Isothermal PCR for Feasible Molecular Diagnosis of Primary Toxoplasmosis in Women Recently Experienced Spontaneous Abortion.

Aim: The current study aimed to assess the practicability of a simple loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) about real-time quantitative PCR to diagnose primary toxoplasmosis among high-risk pregnant women.

Methods: Cloned Toxoplasma samples were used to calculate the analytical sensitivity while specificity was assessed using pooled DNA samples extracted from other parasitic stages.

Results: Both techniques showed 100% sensitivity and specificity and then applied to detect recent Toxoplasma infection in peripheral blood of 77 IgG negative women out of a total 139 women lately experienced spontaneous abortion.

Usefulness of Sunlight and Artificial UV Radiation Versus Chlorine for the Inactivation of Cryptosporidium Oocysts: An in Vivo Animal Study.

Background: Cryptosporidium is an important waterborne protozoan.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sunlight being the natural source of UV and artificial UV irradiation on Cryptosporidium oocysts versus the effect of chlorination, being the traditional method of water disinfection and to provide an insight into the viability and degree of infectivity of Cryptosporidium oocysts, using an animal model.

Methods: An experimental study including 300 neonatal mice was carried out to investigate the effect of artificial ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and sunlight being the natural source of UV irradiation versus chlorine, the traditionally used water disinfectant on the infectivity of Cryptosporidium oocysts present in water.

Immunomodulatory impression of anti and pro-inflammatory cytokines in relation to humoral immunity in human scabies.

The chief manifestations of scabies are mediated through hypersensitivity-like reactions and immune responses which are so far not well understood and remain poorly characterized. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of inflammatory cytokines in relation to humoral immunity in patients with scabies. Serum levels of total IgE, specific IgG, IL-10, IL-6, INF-γ, and TNF-α were investigated in a cross-sectional study including 37 patients with manifestations suggestive of scabies and serologically positive for anti-Sarcoptes IgG, in addition to 20 healthy controls.

AN INITIAL INDICATION OF PREDISPOSING RISK OF SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI INFECTION FOR HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA.

Estimated 500,000 - 1 million cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are reported to occur yearly worldwide, with a mean annual incidence of around 3 - 4% of global population. HCC is rapidly fatal in most patients; that makes its incidence and mortality rates almost equal. In the last 5-10 years there were many alarming reports of sharply increased incidence of HCC.

Genomic instability in complicated and uncomplicated Egyptian schistosomiasis haematobium patients.

Background: Exploration of genetic changes during active Schistosoma infection is important for anticipation and prevention of chronic sequelae. This study aimed to explore the genomic instability in chromosomal and cellular kinetics in Egyptians suffering from uncomplicated active schistosomiasis haematobium infection in addition to chronic schistosomiasis haematobium cases complicated by bilharzial-associated bladder cancer (BAC).

Results: This study was conducted on 46 schistosomiasis haemotobium cases, 22 were active (Viable S.

Effect of interferon-alpha on experimental Schistosoma mansoni infection in mice.

To investigate the immunomodulatory effect of the Th1 mediated cytokine IFN-alpha on schistosomiasis, this cytokine was weekly injected into mice experimentally infected with S. mansoni, beginning from day 0 (group II), week 3 (group III), week 6 (group IV) and week 10 (group V) post-infection. TGF-beta1 serum levels were estimated on a weekly basis and beginning one week after initiation of IFN-alpha therapy, while all animals were sacrified on week 14 to be used for egg counts in liver and small intestine, oogram study for determination of the maturity of deposited eggs, and histopathological examination of stained liver sections.

Early post-treatment immunoglobulin profile in human schistosomiasis.

In a trial at determining the most relevant immunoglobulin isotype that could reflect success of praziquantel treatment, an ELISA using soluble egg antigen (SEA) was applied on sera of Egyptian patients suffering from active intestinal schistosemiasis without hepatic complications, determining the levels of IgE, IgA, IgM, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 raised against the SEA, both, pre- and early post-treatment. The positive results obtained to all anti-SEA immunoglobulin isotypes before treatment support the usefulness of this technique in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis. Except for IgG3 subclass, a statistically significant correlation was found between egg output-reflecting intensity of infection- and the different immunoglobulin levels, especially anti-SEA IgG4.