Value of purified schistosoma snails antigens in diagnosis of schistosomiasis

This study was done to assess the value of purified Schistosoma snails antigens in diagnosis of schistosomiasis. Five antigens were used, S.mansoni adult worm crude antigen, snails antigens [foot and visceral hump of B.alexandrina and B.truncatus]. Specific hyperimmune mice sera versus each antigen were prepared. Known positive and negative human sera and uninfected mice sera were used as control. Two ELISA techniques [conventional and sandwich] were performed. There was high similarity between S.mansoni crude antigen and B.alexandrina foot antigen in detecting S.mansoni antibodies [100% and 80% respectively] at serum dilution 1:50. B.alexandrina visceral hump antigen detected only 33.3%. Both B.truncatus antigens gave negative results. Sandwich ELISA technique proved to be more species specific than conventional ELISA. B.alexandrina foot antigen was found to be the best antigen among the tested antigens that can replace S.mansoni adult worm crude antigen in diagnosis of schistosomiasis

Role of contact lenses in acanthamoeba keratitis

The present work was planned to study the role of contact lenses in Acanthamoeba keratitis. The study included two groups, 100 subjects each [contact lens and non-contact lens users]; 50% of each group were suffering from keratitis, while the others were asymptomatic. Ocular samples [corneal scrapings or swabs], contact lenses and lens care systems [storage containers and solutions] were examined for the presence of acanthamoeba using cultureand staining techniques. The isolation of acanthamoeba was achieved by the cultivation of the previous samples on non-nutrient agar overlaid with E. coliat 37C. Acanthamoebae were identified according to their morphological characters and the negative flagellation test. Acanthamoeba was identified in cultures of different specimens obtained from 20 subjects out of 200. The majority of acanthamoeba positive cases [90%] were contact lens users. Acanthamoeba was isolated more frequently from patients with keratitis and was not isolated from any asymptomatic non-contact lens users. Cultivation of the contact lenses was associated with high rate of acanthamoeba detection compared with the other sources of samples. From the present study, it was concluded that acanthamoebae are expected to be found in the contact lenses, their storage containers and rinsing solutions, which may predispose tokeratitis in contact lens users. Precise disinfection of contact lenses, cleaning of lens storage containers and the use of sterile rinsing solutions have a primary importance to prevent acanthamoeba contamination of contact lens care system

Concomitant toxoplasma and toxocara infections

Toxoplasmosis being to a large extent a soil transmitted infection is acquired in the same manner and often at the same time as toxocariasis, the source being concomitantly infected cats. 110 sera of patients suspected of toxoplasmosis and found positive by the indirect fluorescent antibody test [IFAT], were also tested for Toxocara antibodies by the IFAT. Seropositivity was found to be 18.1%. On the other hand, 12 sera from patients presenting with toxocariasis and proved serologically positive, were tested to detect Toxoplasma antibodies and only one was positive [8.3%]. Association of antibodies of the two parasites was found in 21 sera [17.2%]