ABSTRACT
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.
Subject(s)
Cryptosporidiosis/diagnosis , Cryptosporidiosis/epidemiology , Cryptosporidium/isolation & purification , Diarrhea/parasitology , Immunocompetence , Adult , Age Factors , Animals , Antigens, Protozoan/isolation & purification , Cryptosporidiosis/parasitology , Cryptosporidium/immunology , DNA, Protozoan/isolation & purification , Egypt/epidemiology , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Feces/parasitology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Molecular Diagnostic Techniques , Oocysts/isolation & purification , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Young AdultABSTRACT
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.
