Comparison between Trichmonas vaginalis symptomatic and asymptomatic isolates effects in intravaginally infected rats.

In this study, histopathological and immunohistochemical changes of the posterior vaginal fornix's and upper portion of the vagina were compared on rats infected with symptomatic and asymptomatic human isolates. Eighteen symptomatic and asymptomatic female isolates were used (nine/ each). Two groups of infected female rats were included in this study (3 rats /isolate). The results showed that there were no differences between symptomatic and asymptomatic isolates in histopathological changes; T. vaginalis of both isolates adhered to PAS epithelial cells at the surface and traversed under these cells. Both isolates were PAS and cathepsn D positive. By scanning electron microscopy many of T. vaginalis of the isolates adhered to microvilli of the epithelium cells in the same manner. Transmission electron microscopy proved that both isolates used the pseudopodia to adhere to the vagina upper part cells. The experimental infections did not differentiate between symptomatic and asymptomatic human isolates regarding histopathological and immunohistochemical changes.

Effect of exogenous adminstration of antioxidants on Blastocystis hominis in vivo.

The effect of exogenous administration of antioxidant (Anttox) on the course of B. hominis in experimentally infected mice was studied. B. hominis isolates were obtained from 10 gastrointestinal symptomatic adult patients. Three groups of 30 infected mice (3/isolate) were used. GI was untreated infected, GII was treated by antox for 4 weeks after infection diagnosis (treatment strategy), and GIII antox treated by for 4 weeks before infection (prophylactic strategy). Mild pathological changes were detected on 13.4%, 19.9% & 86.8% of mice in Gs I, II & III, respectively. Moderate pathological changes were found in 29.9%, 26.6% & 6.6% of mice in Gs I, II & III, respectively. While, the majority of severe pathological changes were in Gs I & II (56.7% & 53.5%) as compared to GIII (6.6%). Meanwhile, 86.8% of mice in GIII had B. hominis forms > 10/high power field compared to 3.3% in Gs I & II, respectively. Although 19.8% of mice in GII were positive for B. hominis by direct smear, no growth resulted in vitro and all the forms were non-viable by using neutral red stain. All the differences were statistically significant. So, antioxidant exacerbated B. hominis intensity but it decreased the pathological changes.