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Background: Giardia lamblia and Helicobacter pylori are two flagellate microorganisms that grow in duodenum and stomach. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of them in patients with dyspepsia and other GI disorders. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, co-infection of above-mentioned agents was investigated in a group of 130 patients [median age of 40 yr (range=11-79) including 76 males (58.8%)] with dyspepsia using three methods of duodenal aspiration sample, duodenal biopsy samples and evaluation of stool samples. Results: : From 105 patients (59 males, 46 females, median age 40 years, range 11-79) entering this study from 3 hospitals, 4 patients (3.8%) had G. lamblia and 61 patients (58%) had H. pylori. All 4 patients infected by Giardia had also H. pylori infection. Tenesmus (3 out of 4 patients) was the most common symptom in patients with H. pylori infection (48 out of 61 patients) was reflux. Other symptoms in patients infected with both organisms (4 patients) included diarrhea (2 cases), weight loss (2 cases), and loss of appetite (1 case) but no report of vomiting. Conclusion: In patients co-infected with Giardia, H.pylori differentiation by physical examination is not possible. So in those patients with positive Rapid Urease Test (RUT), stool examination for Giardia detection is recommended. In addition, metronidazole (broad spectrum, anti-protozoal drug) can be useful in H. pylori infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgical treatment of wounded soldiers in the field began in World War II, and the care of the wounded was aided by air, ground, and marine transportation. Even with highly developed facilities, medical care should be started as soon as possible. The Islamic Republic of Iran was under an economic blockade during its war with Iraq. Field hospitals were considered a solution to the problem of transportation shortages. The aim of this study was to assess the surgical interventions of these hospitals. In a descriptive cross-sectional study, data for 7,718 patients admitted to field hospitals (among a total of 173,823 casualties) were analyzed. A checklist was used as the data-collection tool. The data were entered and analyzed by the Statistical Program for the Social Sciences. The type of surgical intervention, duration of the surgery, and frequency of the interventions in each hospital were examined. Laparotomy was the most common and tracheostomy the least common intervention. Shahid Baghaei Field Hospital had the greatest number of admissions. Of all the patients in the Southern Command District who underwent any kind of surgery, 21.53% were operated on in the complex of field hospitals. The surgery time in these hospitals was 156 +/- 69 minutes (mean +/- SD). A great number of the procedures were lifesaving (including laparotomy and chest tube insertion). It seems that these hospitals played a key role in reducing mortality and morbidity during the war.