Comparison of three commercial multiplex PCR assays for the diagnosis of intestinal protozoa

Although microscopic examination of stool samples remains the reference method for the diagnosis of intestinal protozoal infections, these techniques are time-consuming and require operators who are experienced and well trained. Molecular biology seems to offer performances at least equivalent in terms of sensitivity and specificity for certain parasites. This study aimed to compare three multiplex PCR assays on 93 prospectively collected positive stools (prospective cohort) and a panel of 12 more Cryptosporidium-positive samples (Cryptosporidium panel). On the prospective cohort, the sensitivity was 89%, 64% and 41% for Giardia sp. detection for BD MaxTM, G-DiaParaTM and RIDA®GENE, respectively and 75%, 100% and 100% for C. parvum/hominis detection. The sensitivity of the RIDA®GENE assay for all Cryptosporidium species was 100%, and for D. fragilis 71%. All the techniques obtained the same results for E. histolytica detection, with one positive sample. All species in the Cryptosporidium panel were identified by the RIDA®GENE PCR. The BD MaxTM and G-DiaParaTM assays detected only C. parvum/hominis with the exception of one positive sample for C. meleagridis. No assay showed satisfactory results for all parasites simultaneously, and the DNA extraction seems to be the critical step. More studies are needed to standardize this procedure

Dérivés furanosidiques à visée thérapeutique dans la leishmaniose : caractérisation des effets et mode d'action

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease for which the current therapeutic arsenal is limited. This work aimed at finding new therapeutic drugs by targeting the Leishmania cell wall. Lipophosphoglycan (LPG) is the major glycoconjugate in promastigotes cell wall, consisting of a hexasaccharide core including a galactofuranose motif. Galactofuranose is absent in mammalian membranes, thus could be a therapeutic target. First, this work studied the galactofuranosyl-transferases involved in the metabolism of this furanose, as well as a mutase, also necessary for the metabolism of galactofuranose. Once targets were identified in the two parasitic stages, galactofuranose derivatives were tested for antileishmanial activity on promastigotes and amastigotes forms of Leishmania donovani. A compound showed interesting results and has been studied further, the n-octyl-galactofuranose (Galf). Different techniques have been used to characterize its mode of action on promastigotes and amastigotes: electron paramagnetic resonance, transmission electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance or flow cytometry. Infected macrophages treated with Galf were able to produce oxygen derivatives species, leading us to look at the immunomodulatory capacity of Galf derivatives. Thus, the last part of this work focused on the study of macrophage polarization by galactofuranosides on an in vitro model of human macrophages. We were able to show that Galf stimulates macrophages towards M1 polarization, which could explain the decreased growth of amastigotes inside macrophage cells.La leishmaniose est une maladie tropicale négligée pour laquelle l’arsenal thérapeutique actuel est limité. Ce travail de thèse s’est intéressé à rechercher des nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques en ciblant la paroi des leishmanies. Le lipophosphoglycane (LPG), constituant majoritaire de la paroi, présente un motif glucidique particulier, le galactofuranose, qui semble une cible thérapeutique intéressante car il est absent des membranes de mammifères. Les galactofuranosyl-transférases sont impliquées dans le métabolisme de ce furanose, et ce travail a débuté par l’étude de ces enzymes et par la caractérisation d’une mutase, également nécessaire au métabolisme du galactofuranose. Une fois les cibles caractérisées dans les 2 stades du parasite, des analogues du galactofuranose ont été testés quant à leur capacité antiparasitaire sur les formes promastigotes et amastigotes de Leishmania donovani. Un composé s’est révélé intéressant et a été plus étudié, le n-octyl-galactofuranose (Galf). Différentes approches ont été utilisées pour caractériser son mode d’action sur les promastigotes et les amastigotes : résonance paramagnétique électronique, microscopie électronique à transmission, cytométrie en flux ou résonance magnétique nucléaire. L’observation d’une activité inductrice du métabolisme oxydatif des macrophages nous a conduits à nous intéresser aux capacités immunomodulatrices de ces analogues galacto-furanosidiques. Ainsi la dernière partie de ce travail est consacrée à l’étude de la polarisation des macrophages par les galactofuranosides, sur un modèle in vitro de macrophages humains. Nous avons pu montrer que le Galf exerçait une activation des macrophages en faveur d’une polarisation de type M1, ce qui pourrait expliquer l’effet limitateur de croissance des amastigotes

