review of cryptosporidiosis in Egypt

Cryptosporidiosis, a parasitic zoonosis, while typically a short-term infection, has a global distribution and can cause severe ill-ness in children and other vulnerable populations. In order to inform local and regional public health personnel and providers, the authors conducted a comprehensive review of Cryptosporidium parvum [Cp] epidemiology in Egypt to establish what is Known, identify critical Knowledge gaps, and develop a basis for future directions in mitigating the burden associated with this illness among Egyptians and similar countries. A total of 61 published studies between 1985 and 2006 were reviewed. Nineteen studies examined immunocompetent individuals with diarrhea presenting to inpatient or outpatient clinics with a Cp prevalence ranging from 0% - 47% [median 9%, IQR 3-15%]. Identified risk factors, at risk populations, ecology, environmental findings, as well as a quality assessment of the published literature are discussed. The building blocks are in place to design studies aimed at defining the disease, societal burden and evaluating public health interventions aimed at disrupting water and zoonotic transmission modalities using the most current molecular techniques. Cp diarrhea is but one of the many causes of diarrhea among Egyptians, but efforts to control this disease should also serve well to mitigate a number of infectious causes of diarrhea and given the track record of previous work hopping to see advances in the near future

Effect of two single doses of ivermectin in treatment of asymptomatic bancroftian filariasis in two villages in the Nile delta, Egypt

To evaluate the efficacy and longitudinal effect of two single [100 mug/kg] doses of ivermectin, 3 months apart, 240 asymptomatic male subjects from 2 endemic Egyptian villages were enrolled in a one- year double-blind study. Subjects aged 15 - 55 years were randomly assigned to placebo [40] or ivermectin [200]. Microfilaria [MF] density in 1 ml blood was measured by membrane filtration before and every 3 months after treatment. Initial mean MF density was 462 [range 14 - 2869/ml]. Clinical examination performed daily for 3 days after each treatment revealed brief, mild side effects [fever, headache, weakness, nausea, and epigastric pain] with no adverse physical or laboratory findings. Three months after initial dose, 31% of MF counts had completely cleared, in the remaining, mean MF density was 11.0 [2.4% of pretreatment level]. At 3, 6 and 9 months after the second Dose, there was complete MF clearance in 60%, 45% and 47%. In those who still infected, MF densities were 1.7, 4.6 and 6.1% of the pretreatment level. Therefore, treatment with 2 doses of ivermectin reduced microfilaremia, without inducing severe side effects. Prolonged suppression of microfilaremia may indicate an effect of ivermectin on the adult worms and may reduce the potential for MF acquisition by mosquitos, reducing transmission of lymphatic filariasis. It was concluded that ivermectin is a useful drug for public health measure, including asymptomatic filariasis patients