ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To assess the effect potency, and the immunomodulatory response of garlic oil extract in enhancing the host's immune system against the disorders caused by Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) in mice at different stages of worm maturation.@*METHODS@#A total of 70 male CD-1 Swiss albino mice were divided into 7 groups. Group I: healthy control. Group II: garlic oil group orally administrating 100 mg garlic oil extract/kg b.wt. 3 d a week for 6 weeks. Group III: infected with S. mansoni cercariae and left untreated for 42 d. Group IV: treated with garlic oil extract from day 1 to day 7 post infection (PI). Group V: treated with garlic oil extract from day 14 till day 21 PI. Group VI: administrating garlic oil extract from day 35 until day 42 PI. Group VII received oil extract from the first day of infection for 42 d.@*RESULTS@#Garlic oil extract showed changes in the parasite tegument with a significant decrease in worm burden, hepatic and intestinal ova count with a decline in granuloma number and diameter. These alterations were accompanied with a reduction in serum TNF α, ICAM-1, IgG and IgM after 7 and 42 d post S. mansoni cercarial infection.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Results obtained confirmed the effect of garlic oil extract on the larval and mature stage of the parasite and in enhancing the host's immune system against the disorders caused by S. mansoni in mice.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To assess the effect potency, and the immunomodulatory response of garlic oil extract in enhancing the host's immune system against the disorders caused by Schistosoma mansoni ( S. mansoni) in mice at different stages of worm maturation. Methods: A total of 70 male CD-1 Swiss albino mice were divided into 7 groups. Group I: healthy control. Group II: garlic oil group orally administrating 100 mg garlic oil extract/kg b.wt. 3 d a week for 6 weeks. Group III: infected with S. mansoni cercariae and left untreated for 42 d. Group IV: treated with garlic oil extract from day 1 to day 7 post infection (PI). Group V: treated with garlic oil extract from day 14 till day 21 PI. Group VI: administrating garlic oil extract from day 35 until day 42 PI. Group VII received oil extract from the first day of infection for 42 d. Results: Garlic oil extract showed changes in the parasite tegument with a significant decrease in worm burden, hepatic and intestinal ova count with a decline in granuloma number and diameter. These alterations were accompanied with a reduction in serum TNF α, ICAM-1, IgG and IgM after 7 and 42 d post S. mansoni cercarial infection. Conclusions: Results obtained confirmed the effect of garlic oil extract on the larval and mature stage of the parasite and in enhancing the host's immune system against the disorders caused by S. mansoni in mice.
ABSTRACT
Aim: Helminthiasis and its effects on the hematological parameters of school aged children in a select population in the Niger Delta. Study Design: A cross sectional study (Descriptive study). Place and Duration: The study was carried out in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, between January–April 2011. Methodology: Concentration Method (Sedimentation) was used to examine the stool samples, Packed cell volume (PCV) was obtained by the use of hematocrit centrifugation and reader method; differential white blood count (WBC) was done according to Cheesbrough (2000). Results: Result of the study showed variability in the four gastrol-intestinal helminths among the 360 pupils investigated. Out of the 264(73.3%) positive samples, 142(53.7%) and 122(46.21%) were females and males respectively. Age specific gastroi intestinal worm load was relatively high in all age groups. This pattern of infection was attributed to favorable ecological factors that promote helminths transmission in the study area. However, the overall age related worm load showed that the 5-7 age group had relatively the highest parasite load in the study. The weight and height of infected pupils in relation to the uninfected varied statistically (p<0.05) across the age ranges but was not statistically different (p>0.05) within the age groups. A. lumbricoides (53.3%) was the most prevalent helminth amongst the infected. Conclusion: Overall mixed infection was (23.4%) while the 8-9 age range recorded the highest prevalence (28.2%). Sex related prevalence varied greatly in terms of percentage infection within and across the sexes. However, gastrointestinal parasitism was not significantly different (p>0.05) within the age groups but was significantly different (p<0.05) between the sexes. PCV values were below the normal range in both the infected uninfected in the study group indicating poor nutritional status of the population.
ABSTRACT
Out of the 980 Trichuris worms recovered from 65 autopsy cases, 60% were female giving a sex rate of 1:1.5. The average worm load per person was 15. Out of 65 cases examined 85.9% harbored not more than 20 worms. The average egg count of the great variability in the egg counts per gram of stool per female worm was 696. On per female worm, egg would be unreliable in making estimates of the worm load of a given patient.(Summary)