Ammonia inactivation of Ascaris ova in ecological compost by using urine and ash.

Viable ova of Ascaris lumbricoides, an indicator organism for pathogens, are frequently found in feces-derived compost produced from ecological toilets, demonstrating that threshold levels of time, temperature, pH, and moisture content for pathogen inactivation are not routinely met. Previous studies have determined that NH(3) has ovicidal properties for pathogens, including Ascaris ova. This research attempted to achieve Ascaris inactivation via NH(3) under environmental conditions commonly found in ecological toilets and using materials universally available in an ecological sanitation setting, including compost (feces and sawdust), urine, and ash. Compost mixed with stored urine and ash produced the most rapid inactivation, with significant inactivation observed after 2 weeks and with a time to 99% ovum inactivation (T(99)) of 8 weeks. Compost mixed with fresh urine and ash achieved a T(99) of 15 weeks, after a 4-week lag phase. Both matrices had relatively high total-ammonia concentrations and pH values of >9.24 (pK(a) of ammonia). In compost mixed with ash only, and in compost mixed with fresh urine only, inactivation was observed after an 11-week lag phase. These matrices contained NH(3) concentrations of 164 to 173 and 102 to 277 mg/liter, respectively, when inactivation occurred, which was below the previously hypothesized threshold for inactivation (280 mg/liter), suggesting that a lower threshold NH(3) concentration may be possible with a longer contact time. Other significant results include the hydrolysis of urea to ammonia between pH values of 10.4 and 11.6, above the literature threshold pH of 10.

Inactivation of Ascaris eggs in water using sequential solar driven photo-Fenton and free chlorine.

Sequential helminth egg inactivation using a solar driven advanced oxidation process (AOP) followed by chlorine was achieved. The photo-assisted Fenton process was tested alone under different H(2)O(2) and/or Fe(II) concentrations to assess its ability to inactivate Ascaris suum eggs. The effect of free chlorine alone was also tested. The lowest egg inactivation results were found using Fe(II) or H(2)O(2) separately (5 and 140 mmol L(-1), respectively) in dark conditions, which showed about 28% inactivation of helminth eggs. By combining Fe(II) and H(2)O(2) at the same concentrations described earlier, 55% of helminth egg inactivation was achieved. By increasing the reagent's concentration two-fold, 83% egg inactivation was achieved after 120 min of reaction time. Process efficiency was enhanced by solar excitation. Using solar disinfection only, the A. suum eggs inactivation reached was the lowest observed (58% egg inactivation after 120 min (120 kJ L(-1))), compared with tests using the photo-Fenton process. The use of the photo-Fenton reaction enhanced the process up to over 99% of egg inactivation after 120 kJ L(-1) when the highest Fe(II) and H(2)O(2) concentration was tested. Practically no effect on the helminth eggs was observed with free chlorine alone after 550 mg min L(-1) was used. Egg inactivation in the range of 25-30% was obtained for sequential processes (AOP then chlorine) using about 150 mg min L(-1).

Atividade anti-embriogênica "in vitro"do albendazol sobre ovos de lagoschilascaris minor Leiper,1909 / Effect of in vitro Albendazol against L.minor eggs culture

Avaliou-se a açåo do Albendazol sobre cultura de ovos de Lagochilascaris minor. Aproximadamente 15x10 ovos recém-eliminados em fezes de gatos infectados experimentalmente com L.minor foram colocados em placas de Petri com 400 mg de Albendazol e deixados à temperatura ambiente por 45 dias. O mesmo procedimento foi feito com ovos embrionados. Os ovos dos grupos controle de ambos os experimentos foram deixados em soluçåo de formol a 1 porcento em temperatura ambiente. Após o período de 45 dias, todos os ovos foram examinados entre lâmina e lamínula ao microscópio óptico. No grupo dos ovos recém eliminados nåo se observou a formaçåo de larva, apenas a formaçåo de 4 a 8 blastômeros. Já no grupo dos ovos embrionados as larvas continuaram vivas. Pode-se inferir que o Albendazol apresentou açåo antiembriogênica, nåo demonstrando, contudo, açåo larvicida

Viability of Ascaris lumbricoides eggs eliminated after anti-helminthic therapy.

The viability of Ascaris lumbricoides eggs passed in the feces was evaluated after treatment of patients with one of the anti-helminthic drugs (thiabendazole, levamisole, cambendazole, pyrantel pamoate, mebendazole or praziquantel). For each drug, a group of 5 children was selected and their feces collected 24 h before treatment and 24, 48 and 72 h after drug administration, except for mebendazole, with the feces being collected throughout the period of treatment. After sedimentation, the total amount of eggs from each collection was transferred to tissue culture flasks containing 10 ml H2SO4 0,1N, with the addition of 3 drops of a miconazole solution, and incubated at 28 degrees C, individually, for 80 days. The flasks were maintained open and the culture were oxygenated daily by manual agitation. On the 80th day of culture, 20-days-old albino mice were inoculated with 3,200 embryonated eggs, per os. Larvae were recovered from their lungs and hearts, on the 8th day after infection, according to Baerman's method (Morais, 1948). Thiabendazole showed 100.0% ovicidal capacity as early as 48 h after treatment. Inhibition of embryonal development was observed when thiabendazole was used. This drug also had an effect on the eggs infectivity when inoculated into normal mice. No significant effect on embryonal development was observed for the other drugs tested.

