Efficacy of some drugs and pathological studies on toxoplasma gondii infection in mice

The present investigation was conducted to study the effect of infection with Toxoplasma gondii and the efficacy of azithromycin and garlic tablets on treatment of acute murine toxoplasmosis in addition to study the histopathojogical changes due to infection. For this purpose, sixty Albino mice were used as experimental animals that equally divided into 6 groups. Estimation of survival rate, pathological studies, bioassay trial and immunofluorescent study were performed for each group of mice. High efficacy of azithromycin at a dose of 250 mg/kg/day on infected mice was shown, that increased survival rate [90% at the 7th day PI] and decreased the histopathological changes when compared with control groups. Garlic tablets at a dose of 500 mg/kg/day showed fewer efficacies in infected mice, survival rate [40% at the 6th and 7th day P.1] which was lesser than those groups treated with azithromycin Pathologically, group treated with azithromycin showed improvement in histological pictures compared with group treated with garlic. To identify the efficacy of the drug, at the end of the experiment subinoculation of healthy mice by visceral and brain suspensions from surviving mice treated with azithromycin or garlic was performed as compared with subinoculation of suspension of brain and visceral of infected non treated mice inoculated into healthy mice, that showed death of these mice after three days post-infection [survival rate 0%]. It was concluded that azithromycin has a significant effect in treatment of murine model toxoplasmosis, but it did not eradicate the parasite completely as few cysts remained in the brain, while garlic tablets had a limited effect for treating toxoplasmosis

Molecular identity of the electropharetic pattern and the major cross-reacting immunogens of toxoplasma gondii [RH strain] and neospora caninum

The complex electrophoretic profile of the antigenic components of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum was studied. T. gondii [RH strain] trophozoite's antigens were resolved by gel electrophoresis under denaturating condition. Resolved polypeptides were tested by immunoblotting against hyper-immune serum prepared in Boscat rabbits. Immunoblot analysis revealed 6 reactive bands, which are 158, 111, 102, 86, 55 and 33 kDa, out of 10 antigenic bands of the parasite. Concerning N. caninum trophozoite's antigens, immunoblot analysis revealed 5 reactive bands, which are 159, 119, 106, 97 and 39 kDa, out of 8 antigenic bands of the parasite. Cross reactivity trials between the 2 parasites explore 3 cross-reactive bands, indicating high antigenic similarity in between

Parasitological studies on abomasal nematodes of Sudanese camels slaughtered at Cairo abattoir with special reference to their seasonally

At Cairo abattoir, the abomasa of 141 Sudanese camels were examined for abomasal nematodes, allover a one year period, extended from July 1995 to June 96. The camels were moderately infested [53.2%] with these parasites. Haemonchus spp. represented the bulk of these infestations [48.9%], Trichostrongylus spp. were of low prevalence [10.6%], while Impalaia aegyptiaca was of much lower prevalence [4.3%]. Spring season showed the highest prevalence with the abomasal nematodes [88.9%], while Impalaia aegyptiaca was only prevalent during that season. T. longispicularis was recovered in one case only from camel's abomasa. It was concluded that the problem of parasitic gastritis in Sudanese camels, is mainly a [haemonchosis] problem. The author suggests more future studies about the nature and the epizootology of Impalaia spp. It was concluded also that we must pay attention to the possibility of being camels as reservoirs for the abomasal nematodes transmitting them to the farm animals [sheep, goat, cattle and buffaloes], as T. axei, T. longispicularis and H. contortus, which are recovered from camels in this study, are principally parasities of farm animals. Finally, it was concluded to emphasize on the necessity of drenching anthelmintics to the camels in North Sudan periodically allover the year, especially during spring, as the camel breeders there, usually neglect these measures