Molluscicidal activity of the methanol extract of callistemon viminalis [sol. ex gaertner] g.don ex london fruits, bark and leaves against biomphalaria alexandrina snails

Methanol extracts of Callistemon viminalis [Sol. Ex Gaertner] G.Don Ex Loudon fruits, bark and leaves were tested for molluscicidal activity. Snails were collected and kept in dechlorinated water under standard condition. Ten adults Biomphalaria alexandrina, of the same size, were introduced in plastic acquaria for each experiment. The fruits, barks and leaves were extracted with methanol and the methanol extracts were kept for testing as molluscicides. Different extracts proved to have molluscicidal activity against the vector of schistosomiasis, B. alexandrina snails. LC50 values for C. viminalis fruits, bark and leaves were 6.2, 32 and 40 ppm respectively. The C. viminalis fruits extract showed the highest effect against the tested snails. Histopathological studies proved that the site of action of all tested extracts was localized in the digestive system and hermaphrodite gland

Soil-parasites particularly toxocara eggs in Egypt

Soil-transmitted helminths [STHs] remain a major threat to the human health throughout the world, mostly in developing nations. Soil is usually contaminated by different parasitic stages through promiscuous defecation of man particularly children. This is more liable to occur in fields, public gardens and sides of streets or canals. Also, feces of domestic and wild animals and birds play a role in soil contamination. This study was conducted at Mansoura city and Batra village and El-Minia city and Zohra village representing the urban and rural areas of Dakahlia Governorate, Lower Egypt and Minia Governorate, Upper Egypt respectively. The most common helminthic stage presents in the soil of the two Governorates was Toxocara eggs. No ova was detected in-door yards in the urban areas, but only in the sides of streets, crop fields and fruit gardens, around houses and canal banks of both Governorates, and the highest intensity was 13-19 eggs/10 gm soil at canal banks at Zohra village, El-Minia Governorate, Upper Egypt

kinetics of microfilaraemia and antigenaemia status among asymptomatic Bancroftian filariasis before and after treatment

In this study, a total of 54 male patients with asymptomatic cases of lymphatic filariasis were selected from the known endemic governorates; Damietta, Sharkia, Gharbia and Dakahlia. Medical sheets were filled out for each case. Diagnosis was based on detection of circulating microfilariae by specific ELISA. Some were treated with Ivermectin, and Albendazole. The treated cases were parasitologic and serologic evaluated pre-treatment and post-treatment for two years follow-up

Past and present situation of human fascioliasis in Dakahlia governorate, Egypt

Zoonotic fascioliasis is a problem not only in Dakahlia Governorate, but also in other Egyptian Governorates. This work was conducted in ten centers at Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. Three thousand cases were randomly selected annually from each center representing five rural and five urban areas. Cases were examined for Fasciola infection by stool examination using, direct smear, formol ether sedimentation and Kato-Katz technique. Infection was higher in rural areas than urban areas. Female /male ratio was 1.5: 1. Children between five and ten years old represent the highest infected group. The prevalence of infection was more among illiterate compared to educated individuals examined. Remarkable reduction in the prevalence rate was recorded in the last year of study compared to previous years, which is a good index of excellent control measures conducted by the Egyptian governorate to overcome parasitic infections

Seroprevalence of human toxocariasis [visceral larva migrans]

A total of 455 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The enrolled patients were subjected to a questionnaire [including sociodemographic and other risk factors] and thorough clinical examination was done for the patients. Sera were collected from patients and tested for anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies using ELISA. The overall and- Toxocara sero-positive was [7.7%]. It was significantly higher than among the randomly selected 30 healthy controls. There were no significant differences between the seropositive and seronegative patients regarding age, sex, educational level and monthly family income of the patient. However, rural residence, poor house, pet's ownership and frequent contact with soil were found to be significant. Patients who had confirmed bronchial asthma were more than 2 times at higher risk of developing toxocariasis [OR, 2.33; 95% CL 1.09-4.98] than those with other clinical diagnosis [PUO, hepato-megaly or heptosplenomegaly, lympha-denopathy, neurological disorders, gastrointestinal troubles and dermatitis]. Patients with eosinophilia were at 149 times greater risk of being Toxocara seropositive compared to those without eosinophilia [OR, 148.7; 95% CI: 53.5-413.3]. Multivariate regression analysis showed eosinophilia and contact with soil were the most important predictors of toxocariasis. OD of anti-Toxocara antibodies [ELISA] was significantly positive with eosinophilia level

indirect immunological effect of concurrent human schistosomiasis and fascioliasis on helicobacter pylori pathogenesis