Propionyl-CoA condensing enzyme from Ascaris muscle mitochondria. II. Coenzyme A modulation.

The propionyl-CoA condensing enzyme which catalyzes the first step in the biosynthesis of 2-methylbutyrate and 2-methylvalerate by Ascaris muscle appears to exist in at least three forms in the mitochondria of this parasitic nematode. Two forms, A and B, were separated by ion exchange chromatography on CM-Sephadex. Chromatography on phosphocellulose resulted in the recovery of one minor peak (I) and two major peaks with activity (II and III). A and B as well as I, II, and III differed in their specific activities. Forms B and III were the most retained by their resins, and were the most active forms of the enzyme in each case. Inhibition studies with metabolites from Ascaris mitochondria indicate that CoASH, a product of the condensation reaction, and acetyl-CoA are effective inhibitors of the condensing and thiolytic activities of the Ascaris enzyme, respectively. Incubation of the active enzyme form B for 2 h with 0.1 mM CoASH at room temperature under nitrogen caused the loss of 92% of the propionyl-CoA condensing activity and 67% of the thiolase activity when assayed in standard mixtures. The propionyl-CoA condensing enzyme exhibited a hyperbolic dependence of the condensation velocity to changes in substrate concentration. However, in the presence of CoASH the Michaelis-Menten kinetics was transformed into a sigmoidal kinetics indicating a deviation from a simple product inhibition. Inactivation of the most active forms of the enzyme with CoASH was accompanied by (a) a change in the chemical reactivity of the protein toward p-chloromurcuribenzoate, (b) a change in the uv-visible spectrum of the protein, and (c) a change in the elution patterns from both CM-Sephadex and phosphocellulose column chromatography, where-upon one, two, or more protein peaks were obtained. The several protein peaks resolved by rechromatography of the [14C]CoASH-inactivated enzyme III on phosphocellulose had different CoASH contents. The elution positions were correlated with the less active forms (I and II) having increased [14C]CoASH activities. Similarly, the two peaks isolated upon rechromatography of the CoASH-partially inactivated enzyme B on CM-Sephadex had different isotope contents and the elution position of enzyme A corresponded to the less active form. The results described indicate that the CoASH modification of Ascaris propionyl-CoA condensing enzyme may be responsible for the existence of several forms of the enzyme and might represent a mode of control by chemically modulating the amount of the active forms of the enzyme.

Tratamento das parasitoses intestinais por nematelmintos com albendazol: análise de 74 casos / Treatment of intestinal parasitical diseases by nematodes with albendazol: analysis of 74 cases

Os autores descrevem sua experiência com albendazol no tratamento de 74 pacientes com parasitoses intestinais por nematelmintos. Eles concluem que o albendazol tem grande eficácia e é uma droga bem tolerada. Ele deve ser preferido especialmente quando um ou mais nematelmintos estäo associados ao Strongyloides stercoralis.

Açäo "in vitro" do ivermectin sobre ovos de Lagochilascaris minor Leiper, 1909 / In vitro effect of ivermectin of the eggs of Lagochilascaris minor Leiper, 1909

Ovos uterinos de fêmeas L. minor, obtidos por eliminaçäo espontânea de abscessos cervicais da paciente W. M. R. (Pequizeiro- GO) - foram postos em contato com soluçäo de Ivermectin nas concentraçöes de 50, 100, 150, 200 e 250 microgramas. Os resultados demonstraram que a droga em todas as concentraçöes utilizadas näo impediu o desenvolvimento larvário. Entretanto, decorrida a embriogênese houve um processo de desvitalizaçäo da larva no interior do ovo caracterizado pela liberaçäo de uma massa amorfa a partir do ovo embrionado. Em ovos do grupo controle houve eclosäo de uma larva integra com todas as características estruturais de larva de Lagochilascaris

Estudio comparativo de flubendazol, oxantel-pirantel, albendazol y mebendazol en el tratamiento de helmintos transmitidos por el suelo / Comparative study of flubendazol, oxantel-pirantel, albendazol and mebendazol in treatment of helminths transmited by the soil

Se trataron 141 personas que tenian infeccion por Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura o Necator americanus. Las drogas empleadas fueron: Flubendazol, con tres dosificaciones: 500 mg dosis unica; 300 mg/dia por 2 dias; y 200 mg/dia por 3 dias. Oxantel-Pirantel, 400 mg de cada una en dosis unica o 600 mg de cada una, tambien en dosis unica. Mebendazol con tres dosificaciones: 500 mg dosis unica; 300 mg/dia por 2 dias; y 200 mg/dia por tres dias. Los resultados indican que todas las drogas empleadas tuvieron una efectividad para el tratamiento de la ascariasis con una curacion entre el 84.6 y el 100% y un porcentaje de reduccion del 88.5 al 100%. El flubendazol a la dosis de 300 mg/dia por 2 dias fue la droga mas efectiva para la tricocefalosis y la uncinariasis, curacion y reduccion de huevos del 100% para ambas. Todas las drogas fueron bien toleradas y casi no se observaron efectos secundarios. Si se requeire una droga para tratamientos en masa con dosis unica, se debe seleccionar el flubendazol, a la dosis de 500 mg; con ella se cubren los tres helmintos con una alta efectividad.