Molecular diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised patients

International audiencePurpose of review Toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised patients is associated with a high mortality rate. Molecular techniques are important tools to diagnose acute disease in immunocompromised patients, but there are various methods with variable efficiency. Some of them have been validated for the diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis, but the impact of their use has not been evaluated in immunocompromised patients. Recent findings Toxoplasmosis is of increasing importance in non-HIV immunocompromised patients. In addition, the picture of disease shows greater severity in South America, both in immunocompetent study participants and in congenitally infected infants. These epidemiological differences could influence the sensitivity of diagnostic methods. This review analyzes recent data on molecular diagnosis and compares them with older ones, in light of progress gained in molecular techniques and of recent epidemiological findings. Most recent studies were conducted in South America and used PCR targeting the B1 gene. PCR on blood could allow diagnosing a significant proportion of patients with ocular toxoplasmosis in Brazil. Summary Quantitative PCR methods with specific probes should be used to improve sensitivity and warrant specificity. Performance of quantitative PCR targeting the repeated 529 bp sequence for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised patients needs evaluation in field studies in South America and in western countries

Interactions entre le bisphénol A et des microorganismes de l'eau

POITIERS-BU Médecine pharmacie (861942103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Comparaison de trois kits commerciaux de PCR multiplex pour la mise en évidence de protozoaires intestinaux.

International audienceAlthough microscopic examination of stool samples remains the reference method for the diagnosis of intestinal protozoal infections, these techniques are time-consuming and require operators who are experienced and well trained. Molecular biology seems to offer performances at least equivalent in terms of sensitivity and specificity for certain parasites. This study aimed to compare three multiplex PCR assays on 93 prospectively collected positive stools (prospective cohort) and a panel of 12 more Cryptosporidium-positive samples (Cryptosporidium panel). On the prospective cohort, the sensitivity was 89%, 64% and 41% for Giardia sp. detection for BD MaxTM, G-DiaParaTM and RIDA®GENE, respectively and 75%, 100% and 100% for C. parvum/hominis detection. The sensitivity of the RIDA®GENE assay for all Cryptosporidium species was 100%, and for D. fragilis 71%. All the techniques obtained the same results for E. histolytica detection, with one positive sample. All species in the Cryptosporidium panel were identified by the RIDA®GENE PCR. The BD MaxTM and G-DiaParaTM assays detected only C. parvum/hominis with the exception of one positive sample for C. meleagridis. No assay showed satisfactory results for all parasites simultaneously, and the DNA extraction seems to be the critical step. More studies are needed to standardize this procedure.Bien que l’examen microscopique des selles reste la méthode de référence pour le diagnostic des protozooses intestinales, ces techniques sont chronophages et demandent une grande expérience et des opérateurs entrainés. La biologie moléculaire semble offrir des performances au moins équivalentes en termes de sensibilité comme de spécificité pour certains parasites. Cette étude visait à comparer trois techniques de PCR multiplex sur une cohorte de 93 selles positives collectées prospectivement et un panel de 12 échantillons positifs à Cryptosporidium. Respectivement pour BD MaxTM, G-DiaParaTM et RIDA®GENE la sensibilité était de 89 %, 64 % et 41 % pour la détection de Giardia sp. et 75 %, 100 % et 100 % pour la détection de C. parvum/hominis. La sensibilité de la technique RIDA®GENE pour l’ensemble des espèces de Cryptosporidium était de 100 % et de 71 % pour D. fragilis. Toutes les techniques ont obtenu les mêmes résultats pour la détection d’E. histolytica (1 échantillon positif). Toutes les espèces de Cryptosporidium ont été détectées par la PCR RIDA®GENE. Les techniques BD MaxTM et G-DiaParaTM ont détecté seulement C. parvum/hominis en dehors d’un échantillon positif à C. meleagridis. Aucun essai n’a montré de résultats satisfaisants pour l’ensemble des parasites simultanément et l’extraction d’ADN semble être l’étape critique. Plus d’études sont nécessaires afin de standardiser cette procédure

