Members of the free-living amebic genera Acan- thamoeba, Balamuthia, and Naegleria are known to cause infections of the central nervous system (CNS) of humans and other animals. Several species of Acanthamoeba cause an insidious and chronic disease, granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE), principally in immunocompromised hosts including persons infected with HIV/AIDS. Addi- tionally, Acanthamoeba spp. also causes infection of the human cornea, Acanthamoeba keratitis. B. mandrillaris, the only known species of Balamuthia, causes GAE in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts. Both Acanthamoeba and B. mandrillaris also cause a disseminated disease including the lungs, skin, kidneys, and uterus. N. fowleri, on the other hand, infects immuno- competent children and young adults leading to an acute and fulminating, necrotizing primary amebic meningoen- cephalitis. This review describes the biology of the amebae, clinical manifestations, diagnosis including molecular identification, immunological, and epidemiological features associated with the infections caused by these amebae.
{"title":"Free-Living Amebae as Opportunistic Agents of Human Disease","authors":"G. Visvesvara","doi":"10.4303/JNP/N100802","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4303/JNP/N100802","url":null,"abstract":"Members of the free-living amebic genera Acan- thamoeba, Balamuthia, and Naegleria are known to cause infections of the central nervous system (CNS) of humans and other animals. Several species of Acanthamoeba cause an insidious and chronic disease, granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE), principally in immunocompromised hosts including persons infected with HIV/AIDS. Addi- tionally, Acanthamoeba spp. also causes infection of the human cornea, Acanthamoeba keratitis. B. mandrillaris, the only known species of Balamuthia, causes GAE in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts. Both Acanthamoeba and B. mandrillaris also cause a disseminated disease including the lungs, skin, kidneys, and uterus. N. fowleri, on the other hand, infects immuno- competent children and young adults leading to an acute and fulminating, necrotizing primary amebic meningoen- cephalitis. This review describes the biology of the amebae, clinical manifestations, diagnosis including molecular identification, immunological, and epidemiological features associated with the infections caused by these amebae.","PeriodicalId":73863,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neuroparasitology","volume":"1 1","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"71099084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Animal models of human diseases are increasingly available and are invaluable for studies of organ pathophysiology. Megacolon, abnormal dilatation of the colon not caused by mechanical obstruction, involves the destruction of the autonomic nervous system innervating the colon. Animal models of megacolon include mouse models of Chagas disease and Hirschprung's disease. Small animal imaging has become an important research tool and recent advances in preclinical imaging modalities have enhanced the information content available from longitudinal studies of animal models of human diseases. While numerous applications of imaging technologies have been reported to study the brain and heart of mouse models, fewer studies of the gastrointestinal system have been undertaken due to technical limitations caused by peristaltic and respiratory motion. Various imaging modalities relevant to study of the gastrointestinal tract of intact live animals are reviewed herein.
{"title":"Imaging the Gastrointestinal Tract of Small Animals.","authors":"Linda A Jelicks","doi":"10.4303/jnp/N100504","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4303/jnp/N100504","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Animal models of human diseases are increasingly available and are invaluable for studies of organ pathophysiology. Megacolon, abnormal dilatation of the colon not caused by mechanical obstruction, involves the destruction of the autonomic nervous system innervating the colon. Animal models of megacolon include mouse models of Chagas disease and Hirschprung's disease. Small animal imaging has become an important research tool and recent advances in preclinical imaging modalities have enhanced the information content available from longitudinal studies of animal models of human diseases. While numerous applications of imaging technologies have been reported to study the brain and heart of mouse models, fewer studies of the gastrointestinal system have been undertaken due to technical limitations caused by peristaltic and respiratory motion. Various imaging modalities relevant to study of the gastrointestinal tract of intact live animals are reviewed herein.</p>","PeriodicalId":73863,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neuroparasitology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3129853/pdf/nihms253992.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"29991779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder with an acute or subacute onset, typically of a monophasic nature, which affects multifocal areas of the central nervous system. ADEM is commonly associated with an antecedent or concomitant infection that is usually viral. However, in the last few years, several published reports have indicated an association between ADEM and bacterial, fungal, or proto- zoal infections. Here, we present a case of ADEM associated with neurotoxocariasis, which, together with a previously reported case, enlarges the spectrum of inflammatory/post- infectious acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.
