Lactoferrin is an iron binding glycoprotein found in the 2ry granules of PMN. In order to determine the usefulness of such marker for neutrophilic activity in differentiating cases suffering from amoebic and bacillary dysentery, Schistosoma and bacterial UTI infections, we examined stool and urine specimens using anti-lactoferrin antibodies (lactoferrin latex agglutination test: LFLA), compared with different standard gold techniques. Our results demonstrated that cases with either shigllosis or UTI revealed a high lactoferrin titer which was positively correllated with the number of PMN. In addition cases with Entamoeba histolytica or S. haematobium were characterized by relatively lower inflammatory process as expressed by mild lactoferrin titer which was also correlated with the PMN count. In addition, the findings of the present work indicated that LFLA was sensitive and specific when used alone and its sensitivity was augmented after coupling with other simple indirect methods of diagnosis. In conclusion, results described the reliability of using LFLA as a simple, rapid, sensitive method in differentiating, certain parasitic from bacterial diseases.
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Biol Methods Protoc
December 2024
Campus College of Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, 65001 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The global resurgence of coronaviruses and the move to incorporate COVID-19 vaccines into the expanded program for immunization have warranted for a high-throughput and low-cost assay to measure and quantify mounted neutralizing antibodies as an indicator for protection against SARS-CoV-2. Hence, we evaluated the surrogate-virus-neutralization-assay (sVNT) as an alternative assay to the pseudo-virus neutralization assay (pVNT). The sVNT was used to measure neutralizing antibodies among 119 infected and/or vaccinated blood samples, against wild-type SARS-CoV-2 (WT) and the Omicron-variant with reference to the pVNT.
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February 2025
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Applied Physics Division, Boulder, Colorado, United States.
Significance: Developments of anti-gametocyte drugs have been delayed due to insufficient understanding of gametocyte biology. We report a systematic workflow of data processing algorithms to quantify changes in the absorption spectrum and cell morphology of single malaria-infected erythrocytes. These changes may serve as biomarkers instrumental for the future development of antimalarial strategies, especially for anti-gametocyte drug design and testing.
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January 2025
National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbes and Biosafety, and Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen 518107, China. Electronic address:
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular and parasitic protozoon that harbors specialized cellular structures and molecular mechanisms, including the Plant-like Vacuolar Compartment (PLVAC). The PLVAC performs multifaceted roles in the parasite, contributing to ion homeostasis, proteolysis, pH regulation, and autophagy. Despite significant efforts over the past decade to characterize the PLVAC, the proteins localized to this organelle remain largely unidentified.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBr J Hosp Med (Lond)
January 2025
Department of Rheumatism and Immunity, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Patients receiving kidney transplant experience immunosuppression, which increases the risk of bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections. Q fever is a potentially fatal infectious disease that affects immunocompromised renal transplant recipients and has implications in terms of severe consequences for the donor's kidney. A patient with acute Q fever infection following kidney transplantation was admitted to the Tsinghua Changgung Hospital in Beijing, China, in March 2021.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPathogens
January 2025
Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Pneumonia caused by infection (PCP) is a potentially life-threatening illness, particularly affecting the immunocompromised. The past two decades have shown an increase in PCP incidence; however, the underlying factors that promote disease severity and fatality have yet to be fully elucidated. Recent evidence suggests that the microbiota of the respiratory tract may play a role in stimulating or repressing pulmonary inflammation, as well as the progression of both bacterial and viral pneumonia.
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