Ocular symptoms reported by patients infested with Demodex mites.

The purpose of this study was to determine subjective ocular symptoms occurring in patients infested with Demodex. The number of Demodex mites in the obtained material that correlated with the appearance of ocular symptoms was estimated. The study material were eyelashes collected from 1499 patients. The material were observed under a light microscope. T-test, the logistic regression method, and Pearson correlation coefficient were used for the analysis. Demodex mites were detected in 47% patients. The mean ages of infected women and men were 64 and 59 years, respectively. 64% infected patients complained of one or more ophthalmological symptoms. The most commonly reported symptoms included itching (28%), redness of eyelids (21%), and watery eyes (15%). Positive correlation was found between itching, redness, pain, purulence or eyelash loss and the presence of Demodex. The mentioned symptoms increase the probability of Demodex infestation in a statistically significant manner (p<0.005). A correlation between the age and gender and the number of Demodex was revealed by the study. The threshold average number of seven Demodex mites per eight collected eyelashes with which the risk of the occurrence of an ocular symptom increases significantly was defined. In patients with a low number of Demodex mites, symptoms may be absent. The risk of the occurrence of ocular symptom in patients with demodicosis increases with the increase in the average number of Demodex mites.

Demodex mite infestation in patients with and without rheumatoid arthritis.

In the present study we compared the prevalence of Demodex mites in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and in one control group involving individuals of similar mean age. From each person we epilated 3-4 lashes from each eyelid and examined them under a microscope to find Demodex mites. In total 147 patients were examined. The prevalence of Demodex mites was 33% in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 31% in the control group. Our results demonstrated that the prevalence of Demodex mites was similar in RA patients as compared to the control group.

The Polish collection of parasitic helminths (a report on realization of works concerning fusion of parasitic collections dispersed among different scientific institutions).

The paper presents the results of works on preparation of a proper museum collection of parasitic helminths gathered by the Polish scientists and dispersed in various scientific institutions. The collection composed of 11 author's collections and a special collection of available typical series of species described by the Polish authors has been deposited in the Museum of Natural History of Wroclaw University. It includes almost 16.000 slides with 90 taxons of Monogenea, 251 Trematoda, 144 Cestoda, 43 Nematoda, 11 Acanthocephala, in total 486 nominal species and 53 taxons of genus level. Among them 12 species appear new for fauna of Poland; for 57 species new hosts in Polish territory have been recorded; two new species of Cestoda have been described in separate publications. A special paragraph contains a checklist of all species described by the Polish scientists with information whether they are available in any other collection. Detailed information about every deposited slide is given in the Database available online at http://www.helminths.eu .

Hymenolepis diminuta: experimental studies on the antioxidant system with short and long term infection periods in the rats.

Many helminths cause long-lasting infections, living for several years in mammalian hosts reflecting a well balanced coexistence between host and parasite. There are many possible explanations as to how they can survive for lengthy periods. One possibility is their antioxidant systems, which can serve as defence mechanisms against host-generated oxygen radicals. Therefore, the aim of this experimental study was to examine the antioxidant system in Hymenolepisdiminuta during short (1.5 months young tapeworms) and long (1.5 years old tapeworms) term infection in the rat small intestine. The strobilae of H. diminuta tapeworms (14 young and three old) were divided into three pieces: the anterior part, containing the genital primordiae in the immature segments; the medial part, containing the early uterus in the mature, hermaphroditic proglottids and the terminal part with the mature gravid uterus in the gravid segments. Supernatants of these fragments were used for determination of markers of oxidative stress: concentration of thiobarbiturate reactive substances (TBARS) and of reduced glutathione (GSH), and the activity of antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD1 and SOD2), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidases (GSHPxs), glutathione transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GSHR). The results indicated changes in levels of oxidative stress markers and antioxidant enzyme activity in both the young and old forms of H. diminuta. Relatively high activity of SOD (particularly in the anterior part of young tapeworms) was observed, as was increased activity of total GSHPx and a relatively high concentration of GSH in all parts of the tapeworms. These are caused by exposure to increased amount of ROS, which are produced during the inflammatory state. Due to the high activity of antioxidant enzymes, the anterior section of young and old tapeworms is equipped with a very effective antioxidant system. Old organisms also effectively resist oxidative stress due to reduced levels of lipid peroxidation and the high activity of GST, all of which suggest good adaptation to the hostile environment in the host's intestine.

Demodex infections in general Polish population, in patients suffering from blepharitis, and among people who work with microscopes.

In this study we examined 264 people to estimate the prevalence of Demodex infection. The subjects were divided into 4 groups. First two groups consisted of young people (mean age 22 years) and seniors (mean age 66 years) respectively. The third group included people who work with microscopes (mean age 44 years). Forth group consisted of patients with diagnosed blepharitis (mean age 65 years). From every individual 3-4 lashes were epilated from the eyelids of both eyes and examined under the microscope for Demodex mites. The statistical analysis based on logistic regression was used to estimate the probability of infection. Age was independent variable significant for this model (p < 0.001). Significant relation between age and probability of Demodex infection was showed. The lowest number of infected individuals was observed in the group of young subjects (only 5%), the highest in the blepharitis patients (74% infected). Among microscope users 30% were infected, in the group of seniors 34% were infected.

[Ultrastructural analysis of capsule and nurse-cell morphology examined seven months after Trichinella spiralis mouse infection]. / Badania ultrastrukturalne torebki i "nurse-cell" Trichinella spiralis w siedem miesiecy od zarazenia myszy.

Ultrastructural changes in muscles cells of mice infected with T. spiralis larvae in 220 day of infection were evaluated. The object of study was in the region of the "nurse-cell" being in direct contact with the larva wall. Electron microscopic observations revealed the continuity of the muscle cell membrane adjacent to larva surface.

[ Effect of Mebendazole on the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the liver of rats infected with Trichinella spiralis]. / Dzialanie mebendazolu na aktywnosc dysmutazy ponadtlenkowej (SOD) i katalazy w watrobie szczurów zarazanych Trichinella spiralis.

By administering mebendazolum to control the trichinella invaded white linear rats it was showed that mebendazolum does not have direct effect on activity of liver antioxidizing enzyme, however it increases prooxidantal effect of trichinella metabolite, which in condition of invaded organism appears to be a supplementary pathogenic factor.

[Osmotic resistance of red blood cells membranes in Vermox and "AKbeta" vitamin complex treatment of experimental trichinosis in rats]. / Wplyw lacznego stosowania vermoksu i kompleksu witaminowego "AKbeta" na opór osmotyczny blon erytrocytów w eksperymentalnej wlosnicy u szczurów.

The aim was to examine the osmotic resistance dynamics in rats infected with Trichinella spiralis. Antioxidant "AKbeta" vitamin complex used together with Vermox, decreases the toxic effect of Vermox, thereby causes the stabilization of red blood cells membrane osmotic resistance parameters in rats.