Synergistic effect of migrating Ascaris larvae and Escherichia coli in piglets.

The effect of intestinal flora on the establishment, development and pathogenicity of Ascaris suum larvae in piglets (Large White breed) was investigated. The infected piglets with Ascaris and Escherichia coli showed signs of pneumonia, cough with respiratory difficulties initially even though these moderated with time. They lost appetite and showed signs of unthriftiness with loss of weight. The packed cell volume was normal but the differential leucocyte counts of the pigs infected with Ascaris larvae and bacteria had high neutrophils, unlike the very high lymphocyte count observed in piglets with ascarids only. The piglets had generalized serous atrophy of body fat. The pericardial and perirenal fats were gelatinous. There was a firm and nodular grey and red hepatization with abscess pockets in the intermediate and anterior one third of the diaphragmatic lobes of the lungs. The liver contained greyish-white and depressed focus immediately dorsal to the area of attachment to the gall bladder with multifocal areas. There was no significant gross lesion in the control animals. Cultural and microscopic examinations of some internal organs of the infected animals showed that bacteria were carried to the lungs by the migrating Ascaris larvae. The combined synergistic effect of Ascaris larvae and E. coli was also investigated and it was concluded that the two agents (A. suum larvae and E. coli) worked together synergistically.

Ascaris lumbricoides as a vehicle of bacterial infections.

Investigations were conducted on microflora on the body surface and internal organs of adult Ascaris lumbricoides. The investigations involved examination of wet faecal preparations of over 100 pupils using light microscope. The body surface of the adult Ascaris worms was cultured on selective media. Adult worms were dissected and different parts of the worms' gut were cultured for isolation of micro-organisms. The results of the bacteriological examination of the body surface of A. lumbricoides yielded many genera of bacterial organisms. The results from internal organs of dissected adult Ascaris worm yielded varying percentages of organisms similar to those found on the surface of the worm. The possibility of linking Ascaris infection with this aetiology of pyrexia of unknown origins as commonly seen in tropical regions was discussed.

Infectivity with human ascariasis in Ibadan Oyo State, Nigeria.

Some of the common foodstuffs that assist in the transmission of ascariasis in Ibadan have been determined. The frequency of recovery of Ascaris ova in the different food samples examined varied from 9.6% in tomatoes to 25.6% in lettuce leaves. The indiscriminate pollution of Ibadan environment with human faeces enables the foodstuff consumed raw to serve as effective sources of heavy Ascaris infection which lead to other medical complications. The strategies for the control of Ascaris infection in Ibadan were discussed.