Intravital microscopy: Imaging host-parasite interactions in the brain.

Intravital fluorescence microscopy (IVM) is a powerful technique for imaging multiple organs, including the brain of living mice and rats. It enables the direct visualisation of cells in situ providing a real-life view of biological processes that in vitro systems cannot. In addition, to the technological advances in microscopy over the last decade, there have been supporting innovations in data storage and analytical packages that enable the visualisation and analysis of large data sets. Here, we review the advantages and limitations of techniques predominantly used for brain IVM, including thinned skull windows, open skull cortical windows, and a miniaturised optical system based on microendoscopic probes that can be inserted into deep tissues. Further, we explore the relevance of these techniques for the field of parasitology. Several protozoan infections are associated with neurological symptoms including Plasmodium spp., Toxoplasma spp., and Trypanosoma spp. IVM has led to crucial findings on these parasite species, which are discussed in detail in this review.

Isoprenoid precursor biosynthesis offers potential targets for drug discovery against diseases caused by apicomplexan parasites.

Two, simple, C5 compounds, dimethylally diphosphate and isopentenyl diphosphate, are the universal precursors of isoprenoids, a large family of natural products involved in numerous important biological processes. Two distinct biosynthetic pathways have evolved to supply these precursors. Humans use the mevalonate route whilst many species of bacteria including important pathogens, plant chloroplasts and apicomplexan parasites exploit the non-mevalonate pathway. The absence from humans, combined with genetic and chemical validation suggests that the non-mevalonate pathway holds the potential to support new drug discovery programmes targeting Gram-negative bacteria and the apicomplexan parasites responsible for causing serious human diseases, and also infections of veterinary importance. The non-mevalonate pathway relies on eight enzyme-catalyzed stages exploiting a range of cofactors and metal ions. A wealth of structural and mechanistic data, mainly derived from studies of bacterial enzymes, now exists for most components of the pathway and these will be described. Particular attention will be paid to how these data inform on the apicomplexan orthologues concentrating on the enzymes from Plasmodium spp. these cause malaria, one the most important parasitic diseases in the world today.

Imaging characteristics of bronchopulmonary Lophomonas blattarum infection: case report and literature review.

Bronchopulmonary Lophomonas blattarum infection is a new form of disease, for which the clinical features are not fully understood. The present article is a retrospective review and analysis of clinical manifestations, chest x-ray, and computed tomography imaging findings in 15 cases of bronchopulmonary L. blattarum infection reported in China, including 1 case diagnosed and treated in our hospital. Imaging presentation of bronchopulmonary L. blattarum infection varies with individual patients. The most common manifestations were pneumonia or migratory pneumonia, and occasional findings included bronchiectasis, pulmonary abscess, and hydrothorax. Diagnosis of L. blattarum mainly depends on sputum smear examination, bronchoscopic examination, and bronchoalveolar lavage.

Thoracic manifestations of tropical parasitic infections: a pictorial review.

Parasitic infections are distributed worldwide and affect hundreds of millions of individuals-primarily those living in endemic areas or in regions with a high rate of immigration from endemic areas-causing significant morbidity and mortality. A broad spectrum of parasitic infections (eg, amebiasis, malaria, trypanosomiasis, ascariasis, strongyloidiasis, dirofilariasis, cystic echinococcosis, schistosomiasis, paragonimiasis) frequently affect the lungs, mediastinum, and thoracic wall, manifesting with abnormal imaging findings that often make diagnosis challenging. Although most of these infections result in nonspecific abnormalities, familiarity with their imaging features as well as their epidemiologic, clinical, and physiopathologic characteristics may be helpful to the radiologist in formulating an adequate differential diagnosis.

Pulmonary Balantidium coli infection in a leukemic patient.

A 59-year-old woman suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukemia developed pulmonary lesions; bronchoalveolar lavage was performed for possible systemic fungal infection. However, direct microscopic analysis revealed ciliated protozoa identified as Balantidium coli. B. coli is the only known pathogenic ciliate, and is usually associated with intestinal infection in areas associated with pig rearing. On very rare occasions the organisms may invade extra-intestinal organs, in this case the lungs of an immunocompromised patient. This case is unusual as balantidiasis is rare in Europe, the patient had no obvious contact with pigs, and there was no history of diarrhea prior to pulmonary colonization. Metronidazole was rapidly administered, and the condition improved after 24-48 hr.

Chest imaging in AIDS.

A review of imaging in the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is presented. The imaging features can be conveniently categorized according to whether the presenting complications are infective (bacterial, protozoal, or fungal), bronchiectasis, neoplastic (Kaposi's sarcoma, AIDS-related lymphoma, or lymphoproliferative disease), or a miscellaneous group (non-specific interstitial pneumonitis, persistent generalized lymphadenopathy, or bronchogenic carcinoma).

Radiological manifestations of parasitic disease.

Parasitic diseases are very common on a worldwide basis. In certain cases radiological features are of importance both for primary diagnosis and for detection of complications of infestation. This review concentrates on parasitic diseases of radiological interest.