ABSTRACT
It is known in recent years that stray cats can transmit several serious zoonotic parasitic diseases to man especially immunocompromised patients. The aim of this study is to detect such parasites in stray cats in Iraq. Serum and faecal samples were taken from 126 stray cats from different areas of Baghdad, subjected to serological test [IHAtest] and parasitological examination to detect cyst, oocyst, ova of zoonotic arasites, as well as careful examination of skin and hair for ectoparasites. Positive seroprevalence [72.2%] for Toxoplasma gondii were found in stray cats, 114 examined cats [90.4%] were found to be infected with different zoonotic enteric parasites. Three types of ectoparasites [73%] infested these cats .. Some of these parasites were recorded for the first time in Iraq which include: Cryptosporidium spp, Giardia spp, Capillaria spp, Toxascaris leonine, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Ixodes spp, Felicola subrostratus. The high seroprevalence of T. gondii and high infection rates for zoonotic enteric parasites and ectoparasites in stray cats could be the cause of theincreased incidence of human enteric and skin diseases in this country
ABSTRACT
Visceral leishmaniasis is a serious disease with high pathoogenicity. It was noticed that Polysaccharide extracted from Pseudomonas aeruginosa had the ability to induce both cellular and humoral immunity response against bacteria, fungi and parasites. Ill. The aim of this study was to know the immunological effects of polysaccharide extracted from Pseudomonas aeruginosa before and after the infection of BALB/c mice with Leishmania donovani in trial to provide a method for prevention of the disease in human. 174 male BALB/c mice were divided into control and experimental groups with each group consisting of six animals. The experimental groups injected intraperitoneally [i.p] with 0.2 ml phosphate buffer saline [PBS] containing 1x108 parasite. Cerdain groups were injected intraperitoneally by polysaccharide [PS] at doses of 100, 150, 250 jug on day 3, 6, and daily for 6 days before infection with Leishmania donovani. These animals were sacrified after 8 weeks. Other groups were injected intraperitoneally with polysaccharides on day 7 post infection at the doses of 100, 150, 250, micro, 6 animals were sacrified after 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks. Total and differential count of leukocytes, measurement of spleen and liver weight and index, measurement of cellular immune response, histopathological changes liver and spleen were carried out. This study showed an increase in the total count of leukocyte accompanied by an increase in lymphocyte with decrease in monocyte percent in mice treated with polysaccharide before and after infection with Leishmania donovani which were statistically significant. Reduction in liver and spleen weights and their index in all treated groups was noticed before and after infection. The cellular immune response represented by delayed hypersensitivity has been enhanced in the mice treated with polysaccharide before and after infection. In treated groups, histopathological studies of mice showed hepatocyte hypertrophy, infiltration of the inflammatory cells in liver before and after infection. In spleen showed an increase in lymphocytes and monocytes in red pulp, while the infected mice [non treated] showed a necrotic foci, loss of architecture of both liver and spleen and obvious granulomatous inflammation in liver. Polysaccharidde extracted from Pseudomonas aeruginosa induced immunological activity by activation of cell mediated responses, stimulated an increase in WBC count and lymphocytes with minor histoptholgical changes in liver and spleen