A study on the prevalence of house dust mites in Al-Arish city, North Sinai Governorate, Egypt.

Free living mites comprise a huge and various groups of tiny arthropods in the class Arachida, mainly of the Pyroglyphidae family. Exposure to allergens derived from house dust mite (HDM) feces is a postulated risk factor for allergic sensitization, asthma development and asthma morbidity. However, practical and effective method to mitigate these allergens in low-income, urban home environments remains elusive. It well known that (HDM) physiology is greatly affected by hydrothermal microclimatic condition. El Arish has subtropical climate and warm humid summer, such situation are favourable to proliferate house dust mites. As no valid data are available for house dust mites fauna of El Arish, this study was carried out to determine the prevalence and contamination rates of homes in El Arish city. Samples of house dust collected in 2008 from 50 houses in El Arish city were subjected to acarological examination. Acri were found in (34.6 %) of the samples collected from these homes. Results indicated that dust mites were present in all humid environments. Also, hypersensitivity to dust mites was common among patients with asthma.

Mirazid in treatment of three zoonotic trematodes in Beni-Sweif and Dakhalia Governorates.

A total of 60 patients with schistosomiasis (40), fascialiosis (15) and heterophyiasis (5) were selected Beni-Sweif and Mansoura Districts and subjected to history taking, clinical examination, Kato thick smear, sedimentation and hatching test (for schistosomiasis cases) at the beginning of the study, 2 & 3 months after treatment with Oleo-resin of Myrrh (Mirazid) in a dose of 10 mg/kg/day for 6 consecutive days an hour before breakfast. The results showed a significant improvement in symptoms with minimal negligible or no side effects. The cure rates, 2 & 3 months after treatment were 80.7%% & 11.8%% for schistosomiasis, 93.3% & 6.6% for fascioliasis, and 100% for heterophyiasis. The clinical picture of schistosomiasis before treatments were easy fatigability, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, epigastria pain, abdominal distention, right upper guardant pain, colicky abdominal pain, left upper and/or lower guardant pain, abdominal rumbling, dysentery, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, constipation, and alternating bowel habit. Those of fascioliasis were abdominal distention, dripping of saliva, right upper guardant, colicky abdominal pain, weight loss, easy fatigability, intermittent jaundice, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, epigastria, left upper and/or lower quadrant pain, right layer quadrant pain, loin pain, abdominal rumbling, diarrhea, constipation, and alternating bowel habit. The safety and efficacy of C. molmol extract in treating heterophyiasis (100%), fascioliasis (100%) and schistosomiasis (92.5%) were documented.

Prevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in asymptomatic Egyptian blood donors.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in 260 blood donors seen at blood banks, Mansoura University Hospital, Egypt. Blood donors were interviewed about sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors for T. gondii infection. A blood sample was taken to document the T. gondii antibody status by using ELISA. Overall, 155 (59.6%) of 260 blood donors were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between T. gondii positivity and eating processed meat as luncheon and/or shawerma (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 80.82 [95% CI 18.62-350.81], P < 0.0001) or being non-educated (adjusted OR 32.25 [95% CI 7.46-139.44], P < 0.0001). These findings highlight the prevalent T. gondii among blood donors and focused on the risk factors.

Molluscicidal Activity of Some Solanum Species Extracts against the Snail Biomphalaria alexandrina.

Background. Snails' species are associated with transmission parasitic disease as intermediate host. Biological control stands to be a better alternative to the chemical controls aimed against snails. The search of herbal preparations that do not produce any adverse effects in the non-target organisms and are easily biodegradable remains a top research issue for scientists associated with alternative molluscicides control. Method. Solvent extracts of fresh mature leaves of S. nigrum, S. villosum, and S. sinaicum were tested against Biomphalaria alexandrina, a common intermediate host of schistosoma mansoni. A phytochemical analysis of chloroform: ethanol extract was performed to search for active toxic ingredient. The lethal concentration was determined. Results. Extracts isolated from mature leaves of Solanum species were found to be having molluscicidal properties. S. nigrum extract was recorded as the highest mortality rate. When the mortality of different solvent extracts was compared, the maximum (P < .05) mortality was recorded at a concentration of 90 ppm of ethanol extract of S. nigrum. Conclusion. Extract of mature leaves of S. nigrum exhibited molluscicidal activity followed by S. sinaicum and the less one was S. villosum. The study provides considerable scope in exploiting local indigenous resources for snails' molluscicidal agents.

Biochemical parameters in chronic fascioliasis.

Serum lipids, liver enzymes and total bile acids were measured in chronic Fasciola (cholestatic and non-cholestatic) patients. Variations in the biochemical parameters between infected and control groups were detected and typified by considerably higher serum triglycerides (TG, P < 0.001), alkaline phosphatase (ALP, P< 0.001) and total bile acids (TBA, P < 0.001) in the infected group. For cholestatic patients, TG, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gammaglutamyl transferase (GGT) and ALP were statistically higher (P < 0.001 for each comparison) and total cholesterol (TC); low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL), were statistically lower than non-cholestatic patients (P = 0.02, < 0.001, < 0.001 respectively). No statistically significant differences were found for the TC, HDL, VLDL, ALT, AST and GGT between non-cholestatic patients and healthy controls.