A histochemical method that predicts local recurrence after curative resection in carcinoma of the colon and rectum.

In an attempt to develop a method to predict local recurrence that may occur following radical resection for cure in patients with carcinoma of the colon and rectum, we have studied retrospectively the histochemical characteristics of mucins in 48 surgically resected specimens. This differential pattern of mucus production at the resection margin distinguished between the patients who had local recurrence develop and those who remained tumor free.

Experimental concomitant toxoplasma and malaria infection in rats.

The effect of concomitant toxoplasma and malaria infection on the reticuloendothelial system was investigated in rats. This was evaluated by the level of plasmodial parasitaemia; humoral antibody response; effect on splenic weight; histopathological changes in thymus and spleen; histopathological and histochemical changes in liver. The parasitaemia appeared after 2 days in single malaria and concomitant infections. The peak was reached after 6 days with single and precedent malaria, and after 10 days with precedent toxoplasma. The clearance of parasitaemia was delayed to 30 days with concomitant infections instead of 14 days with single malaria. Higher than normal malarial antibody levels were reached with precedent toxoplasma, while the toxoplasma antibodies were lower than normal in both concomitant infections. There was a significant increase in splenic weight in both precedent malaria and toxoplasma, followed by a decrease which did not return to normal in case of precedent malaria. The thymus was packed with thymocytes in precedent malaria, while depletion in the cortex occurred in precedent toxoplasma. In the liver, there was glycogen depletion and decrease in succinic dehydrogenase activity in both concomitant infections. Choline esterase activity in precedent malaria was decreased and returned to normal on day 40 while in precedent toxoplasma the activity was normal all through the period. The alkaline phosphatase activity was decreased and returned to normal on day 40 in both concomitant infections.

Canine and rodent leishmanial isolates from Egypt.

Two leishmanial stocks isolated in Egypt, one from a dog and the other from Rattus norvegicus, were typed according to their excreted factor (EF) serotype and the electrophoretic mobility of their glucose phosphate isomerase. The canine isolate was indistinguishable from L. donovani (= L. infantum ) strains. The rat isolate appeared to be different from L. donovani, L. tropica and L. major.

Evaluations of antibody levels in Toxoplasma infection by the immunofluorescent antibody test and ELISA test.

In this study 292 sera were screened by the IFAT. 46 sera with variable IFAT titres were tested with ELISA Reagent Set and microtitration tests. A comparative evaluation of the specificity and reliability of ELISA method with that of IFAT for the detection of Toxoplasma infection was done.