Detection of Cryptosporidium spp. in Diarrheic Immunocompetent Patients in Beni-Suef, Egypt: Insight into Epidemiology and Diagnosis

Cryptosporidium species is an important cause of gastrointestinal infections globally. This study aimed to shed light on its role in diarrheic immunocompetent patients in Beni-Suef, Egypt and to compare three diagnostic methods. Two hundred diarrheic patients, 37±16.8 year old, were enrolled. Stool samples were examined by light microscopy, using modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain (MZN) for Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts. Coproantigens were detected by sandwich ELISA. DNA molecular diagnosis was done by nested PCR. PCR yielded the highest detection rates (21.0%), compared to ELISA (12.5%) and MZN staining method (9.5%). The higher infection rates were in 20–40 year-old group, followed by 40–60 year-old. Association between epidemiologic factors was statistically not significant; positivity and gender, clinical manifestations, residence, source or water, or contact with animals. Cryptosporidiosis is an important enteric parasitic infection in Beni-Suef and PCR remains the gold standard for diagnosis.

Protozoa causing food poisoning

Food poisoning also called foodborne illness, or illness caused by eating contaminated food is a term used to cover an unpleasant range of illnesses. Food poisoning symptoms vary with the source of contamination. Most types of food poisoning cause one or more of the following signs and symptoms: nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps and fever Signs and symptoms may start within hours after eating the contaminated food, or they may begin days or even weeks later. Sickness caused by food poisoning generally lasts from a few hours to several days

antigenic relationship between schistosoma mansoni and its intermediate snail host

Schistosomiasis is a public health problem in many developing countries including Egypt, Determination of the antigenic relationship between S. mansoni and its intermediate snail host [IMH] Biomphalaria alexandrina can open a new field for diagnosis and control of the disease. In the present study infected and non-infected B. alexandrina foot and visceral hump tissue as well as S. mansion crude Ag [SWAg] were fractionated using SDS-PAGE. It's specific and cross reacted protein fractions were determine using EITB versus experimentally prepared mice hyper immune sera [HIS] versus each antigen. After treatment of fractionated S.mansoni crude worm antigens [SWAg] versus HIS produced after vaccination of mice by the same Ag, 8 kda protein fractions ranged from 35-140 kda were reacted specifically. Treatment of fractionated B.alexandrina infected and non-infected foot and visceral hump Ag versus previous HIS revealed presence of common polypeptides bands between SWAg and non-infected snail antigens. The fraction at 135 kda, 68 kda, were detected in all cases, while that at 40-42 kda and that at 35 kda was diagnosed in SWAg and that of infected snails only. The fraction at 68 kda was reacted specifically between SWAg and all tested fractionated snail antigens either that of foot or visceral hump when they treated separately by HIS of mice vaccinated by each snail Ag separately. The fraction at 135 kda was common between SWAg and snail [infected and non-infected] visceral hump antigen. The fraction at the level of 110 kda was diagnosed in SWAg, in non-infected foot antigen and visceral hump Ag. The fraction at the level of 46-48 kda are common between SWAg and snail foot and visceral hump Ag after treated by HIS of mice vaccinated by foot Ag. Presence of common antigenic fractions between snail tissues and Schistosoma species can prefer an easily source of antigen valuable for diagnosis or vaccination as well as can he considered as new tool for determination to the snail IMH of new discovered trematode parasites

Comparative study on immunoblot versus PCR in diagnosis of schistosomiasis mansoni in experimental infected mice

This study compared PCR and Western blot techniques in diagnosis of schistosomiasis mansoni. Forty Swiss albino mice were used, thirty two mice were infected with cercariae of S. mansoni and eight mice were kept uninfected which were used as a control. Blood was obtained from four infected mice weekly beginning from the 1[st] week to the 8[th] week post infection. The study found that PCR was positive from the first week post infection, while Western blot technique was positive from the second week post infection. Thus, PCR diagnosed schistosomiasis mansoni earlier than Western blot technique, but both were able to diagnose

Electron Microscopic Alterations in Pediculus humanus capitis Exposed to Some Pediculicidal Plant Extracts

Head lice, Pediculus humanus capitis, infestation is an important public health problem in Egypt. Inadequate application of topical pediculicides and the increasing resistance to the commonly used pediculicides made the urgent need for the development of new agents able to induce irreversible changes in the exposed lice leading to their mortality. The aim of the present work is to evaluate pediculicidal efficacy of some natural products such as olive oil, tea tree oil, lemon juice, and ivermectin separately in comparison with tetramethrin-piperonyl butoxide (licid), as a standard pediculicide commonly used in Egypt. The effects of these products were evaluated by direct observation using dissecting and scanning electron microscopes (SEM). Results showed that after 1 hr exposure time in vitro, absolute (100%) mortalities were recorded after exposure to 1% ivermectin and fresh concentrate lemon juice. The mortalities were decreased to 96.7% after exposure to tea tree oil. Very low percentage of mortality (23.3%) was recorded after 1 hr of exposure to extra virgin olive oil. On the other hand, the reference pediculicide (licid) revealed only mortality rate of 93.3%. On the contrary, no mortalities were recorded in the control group exposed to distilled water. By SEM examination, control lice preserved outer smooth architecture, eyes, antenna, respiratory spiracles, sensory hairs, and legs with hook-like claws. In contrast, dead lice which had been exposed to pediculicidal products showed damage of outer smooth architecture, sensory hairs, respiratory spiracles and/or clinching claws according to pediculicidal products used.

red fox, vulpes v. Aegyptiaca, a new host of leishmania major in Sinai peninsula

A leishmanial isolate was obtained from the ear of one red fox or Nile fox [Vulpes v. aegyptiaca] out of eight from North Sinai Governorate. The isolate was typed by the enzymatic variant profiles of the four enzymes, GPI, G6PD, 6PGD and PGM against the three old world reference strains, L. major, L. Tropica and L. Donovani and proved to be Leishmania major. This is the second time that L. major appeared to occur in canine hosts. The list of the mammalian hosts of L. Major was reviewed and discussed

scanning electron microscopy study of Musca domestica larvae

The micro-morphology of the house fly, Musca domestica larvae, was studied by scanning electron microscopy [SEM]. The ultrastructure of the mouth- hooks, oral ridges, spinulation of body segments and posterior spiracles was photographed and described. The results of the study were given