Immunopathological Changes in the Brain of Immunosuppressed Mice Experimentally Infected with Toxocara canis

Toxocariasis is a soil-transmitted helminthozoonosis due to infection of humans by larvae of Toxocara canis. The disease could produce cognitive and behavioral disturbances especially in children. Meanwhile, in our modern era, the incidence of immunosuppression has been progressively increasing due to increased incidence of malignancy as well as increased use of immunosuppressive agents. The present study aimed at comparing some of the pathological and immunological alterations in the brain of normal and immunosuppressed mice experimentally infected with T. canis. Therefore, 180 Swiss albino mice were divided into 4 groups including normal (control) group, immunocompetent T. canis-infected group, immunosuppressed group (control), and immunosuppressed infected group. Infected mice were subjected to larval counts in the brain, and the brains from all mice were assessed for histopathological changes, astrogliosis, and IL-5 mRNA expression levels in brain tissues. The results showed that under immunosuppression, there were significant increase in brain larval counts, significant enhancement of reactive gliosis, and significant reduction in IL-5 mRNA expression. All these changes were maximal in the chronic stage of infection. In conclusion, the immunopathological alterations in the brains of infected animals were progressive over time, and were exaggerated under the effect of immunosuppression as did the intensity of cerebral infection.

Immunopathological Changes in the Brain of Immunosuppressed Mice Experimentally Infected with Toxocara canis

Toxocariasis is a soil-transmitted helminthozoonosis due to infection of humans by larvae of Toxocara canis. The disease could produce cognitive and behavioral disturbances especially in children. Meanwhile, in our modern era, the incidence of immunosuppression has been progressively increasing due to increased incidence of malignancy as well as increased use of immunosuppressive agents. The present study aimed at comparing some of the pathological and immunological alterations in the brain of normal and immunosuppressed mice experimentally infected with T. canis. Therefore, 180 Swiss albino mice were divided into 4 groups including normal (control) group, immunocompetent T. canis-infected group, immunosuppressed group (control), and immunosuppressed infected group. Infected mice were subjected to larval counts in the brain, and the brains from all mice were assessed for histopathological changes, astrogliosis, and IL-5 mRNA expression levels in brain tissues. The results showed that under immunosuppression, there were significant increase in brain larval counts, significant enhancement of reactive gliosis, and significant reduction in IL-5 mRNA expression. All these changes were maximal in the chronic stage of infection. In conclusion, the immunopathological alterations in the brains of infected animals were progressive over time, and were exaggerated under the effect of immunosuppression as did the intensity of cerebral infection.

Seroprevalence study of Toxocara canis in selected Egyptian patients

This study was conducted in order to reveal the seroprevalence of T. canis infection in selected 150 Egyptian patients with presumptive clinical syndromes. They were children [128] with respiratory symptoms or pyrexia of unknown origin [PUO] and adults [22] with PUO. Anti-Toxocara antibodies [IgG] were detected in sera by ELISA. The results showed 6.2% positivity in children. The frequency increased in male gender, those in rural residence and in 6-12 years group versus 1-6 years, and 4% and 13.3% positivity in those with respiratory symptoms and PUO respectively. Adults positivity was 18%. So, male gender and residence in rural regions could be considered as risk factors for transmission of toxocariasis in children

Nephropathy in experimental Trichinosis [Histopathological, electron microscopic and immunofluorescent study]

The study was performed using 120 white rats [80 infected with Trichinella spiralis and 40 as a control group]. Histopathology electron microscopy, direct and indirect immunofluorescence were carried out on the proper kidney tissue preparations weekly for 20 weeks after infection. Evident histopathological changes were detected in the glomeruli, tubules, and stroma of the kidneys of infected animals from the 6th. week after infection. Transmission electron microscopy revealed ultrastructural changes in the glomeruli and tubules coinciding with the histopathological changes. Deposits of immunoglobulins and specific Trichinella spiralis antigens were detected in the blood vessels and glomeruli of infected animals from the 7th. week after infection. The results were discussed and the immunopathological mechanism of tissue damage was clarified in the light of the histopathological, electron microscopic and immunofluorescence findings

