Background: Infections by intestinal pathogens especially protozoans and helminths are considered to pose a real health problem, particularly in the tropics. They cause considerable morbidity and mortality rates in developing countries. The high prevalence of these infections is closely correlated with poverty, poor environmental hygiene, and impoverished health services. This study aimed to detect prevalence and frequency of parasitic infections among food handlers in Khartoum Sudan. Methods: Three hundred and fifty Food-handlers, attending public health laboratories in Khartoum, Sudan, for an annual medical check-up, were screened for intestinal parasites by four laboratory techniques viz. direct faecal examination, formal-ether concentration, Baermann technique and agar culture method. Results: The infection rate was 23.7% by Formol-Ether Concentration technique, followed by direct saline stool preparation (7.1%). Out of 83 positive samples the infection rate among different nationalities was as follows: Sudanese 68 (81.9%), Ethiopians 13 (15.7%), Syrians 2 (2.4%) and Egyptians 0 (0%). Intestinal parasites were more prevalent among males (73; 25.1%) than female food handlers (10; 16.9%). Three protozoans, nematodes, two tap worms and one trematode worm were detected among infected population: their frequency were as follows: Entamoeba histolytica (7.4%), Entamoeba coli (6.86%), Giardia lamblia (6%), Schistosoma mansoni (1.40%), Necator americanus (1.43%), Hymenolepis nana (0.68%), Strongyloides stercoralis (0.68%), Taenia saginata (0.57%), Ascaris lumbricoides (0.57%) and Trichostrongylus species (0.29%). Conclusion: The overall prevalence of protozoan infections among food handler in Khartoum state, Sudan was 20.26% while the helminthic infections was 5.97%. Formol-ether concentration technique is better for detection of intestinal parasites than the direct faecal smear technique. Likewise, Barmann’s technique confirms detection of nematodes worms especially hookworms.

Background: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a major cause of congenital infections. It is more widespread in developing countries and communities with low socioeconomic status. The infection can cause pregnancy loss or spontaneous abortion. Tests are available for the detection of HCMV IgG and IgM antibodies. Many pregnant women in Blue Nile State, Sudan, have suffered from recurrent pregnancy loss, and currently there is no available data concerning the prevalence of HCMV in Blue Nile state. This study aimed to determine HCMV antibodies (IgG and IgM) among pregnant women, who had undergone abortion(s), attending El-Damazin Hospital for Obstetrics and Gynecology. Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional hospital-based study. 270 pregnant women, who had undergone abortion(s) and who attended El-Damazin Hospital for Obstetrics and Gynecology, were included in the study from September to December 2018. Personal and clinical data were collected directly from each participant into a predesigned questionnaire. Serum samples were separated and stored at -20˚C until used. Samples were analyzed for HCMV IgG and IgM using enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Participants were categorized into three age groups: 15-25 years (33.7%; 91/270); 26-40 years (62.2%; 168/270); and >41 years (4.1%; 11/270). The majority of the participants had IgG antibodies to HCMV (74.8%; 202/270), while only 13.3% (36/270) had IgM antibodies to HCMV. Most abortion cases were documented in the first trimester (85.6%; 231/270) and this had a significant relationship with IgG level (P=0.003). Low socioeconomic status was recorded in 84.8% (229/270) of participants and showed significant correlation with IgG level (P=0.025), whereas illiteracy was reported in 41.9% (113/270) of participants and did not have a significant relationship. Conclusions: Seroprevalence of HCMV in this study population was 74.8% for IgG antibodies. There was an association between HCMV IgG level and first trimester abortion and low socioeconomic status among the studied women.

Background: Hookworms infect the intestines, cause an itchy rash, respiratory and gastrointestinal problems, and eventually iron deficiency (anaemia) due to the ongoing loss of blood. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence and molecular characterization of hookworms isolated from food handlers attending the Public Health Laboratories in Khartoum state, Sudan, for annual check-ups, and to assess the efficiency of PCR as molecular probe for hookworm infection. Methods: A total of 350 foods handlers’ participant's stool samples who were not suspected to be infected with hookworms were studied. Conventional methods were applied to make an early diagnosis. Stool samples were collected from public health laboratories (the public health lab in the Medical Commission) of Khartoum State; Omdurman locality, Khartoum North locality and Khartoum locality between October 2016 and April 2017. Specific identification was made by PCR on specimens identified as positive by Baermann’s technique, which were then sequence and genotyped Results: The prevalence of hookworms in the stool samples of food-handlers was 1.43%. One larval specimen recovered by Baermann’s technique was confirmed to be Necator americanus by PCR. PCR also confirmed that Necator americanus was the common species isolated from four further specimens. The results of DNA sequencing for Necator americanus were deposited in NCBI GenBank under the following accession numbers: sample 91, MH035824; sample 92, MH035825; sample 294, MH035826; and sample 319 MH035827. Conclusion: PCR was found to be effective for confirmation of the diagnosis of hookworm infection and can aid the clinician in initiating prompt and appropriate antiparasite therapy.

The coronavirus has become the most interesting virus for scientists because of the recently emerging deadly SARS-CoV-2. This study aimed to understand the behavior of SARS-CoV-2 through the comparative genomic analysis with the closest one among the seven species of coronavirus that infect humans. The genomes of coronavirus species that infect humans were retrieved from NCBI, and then subjected to comparative genomic analysis using different bioinformatics tools. The study revealed that SARS-CoV-2 is the most similar to SARS-CoV among the coronavirus species. The core genes were shared by the two genomes, but there were some genes, found in one of them but not in both, such as ORF8, which is found in SARS-CoV-2. The ORF8 protein of SARS-CoV-2 could be considered as a good therapeutic target for stopping viral transmission, as it was predicted to be a transmembrane protein, which is responsible for interspecies transmission. This is supported by the molecular interaction of ORF8 with both the ORF7 protein, which contains a transmembrane domain that is essential to retaining the protein in the Golgi compartment, and the S protein, which facilitates the entry of the coronavirus into host cells. ORF1ab, ORF1a, ORF8, and S proteins of SARS-CoV-2 could be immunogenic and capable of evoking an immune response, which means that these four proteins could be considered a potential vaccine source. Overall, SARS-CoV-2 is most related to SARS-CoV. ORF8 could be considered a potential therapeutic target for stopping viral transmission, and ORF1ab, ORF1a, ORF8, and the S proteins of SARS-CoV-2 could be utilized as a potential vaccine source.