Potential therapeutic effect of platelet-rich plasma and albendazole on the muscular phase of experimental Trichinella spiralis infection.

Trichinellosis is a food-borne parasitic infection causing muscle damage. This study aimed to detect the potential therapeutic effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) alone or in combination with albendazole (ALB) on the muscular phase of experimental Trichinella infection in rats. The study was conducted on 70 rats divided into four main groups: healthy non-infected non-treated rats, non-infected rats treated with PRP, infected untreated rats (seven rats in each group), and an infected group of 49 rats. The infected group was further subdivided based on the drug therapy received. The effects of drug therapy were evaluated using parasitological and histopathological analyses. The percent reduction in the number of Trichinella spiralis larvae per gram of muscle in the PRP-treated groups (one, two, and three doses) was 43.1%, 78.8%, and 86.1%, respectively. Groups treated with combined therapy of ALB & PRP (one, two, and three doses) showed overall reduction percentages of 87.7%, 90.9% and 95.2%, respectively. In contrast, the ALB-treated group showed a 69.4% reduction. All results of the abovementioned groups were statistically significant compared to the control-infected non-treated group. The findings of the histopathological analysis were consistent with the parasitological results. Groups receiving combined therapy showed the most significant improvement in terms of the degree of inflammation and fibrosis. It can be concluded that PRP has a modulatory effect on the pathology caused by T. spiralis larvae in the muscular phase of trichinellosis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the effect of PRP on the muscular phase of T. spiralis infection.

Detection of Cryptosporidium spp. in Diarrheic Immunocompetent Patients in Beni-Suef, Egypt: Insight into Epidemiology and Diagnosis.

Cryptosporidium species is an important cause of gastrointestinal infections globally. This study aimed to shed light on its role in diarrheic immunocompetent patients in Beni-Suef, Egypt and to compare three diagnostic methods. Two hundred diarrheic patients, 37±16.8 year old, were enrolled. Stool samples were examined by light microscopy, using modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain (MZN) for Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts. Coproantigens were detected by sandwich ELISA. DNA molecular diagnosis was done by nested PCR. PCR yielded the highest detection rates (21.0%), compared to ELISA (12.5%) and MZN staining method (9.5%). The higher infection rates were in 20-40 year-old group, followed by 40-60 year-old. Association between epidemiologic factors was statistically not significant; positivity and gender, clinical manifestations, residence, source or water, or contact with animals. Cryptosporidiosis is an important enteric parasitic infection in Beni-Suef and PCR remains the gold standard for diagnosis.

Antibody isotypes in urethral swabs of symptomatic and asymptomatic men infected with Trichomonas vaginalis.

Trichomoniasis may be asymptomatic or symptomatic in both sexes. The outcome of infection depends on the virulence factors of T. vaginalis, but these factors remain unclear. Genetic variability of the isolates and the host's immune response are likely to be key factors in that respect. Symptomatic and asymptomatic males infected with T. vaginalis were compared regarding the differences in antibody subclasses response in the urethral samples. In symptomatic cases there was a significant elevation in IgM, IgG1 & IgG2b levels in urethral samples, and a little, non-significant rise in IgG2a levels. However, there were no statistically significant differences between levels of IgA, IgG3 & IgG4. The results showed that specific IgG1 & IgM and to a lesser extent IgG2 may be involved in established symptomatic trichomoniasis in men, compared to asymptomatic ones.