The impact of Schistosoma mansoni and Fasciola parasitic infections on H. pylori induced pathogenesis was studied in 20 patients exclusively having H. pylori infection alone. The patients were compared to 20 patients having schistosomiasis mansoni co-infected with H. pylori and to another 20 patients having fascioliasis co-infected with H. pylori. 15 patients exclusively having schistosomiasis mansoni alone and 15 patients exclusively having fascioliasis alone were also included in the study. All patients were subjected to thorough medical examination, parasitological, endoscopic and histopathological studies. The results showed that severe gastritis was significantly more common in the patients exclusively infected with H. pylori alone. Chronic atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia or precancerous lesions were present in patients with exclusively H. pylori infection. We may conclude that the concomitant of parasitic diseases with H. pylori infection probably reduce the gastroduodenal pathogenesis through indirect immune response

Kinetics of eosinophilia and IGE production in experimental murine toxocariasis

Eosinophilia and immunoglobulin E [IgE] antibody are considered the first and important elements in host responses to helminth infection. Toxocara canis, which elicits prominent eosinophilia and IgE production in normal mice, may be useful in understanding the Kinetics of circulating peripheral blood eosinophils and IgE antibody during infection. The onset, magnitude and duration of peripheral blood eosinophilia and total IgE production after primary T. canis infection in female outbred albino mice was investigated. Mice were either sham inoculated [controls] or were orally infected with 1000 embryonated eggs of T. canis. Patterns in leucocytic changes include significant increase in total WBC count between weeks 6 and 13 post infection [PI] with a peak on week 8 PI. Mice showed eosinophilia between weeks 2 to 17 PI with a peak on week 7. The development of eosinophilia in T. canis-infected mice was accompanied by the release of prominent level of serum IgE between weeks 2 to 21 with a peak at week 6 PI. These findings showed that eosinophilia in T. canis infected outbred mice can be T-cell dependent

Zoonotic hydatidosis in donkeys: post mortum examination in the Zoo, Giza, Egypt

A total of 17 out of 160 donkeys slaughtered had hepatic hydatidosis as proved macroscopically and microscopically. The epidemiology of zoonotic echinococcosis/hydatidosis was reviewed and discussed

Biochemical parameters in chronic fascioliasis

Serum lipids, liver enzymes and total bile acids were measured in chronic Fasciola [cholestatic and non-cholestatic] patients. Variations in the biochemical parameters between infected and control groups were detected and typified by considerably higher serum triglycerides [TG, P < 0.001], alkaline phosphatase [ALP, P < 0.001] and total bile acids [TBA, P < 0.001] in the infected group. For cholestatic patients, TG, very low density lipoprotein [VLDL], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], gammaglutamyl transferase [GGT] and ALP were statistically higher [P < 0.001 for each comparison] and total cholesterol [TC]; low density lipoprotein[LDL] and high density lipoprotein [HDL], were statistically lower than non-cholestatic patients [P = 0.02, < 0.001, < 0.001 respectively]. No statistically significant differences were found for the TC, HDL, VLDL, ALT, AST and GGT between non-cholestatic patients and healthy controls

Phylogenetic evidence for recombination in SAG5 locus in Toxoplasma gondii

The present study evaluated the hypothesis that genetic diversity in SAG5 genes was generated by recombination events. Three lines of evidence suggested that recombination occurred in SAG5 genes in T. gondii. The permutation test revealed strong signature of intragenic recombination, pairwise comparisons of nucleotide sequences of SAG5 genes revealed that SAG5A alleles have chimerical structures composed of segments derived through recombination events between different alleles, and phylogenetic trees reconstructed based on SAG5 sequences using neighbor-joining and maximum parsimony methods, showed statistically well-supported consensus clusters of T. gondii strains specific to each SAG5 gene. Topological discrepancies between trees based on the N-terminal variable domain and C-terminal conserved domain sequences, were observed, suggesting intragenic recombinetion between SAG5A and SAG5B/C genes. The results showed that recombination within SAG5 in T. gondii was a major evolutionary mechanism generating both allelic variation at SAGS locus and contributing to genotypic diversity and to emergence of new T. gondii variants, allowing them to evade the host immune defence mechanism

Mirazid alone or combined with paromomycin in treating Cryptosporidiosis parvum in immunocompetent hospitalized patients

