also found a correlation of higher concentrations of cardiac enzymes with disease severity and increased in-hospital mortality. Myocardial injury was a significant predictor for severe COVID-19 infection and in-hospital mortality. Cardiac enzymes should be monitored in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 infections., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest This authors have no conflicts of interest to be declared with respect to this research study., (Copyright © 2016 - 2021 InfezMed.)