Assessment of the antischistosomal activity of ginger [zingiber officinale] against schistosoma mansoni harbored in C57BL/6 mice

This study was conducted to assess the effect of ginger [Zingiber officinale] aqueous extract, on the oxidative status, antioxidant defense system and liver pathology of Schistosoma mansoni -infected C57BL/6 mice. Ginger at dose level of 500 mg/kg body weight was orally administered, daily for five weeks from the 5[th] week post-infection. Result showed that S. mansoni-infected mice exhibited a suppression of liver antioxidant capacity, and depleted reduced glutathione content [GSH], superoxide dismutase [SOD], and catalase [CAT] activities. In addition, the hepatic lipid peroxidation was deleteriously elevated in S. mansoni-infected mice. The hepatic total protein [TP], alanine aminotransferase [ALT] and aspartate aminotransferase [AST] activities were profoundly decreased due to their release from necrotic liver cells into blood of S. mansoni-infected mice. Concomitantly, histopathologiacl and histochemical data indicated severe hepatic cell necrosis and multigranulomas with different sizes and collagenous fiber contents indicated in both acute and chronic infection. Hepatic sinusoidal dilation, cytoplasmic degeneration, total protein pattern depletion as well as intravascular and perivascular inflammatory infiltration were also observed. The treatment of S. mansoni-infected mice with ginger extract succeeded to suppress oxidative stress by enhancing antioxidant defense system and decreasing lipid peroxidation. In addition ginger treatment markedly minimized the structural abnormalities where the size of granulomas and collagenous fiber were significantly reduced. The histochemical profile of TP level was partially restored. It could be concluded that oxidative damage and pathologic changes of liver may be improved partially by ginger treatment via suppression of the oxidative stress and enhancement of antioxidant defense system

Effects of schistosoma mansoni experimental infection on some inorganic elements in the snail host biomphalaria alexandrina

The alteration in the concentrations of metallic ion Pb, Zn, K, Na, Co. Fe, and Cu in the soft parts of the Biomphalaria alexandrina snails shedding Schistosoma mansoni cercariae was detected by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Six elements Pb, Zn, K, Na, Co, and Cu were found to be present at significantly higher concentrations in cercariae-shedding snails compared with uninfected snails. The concentration of Fe ion showed non-significant decrease in the tissues of cercariae-shedding snails. Variation in the present results compared with related previous studies lead to the suggestion that the effect of trematode parasitism on fresh-water snails should not be considered universal and might be varies according to the trematode-snail combination, the organs or the tissues analyzed and the analytical method used

Isoenzyme electrophetic characterization of leishmania major, the causative agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in north and west Saudi Arabia

Several expeditions were carried out to four localities [Al-Madinah Almonawarah, Tabouk region, Al-Jouf and Northern Frontiers regions] in Northern and Western Saudi Arabia for sampling zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis [ZCL] cases from patients and rodents. Biopsy samples were collected from 51 patients complaining of skin lesions, most of which [40 or 78.4%] proved to be ZCL. Amastigotes were detected in 33 patients [64.7%], but only 30 [58.9%] gave successful growth of promastigotes in the culture media. The positive cases were Saudis 14 [35%] and non-Saudis 26 [65%].Five species of rodents were caught, Meriories libycus, Psammomys obesus, Rattus rattus, Jaculus jaculus and Hystrix indica. The first species was the most dominant [90%] in which Leishmania parasites were detected. The Leishmania isolates from man and rodents were identified by isoenzyme electrophoresis and proved to be Zymodeme LON-4

Host - Parasite Relationships Between Schistosoma Mansoni and Echinostoma liei and their Intermediate Host Biomphalaria Alexandrina using RAPD - PCR Analysis

The aim of this study was to use RAPD-PCR assay offering an alternative approach to host-parasite relationships. This was performed by investigating the genetic variation and compatibility among S. mansoni, E. liei and their intermediate host B. Alexandrina with a special emphasis on the variations occurring in snails infected with S. mansoni and/or E. Liei. Six primers were screened for DNA analysis and gave total patterns from 28-37 reproducible bands for each species. All specimens analyzed by the RAPD-PCR gave interpretable electrophoretic banding patterns that were polymorphic and compatible in the amplified products of these primers within each species

Diagnosis of Fasciola gigantica in snail using the polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay

