Phylogenetic evidence for recombination in SAG5 locus in Toxoplasma gondii

The present study evaluated the hypothesis that genetic diversity in SAG5 genes was generated by recombination events. Three lines of evidence suggested that recombination occurred in SAG5 genes in T. gondii. The permutation test revealed strong signature of intragenic recombination, pairwise comparisons of nucleotide sequences of SAG5 genes revealed that SAG5A alleles have chimerical structures composed of segments derived through recombination events between different alleles, and phylogenetic trees reconstructed based on SAG5 sequences using neighbor-joining and maximum parsimony methods, showed statistically well-supported consensus clusters of T. gondii strains specific to each SAG5 gene. Topological discrepancies between trees based on the N-terminal variable domain and C-terminal conserved domain sequences, were observed, suggesting intragenic recombinetion between SAG5A and SAG5B/C genes. The results showed that recombination within SAG5 in T. gondii was a major evolutionary mechanism generating both allelic variation at SAG5 locus and contributing to genotypic diversity and to emergence of new T. gondii variants, allowing them to evade the host immune defence mechanism.

Zoonotic hydatidosis in donkeys: post mortum examination in the Zoo, Giza, Egypt

A total of 17 out of 160 donkeys slaughtered had hepatic hydatidosis as proved macroscopically and microscopically. The epidemiology of zoonotic echinococcosis/hydatidosis was reviewed and discussed.

Ectoparasites of commensal rodents in Talkha Center, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt

The ecto-parasites infesting commensally rodents were collected from the different localities in Talkha Center (Dakahlia Governorate) from April 2006 to March 2007. The seasonal abundance of rodent number and rat index was 52 (0.58) in spring, 27 (0.3) in summer, 39 (0.22) in autumn and 17 (0.05) in winter. From 135 rodent species and rat index was Rattus norvegicus N=33 (0.24), R. r. frugivorous N=39 (0.29); R. r. alexandrinus N=48 (0.36) and Mus musculus N=15 (0.11). From 388 ecto-parasite infested rodent collected number and ecto index was fleas N= 114 (0.84 flea/rat), Lice N=93 (0.69 lice/rat), Mites N = 165 (1.2 mite/rat) and larva of ticks N=16 (0.12 tick/rat). No doubt, rodents and their ectoparasites played a serious role in spreading and transmission of zoonotic diseases to human and animal.

Mirazid in treatment of human hymenolepiasis

The efficacy and safety of Mirazid in treatment of human hymenolepiosis were carried out in a rural village in Talkha Center (Dakahlia G.). Kato thick smear stool examination showed 51 cases of Hymenolepis nana (9 of them had concomitant parasitosis), two cases of H. dimninuta. Mirazid was given in a dose of 10 mg/kg/d for nine consecutive days an hour before breakfast for hymenolepiosis cases, as capsule for adults and suppository for children. All cases were subjected to history taking before treatment and six weeks post-treatment and stool examination was repeated as well weekly for six weeks post-treatment. There was overt clinical improvement. Side effects were negligible. Parasitologic cure rate was 40/41 or 95.2% for H. nana one week post-treatment, and 100% for H. diminuta one week post-treatment, up to six weeks follow-up for all treated patients. Two unresponded H. nana patients were cured by another Mirazid course.

Echinococcosis in dogs in urban and rural areas in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt

A sample of one hundred and ninety stray dogs was captured from Mansoura city (urban) and three hundreds and fifty stray dogs were captured from Meet El-Korama, Mansheit El-Badawy villages (rural). The total prevalence of E. granulosus was 5%, with a worm burden ranging from 4 to 1010 (mean = 421). The significant prevalence was 6% in the rural area and 3.2% in the urban one. E. granulosus showed higher prevalence in young than old dogs and in males than females but without significant difference in both variants. The overall Echino-ELISA sensitivity was 61.5% and specificity was 97.5%. The major cross reactivity was with Taenia spp., and Diplydium caninum, but neither with Toxocara canis or Trichurus vulpis nor Ancylostoma caninum. There was a negative correlation between ELISA and Echinococcus granulosus burden in dogs.

