Stem cell biotherapy: A new remedy for Trichinella spiralis-induced inflammatory myopathy.

Trichinella spiralis (T. spiralis)-induced myopathy is an inflammatory myopathy that is difficult to treat unless the parasite is combated in its early intestinal phase before it reaches the muscles. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of local mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy on T. spiralis-induced inflammatory myopathy in rats. Rats were divided into four groups: Group 1 (non-infected non-treated group); Group 2 (infected non-treated group); Group 3 (infected albendazole (ABZ)-treated group); and Group 4 (infected MSC-treated group). Their muscle status was assessed physiologically with the righting reflex and electromyography (EMG), parasitologically with the total muscle larval count, histopathologically with hematoxylin and eosin and Mallory's trichrome stains, as well as immunohistochemically for myogenin as a marker of muscle regeneration. Additionally, serum muscle enzymes creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), as well as muscle matrix metalloproteinases MMP1 and MMP9, were assayed. Finally, the immunological response was assessed by measuring the levels of the muscle inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon-gamma (INF-γ), and interleukin-4 (IL-4). Our findings revealed that MSC therapy markedly improved muscle EMG and righting reflex, as well as the histopathological appearance of the muscles, reduced inflammatory cellular infiltrates, and increased myogenin immunostaining. It also reduced serum CK and LDH levels, as well as muscle INF-γ, TNF-α, IL-4, MMP1, and MMP9 levels. However, it had no effect on the total muscle larval count. Accordingly, due to its anti-inflammatory properties and muscle-regenerative effect, MSC therapy could be a promising new remedy for T. spiralis-induced myopathy.

The seroprevalence of parvovirus B19 antibody in blood donors at the National Blood Transfusion Center in Kinshasa.

BACKGROUND: Human parvovirus B19 (PVB19) is a cosmopolitan DNA virus transmissible parenterally by blood transfusion. Therefore, the risk of transmission through asymptomatic blood donors should be considered and appropriately managed worldwide. PVB19 screening of blood and blood products for transfusion is not done routinely in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The main objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of PVB19 infection in healthy eligible blood donors in Kinshasa, capital of the DRC, located in the western part of the DRC, and the association of infection with the sociodemographic characteristics of blood donors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 360 whole blood donors who attended the National Center of Blood Transfusion were examined for anti-PVB19 IgG and IgM antibodies by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Sociodemographic information was collected on the blood donors. All statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 21. RESULTS: Among the study group, 289 men and 52 women were infected with PVB19. The mean age was 32.7 ± 9.8 years, 48.6% of donors were positive only for PVB19 IgG antibodies while 40.8% were positive for both IgG and IgM antibodies. In addition, 5.3% were positive only for PVB19 IgM antibodies and so were considered as a potential group of PVB19 transfusion-transmission. PVB19 seropositivity was significantly associated with sex, with a higher prevalence in men. In multivariate analysis, male sex and Tshangu district have emerged as major factors associated to PVB19 seropositivity. CONCLUSIONS: This research showed that recipients of blood and blood products in Kinshasa are at a high risk (5.3%) of transfusion-transmitted PVB19 infection. Therefore, the implementation of PVB19 nucleic acid testing assays capable of detecting all PVB19 genotypes and discard donations with high titer PVB19 DNA for blood products seems to be necessary.