[Investigation of Microsporidia prevalence with calcofluor white and uvitex 2B chemiluminescence staining methods and molecular analysis of species in diarrheal patients].

Microsporidia, obligate intracellular parasites, were first defined by Nageli in 1857. Microsporidia phylum consists of 200 genus and 1500 species. They have a wide host spectrum including insects, fish, and mammals. It has been shown that they may also infect humans and may be existed both in symptomatic and asymptomatic forms. There are eight species infecting humans, which include Anncaliia (Brachiola, Nosema), Encephalitozoon, Entrocytozoon, Microsporidium, Nosema, Pleistophora, Trachipleistophor, and Vittaforma. The species most commonly infect humans are Encephalitozoon intestinalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Microsporidia by using two different chemiluminescence stains, namely uvitex 2B and calcoflour and detect species by molecular analysis in diarrheal patients. For this purpose, we studied stool samples of 200 patients with diarrhea sent to Gazi University Health Practice and Research Hospital, Microbiology Laboratory and Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital Microbiology Laboratory between 2012-2013. The stool samples were stained with chemiluminescent stains uvitex 2B and calcoflour methods; the Microsporidia prevalence was found to be 38% (77/200) by fluorescent microscopic examination. Statistically an excellent consistency was found between the chemiluminescent stains uvitex 2B and calcoflour (Cohen's kappa= 0.881). A statistical analysis for the consistency of uvitex 2B and calcoflour in terms of numerical density (low, high) and luminescence of spores (dim, bright) showed a moderate consistency between the two stains with respect to determining numerical density of spores (Cohen's kappa= 0.354), while there was no consistency in terms of luminescence of spores (Cohen's Kappa= 0.001). No significant difference was found between the Microsporidia prevalence with respect to age group or clinics (p > 0.05). A sex-based analysis showed that Microsporidia prevalence was more common in women (50%) than men (30.8%) (p 0.05). In our study 44 (62.9%) of 70 Encephalitozoon spp. were E.intestinalis, 22 (31.4%) were E.cuniculi, and 4 (5.7%) were E. hellem. No statistical difference was found in the distribution of Encephalitozoon spp. with age, sex, and referring clinic (p> 0.05). We concluded that examination of stool samples with the chemiluminescent stain uvitex 2B and/or calcoflour would be useful for the initial stage of Microsporidia diagnosis; furthermore, the multiplex nested PCR method was considered useful for determination of genus and species. In our country, there is a small number of molecular reports about Microsporidia prevalence in stool samples. Molecular methods should be used more commonly for the evaluation of treatment options in diarrheal patients and detection of Microsporidia epidemiology

[Investigation of the presence of Blastocystis spp. in stool samples with microscopic, culture and molecular methods].

Blastocystis species are enteric protozoa frequently detected in human and animals. Seventeen subtypes (STs) have now been identified, nine of them isolating from humans. The pleomorphic structure and genetic diversity of Blastocystis spp. and the absence of standardized diagnostic methods complicate the evaluation of current data. Microscopic methods such as native-lugol and trichrome staining are most frequently used methods in routine diagnosis, while culture and molecular methods are preferred for research purposes. The aims of this study were to investigate the presence of Blastocystis spp. in the stool samples of patients with gastrointestinal complaints by microscopic and culture methods, and to detect the subtypes of isolates by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 350 stool samples collected from patients with diarrhea (n= 157) and without diarrhea (n= 193) were included in the study. Presence of Blastocystis spp. in the samples were investigated by native-lugol examination, trichrome staining and direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) methods. Ringer's solution containing 10% horse serum and 0.05% asparagine was used for cultivation. The cultures were evaluated after 3-4 days of incubation at 37°C by microscopic examination. The subtypes of Blastocystis spp. strains isolated from the cultures have been identified by PCR using sequence-tagged site primers. A total of 66 (19%) stool samples, of them 26 (16.6%) were from diarrheal and 40 (21%) from non-diarrheal cases, yielded Blastocystis sp. growth in culture. Among the evaluated samples, 12% (42/350) were found positive with native-lugol examination, 17% (58/350) with trichrome staining, and 19% (66/350) with DFA method. The agreement of culture and native-lugol method was estimated as strong (κ= 0.752), while it was very strong between culture with trichrome staining and DFA methods (κ= 0.922 and κ= 1.00, respectively). When the culture was accepted as reference method, the sensitivity and specificity rates of native-lugol method were 65% and 100%, trichrome staining method were 88% and 100%, and DFA method were 100% and 100%, respectively. Forty-three (65%) of Blastocystis spp. positive samples were subtyped by PCR, while 23 isolates could not be subtyped. The most frequent detected subtype was ST3 (12/43; 28%), followed by ST1 (6/43; 13.9%), ST4 (5/43; 11.6%) and ST7 (5/43; 11.6%), ST2 (3/43; 7%) and ST6 (1/43; 2.3%). ST5 was not detected in this study and 11 (25.6%) samples have been identified to have mixed subtypes. The differences of Blastocystis spp. positivity rates and the distribution of the subtypes between the patients with or without diarrhea were not found statistically significant (p> 0.05). In our study, ST3 was the most frequently identified Blastocystis spp. subtype, similar to the previous national studies, however ST6 and ST7 have been identified for the first time. In conclusion, as the sensitivity of native-lugol examination is low, culture is time-consuming and laborious and PCR methods are costly and non-standardized, rapid, practical and high sensitive DFA is considered as the favourable method in the diagnosis of Blastocystis spp. in routine laboratories

Demodex spp. as a possible aetiopathogenic factor of acne and relation with acne severity and type.

Acne is a very common skin disease in adolescents and young adults, but it also affects adults. However, its aetiology is not yet fully understood. Demodex appears to be associated with multiple skin disorders, but controversy persists. Some reports indicate a connection between acne vulgaris and demodicosis

Association of Enteric Protist Blastocystis spp. and gut microbiota with hepatic encephalopathy

WOS: 000391085100011PubMed ID: 27981305Background & Aims: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a serious neuropsychiatric sequela emerging in the advanced stages of cirrhosis. The gut microbiota plays an important role in the development of HE. The aim of the study was to analyze the dynamic interplay between microbiota and Blastocystis in cirrhotic patients with or without encephalopathy. Methods: The study was designed as cross-sectional study. A total of 37 patients from the Ankara city, admitted to the University Hospital within a 6-month period prior to enrolment into the study were included in the study. After the regular health checks, clinical histories, clinical examinations, and Psychometric HE Score (PHES) points, patients' MELD and CTP scores were recorded. The fecal microbiota configurations were characterized by targeting hypervariable regions V3 and V4 of the 16S rRNA gene using Illumina MiSeq System. Results: Blastocystis spp. were detected in 21.6% (n = 8) of all cirrhotic patients. When those were analyzed by subgroups, four of them were subtype 2, three were subtype 3 and one was subtype 1. Blastocystis spp. were not found in any of the patients with HE; however, they were detected in 38.1% of the patients without HE. Also the increase in the bacterial diversity was observed along with the absence of Blastocystis. It was suggested that there was an inverse relationship between Blastocystis spp. and advanced stages of HE and the structure and composition of gut microbiota. Conclusion: The absence of Blastocystis spp. is associated with the HE severity and dysbiosis in the gut microbiota.Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, Career Reintegration Grant [TUBITAK-2232]O. Ufuk Nalbantoglu was partially supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, Career Reintegration Grant TUBITAK-2232