CytoSaLPs score: a promising new tool for the detection and screening of extrauterine high grade serous carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: A recent theory supports that high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer derives from the fimbrial end of the fallopian tube and during the last decade, a few studies have examined the fallopian tube cytology. Our study aims to determine the cytomorphological characteristics of both benign and non-benign salpingeal samples, in order to establish fallopian cytology as a valuable diagnostic test for women with high risk for development of ovarian/fallopian/peritoneal cancer. METHODS: Our study included patients undergoing salpingoophorectomy or total hysterectomy and salpingoophorectomy for any gynecological pathology. Using a soft brush, fallopian tube smears from the fimbrial end were collected ex vivo. The Cytologists of our Institution described the morphological characteristics of the fallopian cells by adopting a proposed Table, which had a calibration system ranging from 3 to 29. This Table is referred to as the CytoSaLPs Score. Our study compared the two diagnostic cytological methods, the one of the conventional cytology and the other using the CytoSaLPs Score, having as gold standard the tubal's pathological findings. RESULTS: A total of 230 tubal specimens from 144 patients were included in this study. The Score's mean for the benign and non-benign arm was 12.8 and 18.7 respectively. The cut-off point for both arms was 16.5. The CytoSaLPs Score tool showed significantly higher specificity (87.50% vs. 75.96, p-value < 0.001) and positive predictive value PPV (40.91% vs. 26.47%, p-value < 0.001) compared to conventional cytology. Regarding the accuracy, the Score's superiority is highlighted (86.96% vs. 76.52%, p-value < 0.001). CONCLUTIONS: The evaluation of tubal cytology using the CytoSaLPs Score could be used as a reliable diagnostic method. Further evaluation with larger studies is warranted.

First detection of Cryptosporidium proventriculi from wild birds in Cyprus.

Cryptosporidium is an important intestinal zoonotic pathogen that can infect various hosts and cause diarrheal disease. There are no reports on the prevalence and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium in wild birds in Cyprus. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and genotypes in wild birds found at Phassouri Reedbeds (Akrotiri Wetlands), Cyprus. Fecal samples of 75 wild birds (Eurasian coot Fulica atra, N = 48; Eurasian teal Anas crecca, N = 20; duck - Anas spp., Ν = 7) were screened for Cryptosporidium by PCR amplification and sequencing. Only one sample (1.3%) belonging to a Eurasian coot was PCR-positive for Cryptosporidium. Based on sequencing of the 18S rRNA locus, this species was identified as Cryptosporidium proventriculi. This is the first report on the molecular identification of this Cryptosporidium species in a Eurasian coot.