Gastrointestinal helminths found in the three freshwater turtles (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Erymnochelys madagascariensis,Pelomedusa subrufa</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pelusios castanoides</Emphasis>) from Ankarafantsika National Park,Madagascar

Summary We conducted a survey of the presence, prevalence and diversity of gastrointestinal helminths in faecal samples and stomach contents of three turtle species, — Erymnochelys madagascariensis (Chelonia: Podocnemididae), Pelomedusa subrufa and Pelusios castanoides (Chelonia: Pelomedusidae), — from several localities in Madagascar. Four nematode species were detected: Atractis chabaudi, Camallanus chelonius, Falcaustra pelusios, and Spiroxys sp. E. madagascariensis, with all four species, had the greatest helminth diversity. A. chabaudi was the community’s core species, whereas Spiroxys sp. was a satellite species. Only two species (A. chabaudi and Spiroxys sp.) were found in P. subrufa and only one, Spiroxys sp., in P. castanoides. These are the first helminthological data on E. madagascariensis, one of the most threatened freshwater turtles in the world.     

Effect of Zinc or S-Adenosyl-l-methionine on Long Term Administration of Low Doses of Lead to Rats

Two alternatives for the treatment of lead intoxication, administration of zinc or a thiol donor, S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM), were analysed. Rats were exposed to lead (Pb)-acetate (60 mg/1) in drinking water during 90 days; one group also received SO₄Zn in water (40 mg/l), while another received both Pb and SAM (5 mg/24 hr intraperitoneally. Erythrocytic δ-aminolaevulinic dehydratase (ALA-D) activity was significantly reduced (P<0.001) both in rats receiving Pb alone and in rats receiving Pb and each of the other two treatments. The high erythrocytic uroporphyrinogen synthetase (URO-S) activity noticed in Pb administered rats, was significantly (P< 0.001) reduced in animals treated either with zinc or with SAM. Hepatic ALA-D activity tended to decrease while renal enzyme activity was not modified by the low level Pb exposure used in this work. Interestingly, SAM treated rats in both tissues exhibited significantly (P<0.01) higher activities of the enzyme. It is argued that SAM treatment causes a surplus of thiols that allows the full expression of ALA-D catalytic activity.     

On the relation between citrate and calcium in normal and stone-former subjects

The aim of this work is to evaluate citrate in a group of patients with calcium oxalate urolithiasis and in a control group for detecting possible differences between the two groups. The mean urinary concentration in the stone-formers was found significantly lower than in the controls. Particularly interesting was the correlation study between citrate and calcium. It was found that patients with hypocitraturia have hypercalciuria. Thus, it is particularly interesting to point out the importance of citrate in preventing the risk of lithiasis in the group of stone-formers studied by us.     

Comparison of microsurgical vasovasostomy techniques in the rat

We compared three different microsurgical vasovasostomy techniques on the rat vas deferens using absorbable and non-absorbable sutures and a fibrin adhesive technique. The best method was an extramucosal technique over a splint using vicryl. The worst results were seen using adhesive.     

Comparative, Clinico-Epidemiologic Study of Schistosoma mansoni Infections in Travellers and Immigrants in Spain

The study presented here aimed to contrast the marked clinical differences in the presentation of Schistosoma mansoni-induced infection between immigrants and travellers entering Spain from endemic regions, and to elucidate the therapeutic implications of these infections. A total of 200 African immigrants and 80 travellers with schistosomiasis were included in the study. Among the immigrants, 25 patients were diagnosed with Schistosoma mansoni infection; 15 presented with nonspecific symptoms, and 10 were asymptomatic. Hepatosplenomegaly was observed in nine. Among the travellers, 14 were diagnosed with Schistosoma mansoni infection; four were asymptomatic, four had Katayama syndrome, four had diarrhoea, and two had prostatitis. All of the patients were treated with praziquantel. Patients diagnosed with Katayama syndrome received praziquantel and dexamethasone for 3 days, with the praziquantel treatment being repeated at 3–4 weeks. The significant differences observed in the clinical presentation of Schistosoma mansoni-induced infection, indicate that a well-differentiated therapeutic strategy is required when this infection is diagnosed in a non-immune (traveller) or a semi-immune (immigrant) patient. Electronic Publication     

Degradation of extracellular matrix proteins (fibronectin, vitronectin and laminin) by serine-proteinases isolated from Lonomia achelous caterpillar hemolymph.

Lonomia achelous is a caterpillar distributed in southern Venezuela and in northern Brazil that causes an acute hemorrhagic syndrome in people who have contact with its bristles. The effect of the crude hemolymph and its chromatographic fractions (FDII, Lonomin V and Lonomin V-2) on extracellular matrix proteins was studied. The chromatographic fractions show activities similar to plasmin and urokinase. In sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, both lonomins appear as a protein band of 25 kDa under reduced conditions. By exclusion chromatography, the molecular weights of Lonomin V and Lonomin V-2 were 26.5 and 24.5 kDa, respectively. Fibronectin, laminin and vitronectin were degraded by all venom components. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, under reduced conditions, shows that lonomins degrade fibronectin in four main fragments of 116, 60, 50 and 30 kDa. Molecular exclusion chromatography in native conditions shows that the molecular masses of these fragments are > or = 300, 62 and 27 kDa. The proteolytic effect of lonomins was abolished by benzamidine/HCl, iodoacetic acid and aprotinin. The extracellular matrix protein degradation together with the fibrino(geno)lytic activity of hemolymph and its fractions could explain, in part, the hemorrhagic syndrome, and the wound dehiscence in persons who have had contact with the L. achelous caterpillar.