Role of liver and cardiac enzymes as markers of parasite load and recovery after treatment in experimental murine toxocariasis

Background: Toxocara is mainly a parasite of animals. The disease is caused mainly due to accidental ingestion of Toxocara canis embryonated eggs and to a lesser extent T.cati eggs. Till now, there is no marker of severity of infection or treatment in toxocariasis

Aim of the study: The current work aimed at studying the role of liver enzyme aspartate transaminase [AST] and cardiac enzyme creatine kinase-MB isoenzyme [CK-MB] as markers of severity infection and treatment of toxocariasis in correspondence to serum immunoglobulin with study of histological cardiac effects of toxocariasis

Materials and Methods: Laboratory mice were divided into groups infected with different doses of Toxocara eggs. Sera were collected from each group before and after treatment for measurement of AST and CK-MB, as well as ELISA for anti-Toxocara immunoglobulin IgG. T test, ANOVA test and Pearson correlation tests were used to assess the results

Results: CK-MB was elevated significantly with infection and reduced significantly after treatment. The serum level of CK-MB also correlated significantly and positively with parasite load

Conclusion: CK-MB can be used together with anti-Toxocara IgG in diagnosis and CK-MB can be a good markers of treatment and parasite load in toxocariasis

Polymerase chain reaction techniques: applications in parasitic diseases

dNTPs: Nucleotides; ESTs: Expressed sequence tags; HAT-RAPD-PCR: High annealing temperature random amplified polymorphic DNA PCR; HSP: Heat shock protein; ITS: Internal transcribed spacer; mRNA: Messenger RNA; MSP: Merozoite suiface proteins; MT-PCR: Multiplex tandam PCR; PCR: Polymerase chain reaction; qPCR: Quantitative basic PCR; qRtime-PCR: Quantitative real-time PCR; qRT-PCR: Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR; QT-NASBA: Quantitative nucleic acid sequence-based amplification; RAPD: Random amplified polymorphic DNA; RFLP: Restriction fragment length polymorphism; RNA: Ribonucleic acid; Rtime-PCR: Real time PCR; RT-PCR: Reverse transcriptase PCR; SNP: Single nucleotide polymorphism;TLRs: Toll-like receptors

Histopathological, histochemical and immunohistochemical studies of experimental heterophyiasis in dogs and the protecting role of praziquantel

Parasitic diseases are associated with oxidative stress leading to DNA damage and apoptosis. Study of apoptosis pathway in heterophyiasis can help in treatment and prevention of pathological changes in tissues. Evaluation of the role of caspase 3 pathway in apoptosis, DNA changes and the role of praziquantel in heterophyiasis. Study design included experimental infection of dogs with encysted metacercariae of H. heterophyes followed by treatment with praziquantel. Tissue samples from the small intestine and the heart, before and after treatment, were stained for histopatholgical, histochemical and immunohistochemical studies. DNA damage was detected in infected tissues by histochemical stains, while apoptotic changes were detected in histopathological and immunohistochemical stained tissues. These changes were reversible with treatment by praziquantel. DNA and tissue damage due to heterophyiasis can be corrected by praziquantel treatment

Effects of spinosad, zingiber officinale and allium sativum on chrysomyia albiceps larvae: biological, histological and ultrastructural studies

Chrysomyia albiceps fly is associated with animal and human myiasis and is a potential mechanical transmitter of pathogens. It is prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries, including Egypt. To examine the effects of natural products as spinosad and water extracts of ginger roots of Zingiber officinale and garlic fruits of Allium sativum on Chrysomyia albiceps larvae aiming to establish safe control methods. C. albiceps flies were reared in the laboratory at 28 +/- 2°C. Adults were offered sugar solution and pieces of minced meat in Petri dishes for feeding and as media for oviposition. Larvae were fed minced meat to which was added one of three compounds: spinosad, water extract of either Z. officinale or A. sativum. Larvae and pupae were monitored for development to the adult stage. Biological, histological and scanning electron microscopic studies were conducted to investigate the effects of these compounds as control measures against C. albiceps larvae. All tested materials affected biological aspects of larvae. In histological sections, spinosad proved more potent causing decrease in cuticle thickness and integument degenerative changes. Using scanning electron microscopy, Z. officinale and A. sativum extracts appeared to cause changes in the cuticle and moderate degenerative changes in the integument. Spinosad, Z. officinale and A. sativum affected survival of C. albiceps larvae and could be used effectively in control of larvae and prevention of myiasis