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Background: Otitis media is one of the well known diseases that infect children and adult. The severity of infection caused by the members of the genus Proteus depends mainly on the availability of virulence and pathogenicity factors. Objectives: to detect and evaluate the presence of virulence factors in local isolates of Proteus species causing otitis media. Patients and methods: Two hundred and seventy ear swabs were collected from patients with otitis media attended Baquba General Hospital for the period from. Swab were cultured on blood, MacConkey and chocolate agar plates and incubated at 370C for 24 hrs. Chocolate agar plates were incubated under 10% CO2 (Candle jar). Suspected colonies of proteus species were isolated and subcultured on MacConkey agar. The identification of bacterial isolate was performed according to the standard biological and biochemical methods. Virulence factors including; urease, β-Lactamase and extended spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBLs), Human and ovine blood agglutination and adhesion to epithelial cells, hemolysin, esterase and proteolytic enzymes were detected following standard biochemical methods. Biofilm formation was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. Results: Out of 270 ear swabs, 240 (88.9%) were positive for bacterial growth and of these 35 (12.9%) were identified as of Proteus species. Following the standard biochemical and enzymes tests, 7 (2.6%) was found to be Proteus vulgaris and 28 (10.4%) were Protues mirabilis. Conclusion: P.mirabilis appeared as one of the causative agent of otitis media in patients from Diyala province, and most isolates have multiple virulence factors that may increase their infectivity and worsen the clinical picture of the disease.

Background: In countries where the rate of susceptible women to rubella infection is higher than 10%, preconceptional or prenatal screening is important to reduce the burden of the disease. Objectives: determination of anti-rubella IgG seropositivity and susceptibility rates among pregnant and childbearing women in Baquba-Diyala province. Subjects and methods: A total of 184 women were enrolled in the present study which was conducted in Baquba-Diyala province during the period from April/2007 to September/2008. Ninety eight pregnant women were chosen from those attending the primary health care centers in Baquba. They include 46(46.9%) who had previous abortions with a mean age 27.2 ± 5.3 years, and 52(53.1%) without previous abortion with mean age 23.7± 5.1 years. Additionally, 86 non-pregnant childbearing women were enrolled as a control group. Of those, 39(45.3%) had previous abortion with mean age 33.5 ± 7.8 years, and 47 (54.6%) without previous abortion, the mean age 30.7±7.8 years. Certain demographic factors were collected by personal interview. Anti-rubella IgG specific antibody were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 13 computer assisted program. P value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The results revealed that the IgG seropositivity among pregnant women without previous abortion, and those with previous abortion was 96.1% and 76% respectively, with a statistically significant difference (p=0.04). The seropositivity among non-pregnant women without previous abortion, and those with previous abortion was 85.1% and 100% respectively, with a statistically insignificant difference (p= 0.11). The overall susceptibility rate for rubella infection was 10.7%. There was insignificant effect of age, educational levels, residency, presence of pregnancy, and history of previous abortion on the seropositivity rate of IgG specific anti- rubella antibody. Conclusion: evaluation of the susceptibility of women in the reproductive age to rubella infection is essential to set a strategy for prevention of congenital rubella syndrome.

Background: Enteroccci are part of the normal intestinal flora of human and animal, but with increasing antimicrobial resistance, enterococci are recognized as serious nosocomial as well as community pathogens. Objectives: To investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of 44 isolates of enterococci recovered from different pathological specimens from in-and out-patients from Diyala province. Materials and methods: The present study was conducted in Baquba GeneralHospital and Al-BatoolHospital for Maternity and children during the period from 1st. September/2005 to 30th. September /2006. A total of 343 specimens were collected from 213 inpatients and 130 outpatients. 200 (58.3%) were females and 143 (41.7%) were males. The mean age of patients was (32.8 ± 17.2) years. Specimens include, urine, stool, vaginal swabs, throat swabs, burn swabs, blood for culture, middle ear swabs, wound swabs, sputum and cerebrospinal fluid. Specimens were streaked on blood agar, and other differential and selective media. 44 isolates of enterococci (30 E. faecalis, 10 E. faecium, 3 E. gallinarium, and 1 E. avium) were recovered and identified according to standard bacteriological and biochemical criteria. The susceptibility patterns toward 13 antimicrobial agents were done by disc diffusion method. Data were statistically analysed. Results: The results revealed that the highest susceptibility of enterococcal isolates was toward the Nalidixic acid (79.5%), Ciprofloxacin (61.4%), Amoxacillin+clavilanic acid (61.4%), Rifampicillin (36.4%),Trimethoprim (22.7%), Vancomycin (11.4%). However, all isolates were resistant to Cloxacillin, Cefotaxim, Amoxicillin, Tetracycline, and Erythromycin. The susceptibility of non- β -lactamase producing isolates to penicillin were significantly higher than β - lactamase producing isolates (p

