Serum levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and amino-terminal propeptide type III procollagen (PIII NP) in patients with acute and chronic filariasis.

Filariasis, a mosquito-borne parasitic disease, is a worldwide health problem. There is still, some controversial concerning the diagnosis of acute and chronic infections. The serum levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and amino-terminal propeptide Type III (PIII NP) was measured in patients with acute and chronic filariasis as compared with controls. The ET-1, IL-2 and PIII NP levels were significantly high in chronic cases than in acute. On the other hand, the serum levels of IL-2 and PIII NP were significantly high in acute cases than in the controls. These three immuno-mediators play role in the pathogenesis of filariasis particularly. The chronic cases. So, these mediators can be used as markers for diagnosis of human cases infected with chronic and acute filariasis.

Correlation between trichomoniasis vaginalis and female infertility.

Trichomoniasis vaginalis is one of the common parasitic infection in females. The present results showed that infertile women with T. vaginalis with or without pathogenic microorganisms have decreased C3 & C4, increased IgA level in vaginal discharge and increased serum prolactin. So. T. vaginalis is incriminated as one of the causes of their infertility.

Fascioliasis an increasing zoonotic disease in Egypt.

Fascioliasis is now imposing itself as a zoonotic disease in sheep and cattle raising countries. In Egypt, human fascioliasis is increasing. During the years 1994 to 1997 the overall slaughtered animals in Egyptian abattoirs was 2,003,200 sheep and goats, 2,624,239 cattle and 3,536,744 buffaloes. The overall rates of fascioliasis were 2.02% for sheep and goats, 3.54% for cattle and 1.58% for buffaloes. Macroscopic examination of sheep liver showed up to 100 flukes per liver inside a largely dilated thick walled bile ducts. Cattle liver showed up to 275 flukes per liver inside thickened dilated and calcareous bile ducts with offensive yellowish brown bile. Buffaloes liver showed up to 330 flukes per liver. Microscopic examination showed mainly thickened wall, hyperplasia and marked fibrosis. The discussion focused on the zoonotic importance of fascioliasis in Egypt, diagnosis, treatment and prevention. No doubt, adequate control of fascioliasis is more or less a problem, since it requires the control of snail intermediate host(s) and control of infection in all affected animals and man.

Human nasopharyngeal linguatuliasis (Pentasomida) caused by Linguatula serrata.

A human nasopharyngeal linguatuliasis was reported for the second time in Egypt. The patient (20 years old male) was presented with main conspicuous complaints, fever, urticaria (face and neck), coughing, vomiting and passage of small (less than 1 cm. in length) worm-like structures in his nasal discharge and vomitus. Symptomatic treatment was given followed by a single dose of praziquantel after identification of the causative parasite. Human linguatuliasis (pentastomiasis) was discussed.

The histopathology of the intestine in hamsters infected with Leishmania D. infantum on top of pre-existing schistosomiasis mansoni.

In general, both Schistosoma mansoni and Leishmania, d. infantum affect more or less the same human organs. While the liver is the main organ affected, the intestine follows in importance. In the present study, L.d. infantum on tip of pre-existing S. mansoni in Syrian golden hamsters had delayed the appearance of both schistosomal and leishmanial granulomas in the intestine the positive control with either parasite alone. However, the leishmanial infection suppressed the schistosomal infection. Nevertheless, both types of granulomas caused shortening and broadening of the intestinal villi. The concomitant infection with leishmaniasis infantum and schistosomiasis mansoni promote the development of many pathological changes (liver, kidneys, intestine, blood picture etc.). No doubt, these changes lead to marked changes in the typical clinical picture of both parasites. Consequently, parasitological diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in concomitant infection is a must as in a case of VL. and HIV.

The larvicidal activity of solvent extracts of three medicinal plants against third instar larvae of Chrysomyia albiceps.

Four solvent extracts of each of Lemongrass (Symbopogon citratus), Santonica (Artemisia cinae) and Pomegranate (Punica granatum) were tested against the 3rd instar larvae of Chrysomyia albiceps. The pomegranate extracts showed the larvicidal activity with LC50 ranging between 25 ppm (acetone extract) and 280 ppm (chloroform extract). The Santonica showed larvicidal activity with LC50 ranging between 48 ppm (ethanol extract) and 380 ppm (acetone extract). The Lemongrass showed activity with LC50 ranging between 135 ppm (ethanol extract) and 570 ppm (chloroform extract). So, the most effective action in accordance to LC50 were the acetone extract of pomegranate, followed by ethanol extract of Santonica and lastly ethanol extract of Lemongrass. The slope functions of these three extracts were 4.6, 2.8 and 8.22 respectively. The shift to insect control by plant extracts pave the way to a somewhat healthy environment.

