Large-scale cultivation of Leishmania infantum promastigotes in stirred bioreactor.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Bioreactors are practical tools that are used for economical, time-conserving and large-scale production of biomass from cell cultivation. They provide optimal environmental conditions such as pH and temperature required for obtaining maximum amounts of biomass. However, there is no evidence in the literature on the large-scale cultivation of Leishmania infantum parasites in the bioreactor. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to develop a new approach for obtaining L. infantum biomass by using pH and temperature controllable stirred bioreactor and to compare parasitic growth kinetics with classical method within erlenmeyers. METHODS: In order to obtain parasite biomass, a newly developed pH and temperature controlled stirred bioreactor was used and its efficacy was compared with a graduated classical scale-up method. Growth kinetics of parasites within erlenmeyers and bioreactors were determined by evaluating promastigote numbers using haemocytometer. The graduated scale enlargement of culture was followed by T25 flask, T75 flask, and 1 L erlenmeyer, respectively. RESULTS: Obtained results showed a 10-fold increase in the number of promastigotes within the conventional culture performed in 700 ml medium, while parasite numbers increased approximately 15 times due to initial inoculation amounts in the bioreactor culture performed in the 3.5 l medium. Thus, there was 7.5 times more biomass collection in bioreactor compared to classical method. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: It is postulated that constant culture pH and temperature in the bioreactor extends cultivation time. This could lead to significant increase in parasite numbers. Hence, pH and temperature controllable bioreactors provided acquisition of sufficient amounts of biomass in contrast to classical methods. Therefore, this type of bioreactors may substitute classical culture methods in the production of antigenic molecules for vaccine development.

An overview of challenges to eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection and future prospects.

The eradication of H. pylori infection continues to be a challenge due to the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria, lack of a gold standard diagnostic method, and ineffectiveness of current vaccines. Additionally, there still is no consensus in the literature about the main source of gastric H. pylori infection. The bacterium has also been demonstrated to colonize in dental plaque and the oral cavity. We believe that to develop new approaches for successful eradication of the disease, factors such as the biology of the bacterium, reservoir differentiations, host-bacterium interactions and problems in diagnosis, treatment and vaccination must be comprehensively considered. Therefore, the main goal of this study is to gather all of the literature analysis about the problems in the eradication of the infection, reconsider contradictions about extra-gastric reservoirs of the bacterium, and propose new strategies aimed at disease eradication.

Overview of dendritic cell-based vaccine development for leishmaniasis.

Leishmaniasis is one of the most serious vector-borne diseases in the world and is distributed over 98 countries. It is estimated that 350 million people are at risk for leishmaniasis. There are three different generation of vaccines that have been developed to provide immunity and protection against leishmaniasis. However, their use has been limited due to undesired side effects. These vaccines have also failed to provide effective and reliable protection and, as such, currently, there is no safe and effective vaccine for leishmaniasis. Dendritic cells (DCs) are a unique population of cells that come from bone marrow and become specialized to take up, process and present antigens to helper T cells in a mechanism similar to macrophages. By considering these significant features, DCs stimulated with different kinds of Leishmania antigens have been used in recent vaccine studies for leishmaniasis with promising results so far. In this review, we aim to review and combine the latest studies about this issue after defining potential problems in vaccine development for leishmaniasis and considering the importance of DCs in the immunopathogenesis of the disease.

Periocular involvement in cutaneous leishmaniasis.

OBJECTIVE: Although cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) occurs mostly in the facial area, periocular involvement accounts for 2-5% of the facial lesions. CL lesions localized in the periocular region can easily be confused with various other diseases. The aim of this study was to examine the frequency of periocular involvement in CL in the Cukurova region of Turkey, as well as the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and methods of treatment of this disease. METHODS: Between December 1998 and December 2004, patients who were diagnosed with CL were evaluated prospectively with respect to periocular involvement. RESULTS: From the 2066 patients evaluated with CL, 2622 lesions were identified. In 59 (2.9%) of these patients, a total of 66 (2.5%) lesions were located in the periocular area. Thirty-two (48.5%) of these lesions were of the papular type, 15 (22.7%) the nodulo-ulcerative type, 10 (15.2%) the plaque type, and nine (13.6%) the nodular type. Dacryocystitis was identified in four patients with periocular involvement. Over the follow-up period, no ocular or periocular deformities or complications developed in these patients. CONCLUSION: Patients suspected of CL should be evaluated and treated early in the course of their disease to prevent any permanent ocular or periocular deformities.

