Alterations induced in the ileum of mice upon inoculation with different species of Leishmania: a preliminary study

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Leishmania species cause skin, mucosal, and disseminated lesions. We studied the effects of three Leishmania species on ileal morphology in mice. METHODS: BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally inoculated with Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis, Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, and Leishmania (Leishmania) major (4 animals/group). After 72h, the ilea were collected and histologically processed. RESULTS: Following inoculation, the goblet cell and intraepithelial lymphocyte populations increased, while Paneth cell number and crypt width decreased. In addition, enterocyte size, villi height, and mucosa, submucosa, and muscular tunic thickness increased. CONCLUSIONS: Leishmania modified the quantity of cells in and morphology of mice ilea.

Heavy Hymenolepis nana Infection Possibly Through Organic Foods: Report of a Case

We encountered a patient with heavy Hymenolepis nana infection. The patient was a 44-year-old Korean man who had suffered from chronic hepatitis (type B) for 15 years. A large number of H. nana adult worms were found during colonoscopy that was performed as a part of routine health screening. The parasites were scattered throughout the colon, as well as in the terminal ileum, although the patient was immunocompetent. Based on this study, colonoscopy may be helpful for diagnosis of asymptomatic H. nana infections.

Cochlosoma Infection in a Turkey in Iran

Cochlosoma sp. infection was identified in a single case among 60 stunted diarrheic native turkey poults, Meleagris galopavo. A large number of the flagellated parasites was found free or within the intervillous spaces of the jejunum, ileum and cecum. Moderate enteritis was associated with the parasites. In TEM studies of the parasagittal sections of the parasite, a prominent ventral sucker like disc and flagella emerging from an opening on the ventrodorsal surface of the pyriform uninuclear parasite were found. The morphological characteristics of this protozoan match with those described for Cochlosoma anatis. The parasite could be considered as an intestinal pathogenic protozoan causing stunting and diarrhea in turkeys in Iran.

Alterations of the myenteric plexus of the ileum and the descending colon caused by Toxoplasma gondii (genotype III) / Alterações do plexo mientérico do íleo e cólon descendente causadas por Toxoplasma gondii (genótipo III)

Alterations caused by a genotype III strain of Toxoplasma gondii were assessed with respect to the number and the morphometry of the myenteric neurons in the terminal ileum and the descending colon. Eighteen rats were divided into four groups: Acute Control Group (ACG, n=4); Acute Experimental Group (AEG, n=4); Chronic Control Group (CCG, n=5) and Chronic Experimental Group (CEG, n=5). NaCl solution was administered through gavage to the animals in the ACG and CCG. Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites (10(4)) from a genotype III strain were orally administered to the AEG and CEG. Acute Groups were died after 24 hours, and the Chronic Groups after 30 days. Neuronal loss was not observed in both organs. The neurons atrophied in the terminal ileum as the opposite occurred with the neurons at the descending colon during the chronic phase of infection. In the terminal ileum, the neurons atrophied during the chronic phase of the infection as no alteration was found during the acute phase. For the descending colon, the neurons became hypertrophic during the chronic infection in opposition to the atrophy found during the acute phase.

Objetivou-se avaliar as alterações causadas por uma cepa genótipo III de Toxoplasma gondii, sobre o número e a morfometria de neurônios mientéricos, do íleo terminal e do cólon descendente. Dividiu-se dezoitos ratos em quatro grupos: controle agudo (GCA, n=4), experimental agudo (GEA, n=4), controle crônico (GCC, n=5) e experimental crônico (GEC, n=5). Os animais do GCA e GCC receberam solução de NaCl por gavagem, e os animais do GEA e GEC 10(4) taquizoítos de uma cepa genótipo III de T. gondii por via oral. Os grupos agudos após 24 horas foram mortos e os crônicos após 30 dias. Observou-se que não houve perda neuronal em ambos os órgãos. No íleo terminal, os neurônios atrofiaram-se na fase crônica da infecção, enquanto nenhuma alteração ocorreu na fase aguda. Já no cólon descendente, os neurônios tornaram-se hipertróficos na fase crônica da infecção, em oposição à atrofia observada na fase aguda.

Concurrent response to challenge infection with Cryptosporidium parvum in immunosuppressed C57BL/6N mice

We investigated the response to challenge infection with Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in immunosuppressed C57BL/6N mice. In the primary infection, fecal oocyst shedding and parasite colonization were greater in immunosuppressed mice than in nonimmunosuppressed mice. Compared with primary infection, challenge infection with C. parvum didn't show any oocyst shedding and parasite colonization. Especially, oocyst shedding and parasite colonization from the mice infected with heatkilled oocysts were not detected. After challenge infection with C. parvum oocysts, however, these mice were shedding small numbers of oocysts and parasite colonization. Except normal control and uninfected groups, the antibody titers of other groups appear similar. Based on the fecal oocyst shedding, parasite colonization of ilea, and antibody titers in the mice, these results suggest that the resistance to challenge infection with C. parvum in immunosuppressed C57BL/6N mice has increased.

Uncinariasis grave que simuló enfermedad quirúrgica / Massive hookworm infestation that simulated a surgical problem

La uncinariasis es una parasitosis transmitida por el suelo que afecta aproximadamente a mil millones de personas en los países subdesarrollados. En el humano, esta enfermedad se caracteriza por verter grandes cantidades de sangre hacia el tubo digestivo del huésped. La hemorragia gastrointestinal grave debida a la infestación por Necator americanus es una complicación observada en niños pequeños; sin embargo, el íleo paralítico es un suceso muy raro y puede manifestarse como una urgencia quirúrgica. Se presentan los casos de dos niños que sufrieron peritonitis secundaria a uncinariasis. Uno de ellos sufrió además hemorragia grave. El otro, oclusión duodenal que requirió una duodenoyeyunoanastomosis laterolateral como procedimiento paliativo