Histopathological study of three leishmania major strains

Amastigotes count in inoculated foot pad and histopathological study of infected mice were performed to study three Leishmania major strains: the Senegalese strain MHOM/SN/00/DKI[SN], the Sudanese strain MHOM/SD/89/UG8[SD], and the Saudi strain MHOM/SA/84/JISH[SA]. Eight-week-old male BALB/c mice were divided into three groups. Each group was infected with one of the studied strains. Amastigotes in the inoculated foot of infected. mice in the three groups were counted at 30 and 45 days using modified fluorescence diacetate/ethidium bromide viability test. The number of amastigotes in the SA group was found to be significantly lower than that of the other two groups at both durations. There was no significant difference between the number of amastigotes in the SN and SD strains at 30 days. but it was significantly higher in the SN group than that of the SD group at 45 days post-inoculation. In the animals studied, tissue samples were obtained from the skin, liver, spleen, and testes for gross pathological changes and histopathological evaluation. The SD strain started earlier and led a more aggressive course. The SN and SA strains were less aggressive. The SA strain showed changes at an earlier time and resulted in a more aggressive course of the disease. The SN and SA strains were less aggressive. The SA strain showed the most chronic course of the three

quantitative buffy coat capillary tubes versus thin and thick blood films in the diagnosis of malaria in Saudi Arabia

The quantitative buffy coat [QBC] capillary tube was compared with both the thin and thick films in the diagnosis of malaria among 3 groups of hospitalized patients. Group 1 comprised subjects with no symptoms or signs, group 2 comprised patients with fever and rigors of unknown cause, and group 3 comprised treated malaria patients consulting the hospital for a follow up. The QBC test showed more sensitivity than the 2 conventional methods in the 3 groups as follows: In group 1 the QBC was positive in 14.2% compared with 9% only in either thin or thick blood films. In group 2 the positivity was 95.1% compared with 79.3% and 76.8% in the thin and thick blood films, respectively. In group 3 the sensitivity was 22.9% compared with only 5.7% in both the thin and thick blood films. It was found that the QBC technique in addition to its high sensitivity is very practical, reliable, simple and easy to perform. No doubt, the thin blood film is still the method of choice in species identification of malaria parasites

In vitro effect of ivermectin on the larvae of Lucilia sericata Meagan in Saudi Arabia

Myiasis or the infestation of the living, necrotic or dead tissues of the body of man or animals by the dipterous fly larvae is a world wide welfare problem. In this paper, the broad spectrum antiparasitic drug, ivermectin, was used in vitro against the larvae of the green bottle fly, Lucilia sericata. The LC50 was found to be 9 ppm [0.76 - 1.5] and the slope function was 0.59. This means that ivermectin is a safe and very effective larvicide for L. sericata

Changes in serum lipids of mice experimentally infected with schistosoma mansoni

Serum samples of mice infected with 80 cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni for different time periods [2 - 20 weeks] were used in this study. It was observed that the concentrations of serum total cholesterol and triacylglycerol decreased significantly [P <0.001, P <0.0001, respectively] in infected as compared with control mice, starting from the 4th week post infection. Similarly, the concentration of serum high density lipoprotein-cholesterol [HDL-C] decreased significantly in infected as compared with control mice. However, the serum lipoproteins profile was variable at different stages of infection. On the other hand, the liver weight increased significantly in infected as compared with control mice, starting from the 6th week post infection. These changes might be attributed to several metabolites released by S. mansoni, which affect the host hepatic tissue resulting in decreased synthesis of these parameters and their release into the circulation

Anti-toxoplasma antibodies in Butchers and slaughtered sheep and goats in Jeddah Municipal abattoir, Saudi Arabia

In Jeddah Municipal abattoir, anti-Toxoplasma IgG was found to be 39% in sheep and 28% in goats as indicated by IHAT. On the other hand, anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM in butchers were 80% and 20%, respectively, as indicated by micro-ELISA. The risk of Toxoplasma transmission, particularly from meat inadequately cooked was discussed

Blastocystis hominis among apparently healthy food handlers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

