Antimicrobial properties of tomato leaves, stems, and fruit and their relationship to chemical composition.

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that the tomato glycoalkaloid tomatine inhibited the growth of Trichomonas vaginalis strain G3, Tritrichomonas foetus strain D1, and Tritrichomonas foetus-like strain C1 that cause disease in humans and farm and domesticated animals. The increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance requires development of new tools to enhance or replace medicinal antibiotics. METHODS: Wild tomato plants were harvested and divided into leaves, stems, and fruit of different colors: green, yellow, and red. Samples were freeze dried and ground with a handheld mill. The resulting powders were evaluated for their potential anti-microbial effects on protozoan parasites, bacteria, and fungi. A concentration of 0.02% (w/v) was used for the inhibition of protozoan parasites. A high concentration of 10% (w/v) solution was tested for bacteria and fungi as an initial screen to evaluate potential anti-microbial activity and results using this high concentration limits its clinical relevance. RESULTS: Natural powders derived from various parts of tomato plants were all effective in inhibiting the growth of the three trichomonads to varying degrees. Test samples from leaves, stems, and immature 'green' tomato peels and fruit, all containing tomatine, were more effective as an inhibitor of the D1 strain than those prepared from yellow and red tomato peels which lack tomatine. Chlorogenic acid and quercetin glycosides were present in all parts of the plant and fruit, while caffeic acid was only found in the fruit peels. Any correlation between plant components and inhibition of the G3 and C1 strains was not apparent, although all the powders were variably effective. Tomato leaf was the most effective powder in all strains, and was also the highest in tomatine. S. enterica showed a minor susceptibility while B. cereus and C. albicans fungi both showed a significant growth inhibition with some of the test powders. The powders inhibited growth of the pathogens without affecting beneficial lactobacilli found in the normal flora of the vagina. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that powders prepared from tomato leaves, stems, and green tomato peels and to a lesser extent from peels from yellow and red tomatoes offer potential multiple health benefits against infections caused by pathogenic protozoa, bacteria, and fungi, without affecting beneficial lactobacilli that also reside in the normal flora of the vagina.

Surveillance of Zoonotic Parasites in Animals Involved in Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAIs).

Animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) are based on the establishment of a therapeutic relationship between animals and beneficiaries that is certain to provide positive effects, while currently, it reads as if AAIs aim at exposing stakeholders to potential risk of infection. The surveillance of zoonotic pathogens is necessary for guaranteeing common health. This study investigated the presence of potentially zoonotic parasites, including dermatophytes, in animals involved in AAIs. Between 2015 and 2017, 190 animals (equids, dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and goats) were investigated. Anamnestic and management data were recorded. Individual faecal samples were analysed using a copromicroscopic procedure. Fur and skin were examined for ectoparasites during clinical examinations, and samples for mycological investigation were collected by brushing. Parasites were described in 60 (31.6%) investigated animals. Thirteen out of the 60 (21.7%) animals harboured potentially zoonotic parasites, mainly recovered in dogs (Ancylostomatidae, Eucoleusaerophilus, Toxocaracanis, and Giardiaduodenalis) and a cat (G.duodenalis). Nannizziagypsea and Paraphytonmirabile, potential agents of cutaneous mycosis, were isolated in a dog and a horse, respectively. No ectoparasites were found. AAIs might represent a source of infections either directly or via environmental contamination. Thus, active surveillance is necessary and animal screenings should be planned and scheduled according to the risk of exposure.

Seroprevalence of and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii in sheep raised in the Jaboticabal microregion, São Paulo State, Brazil.

Seroprevalence of and risk factors for toxoplasmosis in sheep from different properties in the Jaboticabal microregion, São Paulo State, Brazil were determined. Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii were found in sera of 52.0% of 488 sheep tested by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT > or =64). T. gondii seropositivity in sheep was significantly associated with gender of the sheep, pasturing system, contact with cats, and the use of mineral supplements and the type of feed.

Epidemiology, symptoms and treatment of paragonimiasis in Sin Ho district, Lai Chau province, Vietnam.