Notes on the genus Tunga (Siphonaptera: Tungidae) II – neosomes, morphology, classification, and other taxonomic notes

This review focuses on the neosomes, morphology, and taxonomy of adult species of the genus Tunga, complementing the previously published data on the phylogeny, ecology, and pathogenic role. Neosomes are structures formed after penetration of adult females into the skin of hosts resulting in significant enlargement, being the most characteristic and most frequently observed form in hosts. Neosomes can be differentiated by shape, measurements, and sites of attachment to principal hosts. The taxonomic value and morphometric data of the most widely used characteristics to separate species – such as frontal curvature, head chaetotaxy, preoral internal sclerotization, ventral and dorsal genal lobes, eyes, maxillary palps, fusion of pronotum and mesonotum, metacoxae, metatarsi chaetotaxy, spermatheca (females), manubrium, basimere, telomere, and phallosome (males) – are comparatively analyzed. The sexes, individual variations, undescribed species, higher taxa, as well as a proposal for division of the genus into two subgenera (Tunga and Brevidigita) are presented (as previously given by Wang). A key for females, males, and gravid females (neosomes) also is included for identifying the 13 known species. Data on host specificity and geographical distribution may also support the identification of Tunga species because some sand fleas and their hosts may have co-evolved

A new flea,

A list is provided for the species of Ectinorus sensu stricto from Chile. Ectinorus (Ectinorus) insignis n. sp. is described from Chile: this species is characterized by the male genitalia. In the subgenus Ectinorus, the authors report the presence in Chile of E. pilosus Beaucournu & Carmen Castro, 2002 described from Argentina and E. simonsi (Rothschild, 1904) described from Bolivia but also known from Peru. A female neallotype is designated for E. ineptus Johnson, 1957. “Unciform sclerotization” is noted and illustrated for the first time, in all Malacopsylloidea, and a list is given for all studied species

Dibothriocephalus nihonkaiensis an emerging foodborne parasite in Brittany (France)?

International audienceBackground: iphyllobothriosis is an intestinal cestodosis caused by tapeworms of the family Diphyllobothriidae. In France, endemic cases are limited to south-east and due to Dibothriocephalus latus. In this paper, we investigate a series of seven cases of diphyllobothriosis in the non-endemic French region of Brittany. All have been diagnosed between 2016 and 2018 at the University Hospital of Rennes.Methods: arasites were identified by their morphological features and by phylogenetic analysis of the cox1 gene. Phylogenetic tree was built using maximum likelihood criterion under the GTR+G+I model and 2000 bootstrap replicates. A form was sent to all patients to collect data concerning clinical signs and possible sources of infection.Results: All cases were due to Dibothriocephalus nihonkaiensis, a species strictly distributed in the North Pacific. Epidemiological investigation showed that the parasite was probably acquired in France, after consumption of Japanese food containing raw salmon. All patients presented with at least abdominal pain and fatigue except for one patient who had no symptoms.Conclusions: To our knowledge, this case series is the most important cohort of allochthonous diphyllobothriosis described in Europe. This sudden emergence raises concern about foodborne infections, highlighting (i) risky food habits in absence of adequate sanitary control; and (ii) the breaking of the rule of geographical restriction due to globalization and worldwide trades

Tungiasis Outbreak in Travelers From Madagascar

International audienceSeven patients from a group of 16 travelers were diagnosed at our institution with one or more sand fleas on their toes, 1 day to 3 weeks after returning from Madagascar. A questionnaire was sent to the whole group to collect clinical and epidemiological information, which showed that 9 of 13 (69%) had received pre-travel medical advice, but none were aware of sand flea; thus prevention measures were rarely applied. Five of seven (71%) patients wore open sandals throughout the trip. Overall, 10 sand fleas were extracte