Effect of mast cell stabilization on angiogenesis in primary and secondary experimental Trichinella spiralis infection.

BACKGROUND: Mast cells are known to affect the primary and secondary immune responses against parasites, and this effect is partially mediated through the release of pro-angiogenic mediators. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of the mast cell stabilizer (MCS), ketotifen, with and without albendazole, an anti-parasitic prescription medicine, on the inflammatory response against Trichinella spiralis, with the overall aim to investigate its effect on angiogenesis accompanying nurse cell formation. METHODS: The effect of ketotifen and albendazole was explored in eight groups of female BALB/c mice. Four groups were sensitized with a small dose of T. spiralis larvae. The drug regimen was then applied to both sensitized (challenged) and non-sensitized mice. The parasite load was assessed by histopathological examination of the small intestine and muscle tissue, and angiogenesis was assessed by immunohistochemistry to determine the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). RESULTS: Sensitized mice showed a significantly lower parasite load and a more pronounced inflammatory response than mice receiving a single infective dose of T. spiralis larvae. All treated groups showed a significant reduction in parasite count compared to the control groups (groups IAa and IBa), reaching approximately an 98.8% reduction in adult parasite count in the sensitized group treated with albendazole (groups IIAb and IIBb). MCS significantly decreased the parasite count during both the intestinal or muscular phases, reduced tissue inflammation, and decreased local VEGF expression, both in the non-sensitized and sensitized groups. CONCLUSION: Sensitization with a low dose of T. spiralis larvae was found to confer a partial protective immunity against re-infection and to positively affect the study outcomes, thus underlining the importance of vaccination, but after extensive studies. The anti-angiogenic effect of MCS protects against larval encystation during the muscle phase. The anti-angiogenic potential of albendazole suggests that the action of this anti-helminthic during trichinellosis is not confined to structural damage to the parasite cuticle but includes an effect on host immunopathological response.

Intestinal parasitism in pediatric oncology children receiving chemotherapy: unexpected low prevalence.

BACKGROUND: Children with underlying malignancies and those on chemotherapy are at risk for having intestinal parasitic infections, which can lead to a severe course and death. This cross-sectional study was done to assess the copro-parasitological and copro-molecular prevalence of entero-parasites in children with malignancies and those on chemotherapy. PROCEDURE: Stool samples were collected from 137 Egyptian hospitalized cancerous children with different malignancies in the National Cancer Institute, and receiving chemotherapy.Faecal samples were examined microscopically. Genomic copro-DNA was extracted from fecal samples and amplified by 3 separate nPCR assays targeting Cryptosporidium, G. intestinalis and Entamoeba histolytica complex. RESULT: The overall prevalence of enteroparasites was 6.6 % (9 cases). Only Giardia copro-DNA was encountered in 2 (1.4%) faecal samples of patients. Coproscopy detected parasites in 7 cases: Blastocystis spp. in 5 cases (3.6%), Hymenolepis nana in 1 case (0.7%) and Ascaris lumbericoides in 1 case (0.7%). CONCLUSION: Low prevalence may be due to patient's use of prophylactic anti-parasitic and anti-fungal drugs, a standard protocol, basic hygienic practices and good nursing all of which are preventive against enteroparasites transmission. Among studied variables only diarrhoeic individuals who had a solid tumor, and soft/liquid stool with mucus and blood were predictors of intestinal parasitism.

