efficacy and side effect of some antiparasitic drugs in normal and S. mansoni infected mice

The present work aims to study the schistosomicidal and side effects of two antibilharzial drugs, the Praziquantel and Anthiomaline beside Fasinex which is used in this field for the first time and was effective in the treatment of fascioliasis. For this purpose, eight groups each of 30 mice were selected, then four groups were infected with S. mansoni cercariae. The treatment started at seven weeks postinfestation when the eggs were detected in the faeces for groups [I, II and III]. Praziquantel, [7.5 mg / mouse] and Fasinex [0.02 ml/mouse] were given per os as a single dose while Anthiomaline [6.5 mg / mouse] was given intramuscularly 3 injections / week for three weeks. The sacrifice of 8 mice for each group was carried out at one week post - treatment for worm load and biochemical analysis of SGOT and SGPT and after four weeks for histopathological examination of the liver and counting worms. The results showed that Praziquantel reduced the worm load by 97.65% and 99.73% at one and four weeks post treatment and had no destructive effect on normal liver function or hepatic-tissues. Also, it improved the liver function and the pathological picture of the liver, leaving only fibrosed egg granulomes, in the infected mice. Anthiomalin reduced the worm load by 81.86% and 96.27% after the same periods. It had slight destructive effect on the liver function in both normal and infected mice [elevation of SGOT and SGPT, also produced some swelling, vacuolation and hydropic changes in the hepatocytes of these groups]. Fasinex reduced the worm load by 52% and 60.33%. It had slight destructive effect in the liver function for normal and infected groups, but the drug had no toxic effect on the liver tissues in these groups

Trypanosoma mega [Kinetoplastida] from bufo viridis in Siwah Oasis, Egypt

A large pleomorphic trypanosome [identified as Trypanosoma mega] was described from the toad Bufo viridis collected from Siwah Oasis at the Western Desert of Egypt. The prevalence of the trypanosome was 83.3%. Three trypanosome forms were described [small, intermediate and large stumpy form]. Observations were also made on the lysed [diffused] trypanosomes. This was the first record of T. mega from B. viridis in Egypt, which represents a new host and new geographical location. The measurements of the present trypanosome were given and compared with related forms previously described from Egypt

Prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C viral infections among schistosoma mansomni patients in Egypt

The Prevalence of hepatitis B [HBV] and hepatitis C [HCV] virus infections among Schistosoma mansoni patients was studied, Serum samples from 33 Schistosoma mansoni diseased patients were tested for antigen of HBV and antibody to HCV [anti-HCV] using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]. Hepatitis B surface antigen was detcted in the serum of 8 patients [24.2%], compared with [5.2%] in the sera of control group of non infected individuals [2 out of 38], while hepatitis C antibodies were detected in the serum of 6 patients [18.2%] compared with [7.8%] in the sera of the control group [3 out of 38 non schistosomal individuals]. These figures illustrate the significant prevalence of hepatitis B and C infections in association with Schistosoma mansoni