Sixty cryptosporidiosis patients from Mansoura University Hospitals, 36 males and 24 females, with age from few months to ten years [mean age 6.1] were divided into three cross-matched groups of 20 patients each. All patients received the glutamine-based oral rehydration solution with 111 mmol/1 glutamine, 20 mg zinc acetate once a day and vitamin A supplementation [200,000 IU] once a day for 2 weeks. For cryptosporidiosis treatment, Gl received Mirazid [10mg /kg for 2 weeks], G2 received Paromomycin [500 mg qid for 2 weeks], and G3 received a combination of Mirazid [10mg/kg] and Paromomycin [500 mg] for two weeks. The result was assessed according to the scales: 0= no improvement, 1= symptoms began improvement [reduction of diarrhea frequency and stool volume, less abdominal pain, less nausea and vomiting], 2= diarrhea eradication, 3= weight gain, 4= oocyst counts reduction, 5= reduction in diarrhea and oocyst counts, 6= eradication of diarrhea and oocysts. G3 showed significantly higher difference than Gl and G2 in the 1[st] week [p=.036, 0.025 respectively], no significant difference in 2[nd] week, a significantly higher difference than in Gl [0.003], and G2 [0.006] in 3[rd] week, and a significantly higher difference than Gl [0.014], and G2 [0.01] in 4[th] week, but without significant differences in oocyst shedding in the 3 groups

Mirazid [commiphora molmol] in treatment of human heterophyiasis

A total of 3278 patients attended Mansoura University Hospitals' Clinics with gastrointestinal troubles suggesting parasitosis were examined by direct smear and by Kato-Katz methods for parasites especially Heterophyes heterophyes. Fifty clinically and parasitologically proved pure heterophyiasis patients were given Mirazid as two capsules for 9 successive days on an empty stomach an hour before breakfast. All the cases were subjected to history taking and clinical examination before treatment and were followed-up for four weeks post-treatment. There was an overt clinical and parasitological improvement. A total of 47 out of 50 [94%] were cured. Another course was given to the three patients who were still positive, but only two of them were cured [66.7%]. The overall cure rate was 49/50 [98%] and none had any side effect. The history and treatment of this zoonotic parasite was critically discussed

Commiphora molmol extracts as plant molluscicide against iymnaea natalensis

Two extracts from the herbal plant, Commiphora molmol showed a high molluscicidal effect against Lymnaea natalensis. The oil extract was more potent than the oleoresin. A concentration of 10 ppm of the oil extract killed 100% of L. natalensis after 5[th] day, but the oleoresin extract killed 100% of them at a concentration 20 ppm after 5[th] day

Echinococcosis in dogs in urban and rural areas in Dakahlia governorate, Egypt

A sample of one hundred and ninety stray dogs was captured from Mansoura city [urban] and three hundreds and fifty stray dogs were captured from Meet El-Korama, Mansheit El-Badawy villages [rural]. The total prevalence of E. granulosus was 5%, with a worm burden ranging from 4 to 1010 [mean= 421]. The significant prevalence was 6% in the rural area and 3.2% in the urban one. E. granulosus showed higher prevalence in young than old dogs and in males than females but without significant difference in both variants. The overall Echino-ELISA sensitivity was 61.5% and specificity was 97.5%. The major cross reactivity was with Taenia spp., and Diplydium caninum, but neither with Toxocara canis or Trichurus vulpis nor Ancylostoma caninum. There was a negative correlation between ELISA and Echinococcus granulosus burden in dogs

Echinococcosis granulosus/hydatidosis an endemic zoonotic disease in Egypt

The hydatidosis patients were collected from Mansoura University's Hospitals and Dakahlia Public Health Hospitals. The patients were divided into three groups: GI: 74 patients with surgically confirmed cystic echinococcosis [CE], GII: 45 patients with other parasitic infections, GIII: 30 healthy parasite-free individuals. All were subjected to questionnaire and full clinical examination, imaging investigation, routine laboratory examination, and serum samples for antibody against CE by the specific ELISA. The hydatidosis was higher in females but without statistically significant difference [p=0.309]. There was no age predilection difference regarding hydatidosis infection. However, the hydatidosis granulosus was significantly higher in the shepherd followed by the farmers. All the questionnaires were positively correlated to hydatidosis infection except the availability of clean domestic water and personal knowledge about hydatidosis gave negative correlations. The ELISA-OD correlated positively with the imaging investigation [mainly U S stage]. The sensitivity of ELISA was 86.7% and specificity was 81.4%. The results were evaluated regarding the local and regional data on echinococcosis/hydatidosis

Diagnostic criteria for house dust mites sensitized allergic patients

House dust mites [HDM] contain a large number of components that react with IgE in individuals with allergies and induced sensi-tization and allergic diseases. The work aimed to correlate between clinical manifestations of HDM allergic patients and skin prick test [SPT] grading, and to clarify some markers denoting allergic disorders caused by HDM exposure. Thirty allergic patients with positive SPT reaction to HDM were selected, grading of disease severity according to SPT and clinical presentations. The results revealed bronchial asthma [40%], atopic dermatitis [26.7%], rhinitis 20%] and conjunctivitis [13.3%]. Serum ALISA-IgE showed mean level of 398.42 +/- 84.73, 369.87 +/- 86, 332.16 +/- 65.57 and 300.25 +/- 79.39 IU/ml respectively, with highly statistically significant difference between cases and controls [p