Back ground: Several previous reports on the association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and certain human leukocyte antigens (HLA) have yielded controversial results. Objectives: This study was conducted to explore the association of HCV infection and certain HLA in patients from Al-Ramadi Province. Subjects and methods: Thirty two patients with chronic HCV infection as well as 64 apparently healthy individuals and 30 patients with clinically evident acute viral hepatitis, but HCV negative were enrolled in the present study which was conducted in Al-Ramadi city for the period from August/2004 to May/2006. HCV infection was diagnosed by detecting the anti-HCV antibody by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and confirmed by Immunoblot assay. Determination of HLAs was done by Microlymphocytotoxicity technique. Results: The results revealed that the presence of HLA-DR5 (Odd ratio 2.7, P 0.022) and HLA-DQ2 (Odd ratio 3.1, P= 0.008), and the absence of HLA-DR7 (Inverse Odd ratio 3.2, P = 0.04) and HLA-DQ1 (Inverse Odd ratio 2.8, P= 0.012) were associated with significantly increased risk for HCV infection as compared to healthy controls. On the other hand, the presence of HLA-DR5 (Odd ratio 6.5, P= 0.005) and HLA-DQ2 (Odd ratio 5.1, P= 0.002), and the absence of HLA-DR7 (Inverse Odd ratio 4.8, P= 0.018) were significantly associated with increased risk for HCV infection. Conclusion: Genetic predisposition may play a role in hepatitis C virus infection in patients from Al-Ramadi city.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been associated with several extrahepatic conditions. Although a high prevalence of HCV infection was detected in patients with lichen planus, the pathogenetic potentials of HCV with skin diseases is still controversial. Aim: To determine the anti-HCV antibody seropositivity among patients with certain non-communicable skin diseases; lichen planus, psoriasis, alopecia areata, vitiligo, eczema, and urticaria. Patients and methods: Two hundred patients suffering from non-communicable skin disease were enrolled in this study which was conducted in Baquba for the period from 1st. November/2010 to 1st. July/2011. The patients were attending the Dermatology and Venereology Unit in the outpatient clinic of Baquba General Teaching Hospital. The patients group into 18 patients with lichen planus, 23 with psoriasis, 7 with vitiligo, 95 with eczema, 36 with chronic urticaria, and 21 with alopecia areata. The age range of the patients was (5-70) years. Additionally, 90 apparently healthy unpaid blood donors were included as control group. Anti-HCV antibody was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay. Rsults: Only two patients were positive for anti-HCV antibody; one with lichen planus and another with eczema. All other patients with psoriasis, alopecia areata, vitiligo, and urticaria were negative for anti-HCV antibody. There was no significant association between HCV infection and skin diseases under study. Conclusion: No association between HCV infection and lichen planus, psoriasis, alopecia areata, vitiligo, eczema, and urticaria, probably due to low prevalence of HCV infection among general Iraqi people.

Background: In countries where the rate of susceptible women to rubella infection is higher than 10%, preconceptional or prenatal screening is important to reduce the burden of the disease. Objectives: determination of anti-rubella IgG seropositivity and susceptibility rates among pregnant and childbearing women in Baquba-Diyala province. Subjects and methods: A total of 184 women were enrolled in the present study which was conducted in Baquba-Diyala province during the period from April/2007 to September/2008. Ninety eight pregnant women were chosen from those attending the primary health care centers in Baquba. They include 46(46.9%) who had previous abortions with a mean age 27.2 ± 5.3 years, and 52(53.1%) without previous abortion with mean age 23.7± 5.1 years. Additionally, 86 non-pregnant childbearing women were enrolled as a control group. Of those, 39(45.3%) had previous abortion with mean age 33.5 ± 7.8 years, and 47 (54.6%) without previous abortion, the mean age 30.7±7.8 years. Certain demographic factors were collected by personal interview. Anti-rubella IgG specific antibody were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 13 computer assisted program. P value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The results revealed that the IgG seropositivity among pregnant women without previous abortion, and those with previous abortion was 96.1% and 76% respectively, with a statistically significant difference (p=0.04). The seropositivity among non-pregnant women without previous abortion, and those with previous abortion was 85.1% and 100% respectively, with a statistically insignificant difference (p= 0.11). The overall susceptibility rate for rubella infection was 10.7%. There was insignificant effect of age, educational levels, residency, presence of pregnancy, and history of previous abortion on the seropositivity rate of IgG specific anti- rubella antibody. Conclusion: evaluation of the susceptibility of women in the reproductive age to rubella infection is essential to set a strategy for prevention of congenital rubella syndrome.

