Oogram pattern, egg load and hatchability of eggs in mixed infection of Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium in hamster

Laboratory bred hamsters, weight 125-185 g each, were examined in this study and classified into three groups. In the first group, 15 hamsters were exposed simultaneously to 100 cercariae of S. Mansoni and 100 cercariae of S. haematobium. Experimentally infected hamsters and their controls were scarified at 7 and 10 weeks postinfection. In the second group, 20 hamsters were exposed each to 100 cercariae of S. mansoni for 7 weeks then superinfected with 100 cercariae of S. haematobium and scarified 25 days later. Their controls were 20 hamsters exposed to 100 cercariae of S. mansoni. In the third group, 20 hamsters exposed each to 100 cercariae of S. Haematobium for 10 weeks, then superinfected each with 100 cercariae of S. Mansoni and scarified 21 days post challenge infection. Their controls infected with 100 cercariae of S. Haematobium. In mixed infection with Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium in hamsters, either simultaneously or after the full maturation of an initial infection with either schistosome species, a high level of acquired resistance was observed. The degree of immunity was magnified by the significant reduction in the number of eggs per gram tissue and hatchability of mature eggs. Some disturbance was also observed in the oogram pattern

Incidence of cryptosporidiosis in immunodeficient cancer patients in Egypt

A coproprotozoal study was carried out on 63 patients suffering from malignancy. The majority had cancer of the hemopoietic system. All patients were under chemotherapy and classified into two groups: Group A [33 children] and group B [30 adults], of whom 20 immunocompetent diarrheic patients of matched age and sex were considered as controls. Stool samples were examined by merthiolate iodine-formaldehyde concentration technique [MIF]. Modified Zeihl- Neelsen [ZN] stain was performed for Cryptosporidium oocysts. The detection of Cryptosporidium coproantigen by enzyme-linked immunoassay test [Ridascreen test] was used. Immunoglobulins [IgG, IgM, IgE and IgA], C3, C4 and CD4:CD8 ratio were measured. According to their levels, 25 out of 63 patients had both humoral and cellular immunodeficiency. The incidence of Cryptosporidium in cancer patients was 23.8%, while it was 37.7% and 91% in children and adults immunodeficient patients, respectively. ZN stain was able to diagnose Cryptosporidium in 13 out of 35 immunodeficient cases, while ELISA detected only 11 cases. Cryptosporidium infection in immunodeficient cancer patients had significantly more frequent and prolonged duration of diarrhea than in negative ones

Biological and morphological changes in worms in mixed infection of Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma in hamsters

Hamsters infected with Schistosoma mansoni and S. Haematobium either simultaneously or after the maturation of an initial infection with either schistosome species were examined to estimate the biological and morphological changes under mixed infection conditions. The results indicated a high level of acquired resistance. The degree of immunity was evidenced by the significant reduction in the worm load as well as in the size of mature worms. Some disturbance was observed in the worm distribution. The results were important for epidemiological and immunological uses as well as in the development of a vaccine from one species that might be effective against both species

Effect of a broad spectrum antiparasitic drug ivermectin in acute and chronic experimental giardiasis using different dose regimens

In this study, the maximal excretion of Giardia lamblia cysts was three weeks post infection [pi]. The administration of ivermectin subcutaneously proved to be effective in treating hamsters infected for two and three weeks, respectively. It was found that the dose of 300 mug/kg bw was much more efficient than 200 mg/kg bw. The cure rate was 99.1% in the former and 98.7% in the later. In chronic giardiasis where infection was kept for six weeks, the cure rate was 99.5% two weeks after treatment with 300 g/kg bw of ivermectin. An assessment of cure was performed also by histopathological examination of upper 2/3 of small intestine of the hamsters. Localization and counting of the parasite were carried out immunohistochemically

Parasitic infections in primary and secondary schools in Giza governorate, Egypt

Four primary and two secondary schools at Kafr Hakeem, El-Mansuria and Berkash villages in Imbaba District were surveyed. Urine and stool specimens of 791 students were examined. Results revealed amoebiasis [22.4%], Hymenolepiasis nana [6.2%], Ancylostomiasis duodenale [5.7%], ascariasis [1.5%] and enterobiasis [1.1%]. Parasites transmitted by autoinfection represented 15.9% of the total infected subjects, those transmitted by the skin penetration 27.2% and by contaminated food 56.9%. There was no statistical difference between primary and secondary school students as regards the rate of infection