In recent years, there has been more and more new research on the therapeutic effects of plants and their positive impact on the fight against parasitic diseases. It is of great importance, as it gives the opportunity to use this knowledge for phytotherapy, which is cheaper than pharmacological treatment, and as numerous studies have shown, it can be equally effective. Scientists are still looking for newer and newer chemicals that can be isolated from plants around us, and the current medicine is more and more willing to use natural medicines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of this review is to present various animal organisms used to determine the pathogenicity and virulence of old and new human and animal pathogens based on animal studies, cell cultures, macrophages and other models. The animal models presented in this study, in addition to the most popular organisms such as the laboratory mouse, rat, guinea pig and monkey, are also less popular models, such as zebrafish (Danio rerio) or chicken embryos in eggs. These animals are used to study the pathogenicity of parasites such as Acanthamoeba, Naegleria fowlerii, Toxoplasma gondii, Entamoeba histolytica and Besnoitia caprae and other species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in fast activation of the immune response to a variety of pathogens, including parasites. In this study, we focused on TLR2, because this receptor is one of the best known and most frequently analysed members of the TLR family. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of on expression of TLR2 during the intestinal stage of infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGenetically uniform shoots of L. cultured in vitro were subjected to the qualitative analysis applying the UPLC-HESI-HRMS technique. In vitro cultures give the opportunity to perform the phytochemical studies on the protected species without harvesting the plant material from the natural environment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe genus Acanthamoeba, which may cause different infections in humans, occurs widely in the environment. Lung inflammation caused by these parasites induces pulmonary pathological changes such as pulmonary necrosis, peribronchial plasma cell infiltration, moderate desquamation of alveolar cells and partial destruction of bronchial epithelial cells, and presence of numerous trophozoites and cysts among inflammatory cells. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of plant extracts from Artemisia annua L.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a key role in the rapid activation of the innate immune response to a variety of pathogens. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of infection on the level of expression of the gene in mouse intestines during the intestinal phase of experimental trichinellosis.
Material And Methods: The experimental material consisted of the small and large intestines of BALB/c mice infected with sampled at 4, 8, and 16 days post infection (dpi).
Chronic progressive diseases of the central nervous system such as granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, amoebic keratitis, amoebic pneumonitis and also skin infections caused by free-living amoebae (Acanhamoeba spp.) are a significant challenge for pharmacotherapy. This is due to the lack of effective treatment because of encystation, which makes the amoebae highly resistant to anti-amoebic drugs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe treatment of acanthamoebiasis is a still a problem. Our previous studies showed that the application of extracts from Artemisia annua L. significantly prolonged the survival of mice infected by Acanthamoeba.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiseases transmitted by hygiene pests remain a very serious problem in spite of fast developments in science and medicine. The present study focuses on pests carrying germs that pose a threat to human health and life. The quick pace of life, the need to satisfy human needs and mass production of food sometimes result in flagrant sanitary, hygienic and epidemiological deficiencies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEye diseases caused by amoebae from the genus Acanthamoeba are usually chronic and severe, and their treatment is prolonged and not very effective. The difficulties associated with therapy have led to attempts at finding alternative treatment methods. Particularly popular is searching for cures among drugs made of plants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Toll-like receptors (TLRs) of the innate immune system play an important role in the recognition of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. In this study, we examined the changes in the level of expression of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA and protein in the brains of mice infected with Acanthamoeba spp. The Acanthamoeba strains were isolated from a patient with Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) (Ac55) and Malta Lake (Ac43).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFToll-like receptors (TLRs) play a key role in the innate immune responses to a variety of pathogens including parasites. TLRs are among the most highly conserved in the evolution of the receptor family, localized mainly on cells of the immune system and on other cells such as lung cells. The aim of this study was to determine for the first time the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in the lung of Acanthamoeba spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe treatment of acanthamoebiasis is a great problem. Most cerebral invasions end with death, and the treatment of ocular invasions is usually long-lasting and not very effective. Numerous plant extracts and substances isolated from plants, which are effective against trophozoites or cysts, have been studied in the treatment of acanthamoebiasis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite the considerable progress of medicine, parasitic diseases still pose a great threat to human health and life. Among parasitic diseases, those transmitted by vectors, mainly arthropods, play a particular role. These diseases occur most frequently in the poorest countries and affect a vast part of the human population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFree-living amoebae belonging to the genus Acanthamoeba are the causative factor of many diseases. Among others, they cause Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), a condition that usually occurs in contact lens wearers, though it is also observed in non-wearers. The number of diagnosed cases of AK increased more than eightfold during 8 years in the USA, and a proportional increase in frequency also occurred in Poland and Europe.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAmoebae from the genus Acanthamoeba are known agents leading to various diseases such as granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE), a chronic progressive disease of the central nervous system, amoebic keratitis (AK), chronic eye infection, amoebic pneumitis (AP), chronic lung infection, and skin infections. It is known that various synthetic anti-Acanthamoeba substances are ineffective. Therefore, other substances, e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcanthamoeba are widespread free-living amoebae which may cause granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE), keratitis, skin ulcerations and disseminated tissue infection. An important diagnostic and prognostic factor for the treatment of infection is a quick and correct diagnosis of amoebae strains. The aim of our study was to develop a rapid method for detection and identification of pathogenic Acanthamoeba spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe paper presents an overview of the use of natural therapeutic agents in combating parasitic diseases. Nowadays there is increasing demand for proven plant therapies, which often are found to be more effective than synthetic pharmaceuticals in chronic diseases. In many cases herbal preparations perfectly supplement the conventional treatment and at the same time do not cause side effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpecies identification within the genus Acanthamoeba is based predominantly on morphological and biochemical features. It is labor-intensive and requires cloning and axenization. We described a novel immunocytochemical method for the identification of Acanthamoeba spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStrains of Acanthamoeba sp. constitute a factor contributing to the occurrence of chronic granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, keratitis, pneumonia, as well as inflammations of other organs. Treatment of these diseases is very difficult and not always effective.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe free-living amoebae are ubiquitous organisms. They are found in humid soil and all water reservoirs, i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe free-living amoebae from genus Acanthamoeba are the causative agents of granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE), a chronic progressive disease of the central nervous system; amebic keratitis (AK), a chronic eye infection; amebic pneumitis (AP), a chronic lung infection, and skin infection. Chemotherapy of Acanthamoeba infection is problematic. The majority of infections have been fatal.
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