Sin Ho is a district of the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau, Vietnam, where the people have the habit of eating undercooked crabs. A study on paragoniamiasis carried out from 1994 to 1995 with 1,642 persons in this endemic area, showed that the rate of eating raw-crab was 72.5%. Crab examination (Ranguna kimboiensis) showed an infection rate of Paragonimus metacercaria of 98.1%. With 624 stool samples examined by Kato technique, the infection rate of Paragonimus in humans was 6.4%. With 338 sputum samples examined by direct and centrifuge methods, the infection rate of Paragonimus was 7.4%. Most of the patients were children (63.2%). The infection rate of Paragonimus in dogs was 18.2 - 33.3%. Adult worms, collected from the dogs in the field and from the cats in laboratory, were identified as Paragonimus heterotremus. The main symptoms of Paragonimus patients were cough and hemoptysis (92%), discontinuously developed (96%), without fever (94%), chest pain (70%), pleural effusion (26%), neurogical symptoms (8%), eosinophilia (88.9%), nodular ring shadows in the lungs, as shown by chest X-ray examination and more in lower lobe, (76.2%). Paragonimiasis patients were treated by (a) Praziquantel 25 mg/kg/day x 3 days; the cure rate was 68.8%. (b) Praziquantel 50 mg/kg/day x 3 days; the cure rate was 75%.

Assessment of ivermectin therapeutic efficacy on third-stage larvae of Lagochilascaris minor in mice experimentally infected

Avaliou-se a acao da ivermectina sobre larvas de terceiro estadio, tanto em fase de migracao, quanto larvas encistadas em tecidos de camundongos infectados experimentalmente com Lagochilascaris minor. Foram utilizados 120 camundongos (grupos I e II), sendo que cada animal foi inoculado, por via oral, com 1.000 ovos do parasito. Para verificar a acao da ivermectina sobre larvas em migracao, o grupo I (60 animais) foi dividido igualmente em tres subgrupos: I-A, I-B e I-C. No setimo dia apos a inoculacao (DAI), cada animal foi tratado com ivermectina na dosagem de 200 ug/Kg (subgrupo I-A) e 1.000 ug/Kg/dose unica/via sc (subgrupo I-B). Com o objetivo de verificar a acao das drogas sobre larvas encistadas, os animais do grupo II foram divididos igualmente em tres subgrupos: II-A, II-B e II-C...

Toxoplasma gondii-induced abortion in dairy goats.

Three of 8 goats on a Maryland farm aborted or had dystocia associated with toxoplasmosis during the winter of 1984. Doe 1 aborted a decomposed fetus 30 days before term. Modified agglutination test (MAT) antibody titers against Toxoplasma gondii were found in pleural fluid of the fetus (1:1,024) and in serum of doe (1:4,096 at 31 days after abortion). Doe 2 aborted a fetus 5 days before term; MAT antibody was found in the pleural fluid of the fetus (1:16,384) and in the doe's serum (1:4,096 on the day of abortion). Placenta from both does had foci of necrosis characteristic of toxoplasmosis, and T gondii was identified in lesions. Doe 3 had dystocia 7 days before term and a partially decomposed fetus was delivered by cesarian section; MAT was found in pleural fluid of the fetus (1:1,024) and in serum from the doe (1:4,096 on the day of abortion). Focal gliosis and calcification were seen in brain specimens from 2 of the 3 fetuses. None of the does produced milk after abortion. Two other does (No. 4 and 5) delivered apparently healthy kids transplacentally infected with T gondii; MAT in serum of both does was 1:4,096. Doe 4 delivered 3 kids; MAT titer in a serum from each kid 38 days after birth was 1:16,384. Doe 5 delivered 1 kid with a serum MAT titer of 1:1,024 at 38 days after birth. The 3 remaining does had MAT titers of 1:256, 1:16, and 1:16, and all delivered healthy kids. Epizootiologic evidence suggested that the does acquired T gondii infection from oocysts passed in feces of domestic cats on the farm. The MAT titers of 4 cats on the farm were 1:65,356; 1:1,024; 1:16; and 1:1,024.