Echinococcus granulosus and other intestinal helminths in semi-stray dogs in Tunisia: infection and re-infection rates.

Objective: Assessing the baseline prevalence and the re-infection rate of E. granulosus and other cestodes in dogs is important for a control program based on regular dog dosing treatment with praziquantel mainly to young rural dogs.

Methods: Three hundred and seventy five rural and semi-stray dogs from Jendouba (207 dogs) and Béjà (168 dogs) Departments in Northern-West of Tunisia, were examined to evaluate both the baseline prevalence of intestinal helminths and re-infection rates with Echinococcus granulosus and other cestodes.

An oral recombinant vaccine in dogs against Echinococcus granulosus, the causative agent of human hydatid disease: a pilot study.

Dogs are the main source of human cystic echinococcosis. An oral vaccine would be an important contribution to control programs in endemic countries. We conducted two parallel experimental trials in Morocco and Tunisia of a new oral vaccine candidate against Echinococcus granulosus in 28 dogs.

Molecules targeting the purine salvage pathway in Apicomplexan parasites.

The need of intracellular parasites to retrieve nutrients and fulfill their energy requirements is achieved by manipulating the host's metabolism. With the spread of AIDS, research on purine metabolism has gained in importance with the aim to develop drugs against opportunistic infections. Many studies over the past ten years have yielded contradictory results, but this review tries to clarify these findings by exposing the latest data concerning purine transport and the specific activities of the major enzymes of the purine salvage pathway of Toxoplasma gondii, Plasmodium falciparum and Cryptosporidium parvum.

[Treatment of hydatid cyst in sheep. Assay of a new scolicide].

Objective: The main of this study was to show the rapidity of the protoscolicide action of a synthetic compound, dipeptide methyl ester when it is injected under echographic control into hydatid cyst of sheep.

Materials And Methods: Fourthty sheep with hydatid cysts, repaired at echography and punctionable are treated by dipeptide methyl ester injection at the dose of 110 mM.

Results: In vitro tests have allowed to define the efficacy dose of dipeptide methyl ester which is 110 mM.

Antifungal effects of aminosulphoxide and disulphide derivatives.

2-Benzenesulphinyl-(1,4)-naphtoquinone and 14 derivatives were synthesised and were used to evaluate their cytotoxicity against a human myelomonocyte cell line and their antifungal activity against two yeast, i.e. Candida albicans and C.

Synthesis and evaluation of antifungal activity of naphthoquinone derivatives.

3-Arylamino-2-phenylsulfinylnaphthoquinones, 2,3-diarylthio-naphthoquinones and 2-phenylsulfinyl-3-arylthio-1,4-dihydronaphtalenes are synthesized and tested against five fungi. The activities of these products were better than amphotericine B against all the strains except for Candida albicans.

Toxoplasma gondii: localization of purine nucleoside phosphorylase activity in vitro and in vivo by electron microscopy.

Purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP, EC 2.4.2.

Synthesis and antiprotozoal activity of naphthofuranquinones and naphthothiophenequinones containing a fused thiazole ring.

The synthesis of tetracyclic quinones 10a,b, 14a,b, 19a,b and 20a,b is described. The preparations involve regioselective Diels-Alder reactions via trapping the thiazole o-quinodimethane 9 with several benzofuranquinones and benzothiophenequinones. The structure of the regioisomers was assigned through 2D NMR 1H-13C HMBC experiments performed on 10a and 14a.

Quinonic derivatives active against Toxoplasma gondii.

Quinonic derivatives were tested against a virulent RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii maintained in cell culture in THP-1, a human myelomonocytic cell line. The derivatives were tested at various doses (0.5-4 microg/ml) and compared with the reference molecules clindamycine, sulfadiazine, pyrimethamine and atovaquone.