Comportamiento "in vitro" del Ascaris suum bajo la acción del albendazol / In vitro behavior of Ascaris suum under the influence of albendazole

Se estudiaron 6 grupos de parásitos Ascaris suum en los cuales se observó, por medio de las técnicas descritas, el comportamiento de los mismos "in vitro" bajo el efecto de diferentes drogas divididas en 6 grupos similares: Un grupo control y los otros 5 agregando las siguientes drogas: Grupo 2: Pamoato de Pirantel Grupo 3: Pirantel Oxantel Grupo 4: Mebendazol Grupo 5 y 6: albendazol en diferentes concentraciones. Los resultados confirman nuestros hallazgos publicados anteriormente con pamoato de pirantel y pirantel oxantel, demostrando el cese de sus movimientos antes de una hora bajo el efecto de esas drogas. Se observa nuevamente con el mebendazol que los parásitos se mantienen activos por más de 24 horas y con un ligero aumento de su actividad al agregarle la drota. Con el albendazol, nueva droga en este estudio, aunque no se observó cambio en su comportamiento, se encontró que la misma no es activa "in vitro" contra este parásito. Se hacen consideraciones que justifican la recomendación de no utilizar indiscrimadamente drogas que se absorven en el intestino ante el peligro potencial de que éstas produzcan migraciones erráticas

Preclinical and clinical studies with latex from Ficus glabrata HBK, a traditional intestinal anthelminthic in the Amazonian area.

Ficus glabrata latex has been a well-known anthelminthic remedy in the neotropical regions since ancient times. The latex has been commercially exploited for decades because of its content of the proteolytic enzyme-complex ficin. A safe dosage regimen with direct use of the latex has been elucidated to control intestinal helminthiasis in the Indian and non-Indian rural population. Helminthiasis was common in three Amazonian villages, field bases for the clinical study, with an overall prevalence of 92%. Specific prevalences were: Ascaris 68%, Strongyloides 42%, Trichuris 41%, Ancylostoma/Necator 26% and Taenia 1%. Variation in the biological activity of the latex was estimated by using a milk coagulating test. Pharmacological studies with live Ascaris demonstrated a lethal effect at concentrations down to 0.05% latex in physiological saline solution. A clinical trial on 181 persons has resulted in a recommended dosage of 1.0 cm3 of prepared latex/kg per day for 3 days to be repeated every 3 months.

Viabilidade de ovos de Ascaris lumbricoides após tratamento humano com medicamentos específicos: I - Levamisole e pamoato de pirantel / Viability of ascaris lumbricoides eggs after human treatment with specific drugs: I - Levamisole and pyrantel pamoate

Com o objetivo de testar a viabilidade di ciclo biológico, 15 pacientes (masculinos, de quatro a 14 anos) com Ascaris lumbricoides, foram selecionados ao acaso. Após tratamento clássico com sais básicos de levamisole (7 pacientes) e de pamoato de pirantel (8), os ovos retirados das fêmeas expelidas ficaram incubados por 18 dias em H2SO4 N/10. A seguir foram administrados per os a grupos de 5 camundongos por pacientes. Decorridos 8 dias da infecçäo, os animais foram sacrificados para pesquisas microscópica de lavras nos fragmentos pulmonares. Dos 75 animais, somente 1, pertencente ao grupo de tratados com levamisole, näo apresentou lavras nos fragmentos pulmonares. Concluiu-se que as drogas, nas doses utilizadas, näo possuem açäo deletérica sobre os ovos de A. lumbricoides, mas promovem a eliminaçäo de material infectivo, com possibilidade de incrementar a poluiçäo onde vivem comunidades sem adequadas condiçöes de saneamento básico

Eficacia a los seis meses de diferentes esquemas terapeuticos de mebendazol en las infecciones por A. lumbricoides, ancylostomidae SP y T. trichiura en niños de edad escolar / Efficacy after 6 months of different therapeutic schedules of mebendazole in infections by A. lumbricoides, Ancylostomidae sp and T. trichiura in school children

En una investigación prospectiva con grupo control llevada a cabo en 386 escolares de un barrio periférico de la ciudad de Santa Cruz, se evidenció la eficacia del mebendazol sobre la reducción a los seis meses de las cargas parasitarias para Ancylostomidae sp. y T. trichiura, mientras que no se observó tal efecto para A. lumbricoides. El resultado fue similar entre el esquema clásico (3 x 2 tab. de 100 mg) y el de la dosis única de 300 mg. (3 tab.)