Determination of Anti-schistosomal Finger Profiles of Chenopodium ambrosoide Crude Extracts in BALB/c Mice Using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)

Plants may contain ingredients that have anti-parasitic activity against parasites of medical siginificance. Chenopodium ambrosoides (Wormseed) a wide spread herb in the Family: Chenopodiacea was investigated for anti-schistosomal activity using, the human trematode parasite, Schistosoma mansoni, as the target. The plant is well known for its vermifuge and anti-helminthetic properties. The root, stem, leaves and fruit of the plant were extracted sequentially using n-hexane, dichloromethane, methanol and distilled water as solvents and tested for anti-schistosomal activity. TLC finger profiles mobile of C. ambrosoides extracts showed aqueous (leaf) extract had  more Rf spots than methanol (fruit) extract but they were not significantly different (P > 0.05). The results of this study suggest that Chenopodium ambrosoides aqueous (leaf) and methanol (fruit) extracts has remarkable anti-schistosomal properties, and should be investigated to determine their toxicity and also tested against other parasites as a source novel anti-parasitic compounds. Keywords: Rf - Mobility Relative to front TLC - Thin Layer Chromatograph

Prevalence of Soil-Transmitted Helminthiases and Schistosomiasis in Preschool Age Children in Mwea Division, Kirinyaga South District, Kirinyaga County, and Their Potential Effect on Physical Growth

Intestinal parasitic infections can significantly contribute to the burden of disease, may cause nutritional and energetic stress, and negatively impact the quality of life in low income countries of the world. This cross-sectional study done in Mwea irrigation scheme, in Kirinyaga, central Kenya, assessed the public health significance of soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH), schistosomiasis, and other intestinal parasitic infections, among 361 preschool age children (PSAC) through fecal examination, by measuring anthropometric indices, and through their parents/guardians, by obtaining sociodemographic information. Both intestinal helminth and protozoan infections were detected, and, among the soil-transmitted helminth parasites, there were Ascaris lumbricoides (prevalence, 3%), Ancylostoma duodenale (<1%), and Trichuris trichiura (<1%). Other intestinal helminths were Hymenolepis nana (prevalence, 3.6%) and Enterobius vermicularis (<1%). Schistosoma mansoni occurred at a prevalence of 5.5%. Interestingly, the protozoan, Giardia lamblia (prevalence, 14.7%), was the most common among the PSAC. Other protozoans were Entamoeba coli (3.9%) and Entamoeba histolytica (<1). Anthropometric indices showed evidence of malnutrition. Intestinal parasites were associated with hand washing behavior, family size, water purification, and home location. These findings suggest that G. lamblia infection and malnutrition may be significant causes of ill health among the PSAC in Mwea, and, therefore, an intervention plan is needed

Anti-Schistosomal Activity of Chenopodium ambrosoides Extracts in Adult Worms In vivo and In vitro

Plants may contain ingredients that have anti-parasitic activity against parasites of medical significance. Chenopodium ambrosoides (Wormseed) a wide spread herb in the Family Chenopodiacea was investigated for anti-schistosomal activity using, the human trematode parasite, Schistosoma mansoni, as the target. The plant is well known for its vermifuge and anti-helminthetic properties. The root, stem, leaves and fruit of the plant were extracted sequentially using n-hexane, dichloromethane, methanol and distilled water as solvents and tested for anti-schistosomal activity. The crude extracts of leaves and fruits wereremarkableand showedsignificant activity that resulted in significant egg counts reduction, compared to untreated controls (P &lt; 0.05). Among the plant extracts (n – hexane, dichloromethane, methanol and aqueous), aqueous (leaf) and methanol (fruit) extracts showed responses closest to PZQ. Aqueous (leaf) had 46% worms reduction, methanol (fruit) had 23% worms reduction and Praziquantel had 34% worms reduction (P &gt; 0.05). The in vitro results showed methanol (fruit) extract killed more adult worms of S. mansoni than the aqueous (leaf) extract. The effect of both methanol (fruit) and aqueous (leaf) extracts on S. mansoni adult worms showed that methanol (fruit) extract had better potency than aqueous (leaf) extract.  The killing effect of methanol (fruit) and aqueous (leaf) extracts were statistically similar to Praziquantel. Keywords:Chenopodium ambrosoides (Wormseed),  In vivo and  In vitr

Transcriptional responses of Biomphalaria pfeifferi and Schistosoma mansoni following exposure to niclosamide, with evidence for a synergistic effect on snails following exposure to both stressors.

