Toxoplasmosis among pregnant women in Qualyobia Governorate, Egypt.

This study was conducted between August 2007 and October 2008 to identify the sero-prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii among pregnant women of different ages and stages of gestation. Latex agglutination test was used as screening test. ELISA-IgG & IgM tests measured for the Toxo-Latex positive cases to identify toxoplasmosis clinical status. The results indicated that the prevalence of T. gondii among pregnant women was relatively high in the rural (57.6%) than urban (46.5%) areas. The positivity was correlated, in general, with age as it was higher in the older age groups. No specific clinical pictures were noticed in different patients with variable proportions, as well as a less marked correlation between Toxo-latex positive cases and having toxoplasmic congenital babies. But, neither correlation was detected between the history of congenital toxoplasmosis, or contact with cats and the Toxo-latex out-come results. An acute newly infected pregnant women during their first trimester of pregnancy that represents the rate of incidence of T. gondii in which ELISA-IgM positive and ELISA-IgG negative, was 23 cases (27.05%) and v.v. was 20 (23.54). The interpretation of IgM and IgG was given.

Identification of Egyptian Fasciola species by PCR and restriction endonucleases digestion of the nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA gene.

Fascioliasis is one of the familiar zoonotic health problems of worldwide distribution including Egypt. In this study, a simple and rapid polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR/RFLPs) assay, using the common restriction endonucleases Aval, EcoRI, Eael, Sac11 and Avail was applied to differentiate between both Fasciola gigantica and F. hepatica. The five restriction endonucleases were used to differentiate between the two species of Fasciola based on -1950 bp long sequence of the 18S nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA gene. Aval and EcoRI restriction endonucleases failed to differentiate between the two Fasciola species when each restriction enzyme gave the same restriction patterns in both of them. However, F. gigantica and F. hepatica were well-differentiated when their small subunit ribosomal DNA were digested with Eael and Sac 11 restriction endonucleases.

Efficacy of two plant extracts against vaginal trichomoniasis.

Trichomoniasis vaginalis is now an important worldwide health problem. Metronidazole has so far been used in treatment, but the metronidazole-resistant strains and unpleasant adverse effects have been developed. Treatment of patients with metronidazole refractory vaginal trichomoniasis constitutes a major therapeutic challenge and treatment options are extremely limited. In the present study, 33 metronidazole-resistant T. vaginalis females were treated with a combined course of metronidazole and tinidazole. Those still resistant to the combined treatment were given Commiphora molmol (Myrrh) as two capsules for six to eight successive days on an empty stomach two hours before breakfast. Also, natural plant extract purified from (Roman) was in-vitro investigated for its efficacy against T. vaginalis on fresh Diamond media. The anti-trichomoniasis vaginalis activity of both P. granatum (in-vitro) and C. molmol (in-vivo) extracts gave promising results.

Evaluation of an IgG cystatin capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of anti-cysteine proteinase antibodies in asymptomatic trichomoniasis patients.

All isolates of T. vaginalis release cysteine proteinases proteolytic enzymes that are shed into the vagina or culture medium. Cystatin has been used successfully as a capture agent in ELISA to detect cysteine proteinase antibodies without the need for purified proteinases. The ELISA was evaluated in comparison to wet mount microscopy and culture techniques. IgG cystatin capture ELISA proved to be a sensitive and highly specific (100%) assay that could rapidly detect anti-cysteine proteinase antibodies in both vaginal washouts and sera of asymptomatic patients with a sensitivity of 100% and 86.7%, respectively. A defined discrimination between sero-positive and sero-negative individuals was markedly observed for ELISA-vaginal washouts providing a more conclusive diagnosis by this technique. The results demonstrated that in trichomoniasis patients (52 cases) whether symptomatic or asymptomatic. T. vaginalis infection was detected in 19 (36.5%), 49 (94.2%), 50 (96.1%) and 48 (92.3%) by wet mount, culture, cystatin capture ELISA-vaginal washouts and ELISA-sera, respectively. The assay was reliable also as a test of cure with a specificity of 94.4% in the vaginal washouts and 83.3% in sera.