Four cases of human filariosis due to Setaria labiatopapillosa found in Bucharest, Romania.

We record the occurrence of four cases of subconjunctival eye infection due to Setaria labiatopapillosa. The patients are all women, between 35 and 68 years old, all inhabitants of the same neighbourhood of the lake Pantelimon, a well known area for its blood feeding vector insect population and all complained about the same eye affliction: photophobia, eye swelling, tearing and foreign body sensation accompanied by some rash and low eosinofilia (6-8%). The treatment was surgical (excision) and DEC 1 mg/kg body weight. The vector insect cannot be specified. We stress that to our knowledge these are the first reported cases of human infection with Setaria labiatopapillosa.

Study of the incidence of intestinal and systemic parasitoses in a group of children with handicaps.

A high incidence of parasitic infections was shown by the study of children with physical and psychic handicaps. In 231 children examined we diagnosed 294 parasitic infections as follows: 42 (18.1%) with Giardia intestinalis 6 (2.59%) with Entamoeba histolytica 36 (15.5%) with Hymenolepis nana 21 (9.9%) with Strongyloides stercoralis 16 (6.9%) with Ascaris lumbricoides 92 (39.86%) with Tricocephalus dispar 38 (16.4%) with Enterobius vermicularis 7(3.03%) with Cryptosporidium sp. Also, by immunodiagnosis 29 cases of Toxoplasmosis (12.5%) and 7 cases of Toxocarosis (3.03%) were pointed out. The clinical examination revealed that the main symptoms were troubles of appetite (both anorexia and hyperorexia)-67.9% intestinal transit disorders-48.4% cutaneous rash (4.7%). Two series of specific treatments diminished the incidence at 38% (after the first) and at 28.5% (after the second). By disappearance of the troubles due to the parasitic infections, the state of children with physical and psychic handicaps clinically improved; so, we may consider as a further necessity the screening of all those children for such diseases.

Spectrophotometric assay of the interaction of Plasmodium berghei infected erythrocyte lysates and neutral red.

In order to reveal by absorption spectrophotometry the redox differences between the Plasmodium berghei infected erythrocyte lysates (MEL) and the healthy ones (HEL) we studied their interaction with the neutral red (NR) redox dye. The variation of the dye absorption intensity at 540 nm as a function of the hemoglobin content of the samples was attributed to the redox potential variation of the different hemoglobin aggregates formed in the samples containing different hemoglobin quantities. By short term treatment of the lysates with ascorbic acid in the presence of NR, great redox reactivity difference was proved between MEL and HEL as revealed by absorption and explained by the initial higher oxidation state of the Hb iron in MEL than in HEL.

Experimental fusion of E. histolytica cells by horseradish peroxidase treatment.

The experimental fusion of Entamoeba histolytica cells after their treatment with horseradish peroxidase is reported. This finding is discussed in relation with the general knowledge about the cell fusion process.

Spectrophotometric assay of the interaction between malaria erythrocyte lysates with methylene blue and neutral red dyes.

Changes of oxidative processes induced in mouse erythrocytes by Plasmodium berghei were studied in the presence of methylene blue, neutral red or of both cationic redox dyes. The results are discussed in terms of redox and metachromatic modifications of the dyes which are produced by malarial and normal erythrocyte lysates.