Search

Background: TORCH infections during pregnancy significantly impact neonatal and maternal mortality rates worldwide. This study aimed to gather baseline serological data for pregnant women's immunological status to infection and determine if definite TORCH pathogens (cytomegalovirus, rubella virus, and Herpes simplex virus) were associated with Toxoplasma infection, to improve prenatal care and provide appropriate infection control strategies. Methodology: Blood samples were gathered from 210 pregnant women attending Al Zagazig University hospitals from February to May 2023. Samples were examined for specific IgM and IgG antibodies against TORCH pathogens by electrochemiluminescence technique. Results: Regarding TORCH infection, 60 (28.6%) cases were seronegative, while 77 (36.7%), 63 (30.0%), 56 (26.7%), and 15 (7.1%) were positive IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii, cytomegalovirus, rubella virus, and Herpes simplex virus, respectively. There was no estimate for IgM for cytomegalovirus, rubella virus, or Herpes simplex virus, indicating that no primary infection had been detected during the pregnancy. There was a statistically significant association between seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis infections (IgM and IgG) and age group ≤ 25 years, which is the most common childbearing age group. Cytomegalovirus seropositivity was found in those beyond 25 years (P-value 0.001). Antibodies to mono-infections were found in 97/210 (46.2%) subjects. It is substantially higher under-25 years age group, 71/97 (73.2%), P-value of 0.001. 45/210 (21.4%) participants had antibodies to two agents, with no significant difference in the age group over 25 years, 26/45 (57.8%). Antibodies to three agents were assessed in eight instances, all under 25 years. Conclusions: According to our findings, serological evaluation for the TORCH complex in all pregnant women is recommended to determine infection immunity, current immunization regimens, and infection reactivation. Low TORCH antibodies rates amongst pregnant women in Egypt's Sharqia governorate might be an appropriate starting point for prenatal screening initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Introducing new crops to reduce the nutritional gap in Egypt is an important target. One of these crops is Quinoa which is characterized by high nutritional value with multiple food uses. However, it will compete with other winter crops, so it is candidate to grow in marginal lands like calcareous soils. Meanwhile, planting density and N requirements are not known under such conditions; therefore, this work was undertaken in calcareous soil Caco3 > 50%. Methods: The experiments included three nitrogen fertilization treatments (0, 50 and 100 kg/fed.) and two plant densities (20,000 plants/fed. and 36,000 plants/fed.) on Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) cv. Shibaya Field over two consecutive winter seasons of 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 in calcareous soil. Quinoa seed yield, biological yield, straw yield, weight of 1000-seed, harvest index, total nitrogen percentage in seeds, crude protein content in seeds, phosphorus content in seeds and potassium percentage in seeds were determined. The experimental design was a split plot design with three replications. Results: The results showed that applying nitrogen fertilization at a rate of 100 kg/fed. had significantly greater seed yield, biological yield, seed yield, straw yield and weight of 1000-seed. All seed chemical contents except K percentage were significantly affected due to nitrogen fertilization. Increasing plant density from 20,000 to 36,000 plants per feddan significantly increased the biological yield, seed yield, straw yield, weight of 1000-seed and harvest index. The interaction between the two studied factors was significant on all characters of this investigation except, K percentage in seeds. Conclusion: It can be concluded from this study that the quinoa crop responds to the increase in nitrogen fertilization and increases productivity and quality when fertilized with a rate of 100 kg nitrogen per fed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]