Intestinal parasites among food-handlers in Qualyobia Governorate, with reference to the pathogenic parasite blastocystis hominis.

A total of 1700 male food handlers, above 20 years of age who came for health clearance certificate were the subjects of the present study. Health assessment questionnaire was filled out on each person including dietary habits, water supply, history of diarrhoeal disease. Clinical examination and stool samples collection in 3 alternative days were performed. The food handlers were divided into symptomatic (700) and saymptomatic (1000). Different concentration methods as well as test tube culture for Strongyloides larvae were done. Samples were preserved in PVA, trichrome stained slides were examined for protozoal parasites. Nineteen percent had intestinal parasites, G. lamblia, E. histolytica, A.. lumbricoides, S. mansoni, A. duodenale, T. trichura, H. nana, St. stercoralis, E. vermicularis and mixed infection & non-pathogenic; E. coli, I. Butschlii, C. mesnilli, E. nana, T. hominis and mixed infection. Blastocystis hominis was recovered from stools of 8.5% of symptomatic and 4% of asymptomatic. 2.4% symptomatic and 2% asymptomatic had B. hominis significant infection. B hominis was considered significant if > 5 organisms per HPF was counted. Significant infection was higher among symptomatic than asymptomatic persons with detectable faecal leucocytes especially eosinophils. The authors recommended that physicians as well as diagnostic parasitologists should be aware of the potential clinical significance of B. hominis especially, when present alone in significant number, otherwise positive cases must be considered as carriers and followed up for any ill effects.

Free living amoebae as opportunistic parasites in immunocompromised hosts.

The acquisition of invasiveness of mammalian tissue by free living amoebae (FLA) is an extremely noteworthy phenomenon. Many factors may be responsible for this evolutionary change in their physiology. The present work aimed to clarify the host factors in this problem. Albino mice were the laboratory animals used in this work. Non-pathogenic strains of FLA were isolated from ear, nose and pharyngeal swabs and from contact lenses of patients attending out patient clinics in Benha University Hospitals. Isolation was done by cultivation of non-nutrient agar at 37 & 43 degrees C and identification was made by flagellation test. The degree of pathogenicity of isolated strains was assessed by using animal pathogenicity test. Endoxan (0.7 mg/kg) and Prednisolone (2 mg/kg) were used for 15 days orally to suppress the immunity of clean mice before their inoculation intranasally with the isolated strains. All groups were observed for 3 weeks post-infection. Mortality rates recorded were higher in Endoxan or Prednisolone treated and Naegleria infected groups A I & B I (20 & 15% respectively) than Endoxan or Prednisolone treated and acanthamoeba infected groups A II & B II (10%) and drug control (10%). Histopathological examination of brain and meninges revealed severe changes in form of severe meningoencephalitis, severe vacuolar degeneration, and moderate haemorrhage and necrosis in brains of groups AI & BI and less severe changes in groups AII & BII (10%) form of-non granulomatous encephalitis. Drug control groups showed negligible changes. Great attention must be paid to reveal the presence of FLA before using immunosuppressive drugs in human cases.

Pairing of Schistosoma mansoni males in infected Syrian hamsters.

Pairing of male schistosomes in the liver of infected hamsters was recorded with Egyptians S. mansoni strain. The homospecific male pairs never carried each other in the gynaecophoric duct, but they being closed in either central or hepatic veins. Other perfused males and females en copula showed normal mating behaviour. The paired males were more or less in the same size. The random sexed miracidia used resulted in obtaining 1:2.1 female/male ratio. It is concluded that the random increase of male schistosomes may create the male pairing behaviour. Also, the migration of female against the blood stream to the mesenteric plexus of the host and the failure of male to catch them may lead to this homosexual pairing. The black haemozoin-like substance seen in mature females was also observed in the pairing males and this probably reflects the effect of scarcity or migration of females to the mesenteric plexus.

Seroepidemiological studies for toxoplasmosis among out- and inpatients in Benha University Hospitals, Qualyobia Governorate.

Toxoplasma antibodies were detected in sera of 700 cases; 500 were collected randomly from individuals attending the outpatient clinics of Benha University Hospitals of different ages and sexes and 200 from suspected inpatients from Obstetric, Opthalmology, Internal Medicine and Surgery Departments. The indirect fluorescent antibody technique was performed. The results were correlated with the clinical picture, age, sex and residence. The general positivity rate was 14.57%; in the random group, 11.2% and in suspected group, 23% (P < 0.001). Toxoplasma antibodies were more in females than in males in random group especially above 40 years old but with no obvious difference in rural and urban areas. In the suspected group, Toxoplasma positivity were 24% in Obstetric cases; 15% in hepatosplenomegalic cases, 17.5% in prolonged fever cases, 28.57% in ophthalmic cases and 40% in localised lymphadenopathy cases.

