Journal of Parasitic Diseases最新文献

Toxoplasmosis is a global parasitic disease that can affect the central nervous system, causing severe complications. Introducing new agents that are safe during pregnancy and more effective for chronic toxoplasmosis is essential. This study investigated the effects of combined treatments with resveratrol, nitazoxanide, and spiramycin in chronic toxoplasmosis. Fifty-four Swiss albino mice were distributed into nine groups: Group 1, non-infected control; Group 2, infected non-treated control; Group 3, infected resveratrol-treated; Group 4, infected nitazoxanide-treated; Group 5, infected spiramycin-treated; Group 6, infected resveratrol and nitazoxanide-treated; Group 7, infected resveratrol and spiramycin-treated; Group 8, infected resveratrol, nitazoxanide, and spiramycin-treated; and Group 9, infected half-dose resveratrol, nitazoxanide, and spiramycin-treated. Effectiveness was evaluated by counting brain tissue cysts, histopathological examination of liver and brain tissues, immunohistochemical analysis of brain CD8⁺ T expression, biochemical measurement of serum IFN-γ and tissue MDA levels, and molecular assays for iNOS and BAX gene expression. The data demonstrated that adding resveratrol to spiramycin significantly reduced brain tissue cyst load, improved underlying tissue pathology, reduced brain CD8⁺ T expression, and lowered serum IFN-γ, tissue MDA, iNOS, and BAX gene levels in the liver, with elevated MDA, iNOS, and BAX gene levels in the brain. These results were enhanced by adding nitazoxanide to the resveratrol and spiramycin combination. It can be concoluded that co-administration of resveratrol and nitazoxanide can synergistically enhance the therapeutic effect of spiramycin in chronic toxoplasmosis.

Cryptosporidiosis in humans is a major contributor to diarrheal epidemics that are spread through water and have a significant impact on a global scale. Nitazoxanide (NTZ) is still the only FDA-approved drug against cryptosporidiosis, but unfortunately, it has poor water solubility and bioavailability that greatly affect its efficacy. This study aimed to test the efficacy of NTZ when used in combination with cationic and amphoteric surfactants on murine cryptosporidiosis. Fifty-four white albino female mice were separated into nine groups, with each group containing six mice that had compromised immune systems. GI: normal non-infected non-treated (healthy control). GII: infected, non-treated (infected control); GIII-GXI: infected with Cryptosporidium species oocyst and treated with: GIII: NTZ (NTZ), GIV: cationic surfactant [3-(dodecyl(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)amino)-N,N,N-triethyl-2-hydroxypropan-1-aminium chloride (GDCS)]; GV: amphoteric surfactant [sodium 3-(dodecyl(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)amino)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate (GDAS)]; GVI: NTZ and GDCS; GVII: NTZ and GDAS; GVIII: NTZ and GDCS in a critical micelle concentration (CMC); GIX: NTZ and GDAS in CMC. Parasitological, and histopathological, examinations were done. Parasitological examination revealed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001) between the different test and control groups. GIX showed the best results, with the highest percentage of reduction of oocysts in the stool (98.21%) which was statistically significant from other test and control groups. Histopathological examination revealed marked improvement in small intestinal villi, liver, and lung tissues when NTZ was used in combination with GDCS, and GDAS, especially with GDAS CMC. Therefore, surfactant could be an excellent adjuvant therapy when combined with NTZ in the treatment of cryptosporidiosis, especially GDAS CMC.

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) remains a major public health concern in several regions of the Philippines and in many parts of Southeast Asia. Overlapping with it in terms of clinical manifestations is pulmonary paragonimiasis or lung fluke disease. Paragonimiasis, a foodborne trematode infection, may be hidden in plain sight in the setting of a high burden of PTB. This raises questions about how much reported data on PTB is paragonimiasis and how much coinfection exists with PTB and this food-borne trematode infection. This research draws lessons from Zamboanga Peninsula in the Philippines, a region with considerable data on both disease entities. In this paper, a review of available data from published literature and from the country's Department of Health registry was undertaken. Results show that TB remains to be a major public health concern in the region. Coincidentally, paragonimiasis also exists in many parts of the region alongside TB, with Paragonimiasis being more common than PTB in some areas. The approach from Zamboanga Peninsula may be used to generate evidence from other regions and become the basis for national policy formulation. The results support an integrated policy for surveillance, and control. Capacity building and active surveillance may be combined to enhance case finding, treatment, and generation of data for mapping and targeted interventions for integrated tuberculosis-paragonimiasis control. These learnings may be applicable to other parts of the Philippines and Southeast Asia where there may be known or likely co-endemicity of the two diseases.

