Anti-giardial activity of Sambucus ebulus.

OBJECTIVES: Giardia (G.) lamblia is a parasite that causes giardiasis in humans and other mammals. The common treatment produces unpleasant side effects. The ethnopharmacology for management of parasitic infections accelerates and guides the search for new chemical objects. This study assessed the in vitro cytotoxicity of Sambucus (S.) ebulus fruit against Cysts of G. lamblia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Giardia cysts were isolated from patients' fecal specimens; the cysts were isolated by sucrose 0.85 M solution. The plant extract was used at concentrations of 1, 10, 50 and 100 mg/mL throughout the experiments. The extracts were incubated with several isolates of G. lamblia for 5, 10, 30 and 60 minutes and then the viability were distinguished by eosin 0.01%. RESULTS: S. ebulus extract at the concentration of 100 mg/ml for 60 minutes had the most anti-giardial activity (78 ± 4%) than other concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Considering excellent antigiardial activity of S. ebulus in vitro, it seems to have potential for the treatment of the parasitic disease caused by the protozoan G. lamblia.

Molecular Characterization of Echinococcus granulosus from Hydatid Cysts Isolated from Human and Animals in Golestan Province, North of Iran.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine the molecular characteristics of Echinococcus granulosus from paraffin-embedded tissues of hydatid cysts isolated from human and protoscoleces of hydatid cysts from sheep, cattle and camel isolates using PCR- RFLP of ITS1- rDNA analysis in Golestan Province, northern Iran. METHODS: E. granulosus isolates from human patients infected with hydatid cyst and protoscoleces from hydatid cysts of sheep, cattle and camel isolates were collected from different hospitals and the abattoir throughout the Golestan Province. In all, 60 E. granulosus genomic DNA were extracted and examined by PCR - ITS1 of rDNA and amplified using BD1 / 4S and EGF1 / EGR2 primers, followed by RFLP using Alu1, Msp1 and TaqI restriction enzymes. RESULTS: The PCR-ITS1 products obtained from sheep, cattle and human isolates were similar to sheep strain (1000 bp and 391 bp). Majority of the camel samples yielded 295 bp DNA bands. RFLP -ITS1 of E. granulosus with Taq1 in human, sheep and cattle isolates showed similar patterns in the number and size of DNA. RFLP methods in camel isolates showed a different genotype, using Taq1, whereas no DNA bands were observed using Alu1 in camel and human isolates. Therefore, two clearly distinguishable banding patterns of E. granulosus were obtained with the three enzymes, which separating human, sheep and cattle isolates from the camel origin. CONCLUSION: The results indicate the possible of transmission of the G1 and G6 genotypes of E. granulosus between livestock animals and human in Golestan Province.

Prevalence of intestinal parasites and profile of CD4+ counts in HIV+/AIDS people in north of Iran, 2007-2008.

In this study 142 stool samples (64 HIV+/AIDS patients and 78 non-HIV infected individuals) collected from Mazandaran province and screened for intestinal parasites, using direct wet mont, formalin-ether sedimentation concentration, modified Ziehl Neelsen and modified trichrome techniques. Each person in this study was examined for CD4+ counts. Intestinal parasites were found in 11/64 (17.2%) of patients in HIV+/AIDS group and in 14/78 (17.9%) of controls. Prevalence of parasites detected in HIV+/AIDS individuals was as follow: Cryptosporidium sp. 9.4%, Giardia lamblia 3.1%, Entamoeba coli 1.6%, E. histolytica 1.6% and Chilomastix mesnili 1.6%. Prevalence of parasites in controls was as follow: Trichostrongylus sp. 6.4%, G. lamblia 3.8%, Cryptosporidium sp. 2.5%, E. coli 2.5%, E. histolytica 1.2%, Hookworms 1.2%. The mean of CD4+ counts in HIV-positive group (430 cells microL(-1)) was remarkedly less than controls (871 cells microL(-1)) (p = 0.001). As patients usually belong to poor socio-economic backgrounds and they can hardly afford treatment, therefore, it is suggested screening and free treatment of intestinal parasites in these individuals should be taken by health centers to prevent the occurrence of these diseases in HIV+/AIDS patients, as often the disease may take a fulminant form.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in cattle, sheep and goats slaughtered for food in Mazandaran province, Iran, during 2005.

Serum samples from 290 cattle, 400 goats and 588 sheep slaughtered for food in various areas of the Mazandaran province, Iran were tested for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii by the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT), from December 2004 to April 2005. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 30% (120/400) goats and 35% (206/588) sheep and 0% (0/290) cattle, at a dilution of 1:16 or more for goats and sheep and 1:128 or more for cattle. The highest titres observed in cattle, goats and sheep were 1:64 (0.7%), 1:128 (1%), 1:64 (2%), respectively. These results indicate that T. gondii antibodies are widespread in the animal populations and suggest that toxoplasmosis is a widely spread zoonotic infection in northern Iran.