Validation of dried blood spots in monitoring toxoplasmosis.

Due to the growing importance of toxoplasmosis worldwide, simple methods of diagnosis are important for epidemiologic studies. Dried blood spot (DBS) is a useful tool that surpasses venipuncture. DBS- testing via a finger-stick could also be used in setting where phlebotomies might not be feasible, such as worldwide prenatal and newborn screening for congenital toxoplasmosis.

The course of infection with Toxoplasma gondii RH strain in mice pre-vaccinated with gamma irradiated tachyzoites.

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous protozoan of major medical and veterinary importance. Its treatment is difficult since the available drugs have severe side effects and reactivation may occur anytime. Vaccination with irradiated parasites exhibits ideal characteristics for vaccine development.

Sex dichotomy in the course of experimental latent toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic zoonotic protozoan that exceeds neurological and congenital impact sequence to reactivating latent toxoplasmosis especially under immunosuppression. Sex-associated hormones influence the severity of Toxoplasma infection. Thus, our study aimed to compare toxoplasmosis associated morbidity in both male and female mice and to monitor the response to anti-Toxoplasma therapeutics fortified with sex hormones in comparison to presently used drugs.

Intravascular Cleave the Host Immune and Hemostatic Signaling Molecule Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Tegumental Alkaline Phosphatase.

Schistosomes are parasitic flatworms that infect the vasculature of >200 million people around the world. These long-lived parasites do not appear to provoke blood clot formation or obvious inflammation around them . Proteins expressed at the host-parasite interface (such as alkaline phosphatase, SmAP) are likely key to these abilities.

PDL-1 Blockade Prevents T Cell Exhaustion, Inhibits Autophagy, and Promotes Clearance of Leishmania donovani.

is a causative pathogen of potentially fatal visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Therapeutic agents are available; however, their use is limited because of high cost, serious side effects, and development of antimicrobial resistance. Protective immunity against VL depends on CD4 Th1 cell-mediated immunity.

Is toxoplasmosis a potential risk factor for liver cirrhosis?

Objective: To document Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) antibody status in patients with liver disease, blood samples were taken from 180 hepatic patients and 180 healthy controls.

Methods: Toxoplasma IgG antibody was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and histopathological assessment of liver biopsy METAVIR score was applied.

Present-day anthelmintics and perspectives on future new targets.

In absence of vaccines for the majority of helminths, chemotherapy is still the mainstay for controlling human helminthiases. However, a limited number of drugs are available in the market to combat parasitic helminths in human. Besides, the development and spread of drug resistance have declined the use of most currently available anthelmintics.

In vivo effect of single oral dose of artemether against early juvenile stages of Schistosoma mansoni Egyptian strain.

The current treatment and control of schistosomiasis, rely on a single drug, praziquantel, although, it has minor activity against juvenile stages of the parasite. Studies have shown that artemether (ART) exhibits effects against juveniles of Schistosoma mansoni Liberian and Puerto Rican strains, Schistosoma japonicum and Schistosoma haematobium. Aiming to assess the in vivo activity of single oral dose of ART against early juvenile stages of S.

First insight into the effect of single oral dose therapy with artemisinin-naphthoquine phosphate combination in a mouse model of Schistosoma mansoni infection.

Praziquantel is the current drug of choice against schistosomiasis. The dependency on praziquantel exclusively is problematic, given the spread of the disease and the threat of drug resistance. This study investigates an alternative antischistosomal drug using the compound naphthoquine phosphate tablet, which is a novel single oral dose antimalarial drug, containing a combination of naphthoquine phosphate and artemisinin.

Correlation of Trichomonas vaginalis to bacterial vaginosis: a laboratory-based study.

Background: This study aimed to define the occurrence of different organisms causing vulvovaginitis; to evaluate different laboratory methods used for diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis); and to evaluate the direct score system and clue cell method compared with culture for diagnosis of bacterial and T. vaginalis vaginosis.

Past and present situation of human fascioliasis in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt.

Zoonotic fascioliasis is a problem not only in Dakahlia Governorate, but also in other Egyptian Governorates. This work was conducted in ten centers at Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. Three thousand cases were randomly selected annually from each center representing five rural and five urban areas.

Soil-parasites particularly Toxocara eggs in Egypt.

Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) remain a major threat to the human health throughout the world, mostly in developing nations. Soil is usually contaminated by different parasitic stages through promiscuous defecation of man particularly children. This is more liable to occur in fields, public gardens and sides of streets or canals.

Biochemical parameters in chronic fascioliasis.

Serum lipids, liver enzymes and total bile acids were measured in chronic Fasciola (cholestatic and non-cholestatic) patients. Variations in the biochemical parameters between infected and control groups were detected and typified by considerably higher serum triglycerides (TG, P < 0.001), alkaline phosphatase (ALP, P< 0.

Helminthes of synanthropic rodents (Rodentia: Muridae) from Dakahlia and Menoufia, Egypt.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted to monitor and compare the prevalence of helminthes in rodents from Dakahlia and Menoufia governorates. The domestic rodents (271) were Rattus norvegicus, Rattus rattus frugivorous, Rattus r. alexandrinus, & Mus musculus.

Seroprevalence of and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies among asymptomatic blood donors in Egypt.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the seroprevalence of and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in 260 blood donors seen at blood banks in Mansoura University Hospital, Egypt. Blood donors were interviewed about sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors for T. gondii infection.

Hepatic hydatid disease: four case reports.

We report four cases who were referred to Mansoura University Teaching Hospital, Egypt suffering from abdominal pain and gastrointestinal manifestations. The patients' history was unremarkable, except that they had contact with dogs and live in rural communities. Laboratory findings showed peripheral blood eosinophilia, leucocytosis, and elevated liver enzymes.

Diagnostic criteria for house dust mites sensitized allergic patients.

House dust mites (HDM) contain a large number of components that react with IgE in individuals with allergies and induced sensi-tization and allergic diseases. The work aimed to correlate between clinical manifestations of HDM allergic patients and skin prick test (SPT) grading, and to clarify some markers denoting allergic disorders caused by HDM exposure. Thirty allergic patients with positive SPT reaction to HDM were selected, grading of disease severity according to SPT and clinical presentations.

Comparative study between immunohistochemical grading and giardia genotyping among symptomatic and asymptomatic humans.

In the last years, multiple studies indicated the potential effectiveness of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of Giardia in pathological specimens. By using the difference at the triose phosphate isomerase (tpi) gene locus, we investigated the genotype groups of Giardia lamblia isolated directly from fecal specimens collected from humans living in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. Immunohistochemical staining for detection of Giardia local antigenic and cellular immune-determinants focusing on CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocytes was also applied.

Present situation of house dust mites in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt.

House dust mites are common inhalant allergens, which can precipitate atopic disease episodes. The present study revealed presence of four mites. These are Dermatophagoides farinae, D.

Geoparasites in rural Dakahlia Governorate, a preliminary based study for development of the community-based intervention programs.

A prospective study was carried out to detect the rural prevalence and intensity of geoparasites in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. A total of 1070 soil samples were collected; 571 (53.4%) were infected with one or more parasites.

Some molecular aspects in schistosomiasis mansoni and toxoplasmosis.

The IL-2 and IL-4 cytokines production represent cellular Th1 & Th2 immune responses respectively were associated with chronic schistosomiasis mansoni (stages 1-4) and chronic toxoplasmosis gondii. In the hepatosplenic schistosomiasis, the level of IL-2 and disease stage increased in parallel (P<0.05, <0.