Iranian Journal of Parasitology最新文献

Myiasis infection is caused by the invasion of flies' eggs and larvae into different tissues of the host's body. The rarest form is urogenital myiasis, which can occur even in men with a much lower probability than women, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. The case of this study is a 5-year-old boy from suburbs of Bushehr City, southern Iran who referred to the Pediatrics Department of Persian Gulf Hospital in Bushehr due to constant fever and significant weight loss. In urine evaluation, the presence of Chrysomya bezziana larvae was confirmed. The larvae of several species of myiasis-producing flies can attack the urinary-genital system of people and cause urogenital symptoms. Therefore, it is necessary to diagnose and accurately identify the species of larvae that cause myiasis in order to properly treat affected patients.

Cryptosporidium species are a significant cause of persistent untreatable diarrhea in HIV-positive patients, especially in developing countries; however, extra-intestinal instances are rarely documented. Herein, we present three cases of pulmonary cryptosporidiosis in HIV patients at Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Despite the combination treatment with antiretroviral therapy, azithromycin, and paromomycin, the death of all 3 patients occurred due to severe complications. These cases highlight the importance of early diagnosis and management of respiratory cryptosporidiosis in HIV patients with low CD4 counts.

Background: Helminthic infections cause helminthiasis, including infections by Strongyloides stercoralis, a kind of helminths that cause reinfection and lead to severe infections, can be transmitted through the soil. We aimed to identify S. stercoralis and other helminthic infections in rubber tree plantations in Thailand's lower northern regions. The specific goals include assessing prevalence using Formalin Ethyl-acetate Concentration Technique (FECT) and Agar Plate Culture (APC) and constructing S. stercoralis phylogenetic tree.

Methods: Overall, 646 fecal samples from rubber plantation workers in five provinces in northern Thailand were examined using FECT and APC under microscope. DNA from larvae confirmed as Strongyloides spp. by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. The DNA sequences were also submitted to the GenBank database.

Results: Prevalence of helminthic infections was 8.82%, with soil transmitted helminths (STH) prevalence at 6.81%; S. stercoralis accounted for 5.41%, with Ascaris lumbricoides at 0.62%, hookworm 0.46%, and T. trichiura 0.31%. PCR analysis successfully amplified the 18S rRNA gene in 26 out of 34 genomic DNAs, indicating a detection rate of 70.59%. Sequencing of these PCR products identified S. stercoralis strains closely related to those reported in the Republic of Lao, Myanmar, and Japan, suggesting genetic diversity within the species.

Conclusion: STH prevalence, predominantly S. stercoralis, highlights public health concerns in rubber plantation areas, necessitating enhanced monitoring and intervention strategies. Phylogenetic analysis of S. stercoralis, revealing a close genetic relationship among strains from various Southeast Asian countries, which underscores potential patterns of transmission and evolutionary relationships in the regions.

Rodents are the primary reservoir hosts for zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) caused by Leishmania major. Knowing reservoir hosts is crucial for leishmaniasis surveillance and control programs in endemic areas. In this study, we examined an archived spleen of Rattus norvegicus obtained during a pest control program in 2000 in Tehran, the capital of Iran. The sample was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing to determine the presence of Trypanosomatidae based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 gene. Amplification and sequencing of the discriminative region of the ITS1 gene followed by BLAST analysis showed the highest similarity with L. major isolates. Also, the phylogenetic analysis revealed that our sample was grouped with L. major isolates retrieved from the GenBank database. This finding might support the claim that R. norvegicus acts as a potential reservoir host for L. major. Further studies, including a survey on more rodent samples as well as studying sandflies in the area, might uncover the possible presence of such pathobiological conditions in ZCL transmission in urban and suburban settings.

Background: We aimed to develop a sandwich ELISA, using polyclonal antibodies against excretory/secretory (E/S) antigens specific to coproantigens present in Toxocara canis-positive dogs.

Methods: Antibodies were produced at Biological Sciences School, Autonomous University of Nuevo León, México in 2023 by immunization of rabbits with antigenic extracts from in vitro cultures of T. canis larvae. Assays were performed on 100 stool samples from pet dogs, measuring sensitivity, specificity, and cross-reactivity against other parasitic infections.

Results: High values of sensitivity (100%), specificity (90.9%), and positive (93.47%) and negative (95.45%) predictive values were obtained, respectively. We obtained an E/S protein with a molecular weight of 70 kDa, which showed high sensitivity and specificity by ELISA, but it presented cross-reactivity against Ancylostoma caninum and Strongyloides stercoralis.

Conclusion: Additional studies are necessary to increase the specificity percentage since this assay demonstrated significant potential as a useful and inexpensive diagnostic tool for immunodiagnostic in dog feces.

