A possible relationship between Thromboxane B2 and Leukotriene B4 and the encapsulation of Dirofilaria repens worms in human subcutaneous dirofilariasis.

Human subcutaneous dirofilariosis has several clinical presentations. Many cases present as subcutaneous nodules, as a consequence of a local inflammatory reaction that encapsulates and destroys the worms. In addition, there are cases in which migrating worms located in the ocular area remain unencapsulated. In the present work, the levels of two pro-inflammatory eicosanoids, thromboxane B2 (TxB2) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) are analysed by commercial Enzime-Linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum samples from 43 individuals, 28 diagnosed as having subcutaneous dirofilariasis presenting a subcutaneous nodule, five diagnosed as having dirofilariasis, in which the worms remained unencapsulated in the periphery of the eye, and ten healthy individuals living in a non-endemic area, used as controls. The worms were surgically removed, identifying Dirofilaria repens as the causative agent in all cases, by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Individuals with nodules showed significantly higher levels of TxB2 and LTB4 than healthy controls, whereas significant differences in LTB4 levels were observed between individuals with unencapsulated worms and healthy controls. It is speculated that the absence of LTB4 may contribute to the fact that worms remain unencapsulated as a part of immune evasion mechanisms.

[Possibilities of culturing Cryptosporidia in the cell-free medium].

An attempt was made to culture the Cryptosporidia, which had been isolated from the excreta of 24 HIV-infected patients and prepassaged on SCID mice, in an artificial host cell-free medium. The authors examined their impact of rabbit hepatic and renal tissue extracts, hemolyzed rabbit blood, bovine bile, ATP, calves' embryonic serum, bovine serum albumin, glucose, phytohemagglutinine, and concanavalin A, cultivation temperature, and medium pH on growth culture. A total of 72 cultures were tested. Transformation of sporosoites to other types of cells in the culture medium was studied from the first hours to two follow-up months. Completion of the parasite's full life cycle could be observed; all the cultures became weak and degraded in the long run.

Wolbachia in Dirofilaria repens, an agent causing human subcutaneous dirofilariasis.

Human subcutaneous dirofilariasis is an increasingly reported zoonosis caused by several filarial species, in particular by Dirofilaria (Nochtiella) repens. Like many filarial worms, D. repens harbors the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia that has been implicated in the inflammatory features of filarial infection. Immunohistochemical staining against the Wolbachia surface protein (WSP) was carried out on 14 skin nodules and showed numerous bacteria within the intact worms and occasional positive staining within the surrounding inflammatory infiltrate. Serum samples from 11 of these patients resulted positive for total immunoglobulin G titers against WSP as examined in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. This is the first description of Wolbachia distribution in D. repens and the first report of specific immune response to Wolbachia in patients with subcutaneous dirofilariasis.

[Non-invasive methods of diagnosis of chronic venous pathology of the lower extremities]. / Neinvazivnye metody diagnostiki khronicheskoi patologii ven nizhnikh konechnostei.

Experience with ultrasonic investigation of venous abnormalities in the legs has suggested that combined use of dopplerography, doppler scanning and echolocation techniques can adequately replace conventional radiopaque phlebography in most cases of varicose veins and post-thrombotic disease. This combination has high diagnostic value.

[Doppler echographic diagnosis in postthrombotic syndrome]. / Doplerograficheskaia diagnostika posttromboticheskogo sindroma.

On the basis of rich experience and the elaborated techniques of study, the authors claim that ultrasonic doppler echography is a highly informative and safe method for the diagnosis of the postthrombotic syndrome of the lower limbs yielding all the necessary data on the condition of the superficial and deep veins. The introduction of this method into the wide practice of out-patient clinics will make it possible to recognize the disease in time and determine its stage and form as well as the indications for operative or nonoperative treatment. The use of highly sensitive apparatuses will allow phlebography, which is still a necessary diagnostic procedure, to be rejected as a more hazardous and costly method.

[Intraoperative Doppler testing of the efficacy of correcting the valves of deep veins with a framework coil]. / Intraoperatsionnyi dopplerovskii kontrol' za éffektivnost'iu korrektsii klapanov glubokikh ven karkasnoi spiral'iu.

The ultrasonic dopplerography was used in 37 patients as control of correction of profound vein valves. Local anesthesia was used in 12 patients, general anesthesia was used in 25 patients. The first group of patients performed the Valsalva test themselves, in the second group it was substituted by manual compression of the frontal abdominal wall. The results obtained show that intraoperative dopplerography allows methodological and technical errors to be corrected during the operation. The control is found to be more effective provided that the patient performs the Valsalva test himself during correction of the valve. The routine method of selection of the spiral diameter is thought to be fairly rational.

Occurrence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in water supplies of Russia and Bulgaria.

The aim of the present study was to investigate water supplies in southern Russia and Bulgaria, in order to estimate the occurrence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in drinking water resources from these countries. A total of 166 water samples of different origin (surface, tap, bottled, well, spring and waste water) were collected from Rostov (southern Russia), Sofia and Varna (Bulgaria) Greater Areas and screened for the detection of Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts. The method incorporated concentration of water samples by filtration and flocculation, sucrose purification, (oo)cyst detection/identification by immunofluorescence test and differential interference contrast. Sixteen out of 166 samples (9.6%) were positive for Giardia and 30 (18.1%) positive for Cryptosporidium. Both Giardia and Cryptosporidium were detected in tap, river, well and waste waters. Giardia cysts were additionally detected in bottled water. Particularly some river, waste and well water samples were highly contaminated with (oo)cysts. This study has shown that drinking water supplies in Russia and Bulgaria are subject to contamination with Giardia and Cryptosporidium, with potential hazards for the public health.

[The surgical treatment of hypospadias using the CO2 laser]. / Operativnoe lechenie gipospadii s primeneniem uglekislotnogo CO2-lazera.

The paper presents the results of plastic reconstruction of the urethra using local tissues according to Browne, Duplay, Cecil as well as CO2-laser scalpel technique. Altogether 140 patients underwent operations, the majority of whom were boys aged 1.5-13 years (87.1%). The authors employed preoperative correction of reactivity disorders found in the above patients which included stimulation of leukopoiesis, activation of phagocytosis. Good immediate results of CO2-laser procedures are attributed to complete hemostasis achieved at dissection of the flap, sterility of the operative area and thermal factor able to reduce the duration and traumatic damage of the interventions. The authors support two-stage approach to correction of the urethral defect. Uneventful developments after operative establishment of the urethra depend on creation of urine bypass by means of epicystostomy. Longterm results were followed up in 70 patients, of whom 55 had good outcomes and 15 satisfactory. No failures occurred.