Molecular prevalence and estimated risk of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Libya.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Cutanoeus leishmaniasis (CL) is an endemic disease in the Mediterranean area including Libya. The aim of the present study is to detect the prevalent Leishmania species obtained from smeared cutaneous lesions in addition to studying the diverse sociodemographic risk factors of the reported cases from different provinces of Libya. METHODS: A total of 250 archived microscopic slides from clinically suspected cases of CL attending the leishmaniasis clinic in the Dermatology Department, Tripoli Central Hospital, Tripoli, Libya, were microscopically examined. Leishmania-DNA was amplified using combined polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting kinetoplast-DNA (kDNA) and ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1)-DNA with restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for direct Leishmania species identification. RESULTS: Using kDNA and ITS1-PCR, 22.5% and 20% of cases were positive, respectively. Only 14.4% of cases were positive using microscopy. Nominating ITS1-PCR as the reference standard, kDNA-PCR assay was highly sensitive while microscopy was 100% specific but of limited sensitivity (72%) with a substantial agreement and an overall accuracy of 94.4%. Leishmania major and Leishmania tropica were the predominant species reported from the north-western provinces including Tripoli, Zintan, and Gharyan with their related subprovinces; Asabaa, Mizdan, Alkawasem, and Alorban. CL prevailed more among men and residents of rural areas. House wives and students were the most affected professions. Children were the least affected, while the middle-aged were the most affected age group. CONCLUSION: L. major and L. tropica are the predominant species in the north-western regions of Libya. ITS1-PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay offered a sensitive, specific, and faster diagnostic method especially with negative parasitologic examination.

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC RISK FACTORS OF SCHISTOSOMIASIS MANSONI IN PATIENTS WITH GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS: A SEROPREVALANCE STUDY IN EGYPT.

Limited data is available on the epidemiologic status of schistosomiasis mansoni in Egypt. The present work aimed to explore the seroepidemiological status of Schistosoma inansoni infection in Egypt by screening inhabitants of different Egyptian govemorates and its correla- tion with morbid symptoms and risk factors. Health questionnaires and indirect haemagglutination test (IHAT) were performed upon a cross-sectional study of 1788 individuals from 22 govemorates. Socio-demographic varjables included sex, age, residence and.canal water contact. A multivariate regressi6n model was used to assess associations betWeen S.mansoni infection and socio-demographic variables; S.mansoni significant titre ≥ 1:160 was detected in 43% of samples. S. mansoni showed the highest prevalence in Al-Fayoum (15.2%), Kafr EI-Sheikh (11.2%) then Assiut (10.9%) while the least positiveresults were from Matrouh (0.2%). This may be the first indication to emerging foci in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Suez, Port Said and the Red Sea Govemorates. Anti-S.mansoni antibodies were least de- tected at 1 1-2Oys while they were the highest at 41-SOys, the highest titres (1/1280) were achieved by the age group 31 -4Oys.Male gender was a risk factor as 48.2% of males were IHAT +ve. Contacting canal water tends to be advantageous for schistosomiasis mansoni as 72.6% had a histoxy of canal contact and 96.7% of them achieved the highest titre. The alteration in the actual prevalence of schistosomiasis mansoni in Egypt with emergence of new foci including Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Mersa-Matrouh and the north-eastern province alongside Suez Canal that may be explained by the associated socioepidemiologic risk factors.

COPRO-MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM SPP. AND GENOTYPES AMONG EGYPTIAN CHILDREN.

Stool samples from 182 diarrhoeic (symptomatic) children and 100 apparently healthy (asymptomatic) children, matched for age, from Aboul-Reesh Cairo University Pediatrics Hospital were examined by ELISA and by nPCR (targeting COWP gene) for the detection of Cryptosporidium. The demographic and environmental data of the diarrhoeic group was recorded. The PCR amplified product of positive cases was then subjected to RFLP by digesting it with the restriction enzyme RsaI. The obtained fragments were resolved by electrophoresis and the bands were visualized and characterized versus a standard. ELISA results demonstrated a prevalence rate of 13.2% (24/182) among diarrhoeic group, and 8% (8/100) among non-diarrheic group, with overall detection rate of 11.3% (32/282). Higher rates of detection were obtained by nested PCR assay among diarrhoeic group 25.8% (47/182) and 16% (16/100) among non-diarrhoeic group with overall detection rate of 22.3% (63/282). Considering nPCR as the reference method, ELISA had a sensitivity of 47.6% and a specificity of 99.1%. RsaI digestion of nPCR product of COWP gene revealed the presence of 2 genotypes: genotype 1 with 4 bands (34, 106, 125 and 285) and genotype 2 in which 3 bands (34, 106 and 401). Among the 63 cases with cryptosporidiosis, 53 (88.3%) had genotype 1, and 7 (11.7%) had genotype 2. The higher prevalence of genotype 1 suggests a relatively greater risk of human source of infection than zoonosis.