Background: Otitis media is one of the well known diseases that infect children and adult. The severity of infection caused by the members of the genus Proteus depends mainly on the availability of virulence and pathogenicity factors. Objectives: to detect and evaluate the presence of virulence factors in local isolates of Proteus species causing otitis media. Patients and methods: Two hundred and seventy ear swabs were collected from patients with otitis media attended Baquba General Hospital for the period from. Swab were cultured on blood, MacConkey and chocolate agar plates and incubated at 370C for 24 hrs. Chocolate agar plates were incubated under 10% CO2 (Candle jar). Suspected colonies of proteus species were isolated and subcultured on MacConkey agar. The identification of bacterial isolate was performed according to the standard biological and biochemical methods. Virulence factors including; urease, β-Lactamase and extended spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBLs), Human and ovine blood agglutination and adhesion to epithelial cells, hemolysin, esterase and proteolytic enzymes were detected following standard biochemical methods. Biofilm formation was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. Results: Out of 270 ear swabs, 240 (88.9%) were positive for bacterial growth and of these 35 (12.9%) were identified as of Proteus species. Following the standard biochemical and enzymes tests, 7 (2.6%) was found to be Proteus vulgaris and 28 (10.4%) were Protues mirabilis. Conclusion: P.mirabilis appeared as one of the causative agent of otitis media in patients from Diyala province, and most isolates have multiple virulence factors that may increase their infectivity and worsen the clinical picture of the disease.

Background: Enteroccci are part of the normal intestinal flora of human and animal, but with increasing antimicrobial resistance, enterococci are recognized as serious nosocomial as well as community pathogens. Objectives: To investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of 44 isolates of enterococci recovered from different pathological specimens from in-and out-patients from Diyala province. Materials and methods: The present study was conducted in Baquba GeneralHospital and Al-BatoolHospital for Maternity and children during the period from 1st. September/2005 to 30th. September /2006. A total of 343 specimens were collected from 213 inpatients and 130 outpatients. 200 (58.3%) were females and 143 (41.7%) were males. The mean age of patients was (32.8 ± 17.2) years. Specimens include, urine, stool, vaginal swabs, throat swabs, burn swabs, blood for culture, middle ear swabs, wound swabs, sputum and cerebrospinal fluid. Specimens were streaked on blood agar, and other differential and selective media. 44 isolates of enterococci (30 E. faecalis, 10 E. faecium, 3 E. gallinarium, and 1 E. avium) were recovered and identified according to standard bacteriological and biochemical criteria. The susceptibility patterns toward 13 antimicrobial agents were done by disc diffusion method. Data were statistically analysed. Results: The results revealed that the highest susceptibility of enterococcal isolates was toward the Nalidixic acid (79.5%), Ciprofloxacin (61.4%), Amoxacillin+clavilanic acid (61.4%), Rifampicillin (36.4%),Trimethoprim (22.7%), Vancomycin (11.4%). However, all isolates were resistant to Cloxacillin, Cefotaxim, Amoxicillin, Tetracycline, and Erythromycin. The susceptibility of non- β -lactamase producing isolates to penicillin were significantly higher than β - lactamase producing isolates (p

Back ground: Several previous reports on the association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and certain human leukocyte antigens (HLA) have yielded controversial results. Objectives: This study was conducted to explore the association of HCV infection and certain HLA in patients from Al-Ramadi Province. Subjects and methods: Thirty two patients with chronic HCV infection as well as 64 apparently healthy individuals and 30 patients with clinically evident acute viral hepatitis, but HCV negative were enrolled in the present study which was conducted in Al-Ramadi city for the period from August/2004 to May/2006. HCV infection was diagnosed by detecting the anti-HCV antibody by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and confirmed by Immunoblot assay. Determination of HLAs was done by Microlymphocytotoxicity technique. Results: The results revealed that the presence of HLA-DR5 (Odd ratio 2.7, P 0.022) and HLA-DQ2 (Odd ratio 3.1, P= 0.008), and the absence of HLA-DR7 (Inverse Odd ratio 3.2, P = 0.04) and HLA-DQ1 (Inverse Odd ratio 2.8, P= 0.012) were associated with significantly increased risk for HCV infection as compared to healthy controls. On the other hand, the presence of HLA-DR5 (Odd ratio 6.5, P= 0.005) and HLA-DQ2 (Odd ratio 5.1, P= 0.002), and the absence of HLA-DR7 (Inverse Odd ratio 4.8, P= 0.018) were significantly associated with increased risk for HCV infection. Conclusion: Genetic predisposition may play a role in hepatitis C virus infection in patients from Al-Ramadi city.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been associated with several extrahepatic conditions. Although a high prevalence of HCV infection was detected in patients with lichen planus, the pathogenetic potentials of HCV with skin diseases is still controversial. Aim: To determine the anti-HCV antibody seropositivity among patients with certain non-communicable skin diseases; lichen planus, psoriasis, alopecia areata, vitiligo, eczema, and urticaria. Patients and methods: Two hundred patients suffering from non-communicable skin disease were enrolled in this study which was conducted in Baquba for the period from 1st. November/2010 to 1st. July/2011. The patients were attending the Dermatology and Venereology Unit in the outpatient clinic of Baquba General Teaching Hospital. The patients group into 18 patients with lichen planus, 23 with psoriasis, 7 with vitiligo, 95 with eczema, 36 with chronic urticaria, and 21 with alopecia areata. The age range of the patients was (5-70) years. Additionally, 90 apparently healthy unpaid blood donors were included as control group. Anti-HCV antibody was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay. Rsults: Only two patients were positive for anti-HCV antibody; one with lichen planus and another with eczema. All other patients with psoriasis, alopecia areata, vitiligo, and urticaria were negative for anti-HCV antibody. There was no significant association between HCV infection and skin diseases under study. Conclusion: No association between HCV infection and lichen planus, psoriasis, alopecia areata, vitiligo, eczema, and urticaria, probably due to low prevalence of HCV infection among general Iraqi people.