The role of complementary and alternative medicines for the treatment of various diseases is gaining serious attention. This study evaluated the haematological changes induced by Eimeria tenella challenge in broiler chickens following pre-administration with methanol extracts of Ganoderma lucidum, Vernonia amygdalina and Vitellaria paradoxa. One hundred one-day-old Abor acre broiler chicks obtained from a commercial hatchery were randomly divided into 10 groups (A1, B1, C1, D1, A2, B2, C2, D2, E, and F) of 10 birds each. From 14 to 20 days of age (doa), A1 and A2 were administered G. lucidum (250 mg/kg); B1 and B2 V. amygdalina (2000 mg/kg); C1 and C2 V. paradoxa (250 mg/kg); D1 and D2 Amprolium (100 g/100 L drinking water); while E, and F were positive, and negative controls, respectively. At 21 doa, A2, B2, C2, D2 and E were challenged with 10⁴ E. tenella sporulated oocysts orally. Blood was collected at 14, 21 and 28 doa, and processed for haematology. Results revealed no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the haematological parameters in all groups of broiler chickens at 14 and 21 doa. At 28 doa, packed cell volume (PCV), and haemoglobin (Hb) concentration were significantly (P < 0.05) lower while total red blood cells were non-significantly (P > 0.05) lower in group E than in A2, B2, C2 and D2. Total leukocyte and heterophil counts were significantly (P < 0.05) higher while lymphocyte count and heterophil/lymphocyte ratio were non-significantly (P > 0.05) higher in group E than in A2, B2, C2 and D2. The prophylactic administration of G. lucidum, V. amygdalina leaf and V. paradoxa stem bark methanolic extracts significantly ameliorated the changes in PCV, Hb concentration, total leukocyte and heterophil counts induced by E. tenella challenge in the broiler chickens. Further studies that explore the mechanisms by which these extracts ameliorated the haematological changes via their prophylactic anticoccidial activities should be conducted.

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of ChatGPT, an AI-based language model, in aiding healthcare professionals with selecting suitable medications for the treating of leishmaniasis. A panel of medical experts and specialists in tropical diseases assessed the recommendations provided by ChatGPT for 10 hypothetical clinical scenarios related to leishmaniasis. The main objective was to determine the utility of ChatGPT in facilitating informed decision-making regarding drug choices for managing leishmaniasis. ChatGPT consistently provided valuable suggestions for potential drug repurposing in the treatment of leishmaniasis across all scenarios, aligning with current medical research. Despite the lack of specific treatment guidelines, ChatGPT's suggestions proved beneficial, presenting potential avenues for medication repurposing. These findings suggest that ChatGPT shows promise as a useful tool for drug repurposing in leishmaniasis therapy, assisting in the identification of potential pharmaceutical options. However, it is important to acknowledge certain limitations, such as the requirement for additional clinical data and the inability to adjust therapy.

Parasitic nematodes pose a significant threat to global livestock production, with Haemonchus contortus emerging as a particularly devastating pathogen in small ruminants. Despite widespread use of anthelmintics, H. contortus continues to evade control measures by developing anthelmintic resistance and adapting to diverse environments. Here, we investigate morphological and morphometric characteristics and the associated variations in recently reported anthelmintic resistant population of H. contortus in sheep from Kashmir valley, a region where small ruminant production faces persistent challenges from this parasite. Examination of 38 Corriedale sheep revealed a prevalence of 47.4%, yielding 864 Haemonchus specimens. Morphometric analysis confirmed all the specimens as H. contortus, with some notable intraspecific variations including larger female body length, male body width, and male esophageal length, as well as more posteriorly positioned cervical papillae in both sexes. Female specimens exhibited three distinct types of vulvar flaps: linguiform (69.09%), knobbed (24.55%), and smooth (6.36%). These findings provide critical insights into the adaptive changes occurring in H. contortus, potentially reflecting evolutionary changes related to anthelmintic resistance, immune evasion, and local selective pressures which can help in developing targeted control strategies and understanding the evolutionary dynamics of this economically significant nematode.

At the end of June 2019, out of 1000 oligochaetes, consisting of several species, collected in the coastal zone of Lake Baikal at a depth of 1 m, 1 specimen of the oligochaete Limnodrilus udekemianus (0.1%) was infected with actinospores of Triactinomyxon type MNV. Actinospores developed in the intestinal epithelium of the oligochaete. Hypertrophy and death of infected epithelial cells were observed. The nucleotide sequence of the 18 S rDNA gene region with a length of 1064 bp was deposited in the Genbank database under the number PP575756. Sequence comparison in the Blast program revealed that Triactinomyxon type MNV is 97.51% similar to Chloromyxum legeri and 91% similar to Triactinomyxon type "changzou". Phylogenetically, Triactinomyxon type MNV clusters with Chloromyxum species that infect cyprinids.