Enhanced efficacy of praziquantel treatment in mice vaccinated with radiation attenuated cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni.

Normal, and vaccinated mice four weeks previously with radiation attenuated cercariae of S. mansoni (500/mouse) were challenged with normal cercariae (150/mouse), then treated one week later with praziquantel (400 mg/kg body weight, orally). Worm burden was determined to calculate the % immunity in all groups under study. Histopathological examination of liver, small and large intestine, spleen and lung was done. Serum IgE level was estimated using the immunoradiometric assay. (IRMA). The % immunity was highest among vaccinated, infected and treated group with minimal pathological changes recorded and highest IgE level. From the data collected, it was found that, the efficacy of praziquantel treatment was enhanced in vaccinated mice and that there was synergistic effect between drug treatment and vaccination when praziquantel was given seven days post-infection (challenge).

Effect of praziquantel on sex hormone levels in murine schistosomiasis mansoni.

Changes in sex hormonal levels were studied in Schistosoma mansoni infected and praziquantel treated mice (400 x 2 mg/Kg), drug control and in normal control groups. It was observed that schistosomiasis lead to increase in the level of testosterone, progesterone and 17B-esteradiol, 60 and 70 days postinfection in male and female mice, respectively. In praziquantel treated group the level of testosterone was lowered 10, 20 & 30 days post treatment, progesterone and 17 beta-estradiol fell 30 days post treatment after primary rise. The mechanism of recorded changes will be discussed in details.

Congenital toxoplasmosis among premature infants with different clinical pictures in Saudi Arabia.

No doubt, toxoplasmosis is a prevalent infection in all the Arab countries. However, the incidence differs from one country to another and even within the same country. Congenital toxoplasmosis is the most important form of the infection. In the present study, some 78 premature infants with different clinical pictures were examined for Toxoplasma IgG (by IHAT and ELISA) and Toxoplasma IgM (by ELISA). The results showed Toxoplasma IgG ranging between 32.1% (IHAT) and 46.2% (ELISA) while IgM (ELISA) was 23.1%. The highest positivity rate was among those suffering jaundice and the lowest was among those suffering fever of unknown origin. Protection of women particularly pregnant ones, from Toxoplasma infection is a must.

PIP: Laboratory personnel at Taif Children's Hospital in Saudi Arabia used indirect hemagglutination tests (IHAT) to analyze blood samples from 78 Saudi Arabian premature infants suffering from neonatal jaundice (21 infants), lymphadenopathy (18), fever (20), chorioretinitis (15), hepatomegaly (3), or pneumonia (1). Laboratory personnel in Egypt used ELISA assays to examine the second set of blood samples. The researchers wanted to measure antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in the infants exhibiting symptoms of congenital toxoplasmosis. 32.1% of the infants tested positive for Toxoplasma antibodies based on the IHAT. The most common symptoms among these positive congenital toxoplasmosis cases were jaundice (57.1%) and lymphadenopathy (38.9%). The ELISA test for IgG found Toxoplasma antibodies in 46.2% of the premature infants. The ELISA test for IgM found Toxoplasma antibodies in 23.1%. The leading symptoms for IgG included jaundice (66.7%), chorioretinitis (53.3%), and lymphadenopathy (50%). The leading symptoms for IgM were jaundice (42.9%) and lymphadenopathy (22.2%). None of the premature infants with hepatomegaly or pneumonia tested positive for Toxoplasma antibodies. Pregnant women can avoid toxoplasmosis by cooking the meat they eat, and not eating it raw or frozen; not touching cats; and washing hands after handling raw meat, cats, or contaminated soil. Women should be routinely tested for Toxoplasma antibodies before pregnancy.

The effect of praziquantel treatment on the liver functions, worm burden, and granuloma size using two drug regimen in murine Schistosoma mansoni infection.

The effect of single dose of praziquantel (400 mg/kg) or two doses on two consecutive days was studied in mice infected with S. mansoni. With the single dose there was improvement in the serum protein pattern towards pre-infection values & a transient rise in serum transaminases which soon declined to normal. Improvement was more evident after using two doses of praziquantel (P < 0.001). Worms were eradicated by 70%. 77% and 80% after the single dose and by 88%, 92% and 95% after two doses. Granuloma size was reduced by 50%, 54% and 60% after single dose and by 58% and 73% respectively after 10, 20, and 30 days from treatment.

