Parassitologia最新文献

With the advent of the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), the natural course of HIV infection has markedly changed and opportunistic infections including toxoplasmosis have declined and modified in presentation, outcome and incidence. However, TE is a major cause of morbidity and mortality especially in resource-poor settings but also a common neurological complication in some countries despite the availability of HAART and effective prophylaxis. In most cases toxoplasmosis occurs in brain and toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) is the most common presentation of toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised patients with or without AIDS. The need of a definitive diagnosis is substantial because other brain diseases could share similar findings. Rapid and specific diagnosis is thus crucial as early treatment may improve the clinical outcome. Classical serological diagnosis is often inconclusive as immunodeficient individuals fail to produce significant titres of specific antibodies. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has a high diagnostic value in the acute disease, but like many 'in-house' PCR assays, suffers from lack of standardization and variable performance according to the laboratory. Molecular diagnosis of toxoplasmosis can be improved by performing real-time PCR protocols. This article summarises the clinical manifestations, diagnostic procedures and management strategies for this condition.

The genus Malassezia includes twelve species of yeast, many of which have been mainly associated with human and canine diseases. Malassezia pachydermatis colonizes the skin and mucosal sites of healthy dogs and cats. Despite being part of the normal cutaneous microflora, Malassezia spp. yeast may become pathogenic under certain circumstances. This article reviews the factors related to both host and yeast which affect the pathogenical or commensal phenotypes of Malassezia yeasts.

The purpose of this review is to update the latest information about ocular toxoplasmosis. The infection can be congenital or acquired, but also depends about the immune condition of the patient and can affect the eye. Ocular symptoms are variable according to the age of the subject. Retinochoroiditis is the most common manifestation of toxoplasmic infection. Toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis typically affects the posterior pole, and the lesions can be solitary or multiple. Active lesions present as grey-white focus of retinal necrosis with adjacent choroiditis, vasculitis, hemorrhage and vitreitis. Anterior uveitis is a common finding. Atypical presentations include punctate outer retinitis, neuroretinitis and papillitis. Depending on the patient's age and the localization of the lesion, ocular symptoms vary usually presenting with reduced visual acuity or without symptoms. The laboratory diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is based on detection of antibodies and T. gondii DNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which fulfillis clinical findings. Toxoplasmosis therapy includes antimicrobial drugs and corticosteroids. There are several regimens with different drug combinations including, among others, pyrimethamine, sulfadiazine, clindamycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazol.

The Community legislator, through Directives 2004/17/CE and 2004/18/CE, wanted dictate to the Member States some "guidelines" to be used in the field of public procurement of services, in order to promote, through an inner market growth, developing appropriate operational protocols to document in the race; that, has the aim at testify the consolidated technical capacity of Company which conferred the health reclamation provided by the "Plans to put public health emergencies". By its nature, the legislative regulatory act which is capable of directing the gradual harmonization of national laws, giving also each state full autonomy on the form and means to be taken. Therefore, the objectives of the Community directives must be properly incorporated and interpreted, including the legislative adaptation about the regulation of the disinfestations Enterprises.

Malassezia yeasts infection represents a common clinical concern with a special regard to canine dermatology. The Authors review the main clinical features of malasseziosis in canine and feline medicine, summarizing predisposing factors and aetiopathogenesis of the yeasts' infection. A special reference was given to clinical and microscopical diagnosis.

Essential oils (EOs) are extremely complex mixtures containing compounds of several different functional-group classes. A specific aromatic profile should be determined by gas-chromatography-mass detection methods, to define standards for their safety and efficacy. The chemical constituents of the essential oils, their flavour and their taste act both alone and in synergy, always determining a global psychosomatic action. The main therapeutic activities of the EOs are reported as spasmolythic, revulsive, anti-inflammatory and decongestant, immunomodulant, antimicrobial, antimycotic, expectorant, mucolythic, antioxidant, psychotrope, analgesic and acaricide. The use, posology, route of administration as well as toxicity and adverse effects are reviewed.

Following the implementation of the Directive 98/8/CE a few changes in the availability of insecticidal molecules to control Ae. albopictus have been outlined. Available products for larvicidal treatments will predominantly be based upon two growth regulators (diflubenzuron and pyriproxyfen). For the control of the adult forms there will mostly be active ingredients belonging to the pyrethroid group. Importance of surveillance for the onset of tolerance or resistance phenomena.

Choleoeimeria Paperna and Landsberg, 1989 is a reptile coccidium with unique features. Its endogenous development occurs in the cells of the bile epithelium. Its host cell while becoming hypertrophic emerges above the epithelial surface. The following species studied by electron microscopy: C. alloagamae Paperna, 2007 from Agama sp. West Africa; C. allogehyrae Paperna, 2007 from Gehyra australis and C. heteronotis Paperna, 2007 from Heteronotia binoei, from Australia, and C. pachydactyli Paperna and Landsberg, 1989 from Pachydactylus capensis from South Africa. The fine structure of the respective endogenous stages is fairly uniform. The host-cell hypertrophy coincides with a drastic depletion of the microvilli, their junction zone with the underlying cell extends into numerous long and fine membranal out-folds. The PV of all infected cells is filled with typical round granular particles. Young meronts undergo binary fission. The differentiating microgamont develops an expanded multilobed body. Macrogamont's organelles include type 1 and type 2 wall forming bodies, canaliculi and granular bodies, suspected to be the precursors of the sporozoites refractile bodies. The oocyst wall forms from 4 wall-membranes consolidating over the zygote plasmalemma.

Conclusive evidence exists on the protective role against clinical Plasmodium falciparum malaria of Haemoglobin S (beta 6Glu-->Val) and HbC (HbC; beta 6Glu-->Lys), both occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the mechanism/s of the protection exerted remain/s debated for both haemoglobin variants, HbC and HbS. Recently, an abnormal display of PfEMP1, an antigen involved in malaria pathogenesis, was reported on HbAC and HbCC infected erythrocytes that showed reduced cytoadhesion and impaired rosetting in vitro. On this basis it has been proposed that HbC protection might be attributed to the reduced PfEMP1-mediated adherence of parasitized erythrocytes in the microvasculature. Furthermore, impaired cytoadherence was observed in HbS carriers suggesting for the first time a convergence in the protection mechanism of these two haemoglobin variants. We investigated the impact of this hypothesis on the development of acquired immunity against P. falciparum variant surface antigens (VSA) encoding PfEMP1 in HbC and HbS carriers in comparison with HbA of Burkina Faso. Higher immune response against a VSA panel and several malaria antigens were observed in all adaptive genotypes containing at least one allelic variant HbC or HbS in the low transmission urban area whereas no differences were detected in the high transmission rural area. In both contexts the response against tetanus toxoid was not influenced by the beta-globin genotype. Thus, these findings suggest that both HbC and HbS affect the early development of naturally acquired immunity against malaria. We reviewed the hypothesized mechanisms so far proposed in light of these recent results.