The 124-bp repetitive and highly abundant DNA sequence, used as a specific probe for the detection of Fasciola infection in snails, was tested in the detection of F. Gigantica infection in Lymnaea natalensis. The probe did not show any positive PCR results with Lymnaea natalensis, Physa acuta, Biomphalaria alexandrina and Bulinus trancatus or with Schistosoma mansoni, S. haematobium and Echinostoma liei. However, the probe was found capable to detect F. Gigantica infection within L. natalensis at very early stages of the prepatent period and at very low concentrations. Thus, the present assay was specific and sensitive for the detection of F. Gigantica within its intermediate host. It confirmed the idea that 124-bp repetitive and highly abundant DNA sequence in Fasciola sp. genome could be used as an epidemiological tool for the examination of fascioliasis intermediate host. The nucleic acid-based assay could eliminate both inherent uncertainties and lengthy periods of the time required for the visual examination of the snails. Also, the assay is valuable in the epizootiology of F. Gigantica, vector suitability and host- parasite relationship

Oral fluids as risk factors for intrafamilial transmission of hepatitis C virus

To evaluate the frequency of hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection among the family members of chronically infected HCV patients, to investigate the oral cavity fluids as a possible risk factor for transmission of HCV infection, to asses the reliability of gingival crevicular fluid [GCF] and saliva anti-HCV [HCVAb] and HCV-RNA testing for detection of HCV and to study the oral mucosa and periodontal condition of HCV infected subjects. Serum, GCF and saliva specimens were obtained from 19 index cases with chronic HCV and their relatives [n = 83] to detect HCVAb by ELISA and HCV-RNA by a modified commercial polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay. The clinical oral mucosal and periodontal conditions were evaluated. HCV infection was detected in the relatives of 17 out of 19 families. The newly diagnosed cases were 41%, of them 66.7% were parents, 34.6% brothers and 4.8% sisters. The intrafamilial frequency of positive anti-HCV was 60.8%, 47.1% and 38.2% in the serum, GCF and saliva specimens respectively of the total studied population. HCV-RNA was detected in 52%, 41.2% and 28.4% in the same body fluids in order of frequency. The sensitivity and specificity for anti-HCV in the serum, GCF and saliva were 100%, 90.6%, 71.7% and 81.6%, 100%, 98% respectively. The corresponding values for HCV-RNA were 100%, 79.2%, 54.7% and 100%, 100%, 100% respectively. Strong positive associations were found between serum PCR and anti-HCV testing in serum, GCF, saliva and HCV-RNA testing in GCF and saliva [P<0.001]. No significant difference was found regarding mucosal and periodontal clinical evaluation between HCV positive and negative persons. It was concluded that: [1] The relatives of HCV infected patients are at risk to acquire the disease. [2] GCF and saliva presented detectable levels of anti-HCV and HCV-RNA, which might be sources of HCV infection among family members. [3] Detectable levels of GCF and saliva anti-HCV and HCV-RNA may be of diagnostic value in HCV infection. [4] No correlation was found between oral mucosa and periodontal condition and HCV infection

Duodeno-Gastric reflux before and after cholecystectomy

Duodenogastric reflux [DGR] has been suggested as an etiopathogenic factor in persisted of dyspeptic symptomes after cholycystectomy in some patients with gall stones disease. We evaluated the DGR in 10 gall stones diseased patients before and after simple. Cholecystectomy, in addition to 10 individuals with no oesophageal, gastric, duodenal, bilirary or pancreatic disease, but undewent any form of elective abdominal surgery other than gastric or biliary surgery taken as a control group. Their symptoms, gastric pH total and individual bile acids concentrations in fasting gastric juice and their refluxes were evaluated one day before and fifteen days after surgery. Gastric juice was obtained under fasting conditions by continuous nasogastric suction for a period of time extended from 10 hours in some subjects up to 24 hours in others. The total bile acids present in the samples were extracted by organic solvents and individual bile acids were fractionated and separated by thin-layer chromatography, then total and individual bile acids were quantified colorimetrically by the method described by Mashige et al., [1981]. Before Cholecystectomy, Right hypochondrium pain and biliary colic were present in 7 patients [70%] and dyspepsia in the form of heart burn, nausea, vomiting and flatulence with varying degrees in 8 patients [80%]. After surgery, biliary colic disappeared in all patients. Dyspeptic symptoms improved in 7 patients [70%], 3 patients [30%] remained with dyspeptic symptoms in the form of heart burn and flatutulence. The gastric pH was statistically highly significantly increased from 3.26 +/- 0.636 to 5.73 +/- 1.246 after Cholecystectomy, the total bile acids concentrations in fasting gastric juices were statistically highly significantly increased from 229.84 +/- 92.16 to 461.8 +/- 202.3 umol/l also the total bile acids refluxed per hours increased from 9.8 +/- 4.7 to 33.5 +/- 21.4 umol/h after, Cholecystectomy. Also, the studied individual bile acids and their refluxes per hours were statistically significantly increased after Cholecystectomy as follow; Glycocholic a. from 58 +/- 33.8 to 207.5 +/- 118.1 umol/l, Taurocholic a. from 95.5 +/- 55.9 to 100.5 +/- 47.4 umol/l Cholic a. from 10.9 +/- 15.06 to 38.5 +/- 37.6 umol/l, Lithocholic a. from 6.8 +/- 2.10 to 47.9 +/- 36.735 umol/l, also, their refluxes increased as follow; Glycocholic a. refluxed/h from 2.48 +/- 1.49 to 11.37 +/- 6.7 umol/h, Taurocholic a refluxed/h from 3.95 +/- 2.46 to 5.495 +/- 2.832 umol/h Cholic a. refluxed/h from 0.57 +/- 0.75 to 2.093 +/- 2.0921 umol/h and Lithocholic a. refluxed/h from 0.28 +/- 0.08 to 2.608 +/- 2.021 umol/h. The study showed no any statistically significant change in DGR between patients with or without dyspeptic symptoms after Cholecystectomy. Thus, inspite of occurrence and increase of DGR in all patients after Cholecystectomy we can not attribute the persistence of dyspeptic symptoms in some patients after surgery to DGR or to the changes of individual bile acids alone but may be to multiple factors as there is no any significant change in DGR between the patients with or without dyspeptic symptoms after surgery

