Nangarhar University International Journal of Biosciences

Prevalence and Endoscopic Findings in Adult Patients with Dyspepsia: A Descriptive Prospective Cross-Sectional Study in Jalalabad, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan

2026-01-31T10:42:25+0430

The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and range of endoscopic findings in adult patients with dyspepsia. This descriptive prospective cross-sectional study assessed 250 adult patients who underwent endoscopic evaluation between January and September 2025. Socio-demographic analysis showed that females constituted 56% of patients, and the most affected age group was 40–49 years (36%), followed by 31–39 years (28%). Most patients were married (72%) and illiterate (64%), with a nearly equal distribution between rural (52%) and urban (48%) residents. Quantitative endoscopic findings revealed that 95 patients (38%) had gastritis, 45 (18%) had gastric ulcers, 30 (12%) had duodenal ulcers, 35 (14%) had esophagitis, and 45 (18%) had normal endoscopic results. The endoscopic evaluation identified a wide spectrum of abnormalities across the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. Esophageal abnormalities included reflux esophagitis, drug-induced esophagitis, esophageal candidiasis, CMV esophagitis, esophageal varices, diverticula, hiatus hernia, and esophageal new growths. Gastric endoscopic findings comprised erosive gastritis, gastric ulcers, gastric polyps, fundal and pyloric new growths, ectopic pancreas, gastric varices, and features consistent with linitis plastica. Intestinal involvement was characterized by erosive duodenitis, multiple duodenal ulcers, and duodenal candidiasis. The findings suggest that dyspepsia primarily affects middle-aged, married, and illiterate individuals, highlighting the crucial role of endoscopy in identifying a range of underlying causes. This study was conducted at a single center, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.

Isolation and Identification of Bovine Pasteurella Multocida Type A and Its Drug Sensitivity Analysis

2026-01-31T10:54:54+0430

Pasteurella multocida is a bacteria frequently associated with pneumonia in bovine respiratory disease. P. multocida was initially discovered in 1878 AC in cholera-infected poultry as causitive agetnt for serious infectious diseases such as avian cholera, bovine hemorrhagic septicemia, and porcine atrophic rhinitis. This study aimed to isolate and identify Pasteurella multocida type A, and conducted a drug sensitivity analysis. To identify P. multocida type A. 30 samples were collected and sent to a lab from farms and free-range farmers in Changchun, Yushu, Siping, Nong'an, Yanji, Baicheng, Dunhua, Baishan, and other areas of Jilin Province during 2020 and 2022. The study was designed to perform bacterial isolation and identification, preservation, and drug susceptibility testing. The PCR amplification procedure used 16S rDNA primers. The desired 1450 bp target bands were attained. The target bands were isolated, attached to the pMD18-T vector, and transformed into DH5-competent cells. Positive cells were then selected by screening. The clones were sequenced, and the resulting sequences were compared with those in GenBank using the BLAST algorithm. In the result, a total of Twelve P. multocida strains were discovered. The MIC responses of the examined strains to the 12 antibacterial medications showed notable variations. The maximum MIC values for gentamycin and kanamycin were 64 μg/mL and 32 μg/mL, respectively, for the tested strains of tilmicosin were ≤32 μg/mL. The MIC values for florfenicol and doxycycline appeared greater than 512 μg/mL. The MIC for ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin is up to 16 μg/mL. There are significant disparities in the levels of antibiotic resistance among the tested strains. The drug resistance rates of the tested strains to several antibacterial medications were tallied, and tilmicosin had the highest drug resistance rate (68%), followed by terramycin (63%). The other strains displayed varied degrees of drug resistance, with resistance rates below 50%. However, sulfadiazine didn’t shown any resistance.

Patterns and Outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury among Under-Five Children attending at Nangarhar University Teaching Hospital

2026-02-02T10:27:53+0430

Background: Acute kidney injury defined as a rise in serum creatinine of ≥0.3 mg/dL within 48 hours, is a common but frequently overlooked complication among hospitalized children, especially in resource-limited countries. Acute Kidney Injury is associated with increased pediatric morbidity and mortality, yet data from Afghanistan are limited. This study aimed to determine patterns and outcome of Acute Kidney Injury and its associated risk factors among under-five children admitted to Nangarhar University Teaching Hospital.

Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Nangarhar University Teaching Hospital using a census sampling method. Medical records of children aged 1–59 months admitted between 20 March 2024 and 21 March 2025 were reviewed. A total of 4191 under-five admissions were screened, and 197 children included in the study.

Results: Acute Kidney Injury was 26% (51/197). 64% were male and 36% were female, and 79.7% were settled in the rural area and 21,3% were in urban. Acute Kidney Injury showed no significant association with age, sex, anemia, leukocytosis and resident. However, significant associations were observed between Acute Kidney Injury and mortality (p = 0.001), prolonged length of hospital stay (p = 0.017), and exposure to nephrotoxic antibiotics, particularly Vancomycine and aminoglycosides (p = 0.001). Pneumonia, dehydration, and sepsis were the most frequent underlying conditions.

Conclusion: Acute Kidney Injury occurred in over one-quarter of under-five children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. It was significantly linked to higher mortality, longer hospitalization, and nephrotoxic antibiotic use.