Serum Levels of Mannose-Binding Lectin in Atopic and Healthy Mongolian Adults

Objectives: Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a vital protein of an innate immune system synthesized by the liver. The serum level of MBL is associated with an increased susceptibility to infection with a high risk of allergic and autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the profile of serum levels of MBL in atopic and healthy Mongolian subjects. Methods: Serum samples were collected from 219 healthy Mongolian adult blood donors and 216 atopic subjects. We analyzed the MBL level in each serum by using the double-antibody sandwich ELISA method. Results: The mean serum level of MBL was 3088.28 ± 669.8 ng/ ml in atopic subjects and 2165.07 ± 708.5 ng/ml in healthy groups. In males, the MBL mean serum level of atopic subjects was 3012.8 ± 783.16 ng/ml and 2073.33 ± 678.26 ng/ml in the healthy group of males. The MBL mean serum level of female atopic subjects was 3138.22 ± 580.6 ng/ml and 2263.61 ± 733.1 ng/ml in the healthy group of females. Low association and significant differences were observed between MBL levels of atopic and healthy subjects. Conclusion: The serum level of MBL in atopic subjects was comparatively higher than in subjects of the healthy group. Significant differences were observed between mean levels of MBL between the different age groups

The Status of Human Echinococcosis in Western Mongolia

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify cases of human echinococcosis in the Bayan-Ulgii, Khovd provinces, to determine their WHO classification by ultrasound and to identify the haplotype in surgically cysts removed. Methods: A total of 1063 people participated in ultrasound screening. Patients who had a positive echinococcosis by ultrasound underwent serologic testing for detection of antibodies for echinococcosis. Results: Ninety people were positive for the liver cystic lesions by ultrasound screening of which 12 cases were newly diagnosed cystic echinococcosis. Four were cystic echinococcosis stages 1-2, five were stage 3, while three were cystic echinococcosis stage 4. Thirty-three patients with previously known echinococcosis stage 2 and alveolar echinococcosis stage 4 were also examined. Out of 29 cystic echinococcosis cases, 24 underwent treatment. Of 24 who underwent treatment, only one was cured. The haplotypes E. canadensis G6/7 and E. granulossus s.s. G1 were confirmed by evaluating the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene of mitochondrial DNA in two patients in Bayan-Ulgii. Conclusion: Ninety people were positive for cystic echinococcosis in western Mongolia of which 12 cases were newly diagnosed cases. Of the 12 new cystic echinococcosis cases, 4 were stages 1-2, 5 were stage 3 and 3 were stage 4 by WHO classification. The haplotype in Bayan-Ulgii population were E. canadensis and s.s

The first workshop towards the control of cestode zoonoses in Asia and Africa

Abstract The first workshop towards the control of cestode zoonoses in Asia and Africa was held in Asahikawa Medical University, Japan on 15 and 16 Feb 2011. This meeting was fully supported by the Asian Science and Technology Strategic Cooperation Promotion Programs sponsored by the Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology, the Ministry of Education Japan (MEXT) for 3 years from 2010 to Akira Ito. A total of 24 researchers from 9 countries joined together and discussed the present situation and problems towards the control of cestode zoonoses. As the meeting was simultaneously for the establishment of joint international, either bilateral or multilateral collaboration projects, the main purposes were directed to 1) how to detect taeniasis/cysticercosis infected patients, 2) how to differentiate Taenia solium from two other human Taenia species, T. saginata and T. asiatica, 3) how to evaluate T. asiatica based on the evidence of hybrid and hybrid-derived adult tapeworms from Thailand and China, 4) how to evaluate T. solium and T. hyaenae and other Taenia species from the wild animals in Ethiopia, and 5) how to detect echinococcosis patients and 6) how to differentiate Echinococcus species worldwide. Such important topics are summarized in this meeting report

Prevalence and risk factors associated with human cystic echinococcosis in rural areas, Mongolia.

