[Cystic echinococcosis in Poland in 2010]. / Tasiemczyce tkankowe w Polsce w 2010 roku.

UNLABELLED: The study objective was to assess the prevalence of human cystic echinococcosis in Poland in 2010, as compared with the number of registered cases in 2009, and former years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Evaluation of epidemiological situation was based on the analysis of data published in the annual bulletin Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2010, M. Czarkowski et al., National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Chief Sanitary Inspectorate. In addition, the data on taeniases provided to the Department of Medical Parasitology NIPH-NIH by regional sanitary-epidemiological stations were analyzed. RESULTS: 36 cases of echinococcosis (incidence 0.09) were recorded in 2010: 34 cases caused by Echinococcus granulosus (incidence 0.09) and 2 cases triggered by Echinococcus multilocularis (incidence 0.005). There was a slight increase in the incidence of cystic echinococcosis as compared to the preceding year (25 cases in 2009, incidence 0.07). Most cases were reported in the Masovian province (12 cases, 33.3% of all reported cases, incidence 0.23), and the smallest number in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian province (1 case, incidence 0.05). More cases of echinococcosis (25 cases, 69.44%) were recorded in the countryside than in cities (11 cases, 30.56%). Both, in the rural and urban areas, women suffered more frequently (31 cases, 86.11%) than men (5 cases, 13.89%). Multilocular echinococcosis was diagnosed in one woman and one man from the countryside. 26 patients (72.2%) were hospitalized in 2010, which indicates a decline in the percentage of hospital admissions as compared to previous years: 100% of patients were hospitalized in 2008, and 92% in 2009. There were no reported cases of cysticercosis. CONCLUSIONS: It is essential to continually propagate information relative to infection cystic echinococcosis in human in Poland.

[Usefulness of the immunofuorescence test employing monoclonal antibodies for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis pneumonia]. / Przydatnosc odczynu immunofluorescencji posredniej z wykorzystaniem przeciwcial monoklonalnych w diagnostyce przypadków pneumocystozowego zapalenia pluc.

In spite of a considerable progress which was made in the laboratory diagnosis of pneumocytosis, a method delivering unequivocal diagnostic information is still missing. The purpose of the study was to compare diagnostic effectiveness of the fluorescent antibody method using monoclonal antibody in the examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid with routine serologic examination of immunocompromised patients affected by interstitial pneumonia. It was demonstrated that the method with monoclonal antibody was more useful for examining bronchoalveolar lavage samples confirming the suspicion of Pneumocystis pneumonia in 1 person among every 5 examines.

[Cestode infections in Poland in 2009]. / Tasiemczyce w Polsce w 2009 roku.

In the year 2009, 26 intestinal cestode infections were registered in Poland. Among them 20 were caused by Taenia saginata, 4 by Taenia sp., 1 by Diphyllobothrium latum, 1 by Hymenolepis diminuta. Moreover, 23 cases of cystic echinococcosis were reported.

[Cases of Toxoplasma gondii infection in foetus's and toxoplasmic encephalitis in immunosupressed patients confirmed by PCR method in NIPH - NIH, 2009-2010]. / Potwierdzenie przypadków toksoplazmozy plodu oraz toksoplazmozy centralnego ukladu nerwowego za pomoca metody PCR w badaniach wykonanych w NIZP-PZH w latach 2009-2010.

The results of molecular tests for Toxoplasma gondii infection carried out in NIPH-NIH were presented in the light of current data on diagnostics and epidemiology of toxoplasmosis. Between January 2009 and December 2010 four cases of active toxoplasmosis were confirmed using PCR targeting the 529-bp repeat element of Toxoplasma gondii. Intrauterine infection was found in 3 out of 180 (1.7%) examined women. Toxoplasmic encephalitis was confirmed in one patient who was a liver transplant recipient. T. gondii was not detected in cerebrospinal fluid of 19 out of 20 examined patients with encephalitis. The cases of intrauterine toxoplasmosis diagnosed in 2009-2010 make 57.1% of all cases diagnosed in the last decade. In 2001-2010 toxoplasmic encephalitis was detected in two patients out of 45 examined. The choice of tests and interpretation of the results are important elements of T. gondii infection diagnosis and require cooperation between clinicians and laboratory diagnosticians. Establishing reference center for toxoplasmosis in Poland would contribute towards the improvement of standards of diagnostics and treatment of cases of congenital infections and the infection in immunosuppresed patients.

[Cestode infections in Poland in 2008]. / Tasiemczyce w Polsce w 2008 roku.

In the year 2008, 109 intestinal cestode infections were registered in Poland. Among them 69 were caused by Taenia saginata, 2 by T. solium, 30 by Taenia sp., 1 by Diphyllobothrium latum. Moreover, 28 cases of cystic echinococcosis were reported. The obtained results confirmed decreasing frequency of intestinal cestodoses in Poland.

[The occurrence of Cryptosporidium in a group of children and adults with diarrhoea of undetermined earlier aetiology]. / Wystepowanie Cryptosporidium u dzieci i osób doroslych z biegunka o nieustalonej etiologii.

