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Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024This study demonstrates the capability of Raman microscopy for detecting structural differences in cells exposed to different drugs and incubation times. While...
This study demonstrates the capability of Raman microscopy for detecting structural differences in cells exposed to different drugs and incubation times. While metronidazole (MTZ) visibly affects the cells by inducing extracellular vesicle releases of toxic iron intermediates and modified triple-bond moieties, oseltamivir (OSM) alters the phenylalanine and lipid structures. Modifications in the heme protein environment and the transformation of iron from ferric to ferrous observed for both drug treatments are more notable for MTZ. Different contents and amounts of vesicle excretion are detected for 24 h or 48 h with MTZ incubation. At a shorter drug exposure, releases of altered proteins, glycogen, and phospholipids dominate. Agglomerates of transformed iron complexes from heme proteins and multiple-bond moieties prevail at 48 h of treatment. No such vesicle releases are present in the case of OSM usage. Drug incorporations into the cells and their impact on the plasma membrane and the dynamics of lipid raft confirmed by confocal fluorescence microscopy reveal a more destructive extent by OSM, corroborating the Raman results. Raman microscopy provides a broader understanding of the multifaceted factors and mechanisms responsible for giardiasis treatment or drug resistance by enabling a label-free, simultaneous monitoring of structural changes at the cellular and molecular levels.
PubMed: 38787210
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13050358 -
Euro Surveillance : Bulletin Europeen... May 2024Background is a major cause of gastroenteritis globally, and is the most common food- and waterborne parasitic infection in Europe.AimTo describe the epidemiology of...
Background is a major cause of gastroenteritis globally, and is the most common food- and waterborne parasitic infection in Europe.AimTo describe the epidemiology of reported acute giardiasis cases in Germany and compare demographic and clinical characteristics between imported and autochthonous cases.MethodsWe conducted a descriptive analysis of giardiasis cases that fulfilled the national case definition and were reported between January 2002 and December 2021. We defined an imported case as having at least one place of exposure abroad in the 3-25 days before symptom onset. We analysed case numbers and incidence by age, sex, month reported and geographic region, both overall and stratified by autochthonous and imported cases.ResultsFrom 2002 to 2021, 72,318 giardiasis cases were reported in Germany, corresponding to a mean annual incidence of 4.4 per 100,000 population. Annual incidence gradually decreased since 2013, declining sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21. Of 69,345 cases reported between 2002 and 2019, 35% were imported. Incidence of autochthonous cases (overall yearly mean: 3.1/100,000) was highest in males and young children (< 5 years); imported cases were predominantly adults aged 20-39 years. We identified seasonal patterns for imported and autochthonous cases.ConclusionsGiardiasis in Germany is typically assumed to be imported. Our data, however, underline the importance of autochthonous giardiasis. Travel advice might reduce imported infections, but prevention strategies for autochthonous infections are less clear. Dietary, behavioural and environmental risk factors need to be further investigated to enhance infection prevention measures for autochthonous giardiasis.
Topics: Humans; Giardiasis; Germany; Adult; Male; Female; Incidence; Middle Aged; Adolescent; Child; Young Adult; Aged; Child, Preschool; Infant; Travel; COVID-19; Population Surveillance; SARS-CoV-2; Age Distribution; Gastroenteritis; Communicable Diseases, Imported; Sex Distribution; Seasons; Aged, 80 and over
PubMed: 38757286
DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.20.2300509 -
Parasites & Vectors May 2024Opisthorchiasis and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) continue to be public health concerns in many Southeast Asian countries. Although the prevalence of opisthorchiasis is...
BACKGROUND
Opisthorchiasis and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) continue to be public health concerns in many Southeast Asian countries. Although the prevalence of opisthorchiasis is declining, reported cases tend to have a light-intensity infection. Therefore, early detection by using sensitive methods is necessary. Several sensitive methods have been developed to detect opisthorchiasis. The immunological detection of antigenic proteins has been proposed as a sensitive method for examining opisthorchiasis.