Ectoparasites of commensal rodents in Talkha center, Dakahlia governorate, Egypt

The ecto-parasites infesting commensally rodents were collected from the different localities in Talkha Center [Dakahlia Governorate] from April 2006 to March 2007. The seasonal abundance of rodent number and rat index was 52 [0.58] in spring, 27 [0.3] in summer, 39 [0.22] in autumn and 17 [0.05] in winter. From 135 rodent species and rat index was Rattus norvegicus N=33 [0.24], R. r. frugivorous N=39 [0.29], R. r. alexandrinus N=48 [0.36] and Mus musculus N=15 [0.11]. From 388 ecto-parasite infested rodent collected number and ecto index was fleas N= 114 [0.84 flea/rat], Lice N=93 [0.69 lice/rat], Mites N= 165 [1.2 mite/rat] and larva of ticks N=16 [0.12 tick/rat]. No doubt, rodents and their ectoparasites played a serious role in spreading and transmission of zoonotic diseases to human and animal

Mirazid in treatment of human Hymenolepiasis

The efficacy and safety of Mirazid in treatment of human hymenolepiosis were carried out in a rural village in Talkha Center [Dakahlia G.]. Kato thick smear stool examination showed 51 cases of Hymenolepis nana [9 of them had concomitant parasitosis], two cases of H. diminuta. Mirazid was given in a dose of 10 mg/kg/d for nine consecutive days an hour before breakfast for hymenolepiosis cases, as capsule for adults and suppository for children. All cases were subjected to history taking before treatment and six weeks post-treatment and stool examination was repeated as well weekly for six weeks post-treatment. There was overt clinical improvement. Side effects were negligible. Parasitologic cure rate was 40/41 or 95.2% for H. nana one week post-treatment, and 100% for H. diminuta one week post-treatment, up to six weeks follow-up for all treated patients. Two unresponded H. nana patients were cured by another Mirazid course

Natural infection of fresh and brackish water fish with heterophyid encysted metacercariae in Dakahlia Governorate Egypt

The encysted metacercariae [EMC] of heterophyids in the fish species; Mugil caphalus, M. capito, M. auratus, Oreochromis, n.niloticus [=Tilapia nilotica], and Tilapia zillii trapped brackish and fresh water fishes were isolated by the artificial digestion method and identified. The EMC by morphometric analysis proved to be seven phenotypical distinct types. Cross-matched seven groups of clean laboratory bred puppies each was experimentally infected with a distinct EMC type. The recovered adult flukes were compatible to seven species of six genera of family Heterophyidae. These were Heterophyes heterophyes, H. aequalis, Pygidiopsis genata, Haplorchis yokogawai, Prohemostomum vivax, Phagicola sp. and Stictodora sp. The EMC of the seven heterophyids were recovered from all the brackish water fishes, M. caphalus, M. capito, M. auratus, O. niloticus and T. zillii. On the other hand, the EMC of P. genata, Haplorchis yokogawai and Phagicola sp. were recovered only from the fresh water fish, O. niloticus and T. zillii. All the EMC was re-described and photographed

Correlation between clinical presentation and genotypes of human giardiasis

The aim was to study the genotypes of human giardiasis and its relation to the symptoms of the clinical presentation. 105 patients. with giardiasis In the stool, 61 were symptomatizing and 44 were asymptomatic. and 20 subjects serving as a control group with negative stool examination for giradiasis. all were examined by PCR of stool to detect genotypes of G.L. PCR detected G.L. in 73.3% and failed to detect G.L in 26.7% of cases with G.L. in stool, and was negative in all control subjects. this mean. RCR specificity is 100% and sensitivity 73.3% for G.L. Three genotypes were detected, genotypes I in 36.19%. genotype II in 12.38% and genotype III in 9.52%, and mixed genotypes were detected in 15%, of cases with G.L In the symptomatic patients genotype I was 32.79%, genotype II was 16.39% and genotype III was 9.64%, mixed genotypes infection in 16.39% and undetermined genotypes was 24.59% while in the asymptomatic group. genotype I detected in 40.91% genotype II In 6.82%. genotype II in 9.59% mixed genotypes in 13.64% and undetermined in 29.55%. There was no statistically significant difference between symptomatic and asymptomatic group regarding G.L genotype distribution and the genotype of G.L was not related to symptoms of clinical presentation. the study revealed genetic diversity of G. Lamblia infection in the studied population and the genotypes of G. Lamblia were not related to the symptoms of clinical presentations