Zoonotic ectopic fascioliasis: review and discussion.

Ectopic fascioliasis (EF) has direct and indirect effects on both humans and animals. The phenomenon of EF was individual cases in the period from 1950 up to the end of last century. From the period of 2000 up to 2006, plenty of researches were on EF in the developed and undeveloped countries. Nineteen EF cases infected with the immature and few with the mature worms were 13 females and 6 males. Three cases of lymphatic, pleural and breast fascioliasis reached the adults and laid their eggs in a lymph node in the cervical region pleural cavity and breast tissues. Until recent, knowledge about the ectopic fascioliasis pathway is little. Fasciola hepatica was the commonest species in most cases. The effect of fascioliasis might be direct to liver as ectopic foci or indirect on other organs due to the metabolites and secretory excretory products. All ages and both sexes were EF infected. Watercress topped the list of water plants born encysted metacercariae followed by lettuce, mint, and alfalfa. Nearly 24 million Egyptians at risk and about 800,000 were infected. On the global scale, about 180 million are at risk of infection.

A new parasitic metacercaria from the land snail Monacha obstructa pfeiffer1842 with critical review on relevant metacercariae belonging to the genus Brachylaima Dujardin 1843.

Out of 328 specimens of the land snail Monacha obstructa, 105 (32%) were infected with a new metacercaria belonging to the genus Brachylaima Dujardin 1843. The present snail is considered as a new host for this parasite in Egypt. Morphological and morphometric patterns were elucidated. Number of recovered infective metacercariae ranged between 4-35 per kidney of snail host. Metacercariae inhabited only the kidney of infected snails. Total length of mature metacercariae ranged from 1800mu-2050mu (1940mu). The anterior extremity is dome shaped and ceca were highly expanded, undulating, and filled with masses of brown cells and renal tissues. Metacercariae were fully mature, unencyted and highly active. They were either roaming in pathways inside the kidney or firmly anchored to renal tissues via oral sucker. Oral sucker length/total body length is 1:8.5. The histopathological effects involved disintegration of renal lamellae and formation of numerous necrotic masses. Invading metacercariae faced no host resistance and they were surrounded by a parasitovorus vacuole as a mean of immune-evasion. SEM studies revealed that dorsal surface of ventral sucker area is covered with rows of minute spines, Oral suker also is provided with a median tongue-like shaped septum. The rest of integument is aspinose. A critical review for relevant metacercariae of genus Brachylaima is provided.

Studies on the genus Stylocephalus ellis, 1912 (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Stylocephalidae) in beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) from El Fayoum Governorate, Egypt.

Four species of the genus Stylocephalus Ellis, 1912 were recorded and described from beetles in El Fayoum Governorate; S. longicollis, S. phalloides, S. variabilis and S. eastoni. Both S. phalloides and S. variabilis were recorded in Zophosis sp. and Pimelia angulata, respectively for the first time in Egypt. Out of 105 Blaps polychresta, 18 (17.14%) were infected with S. longicollis and 57 (54.29%) with S. eastoni. Out of 30 Pimelia angulata, 17 (56.76%) were infected with S. variabilis and all examined Zophosis sp. (n = 67) were infected with S. phalloides. Scanning electron microscopy on S. longicollis revealed morphological features not reported before; three pairs of longitudinal ribs extending from the second fifth till the posterior extremity of old sporont and a minute pore on the anterior tip of epimerite. In S. eastoni, the epimerite-host epithelium relationship revealed that the parasite invades host's gut with the distal part of epimerite. Regarding the gross pathological symptoms, heavily infected hosts showed a sluggish motility, short antennae, swollen abdomen, lack of fat accumulation, and putrid smell in dead beetles.

The effect of severe cystic hydatidosis on the liver of a Najdi sheep with special reference to the cyst histology and histochemistry.

A single case of severe hydatidosis in a liver of a Najdi sheep was studied. The estimated age of animal was 1.5 years and the liver was infected with 29 cysts and their diameters ranged from 4.0 mm to 5.1 cm. Cysts with diameter less than 10 mm were immature and those more than 1.5 cm were fertile and developed protroscoleces. Harvested protroscolices measured 120x60 to 140x80 um. Comparative histochemical studies by haematoxylin & eosin, periodic acid Schiff (PAS) and Mossaon's trichrome stains revealed that the cystic wall consisted of three layers which are germinal, laminated and fibrous respectively. The thickness varied with each stain. The glycogen and mucopolysaccharide content increased in infected sheep. Histopathological changes were the formation of fibrotic capsules around biliary tracts and portal vein and also leaky liver was marked in all the sections examined. Meanwhile, pre-malignant changes were seen in the different foci particularly around the biliary tracts and portal veins. The histochemical structure of the hydatid cyst wall may pave the way for effective therapeutic treatment.