METHODS
The Opisthorchis viverrini antigenic proteins, including cathepsin B (OvCB), asparaginyl endopeptidase (OvAEP), and cathepsin F (OvCF), were used to construct multi-antigenic proteins. The protein sequences of OvCB, OvAEP, and OvCF, with a high probability of B cell epitopes, were selected using BepiPred 1.0 and the IEDB Analysis Resource. These protein fragments were combined to form OvCB_OvAEP_OvCF recombinant DNA, which was then used to produce a recombinant protein in Escherichia coli strain BL21(DE3). The potency of the recombinant protein as a diagnostic target for opisthorchiasis was assessed using immunoblotting and compared with that of the gold standard method, the modified formalin-ether concentration technique.
RESULTS
The recombinant OvCB_OvAEP_OvCF protein showed strong reactivity with total immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against light-intensity O. viverrini infections in the endemic areas. Consequently, a high sensitivity (100%) for diagnosing opisthorchiasis was reported. However, cross-reactivity with sera from other helminth and protozoan infections (including taeniasis, strongyloidiasis, giardiasis, E. coli infection, enterobiasis, and mixed infection of Echinostome spp. and Taenia spp.) and no reactivity with sera from patients with non-parasitic infections led to a reduced specificity of 78.4%. In addition, the false negative rate (FNR), false positive rate (FPR), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy were 0%, 21.6%, 81.4%, 100%, and 88.9%, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
The high sensitivity of the recombinant OvCB_OvAEP_OvCF protein in detecting opisthorchiasis demonstrates its potential as an opisthorchiasis screening target. Nonetheless, research on reducing cross-reactivity should be undertaken by detecting other antibodies in other sample types, such as saliva, urine, and feces.
Topics: Opisthorchiasis; Opisthorchis; Animals; Antigens, Helminth; Humans; Antibodies, Helminth; Recombinant Proteins; Sensitivity and Specificity; Helminth Proteins; Epitopes; Cathepsin B; Escherichia coli; Cysteine Endopeptidases
PubMed: 38715089
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06285-7 -
Parasite Epidemiology and Control May 2024is one of the most common causes of waterborne disease worldwide, and is often associated with outbreaks of diarrhea in areas with poor sanitation and hygiene. This...
is one of the most common causes of waterborne disease worldwide, and is often associated with outbreaks of diarrhea in areas with poor sanitation and hygiene. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and genetic diversity of assemblages in individuals attending major public hospitals in Shiraz, southwestern Iran. From August 2022 to May 2023, a total of 614 stool samples from individuals were collected and initially examined for cysts using parasitological techniques, sucrose flotation, and microscopy. Microscopy-positive samples were validated by SSU-PCR amplification of the parasite DNA. A multilocus genotyping (MLG) scheme, which focused on the triose phosphate isomerase () and the glutamate dehydrogenase () genes, was employed for genotyping purposes. cysts were found in 7.5% (46/614) and 8.5% (52/614) of samples through microscopy and SSU-PCR, respectively. Successful amplification and sequencing results were obtained for 77.3% (17/22) and 45.5% (10/22) of the infected samples at the and loci, respectively. MLG data for the two loci were available for only five samples. Out of the 22 samples genotyped at any loci, 54.5% (12/22) were identified as assemblage A, while 45.5% (10/22) were identified as assemblage B. AII was the most predominant sub-assemblage identified [54.5% (12/22)], followed by BIII [27% (6/22)], discordant BIII/BIV [13.6% (3/22)], and BIV [4.5% (1/22)]. In the present study, no assemblages suited for non-human animal hosts (e.g., C-F) were detected. This suggests that the transmission of human giardiasis in Shiraz is primarily anthroponotic. Further molecular-based analyses are necessary to confirm and expand upon these findings. These analyses will also help determine the presence and public health importance of the parasite in environmental samples, such as drinking water.
PubMed: 38711926
DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00354 -
Parasites & Vectors May 2024Enteric parasitic infections remain a major public health problem globally. Cryptosporidium spp., Cyclospora spp. and Giardia spp. are parasites that cause diarrhea in...