Intestinal parasites in Dakahlia governorate, with different techniques in diagnosing protozoa

A total of 3180 patients attending Mansoura University Hospitals' Clinics, were subjected to stool examination by direct wet smear, formol-ether concentration, original formol-tween concentration, modified formol-tween concentration, modified Sheather's sugar floatation, Potassium hydroxide concentration and Gomori's Trichrome stain, and modified Kinyoun's acid-fast stain, and Ryan's Trichrome blue stain for Microsporidia. The intestinal helminthes in a descending order of abundance were: S. mansoni (5.3%), Fasciola sp. (4.8%), H. heterophyes (4.2%), Hymenolepis nana (3.9%), Trichostrongylus sp. (2.6%), A. lumbricoides (1.8%), Strongyloides stercoralis (1.5%), H. diminuta (1.4%), Taenia saginata (1.1%), E. vermicularis (by smear; 1.1 %), T. trichura (0.7%) and lastly A. duodenale (0.1%). The intestinal protozoa in a descending order of abundance were Blastocystis hominis (22.4%), Giardia lamblia (19.6%), Entamoeba histolytica/E.dispar (19%), Iodamoeba butschlii (16%), Cryptosporidium parvum (14.3%), E. coli (9.7%), Isospora hominis (7.7%), Endolimax nana (6.9%), E. hartmani (5.9%), Dientamoeba fragilis (5.1%), Chilomastix mesnili (5.1%), Trichomonas hominis (4.2%), Cyclospora cayetanensis (4.2%), Microsporidia spores (3.2%), Enteromonas hominis (1.9%) and Embadomonas intestinalis (1.3%). The results were discussed.

The liver function profile in PCR-RNA Egyptian HCV-patients and normal controls

No doubt, Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a real health problem worldwide. The liver function tests (S.ALT, S.AST, Albumin, Total Protein, Total Bilirubin and Direct Bilirubin) were evaluated in 20 PCR-RNA positive HCV-patients and 10 cross matched apparently healthy population. All the HCV-patients and controls were free from liver helminthes. The results showed that in the HCV-patients, there was elevation in the level of S.ALT (17/20 or 85%), S.AST (20/20 or 100%), Total Bilirubin (7/20 or 35%), and (4/20 or 20%). Besides, there was neither a correlation between sexes nor the degrees of viraemia and the elevation of these four parameters. However, serum levels of Albumin, and Total Protein were within the normal range. On the other hand, in the controls the levels of the six tests were within the normal range. Nevertheless, only one control subject who had positive HBs-Ag, showed elevated Total Bilirulin and Direct Bilirubin. Consequently, these tests are indicative as useful and dependable markers in the non-invasive diagnosis of the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

The histo-pathology of human giardiasis

In giardiasis symptomatic group (I) the prevalence of diarrhoea was 5/7 (71.43%), 13/13 (100%) in Grade 0, I, II, III and IV pathology respectively which is statistically insignificant in comparison to each other (P > 0.05). The prevalence of abdominal pain is 71.43%, 73.33%, 95%, 91.67% and 100% in Grade 0, I, II, I & IV pathology respectively which is statistically insignificant to each other (P > 0.05). The prevalence of flatulence is 42.86%, 40%, 80%, 83.33% and 100% in Grade 0, I, II, III & IV pathology respectively, was statistically significant in comparison to each other (P < or = 0.05) So, the prevalence of flatulence is more frequent in patients with marked pathological changes in the duodenum. The prevalence of anorexia was 14.29%, 53.33%, 65%, 50% & 100% in Grade 0, I, II, III & IV pathology respectively, statistically significant in comparison to each other (P < or = 0.05). The prevalence of vomiting was 0%, 13.33%, 15%, 16.67 & 85.71% in Grade 0, I, II, III and IV pathology respectively, significant increased in Grade IV and absent in Grade 0 (P < or = 0.001).