6 research outputs found
Immune responsiveness associated with experimental <i>Encephalitozoon intestinalis</i> infection in immunocompetent rats
Immune responsiveness associated with experimental Encephalitozoon intestinalis infection in immunocompetent rats
Purpose: Microsporidial infections have been recognized as an
increasingly important infection in immuncompromised patients,
particularly those infected with HIV/AIDS. This study was designed to
study immune responses associated with experimental Encephalitozoon
intestinalis infection in immunocompetent rats. Materials and Methods:
Thirty-four Rats in 3 groups, A (Control), B (Intraperitoneal) and C
(Oral) were given injections of 0.5 ml of 2 x 10 6 of purified spores
of Encephalitotozoon intestinalis spores and were observed for serum
specific IgG for 21 days using both direct and indirect ELISA.
Results: In indirect ELISA, specific lgG were detected on days 7, 14
and 21 for the group B rats and on day 21 for group C and in direct
ELISA method, specific lgG were detected in-group B rats on days 7 and
21, for group C rats on day 21 only, while in the control rats,
specific lgG were not detected. There was no significant difference
between the direct and indirect methods (df=1, X 2 , P>0.05). E.
intestinalis was observed in stool samples of rats in 1/12 (08.33%) on
days 14 and 21 in group B, and in 4/10 (33.33%), 3/10 (25.00%) and 2/10
(16.67%) on days 7, 14 and 21 respectively in group C. In group A,
which is the control rats, no microsporidia were observed on days 0, 7,
14 and 21. Conclusions: There were no changes in the T-lymphocyte
counts of rats prior to and after inoculation with spores. Extensive
lesions were observed along the intestinal walls especially on the
middle and lower sections of group C rats only
Frequency of human toxocariasis in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa) was used to examine sera of 104 children and adults in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria for anti-toxocaral antibodies, out of which 31 (29.8%) were reactive. The seropositive rates were 30.4% for adults, 29.6% for children, 34% for females and 25.9% for males. However, the differences were not significant by age and sex. A highly significant association (p < 0.001) was observed between seropositivity and geophagia but none between seropositivity and dog ownership (p > 0.05)
Introduction of amoebae and Rhizobium japonicum into the gut of Eisenia fetida (Sav.) and Lumbricus terrestris L.
Seroprevalence of IgG Anti-Toxoplasma Antibodies in Asymptomatic Patients Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Japan
Plasmodium/intestinal helminth co-infections among pregnant Nigerian women
Hospital based studies were conducted to investigate the occurrence of Plasmodium/intestinal helminth co-infections among pregnant Nigerian women, and their effects on birthweights, anaemia and spleen size. From 2,104 near-term pregnant women examined, 816 (38.8%) were found to be infected with malaria parasites. Among the 816 parasitaemic subjects, 394 (48.3%) were also infected with intestinal helminths, 102 (12.5%) having mixed helminth infections. The prevalence of the helminth species found in stool samples of parasitaemic subjects examined was, Ascaris lumbricoides (19.1%), hookworm (14.2%), Trichuris trichiura (7%) Schistosoma mansoni (3.4%), Enterobius vermicularis (2%), Hymenolepis sp. (1.6%) and Taenia sp. (1%). Mothers with Plasmodium infection but without intestinal helminth infection had neonates of higher mean birthweights than those presenting both Plasmodium and intestinal helminth infections and this effect was more pronounced in primigravids. The mean haemoglobin values of malarial mothers with intestinal helminth infections were lower than those with Plasmodium infection but without intestinal helminth infections but these were not statistically significant. Severe splenomegaly was predominant among parasitaemic gravidae who also harboured S. mansoni infection in two of the hospitals studied