BACKGROUND
Enteric parasitic infections remain a major public health problem globally. Cryptosporidium spp., Cyclospora spp. and Giardia spp. are parasites that cause diarrhea in the general populations of both developed and developing countries. Information from molecular genetic studies on the speciation of these parasites and on the role of animals as vectors in disease transmission is lacking in Ghana. This study therefore investigated these diarrhea-causing parasites in humans, domestic rats and wildlife animals in Ghana using molecular tools.
METHODS
Fecal samples were collected from asymptomatic school children aged 9-12 years living around the Shai Hills Resource Reserve (tourist site), from wildlife (zebras, kobs, baboons, ostriches, bush rats and bush bucks) at the same site, from warthogs at the Mole National Park (tourist site) and from rats at the Madina Market (a popular vegetable market in Accra, Ghana. The 18S rRNA gene (18S rRNA) and 60-kDa glycoprotein gene (gp60) for Cryptosporidium spp., the glutamate dehydrogenase gene (gdh) for Giardia spp. and the 18S rDNA for Cyclospora spp. were analyzed in all samples by PCR and Sanger sequencing as markers of speciation and genetic diversity.
RESULTS
The parasite species identified in the fecal samples collected from humans and animals included the Cryptosporidium species C. hominis, C. muris, C. parvum, C. tyzzeri, C. meleagridis and C. andersoni; the Cyclopora species C. cayetanensis; and the Gardia species, G. lamblia and G. muris. For Cryptosporidium, the presence of the gp60 gene confirmed the finding of C. parvum (41%, 35/85 samples) and C. hominis (29%, 27/85 samples) in animal samples. Cyclospora cayetanensis was found in animal samples for the first time in Ghana. Only one human sample (5%, 1/20) but the majority of animal samples (58%, 51/88) had all three parasite species in the samples tested.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on these results of fecal sample testing for parasites, we conclude that animals and human share species of the three genera (Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Giardia), with the parasitic species mostly found in animals also found in human samples, and vice-versa. The presence of enteric parasites as mixed infections in asymptomatic humans and animal species indicates that they are reservoirs of infections. This is the first study to report the presence of C. cayetanensis and C. hominis in animals from Ghana. Our findings highlight the need for a detailed description of these parasites using high-throughput genetic tools to further understand these parasites and the neglected tropical diseases they cause in Ghana where such information is scanty.
Topics: Animals; Ghana; Cyclospora; Cryptosporidium; Feces; Cyclosporiasis; Animals, Wild; Cryptosporidiosis; Humans; Child; Animals, Domestic; Rats; DNA, Protozoan; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; Giardiasis; Diarrhea; Phylogeny; Giardia
PubMed: 38698452
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06225-5 -
Fitoterapia Apr 2024Anogeissus leiocarpus (DC.) Guill. & Perr. belongs to the family Combretaceae and is used both by African traditional medical practitioners and livestock rearers to... (Review)
Review
Anogeissus leiocarpus (DC.) Guill. & Perr. belongs to the family Combretaceae and is used both by African traditional medical practitioners and livestock rearers to treat diseases such as African trypanosomiasis, animal diarrhoea, asthma, cancer, cough, diabetes, dysentery, erectile dysfunction, fever, giardiasis, helminthiases, meningitis, menstrual disorders, monkeypox, oral infections, poliomyelitis, sickle cell anaemia, snake bites, toothache, urinary schistosomiasis, and yellow fever. Some of these activities have been associated with the presence of polyphenols in the plant which include ellagic acid derivatives, flavonoids, stilbenes, tannins, and triterpenes. Several bioactive molecules have been identified from A. leiocarpus. These include the main active constituents, ellagitannins, ellagic acid derivates, flavonoids and triterpenes. Pharmacological studies have confirmed its antibacterial, antifungal, antihyperglycemic, antihypertensive, antimalarial, antioxidative, antiparasitic, antitumour and anti-ulcer effects. The stem bark has been investigated mainly for biological activities and phytochemistry, and it is the most mentioned plant part highlighted by the traditional users in ethnomedicinal surveys. In vitro and in vivo models, which revealed a wide range of pharmacological actions against parasites causing helminthiasis, leishmaniasis, malaria and trypanosomiasis, have been used to study compounds from A. leiocarpus. Because of its uses in African traditional medicine and veterinary practices, A. leiocarpus has received considerable attention from researchers. The current review provides a comprehensive overview and critical appraisal of scientific reports on A. leiocarpus, covering its traditional uses, pharmacological activities and phytochemistry.
