ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Blastocystis, a genetically diverse intestinal parasite with controversial pathogenic potential, has increasingly been incriminated for diarrheal illness in immunocompromised individuals including colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. The aim of the current study was to assess the possible association between Blastocystis infection and CRC condition in Makkah, Saudi Arabia (KSA). METHODS: Stool samples were collected from 80 non-cancer (NC) and 138 cancer subjects including 74 CRC patients and 64 patients with other cancers outside gastrointestinal tract (COGT). Molecularly confirmed Blastocystis isolates were genetically grouped and subtyped using multiplex polymerase chain reaction with restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and sequence-tagged site primers-based PCR (PCR-STS), respectively. RESULTS: Blastocystis hominis were confirmed in 29.7, 25 and 15% among CRC, COGT and NC patients, respectively. Obtained Blastocystis isolates were initially categorized into 2 groups (A and C), which were subsequently subtyped into 3 different subtypes; subtype-I (38%), subtype-II (44%) and subtype-V (22%). Interestingly, subtype-I was the most predominantly detected subtype (54.5%) among CRC patients with a significant association risk (COR 7.548; 95% CI: 1.629-34.987; P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, the current study is the first to provide genetic insights on the prevalence of Blastocystis hominis among CRC patients in Makkah, KSA. Moreover, the study suggests for a possible association between subtype-I of Blastocystis hominis and CRC, which could indicate a potential influence of Blastocystis on CRC condition. Further studies are required to confirm this association risk and to investigate the possible underlying mechanism of postulated carcinogenic influence of Blastocystis hominis subtype-I.
ABSTRACT
Strongyloides species is a helminth of worldwide distribution primarily in tropical and subtropical regions. It is the only soil-transmitted helminth with the ability for autoinfection so; it may lead to severe systemic manifestations especially in immunosuppressed patients. Chemotherapy is currently considered the best therapeutic option for strongyloidiasis but some drugs are expensive and others have side effects as nausea, diarrhea and headache. Strongyloides larva is resistant to most chemical agents so, search for plant extracts may provide other effective but less expensive treatment. Lawsonia inermis Linn, popularly known as Henna, has been proven to have antihelminthic, antibacterial and antifungal properties. The current study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of Lawsonia inermis on Strongyloides spp. In vitro using scanning electron microscopy. Fifty Strongyloides species. larvae and free living females were incubated with different concentrations of Lawsonia (1, 10, 100 mg/ml), for different incubation periods (24, 48, 72 and 96 h) in comparison to the same concentrations of flubendazole at the same different time points. The results showed that Lawsonia inermis in a concentration of 10 mg/ml incubated with Strongyloides spp. female for 24 h affected the parasite cuticular surface in the form of transverse and longitudinal fissures and transverse depression in comparison to no cuticular change with flubendazole (100 mg/ml). This suggests that Lawsonia inermis may be a promising phytotherapeutic agent for strongyloidiasis.