Cystic echinococcosis is a chronic, complex and neglected zoonotic disease with considerable socio-economic impact on the affected population. Even though Mongolia is included in the list of high cystic echinococcosis risk countries, there has been very limited research and evidence on the prevalence or prevention of cystic echinococcosis. This field-based cross-sectional study to investigate the prevalence of cystic echinococcosis and its potential risk factors in Mongolia was conducted from April 2016 to March 2018. A total of 1,993 people were examined by ultrasound in five provinces of Mongolia. All cystic echinococcosis positive cases were classified according to the WHO-IWGE expert recommendations. The logistic regression model was used to detect the association between the presence of echinococcus infection and each potential risk factor. This was the first community survey based on ultrasound screening in Mongolia. We found 98 cystic echinococcosis cases (prevalence = 4.9%), including 85 abdominal ultrasound cystic echinococcosis positive cases and 13 abdominal ultrasound cystic echinococcosis negative cases (surgically treated cystic echinococcosis cases 11, and 2 confirmed cases of lung cystic echinococcosis by chestcomputed tomography in hospital of Ulaanbaatar). The prevalence of cystic echinococcosis varied greatly among different provinces, ranging from 2.0% to 13.1%. Children, elderly people and those with lower education had higher chances of getting cystic echinococcosis. Rather than dog ownership itself, daily practice for cleaning dog feces was associated with increased odds of cystic echinococcosis. The results of the present study show very high endemicity of cystic echinococcosis in Umnugovi province. Evaluation of potential risk factors associated with cystic echinococcosisshow high significance for following factors: demographics (age), social condition (education level) and hygiene practices (cleaning dog feces and use of gloves). Children under 18 and elderly people are considered as the most risk age groups in Mongolia

Recent situation of taeniasis in Mongolia (2002-2012).

(open-access, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/)Epidemiological situation of taeniasis in Mongolia was assessed based on mitochondrial DNA identification of the parasite species. Multiplex PCR was used on a total of 194 proglottid specimens of Taenia species and copro-PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays were utilized for detection of copro-DNA of 37 fecal samples from taeniasis patients submitted to the Mongolian National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) from 2002 to 2012. In addition, 4 out of 44 calcified cysts in beef kept in formalin since 2003 were evaluated for histopathological confirmation of cattle cysticercosis. All proglottid specimens and stool samples were confirmed to be Taenia saginata by multiplex PCR and by copro-PCR and LAMP, respectively. Cysts collected from cattle were morphologically confirmed to be metacestodes of Taenia species. T. saginata taeniasis was identified from almost all ages from a 2-year-old boy up to a 88-year-old woman and most prominently in 15-29 age group (37%, 74/198) followed by 30-44 age group (34.8%, 69/198 ) from 15 of Mongolia's 21 provinces, while cattle cysticerci were found from 12 provinces. The highest proportion of taeniasis patients was in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia

Cystic echinococcoses in Mongolia: molecular identification, serology and risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a globally distributed cestode zoonosis that causes hepatic cysts. Although Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) is the major causative agent of CE worldwide, recent molecular epidemiological studies have revealed that E. canadensis is common in countries where camels are present. One such country is Mongolia. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Forty-three human hepatic CE cases that were confirmed histopathologically at the National Center of Pathology (NCP) in Ulaanbaatar (UB) were identified by analysis of mitochondrial cox 1 gene as being caused by either E. canadensis (n=31, 72.1%) or E. granulosus s.s. (n=12, 27.9%). The majority of the E. canadensis cases were strain G6/7 (29/31, 93.5%). Twenty three haplotypes were identified. Sixteen of 39 CE cases with data on age, sex and province of residence were citizens of UB (41.0%), with 13 of the 16 cases from UB caused by E. canadensis (G6/7) (81.3%). Among these 13 cases, nine were children (69.2%). All pediatric cases (n  =  18) were due to E. canadensis with 17 of the 18 cases (94.4%) due to strain G6/7. Serum samples were available for 31 of the 43 CE cases, with 22 (71.0%) samples positive by ELISA to recombinant Antigen B8/1 (rAgB). Nine of 10 CE cases caused by E. granulosus s.s. (90.0%) and 13 of 20 CE cases by E. canadensis (G6/7) (65.0%) were seropositive. The one CE case caused by E. canadensis (G10) was seronegative. CE cases caused by E. granulosus s.s. showed higher absorbance values (median value 1.131) than those caused by E. canadensis (G6/7) (median value 0.106) (p  =  0.0137). CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The main species/strains in the study population were E. canadenis and E. granulossus s.s. with E. canadensis the predominant species identified in children. The reason why E. canadensis appears to be so common in children is unknown