PubMed: 38692415
DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2024.105979 -
Iranian Journal of Parasitology 2024We aimed to determine the prevalence of and spp. in patients who admitted hospital with diarrhea and to gain information about the transmission of these parasites in...
BACKGROUND
We aimed to determine the prevalence of and spp. in patients who admitted hospital with diarrhea and to gain information about the transmission of these parasites in Ağrı, Türkiye.
METHODS
This study included 184 patients who applied to Ağrı-Diyadin State Hospital, Türkiye in 2022. The immunochromatographic card test was used for detection of the and spp. Nested PCR-RFLP analysis of the COWP gene and sequence analysis of the gp60 gene were used to genotype and subtype spp., whereas Nested PCR and sequence analyses of β-giardin gene were used genotype .
RESULTS
Of the 184 stool specimens examined, 12 (14.29%) and 7 (3.80%) were positive for and spp., respectively. The species were identified as belonging to the IId sub-type family. The were identified assemblages A.
CONCLUSION
Assemblage A, which is associated with diarrhea, is responsible for giardiasis and IId subtype, often found in sheep, goats and cattle, is responsible for cryptosporidiosis in Ağrı, Türkiye.
PubMed: 38654951
DOI: 10.18502/ijpa.v19i1.15188 -
Biomedica : Revista Del Instituto... Mar 2024The multifactorial etiology of gastroenteritis emphasizes the need for different laboratory methods to identify or exclude infectious agents and evaluate the severity of...
INTRODUCTION
The multifactorial etiology of gastroenteritis emphasizes the need for different laboratory methods to identify or exclude infectious agents and evaluate the severity of diarrheal disease.
OBJECTIVE
To diagnose the infectious etiology in diarrheic children and to evaluate some fecal markers associated with intestinal integrity.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study group comprised 45 children with diarrheal disease, tested for enteropathogens and malabsorption markers, and 76 children whose feces were used for fat evaluation by the traditional and acid steatocrit tests.
RESULTS
We observed acute diarrhea in 80% of the children and persistent diarrhea in 20%. Of the diarrheic individuals analyzed, 40% were positive for enteropathogens, with rotavirus (13.3%) and Giardia duodenalis (11.1%) the most frequently diagnosed. Among the infected patients, occult blood was more evident in those carrying pathogenic bacteria (40%) and enteroviruses (40%), while steatorrhea was observed in infections by the protozoa G. duodenalis (35.7%). Children with diarrhea excreted significantly more lipids in feces than non-diarrheic children, as determined by the traditional (p<0.0003) and acid steatocrit (p<0.0001) methods. Moreover, the acid steatocrit method detected 16.7% more fecal fat than the traditional method.
CONCLUSIONS
Childhood diarrhea can lead to increasingly severe nutrient deficiencies. Steatorrhea is the hallmark of malabsorption, and a stool test, such as the acid steatocrit, can be routinely used as a laboratory tool for the semi-quantitative evaluation of fat malabsorption in diarrheic children.
Topics: Humans; Diarrhea; Feces; Child, Preschool; Infant; Malabsorption Syndromes; Male; Female; Child; Giardiasis; Steatorrhea; Gastroenteritis; Occult Blood
PubMed: 38648349
DOI: 10.7705/biomedica.6913 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2024Giardiosis remains one of the most prevalent enteric parasitic infections globally. Earlier molecular-based studies conducted in Egypt have primarily focused on...
INTRODUCTION
Giardiosis remains one of the most prevalent enteric parasitic infections globally. Earlier molecular-based studies conducted in Egypt have primarily focused on paediatric clinical populations and most were based on single genotyping markers. As a result, there is limited information on the frequency and genetic diversity of infections in individuals of all age groups.
