Characterization of entamoeba histolytica antigens in circulating immune complexes in sera of patients with amoebiasis.

Isolated circulating immune complexes (CICs) from sera of patients with amoebiasis were characterized to determine Entamoeba histolytica antigens that participate in the disease process. In total, 116 serum samples were collected before starting anti-amoebic therapy, and their CICs were isolated by differential polyethylene glycol precipitation. The presence of amoeba-specific antigens in CICs was detected by antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by immunoblot assay. Antigen capture ELISA showed significantly higher optical density (p < 0.001) in all patients with amoebiasis than in the normal healthy controls and patients of non-amoebic hepatic disorder. Immunoblot assay detected amoeba-specific CICs in all 18 patients (100%) with confirmed amoebic liver abscess, 28 (80%) of 35 patients with clinically-suspected amoebic liver abscess, and 18 (78.26%) of 23 patients with amoebic colitis. No patients with non-amoebic hepatic disorders and healthy control subjects had any detectable level of amoebic antigens in CICs. Immunoblot assay revealed E. histolytica antigens of relative molecular masses of 35, 56, 70, and 90 kDa present in CICs of 64 of 76 patients with amoebiasis. The 35-kDa polypeptide was observed in 52 patients (81.25%). The results of the study suggest that the 35-kDa polypeptide antigen can be a diagnostic marker in active amoebiasis.

Efficacy and safety of oral iron chelating agent deferiprone in beta-thalassemia and hemoglobin E-beta thalassemia.

OBJECTIVES: To assess efficacy and safety of oral iron chelating agent deferiprone (DFP) in patients with beta thalassemia and hemoglobin E-beta thalassemia. DESIGN: Non-randomized study. SETTING: Hematology Out-Patient Department. SUBJECTS: Forty-one patients of beta thalassemia and hemoglobin E-beta thalassemia. INTERVENTIONS: DFP was given to 20 patients, 10 patients of beta thalassemia and 10 with hemoglobin E-beta thalassemia; the rest were taken as controls. RESULTS: A significant fall in serum ferritin was observed in the study group along with rise in urinary iron excretion (p < 0.05). Adverse effects of DFP were nausea and vomiting (30%), significant arthropathy requiring stopping of the drug (30%), and reversible neutropenia in one patient. All these complications could be managed easily with medical supervision and no death or permanent disability was seen. CONCLUSIONS: DFP is an effective and fairly well tolerated oral iron chelating agent. The side effects that occur can be tackled easily if monitored properly.

Virulence of nonpathogenic zymodemes of Entamoeba histolytica isolates from asymptomatic subjects in Calcuta, India

The zymodene and virulence of 31 Entamoeba histolytica isolates obtained from asymptomatic human subjects in Calcuta, India are described. Virulence was measured by the extent of lesion diameter (mm) induced by each isolated in the liver of golden hamsters and resistance of isolates to non-immmune hamster sera in vitro. Two nonpathogenic zymodemes, III (N=17) and IV (N=14), were detected among 31 isolates by isoenzyme electrophoresis. Most of the zymodeme III isolates were moderately to highly virulent while a quarter of the zymodeme IV were invasive although with low virulence. The virulence of the isolates was found to have a significant positive correlation (r=0.96, P<0.001) with their greater resistance to complement-mediated lysis. The data suggest that the virulence of E. histolytica is probably not related to its zymodeme

Experimental hepatic amoebiasis in inbred mice.

A model of hepatic amoebiasis in two inbred strains of mouse (Swiss and BALB/c, has been developed by introducing Entamoeba histolytica-infected hamster liver tissue in between the adjacent liver lobes of mouse. It is expected that this model might be useful in studying various parameters of host-parasitic interactions and experimental chemotherapy of amoebiasis with relative ease.

Gastric carcinoma in a child associated with nodular lymphoid hyperplasia of the colon.

We report a 12 year old boy of Nepalese origin with gastric adenocarcinoma and associated nodular lymphoid hyperplasia of the colon, with hemoglobin E trait and normal serum immunoglobulins. The boy underwent a curative resection and is free of recurrence or metastasis nine months after diagnosis.

The prediction of serum IgG levels by scanning densitometry.

A novel approach has been described. In this method the serum IgG level can be predicted with a fair degree of accuracy by scanning densitometry and total serum protein values. This approach might be useful as a screening procedure for hypogammaglobulinemia.

A simple ELISA for antigiardial antibody using the membrane fraction of the parasite as antigen.

Most existing methods for detecting antigiardia lamblia antibody require the use of cultured Giardia lamblia trophozoites as antigen in immunofluorescent and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. However, the maintenance of trophozoite culture systems limits the large-scale use of these antibody detection systems. An antigen extracted from Giardia lamblia by the detergent Triton X-100, when used in an ELISA system, produces specific, objective, quantitative and reproducible results. It is likely that such a test system could be packaged in kit form for large-scale diagnostic and epidemiological application in all parts of the world.