BackgroundSchistosomiasis is one of the world's most common NTDs. Successful control operations often target snail vectors with the molluscicide niclosamide. Little is known about how niclosamide affects snails, including for Biomphalaria pfeifferi, the most important vector for Schistosoma mansoni in Africa. We used Illumina technology to explore how field-derived B. pfeifferi, either uninfected or harboring cercariae-producing S. mansoni sporocysts, respond to a sublethal treatment of niclosamide. This study afforded the opportunity to determine if snails respond differently to biotic or abiotic stressors, and if they reserve unique responses for when presented with both stressors in combination. We also examined how sporocysts respond when their snail host is treated with niclosamide.Principal findingsCercariae-producing sporocysts within snails treated with niclosamide express ~68% of the genes in the S. mansoni genome, as compared to 66% expressed by intramolluscan stages of S. mansoni in snails not treated with niclosamide. Niclosamide does not disable sporocysts nor does it seem to provoke from them distinctive responses associated with detoxifying a xenobiotic. For uninfected B. pfeifferi, niclosamide treatment alone increases expression of several features not up-regulated in infected snails including particular cytochrome p450s and heat shock proteins, glutathione-S-transferases, antimicrobial factors like LBP/BPI and protease inhibitors, and also provokes strong down regulation of proteases. Exposure of infected snails to niclosamide resulted in numerous up-regulated responses associated with apoptosis along with down-regulated ribosomal and defense functions, indicative of a distinctive, compromised state not achieved with either stimulus alone.Conclusions/significanceThis study helps define the transcriptomic responses of an important and under-studied schistosome vector to S. mansoni sporocysts, to niclosamide, and to both in combination. It suggests the response of S. mansoni sporocysts to niclosamide is minimal and not reflective of a distinct repertoire of genes to handle xenobiotics while in the snail host. It also offers new insights for how niclosamide affects snails

Anti-Schistosomal Activity of Chenopodium ambrosoides Extracts in Adult Worms In vivo and In vitro

Plants may contain ingredients that have anti-parasitic activity against parasites of medical significance. Chenopodium ambrosoides (Wormseed) a wide spread herb in the Family Chenopodiacea was investigated for anti-schistosomal activity using, the human trematode parasite, Schistosoma mansoni, as the target. The plant is well known for its vermifuge and anti-helminthetic properties. The root, stem, leaves and fruit of the plant were extracted sequentially using n-hexane, dichloromethane, methanol and distilled water as solvents and tested for anti-schistosomal activity. The crude extracts of leaves and fruits remarkable and significant activity that resulted in significant egg counts reduction, compared to untreated controls (P &lt; 0.05). Among the plant extracts (n – hexane, dichloromethane, methanol and aqueous), aqueous (leaf) and methanol (fruit) extracts showed responses closest to PZQ. Aqueous (leaf) had 46% worms reduction, methanol (fruit) had 23% worms reduction and Praziquantel had 34% worms reduction (P &gt; 0.05). The in vitro results showed methanol (fruit) extract killed more adult worms of S. mansoni than the aqueous (leaf) extract. Methanol (fruit) extract potency depended on concentration. The higher the concentration, the faster the killing. The effect of both methanol (fruit) and aqueous (leaf) extracts on S. mansoni adult worms showed that methanol (fruit) extract had better potency than aqueous (leaf) extract.  The killing effect of methanol (fruit) and aqueous (leaf) extracts were statistically similar to Praziquantel. Keywords: Chenopodium ambrosoides (Wormseed),  In vivo and  In vitr

The in vivo transcriptome of Schistosoma mansoni in the prominent vector species Biomphalaria pfeifferi with supporting observations from Biomphalaria glabrata.