Background: Surface contamination of public user interface systems such as computer keyboards and mouse devices may play a role in community-acquired outbreaks by acting as an environmental vehicle in transmission of potential hazardous microorganisms. There is no economical way to test all keyboards and mice out there, but there is a common-sense way to prevent bacterial contamination or eliminate it if it exists. Objectives: To explore the bacterial contamination rates in multi-user and single-user computer accessories (keyboards and mouse devices) in certain colleges of the Diyala University. Materials and methods: This study was conducted in Bacteriology laboratory- Colleges of Veterinary Medicine- Diyala University for the period from October 2012 to April 2013. A total of 155 swabs were collected aseptically from 60 computers in 4 colleges, namely, College of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Science, and Education- Pure Science. Swabs were streaked on blood and MacConkey's agar plates then incubated for 24 hours at 37 ̊ C. Final identification of bacterial species was based on standard bacteriological and biochemical criteria. Results: The results showed that the overall contamination rate in the four colleges was (54.8%). The highest isolation rate of bacterial contaminant was Staphylococcus epidermidis (30.6%), followed by Escherichia coli (29.4%). Fungi constitute (17.6 %) of isolates. The College of Veterinary Medicine rank at the top with significant highest contamination rate (52.7%), followed by the College of Medicine with a contamination rate (21.2). Computers of the internet centers harbor the significant highest contamination rate compared to administrative units (71.8% and 28.2%) respectively. The contamination rate was higher in mouse devices compared to keyboards (57.6% vs 42.3%). Conclusion: The study concluded that continuous education of students and employees about the risk of bacterial contamination arise from using the computers, beside the periodic disinfection of computer accessories may aid the fight against transmission and spreading of infectious pathogens.

Background: Surface contamination of public user interface systems such as computer keyboards and mouse devices may play a role in community-acquired outbreaks by acting as an environmental vehicle in transmission of potential hazardous microorganisms. There is no economical way to test all keyboards and mice out there, but there is a common-sense way to prevent bacterial contamination or eliminate it if it exists. Objectives: To explore the bacterial contamination rates in multi-user and single-user computer accessories (keyboards and mouse devices) in certain colleges of the Diyala University. Materials and methods: This study was conducted in Bacteriology laboratory- Colleges of Veterinary Medicine- Diyala University for the period from October 2012 to April 2013. A total of 155 swabs were collected aseptically from 60 computers in 4 colleges, namely, College of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Science, and Education- Pure Science. Swabs were streaked on blood and MacConkey's agar plates then incubated for 24 hours at 37 ̊ C. Final identification of bacterial species was based on standard bacteriological and biochemical criteria. Results: The results showed that the overall contamination rate in the four colleges was (54.8%). The highest isolation rate of bacterial contaminant was Staphylococcus epidermidis (30.6%), followed by Escherichia coli (29.4%). Fungi constitute (17.6 %) of isolates. The College of Veterinary Medicine rank at the top with significant highest contamination rate (52.7%), followed by the College of Medicine with a contamination rate (21.2). Computers of the internet centers harbor the significant highest contamination rate compared to administrative units (71.8% and 28.2%) respectively. The contamination rate was higher in mouse devices compared to keyboards (57.6% vs 42.3%). Conclusion: The study concluded that continuous education of students and employees about the risk of bacterial contamination arise from using the computers, beside the periodic disinfection of computer accessories may aid the fight against transmission and spreading of infectious pathogens.