Sheep-dog-man. The risk zoonotic cycle in hydatidosis.

Hydatid cyst, the larval cestod of Echinococcus granulosus infects both man and animal. In the last five years, fourteen cases have been surgically treated in the Universities Hospitals of Cairo (9) and Ain Shams (5). The highly infected site was the liver and the least was the spleen. On the other hand, a total of 2,871,510 sheep slaughtered in the governmental abattoirs over five years (1995-1999) showed an overall hydatidosis of 0.33%. The highly infected site was the lung followed by the liver. Cystic infection in other sites rarely occurred. Generally speaking, hydatidosis is not a so dangerous public health problem in Egypt. However, sheep play the important role in dissemination of the disease. This is due to the fact that their cysts are the highly fertile ones as compared to other animal intermediate hosts. So, the risk cycle in hydatidosis is sheep-dog-man.

Trichinella encysted larvae in slaughtered pigs in Cairo (1995-1999).

Trichinosis is one of the most serious meat borne parasites. Examination of pigs in the slaughtered houses over the last five years showed an overall rate of 1.691%. The trichinoscope and sometimes the muscle digestion technique were adopted to diagnose infection. Trichinosis as a zoonotic parasitic disease was discussed.

Human taenaisis and cysticercosis in slaughtered cattle, buffaloes and pigs in Egypt.

Human taeniasis and cysticercosis are zoonotic parasites of considerable public health problem. A total of 6434039 slaughtered animals over a period of four years (1994-1997) showed 0.72% cysticercosis (bovis and cellulosae) infections. Individual animal species infection was 0.23% in native breed cattle, 7.25% in imported cattle, 0.14 in buffaloes and 0.09% in pigs. The highly infested parts were the heart (64.2%) followed by the head (34.5%), the whole body (1.1%) and lastly, the quarter (0.2%) in both types of cattle and the heart (64.3%), the head (34.9%), the whole body (0.6%) and the quarter (0.2%) in buffaloes. In pigs, the highly infested parts were the whole body (55.4%) followed by the heart (37.8%) and lastly the head (6.8%). Some interesting cysticercosis were macroscopically and microscopically parasitologically and histopathologically studied. A general discussion on taeniasis and cysticercosis was given.

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.

Studies on hydatidosis in slaughtered camels in Egypt.

Hydatid cyst or hydatidosis is a cyclozoonotic parasite of worldwide distribution. Human and animal cases have been reported in Egypt by many authors. Also, the tape worm Echinococcus granulosus has been reported in stray dogs. The present work studied hydatidosis in 400159 camels imported from Sudan over five years (1992 to 1996) and slaughtered in governmental abattoirs under the supervision of GOVS. The overall annual prevalence rates of camel infection were 5.5% (1992), 6.1% (1993), 6.7% (1994), 8.2% (1995) and 4.3% (1996). The most predicted site of infection was the lung followed by the liver. Cystic infection in other organs were rarely seen. The fertility of the cysts was 29% and 20% in lung and liver respectively. Macroscopic and microscopic studies of some interesting cysts were done. No doubt, hydatidosis is a public health problem that affects also the human welfare and economy. The preventive and control measures for man and animal were discussed.

Leishmania major in an Egyptian patient manifested as diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) is an unusual form of cutaneous leishmaniasis mainly caused by infection with Leishmania aethiopica in the Old World. In this paper, diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis was reported for the first time, in an Egyptian patient from Sinai Peninsula resulting from infection with L. major zymodeme LOND-1 as proved by enzymatic characterization, using seven enzymes.

Serological and histopathological studies on toxoplasma Gondii among the workers and the slaughtered animals in Tanta Abattoir, Gharbia Governorate.

Toxoplasma gondii is one of the important zoonotic parasite of worldwide zoological and geographical distribution. In this paper, Toxoplasma antibodies were investigated among workers (21) and slaughtered animals (258) in Tanta abattoir. The indirect haemagglutination test (IHAT) was positive among workers (52.4%) at titers 1/64, 1/256, 1/512 and slaughtered animals (44.1%), at titers > 1:64. The indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT done for animals only) was positive (48.8%) at titers 1/40. Histopathological study on infected prescapular lymph nodes of the examined animals showed different clinical pictures, which coincided with the serological results. It was concluded that meat should not be consumed uncooked or undercooked.

Role of bandpass filters in optimizing the value of the signal-averaged electrocardiogram as a predictor of the results of programmed stimulation.

Normal values for the signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG) at 11 different high-pass filter settings were obtained from 100 normal subjects (group I). The filtered QRS duration and the duration of low amplitude signals less than 40 microV, but not the root mean square voltage of the last 40 ms (RMS40), showed normal distribution. A normal distribution for RMS40 could be obtained by transforming each value to its natural logarithm. The normal values were used in a systematic approach to optimize the accuracy of the SAECG to predict the results of programmed stimulation in 80 patients with spontaneous nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). Fifty-two patients with no inducible VT (group II) and 28 patients with inducible sustained monomorphic VT (group III) were investigated. The 3 SAECG parameters at each high-pass filter in groups II and III were categorized as normal or abnormal and were evaluated singly or in combinations of 2 or 3. There was no combination that provided a sensitivity greater than 82% that could also be obtained by single determinations of low amplitude signals less than 40 microV at 25 to 40 Hz or RMS40 at 40 Hz. On the other hand, there were 267 different combinations that provided a maximal specificity of 98%. The best total predictive accuracy of a single parameter was 85%, provided by RMS40 at 40 or 60 Hz. The total predictive accuracy could be improved to 89% by 1 of 32 different combinations. The top combinations were mostly in triplets and included SAECG parameters recorded at different high-pass filter settings. The only 2 paired combinations with the best total predictive accuracy were RMS40 at 20 or 25 Hz paired with RMS40 at 40 Hz. Frequencies at both ends of the analyzed high-pass filter settings (less than 20 Hz and greater than 60 Hz) were not represented in the top predictive combinations. The SAECG parameters analyzed at 40 Hz were most frequently represented in the top predictive combinations, suggesting that the SAECG may have the best predictive accuracy at this filter setting. In summary, the combination of SAECG parameters analyzed at different filter settings can enhance the accuracy of the technique as a screening test for the results of programmed stimulation in patients with spontaneous nonsustained VT.