[Cestode infections in Poland in 1999]. / Tasiemczyce w 1999 roku.

In 1999, 437 intestinal cestode cases were registered in Poland. Among them 369 were caused by Taenia saginata, 7 by T. solium, 35 by Taenia sp., 3 by Hymenolepis nana and 2 by Diphyllobothrium latum and 39 cases of echinococcosis were also registered. The obtained results confirmed the decreasing frequency of infection with intestinal cestodes in Poland.

[Cestode infections in 1998]. / Tasiemczyce w 1998 roku.

In 1998, 603 intestinal cestode cases were registered in Poland. Among them 516 were caused by T. saginata, 5 by T. solium, 59 by Taenia sp., 2 by Hymenolepis nana and 1 by D. latum. Moreover, 31 cases of larval cestode infections were also registered. Three of them were caused by larvae of T. solium and the remaining ones by E. granulosus. The obtained results confirmed the decreasing frequency of infections with intestinal cestodes in Poland.

[Cestode infections in 1997]. / Tasiemczyce w 1997 roku.

In 1997, 736 intestinal cestode cases were registered in Poland. Among them 634 were caused by T. saginata, 6 by T. solium, 63 by Taenia sp, 15 by Hymenolepsis sp, and 2 by D. latum and D. caninum. Moreover, 27 cases of larval cestode infections were also registered. Four of them were caused by larvae of T. solium and the remaining ones bz E. granulosus. The obtained results confirmed the decreasing frequency of infections with intestinal cestodes in Poland.

[Suggestions concerning serological diagnosis of echinococcosis in Poland]. / Propozycje dotyczace schematu serologicznej diagnostyki bablowicy w Polsce.

It has been suggested to change the present way of serological diagnosis of echinococcosis in Poland which utilizes immunoelectrophoresis for confirmation of positive results in a screening test. Diagnostic procedure should be indicated with a sensitive test, such as indirect haemagglutination or immunoenzymatic assay, and every positive result should be verifies later using a Western-blot method in order to detect the most specific reaction with 8 kDa fraction of Echinococcus antigen. Further diferentiation of the infecting species may be accomplished with the aid of Em2 plus ELISA test which detects antibodies specific for E. multilocularis.

[The occurrence of intestinal parasites among children attending first classes of the elementary schools in Poland in the school year 1997/1998]. / Analiza wystepowania pasozytów jelitowych u dzieci klas pierwszych w Polsce w roku szkolnym 1997/1998 na terenie wybranych województw.

OBJECTIVE: The studies were undertaken to: (i) evaluate the epidemiological situation of infections with intestinal parasites among seven-year-old children attending first classes of the elementary schools in 25 provinces of Poland (ii) answer the question concerning an influence of the summer flood 1997 on the epidemiological situation of intestinal parasitoses in the affected regions. METHODS: The studies included 30,110 children, i.e. 10% of the population of seven-year-olds, in the provinces under study, and were based on the examination of a single faecal specimen and a cellophane swab using the following methods: wet mount preparations in 0.9% NaCl and diluted Lugol,s iodine, zinc sulphate centrifugal flotation and decantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The parasites most frequently encountered in the examinations included: Enterobius vermicularis (in 16.45% of the examined), Ascaris lumbricoides (2.8%), Giardia intestinalis (1.02%), Entamoeba coli (0.73%), Trichuris trichiura (0.29%). The obtained results confirmed the decreasing frequency of infections with intestinal parasites in Poland and indicated that the summer flood of 1997 had a little influence on the epidemiological situation of intestinal parasitoses in the affected regions.

[Use of western blot methods for serodiagnosis of hydatidosis in Poland]. / Zastosowanie metody western blot do serologicznej diagnostyki bablowicy w Polsce.

46 sera and 1 cerebrospinal fluid samples from 47 patients suspected of hydatidosis were examined by Western blot method, and the results were compared with those of the indirect haemagglutination, immunoelectrophoresis and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The examinations confirmed high sensitivity and specificity of the reactions with 8 kDa antigenic fraction in the Western blot. The above data supported the concept, that serological diagnosis of hydatidosis should be carried out using a high sensitivity screening test, such as ELISA, then the Western blot method to verify positive results.

[Analysis of the occurrence of intestinal parasites among children in first grade in elementary school in Poland in the school year 1992/3]. / Analiza wystepowania pasozytów jelitowych u dzieci klas pier wszych w Polsce w roku szkolnym 1992/93.

In 1992/93 there were reexamined in Poland 10% of the population of children aged 7 years for the presence of intestinal parasites, continuing country-wide operation launched in 1988. The examination included 60,288 children, 38,003 inhabiting towns and 22,285 from the country. Among the examined in each voivodeship the numbers of children from towns and country were proportional to the actual number of children living in the two localities. The methods included examination of direct faecal smear in 0.85% NaCl and in Lugol's iodine, zinc sulphate flotation, decantation and cellophane swabs according to NIH. The parasites encountered in order of decreasing frequency comprised: E. vermicularis, G. intestinalis, Entamoeba coli, A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura. The highest number of infected children was found in the Biala Podlaska district. The number of infected among children inhabiting country was significantly higher than among those from the towns. The obtained results have confirmed hitherto existing views that in Poland the epidemiological situation of infections with intestinal parasites is steadily improving.

Detection of a circulating parasitic antigen in acute infections with Trichinella spiralis: diagnostic significance of findings.

Circulating parasitic antigen was demonstrated in the sera of rats and patients infected with Trichinella spiralis. Using a dot-immunobinding method, the antigen was detected in the sera of experimental animals from the fourth day of infection and in more than one third of the patients by the end of the third week from infection. The method proved to be simple, sensitive and specific. It should assist an early diagnosis of trichinellosis demonstrating the antigen in some cases with negative or doubtful results for specific antibodies.

Electron microscopic and radioisotopic studies on cap formation in Toxoplasma gondii.

Trophozoites of Toxoplasma gondii from mouse peritoneal exudate are capable of shedding antibodies with which they have been previously coated. The antibodies are first moved towards the anterior pole of the parasite, at which they form a "cap". From the pole they are shed into the environment in the form of antigen-antibody complexes. An internalization of the accumulated material has never been encountered. Most probably, the observed phenomenon reflects a mechanism by which the parasite evades the host's immune response.