Efficacy of temperature, and two commonly used molluscicides and fertilizers on Fasciola gigantica eggs.

This study evaluated the effect of temperature, molluscicides (Copper sulphate and Niclosamide), fertilizers (Superphosphate and Ammonium sulphate) on the hatchability of Fasciola gigantica eggs. The results showed that hatchability decreased to 4% when eggs were incubated in bile secretion at 37 degrees C for 5 days and to 1.4% for 10 days, but few eggs incubated in water at 37 degrees C hatched. Bile secretion at 37 degrees C was a poor medium for in-vitro egg preservation. But, hatching occurred only when eggs were transferred to water at 26 degrees C. Temperature fluctuation from 26-4 degrees C or from 32-4 degrees C had an inhibitory effect on embryos development (35.2% & 32.3%, respectively) as compared to controls (60% & 63.9%, respectively). The incubation period (19 & 17 days) was higher than controls (14 & 12 days, respectively). The LC50 & LC90 of Copper sulphate and Niclosamide against Biomphalaria alexandrina and Lymnaea natalenesis had no toxic effect on Fasciola eggs. The higher concentrations of Copper sulphate (30 ppm) and Niclosamide (1 ppm) slightly lower eggs hatchability rate than controls. The rate decreased by increasing the exposure time from 3 to 6 hours with both molluscicides. Ammonium sulphate had a lethal effect on eggs, but Superphosphate had some inhibitory effect on egg development, which increased by increasing Superphosphate concentration or with the prolongation of the exposure time.

The diagnostic efficacy of Fasciola gigantica coproantigen in naturally infected cattle and buffaloes.

Monoclonal antibody sandwich ELISA was used detect F. gigantica coproantigen in 33 selected animals according to the faecal history to evaluate sensitivity and specificity by using three different rabbit hyper-immune sera; Copro HIS, Egg HIS and ES HIS. The results showed that Copro HIS & ES HIS detected F. gigantica coproantigen in faecal of naturally infected cattle and buffaloes, but egg HIS failed. The 26-28 KDa coproantigen proved sensitivity (81.8%) and specificity (90.9%) in diagnosis of fascioliasis. Also, there was a positive statistical significance between number of F. gigantica egg per gm faeces (EPG) and mean sandwich ELISA OD. values for copro-antigen. For diagnostic value of F. gigantica coproantigen in comparison with ES antigen, EITB was done on field sera of cattle and buffaloes of known faecal history. The F. gigantica coproantigen bands of 27.6 & 72.1 KDa were specific for diagnosis animal fascioliasis, but the 72.1 KDa was less sensitive than the 27.6 KDs. The immunoblotting reaction was more intensive the with fractionated ES antigen than with fractionated coproantigen.

Efficacy of some Fasciola gigantica antigens.

The present study tested the antigenic relationship between the three Egyptian strain of Fasciola gigantica antigens; coproantigen, excretory-secretory and egg antigens, versus their related hyper-immune sera and select the most specific one. By using SDS-PAGE, a structural homology was demonstrated in F. gigantica ES and egg antigens. This homology was resided in the components of the similar molecular weights between both antigens. When no cross-reaction was recorded with the coproantigen, the intense cross-reaction occurred between ES and egg antigens in ELISA technique. This was attributed to the presence of common bands at 18.0, 20.4 and 27.6 KDa in between them. Consequently, the F. gigantica coproantigen and Copro HIS reflected the lowest level of the cross-reaction with the other evaluated F. gigantica antigens. The cross-reaction elucidated in the present study between the F. gigantica ES and egg antigens was mainly at the low serum dilutions. The distinction between the specific and the cross-reactive binding activities was clear ly marked with the highly diluted sera.

Zoonotic hydatidosis in donkeys: post mortum examination in the Zoo, Giza, Egypt.

A total of 17 out of 160 donkeys slaughtered had hepatic hydatidosis as proved macroscopically and microscopically. The epidemiology of zoonotic echinococcosis/hydatidosis was reviewed and discussed.