Molecular Screening for Malaria among Blood Donors in a WHO Claimed Region of Egypt, Fayoum Governorate.

BACKGROUND: Transfusion-transmitted malaria is undoubtedly a potential health hazard for blood recipients. Egypt is still on the prevention of reintroduction phase of malaria control program. Fayoum Governorate is considered one of the high-risk foci in Egypt due to its geology. However, no studies have been reported to evaluate the current status of subclinical Plasmodium infection based on sensitive molecular techniques. Moreover, screening of malaria is not listed within screening protocols of blood-borne pathogens in Fayoum blood banks. OBJECTIVE: To assess the current prevalence of subclinical Plasmodium infection among blood donors of Fayoum inhabitants for transfusion biosafety. To predict any possibility of the reemergence of malaria in the governorate and the effectiveness of malaria control measures. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 400 apparently healthy blood-donors in blood transfusion center of Fayoum University hospital from Jun 2012 to Jan 2013. Conventional PCR was used to detect the 18 S ssrRNA Plasmodium gene. RESULTS: All Fayoum inhabitants' blood donors' samples were negative for Plasmodium infection. CONCLUSIONS: Current applied control, and preventive measures are valid in the context of blood transfusion biosafety in Fayoum blood banks and, therefore, the implementation of a routine malaria screening test in Fayoum blood banks is not merited at this time.

Potential correlation between carboxylic acid metabolites in Biomphalaria alexandrina snails after exposure to Schistosoma mansoni infection.

Carboxylic acids play an important role in both aerobic and anaerobic metabolic pathways of both the snail and the parasite. Monitoring the effects of infection by schistosome on Biomphalaria alexandrina carboxylic acids metabolic profiles represents a promising additional source of information about the state of metabolic system. We separated and quantified pyruvic, fumaric, malic, oxalic, and acetic acids using ion-suppression reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to detect correlations between these acids in both hemolymph and digestive gland gonad complex (DGG's) samples in a total of 300 B. alexandrina snails (150 infected and 150 controls) at different stages of infection. The results showed that the majority of metabolite pairs did not show significant correlations. However, some high correlations were found between the studied acids within the control group but not in other groups. More striking was the existence of reversed correlations between the same acids at different stages of infection. Some possible explanations of the underlying mechanisms were discussed. Ultimately, however, further data are required for resolving the responsible regulatory events. These findings highlight the potential of metabolomics as a novel approach for fundamental investigations of host-pathogen interactions as well as disease surveillance and control.

Growth kinetics, antigen profiling, and proteinase activity of Egyptian Trichomonas tenax isolates derived from patients having oral infections.

The role of Trichomonas tenax as a pathogen had been clearly implicated in various pathological processes that arise outside the boundaries of the mouth. Although a relationship between the increased occurrence of this protozoan and progression of periodontal disease has been demonstrated, the ability of T. tenax in causing oral infections and the precise mechanism of tissue damage is not well known. The present study aimed to investigate different isolates of T.tenax from individuals having oral infections. Plaques and/or calculi samples were collected from 70 individuals who were diagnosed as having periodontitis and/or gingivitis, then subjected to parasitological examination and culture on modified trypticase, yeast and iron medium (TYI-S-33). Isolates successfully maintained in culture were further subjected to analysis of protein profile of lysates by Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and analysis of proteinases by non-denaturing gelatin-SDS-PAGE. Comparison of growth kinetics of seven T. tenax isolates showed a wide variability in the growth characteristics. Protein profiles of the seven isolates revealed a total 53 bands ranged in molecular weight (MW) from 5 to 95kDa using 12% resolution gel. Also, T. tenax isolates were found to possess 19 proteinase bands ranged in MW from 14 to 66kDa. The proteolytic bands were intensified by a cysteine proteinase activator and totally disappeared by treatment with a cysteine proteinase inhibitor suggesting that the proteinases were of cysteine proteinases type. The high frequency of T. tenax detected (28.6%) along with the variability in protein profiling and proteolytic activity of the isolates supports the possible pathogenicity of T. tenax and clarifies a conclusion that different strains with possibility of variable pathogenic potential may exist.