Serum immunoglobulin and complement values in scabietic patients.

Immunity entails all the forces concerned with recognition, specific reaction and removal of foreign bodies after they again access into the body of the host. The immune system interacts with genetics and infectious agents as well as with metabolic, endocrine and environmental factors. The serum immunoglobulins (G.M.A. & E.) and complement (C3 and C4) were estimated in sixteen parasitologically proven patients with scabies. The causative agent was Sarcoptes scabiei. The results showed a high significant increase in the mean average of IgG., IgM. and in particular IgE pretreatment than in patients three months after treatment and in patients after treatment than in controls. On the other hand, there was a significant decrease in the mean average in the mean average of IgA after treatment was insignificant compared with controls. The C3 and C4 showed no significant changes in the mean average in the patients before or after treatment compared with controls. The changes in the IgG., IgM. and in particular IgE. may be specific reaction to the parasite or a non specific one to the dead parasite or its faeces or even to a secondary infection developed. On the other hand, the decrease in the IgA. may be due to the mite or its products which interfere with its synthesis. It is concluded that scabies is associated with a humoral immunological response against the mite infestation.

Study of human and parasitic factors in relation to bancroftian filariasis in Egypt.

The Human Leucocytic Antigen (HLA) and the histochemical reaction of microfilaria were studied by using cytotoxicity test and microfilarial acid phosphatase activity respectively to evaluate the role of the genetic factors and the parasitic factor in the pathogenesis of filariasis. Statistical significant association was found between HLA-B7 and the susceptibility for retaining microfilariae in blood and the development of clinical manifestations of filariasis. Histochemical study reported more or less the same results obtained in Egypt in elsewhere.

Tonsilar toxoplasmosis.

One hundred cases were suffering from chronic tonsillitis, aged between 4-12 years, of both sexes (60 males and 40 females), from outpatient clinic of E.N.T. unit at Benha Faculty of Medicine. They were examined serologically by indirect haemagglutination--antibody technique (IHAT) for toxoplasmosis. After tonsillectomy, histopathological and electronmicroscopical studies were done. Ten percent of cases were positive serologically, among males (11.71%) and females (7.5%). The positivity rate was high among age group 10-12 years than others. Two cases showed histopathological and ultrastructural changes indicating toxoplasmosis.

Leukaemogenic effect of toxoplasmosis and irradiation on albino rats.

The leukaemogenic effect of irradiation associated with toxoplasmosis was studied. Rats were infected with Toxoplasma gondii RH strain 3 weeks prior to irradiation. The leukaemic effect of irradiation was aggravated by toxoplasmosis as leukaemia appeared in 10% of 300 cGy irradiated rats and in 30% of 500 cGy irradiated ones, six months after irradiation.

Animals as reservoir hosts for Leishmania in Qualyobia Governorate, Egypt.

A total of 239 rodents were collected from El-Khanka, Shebin El-Kanater, El-Kanater, Shoubra El Khima, Qualiob, Tokh, Benha and Kafr-Shokr and identified as Mus musculus (30), Rattus rattus (78), Rattus norvegicus (35), Arvicanthus niloticus (62) and Acomys cahirinus (34). Examination of these rodents showed the presence of cutaneous lesions in two R. rattus, three R. norvegicus and one A. cahirinus which showed no Leishmania parasites neither by smear nor by culture. On examination of the liver, spleen and bone marrow parasitologically, the spleen of two R. norvegicus grew promastigotes, one was lost and the other was typed. Serological examination of rodents revealed antileishmanial antibodies in one A. niloticus and in two R. norvegicus by IHAT and in one R. rattus by Dot-ELISA. A total of 33 stray dogs trapped from El-Khanka Shebin El-Kanater and Qualiob were free from natural Leishmania infection as indicated clinically, parasitologically and serologically.

Assessment of IgG & IgM, ELISA and IFAT in diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in pregnancies at risk.

This study was carried out on 100 pregnant cases, divided into 5 groups of patients having congenitally malformed newborns, suffering from stillbirths, premature labours, repeated abortions and control group. The incidence of positive Toxoplasma antibodies was higher in the congenital malformation and stillbirths groups than other groups. Analysis of the results showed that an excellent correlation exists between ELISA and IFAT with a minimal differences (less than 5%).

The effect of some drugs on acute toxoplasmosis in mice.

The effect of some chemotherapeutics, on the course of acute toxoplasmosis in experimentally infected mice was studied. Obtained results showed that, praziquantel, levamisole had no effect on acute toxoplasmosis, while trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole and clindamycin showed some prophylactic effect on acute toxoplasmosis in mice.