Cystic hydatic disease in sheep: treatment with percutaneous aspiration and injection with dipeptide methyl ester.

An in vitro and in vivo study was conducted to show the effect of dipeptide methyl ester on the protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus and in naturally infected sheep. Easily punctured cysts were located by ultrasonography. A PAIR and PAI method were performed by the injection of dipeptide methyl ester into these cysts at a final concentration of 110 mmol/L. Follow-up was conducted monthly by ultrasonography. After injection of the compound, the sheep were sacrificed at different times from 6 to 17 weeks. The size and the morphological aspect of treated cysts were noted. Samples were collected for histology and electron microscopy. In conclusion, these studies revealed significant and rapid detachment of the membrane of the treated cyst and alteration of the inner membrane in less than 5 min after injection of the drug, confirming the effect of the compound on the laminated layer of the parasite.

Toxoplasma encephalitis: influence of the vehicle on the efficacy of different doses of 2',3'-dideoxyinosine in mice.

In this study we investigated the effect of the antiretroviral molecule 2',3'-dideoxyinosine (Videx) against cerebral cysts in a murine model of toxoplasmic encephalitis caused by a wild cystic strain of Toxoplasma gondii. The role of the vehicle was also studied. Three doses were used: 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg of body weight/day. The doses of 50 and 150 mg/kg were prepared by dissolving pure 2',3'-dideoxyinosine powder in Maalox suspension before gavaging the mice; the dose of 100 mg/kg was prepared by grinding tablets of Videx that were suspended in water. A decrease in the number of cysts and a morphological modification of them were noted from day 15 with the lowest dose. The most important decrease could be observed with the dose of 100 mg/kg/d. After 30 days of treatment with this dose, 65% of the cysts were destroyed compared to controls. For the doses of 50 and 150 mg/kg/d prepared with Maalox, 36% and 51% of the cysts were destroyed respectively. So ddI has an effect on the cerebral cysts of T. gondii even at a low dose. The galenic formulation influences its action since the doses prepared with Maalox were less efficient than those prepared from ground tablets.

Purine pathway enzymes in a cyst forming strain of Toxoplasma gondii.

The activities of purine salvage enzymes in tachyzoites from a cyst-forming strain of Toxoplasma gondii were determined using HPLC. Six enzymes were assayed both in vitro and in vivo: adenosine deaminase, guanine deaminase, purine nucleoside phosphorylase, xanthine oxidase, hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase. In vitro, the tachyzoites were cultured in the human myelomonocytic cell line THP-1, for 24 h to 96 h. Neither guanine deaminase nor hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase activity was detected in 24 and 96 h cultures. In vivo, in controls and infected animals, the purine nucleoside phosphorylase and adenosine deaminase activities were the most important activities both in sera and cerebral tissue in comparison with the other activities. It was also noted that the infection modified the enzymatic activities of this purine salvage pathway, in particular, the guanine deaminase cerebral activity of infected mice was 20-fold lower than the value of controls. The treatment of mice with 2',3'-dideoxyinosine, a purine analog, at the dose of 100 mg.kg(-1).d for 30 days, induced an important increase of all enzymatic activities in the brains in comparison with control animals. These data suggest that one target of 2',3'-dideoxyinosine is the purine metabolism.

Levantamento do estado nutricional de crianças entre 1 e 5 anos completos numa comunidade do estado do Maranhäo / Study of nutritional status of children aged 1 to 5 years old from a community in the state of Maranhäo

Estudo do estado nutricional de crianças entre 1 a 5 anos completos de uma comunidade do Maranhäo através de três parâmetros: perímetro braquial, posse ou näo do cartäo da criança do ministério da saúde e sinais oculares de hipovitaminose A. A maior parte das crianças estudadas, apresentava sinais oculares de hipovitaminose A e näo possuia o cartäo da criança. A totalidade estava na faixa de desnutriçäo segundo o parâmetro perímetro braquial. É importante desnutriçäo segundo o parâmetro perímetro braquial. É importante dispormos de meios triadores de desnutriçäo em uma comunidade carente.