Experimental infection of mice by naegleria fowleri or acanthamoeba culbertsoni isolated from water sites in Egypt

Naegleria fowleri and A. culbertsoni, which are known to cause primary amoebic meningoencephalitis [PAM] were isolated from water sites in Egypt. Each species was tested for pathogenicity in young mice, which were inoculated intracerebrally with amoebae. Mice developed illness and showed signs of menigo encephalitis followed by coma and death within 5 days. The histopathological finding in the brain sections of these animals revealed the same observations as in acute PAM of previous studies. These results proved that N. fowleri and A. culbertsoni isolated from Egypt are pathogenic strains

Total protein analysis of acanthamoeba culbertsoni from water sites in Egypt as compared with those of other acanthamoeba species and strains from other geographical areas

Total protein analysis of Acanthamoeba culbertsoni from Egypt, .new York [U.S.A] and India by using polyacrylamide gel dectrophoresis [PAGE] resulted in almost identical protein patterns with minor variations among the three A. culbertsoni strains. The protein patterns of A. culbertsoni strains revealed differences from that of A. castellanii from London. The percentage similarity of A. culbertsoni strains was clearly distinguished from each other and the Egyptian strain was more related to the Indian strain [P.S. = 53] than to the New York strain [P.S. = 30]

Fresh-water amoebae from four aquatic sites in Egypt

Water samples from four aquatic sites in Egypt were examined for the presence of free-living amoebae. Amoebae were isolated and cultured on 1.5% non-nutrient agar with bacteria. They were studied morphologically and tested for production of flagellated forms, encystment, excystment, nuclear division, temperature tolerance and pathogenicity in young mice [8-10 g]. Didascalus thorntoni and Naegleria gruberi were dominant in all surface waters. Naegleria fowleri, Acanthamoeba glebae, A. culbertsoni and A. rhysodes were found in Lower Egypt, while Vahlkampfia avara and V. inornata were found in Upper Egypt. All species tolerated incubation temperatures of up to 36C, except for A. rhysodes, which degenerated at 34C. A. culbertsoni tolerated at 38C, but died at 40C. Amoebae were detected histologically in a necrotic brain tissue from only one mouse, which was inoculated with A. culbertsoni

Free-living amoebae in Egypt: 1-naegleria gruberi and naegleria fowleri

Two Naegleria species were isolated and identified from various water sources in Lower and Upper Egypt. Identification was based on the morphology, nuclear division and the excitation and flagellation tests. The trophic, cystic and flagellate forms of N. gruberi are larger than those of N. fowleri and the cyst of the former species has one or more pores, while that of the latter species has no pores and has an outer gelatinous layer. The size and the morphological characteristics of these two free-living amoebae from Egypt were in complete agreement with those previously described for amoebae of the same genus and species endemic to other geographical areas

Cutaneous leishmaniasis in the peace keeping force in East Sinai

During the period from October 1982 to July 1985 cutaneous leishmaniasis was diagnosed in 113 Multinational Force and Observers [MFO] soldiers from various nations, East Sinai. Leishmania was isolated from 12 of these patients and maintained in vitro using Tanabe's medium. Intrasplenic inoculation of promastigotes from isolate cultures into hamsters resulted in dissemination patterns typical of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The excreted factor in culture, when serotyped against known marker strains, indicated subserotype A1 B2. They also exhibited similar banding patterns to L. 137 for GPI, G6-PD, MDH, NH, MPI, PGM and variant B for 6-PGDH. This leishmaniasis focus appears epidemiologically similar to that of nearby Mid Western Negev, where transmission involves Phlebotomus papatasi, Psammomys and Meriones

Evaluation of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [elisa], indirect hemagglutination [IHA], counterimmunoelectrophoresis [CIEP], and immunodiffusion [ID] in the serodiagnosis of amebiasis

ELISA, IHA, CIEP and ID techniques were used in the detection of Entamoeba histolytica antibodies in sera of 119 patients with different clinical symptoms [41 with amebic liver abscess, 32 with amebic intestinal infection, 46 with liver diseases other than amebiasis]. Sera from 37 healthy people with no history of amebiasis and negative microscopical examination of their stools for parasitic infections were used as negative control. These four tests proved to be specific for the diagnosis of amebiasis. The first three tests diagnosed all the cases with amebic liver abscess while ID failed to diagnose one of them. When taking into consideration time and cost involved in performing these various tests, CIEP proved to be the test of choice. None of the tests were satisfactory when testing sera from patients with E. histolytica in their stools. ELISA diagnosed a relatively higher number of them than IHA [37.5% and 25%, respectively], while the other 2 tests failed to diagnose any of them. Therefore, microscopical examination of stool remains the test of choice for the diagnosis of intestinal amoebiasis

Susceptibility of small laboratory animals to pygidiopsis genata [trematoda: heterophyidae]

Three species of animals: golden hamsters, white mice and albino rats were evaluated for susceptibility to P. genata. The optimal dose of metacercariae for infection was determined in mice and found to be 300 per animal. Thirty four animals of each species were then orally infected with 300 metacercariae each. The metacercariae were obtained from Tilapia caught from Idku and Maryut lakes. Two animals of each species were sacrificed daily for the first ten days, then weekly for the first month and monthly until the fifth month following infection. Worms were recovered for counting and measurements. Recovery rates [live worms/300 metacercariae] one week after infection were 35.2% in mice, 20% in hamsters, and 12.4% in rats. Spontaneous recovery took place after 5 months in mice, 4 months in hamsters, and 2 months in rats. The worms were found in the small intestine with most of them being in the upper third and a few in the middle third. The flukes were generally larger in size in the hamster than in mice and rats. Results indicate that the hamster is more suitable for P. genata infection than the mouse or the rat