Effect of two single doses of ivermectin in treatment of asymptomatic bancroftian filariasis in two villages in the Nile Delta, Egypt.

To evaluate the efficacy and longitudinal effect of two single (100 micrograms/kg) doses of ivermectin, 3 months apart, 240 asymptomatic male subjects from 2 endemic Egyptian villages were enrolled in a one-year double-blind study. Subjects aged 15-55 years were randomly assigned placebo (40) or ivermectin (200). Microfilaria (MF) density in 1 ml blood was measured by membrane filtration before and every 3 months after treatment. Initial mean MF density was 462 (range 14-2869/ml). Clinical examination performed daily for 3 days after each treatment revealed brief, mild side effects: fever, headache, weakness, nausea, and epigastric pain, with no adverse physical or laboratory findings. Three months after initial dose, 31% of MF counts had completely cleared; in the remainder, mean MF density was 11.0 (2.4% of pretreatment level). At 3, 6 and 9 months after the second dose there was complete MF clearance in 60%, 45% and 47%; in those still infected, MF densities were 1.7, 4.6 and 6.1% of the pretreatment level. Therefore, treatment with two doses of ivermectin reduced microfilaremia, without inducing severe side effects. Prolonged suppression of microfilaremia may indicate an effect of ivermectin on the adult worms and may reduce the potential for MF acquisition by mosquitoes, reducing transmission of lymphatic filariasis. It was concluded that ivermectin is a useful drug for public health measure, including asymptomatic filariasis patients.

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in filariasis endemic areas in Egypt.

Stool and blood specimens were collected from 230 individuals of both sexes at 2 villages (Qualyubia Governorate) where filariasis is endemic. The overall prevalence of parasites was 81%, while it was higher (92.4%) among filariasis patients than non infected individuals (50%). On the other hand, the level of microfilaria (MF) in the blood apparently showed an influence on the prevalence of parasitic infection in the infected individuals. However, in all groups, E. histolytica was the commonest protozoal parasite followed by G. lamblia. As regard helminthic infections, S. mansoni was the commonest followed by E. vermicularis. These data suggest that filariasis as an endemic disease may suppress the immune response of the host and under such circumstances, the susceptibility for other infections become higher.

Studies on the sacculant portion of the kidney of Biomphalaria glabrata Say (1818) as a haemopoietic organ.

The term immunity signifies all those properties of the host which confer resistance to a specific infectious agent. This resistance may be of all degrees ranging from complete to incomplete susceptibility. The defensive functions is performed by various cellular and humoral components which interact with each other producing a co-ordinated immune response directed towards eliminating the pathogen or minimizing its danger. Snails as other members of the Animal Kingdom have their own immune system. The present study concentrated on the sacculant portion of the kidney of B. glabrata as a haemopoietic stem cell. The histological picture of this portion in the kidney as well as in-vitro culture was studied. (I) The histological studies showed that (a) the sacculant portion constituted the last fifth of the kidney highly folded with primitive epithelial tissue, (b) amoebocytes (10.7 +/- 0.98m) rounded, oval or amoeboid, showing flattening and spreading when encapsulated around foreign particles, when doing so, both the cytoplasm and nucleus were more basophilic, (c) the haemocytes in the sacculant portion were distributed either as clustering forming amoebocytic plugs or dense aggregation or being normal in distribution (d) there was a significant correlation between haemocytic diameter and shell weight and between shell weight and shell diameter but no significant correlation between haemocytic diameter and shell diameter. (II) The in-vitro studies showed that (a) The medium 199 and fetal calf serum (3:1) produced higher number of granulocytes, (b) the cells differed in shape and size from those shown in histological studies of the kidney itself (c) the majority of the cells were large sized granulocytes and very few small sized hyalinocytes, (d) granulation of cytoplasm took place in the culture medium used more than in the sacculant portion, (e) only the smaller granulocytes showed greater ability for mitotic division. The results were photographed and discussed.

Abnormal distribution of the histocompatibility antigens (HLA) in lousy patients.