Evidence of intra-hepatic vascular proliferation remodeling early after cure in experimental schistosomiasis mansoni: an immunohistochemical descriptive study.

Experimental studies have demonstrated the occurrence of angiogenesis, blood vessels formation from pre-existing vessels, in the initial phase of bilharzial granuloma formation and during fibrosis progression in chronic hepatic schistosomiasis. Paradoxically, a recent work demonstrated an occurrence of angiogenesis during fibrosis regression months after curative treatment. Studies regarding the in situ kinetics of blood vessels in the phase of granuloma resolution and liver tissue healing early after treatment are lacking. The current work compared the kinetics of blood vessels by immunohistochemical staining using CD34, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and actin in the livers of normal control mice, Schistosoma mansoni infected mice and mice 2 weeks after curative treatment. The present study demonstrated a process of angiogenesis remodeling in the liver in the curative phase of hepatic schistosomiasis during the stage of granuloma resolution. Such finding raises the evidence of the importance and potential beneficial effect of vascular proliferation in the process of healing and restoration of liver tissue functions. Thus, blocking of angiogenesis may not represent the appropriate therapeutic target for the early treatment of schistosomal liver fibrosis.

Carboxylic acids as biomarkers of Biomphalaria alexandrina snails infected with Schistosoma mansoni.

Biomphalaria alexandrina snails play an indispensable role in transmission of schistosomiasis. Infection rates in field populations of snails are routinely determined by cercarial shedding neglecting prepatent snail infections, because of lack of a suitable method for diagnosis. The present study aimed at separation and quantification of oxalic, malic, acetic, pyruvic, and fumaric acids using ion-suppression reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to test the potentiality of these acids to be used as diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers. The assay was done in both hemolymph and digestive gland-gonad complex (DGG) samples in a total of 300 B. alexandrina snails. All of the studied acids in both the hemolymph and tissue samples except for the fumaric acid in hemolymph appeared to be good diagnostic biomarkers as they provide not only a good discrimination between the infected snails from the control but also between the studied stages of infection from each other. The most sensitive discriminating acid was malic acid in hemolymph samples as it showed the highest F-ratio. Using the Z-score, malic acid was found to be a good potential therapeutic biomarker in the prepatency stage, oxalic acid and acetic acid in the stage of patency, and malic acid and acetic acid at 2 weeks after patency. Quantification of carboxylic acids, using HPLC strategy, was fast, easy, and accurate in prediction of infected and uninfected snails and possibly to detect the stage of infection. It seems also useful for detection of the most suitable acids to be used as drug targets.

Effect of propolis versus metronidazole and their combined use in treatment of acute experimental giardiasis.

Propolis, a honey bee product, gained popularity in alternative medicine. Its prophylactic and therapeutic effects were experimentally evaluated. One hundred and fifty immunocompetent mice were orally infected by 5 x 10(5) axenically cultivated Giardia lamblia trophozoites. The trophozoite count in intestine, interferon-gamma serum level, histopathological examination of duodenal and jejunal sections were assessed for evaluation of propolis and metronidazole (MTZ) effect after 6 & 12 days post infection (p.i). Also, T-lymphocyte profile in blood was investigated 12 days p.i using flow cytometry (FCM). Propolis as prophylaxis showed a significant decrease in intensity of infection, together with a significant increase in IF-gamma serum level and increase in CD4+: CD8+T-cell ratio. In treatment it gave a highly significant decrease in trophozoite count than that obtained by MTZ 6 days after infection but the efficacy was almost equal after 12 days. The mice treated with propolis alone showed a reversed CD4+: CD8+ T-lymphocyte ratio, such strong immune enhancing effect resulted in an undesirable increase in inflammatory response at intestinal level. The combined therapy showed a stronger efficacy in reducing the parasite count than that gained by each drug alone. Their combined use caused an immunological balance as shown by the T-lymphocyte profile that saved the intestinal homeostasis and histological architecture.