Humoral and cellular immune responses in experimental trichinosis

This work was designed to study the relation between cellular and humoral immune responses in experimentally infected albino rats with T. spiralis larvae over a period of four weeks. Cell-mediated immune response [measured by lymphoblast transformation test] revealed a marked lymphoblast response during the intestinal phase, but the reaction became irregular with larval encystation in muscles. Humoral immune response was estimated by both of micro- and dot-ELISA techniques. It was obvious that significant higher OD readings and dot color intensities were observed in the muscular phase than in intestinal phase. The results proved that micro-ELISA had the least accuracy [66.6%] and poorest specificity [81.25%], while dot-ELISA showed the best sensitivity [100%] and highest specificity [87.5%]. Lymphoblast transformation was as specific as dot-ELISA

Effect of chronic schistosomiasis mansoni infection on the histochemical reactions in experimentally infected mice

The effect of chronic infection with Schistosoma mansoni on histochemical reaction was studied in liver, spleen and kidneys of experimentally infected mice at twelve and sixteen weeks post- infection. Variations in particular enzyme level help in evaluating pathophysiological states. The activities of acid phosphatase and nonspecific esterase were progressively increased as they are catabolic enzymes enhancing degeneration and destruction of the affected organs. A significant decrease of the anabolic enzymes [adenosine triphosphatase of ATPase, alkaline phosphatase and succinic dehydrogenase] was noticed. Fatty degeneration of tissues was detected by using the Sudan black B method for the demonstration of lipids. These changes denoted that chronic infection can worsen functional and metabolic activities in a multiplicity of host organs. A strong association was observed between the duration of infection and the development of the histochemical changes

Toxocariasis: serodiagnosis and assessment of its role in obscure recurrent abdominal pain

One hundred and twenty-six patients with recurrent abdominal pain and other associated symptoms and signs were classified into two groups. The first comprised thirty-eight patients who were subjected to emergency surgery for exploration and/or appendicectomy and contributed to liver biopsy specimen examination for Toxocara eosinophilic granuloma [twenty-two were proved positive]. The second group comprised ninety-eight patients without available biopsy specimens. Toxocara IgG antibodies were sought in sera of both groups by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] using excretory - secretory larval Toxocara antigen [ES antigen]. Similar frequencies of age and symptoms and signs [cough, wheeze, hepatomegaly and eosinophilia] among Toxocara seropositive patients, both in histopathologically proved group [22] and biopsy lacking group [98] led us to consider anti-Toxocara IgG ELISA-ES a useful tool in elucidating toxocariasis as a causative agent of significant proportion of children complaining of recurrent abdominal pain with obscure aetiology