A prospective study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of Blastocystis hominis among random sample of apparently healthy food handlers. A total of 250 non-Saudi males over 21 years of age was examined. 90 [36%] had pathogenic and non-pathogenic intestinal parasites. A total of 143 parasites were detected in their stool specimens. 20 were B. hominis [13.99%] while other parasites were 123 [86.01%]. B. hominis was found in 20 positive cases [22.22%] with an overall rate of 8%. Of these 20 cases, 2 had B. hominis as a sole parasite, 12 as a double infection and 6 as a triple infection. Other intestinal parasites were found [Giardia lamblia [16.8%], Entamoeba histolytica [10%], E. coli [6.4%], Chilomastix mesnili [5.6%], Trichomonas hominis [1.2%] and Endolimax nana [0.8%]]. The helminths were represented by Ascaris lumbricoides [4%], Hymenolepis nana [3.2%], Enterobius vermicularis [1.2%] and Trichocephalus trichiura [0.8%]. B. hominis should be taken into consideration when dealing with patients with gastrointestinal problems

Maximum activities of some key enzymes of glucose metabolism in livers of schistosoma mansoni infected mice

The effects of infection with Schistosoma mansoni [Saudi strain] on the maximal activities of glucose utilization pathways were studied in livers of mice during 16 weeks post-infection. The maximal activities of 6-phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase were significantly increased from week 4 indicating the increased capacity of the liver to utilize glucose, whereas the activity of glycogen phosphorylase was decreased as early as week 2, suggesting diminished hepatic glycogen break-down. Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase were significantly decreased from week 2 and 4, respectively. This suggested decreased flux through the pentose phosphate pathway in livers of infected animals. A significant decrease in the activities of citrate synthase and oxoglutarate dehydrogenase was observed at week 10 and 6, respectively, indicating diminished maximal capacity of the Kreb's cycle. All enzymatic changes [except Kreb's cycle enzymes] were detected prior to egg deposition [2-4 weeks] and are related, therefore, to the toxic products of growing worms. Such changes became more evident following egg deposition. Hepatic necrosis was observed at week 4 prior to egg deposition, which provides further evidence that factors released by worms can adversely affect the hepatic parenchyma. Necrosis, however, became more marked with the onset of egg deposition. The significance of these enzymatic changes, pathological findings and the underlying mechanisms are discussed

Schistosoma mansoni: tegumental surface alterations following oxamniquine treatment of infected mice [Sup]

The in vivo effects of oxamniquine on the tegumental surface of adult Schistosoma mansoni were studied using scanning electron microscopy. Pronounced tegumental alterations were observed in all worms including marked edema, wrinkling and distortion, atrophy, loss of tone and complete disorganization of suckers, blebbing, destruction of tubercles, collapse of sensory papillae and erosion or peeling of the surface layer. The amount of damage was more marked in males than females and varied considerably among worms recovered from the same host and even in different regions of the same worm. Damage was irreversible and all worms were eventually eliminated

Experimental schistosomiasis mansoni: electro-phonetic studies on serum proteins before and after administration of oxamniquine

By means of electrophoresis quantitative estimation of serum protein components were made at various intervals before and after treatment with oxamniquine. During infection of mice with S. mansoni serum protein fractions showed marked alterations. Significant increase of total protein, alpha-2 globulin and beta globulin started at week 4 and alpha-1 globulin and gamma globulin at week 6. The significant decrease of globulins at week 6 resulted in reduced albumin globulin ratios. Some of these changes developed during maturation of worms and became more evident with initiation of egg deposition. The possible cause of these variations and their significance was discussed. Oxamniquine treatment of the drug to normal was followed by temporary increase of serum albumin

Effect of schistosomiasis mansoni on open-field exploratory behaviour in mice

The response of mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni to a novel environment has been investigated in an attempt to study the effects of the disease on brain cognitive function by using Opto-Varimix instrument and Autotrack computer program. Two to 18 weeks infected mice showed lower ambulatory activities than their matched controls with the largest reduction occurring between weeks 6 to 10. Maximum effects were observed in week 8. The first 5 minutes of ambulatory activities, designated as the "first session", were 22.5% lower in infected mice as compared with controls. The decline in the first session activities of infected mice was slower than the controls. Infected mice showed fewer stereotype movements with maximum reduction in week 16 of infection. There was no correlation between mice ambulatory activities or stereotype movements and infection duration. The importance of these findings in relation to the course of the disease and the underlying mechanism[s] are discussed