This study extensively evaluated the therapeutic potential of Mitragyna parvifolia in treating filariasis-induced secondary lymphedema, with a specific focus on validating its efficacy as a dermal application for acute dermatolymphangioadenitis (ADLA). The research investigated the effects of M. parvifolia leaf extract, green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (Mp-AgNPs), and the primary alkaloid Mitraphylline through various assays. Silver nanoparticles were successfully synthesized from M. parvifolia leaves, confirmed by observable color changes and UV-Vis spectroscopy, highlighting their potential as enhanced wound dressing components. FTIR analysis revealed the presence of functional groups indicative of biochemical activities in Mp-AgNPs, while DLS and SEM studies elucidated their size and morphology characteristics, essential for understanding their application in therapeutic settings. Biocompatibility assessments demonstrated that all tested samples exhibited minimal hemolytic activity, supporting their suitability for further studies. Antioxidant assays showed significant radical scavenging activity in M. parvifolia extracts and Mp-AgNPs, surpassing that of Mitraphylline and demonstrating potential therapeutic benefits. The M. parvifolia leaf extract and its silver nanoparticles exhibited effective macrofilaricidal activity, with the nanoparticles showing enhanced inhibition at higher concentrations. Cytotoxicity evaluations on a Tilapia gill (TG) cell line revealed dose-dependent effects, suggesting Mp-AgNPs and the leaf extract's higher toxicity thresholds compared to purified Mitraphylline. Furthermore, wound healing assays indicated comparable efficacy among M. parvifolia derivatives in promoting wound closure, emphasizing their potential in managing lymphedema-related infections. Overall, this comprehensive evaluation underscores the therapeutic promise of M. parvifolia and its derivatives, particularly Mp-AgNPs, as effective topical treatments for secondary infections in lymphedema. The integration of nanoparticles in treatment strategies offers a novel approach to mitigate antimicrobial resistance, marking a significant advancement in enhancing therapeutic outcomes.

Cockroach gut houses mostly anaerobic microbial communities. Most of these eukaryotes live as endocommensal rather as pathogens. The morphological diversity of the eukaryotic microorganisms present in the intestinal tract of American cockroach, Periplanata americana were investigated. Cockroaches were dissected in 0.67% saline and temporary iodine wet mount were prepared. Microrganisms were stained permanently with Delafield and Heidenhain haematoxylin. Feulgen methods were used to study nuclear organization and Periodic acid-Schiff method was performed to observe mucopolysaccharide localization. Prevalence of isolated specimens was also determined. The study revealed the assemblage of complex eukaryotic fauna showing unique morphological peculiarities. Two oxyurid helminth genera namely Hammerschmidtiella and Thelastoma were isolated with 47.1 and 67.6% prevalence respectively. Among the protozoans the highest prevalence was shown by Nyctotherus ovalis (91.2%). Feulgen reaction revealed that in most of the specimens micronucleus was embedded over the macronucleus of N. ovalis. Periodic acid-Schiff positive granules were mostly located in the anterior one third region of the cell. Here, a new species of Nyctotherus (Nyctotherus membranfoldis n.sp.) was found in the hind gut of Periplaneta americana showing characteristic membrane folds with a prevalence rate of 11.8%. We also report the occurrence of Iodamoeba bütschlii (prevalence 2.94%) from hind gut smear of cockroach not previously reported in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Another human pathogen reported to cause lung infection, Lophomonas striata was also detected with a prevalence of 11.8%. A moderate number of Endamoeba blattae (41.2%) and Gregarine blattarum (14.7%) were isolated from the hind gut and mid gut of Periplaneta americana respectively. Iodamoeba bütschlii was detected in Kolkata not previously detected in the city. The isolation of Lophomonas striata, a potential pathogen of human lungs, from cockroach gut constitutes major health risk for humans. Discovery of new species of the ciliate Nyctotherus (Nyctotherus membranfoldis) from cockroach hind intestine also may have a role in the host physiology as well disease causing potentiality in humans.

Anthelmintic resistance (AR) is a major problem in the profitable production of livestock. Therefore, this study evaluated AR status in cattle farms at Mymensingh Sadar using in vivo, fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) and in vitro, egg hatch assay (EHA) techniques. For this, ten cattle farms and forty animals from individual farms with more than 200 eggs per gram (EPG) of feces were selected by employing the McMaster technique. For FECRT, four groups having ten animals in each group were designed and animals of group I were treated with albendazole (ABZ), group II with levamisole (LEV), group III with ivermectin (IVM) according to the bodyweight and group IV was served as control (untreated). Fecal samples were collected at day 0 (pre-treatment) and day 14 of post-treatment (p. t) from animals of all treated and untreated groups directly from the rectum to calculate EPG and subsequently considered for copro-culture to detect resistant parasitic larvae. For EHA, following the collection of pooled fecal samples from ten farms, eggs were isolated and incubated with different concentrations of albendazole such as 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.5 µg/ml. In FECRT, the result revealed that all three drugs such as ABZ, LEV and IVM were resistant in all farms except one where IVM was suspected resistance (SR). The identified resistant larvae from copro-culture were Haemonchus, Trichostrongylus and Oesophagostomum. In EHA, the EC₅₀ value of ABZ ranged from 0.14 to 0.29 µg ABZ/ml (> 0.1 µg/ml designated as resistance) with the coefficient of correlation (R2) > 0.97 confirming ABZ resistance in all cattle farms. The present study suggests that AR is increasing and creates an alarming condition in controlling GI nematodes in Bangladesh.