Activation of complement in C-reactive protein positive sera by phosphorylcholine-bearing component isolated from parasite extract

Summary Phosphorylcholine-bearing component levels in extracts of various parasites were determined by a capillary precipitin test using anti-phosphorylcho-line Ig A myeloma protein, TEPC-15. Phosphorylcholine was demonstrated as a structural component not only in nematodes but also in trematodes and cestodes. The phosphorylcholine-bearing component was isolated from an extract of Toxocara canis larvae using a TEPC-15-Sepharose 4B column. The component reacted with C-reactive protein in sera to form one precipitin line in Immunoelectrophoresis. The component provided two Brilliant Coomassie Blue positive bands in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It reacted with C-reactive protein to activate complement in serum.     

Review of the Series “Disease of the Year 2011: Toxoplasmosis” Pathophysiology of Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasma gondii is a major cause of chronic parasitic infection in the world. This protozoan can cause retino-choroiditis in newborns and in adults, both immunocompetent and immunodeficient. This disease tends to be recurrent and can lead to severe visual impairment. The authors review current knowledge on the role of parasite genetics in influencing susceptibility to ocular toxoplasmosis and on the immuno-pathogenesis of this disease.     

Multimodality Diagnostic Imaging in a Case of Sympathetic Ophthalmia

Background: Treatment of ocular toxoplasmosis is aimed at stabilizing visual function and reducing recurrence rates.

Methods: Small controlled studies indicate that available treatments do not affect visual outcome and recurrence rates, and no antibiotic in current use will kill bradyzoites.

Results: Antiparasitic treatment is justified in center-involving lesions and in large aggressive lesions namely in South American patients. Antibiotic treatment is needed for disease in the immunosuppressed, and this needs to be systemic. There exists strong agreement that a monotherapy, using steroids, is contraindicated. Prophylactic antibiotics may reduce recurrence rates in endemic areas and immunosuppressed patients.

Conclusion: An ideal therapeutic strategy includes the strain of parasite, localization of the lesion, and severity of the inflammatory response as a basis for therapeutic decision making. New treatments targeting aspects of the parasite s physiology are very promising. On a global scale, public health measures to prevent transmission from animals and to access potable water are required.     

Subarachnoidal and intraventricular human neurocysticercosis: application of an antigen detection assay for the diagnosis and follow-up

BACKGROUND: Neurocysticercosis (NC) is a parasitic disease of the central nervous system caused by the larval stage of Taenia solium. Although imaging studies are recommended for diagnosis and follow-up of patients, their high cost and restricted availability limit their use. Among various immunological tests, the detection of HP10 antigen in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) has proved to be a useful tool for the diagnosis of NC in the case of viable but not dead parasites. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate the usefulness of the detection of HP10 antigen for the diagnosis and follow-up of NC patients. METHODS: The effectiveness of this HP10 assay was analysed for the CSF of 46 confirmed NC cases (21 men, 25 women) who had been clinically and radiologically described. RESULTS: In 21 of 24 NC patients (87.5%) with viable parasites localized in the SA space at the base of the brain or in the ventricles these were detected by means of the HP10 assay, whilst none of the three patients with viable parasites in the parenchyma or sulci had these detected. Used for the follow-up of patients after cysticidal treatment, it was showed that levels of HP10 dropped significantly only among those patients whose cysticerci were clearly damaged. CONCLUSIONS: HP10 antigen assay is recommended as a support for diagnosis and follow-up in NC patients with viable parasites localized in the SA space at the base of the brain or in the ventricles, thereby potentially reducing the number of imaging studies required.     

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??Objective??To investigate the clinical diagnosis treatment and prognosis of young children infected by leishmania with hemophagocytic syndrome ??HPS?? in Xinjiang. Methods??During December 2007and December 2009??16 patients of young children with HPS were hospitalized in the Pediatric Department of the People’s Hospital??Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The data of patients’ habitation?? clinical presentation and laboratory results were reviewed and analyzed. Results??All the 16 patients came from the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang and the diagnosis was supported by laboratory tests. In nine patients??Lidou body ??Leishmania donovani?? were found in bone marrow??and in fourteen patients??serum rK39-ELISA ??rK39?? Leishmania donovani gene expression product?? ELISA?? enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay?? test was positive. The first two cases among these16 patients were misdiagnosed as familial HPS??who had no response to the treatment and died. The other 14 cases were diagnosed as Assam fever caused by visceral leishmania??and sodium antimony gluconate was administered. Fourteenpatients were cured. Conclusion??In the Tarim Basin??in young patients with HPS the visceral leishmania infection should first be considered. Serum rK39-ELISA test is helpful in the diagnosis of Leishmania infection. The HPS Assam fever in young children is often emergent and severe ??the children would die quickly unless an early diagnosis were made and appropriate treatment were given.     