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 [Mmp-9] circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 [Cicam-1], and procollagen III peptide [PIIIP] in hepatocellular carcinoma and various chronic liver diseases

A sound predictive test is lacking for the identification of cirrhotic patients at high risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma. In the present study, plasma MMP-9, plasma clCAM-1, serum alpha-feto protein [AFP] and serum PIIIP levels were measured and evaluated in 30 patients suffered from chronic hepatitis [CH], 30 patients suffered from liver cirrhosis [LC] and 30 patients suffered from hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC], in addition to 30 normal healthy individuals as a control group using RIA method for estimation of PIIIP and ELISA methods for estimations of the AFP and clCAM-1 and MMP-9. The study showed that the mean values of plasma MMP-9, plasma clCAM-1, serum PIIIP and serum AFP levels were 44.8 ng/ml, 232.1 ng/ml, 3.4 ug/l, 3.2 ng/Ml respectively among control group, 88.61 ng/ml, 489.5 ng/ml, 11.5 ug/l, 8.7 ng/ml respectively among Chronic hepatitis patients, 96.6 ng/ml, 781.3 ng/ml, 13.9 ug/l, 26.5 ng/ml respectively among Liver cirrhosis patients and 212.1 ng/ml, 999.4 ng/ml, 26.6 ug/l, 784.6 ng/ml respectively among HCC patients. Plasma MMP-9, plasma clCAM-1, serum PIIIP and serum AFP showed statistically highly significantly increase in all patients groups [P <0.001] when compared with the healthy control group. Plasma MMP-9 showed statistically highly significant increase in HCC group when compared with CH and LC groups, while did not show any statistically significant change [P> 0.05] in CH and LC groups when compared with the control group or with each other. clCAM-1 showed statistically highly significant increase in LC and HCC groups when compared with CH group with no significant change between LC and HCC groups and lastly serum AFP and PIIIP levels showed statistically highly significantly increase in HCC group when compared with CH and LC groups. As regard HCC histopathological grading all measured parameters showed statistically nonsignificant changes in different HCC grades except MMP-9 which showed a statistically significant increase in grade III when either compared with grade I or grade II. Receiver operating characterstic curve [ROC curve] was constructed using multiple cut off points for every studied parameter and calculating the sensitivity and the specificity at each cut off point and also calculating the area under each curve. The optimum cut off point for diagnosis of HCC from CH and LC for plasma MMP-9, plasma clCAM-1, serum PIIIP, and serum AFP were 89.8 ng/ml, 905 ng/ml, 25.8 ug/L and 68 ng/ml respectively, also, the study showed that AFP was the best of the studied HCC markers as it had the biggest area under ROC curve [0.86] followed by MMP-9 [0.76], cICAM [0.715] and lastly PIIIP [0.71]

Transforming growth factor alpha in various chronic liver diseases

TGF-alpha the 50 amino acid polypeptide chain is considered one of the growth factors that is heavily linked to epithelial neoplasia. Many researchers have documented the use of TGF-alpha as a valuable tumour marker for early diagnosis of hepatic neoplasia. However, its role in cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis remains uncertain. This study was carried out to uncover the role of TGF-alpha in chronic liver diseases. The study was carried out on 80 subjects divided into 4 groups, each consists of 20 individuals; control, hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis groups. All members of the four groups were prone to thorough history taking, careful general and local examination as well as laboratory tests which included: C.B.C., liver function tests [prothrombin concentration, total and direct bilirubin, serum albumin, total plasma protein level, GPT, GOT, ALP and Y GT], anti-HCV and HBsAg, immunoglobulins G and M, alpha-fetoprotein level and serum TGF-alpha. This study elucidated a unique pattern of liver affection as regard the classic liver function tests, alpha-fetoprotein was significantly elevated in the 3 chronic liver disease groups. TGF was significantly elevated in the HCC group but insignificantly raised in the cirrhotic and chronic hepatitis groups. Thus, it could be concluded that TGF-alpha can be used as a valuable tumour marker for early diagnosis and management of HCC. However, its role in cases of cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis remains uncertain, a point that needs thorough investigation