Hepatic changes in experimental trichilemma spiralis infection

Histopathological and immunofluorescent studies were carried out on the liver in rats experimentally infected with Trichinella spiralis throughout 24 weeks after infection. Definite histopathological changes were found in the liver of infected animals from the early weeks after infection in comparison with the control animals. The deposition of specific antigens and immune complexes was demonstrated in the infected animal liver by means of direct and indirect immunofluorescence. Few larvae were detected in the liver of infected animals. The findings were discussed and the role of immune complex deposition in the pathogenesis of the hepatic lesions was declared

Relation between fungal species and T-cell function in patients with dermatophytosis

Fifty-seven patients suffering from dermatophytic skin infections were evaluated clinically as well as mycologically and subjected to numerical evaluation of T-cells by E-Rosette method and functional evaluation of T-cells by blast transformation assay using phytohemoagglutinin. Trichophyton rubrum was the most prevalent isolated fungus [40.3%]. No growth was noticed in 3 cases. The results showed no significant difference [P >0.05] between normal controls and patients infected with dermatophytosis as regards T-cells percentage by E-Rosette and T-cell blast transformation except in patients infected with Trichophyton schoenleinii [P <0.05]. In conclusion, the study of cell-mediated immune response is of a value in the assessment of dermatophytosis

Renal changes in experimental trichinosis [histopathological, electron microscopic and immunofluorescent study]

The study was performed using 120 white rats [80 infected with Trichinella spiralis and 40 as a control group]. Histopathology, electron microscopy, direct and indirect immunofluorescence were carried out on the proper kidney tissue preparations weekly for 20 weeks after infection. Histopathological changes were detected in the glomeruli, tubules, and stroma of the infected animals from the 6th week after infection. Transmission electron microscopy revealed ultrastructural changes in the glomeruli and tubules, coinciding with the onset of the histopathological changes. Deposits of immunoglobulins and specific Trichinella spiralis antigens were detected in the blood vessels and glomeruli from the 8th week after infection. The results were discussed and the immunopathological mechanism of tissue damages was clarified

histopathological study of different clinical forms of cutaneous leishmaniasis

Biopsy specimens for histopathological study were taken from 15 parasitologically proven cases with different clinical forms of cutaneous leishmaniasis [CL] including two patients with disseminated CL in the form of subcutaneous nodules and satellite papules. The clinical picture of these patients was also reported. The study revealed that the histopathological manifestations were variable, ranging from a diffuse infiltrate in the acute stage to a tuberculoid architecture in the chronic stage. One patient had perineural inflammatory cell infiltrate consisting of lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages

Cytophotometric study of DNA content of ovarian epithelial tumours

In the present study, 60 cases of ovarian epithelial tumours were examined [11 benign and 49 malignant ones]. Ten cases of normal ovarian tissure were used as control. Malignant tumours were staged according to FIGO Staging System. They were examined histopathologically and graded according to modified Broder's classification. DNA contents of these neoplasms were studied by cytophotometry. All benign tumours were diploid. However, 65.31% of malignant tumours were aneuploid and the rest were diploid. It was observed also that ploidy in early stage tumours [42.8%] were less than in late stage tumours [69%]. This study indicated also that all grade 3 tumours were aneuploid, whereas 58.8% of grade 2 and 50% of grade 1 were aneuploid. These findings show that there is a tendency for prevelance of aneuploidy in high grade ovarian epithelial tumours. It was observed also that there is a different in ploidy level in different types of tumours examined. Aneuploid was present in 71.9% of serous cystadenocarcinoma, 37.5% of mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, 40% of endometroid and all undifferentiated and clear cell carcinoma. It was concluded that there is a good correlation between cytophotometric, clinical and histopathological studies regarding types, stages and grades. This justifies the use of cytophotometry as an adjunct for evaluation of epithelial ovarian tumours