BackgroundThe full scope of the genes expressed by schistosomes during intramolluscan development has yet to be characterized. Understanding the gene products deployed by larval schistosomes in their snail hosts will provide insights into their establishment, maintenance, asexual reproduction, ability to castrate their hosts, and their prolific production of human-infective cercariae. Using the Illumina platform, the intramolluscan transcriptome of Schistosoma mansoni was investigated in field-derived specimens of the prominent vector species Biomphalaria pfeifferi at 1 and 3 days post infection (d) and from snails shedding cercariae. These S. mansoni samples were derived from the same snails used in our complementary B. pfeifferi transcriptomic study. We supplemented this view with microarray analyses of S. mansoni from B. glabrata at 2d, 4d, 8d, 16d, and 32d to highlight robust features of S. mansoni transcription, even when a different technique and vector species was used.Principal findingsTranscripts representing at least 7,740 (66%) of known S. mansoni genes were expressed during intramolluscan development, with the greatest number expressed in snails shedding cercariae. Many transcripts were constitutively expressed throughout development featuring membrane transporters, and metabolic enzymes involved in protein and nucleic acid synthesis and cell division. Several proteases and protease inhibitors were expressed at all stages, including some proteases usually associated with cercariae. Transcripts associated with G-protein coupled receptors, germ cell perpetuation, and stress responses and defense were well represented. We noted transcripts homologous to planarian anti-bacterial factors, several neural development or neuropeptide transcripts including neuropeptide Y, and receptors that may be associated with schistosome germinal cell maintenance that could also impact host reproduction. In at least one snail the presence of larvae of another digenean species (an amphistome) was associated with repressed S. mansoni transcriptional activity.Conclusions/significanceThis in vivo study, emphasizing field-derived snails and schistosomes, but supplemented with observations from a lab model, provides a distinct view from previous studies of development of cultured intramolluscan stages from lab-maintained organisms. We found many highly represented transcripts with suspected or unknown functions, with connection to intramolluscan development yet to be elucidated

Co-infections with Plasmodium falciparum, Schistosoma mansoni and intestinal helminths among schoolchildren in endemic areas of northwestern Tanzania.

Malaria, schistosomiasis and intestinal helminth infections are causes of high morbidity in most tropical parts of the world. Even though these infections often co-exist, most studies focus on individual diseases. In the present study, we investigated the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum-malaria, intestinal schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminth infections, and the respective co-infections, among schoolchildren in northwest Tanzania. A cross sectional study was conducted among schoolchildren living in villages located close to the shores of Lake Victoria. The Kato Katz technique was employed to screen faecal samples for S. mansoni and soil-transmitted helminth eggs. Giemsa stained thick and thin blood smears were analysed for the presence of malaria parasites. Of the 400 children included in the study, 218 (54.5%) were infected with a single parasite species, 116 (29%) with two or more species, and 66 (16.5%) had no infection. The prevalences of P. falciparum and S. mansoni were 13.5% (95% CI, 10.2-16.8), and 64.3% (95% CI, 59.6-68.9) respectively. Prevalence of hookworm infection was 38% (95% CI, 33.2-42.8). A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura were not detected. Of the children 26.5% (95% CI, 21.9-30.6) that harbored two parasite species, combination of S. mansoni and hookworm co-infections was the most common (69%). Prevalence of S. mansoni - P. falciparum co-infections was 22.6% (95%CI, 15.3-31.3) and that of hookworm - P. falciparum co-infections 5.7% (95%CI, 2.6-12.8). Prevalence of co-infection of P. falciparum, S. mansoni and hookworm was 2.8% (95%CI, 1.15-4.4). Multiple parasitic infections are common among schoolchildren in rural northwest Tanzania. These findings can be used for the design and implementation of sound intervention strategies to mitigate morbidity and co-morbidity

Non-Invasive Sampling of Schistosomes from Humans Requires Correcting for Family Structure

For ethical and logistical reasons, population-genetic studies of parasites often rely on the non-invasive sampling of offspring shed from their definitive hosts. However, if the sampled offspring are naturally derived from a small number of parents, then the strong family structure can result in biased population-level estimates of genetic parameters, particularly if reproductive output is skewed. Here, we document and correct for the strong family structure present within schistosome offspring (miracidia) that were collected non-invasively from humans in western Kenya. By genotyping 2,424 miracidia from 12 patients at 12 microsatellite loci and using a sibship clustering program, we found that the samples contained large numbers of siblings. Furthermore, reproductive success of the breeding schistosomes was skewed, creating differential representation of each family in the offspring pool. After removing the family structure with an iterative jacknifing procedure, we demonstrated that the presence of relatives led to inflated estimates of genetic differentiation and linkage disequilibrium, and downwardly-biased estimates of inbreeding coefficients (F[subscript IS]). For example, correcting for family structure yielded estimates of F[[subscript ST] among patients that were 27 times lower than estimates from the uncorrected samples. These biased estimates would cause one to draw false conclusions regarding these parameters in the adult population. We also found from our analyses that estimates of the number of full sibling families and other genetic parameters of samples of miracidia were highly intercorrelated but are not correlated with estimates of worm burden obtained via egg counting (Kato-Katz). Whether genetic methods or the traditional Kato-Katz estimator provide a better estimate of actual number of adult worms remains to be seen. This study illustrates that family structure must be explicitly accounted for when using offspring samples to estimate the genetic parameters of adult parasite populations