Pathological findings in respiratory organs and blood circulation in patients with isolated DRTB and DRTB/HIV/AIDS co-infection (according to autopsy data).

Tuberculosis remains a major global health concern, especially in the context of emerging drug-resistant strains and the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Understanding the pathomorphologic changes associated with DRTB and its coinfection with HIV/AIDS is crucial for designing effective diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic interventions. The objectives of this study were to assess the pathomorphologic changes, investigate lung function and blood circulation, and explore risk factors and clinical predictors associated with cor pulmonale in patients with DRTB and DRTB/HIV/AIDS co-infections. The study included 72 patients, with 28 having isolated DRTB and 44 having DRTB/HIV/AIDS co-infections. Microscopic examination of lung tissue samples from isolated DRTB patients revealed fibrous and productive changes with inflammatory infiltration. Histological examination of the myocardium in these patients showed hypertrophy and diffuse cardiosclerosis. Patients with DRTB/HIV/AIDS co-infections exhibited extensive destructive changes in lung tissue, along with dystrophy of cardiomyocytes and focal lymphohistiocytic infiltration in the myocardium. The frequency of cor pulmonale formation was significantly higher in the co-infection group (22.7%) compared to the isolated DRTB group (10.7%). Histological samples suggested that co-infection with HIV/AIDS exacerbates myocardial damage caused by DRTB. This research demonstrates the distinct pathomorphologic changes observed in the lung tissue and myocardium of patients with isolated DRTB and DRTB/HIV/AIDS co-infections. The study findings support the association between co-infection and increased risk of cor pulmonale development. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these differences will help identify potential therapeutic targets to mitigate myocardial damage in patients with DRTB and its co-infection.

Seroprevalence of babesiosis in immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals.

Interest in Babesia species is gaining an increasing attention as an emerging tick-borne pathogen. Infection is primarily transmitted through Ixodes ticks, and alternatively by blood transfusions from asymptomatic donors. AIM: The aim of the study was detection of Babesia seroprevalence in different groups of population with the usage of experimental B. divergens whole-cell slide antigen and commercial B. microti immunofluorescence assay substrate slide. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Indirect immunofluorescence assay trial was performed by testing of 145 blood samples of different origins: healthy individuals (60 - blood donors), risk groups (30 - HIV-infected individuals, 30 - Lyme disease patients) and false-positive IFA controls (10 - seropositive rheumatoid arthritis patients, 15 - patients with toxoplasmosis). RESULTS: The study revealed Babesia antibodies to B. divergens (6.9%) and B. microti (3.4%) that were detected with higher (p <0.05) frequency in HIV-infected individuals (26.7%) and in Lyme disease patients (16.7%) than at blood donors (1.7%). Diagnostically significant IgG titres were detected at 23.3% HIV-infected individuals, 13.3% Lyme disease patients and by 1.7% of blood donors and patients with seropositive latent toxoplasmosis. Specific IgM were detected at 20.0% HIV-infected individuals and 13.3% Lyme disease patients. 57.1% of diagnostically significant titres in HIV-infected and Lyme disease patients were represented by IgG and IgM. CONCLUSIONS: Immunofluorescence assay has a limited use in babesiosis: in acute form with negative microscopy or PCR; in chronic, asymptomatic and subclinical form with low level of parasitemia; and in retrospective and epidemiological studies of the population immune structure. Clinicians need to have increased awareness of babesiosis, and further studies are needed to clarify the optimal management of this infection in risk groups (including HIV-infected patients and blood donors).

Implementation and analysis of Babesia immunoassay testing.

Lifelong withdrawal from the donor population of those who have been diagnosed with babesiosis must be used for transmission prevention. AIM: The aim of the study was a detection of Babesia antibodies level with the usage of experimental Babesia divergens whole-cell slide antigen and commercial B. microti immunofluorescence assay substrate slide (Fuller Laboratories, USA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Experimental B. divergens whole-cell slide antigen in addition to commercial B. microti IFA substrate slide was used to create a diagnostic kit for serum Babesia antibodies level detecting, as well as for a babesiosis serodiagnosis clinical trial of different origins blood samples (patients with Lyme disease, rheumatoid arthritis and toxoplasmosis; human blood donors; cattle). RESULTS: Antibodies to B. divergens (5.4%) and B. microti (2.3%) were detected with higher (p <0.05) frequency at Lyme disease patients (16.7%) than at blood donors (1.7%). Diagnostically significant IgG titres (= 1:128) were found in 13.3% of blood samples from Lyme disease patients and 1.7% from blood donors. Specific IgM were also found in 13.3% blood samples from Lyme disease patients. Among blood samples from Lyme disease patients, in which diagnostically significant titres of Babesia antibodies were detected (16.7%), 60% of them were represented by IgG and IgM (rA= 0.63), and in 40% only one of them reached diagnostically significant titre. Conclusions. Advantages of babesiosis IFA diagnostics. CONCLUSIONS: Advantages of babesiosis IFA diagnostics are combined with its significant disadvantages (principle of evaluation, low sensitivity in the initial period of the disease, probability of false positives, absence of validated test systems and research protocols for B. divergens and B. divergens-like species).

Anaplasmosis: experimental immunodeficient state model.

OBJECTIVE: Introduction: The recently described anaplasmosis infection is widespread but concerns to the insufficiently known group of diseases. The aim of our research is the development of uniform biological model for reproducing of artificial immunodeficient state by experimental anaplasmosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: Algorithm of experimental anaplasmosis reproducing, consisted of such consecutive stages: 1) artificial forming of the immunodeficient state at nonlinear white mise (Mus musculus L.); 2) preparation of the tested biological material samples; 3) inoculation by prepared samples of the laboratory animals with the artificially formed immunodeficient state; 4) sampling from the dead or slaughtered (by the method of chloroformed anesthesia) experimental animals of sectional material (organs and targets tissues); 5) verification of aetiology by express detection of causative agents by the method of PCR in the selected samples of sectional material. RESULTS: Results: Biological model of experimental anaplasmosis have been created suitable for realization of both diagnostic and epidemiological, epizootic, ecobiological and other researches of different origin biological material samples, including samples of solid and liquid consistency material. Formed model realised in premature death of experimental animals in 17.4 % cases; resulted in an onset of disease clinical signs without death during the term of supervision in 43.8 % cases; coursed in the absence of the expressed symptoms of infection in 31.3 % cases. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Developed biological model of experimental anaplasmosis consists in that as laboratory animals with the increased sensitiveness to the infection and accumulation of causative agent are used white nonlinear mice with the artificially formed immunodeficient state.