Falkenbergia rufolanosa polysaccharide - Poly(vinyl alcohol) composite films: A promising wound healing agent against dermal laser burns in rats.

This work was conducted to evaluate the compatibility between physicochemical, antioxidant and morphological properties of polysaccharide (FRP) extracted from red marine alga Falkenbergia rufolanosa reinforced by poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composed films at different ratios of FRP/PVA: F1 (70:30), F2 (50:50), F3 (30:70) and PVA (100% PVA) and the potential wound healing effects. As assessed, FRP/PVA prepared films were heterogeneous, slightly opaque with a rough surface as ascertained by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and colorimetric parameters. Even, X-ray diffraction and glass transition results revealed a semi-crystalline structure of FRP composed films which decreased with increasing PVA ratios.

Asymptomatic intestinal carriage of microsporidia in HIV-positive patients in Tunisia: prevalence, species, and pathogenesis.

Asymptomatic carriage of microsporidia (ACM) has not been described in patients living with HIV (PLHIV) in Tunisia. To determine the prevalence of ACM in PLHIV followed at Tunis la Rabta hospital, describe its clinical features and course, and identify the species involved. This prospective study (2005-2009) included 71 asymptomatic PLHIV compared with 37 PLHIV with diarrhea.

The healing effect of Pistacia lentiscus fruit oil on laser burn.

Context: Since antiquity, Pistacia lentiscus L. (Anacardiaceae) fruit oil (PLFO) has been used as a remedy for primary health care such as burn treatment.

Objective: This study assesses the healing effect of PLFO on CO laser fractional burn in a rat model.

The effect of natural extracts on laser burn wound healing.

Background: Despite the achievements in modern medicine, there is no effective natural treatment of second-degree burns till now. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the wound-healing efficiency of three extracted oils, from the prickly pear, pumpkin and linseed on partial-thickness burns induced by fractional CO2 laser (an innovative up-to-date technique) in rats.

Materials And Methods: Thirty rats completing partial-thickness burns by fractional CO2 laser were randomly divided into five groups.

Genotype identification of Enterocytozoon bieneusi isolates from stool samples of HIV-infected Tunisian patients.

The microsporidian species Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a major cause of chronic diarrhea and malabsorption in patients with AIDS. Genotyping was performed on seven E. bieneusi strains for the first time in Tunisia.

Diagnosis of mediterranean visceral leishmaniasis by detection of leishmania antibodies and leishmania DNA in oral fluid samples collected using an Oracol device.

Current methods for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) require invasive sampling procedures such as visceral aspiration and/or blood drawing. The use of diagnostic tests using oral fluid, which is easier to collect, would be more simple and practical for VL diagnosis, especially under field conditions. Oral fluids from 37 VL patients and 40 healthy controls were collected using Oracol devices.

[Microsporidia and cryptosporidia coinfection in an HIV-infected newborn].

Microsporidiosis and cryptosporidiosis are emerging opportunistic infections responsible for intestinal manifestations that are often severe in immunocompromised patients. A case of microsporidiosis-cryptosporidiosis coinfection is reported in an HIV-infected newborn. The patient was a 17-day-old female, exclusively breastfed and with no contact with animals.

[Contribution of PCR for detection and identification of intestinal microsporidia in HIV-infected patients].

Aim: Intestinal microsporidiosis are among the most frequent opportunistic diseases in immunocompromised subjects. This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of PCR for a better detection and species identification of microsporidia in stool specimens of HIV-infected patients.

Patients And Methods: Stool samples obtained from 119 HIV-infected Tunisian subjects were screened for intestinal microsporidiosis by light microscopy using Weber's modified Trichrome stain and by a PCR method using universal primers V1/PMP2 which amplified a common fragment of the small subunit rRNA gene of microsporidia.

Genetic identification of intestinal microsporidia species in immunocompromised patients in Tunisia.

Stool samples from 86 immunocompromised patients (51 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients and 35 patients with haematologic malignancies) were systematically screened for intestinal microspordiosis by microscopic examination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using universal primer V1/PMP2. Nine samples (10.5%) showed amplification with the predictive size of fragment (6 from HIV-infected patients and 3 from patients with myeloma).