Identification and evaluation of antigenic epitopes of total soluble extract and adult worm vomit for immunodiagnosis of human fascioliasis

Fascioliasis is an important worldwide herbivores infection with increasing evidence of prevalence as a human disease. There is an important necessity to develop sensitive and specific diagnostic tools for early treatment and to avoid complications. This study is directed to identify, characterize and evaluate the immunodiagnostic potential of the total soluble extract [TSE] and the adult worm vomit [AWV] antigens of worm using immunoblotting of total IgG and IgG4. Sixty individuals, 29 positive for fascioliasis by IHAT [Group I], 15 positive for other parasitic infections [Group II] and 16 normal controls [Group III], were included. Both TSE and AWV antigens were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. All sera were immunoblotted against the two antigens using total IgG and IgG4. Total IgG immunoblotting using TSE antigen at 62 kDa gave sensitivity, specificity, positive value predictive [PVP] and accuracy of 72.5%, 100%, 100% and 82.2%, respectively. These values were 62.5%, 100%, 100% and 81.2%, respectively with AWV antigen at 56 kDa. IgG4 immunoblotting using TSE antigen gave sensitivity, specificity, PVP and accuracy of 100%, 93.3%, 96.6% and 97.8%, respectively at 60 kDa, while AWV antigen gave no reaction with IgG4 antibody. Total IgG immunoblotting using TSE antigen at 62 kDa and AWV antigen at 56 kDa proved to be valuable as diagnostic tests for human fascioliasis

Interrelationship between serum zinc level and some parasitological and clinical aspects of giardia lamblia infection

The present study aimed to investigate the interactions between serum zinc and Giardia lamblia infection. ELISA was found relatively more sensitive than direct stool microscopy as it detected 31 positive cases compared with 27 by direct methods. Serum zinc level was estimated and compared in 3 groups. 30 children positive for Giardia infection with or without diarrhea [group 1]. Children with diarrhea due to non parasitic causes [group 2] and healthy controls [group 3]. Mean values of serum zinc level detected in group 1 and in group 2 were highly significantly lower than that in healthy controls. No significant difference was detected between serum zinc levels of G. lamblia infected children with or without diarrhea. A highly significant negative correlation was detected between serum zinc level and gastrointestinal symptoms in G. lamblia positive children

Zinc deficiency in Egyptian children suffering from giardiasis and diarrhea

The present study aimed to investigate the interactions between serum zinc and Giardia lamblia infection. This infection was diagnosed by direct stool microscopy for Giardia parasites and by detection of Giardia coproantigen in the stool by ELISA. ELISA was found relatively more sensitive than direct stool microscopy as it detected 31 positive cases compared with 27 by direct methods from 112 tested stool samples. It had a sensitivity of 91.2% and a specificity of 100%. Serum zinc level was estimated and compared in 3 groups, 30 children each, aged 1 to 13 years: Children positive for Giardia infection with or without diarrhea [group 1], children with diarrhea due to non-parasitic causes [group 2] and healthy controls [group 3]. Mean values of serum zinc level detected in group 1 [54 mug%] and in group 2 [46.6 mug%] were highly significantly lower [p <0.001] than that detected in healthy controls [92 mug%]. This serum zinc deficiency showed insignificant difference in relation to the degree of intensity of G. lamblia infection [p >0.05]. No significant difference was detected between serum zinc levels of G. lamblia infected children with or without diarrhea. Also, Giardia infected children without diarrhea had a highly significant lower concentration of serum zinc in comparison with the healthy control group [p <0.001]. It was concluded that acute diarrhea and giardiasis may lead to zinc depletion and infants recovering from these infections may benefit from zinc supplementation

Purification and partial characterization of phospholipase A2 from ascaris.

A fraction with phospholipase A2 activity [EC 3,1,1,4] has been purified from Ascaris worms by a combination of gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 [fine] and ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel. The enzyme showed a single band by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and had a molecular weight of about 19,000. The final preparation was purified 46 fold. It has 18% carbohydrate content. Optimum temperature for enzyme activity was 50°C and the optimum pH was 6.0. It has a Km value about 79 mg/L. It could be activated by calcium, manganese and cobalt and it was inhibited by EDTA and iodoacetate. Studying kinetics of phospholipase may be of value in developing a chemotherapeutic agent that inhibits parasite lipid metabolism with consequent inhibition of its vital activities resulting in parasite control