Echinococcosis granulosus/hydatidosis an endemic zoonotic disease in Egypt.

The hydatidosis patients were collected from Mansoura University's Hospitals and Dakahlia Public Health Hospitals. The patients were divided into three groups: GI: 74 patients with surgically confirmed cystic echinococcosis (CE), GII: 45 patients with other parasitic infections, GIII: 30 healthy parasite-free individuals. All were subjected to questionnaire and full clinical examination, imaging investigation, routine laboratory examination, and serum samples for antibody against CE by the specific ELISA. The hydatidosis was higher in females but without statistically significant difference (p = 0.309). There was no age predilection difference regarding hydatidosis infection. However, the hydatidosis granulosus was significantly higher in the shepherd followed by the farmers. All the questionnaires were positively correlated to hydatidosis infection except the availability of clean domestic water and personal knowledge about hydatidosis gave negative correlations. The ELISA-OD correlated positively with the imaging investigation (mainly U S stage). The sensitivity of ELISA was 86.7% and specificity was 81.4%. The results were evaluated regarding the local and regional data on echinococcosis/hydatidosis.

Protozoal pollution of surface water sources in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt.

Water samples were collected different water sources and different districts of Dakahlia G., from September 2005 to August 2006, were investigated for pathogenic protozoa. Water specimens were examined by concentration technique followed by modified Ziehl-Neelsen (MZN) and Truant auramine-rhodamine (AR) stains for Giardia sp. cysts, Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts, and other protozoa species. In the 1st survey, 94/480 (19.6%) water samples had protozoa. Prevalence rates were in summer 38/120 (31.6%), autumn 27/ 120 (22.5%), spring 20/ 120 (16.6%) and lastly winter 9/120 (7.5%). Protozoa were less common in treated potable water tanks 15/120 (12.5%), followed by River Nile (Demiatta branch) 22/120 (18.3%) and sub-branch Bahr-El-Saghear 24/120 (20%). The highest prevalence was in water of the main local draining 33/120 (27.5%). In the 2nd survey, 840 potable water samples from seven districts were examined. Prevalence in descending order was C. parvum (3.1%), G. intestinalis (2.1%), E. histolytica (1%), Blastocystis homi-nis (1%), Iodamoeba sp, (0.5%), Isospora belli (0.47%), E. coli (0.36%), Cyclospora cayetanensis (0.24%), and Chilomastix mesnilli (0.12%). Data suggested that C. parvum and G. intestinalis were the commonest disease-agent. The implementation of preventive measures to protect water system from protozoa contamination was given.

Effect of insect growth regulators on protein pattern of dermatophagoides farinae and its validity on inducing human alleregens.

Two insect growth regulators, Methorprene and Hydroprene were evaluated as growth hormones on the common house dust mite; Dermatophagoides farinae. The adults and immature stages were treated with 4 concentrations of each regulator as contact and as diet. The data were recorded 30 & 90 days post-exposure. Both compounds significantly suppressed population growth, as compared to > or = 5% acetone controls. Methoprene was more effective than Hydroprene when given in diet by corporation bioassays but, slightly more effective for the 1st 30 days of the contact assays. A second set of contact and diet-incorporation assays was done using a 75% of Methoprene and Hydroprene to determine efficacy on D. farinae population dynamics, at weekly intervals for 13 weeks. The average number of the mites in the untreated control population was increased by more than 10 times than the original ones. On the other hand, the number of treated mites was not significantly increased. This was similar for both the contact and the diet-incorporation bioassays, although the average number of mites/container was significantly higher when the treatment was incorporated in the house dust mite diet than when applied directly as contact. Consequently, the insect growth regulators minimized the allergic efficacy of D. farinae in experimental exposed mice.

A preliminary pilot survey (Culex pipiens), Sharkia Governorate, Egypt.

Sixteen different ecological areas in Sharkia Governorate were surveyed for adult Culex pipiens. The prevalence was investigated among 160 houses of 2800 individuals and their surrounding outdoors. The collected adults were 41488 from October 2003 to November 2004. The collection rates were higher in the rural areas than urban ones. Mosquitoes were common all the year round except January, February and March, with peaks in summer and autumn than in spring and winter. Larvae in descending order were Cx. pipiens the predominant larva followed by Ae. caspius, Culiseta sp. and then Cx. pusillus. Cx. pipiens was described as the most common larva.

Allergic reactions in patients suffering from asthma induced by house dust mites which treatment by juvenile hormone.

The effect of Juvenile hormone analogue, Admiral "pyriproxyfen", which acts as a protein de-naturing agent, on the protein patterns of D. farinae was studied on allergic reactions in patients with HDM asthma, and in mice injected twice (within 10 days) with mite crude extracts. Total protein concentrations and protein patterns were different in normal and admiral-treated mites. This may result in reducing the allergenic of treated mites. Histamine release, total immunoglobulin E (IgE), specific immunoglobulin E (S-IgE), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and absolute eosinophil count (AEC) were determined for moderate and severe HDM asthma-tics compared to check cases. These parameters had higher levels in asthmatic patients than in normal (check) individuals. Injection of mice with normal adult extracts of D. farinae resulted in significantly higher levels of histamine, S-IgE and ECP than in the check animals. Skin reactions were observed in all of the mice injected with normal or treated D. farinae extracts.

Zoonotic cryptosporidiosis in man and animal in farms, Giza Governorate, Egypt.

To demonstrated the zoonotic cryptosporidiosis. A total of 189 farmers and their farm animals (200= 71 buffaloes, 59 cows, 43 sheep and 27 goats were examined. Stool samples Each stool sample was subjected to the direct wet smear method and Sheather's sugar flotation and acid-ether sedimentation techniques and stained with four stains (Modified Ziehl Neelsen, Safranin, methylene blue, Aniline carbol methyl violet and Giemsa). A positive statistically significant correlation was observed between farmers and their farm animals infected with cryptosporidium parvum proving a zoonotic potential for infection (r = 0.819 P <0.01 for cryptosporidiosis. For detection of Cryptosporidium, 100 % sensitivity was obtained when acid ether concentration technique was used and modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain revealed highest sensitivity of 92.1 %.