[The correction of the vaginal microflora in patients with a papillomavirus infection associated with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia by using the new bacterial preparation Zhlemik]. / Korrektsiia vaginal'noi mikroflory u bol'nykh s papillomavirusnoi infektsiei v assotsiatsii s tservikal'noi intraépitelial'noi neoplaziei s pomoshch'iu novogo bakteriinogo preparata "Zhlemik".

The microbiological study of vaginal microflora in 40 patients of the reproductive age (20-30 years) with papilloma virus infection in association with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of the uterine neck revealed dysbiotic disturbances in vaginal microflora, manifested by a decrease in the isolation rate and amount of lacto- and bifidobacteria and by excessive growth of opportunistic microorganisms. The 10-day course of corrective therapy with the new bacterial preparation "Zhlemik" was carried out. Group 1 (81 women) received the preparation intravaginally on a tampon, group 2 (19 patients) received the preparation in the form of vaginal suppositories. The results of this treatment were indicative of a high sanative effect of the preparation irrespective of the method of its application. This was demonstrated by the results of the bacteriological study made after bacterial correction: the amount of the Lactobacillus was restored, and they could be isolated from all patients; the level of contamination of the cervicovaginal niche with opportunistic microbial strains considerably decreased. The positive clinical effect after bacterial therapy with "Zhlemik" was observed in 93-95% of cases, depending on the form of its application.

[The genital tract microflora in patients with a papillomavirus infection]. / Mikroflora genital'nogo trakta u bol'nykh s papillomavirusnoi infektsiei.

In 70 patients of reproductive age (20-30 years) with the papilloma virus infection of the uterine neck the microflora of vaginal contents was studied. The study revealed the specific diversity of bacteria colonizing the vagina and the uterine neck. High occurrence of Chlamydia and Gardnerella was established. The detected dysbiotic disturbances in patients with condylomatosis of the uterine neck were manifested by a decrease in the isolation rate of lactobacteria and bifidobacteria and by an increase in the isolation rate of opportunistic bacteria. The most pronounced dysbiosis in the microflora of the vagina and the uterine neck was characteristic of patients with papilloma virus infection in association with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of the III degree.

[The effect of SolcoTrichovac on the vaginal microflora of patients with a papillomavirus infection associated with a cervical intraepithelial neoplasm]. / Izuchenie vliianiia "Solkotrikhovaka" na vaginal'nuiu mikrofloru u bol'nykh s papillomavirusnoi infektsiei v assotsiatsii s tservikal'noi intraépitelial'noi neoplaziei.

The microbiological study of vaginal secretions of 39 female patients of reproductive age (20-30 years) with papilloma virus infection associated with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) was carried out. Of these patients, 28 with papilloma virus infection associated with CINI-II made up group I and II having this infection associated with CINII made up group 2. Dysbiotic disturbances in vaginal bacterial flora, found in these patients, were manifested by a decrease in the isolation rate and number of the lacto- and bifidobacteria simultaneously with the excessive growth of opportunistic bacteria. The results of the oral administration of Solco-Trichovac are indicative of the effectiveness of this preparation, which was confirmed by the data of clinical and bacteriological studies. Together with an increase in the isolation rate of lacto- and bifidobacteria, the level of the contamination of the cervicovaginal niche with opportunistic and pathogenic bacterial strains decreased. The results thus obtained make it possible to recommend Solco-Trichovac for the complex treatment of with papilloma virus infection associated with CIN.