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Biomedical subjects

A Ghafoor

Publications and source records attributed to A Ghafoor.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Use of nasopharyngeal isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae from children in Pakistan for surveillance for antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae presents a challenge to clinical case management, particularly in programs for acute respiratory tract infection (ARI), including pneumonia, in developing countries. To determine whether nasopharyngeal isolates of S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae from a clinically defined group of children could be used to predict the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance of strains that cause disease, 601 urban children with ARI, 133 healthy urban children and 285 rural children were evaluated in Pakistan. Of the urban children with ARI, 216 (35.9%) were bacteremic, predominantly with S. pneumoniae (108 children) and H. influenzae (100 children). Overall 631 (61.9%) children carried S. pneumoniae and 381 (37.4%) carried H. influenzae. The proportions of nasopharyngeal isolates of both organisms from urban children with ARI resistant to penicillin or ampicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, chloramphenicol and erythromycin were similar to the proportions of resistant blood isolates. Nasopharyngeal isolates from rural children had lower rates of resistance to some antimicrobial agents. These findings suggest that nasopharyngeal isolates of S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae from children with ARI can be used to conduct surveillance for antimicrobial resistance in a defined geographic area. Such surveillance would aid programs in developing countries in making a rational choice of antimicrobial agents for use in clinical management of bacterial diseases, including pneumonia.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

Iron deficiency in adolescents.

Two hundred and seventy school children between 13 to 20 years were investigated for iron deficiency. Overall iron deficiency (assessed by serum ferritin assay) was 39% in adolescents; 30% boys and 54% girls were iron depleted, anemia was found in 17% boys (Hb 13g/dl) and in 18% girls (Hb 12g/dl). Iron deficiency was more frequent than anemia in adolescent girls than boys. Iron deficient children had significantly lower mean Hb levels (p 0.001) compared to children with adequate iron stores. A significant correlation was found between serum ferritin concentration and Hb levels in iron deficient children (r = 0.49, p 0.001). A high prevalence of iron deficiency in adolescents reported here reflects the limited availability of dietary iron in children belonging to lower socio-economic group and the importance of screening for iron deficiency and the treatment of these children with iron preparation. Iron status in this age group warrants further evaluation and research.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Immunoglobulins and serum proteins in toxoplasmosis.

Immunoglobulin levels in 47 children (age 13-20 years) with toxoplasmosis were compared with 46 age and sex matched controls. No significant difference was observed in mean serum immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, IgM) levels between patients and controls but mean IgM levels were significantly (P) higher in children with acute toxoplasma infection. Total proteins were higher in patients while mean albumin and globulin levels were similar between the two groups. Estimation of serum immunoglobulins in young children with toxoplasmosis has no significance and should not be considered as an immunodiagnostic tool.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Antimicrobial resistance of pneumococci in children with acute lower respiratory tract infection in Pakistan.

87 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated during three winter seasons (1986-89) from the blood of children with acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRI) in Pakistan were serotyped and tested for susceptibility to a range of antimicrobial agents. 97% of isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial drug. 62% had decreased susceptibility to co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole) (31% were fully resistant) and 39% were resistant to chloramphenicol. All isolates were susceptible to erythromycin, cefaclor, cephalothin, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, rifampicin, vancomycin, and clindamycin. 29% of isolates were neither vaccine types nor vaccine-related types. Serotype distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility varied significantly during the three winter seasons. No single serotype was found in all three winters. The findings highlight the need for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and serotype distribution of S pneumoniae in developing countries as a guide both to the choice of agent for treatment of pneumococcal infections, especially ALRI, and to the formulation of new pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for use in young children.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1991

Transmission of Salmonella worthington by oropharyngeal suction in hospital neonatal unit.

An outbreak of Salmonella worthington infection in a neonatal unit occurred in a pediatric ward of Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The index case was a prematurely born male child from whose clinical specimens S. worthington was recovered. After this finding 40 infants kept in that nursery were included in an investigation. Major symptoms were diarrhea, septicemia and jaundice. Three developed meningitis. Disease morbidity rate was 45% and mortality occurred in 16.6% of the total positive cases. The source of infection was traced to a contaminated rubber tubing of a suction apparatus which was used for oropharyngeal suction of the babies. S. worthington was recovered from the clinical specimens of all 18 babies who received suction. Multiple drug resistance of these S. worthington strains was found.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1991

Seroepidemiology of toxoplasma gondii infection in young school children in Islamabad.

Sera, from 270 school children (age 13 to 20 years) residing in suburbs of Islamabad, were investigated for the presence of toxoplasma gondii, IgG antibodies using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The overall prevalence was 17.4%. There was no significant difference between the two sexes. Since a positive test result for IgG antibodies at any level does not eliminate the possibility of a current infection, the toxoplasma IgG antibody positive children were further tested for the presence of toxoplasma IgM antibodies by the same technique. An acute infection was indicated in 12.7% (6/47) IgG positive children. This study shows that toxoplasmosis is prevalent in adolescence in Islamabad. The presence of cats and the degree of soil contact appeared compatible with hypothesis of transmission by oocysts. Poor sanitary habits and conditions and water shortage in schools may cause parasitic infection through contact between the children. An improvement in general hygienic conditions is important in reducing the rate of transmission by oocysts. Further studies are needed to assess the possible age of exposure to this parasite in the paediatric group.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Evolutionary study on the Coxsackievirus A 24 variant causing acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis by oligonucleotide mapping analysis of RNA genome.

