Human chronic fascioliasis: a possible cause of unexplained abnormal liver tests.

Fascioliasis is a cause of hepatic disease. Hepatitis B and C viruses are important causative factors in chronic liver disease. In this study, the frequency of hepatitis B (HBV) and/or hepatitis C (HCV) in cases of chronic human fascioliasis is studied. Egg count, indirect haemagglutination test (IHAT), haemoglobin level, total leucocyte and eosinophil counts, serum bilirubin, serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acid phosphatase (ACP) are performed. Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), arylsulphatase (ASA) and lipid peroxide levels are determined. Results showed that levels of the latter group of enzymes were increased significantly in cases of chronic fascioliasis. Therefore, determination of GGT, ASA and lipid peroxide should be added to the list of liver function test used to diagnose this disease. Hepatitis B was not detected in any of the 27 chronic fascioliasis patients studied, while HCV was found in only two (7%) cases. However, greater disturbance of biochemical parameters was seen in patients with combined fascioliasis and HCV infection.

The effect of dimethylnitrosamine on the activities of renal prenolsulfotransferase and arylsulfatases A and B in Schistosona mansoni infected mice.

The activities of renal phenolsulfotransferase and arylsulfatases A and B were estimated in 400 male Swiss albino mice classified into four groups: Normal controls, Schistosoma mansoni infected group, Dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) treated group and infected treated group. The activity levels of the studied enzymes were significantly increased in all groups when compared with the control group, also the statistical analyses showed a high significant increase of the three enzymes levels in the infected treated group; when compared separately with treated or infected groups. It was concluded, therefore, that schistosomal infection is implicated in the development of kidney cancer which may arise from the pattern of hepatic mixed-function oxidase induction characterized for schistosomiasis and its temporal relationship with the procarcinogenic initiating events. Furthermore, the striking significant increase in the enzymatic activity levels of the acid hydrolases arylsulfatases due to the lesion of both cytotoxic effects of dimethylnitrosamine as well as pathological change of schistosomiasis which may play an active role in the initiation of the malignant process by detoxifying endogenous sulfated aromatic metabolites.

Serum adenosine deaminase and arylsulphatase A as an index of early infiltration of central nervous system in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The level of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and arylsulphatase A (ASA) in the sera of 22 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were significantly increased when compared with the control healthy group. Also, there is a significant increase in the activity of these enzymes in patients with ALL with central nervous system (CNS) infiltration when compared with patients of ALL without CNS infiltration. We conclude that the estimation of ADA and ASA in the serum may be useful for detection of the early infiltration of the central nervous system by leukemic cells in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Changes in serum lipid profile and esterases of rats after sublethal daily doses of dimethoate.

Male Wistar rats were injected by dimethoate (10 mg/0.5 ml) daily for 8 successive days. Controls received the same amount of saline., A group of 5 rats were anesthetized at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 days of injection. Blood was withdrawn from heart. serum lipid components and 4 species of serum esterases were assayed for each group. A general decrease in the activities of serum esterases was observed. A marked decrease also was observed in lipids profile during the 8 days course of experiment.