{"title":"Enlarging the Spectrum of Inflammatory/Post-Infectious Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis: A Further Case Associated with Neurotoxocariasis","authors":"Jaime Lin, Juliana Harumi Arita, L. C. Vilanova","doi":"10.4303/JNP/N100501","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4303/JNP/N100501","url":null,"abstract":"Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder with an acute or subacute onset, typically of a monophasic nature, which affects multifocal areas of the central nervous system. ADEM is commonly associated with an antecedent or concomitant infection that is usually viral. However, in the last few years, several published reports have indicated an association between ADEM and bacterial, fungal, or proto- zoal infections. Here, we present a case of ADEM associated with neurotoxocariasis, which, together with a previously reported case, enlarges the spectrum of inflammatory/post- infectious acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.","PeriodicalId":73863,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neuroparasitology","volume":"1 1","pages":"1-3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"71099221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vinicius Sousa, P. Pedroso, Silva Cisalpino, R. Arantes, M. Rachid
Paracoccidioidomycosis is the most important systemic mycosis in Latin America. In the last decades, it was verified that central nervous system involvement is frequent, occurring in 12.5% of the cases. Despite the relevance of this severe form of the disease, there are not experimental models for the study of the interactions established between the fungus and the central nervous system. We developed a murine model of neuroparacoccid- ioidomycosis with intracranial inoculation of 10 6 yeast cells of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (strain PB18) in C57BL/6 mice. Animals developed lesions similar to those described in human patients and morbidity was evaluated by the SHIRPA behavioral battery, showing progressive and severe cognitive compromise. With the development of this model, future studies will be able to evaluate several pathogenic and therapeutic aspects of neuroparacoccidioidomycosis in order to improve survival or lessen morbidity of this severe disease.
{"title":"Development of a Murine Model of Neuroparacoccidioidomycosis","authors":"Vinicius Sousa, P. Pedroso, Silva Cisalpino, R. Arantes, M. Rachid","doi":"10.4303/JNP/N100402","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4303/JNP/N100402","url":null,"abstract":"Paracoccidioidomycosis is the most important systemic mycosis in Latin America. In the last decades, it was verified that central nervous system involvement is frequent, occurring in 12.5% of the cases. Despite the relevance of this severe form of the disease, there are not experimental models for the study of the interactions established between the fungus and the central nervous system. We developed a murine model of neuroparacoccid- ioidomycosis with intracranial inoculation of 10 6 yeast cells of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (strain PB18) in C57BL/6 mice. Animals developed lesions similar to those described in human patients and morbidity was evaluated by the SHIRPA behavioral battery, showing progressive and severe cognitive compromise. With the development of this model, future studies will be able to evaluate several pathogenic and therapeutic aspects of neuroparacoccidioidomycosis in order to improve survival or lessen morbidity of this severe disease.","PeriodicalId":73863,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neuroparasitology","volume":"1 1","pages":"39-44"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4303/JNP/N100402","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"71099321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
F. Monebenimp, C. Bisong, A. Chiabi, D. Chelo, Roger Moyo-Somo
This is a retrospective study that was carried out in the pediatric unit of the Yaounde Central Hospital from January to August 2008. The aim of the study was to deter- mine the clinical factors associated with the treatment out- come of cerebral malaria in children under five. Included in the study were 77 children with cerebral malaria all of whom received malaria treatment either Quinine or Arteether. They were followed up from admission to discharge. ANOVA and Chi square tests were calculated and the level of signifi- cance was 0.05. The mean age of the study population was 29.68±14.20 months, and the sex ratio was 1.85. We noted 22 (29%) deaths during the course of the treatment. Clini- cal factors associated with death were fever clearance time (P = .01) and coma recovery time (P = .002). Blood glu- cose, home treatment and its duration, vomiting and fever at presentation, duration of illness, and parasite clearance time did not influence mortality. As regards biological parame- ters, the mean hemoglobin level on admission (P = .004), high blood urea levels (P = .01), and hypoglycemia (P = .01) were associated with increased deaths. Health profes- sionals should be sensitized to promptly recognize hypo- glycemia, anemia, uremia while checking fever clearance time and coma recovery time in the proper management of cerebral malaria in order to lower mortality in children under five with cerebral malaria.
{"title":"Clinical and biological factors associated with treatment outcome of cerebral malaria in children under five in Yaounde.","authors":"F. Monebenimp, C. Bisong, A. Chiabi, D. Chelo, Roger Moyo-Somo","doi":"10.4303/JNP/N100506","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4303/JNP/N100506","url":null,"abstract":"This is a retrospective study that was carried out in the pediatric unit of the Yaounde Central Hospital from January to August 2008. The aim of the study was to deter- mine the clinical factors associated with the treatment out- come of cerebral malaria in children under five. Included in the study were 77 children with cerebral malaria all of whom received malaria treatment either Quinine or Arteether. They were followed up from admission to discharge. ANOVA and Chi square tests were calculated and the level of signifi- cance was 0.05. The mean age of the study population was 29.68±14.20 months, and the sex ratio was 1.85. We noted 22 (29%) deaths during the course of the treatment. Clini- cal factors associated with death were fever clearance time (P = .01) and coma recovery time (P = .002). Blood glu- cose, home treatment and its duration, vomiting and fever at presentation, duration of illness, and parasite clearance time did not influence mortality. As regards biological parame- ters, the mean hemoglobin level on admission (P = .004), high blood urea levels (P = .01), and hypoglycemia (P = .01) were associated with increased deaths. Health profes- sionals should be sensitized to promptly recognize hypo- glycemia, anemia, uremia while checking fever clearance time and coma recovery time in the proper management of cerebral malaria in order to lower mortality in children under five with cerebral malaria.","PeriodicalId":73863,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neuroparasitology","volume":"1 1","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"71099294","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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