Evaluation of inhouse HBV DMA PCR, and its comparison with amplicor HBV PCR [Roche] and quantiplex HBV bDNA [Chiron] in detection of hepatitis b virus infection

To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of inhouse HBV DNA PCR detected either by ELISA or agarose gel electrophoresis techniques this study was designed. 60 patients having either HbsAg antigen or HBc IgG or both were selected from the outpatients medical clinic and inpatient medical section of the National liver institute, Minoufiya University. Inhouse HBV DNA PCR detected either by ELISA or agarose gel electrophoresis techniques were done for those patients, and the results were expressed in comparison with the results of Amplicor HBV PCR [Roche], and quantiplex HBV bDNA [Chiron]. Out of sixty patients who were serologically positive for either HbsAg, anti- HBc IgG or both, the inhouse HBV DNA PCR detected by ELISA was positive in 11 patients [18.33%], while inhouse HBV DNA PCR detected by EB and gel electrophoresis was positive in 9 patients [15%], also, quantiplex HBV bDNA [Chiron] was positive in 8 [17.78%] out of 45 patients only and amplicor HBV DNA PCR [Roche] was positive in 28 [46.67%] out of 60 patients. Also, the study revealed that the sensitivity of inhouse HBV DNA PCR detected by ELISA was 39.28%, with 100% specificity and 71.67% diagnostic accuracy, while inhouse HBV DNA PCR detected by agarose gel electrophoresis after ethidium bromide staining showed 32.14% sensitivity, 100% specificity and 68.33% diagnostic accuracy also, Also, quantiplex HBV bDNA [Chiron] showed 28.57% sensitivity, 91.66% specificity and 62.22% diagnostic accuracy when compared with the positive results obtained with amplicor HBV PCR [Roche]. So, due to its low sensitivity in comparison with amplicor HBV DNA PCR [Roche] we can not rely on inhouse PCR detected either by ELISA or agarose gel electrophoresis after ethidium bromide staining in diagnosis of HBV infection, further optimization of inhouse PCR is recommended for good yield and better diagnosis

Effect of modifying dialysate calcium concentration on some cardiovascular parameters in haemodialysis [HD] patients

Haemodynamic instability with symptomatic hypotension remains one of the most important complications occuring during HD [20-30% of dialyses]. Calcium ions play a pivotal role in the contractile process of both vascular smooth muscle cells and cardiac myocytes as well as in the release of catecholamines from the synaptic clefts. It has been suggested that the increased clearance of catecholamines by HD may potentiate intradialytic hypotension and that changes in ionized calcium might play an important role in the cardiovascular response during HD. In the present work, we studied the effect of using different dialysate calcium concentrations on the patient serum ionized calcium levels, serum catecholamine levels, haemodynamic data, and echocardiographic parameters before and after HD. Twenty patients [12 males and 8 females], with CRF under chronic regular HD therapy were studied and ten healthy volunteers, matched in age and gender, served as a control group. Patients were dialysed using the standard [low-calcium, 2.5 mEq/L] dialysate for twelve sessions in four weeks, and were then subjected sequentially to the high-calcium [4 mEq/L] dialysate for another twelve sessions in four more weeks. After four weeks of low-calcium dialysis, serum ionized calcium levels showed mild, though statistically significant reduction compared to the predialysis levels. There was no significant change in plasma levels of catecholamines at the end of the four week period. On the other hand, changing to high-calcium dialysate for further four weeks resulted in a very significantly higher post-dialysis levels of ionized calcium compared to predialysis levels. Morever, there was highly significant increase in postdialysis noradrenaline compared to predialysis levels. Low-calcium dialysis resulted in significant reduction in SBP, DBP and mean BP. Regarding vascular reactivity parameters, there was a statistically significant increase in the mean heart rate [HR] and forearm vascular resistance [FVR], while venous tone [VT] was significantly lower in postdialysis compared to predialysis assessment. On the other hand, using high calcium dialysate resulted in minor changes in SBP, DBP, and MBP that did not reach statistical significance. Positive correlation existed between changes in ionized calcium and plasma noradrenaline levels after high-calcium dialysis. No significant changes has been found in the echocardiographic parameters in the pre and post-dialysis assessments, neither in the low-calcium nor in the high-calcium dialysis periods. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that, even in the haemodynamically stable patients, changes in plasma ionized calcium may have an important effect on the blood pressure response during HD. Using high-calcium dialysate solutions may help improving intradialytic hypotension which is the commonest complication occuring during HD