In Poland since 2002 it is required to report the cases of human cryptosporidiosis, but so far none has been recorded. The aim of this study was to present some preliminary results of a study on the incidence of Cryptosporidium as a pathogen in children and adults with diarrhoea of undetermined aetiology. In 36 out of 246 stool samples collected from hospitalized patients with diarrhoea of undetermined aetiology, invasive parasite oocysts were detected. All positive results were obtained in a group of children aged up to 4 years (47.5%). The percentage of invasion in this age group was statistically significantly higher than in the group of children aged 12 months and children over 48 months of age, which was respectively 16.2% (p = 0.0018) and 7.7% (p < or = 0.001). On the basis of Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) it was found that oocysts isolated from stool samples belonged to species of Cryptosporidium parvum and/or Cryptosporidium hominis. In adults with diarrhoea, and among healthy children, no oocysts of Cryptosporidium were found. The analysis of the results demonstrated that Cryptosporidium is one of a cause of diarrhoea in young children in Poland. This is an indication for the introduction of tests for cryptosporidiosis to the schedule of routine diagnostics of gastrointestinal infections in children. This work has been partly founded by Med-Vet-Net. Workpackages 22 Met-Vet-Net is an EU-founded.

[Evaluation of epidemiological situation of cestode infections in Poland in the years 1997-2006 on the basis of data from san-epid stations]. / Analiza sytuacji epidemiologicznej tasiemczyc w Polsce w latach 1997-2006 na podstawie danych z wojewódzkich stacji san-epid.

Between 1997-2006, 3,523 intestinal cestode infections were registered in Poland. Among them 2,748 were caused by Taenia saginata, 41 by T. solium, 533 by Taenia species, 20 by Hymenolepis nana, 5 by Hymenolepis diminuta, 11 by Diphyllobothrium latum, 3 by Dipylidium caninum. Moreover, 350 cases of cystic echinococcosis and 8 cases of cysticercosis were also registered. The obtained results confirmed decreasing frequency of intestinal cestodoses in Poland.

[Cestode infections in Poland in 2007]. / Tasiemczyce w Polsce w 2007 roku.

In the year 2007, 134 intestinal cestode infections were registered in Poland. Among them 84 were caused by Taenia saginata, 4 by T. solium, 30 by Taenia sp., 2 by Diphyllobothrium latum. Moreover, 41 cases of cystic echinococcosis were reported. The obtained results confirmed decreasing frequency of intestinal cestodoses in Poland.

[Cestode infections in Poland in 2006]. / Tasiemczyce w 2006 roku.

In the year 2006, 158 intestinal cestode infections were registered in Poland. Among them 97 were caused by Taenia saginata, 4 by T. solium, 39 by Taenia sp., 1 by Diphyllobothrium latum. Moreover, 65 cases of cystic echinococcosis were also registered. The obtained results confirmed decreasing frequency of intestinal cestodoses in Poland.

[Cestode infections in Poland in 2005]. / Tasiemczyce w 2005 roku.

In the year 2005, 179 intestinal cestode infections were registered in Poland. Among them 109 were caused by Taenia saginata, 3 by T. solium, 59 by Taenia sp., 1 by Diphyllobothrium latum. Moreover, 34 cases of cystic echinococcosis were also registered. The obtained results confirmed decreasing frequency of intestinal cestodoses in Poland.

[Cestode infections in Poland in 2004]. / Tasiemczyce w 2004 roku.

In the year 2004, 203 intestinal cestode infections were registered in Poland. Among them 119 were caused by Taenia saginata, 4 by T. solium, 70 by Taenia sp., 1 by Diphyllobothrium latum. Moreover, 21 cases of cystic echinococcosis were also registered. The obtained results confirmed decreasing frequency of intestinal cestodoses in Poland.

[Cestode infections in Poland in 2003]. / Tasiemczyce w 2003 roku.

In 2003, 218 intestinal cestode infections were registered in Poland. Among them 157 were caused by Taenia saginata, 4 by T. solium, 32 by Taenia sp., 1 by Diphyllobothrium latum,. Moreover, 34 cases of cystic echinococcosis were also registered. The obtained results confirmed decreasing frequency of intestinal cestodes in Poland.

Anti-inflammatory and opioid-mediated effects of melatonin on experimental peritonitis in chickens.

The immunomodulatory properties of melatonin (Mel) are generally recognized but the mechanisms of its action are not fully understood. In mammals, some of the immunomodulatory effects of Mel are mediated by opioids synthesized by immune cells under its influence. The present study was performed to examine whether Mel-induced opioids are involved in the immunomodulatory activity of Mel in chickens. Experimental peritonitis was evoked by a single ip injection of thioglycollate (TG), and half of the birds were pre-treated with Mel. Some of the Mel-treated birds were additionally pre-treated with naltrexone, an antagonist of opioid receptors. Control birds received an injection of saline, Mel or were untreated. At specific post-injection intervals chickens were sacrificed, the peritoneal cavity was flushed out and peritoneal leukocytes (PTLs) were counted. The activity of PTLs was measured in vitro by the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Splenocytes were isolated aseptically and mitogen-stimulated in vitro proliferation was assessed. In PTLs and splenocytes the expression of opioid (proopiomelanocortin and proenkephalin) genes was also examined. Mel exerted a bi-phasic effect on TG-induced peritonitis in chickens: initially it blocked the development of peritonitis, decreasing the number of PTLs and intracellular ROS level (anti-inflammatory action), and thereafter an increase in both PTL number and ROS level was observed (pro-inflammatory action). The pro-inflammatory effect occurred a few hours after the induction of expression of the proenkephalin gene in PTLs and both the proenkephalin and proopiomelanocortin genes in splenocytes. These effects were prevented by naltrexone, suggesting involvement of the opiatergic mechanism.