The evolution of the variant of Coxsackievirus A 24 (CA 24 v) which causes acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis was explored. Using 15 isolates obtained from Southeast Asia during the period 1970-1986, the genetic distance between isolates was estimated from pairwise comparison of nucleotide changes deduced from common spots on oligonucleotide maps of the isolates. From regression analysis of the genetic distance and the time of isolation of the isolates, the evolutionary rate of CA 24 v was estimated to be 3.44 x 10(-4)/nucleotide/month. The phylogenetic relationship of these isolates was explored using the neighbor-joining method and the modified unweighted pair group method using arithmetic averages (UPGMA). The phylogenetic tree constructed indicates that CA 24 v appeared from one focal place in July 1968 +/- 25 months, very close to the time of the first world epidemic of, then newly recognized, acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis.

Asia, Southeastern↗
PubMed1990

Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Haemophilus isolates from children in eleven developing nations. BOSTID Haemophilus Susceptibility Study Group.

The antimicrobial susceptibilities of 426 isolates of Haemophilus species, which were collected as part of a worldwide study of the etiology of acute respiratory disease in children in selected developing countries, were determined. Eleven antibiotics were tested using the recently described Haemophilus Test Medium. There was a low prevalence of antibiotic resistance; 6% of strains were resistant to ampicillin, and 1.6% were resistant to chloramphenicol. Strains resistant to both ampicillin and chloramphenicol were recovered only from Thailand. Susceptibility to penicillin G was also determined; the minimum inhibitory concentrations for penicillin and ampicillin were concordant within one 2-fold dilution in 97% of the isolates. Thus, Haemophilus isolates were as susceptible to penicillin G as they were to ampicillin, and penicillin resistance was infrequent overall. These data provide support for the current protocols for the management of acute respiratory infections in children in developing countries, in which penicillin G is a first-line agent.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1989

Clonal analysis of Hemophilus influenzae isolated from children from Pakistan with lower respiratory tract infections.

The clonal diversity of 105 Hemophilus isolates from the blood of children with lower respiratory tract infection in Pakistan was analyzed. Ten isolates were identified as H. parainfluenzae and 95 as H. influenzae. Of the H. influenzae isolates, 61 (64%) were serotype b and 34 (36%) were nontypable; 95% of the type b isolates were members of a single clonal group (as defined by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, SDS-PAGE outer membrane protein profile, and biotype). This clone is rarely observed among type b strains recovered from patients with invasive type b disease in the USA or Europe. The nontypable isolates in Islamabad also were clonally restricted: 9 clonal groups were found among 34 isolates, with just 5 clonal groups accounting for most (82%) of the strains. Children infected with type b strains were hospitalized more often than those with nontypable H. influenzae disease (64% vs. 41%, P = .06), but no other clinical or demographic features distinguished children infected by type b and nontypable strains.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗
PubMed1989

Outbreak of gastroenteritis in different areas of Pakistan.

Outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred during July to August, 1988 in districts of Mansehra, Swat and Muzaffarabad. Thirty cases, clinically diagnosed as cholera, were investigated. On examination, 22 (73.3%) cases were bacteriologically confirmed as cholera due to V. cholerae Eltor, ogawa. All strains were sensitive to chloramphenicol.

Cholera↗
PubMed1989

Comparative evaluation of the WHO and DAKOPATTS enzyme-linked immunoassay kits for rotavirus detection.

Faeces obtained from 1,163 children (including 66 newborn babies) were analysed in parallel for the presence of rotavirus particles using two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The kits had been formulated by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Rotavirus (WHO-ELISA kit) and by DAKOPATTS (DAKO-ELISA kit) to be suitable for use in laboratories in developing countries. The kits were evaluated in laboratories in Burma, Chile, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. Comparison of the results obtained with the two kits indicated that the DAKO-ELISA had an overall sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 97% relative to the WHO-ELISA. In individual laboratories the DAKO-ELISA (K349) kit had a sensitivity in the range 90-100%, and a specificity of 85-100%. The kit showed a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 98% in assays on faeces obtained from newborn babies. We conclude that the DAKO-ELISA is as sensitive and specific as the WHO-ELISA for the detection of rotavirus antigen in faeces.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay↗
PubMed1989

The response of murine intestinal crypts to short-range promethium-147 beta irradiation: deductions concerning clonogenic cell numbers and positions.

An exteriorized loop of mouse intestine was exposed to 147Pm low-energy electrons, where the dose rate decreased by a factor of 5 from the base of the crypt to the top of the proliferative zone. A crypt survival curve was obtained, expressed in terms of exposure time. The shape of the curve was interpreted in terms of survival parameters for colony-forming cells (clonogens) derived using 137Cs gamma rays and the depth-dose curve measured for 147Pm electrons. It is concluded that the shape of the crypt survival curve using 147Pm electrons is inconsistent with the notion of either the presence of a large number of clonogens or a small number near the top of the proliferative zone. A computer fitting procedure showed that the best agreement between predicted and observed curves was achieved with 2.7 +/- 0.5 clonogens at cell position 5.6 +/- 0.6, in the putative stem-cell zone.

Animals↗