Toxocariasis as a cause of renal disease in children in Sharkia Governorate, Egypt.

Eighty four children (40 males and 44 female) suffering from renal troubles were chosen as well as 20 healthy children as a control group. Urine and stool of patients were examined and chosen to be free from parasitic infections other than Toxocara. Each child was subjected to history taking, full clinical examination, urine analysis, kidney function tests and differential leucocytic count, examination of sera and urine by ELISA and microprecipitin tests for Toxocara antibodies. ELISA revealed 10.7% of patients to be seropositive for toxocariasis versus 5.3% in control group. This difference was statistically insignificant P > 0.05. In urine, ELISA revealed 2 positive cases out of the 84 patients, while it was negative in control group. These 2 cases were suffering from nephrotic syndrome. Microprecipitin test in sera was positive in 9.5% of patients and negative in control group. It was also negative in urine of patients and control group. Eosinophilia was found in 66.6% of seropositive patients. IgG antibodies to Toxocara were detected in males more than females between the age of 2-7 years, but insignificant (P > 0.05). It was also found in 77.7% of rural compared to 22.2% of urban areas. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). It was concluded that toxocariasis should not be missed in the differential diagnosis of such renal diseases especially those who are not responds to the traditional management.

Serological diagnosis of extraintestinal Sarcocystosis.

The present study was carried out on eighty patients attending Zagazig University Hospitals. Forty cases suffered idiopathic cardiac diseases (28 with cardiomyopathy, 8 with myocarditis & 4 with valvular lesions) and forty cases suffered idiopathic rheumatic diseases (30 with musculoskeletal complaints and 10 with myositis). Sera were investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect fluorescent antibody technique (IFAT) using Sarcocystis fusiformis antigen in order to detect the role of Sarcocystis in initiation of these diseases. Twenty positive toxoplasmic sera and sera from twenty normal individuals were considered as control group. The sera of the investigated cases were tested against Toxoplasma gondii antigen to exclude it as one of the causative agents of these idiopathic lesions. No statistical difference was found between IFAT and ELISA in diagnosis of sarcocystosis (P < 0.05). Also, there was no cross reaction between Sarcocystis and Toxoplasma. This study showed that Sarcocystis can be considered as one of the possible causes of some idiopathic diseases.

Prevalence of congenital and acquired toxoplasmic uveitis as evidenced by two serologic methods.

Anti Toxoplasma antibodies were sought in 34 patients with uveitis and 20 healthy individuals by IHAT and IFAT. The total sero-positivity rate was 26.5%. The prevalence was significantly higher among patients with posterior (42.9%) than with anterior uveitis (7.1%) and control (10%) indicating significant role of Toxoplasma as an aetiologic agent of posterior uveitis. 14.4% of patients with seropositive uveitis were considered to be due to primarily acquired Toxoplasma infection as evidenced by their significant higher IFAT mean titre (576.7 +/- 322.1) than IHAT (48 +/- 18.5). The reported toxoplasmic anterior uveitis case is most probably secondary to posterior involvement.

Echinococcosis in camels as revealed by indirect haemagglutination test in Belbas.

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Echinococcus antibodies in camels using the indirect haemagglutination test (I.H.A.T.). Out of 100 camels, 27 camels were seropositive.