Setaria equina: in vivo effect of diethylcarbamazine citrate on microfilariae in albino rats

Heartworm disease - Overview, intervention, and industry perspective

Dirofilaria immitis, also known as heartworm, is a major parasitic threat for dogs and cats around the world. Because of its impact on the health and welfare of companion animals, heartworm disease is of huge veterinary and economic importance especially in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Within the animal health market many different heartworm preventive products are available, all of which contain active components of the same drug class, the macrocyclic lactones. In addition to compliance issues, such as under-dosing or irregular treatment intervals, the occurrence of drug-resistant heartworms within the populations in the Mississippi River areas adds to the failure of preventive treatments. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the disease, summarize the current disease control measures and highlight potential new avenues and best practices for treatment and prevention.

Honoring antiparasitics: The 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Protozoa and helminths are the two main groups that cause parasitic diseases with a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms. Protozoa are unicellular organisms like the malaria parasite Plasmodium, which is responsible for the majority of deaths associated with parasitic infections. Helminths are alternative parasites that can produce debilitating diseases in hosts, some of which result in chronic infections. The discovery of effective therapeutic drugs is the key to improving health in regions of poverty and poor sanitation where these parasites usually occur. It is very encouraging that the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Youyou Tu as well as William C. Campbell and Satoshi Õmura for their considerable contributions in discovering artemisinin and avermectin, respectively. Both drugs revolutionized therapies for filariasis and malaria, significantly reducing by large percentages their morbidity and mortality.

Detection for cross-reactive proteins in filarial worm Setaria equina, MCF-7 human breast cancer, and Huh-7 hepatoma cells

This study aimed to detect the cross-reactive proteins in filarial parasite adult worm Setaria equina and two different tumor cell lines (MCF-7 human breast cancer and Huh-7 hepatoma cells). This was performed using rabbit anti-S. equina extract (SeqE) or DEC (Diethylcarbamazine citrate) polyclonal IgG antibodies by indirect ELISA and western blotting. The results indicated cross-reactive bands at 70 and 75 kDa in all extracts by anti-DEC and SeqE antibodies, respectively. In addition, the expression of 70 kDa protein was only reduced in filarial worms and Huh-7 after in vitro DEC treatment compared to the control.

Immunomodulatory effect of diethylcarbamazine citrate plus filarial excretory-secretory product on rat hepatocarcinogenesis

Diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) had a significance in anti-filarial chemotherapy, while excretory-secretory product (ES) is released from adult filarial females. The target of the current study was to examine the immunomodulatory effect of DEC, Setaria equina ES or a combination of them on rat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN). In vitro effect of combined DEC and ES or ES alone on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated rat peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was tested through IFN-γ assay in culture supernatants. In addition, single or repeated doses of DEC, ES or DEC+ES have been applied in white albino rats to test the effect on HCC. Levels of IFN-γ and anti-ES IgG antibodies in rat serum were assayed using ELISA. Hemolytic complement activity (CH50) was determined in serum while the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) was assayed in liver tissue. The infiltration of NK cells as well as the expression of MHC Iproliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), Bcl2 and p53 were determined using immunohistochemistry. There was a dose-dependent increase in IFN-γ after in vitro exposure to DEC+ES. Repeated ES doses increased NO concentration (p<0.05) and expression of iNOS but reduced CH50 (p<0.001), while repeated DEC+ES doses could increase anti-ES IgG (p<0.01), IFN-γ level (p<0.05) and NK cell infiltration. The same treatments could also reduce the expression of MHC I expression, PCNA, Bcl2 and p53. This study has shown immunomodulatory and protective effects of DEC+ES repeated doses on rat HCC.

A review of neglected tropical diseases: filariasis

Filariasis is result of parasitic infection caused by three specific kinds of round worm. Lymphatic filariasis is found in under developed region of South America, Central Africa, pacific and Caribbian. It has been found for centuries, with main symptoms as elephant like swelling of the arms, legs and genitals. It is estimate that 120 millions peoples in the world have lymphatic filariasis. The spread of diseases and the challenge encountered in its management are discussed along with a review on drugs against filariasis in this article. Detail on clinical effect of drugs on the infection, safety profile, status in clinical practices and drug resistances are also covered.