Vol 41 # 3 September 2009 - Kma.org.kw

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Selected Abstracts of Articles Published Elsewhere by Authors in Kuwait September 2009
of index TB patients was 49.9% (179/359). After taking into account the individual-level risk factors,
household-level contextual determinants significantly associated with contact’s TST positivity were
gender of index TB patient (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-3.9%) and
density of AFB sputum smear (adjusted OR = 3.2; 95% CI: 1.9-5.5%). Household variances in multilevel
models indicated significant inter-household heterogeneity in TST positivity among contacts. This study
provided the evidence for substantive effects of household-level contextual variables on the TST positivity
among contacts of index TB patients. Thus, both individual-level and household-level characteristics
need to be taken into account while prioritizing contacts for investigations to improve TB control and
prevention in resource-constrained countries such as Pakistan.
Severity of Liver Disease Predicts the Development of Glucose
Abnormalities in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B or C following
Achievement of Sustained Virological Response to Antiviral Therapy
Chehadeh W, Al-Nakib W
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait
E-mail: wchehadeh@hsc.edu.kw
J Med Virol 2009; 81:610-618
A higher prevalence of glucose abnormalities has been reported in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)
infection compared to patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, previous studies considered
some confounding factors and ignored others, which might influence the comparative risk assessment between
HBV and HCV infections. Fasting plasma glucose concentration, severity of liver disease and viral load were
determined in 220 patients with HCV genotype 4 infection, and 200 patients with HBV infection. Patients
completing antiviral therapy were followed-up, and the fasting plasma glucose levels were determined in
patients with and without sustained virological response. The prevalence of glucose abnormalities in HCV
infection (41%) was significantly higher than that in HBV infection (16%). However, when controlling the
severity of liver disease and other risk factors, the prevalence of glucose abnormalities in patients with HCV
infection was comparable to that in patients with HBV infection. After attaining of sustained virological
response, a decrease of the median fasting plasma glucose value was observed only in chronic hepatitis C. In
the group of patients with normal fasting plasma glucose levels, an association of nonsustained virological
response with the development of impaired fasting glucose was only observed in chronic hepatitis C. The
severity of liver disease was a common predictor of impaired fasting glucose in hepatitis B and C infections.
These results indicate that high prevalence of glucose abnormalities can be associated with HBV- and HCVrelated
liver disease, and that clearance of HCV, but not HBV, may improve glucose metabolism.
The Prevalence of Antimicrobial Resistance and Carriage of Virulence
Genes in Staphylococcus Aureus Isolated from Food Handlers in Kuwait
City Restaurants
BMC Res Notes 2009; 2:108
Udo EE, Al-Mufti S, Albert MJ
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait
E-mail: edet@hsc.edu.kw
Background: Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of food poisoning due to their ability to produce
enterotoxins which if ingested in sufficient amounts results in sickness. Food handlers carrying enterotoxin-