First record of Lecithochirium grandiporum (Digenea: Hemiuridae) infecting the lizard fish Saurida tumbil from the Red Sea

The present study was the first investigation of digenetic trematode parasites of Saurida tumbil, a commercially important fish species of the Red Sea, during the period from January to December 2011. Thirty-nine out of 103 (37.8?%) of the examined fish were found to harbor the digenetic trematode Lecithochirium grandiporum (family: Hemiuridae) infecting the pyloric portion of stomach and middle part of intestines of the lizard fish. The morphology and morphometric characterizations of this digenetic trematode were described by light and scanning electron microscopy. The parasite possessed a body which was elongated and rounded anteriorly, but truncated posteriorly, and its body measured 1.63?±?0.20 (1.2?C1.93) mm (invaginated ecsoma), 2.11?±?0.20 (1.83?C2.35) mm (evaginated ecsoma) in length with a maximum width of 0.4?±?0.02 (0.31?C0.52) mm at ovarian level. They were characterized by a subterminal oral sucker which measured 0.15?±?0.02 (0.12?C0.18) mm in diameter and was smaller than the ventral sucker which was circular and large with a wide aperture, hence the specific name grandiporum. A multilobated digitiform vitellarium which was a distinctive feature for this species was also observed. The number of parasite per fish was one to six. Prevalence and intensity of infection were positively correlated with host size (increasing with host size increasing). Host sex does not seem to affect the prevalence of infection. The present study was considered as a first record from the Red Sea in Egypt.     

A new species of the genus Heterobothrium (Monogenea: Diclidophoridae) parasitizing the gills of tiger puffer fish Tetraodon lineatus (Tetraodontidae). A light and scanning electron microscopic study

In the present study, the morphology and morphometric characterization of Heterobothrium lineatus, a monogenean gill parasite infecting the gills and wall of the bronchial cavity of the tiger pufferfish Tetraodon lineatus, were described by means of light and scanning electron microscopy for the first time from the River Nile at Qena Governorate, South Valley, Egypt. In wet mount preparation, the adult worms exhibited an elongated body with anterior pointed and posterior broad ends. The adult worm measured 1.15–1.76 mm (1.53 ± 0.2) in length and 0.30–0.42 mm (0.35 ± 0.02) in width. Light and scanning electron microscopic observations showed the presence of two buccal organs situated anteriorly around the mouth opening. The opisthohaptor was subdivided into four pairs of clamps but had no isthmus separating it from the body proper. The present Heterobothrium species differs from all other described species in the genus, by its lower dimensions of the worm measurements and the presence of a copulatory organ armed with 12–15 genital hooks. Furthermore, it is easily distinguished from Heterobothrium tetrodonis and Heterobothrium okamotoi by the absence of a distinct isthmus, and resembles Heterobothrium lamothei described from the gills of Sphoeroides testodineus in Mexico in its general appearance and the presence of rectangular haptor with the fourth pair of clamps smaller than the previous ones.     

First report of Kudoa species (Myxozoa: Kudoidae) infecting the spotted coral grouper Plectropomus maculates from the Red Sea. A light and ultrastructural study

In the present study, out of 200, 120 (60?%) Plectropomus maculates fish were found to be naturally infected with Kudoa sp. The infection was intensive and appeared as clusters of ovoid to ellipsoidal plasmodia being restricted to the cardiac muscles. More than 100 plasmodia were counted per infected heart and measured 1.53?±?0.2 (1.2-2.5)?×?0.65?±?0.2 (0.63-0.80)?mm. On the basis of spore morphology, the parasite was identified as Kudoa sp. The spore measures 4.8?±?0.3 (4.7-6.8)?×?4.0?±?0.3 (4.6-6.5)?μm. The four polar capsules were pyrifom in shape measuring 1.4?±?0.2 (1.3-3.5)?×?1.2?±?0.2 (1.1-2.2)?μm. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the plasmodia were bordered by a single membrane which invaginates into pinocytotic canals. Adjacent to the plasmodial wall, the generative cells and the early pansporoblasts were located peripherally. The developmental stages characterizing sporogenesis, capsulogenisis, and valvogenesis of the present parasites were ultrastructurally studied.     

