Eosynophils in parasitic infections — clinical and functional significance.

Eosinophils are multifunctional cells which contain and produce many biologically active substances. Their presence is mainly associated with parasitic infections or allergic manifestations. Eosinophilia is acommon feature of helminth infections occurring both in the blood and at local sites of infection. The highly toxic basic proteins in eosinophil granules exert a range of biological effects not only against helminth parasites but also in host tissue being responsible for their damage. Eosinophils have been shown to be strong effectors killing helminth parasites in vitro, especially the larval stages. However, this function in vivo was established only for the very small number of parasites. In the last years an opportunity has appeared to perform experiments with parasites on genetically modified mice: over expressing the gene encoding II-5 as well as lacking some receptors on eosinophils. These new studies in mice demonstrated that Il-5 and eosinophils had a different impact on different helminth infections. Eosinophilia in human patients has only a limited predictive value for the presence of helminth infections. However, the likelihood of the presence of helminth infections increases considerably with the extent of eosinophilia

Reduction of muscle larvae burden in rats experimentally infected with Trichinella spiralis

In Wistar rats infected with 500 to 2,500 Trichinella spiralis larvae the muscle larvae intensity (larvae per gram-l.p.g.) was measured from 20 to 180 day post infection (d.p.i). The l.p.g. increased to day 40-50 p.i. and decreased thereafter. The highest reduction took place between 6 0 and 120 d.p.i. with intermediate inoculum of T. spiralis larvae. The mechanism of the reduction of T. spiralis larvae in muscles is suggested to depend on pericapsular-intercapsular host cells infiltrations attracted by parasite antigens

Reduction of muscle larvae burden in rats experimentally infected with

In Wistar rats infected with 500 to 2,500 Trichinella spiralis larvae the muscle larvae intensity (larvae per gram-l.p.g.) was measured from 20 to 180 day post infection (d.p.i). The l.p.g. increased to day 40-50 p.i. and decreased thereafter. The highest reduction took place between 6 0 and 120 d.p.i. with intermediate inoculum of T. spiralis larvae. The mechanism of the reduction of T. spiralis larvae in muscles is suggested to depend on pericapsular-intercapsular host cells infiltrations attracted by parasite antigens

Detection of Trichinella spiralis antigens in urine of men and animals

The practical inability to diagnose Trichinella spiralis antibodies in man before day 20 post infection (dpi) has stimulated interest in the development of immunodiagnostic test to detect circulating antigens. Our previous experience showed that soon after infection immune complexes as well as uncomplexed parasite antigens in sera of infected rats could be detected. To diagnose the presence of antigen in urine, double sandwich-capture ELISA was applied using a peroxidase-conjugated rabbit immunoglobulin to T. spiralis larval antigens. The plates were coated with metabolic (AES) or somatic (AS) larval antigens. Mice were infected with 500 T. spiralis larvae. The urine samples from experimentally infected mice taken from 1 to 41 dpi. and the urine samples from patients of the Clinical Hospital in Białystok taken from 3 to 120 dpi were examined. Before testing, the urine samples were heated for 6 min. at 100°C and centrifuged for 6 min. at 5000 g, supematants were used in ELISA. The presence of T. spiralis antigens in mice urine samples was detected between 6-26 days post infection (dpi) using double sandwich-capture ELISA. All samples taken later were negative as samples taken from uninfected mice. 3 from 9 human urine samples taken 3-10 dpi were positive, the remaining samples taken 3-10 and 10-30 dpi showed values near to "cut-off". In both mice and human urine samples the higher level of antigens was detected in ELISA when somatic larval antigen was used. The T. spiralis antigens were present in urine of infected men and mice in the first phase of infection

Raccoon dog [Nyctereutes procyonoides] - the new host of Echinococcus multilocularis in Poland

The alimentary canals of 9 species of domesticated or wild animals were examined for the presence of E. multilocularis. The tapeworm was found in 9 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) out of 155 examined (5.8%) and in 2 raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) of 25 examined (8.0%). Our studies proved that in Poland the raccoon dog can also be infected with E. multilocularis