METHODS
Individual stool samples ( = 460) from outpatients seeking medical care were collected during January-December 2021 in Kafr El-Sheikh governorate, northern Egypt. Initial screening for the presence of was conducted by coprological examination. Microscopy-positive samples were further confirmed by real-time PCR. A multilocus sequence typing approach targeted amplification of the glutamate dehydrogenase (), beta- (), and triose phosphate isomerase () genes was used for genotyping purposes. A standardised epidemiological questionnaire was used to gather basic sociodemographic and clinical features of the recruited patients.
RESULTS
cysts were observed in 5.4% (25/460, 95% CI: 3.6-7.9) of the stool samples examined by conventional microscopy. The infection was more frequent in children under the age of 10 years and in individuals presenting with diarrhoea but without reaching statistical significance. Stool samples collected during the winter period were more likely to harbour . All 25 microscopy-positive samples were confirmed by real-time PCR, but genotyping data was only available for 56.0% (14/25) of the isolates. Sequence analyses revealed the presence of assemblages A (78.6%, 11/14) and B (21.4%, 3/14). All assemblage A isolates were identified as sub-assemblage AII, whereas the three assemblage B sequences belonged to the sub-assemblage BIII. Patients with giardiosis presenting with diarrhoea were more frequently infected by the assemblage A of the parasite.
CONCLUSION
This is one of the largest epidemiological studies evaluating infection in individuals of all age groups in Egypt. Our molecular data suggest that infections in the surveyed population are primarily of anthropic origin. However, because assemblages A and B are zoonotic, some of the infections identified can have an animal origin. Additional investigations targeting animal (domestic and free-living) and environmental (water) samples are warranted to better understand the epidemiology of giardiosis in Egypt.
Topics: Humans; Egypt; Giardiasis; Female; Male; Giardia lamblia; Child; Feces; Adult; Child, Preschool; Adolescent; Outpatients; Young Adult; Microscopy; Middle Aged; Multilocus Sequence Typing; Infant; Genotype; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
PubMed: 38645455
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1377123 -
Veterinary World Feb 2024Giardiasis is a protozoal disease that is globally prevalent in dogs and cats. The clinical manifestations vary, but asymptomatic cases have also been reported. This...
BACKGROUND AND AIM
Giardiasis is a protozoal disease that is globally prevalent in dogs and cats. The clinical manifestations vary, but asymptomatic cases have also been reported. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of in domestic dogs and cats, characterize the age susceptibility to this disease, and determine the frequency of cases in which cysts are combined with stool changes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
After centrifugation in a zinc sulfate solution (specific gravity = 1.32 g/cm), feces of dogs (2761) and cats (1579) were examined microscopically. The age of the animals and the presence of coprological stool characteristics such as fecal odor, consistency, presence of mucus, and other pathological impurities were taken into account.
RESULTS
infection rates were 18.2% (215/1182) in dogs aged 1-12 months and 3.8% (60/1579) in dogs older than 12 months. The infection rate was 7.8% (48/615) in cats aged 1-12 months and 3.35% (33/994) in cats aged >12 months. The most frequently observed coprological abnormalities in cyst-positive animals were soft and/or mushy stool and pungent odor. In dogs, the frequency of these symptoms was 24.4% (67/275), 27.6% (76/275), and 36.4% (100/275) for soft stools, mushy stools, and pungent fecal odor, and 37.8% (31/82), 25.6% (21/82), and 19.5% (16/82), respectively. No stool changes were found when cysts were detected in dogs in 24.7% (68/275) of cases and in cats in 24.4% (20/82).
CONCLUSION
cysts are reported more frequently in domestic cats and dogs under 12 months of age than in dogs under 12 months of age. The presence of cysts is usually accompanied by a strong odor of feces and changes in their consistency. It can be concluded that it is necessary to conduct periodic surveillance for apparently healthy dogs and cats to rule out infection.
PubMed: 38595671
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2024.379-383