Effect of niridazole on the lipid pattern of the parasite and host tissues in experimental schistosomiasis mansoni.

THE LIPID pattern of blood and liver of mice infected with S. mansoni as well as in male and female worms was studied. Experiments were also carried out on non-infected and infected mice after treatment with Niridazole. It was found that Niridazole caused a significant increase in liver triglycerides and serum free acids. These changes were more pronounced in non-infected animals than in infected ones. The drug was found to reduce worm phospholipids and to increase their triglyceride level. The male worms were more affected than the female ones.

Serological diagnosis of schistosomiasis. 1 Demonstration and significance of bilharzial antigenaemia.

Circulating bilharzial antigens were demonstrated in 39% out of 87 bilharzial patients via the IHA and CF techniques using hyperimmune rabbit anti - S.mansoni worm serum. Correlation between the percentage of positive cases and the age, duration of infection, clinical presentation, type of bilharzial infection, chemotherapeutic effect and the intradermal test (I.D.T.) were made. The percentage of positive cases was found to increase with age and with the duration of infection. More positivity was encountered in hepatosplenomegalic and in S.mansoni-infected cases. Most of the I.D positive cases were also IHA positive, but still some I.D. negative cases were IHA positive. Specific chemotherapy resulted in rise in the number of IHA positive cases which was followed by gradual fall in teh next six months until they became negative. On the other hand, using the CF technique, all cases turned negative after treatment with no phase of augmentation. However, antigenaemia reappeared in few cases. These cases relapsed later. Comparing the results of IHA and CF indicates that each test may be detecting a different group of antigens.

Control of snail hosts of bilharziasis in Egypt. 3. Effect of the organophosphorous insecticide, dursban, on carbohydrate metabolism of the snails Biomphalaria alexandria and Bulinus truncatus.

The effects of the organophosphorous insecticide, Dursban, on aerobic oxidation, glycolysis, glucose utilization and gluconeogenesis in snails tissues were determined. Dursban had a biphasic effect on the aerobic oxidation of succinate, glutamate + malate and TMPD + ascorbate while it had only an inhibitory action on pyruvate oxidation. The compound significantly inhibited glycolysis, glucose utilization and gluconeogenesis when used at high concentrations (ten times higher than its LC50). However, it had a slight effect on thepreviously mentioned process when its concentration was equal to or approximated its LC50. The relationship between the metabolic effect of Dursban and its molluscicidal activity is discussed.

Control of snail hosts of bilharziasis in Egypt. 2. Effect of triphenyltin hydroxide (Du-Ter) on carbohydrate metabolism of the snails Biomphalaria alexandria and Bulinus tuncatus.

Previous work has shown that the aerobic oxidation of certain intermediates of Krebs cycle by the snail B. alexandrina and B. truncatusis inhibited by TPT. This paper reports data on the effect of TPT on glucose utilization, glycolysis, glycogen content, and glucone ogenesis in snail tissue preparations. The compounds at its LC50 inhibited gluconeogenesis, stimulated glycolysis and markedly reduced the glycogen content and glucose utilization in both snails. However, the effects were more pronounced in B. truncatus than in B. alexandrina. Possible interpretations of these findings are discussed with reference to published arrangements for regulation of gluconeogenesis and glycolysis, coupling of electorn transport to ATP synthesis and also to our present knowledge of the chemical and biological specificity of TPT.

Lipid pattern in Bilharzial hepatic fiprosis.

Plasma total lipid phosphorus, individual phospholipid fractions, free and esterified cholesterol, triglycerides and nonesterified fatty acids were fractionated by thin-layer chromatography and determined in bilharzial hepatic fibrosis patients (57 cases) and normal controls (25 cases). Significant diminutions were encountered in the total and the individual phospholipids, especially the lysolecithin fraction in the 3 groups of patients studied. Total and esterified cholesterol and triglycerides showed significant decreases, especially in moderate and late cases. NEFA, on the other hand, did not reveal any change from normal level in either moderate, late or mixed cases. Such findings may be attributed to malabsorption, lack of energy, insufficiency of required precursors as well as impaired synthesis by the liver.