Background: Avian trichomoniasis is an important disease that causes bird mortality, both wild and captive, around the world. This study evaluated the in vitro cytotoxicity, antioxidant, and antiparasitic activity of citral (3.7-Dimetil-2.6-octadienal) and geraniol (trans-3.7-Dimetil-2.6-octadien-1-ol) against Trichomonas gallinae trophozoites.

Methods: In vitro assays were conducted at the Laboratory of Protozoology and Entomology (LAPEN) at the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), Brazil in 2019 using tests with 10⁶ parasites and citral and geraniol at concentrations ranging from 10 to 100 μM and four controls: NC (culture medium and trophozoites), MTZ (trophozoites plus 100 μM of metronidazole), and TW (trophozoites plus vehicles used for solubilizing derivatives (0.01% Tween).

Results: The citral (60 μM) and geraniol (50 μM) concentrations reduced the trophozoites's viability by 100%. The molecular docking experiment demonstrated that citral and geraniol might inhibit a hydrogen enzyme for T. gallinae survival.

Conclusion: The major compounds of lemongrass have potential antitrichomonal activity against T. gallinae in vitro.

Background: Strongyloides stercoralis is one of the neglected tropical diseases. We aimed to verify the genetic diversity of S. stercoralis with attention to clinical features of the infection in patients using the Cox1 gene and DNA sequencing.

Methods: Using parasitological methods, S. stercoralis was isolated from stool samples of patients who had been referred to Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. The patients originated from three endemic provinces of Iran including Guilan and Mazandaran in the north and Khouzestan in the south of Iran. After recording the clinical symptoms of the patients, DNA extraction of the isolates, PCR, and sequencing of the Cox1 gene region were performed. The gene sequences were analyzed by Chromas, Bio edit, and Dna SP 6.0, and phylogenetic analysis using MEGA 7.

Results: Overall 10 isolates of S. stercoralis were collected from patients 55 to 73 years old. Among the patients, gastrointestinal, respiratory, and cutaneous clinical symptoms were the most common, respectively. Ten isolates were classified into 4 haplotypes, 2 of which were specific to this study. Haplotypes 2 and 3 were placed in a subclade with haplotypes including isolates from dogs in Cambodia. Haplotype 4 which is hereby introduced in the world for the first time included an isolate from a patient with hyper-infection syndrome and disseminated strongyloidiasis.

Conclusion: The Cox1 gene showed genetic diversity for S. stercoralis isolates. Accordingly, no significant genetic difference was observed between the sequences from patients with hyper-infection and non-hyper-infection. The only isolate from a patient with disseminated and hyper-infection strongyloidiasis was genetically different from all other isolates in the present study.

Background: The interplay of OGG1, 8-Oxoguanine, and oxidative stress triggers the exaggerated release of cytokines during malaria, which worsens the outcome of the disease. We aimed to investigate the involvement of OGG1 in malaria and assess the effect of modulating its activity on the cytokine environment and anemia during P. berghei malaria in mice.

Methods: Plasmodium berghei ANKA infection in ICR mice was used as a malaria model. OGG1 concentration and oxidative stress levels in P. berghei-infected mice and their control counterparts were assessed during malaria using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. OGG1 activity in malaria mice was modulated using treatment with TH5487 and O8-OGG1 inhibitors. The effects of modulating OGG1 activity using OGG1 inhibitors on cytokine release and anemia during P. berghei malaria infection were assessed by cytometric bead array and measurement of total normal red blood cell count respectively.

Results: The plasma OGG1 level was significantly upregulated and positively correlated with parasitemia during P. berghei malaria in mice. Modulation of OGG1 ameliorated malaria severity by improving the total normal RBC count in TH5487 and O8-treated mice. Modulation of OGG1 with TH5487 caused significant reductions in serum levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, and IL-10. Similarly, OGG1 modulation activity using an O8-OGG1 inhibitor caused a significant reduction in serum levels of TNF-α, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-10.

Conclusion: The findings indicate the involvement of OGG1 in the P. berghei malaria infection. OGG1 inhibition by TH5487 and O8-OGG1 inhibitors suppressed excessive cytokine release, and this may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for ameliorating the severity of malaria infection.

This article discusses Fasciola hepatica infection, a zoonotic parasite that lives in the liver bile ducts. A 31-year-old female patient was diagnosed with symptoms such as nausea, increased liver enzymes, and right upper quadrant pain for about a year. The parasite was detected in the common bile duct by Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) and removed by Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography (ERCP). Treatment was performed with 10 mg/kg triclabendazole. Eosinophilia, abdominal pain, and dietary history are important clues in the diagnosis of infection. Imaging methods, especially EUS, play a critical role in diagnosis. With this method, parasites can be seen as mobile hyperechogenic structures. If untreated, parasites can survive in their hosts for many years, therefore early diagnosis and treatment are important in preventing complications. It is recommended to monitor the eosinophil levels and serological test results of patients after treatment. As a result, EUS is a very valuable diagnostic tool in suspected cases.