Effect of giardia lamblia Infection on the cognitive function of school children

The association between helminthic parasitic infection and cognitive function has long been recognized, however there are few reports about Giardia lamblia infection. This paper describes a study about the effect of G. lamblia infection on the cognitive function. One hundred thirty two children infected with G. lamblia from Robat Karim south of western Tehran, Iran were compared with 150 children without any parasitic infection. These two groups were identical in socioeconomic and nutritional status. Cognitive function was assessed using, three tests from Wechsler Intelligence Scale for children and one subset of the Clinical Evolution of Language Function. Comparison of two groups revealed that uninfected children improved significantly more than children who had G. lamblia infection in the tests of Fluency [P< 0.02] and Digit-span Forwards/ Backwards [P< 0.004]. Regular stool examination is suggested in areas with low hygienic conditions, since G. lamblia infection might be present without any clinical manifestation

Down-regulation of T-cell function by heat shock-induced excertory factor of Leishmania major

Despite demonstration of molecular and biochemical changes induced by heat shock on Leishmania, the immunological importance of such changes has not been elucidated. Studying the effect of two excretory factors prepared under heat shock and ambient temperature from Leishmania major on Balb/c splenocytes function. The parasites were cultured at 25°C and then subjected to heat shock by overnight incubating at 35 C. Both 25 C [R25] and 35 C [R35] supernatants were collected and used for biochemical analysis and as culture media for T cell activation. The protein profile of two supernatants was studied by SDS-PAGE. Splenocytes of Balb/c mice were stimulated by concavalin-A in the presence of RPMI, R25 and R35. Consequently, CD25 expression was studied by means of flow cytometry and the production of IFN-