Impact of Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis on School Children in Egypt

Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) and its impact on school children in Egypt. Methods: A total of 3,706 students from six randomly selected schools of Menoufia were included where 126 had symptoms according to the VKC related symptoms questionnaire. Selected children were referred to a hospital for further assessment. Results: The mean age of included children was 8.79±31.87 years, with a VKC prevalence of 3.3%, and male-to-female ratio of 2.3:1. The most frequently reported symptoms were ocular itching, followed by burning sensation, tearing, red eye, discharge, and photophobia. Signs vary between mild and severe cases; however, all cases had a negative impact on school attendance and performance. Conclusion: The prevalence of VKC differs according to the age group of included cases and the local temperature of the study area. School attendance, performance, lifestyle, and social activities were negatively affected by VKC.     

A Simple Immunohistochemical Panel Could Predict and Correlate to Clinicopathologic and Molecular Subgroups of Urinary Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma

BackgroundAlthough gene expression profiling provided a comprehensive molecular characterization of different subtypes of bladder urothelial carcinoma (UC), which are distinct in their biological features and prognosis, such a system is not yet applicable for routine clinical practice. This study aimed to examine the expression of these molecular classes of UC using simple panel of immunohistochemical markers.Materials and MethodsTissue sections from 192 specimens of UC were stained with FGFR3, CK5, CCNB1, HER-2, and P53. The molecular classes identified were correlated with clinicopathologic characteristics and patient survival.ResultsThe most frequent class in our cohort was urobasal B (UroB) (44.1%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma-like (SCCL) (22%), genomically unstable (GU) (20.3%), and urobasal A (UroA) (13.6%). Patients with SCCL were significantly younger (P < .0001). Both the SCCL and GU types were of significantly higher histopathologic grade (P < .0001). UroA tumors were mainly of the T1 stage (75%), whereas 61.5% of the SCCL and 58.3% of the GU types were of stage T2 (P < .001). Prognosis was significantly different among groups. The SCCL class showed the lowest overall survival (38.5%; P = .030) and metastasis-free survival (69.2%; P = .017). The best prognosis was for UroA, with an overall survival of 75% and no metastatic events.ConclusionThe distribution of UC subtypes in our study was uniquely different from other studies. This simple immunohistochemical panel could be suggested as a clinically applicable tool that has the potential to be used routinely in guiding individualized treatment of UC.     

Azithromycin versus ceftriaxone for the treatment of uncomplicated typhoid fever in children.

A total of 108 children aged 4-17 years were randomized to receive 7 days of azithromycin (10 mg/kg/day; maximum, 500 mg/day) or ceftriaxone (75 mg/kg/day; maximum, 2.5 g/day), to assess the efficacy of the agents for the treatment of uncomplicated typhoid fever. Salmonella typhi was isolated from the initial cultures of blood samples from 64 patients. A total of 31 (91%) of the 34 patients treated with azithromycin and 29 (97%) of the 30 patients treated with ceftriaxone were cured (P>.05). All 64 isolates were susceptible to azithromycin and ceftriaxone. Of the patients treated with ceftriaxone, 4 subsequently had relapse of their infection. No serious side effects occurred in any study subject. Oral azithromycin administered once daily appears to be effective for the treatment of uncomplicated typhoid fever in children. If these results are confirmed, the agent could be a convenient alternative for the treatment of typhoid fever, especially in individuals in developing countries where medical resources are scarce.     

The intranuclear development of Toxoplasma

Summary Single Toxoplasma as well as dividing parasites within rosettes and clones have been demonstrated to occur in perinuclear and intranuclear positions in a monkey kidney epithelial cell line. Within the clones the parasites are apparently dividing by endodyogeny.     

Protein and gene expression of Ca2+ channel isoforms in murine colon: effect of inflammation

L-Type voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channels (L-VDCC) mediate calcium influx in response to membrane depolarization and regulate intracellular processes such as contraction, secretion, neurotransmission, and gene expression. Colonic inflammation significantly attenuates calcium currents in smooth muscle; however, the basis for this remains unclear. In this study we examined the protein and mRNA expression of two isoforms of Ca_v1.2, encoded by either exon 1a or 1b. Both isoforms were detected by Western blots, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR in smooth muscle cells. Neither the protein nor mRNA expression measured by real-time PCR of either isoforms was affected in colonic myocytes from dextran sulfate sodium-treated mice. In whole-cell voltage-clamp experiments, the amplitude of the calcium currents were decreased by almost 70% by inflammation. The calcium channel currents were attenuated by 50±3% by the c-src kinase specific inhibitor, PP2, in control cells but only 19±7% in cells from inflamed mice. These studies suggest that decreased calcium channel currents following colonic inflammation are not due to decreased expression but may result from altered regulation by the non-receptor cellular tyrosine kinase, c-src kinase.