宠物仓鼠胃肠道寄生虫感染情况调查

用饱和蔗糖溶液漂浮法、改良抗酸染色法和卢戈碘液染色法对郑州某宠物市场金色仓鼠（Mesocricetus auratus）、黑线毛足鼠（Phodopus sungorus）、坎氏毛足鼠（P. campbelli）和小毛足鼠（P. roborovskii）共153份粪便样品进行检查, 寄生虫感染阳性率分别为70.7%（41/58）、96.7%（59/61）、83.9%（26/31）和100%（3/3）, 平均阳性率为84.3%。共检出8种寄生虫, 分别为隐孢子虫（15.0％）、贾第虫（22.2％）、球虫（2.0%）、短膜壳绦虫（31.4％）、长膜壳绦虫（25.5%）、管状线虫（41.8％）、四翼无刺线虫（7.2%）和毛尾目未定种类（18.3%）。表明宠物仓鼠可感染和传播多种人兽共同感染的寄生虫。     

氯喹在体外对疟色素形成的条件性抑制

目的 研究在体外系统中氯喹对疟原虫疟色素形成抑制作用的特点。 方法 利用光镜和分光光度法观察和检测不同浓度乙酸钠溶液（0.5、1、1.5和2 mol/L）在不同pH值（pH 4.0、4.2、4.4、4.6、4.8和5.0）条件下,氯喹对疟色素基质形态及其生成量的影响,观察疟色素形成基质的形态变化规律。同时,用X-射线衍射分析不同pH条件下氯喹对色素晶体的结晶度及晶体大小的影响。 结果 氯喹抑制疟色素形成的临界pH值随乙酸钠浓度的升高而升高,从0.5 mol/L乙酸钠时的pH 4.2到2 mol/L时的pH 4.8。X-射线衍射分析表明,环境pH值由4.4提高到4.8,疟色素晶体的结晶度和晶体大小也分别从6.93%和357 ?魡下降到6.32%和264 ?魡。当pH值升高到5.0时,β-hematin晶体不再形成。氯喹可降低相同pH条件下β-hematin晶体的结晶度和晶体大小。形态学观察结果与之一致。 结论 体外实验表明,氯喹仅在疟色素形成处于或大于临界pH时,才表现出抑制疟色素形成的作用。     

Cell-mediated cytotoxicity is the main innate immune mechanism involved in the cellular defence of gilthead seabream (Teleostei: Sparidae) against Enteromyxum leei (Myxozoa)

The cellular innate immune response of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) against the myxozoan Enteromyxum leei was studied. Enteromyxosis was transmitted by maintaining uninfected fish (recipients) together with infected animals. A group of fish not exposed to the infection served as controls. After 10, 22, 38, 52 and 108 days, control and recipient fish were sampled and leucocyte subpopulations and cellular immune responses (leucocyte peroxidases, phagocytosis, respiratory burst and cytotoxicity) of the head-kidney leucocytes were determined. The percentage of acidophilic granulocytes was significantly lower in non-parasitized and parasitized recipient fish than in control fish after 22 days but no significant differences were seen between non-parasitized and parasitized recipient animals. The leucocyte peroxidase content, phagocytosis and respiratory burst activity were seen to have decreased significantly at different sampling times in both non-parasitized and parasitized recipient fish with respect to the controls, whereas cytotoxic activity was up to 2.3 times higher than in control fish. Within the recipient group, little difference was observed in the studied parameters between non-parasitized and parasitized fish. These data demonstrate that cytotoxic activity may have an important role in the defence of gilthead seabream against the myxosporean E. leei. Immunological implications of E. leei infections are discussed.     

Linguatula serrata in the anterior chamber of the eye

We report a case of intraocular Linguatula in healthy young female who presented with a history of trivial trauma, dislocated lens, inflammation and secondary glaucoma. A mobile worm was seen in the anterior chamber. Pars plana lensectomy and vitrectomy was planned to remove both the cataractous lens and the parasite during which the worm disappeared from view but was later recovered from the cassette fluid. It was identified as the nymphal form of Linguatula serrata (tongue worm).     

The RhopH complex is transferred to the host cell cytoplasm following red blood cell invasion by Plasmodium falciparum

The high-molecular mass rhoptry protein complex (PfRhopH), which comprises three distinct gene products, RhopH1, RhopH2, and RhopH3, is known to be secreted and transferred to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane upon invasion of a red blood cell by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Here we show that the merozoite-acquired RhopH complex is also transferred to defined domains of the red blood cell cytoplasm, and possibly transiently associated with Maurer's clefts. This is the first report of trafficking in the host cell cytoplasm for P. falciparum rhoptry proteins secreted upon red blood cell invasion. Based on its newly identified sub-cellular location and the phenotype of RhopH1 mutants, we propose that the RhopH complex participate in the assembly of the cytoadherence complex.