The histocompatibility antigens have important functions in the development of the immune response, in the development of immunologic tolerance and in the resistance and susceptibility to diseases. In the present study, the frequency of the human leucocytic antigens (HLA) were studied in 31 lousy children with Pediculus h. capitis (head lice) and 14 adults with Phthirus pubis (pubic lice) to evaluate the immune response in their pathogenesis. The patients (children and adults) were parasite-free as indicated by urine, stool and blood analysis and clinical examination. A significant increase was found between HLA-A11 and, -B5 and lousy children with P. h. capitis and between HLA,-A11, -B5 and -B27 and lousy adults with P. pubis. The association between HLA antigens and parasitic infection was discussed.

Studies on anopheline larvae in El Faiyum Governorate, Egypt.

In Egypt, malaria is still reported as sporadic cases or small outbreaks particularly in El Faiyum Governorate. This paper aimed to identify and to study the breeding and seasonal activities of anopheline larvae. Spot light surveys were carried out in five different ecological areas (Karoun Lake, El Fedemean, El Siliyien, Kom-Osheim and Sinouris) from September 1991 to August 1992. Three species of Anopheles larvae were encountered: A. (Cellia) pharoensis (43%), A. (Cellia) sergenti (29.8%) and A. (Cellia) multicolor (27.2%). Several type of breeding places were encountered for the three species. A. pharoensis preferred clear, shallow, stagnant water with thick growth of vegetations an shae especially in rice fields. A. sergenti preferred clean, shallow to deep stagnant or slow-moving water with vegetations especially in small water collections in grassy areas and under palm trees. A. multicolor preferred shallow, stagnant water, sometimes partially exposed to sunlight especially in seepage water. The breeding waters for the three species were alkaline. Seasonal study of the anopheline larvae were conducted in three villages: Abheit El Hagar, El Zawia El Khadra and Tersa, in Sinouris Center during the year 1993. A. pharoensis larvae were abundant in the three villages in June, July, August and September with a peak in June. No breeding was noticed in January and February. A. sergenti larvae were abundant from September to November in the three villages, the lowest density was recorded in January and July in Abheit, in April in El Zawia and in June in Tersa. No breeding in February in the three villages was noticed and also in March in Abheit and Tersa. A multicolor larvae were recorded in Abheit and Tersa. In Abheit, the highest density was recorded in November with no breeding in January, February, March and June while in Tersa, the highest density was recorded in October and November with no breeding in January, February, March, April, July and December. The whole results were discussed.

Studies on the bionomics and vector competence of adult anopheline mosquitoes in El Faiyum Governorate, Egypt.

Malaria is by far the most important parasitic tropical disease, causing great suffering and loss of money and life. Its prevalence and incidence varies throughout the world. In Egypt, it is an ancient disease. Nowadays, it causes sporadic cases and sometimes limited outbreaks, mainly in El Faiyum Governorate where it has been endemic since several decades. It seems that the environmental and climatic conditions e.g. population habits and the fauna and flora favour the indigenous transmission in this governorate. To carry out feasible anti-vectorial measures, all vectorial activities should be critically known. This paper aimed to throw some light on the parasitological aspects of adult anopheline mosquitoes in El Faiyum Governorate. The results showed the presence of four species of Anopheles; (1) A. (C.) Pharoensis, (2) A. (C.) sergenti, (3) A. (C.) multicolor and (4) A. (A.) tenebrosus (= coustani). The most common species was A. pharoensis, followed by A. sergenti and A. multicolor. The least common was A. tenebrosus. The highly infested area with Anopheles species was Sinouris and the least was El Siliyien. The bionomics and the vector competence of the adults of the four species were studied.

Distribution of Phlebotomus species in the Nile Delta, Egypt.

The importance of sandflies of the genus Phlebotomus being in the fact that some species are the vectors of leishmaniasis and other pathogenic organisms such as virus of sandfly fever. In Egypt, cutaneous leishmaniasis and sandfly fever are known and recently visceral leishmaniasis has been identified in Alexandria. Consequently, there is a need to study the geographical distribution of Phlebotomus species and to present an illustrative key for their identification. In the present study, four species of Phlebotomus were reported; P. papatasi, P. sergenti, P. langeroni and P. bergeroti. While P. papatasi is a known vector of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis, P. langeroni is an incriminated vector for infantile visceral leishmaniasis, P. papatasi is the predominant species in the Nile Delta, but P. langeroni is found in West Alexandria and as a very rare species at the Libyan Egyptian borders. The whole results were discussed.