Efficacy of voriconazole on leishmaniasis by Leishmania major: An in vitro and in vivo study

Objective:To appraise the activity of voriconazole against Leishmania major (L. major) in vitro and its effectiveness on wound regeneration in cutaneous leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice.Methods:The ICResults:The ICConclusions:Our results demonstrate that voriconazole can be an option in treating the cutaneous leishmaniasis by L. major.

Efficacy of voriconazole on leishmaniasis by Leishmania major: An in vitro and in vivo study

Objective: To appraise the activity of voriconazole against Leishmania major (L. major) in vitro and its effectiveness on wound regeneration in cutaneous leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice. Methods: The IC

Histological, biomechanical and radiological evaluation of bone repair with human platelet rich plasma in rabbit model

This study was carried out to evaluation the effect of human platelet rich plasma [hPRP] on the bone repair process in rabbit model which could be used in many procedures of orthopedic or maxillofacial bone and implant reconstructive surgery. This study is a prospective experimental study on animal model. A critical size defect [10 mm] was created in the radial diaphysis of 24 rabbit and then supplied with human PRP [treatment group] or the defect left empty [control group]. Radiographs of each forelimb was taken postoperatively on 1st day and at the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th weeks post injury to evaluate bone formation, union and remodeling of the defect. The operated radii were removed on 56th postoperative day and were evaluated for biomechanical properties and histopathological criteria. The results indicate that human PRP [as a xenogenic PRP] in treatment group significantly promote bone regeneration in critical size defects compared with control group [p<0.05]. This study showed that hPRP has a high regenerative capacity in critical size bone defects in rabbit model after 8 weeks

Evaluation of bone healing in canine tibial defects filled with cortical autograft, commercial-DBM, calf fetal DBM, omentum and omentum-calf fetal DBM

The present study was conducted to compare the effects of xenogenic bovine fetal demineralized bone matrix (DBM), commercial DBM, omentum, omentum-calf fetal DBM, cortical autograft and xenogenic cartilage powder on the healing of tibial defects in a dog model to determine the best material for bone healing. Seven male adult mongrel dogs, weighing 26.2 +/- 2.5 kg, were used in this study. Seven holes with a diameter of 4-mm were created and then filled with several biomaterials. Radiographs were taken postoperatively on day 1 and weeks 2, 4, 6, 8. The operated tibias were removed on the 56th postoperative day and histopathologically evaluated. On postoperative days 14, 42 and 56, the lesions of the control group were significantly inferior to those in the other group (p < 0.05). On the 28th postoperative day, the autograft group was significantly superior to the control and omentum groups (p < 0.05). Moreover, calf fetal DBM was significantly superior to the control group. There was no significant difference between the histopathological sections of all groups. Overall, the omentum and omentum-DBM groups were superior to the control group, but inferior to the autograft, commercial-DBM, calf fetal DBM and calf fetal cartilage groups.

Leishmania major in Tatera indica in Estahban, Southern Iran: microscopy, culture, isoenzyme and PCR

This study identifies the infected rodent hosts to Leishmania major in Estahban town, southern Iran during 2004-2005. The rodents were caught alive from April 2004 to April 2005 in Estahban town, south of Iran and examined for any skin lesion. An impression was provided from the tissues of feet, tail, ears and any patent lesion, stained with Giemsa and studied microscopically for the presence of amastigotes. All samplings were cultured at 25°C in rabbit blood agar and considered negative if no promastigotes were visible during a two months period. The parasites from any positive culture were cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen pending their identification in PCR and isoenzyme electrophoresis. The femoral bones were histologically and ultrastrucrurally studied. Among 13 captured rodents, 8 were Tatera indica [5 male and 3 female Indian gerbils] and 5 were Rattus rattus [3 males and 2 females]. Just one female T. indica was smear-positive for amastigotes in Mohmmad Abad village. This rodent was also found culture positive for leishmanial infection which was confirmed by PCR and enzyme electrophoresis. At histological and ultrastructural levels, many clusters of amastigotes were noticed in the foamy macrophages of the femoral bone bone marrow. T. indica was found for the first time in the area and can be one of the rodents to be a potential reservoir host of L. major. It was also shown that femoral bone marrow was the tissue of choice to confirm the presence of macrophages containing the amastigote form of the parasite

Hematological and Serum Biochemical Analyses in Experimental Caprine Besnoitiosis

This study was undertaken to investigate the hematological and biochemical changes in experimentally infected goats with Besnoitia caprae from the time of infection till 360 days post-infection (PI). Six male goats were inoculated subcutaneously with 13x10(7) bradyzoites of B. caprae, and blood samples were collected from the jugular vein. The total erythrocyte and total leukocyte counts, hematocrit value, and differential leukocyte counts were determined. Serum biochemical analysis, including the total protein, albumin, total globulin, cholesterol, triglyceride, chloride, testosterone, calcium (Ca2+), inorganic phosphorus, sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), iron (Fe2+), glucose, serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), fibrinogen, ceruloplasmin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase, was undertaken. Skin biopsy from the limbs were collected at weekly intervals and histologically examined for Besnoitia cysts. Cysts were present in the skin biopsies of the leg of the infected goats from day 28 PI. There were variations in hematological analyses, but no significant difference was seen. From day 30 to 360 PI, results showed that SAA, Hp, fibrinogen, and ceruloplasmin concentrations increased, whereas testosterone concentrations decreased. Infected goats exhibited decrease of albumin and increase of serum total protein and globulin concentrations. By contrast, there were no significant differences in the remained analyses concentrations.

Longevity of Toxocara cati Larvae and Pathology in Tissues of Experimentally Infected Chickens

This study was conducted to determine the distribution patterns and duration of stay of Toxocara cati larvae in organs of chickens and to investigate chronic phase and potential zoonotic risk of toxocariasis in chickens. Chickens were orally infected with 1,000 embryonated T. cati eggs and necropsied 240 days post-infection. Organs of the chickens were examined at gross and microscopic levels; tissues were digested to recover larvae. Peribronchiolitis with infiltration of lymphocytes, and hyperplasia of bronchiolar associated lymphatic tissues (BALT) and goblet cells, were evident in the lungs of infected chickens. There were mild hemorrhages and infiltration of lymphocytes and a few eosinophils in the meninges. Larvae were recovered from 30% of the exposed chickens. Larvae recovery indicated that T. cati larvae stay alive for at least 240 days in the chicken brain. Therefore, chickens may potentially act as a paratenic host in nature and transfer T. cati larvae to other hosts.

Sarcocystis and Its Complications in Camels (Camelus dromedarius) of Eastern Provinces of Iran

The prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. was investigated by gross and histopathological examinations in 250 camels (Camelus dromedarius) slaughtered from 2002 to 2005 in the Mashhad Slaughterhouse, eastern Iran. Samples were taken from the diaphragm, heart, tongue, esophagus and masseter muscles for histopathological studies. No macroscopic sarcocysts were found in the samples at gross inspection. Sarcocysts were detected in 209 of 250 (83.6%) examined camels at histopathological level. The infection rate of the esophagus, heart, masseter muscles, diaphragm, and tongue was 58.8%, 48.0%, 46.8%, 41.6%, and 28.0%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the rate of infection between male (85.8%) and female (81.0%) camels. The tissue response to vital cysts was minimal; however, reaction to the degenerating cysts was severe and caused tissue damages resulting in hyperemia, hemorrhages, mononuclear cell infiltration, necrotic changes, and fibrosis. The wild and domestic carnivores especially dogs may be the final hosts of Sarcocystis spp. in this area.