[Cestode infections in Poland in 2002]. / Tasiemczyce w 2002 roku.

In 2002, 264 intestinal cestode infections were registered in Poland. Among them 193 were caused by Taenia saginata, 3 by T. solium, 53 by Taenia sp., 1 by Hymenolepis nana, 1 by Diphyllobothrium latum, 1 by Hymenolepis diminuta. Moreover, 40 cases of cystic echinococcosis were also registered. The obtained results confirmed decreasing frequency of intestinal cestodoses in Poland.

[Cestode infections in Poland in 2001]. / Tasiemczyce w 2001 roku.

In 2001, 286 intestinal cestode infections were registered in Poland. Among them 195 were caused by Taenia saginata, 2 by T. solium, 71 by Taenia sp., 1 by Hymenolepis diminuta, and 1 by Dipylidium caninum. Moreover, 37 cases of echinococcosis were also registered. The obtained results confirmed the low frequency of intestinal cestodoses in Poland.

[Cestode infections in Poland in 2000]. / Tasiemczyce w 2000 roku.

In 2000, 439 intestinal cestode infections were registered in Poland. Among them 359 were caused by Taenia saginata, three by T. solium, 52 by Taenia sp., two by Hymenolepis nana, two by Diphyllobothrium latum, and one by Dipylidium caninum. Moreover, 29 cases of echinococcosis were also registered. The obtained results confirmed the low frequency of intestinal cestodoses in Poland.

[Polymerase chain reaction in diagnosis of toxoplasmosis of the central nervous system: effect of methods for isolating DNA from samples of cerebrospinal fluid on results of the reaction]. / Lancuchowa reakcja polimerazy w diagnostyce toksoplazmozy osrodkowego ukladu nerwowego: wplyw metody izolacji DNA z próbek plynu mózgowo-rdzeniowego na wynik reakcji.

We examined influence of the method of isolation of DNA from cerebrospinal fluid samples on results of PCR in the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis of the central nervous system. Three different protocols of DNA isolation were used for DNA extraction from 360 samples made of cerebrospinal fluid spiked with tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii: thermic, enzymatic and enzymatic-filtering. Purified DNA samples were tested by PCR with primers T15 and T16 designed for the B1 gene of the parasite. Enzymatic method of DNA isolation appeared most effective allowing detection of T. gondii DNA in 50% of samples containing single parasite cell.

Effect of morphine on thioglycollate-induced peritonitis in chickens.

BACKGROUND: Morphine exerts immunomodulatory effects dependent on several factors including species and parameter examined. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of morphine on experimental peritonitis and leukocyte activity in young chickens of both sexes. METHODS: Peritonitis was elicited by intraperitoneal injection of thioglycollate (TG) alone or supplemented with morphine; additional chicken groups were injected with morphine alone. Morphine-treated birds (with or without elicited peritonitis) were pretreated with naltrexone, an antagonist of opioid receptors. Control groups were intact or PBS-injected. At specific postinjection intervals peritoneal leukocytes (PTL) were obtained by flushing the peritoneal cavity, counted and used for in vitro assays of activity (respiratory burst). Vascular permeability was measured using Evans blue solution. RESULTS: Inflammatory reaction and morphine influence were gender-dependent: the extent of TG-induced peritonitis was higher in males and it was additionally stimulated by morphine. This pro-inflammatory effect of morphine was not seen in females. PTL collected from morphine-treated chickens of both sexes exhibited a stronger nitroblue tetrazolium reduction than in non-treated birds and this effect was antagonized by naltrexone. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of morphine on peritonitis in chickens appears different to that in other vertebrate species, although the mechanism(s) of its influence on leukocyte activity are similar.

[Detection of congenital toxoplasmosis in utero with a polymerase chain reaction on amniotic fluid]. / Rozpoznawanie toksoplazmozy wrodzonej in utero za pomoca badania plynu owodniowego metoda reakcji lancuchowej polimerazy.

To establish a prenatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis the PCR test was done on amniotic fluids from 47 women suspected of primary Toxoplasma infection during pregnancy. Fragments of Toxoplasma B1 gene were found in 5 examined samples. Positive tests were confirmed by mouse inoculation or by serologic testing of newborns. It was concluded that the PCR performed on amniotic fluid should be recommended for the prenatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis, however, negative results of the test can not rule out congenital infection.