Molecular Identification of <i>Blastocystis hominis</i> Isolates in Patients with Autoimmune Diseases

Background: Blastocystis hominis (B. hominis) is a ubiquitous parasite that has spread worldwide and is commonly present in human stool specimens. It was hypothesized that infection with B. hominis plays a role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases in humans. The aim of this study is to test this hypothesis by investigating patients with autoimmune diseases. Patients with various types of autoimmune diseases with gastrointestinal symptoms were enrolled in this study as cases (n = 72) along with nongastrointestinal symptom patients as controls (n = 58). All participants in this study were subjected to history taking and were investigated for B. hominis infection via wet-mount microscopic stool examinations, staining with trichrome stain, and molecular-based tests applied to their fecal samples. Blood samples were also tested for complete blood counts. B. hominis were identified with specific PCR more in cases (12/72; 16.6%) than in controls (3/58; 5.2%), with a significant difference (p B. hominis when compared to patients with nongastrointestinal symptoms (p-value < 0.05)

Perinuclear halo indicate Trichomonas vaginalis in Pap smear

Trichomonas vaginalis could be seen in Pap smears where it is reported, but because main concerned is placed on malignant cells in Pap smears, not much effort is done to search for this parasite in smears. In this study, 100 cervical and vaginal specimens were examined microscopically by the conventional Papanicolaou method and liquid base cytology (LBC) for the presence of Trichomonas vaginalis (T.vaginalis). 16% were infected with T.vaginalis while 10% of diagnosis based on both perinuclear halo and T. vaginalis presence although the association between perinuclear halo and T, vaginalis is statistically insignificant it is recommended to increase the number of the cases to prove or disprove the associatio

Prevalence of Infectious Agents Causing Abortion in Pregnant Women Using Serological Tests and Histopathological Analysis

Background: Abortion is a spontaneous loss of pregnancy before 20 weeks. Approximately 42 million pregnancies end in abortion. The maternal infections that are transmissible from mother to fetus are caused by many pathogens, of which the TORCH complex contributes majorly to neonatal and infant deaths globally. The aim of this study is to detect the prevalence and types of infectious causes of abortion. One hundred aborted women admitted to King Faisal Medical Complex Maternity Hospital in Taif City between the period of 2018 and 2020 were enrolled in this study. The serological test reports (TORCH panel), as well as reports of hematological (CBC) and chemical parameters, were obtained from laboratory management system databases, reviewed, and then analyzed. The H&E-stained microscopic slides of their product of conception (POC) were examined under a microscope and compared with histopathological reports. The prevalence of TORCH infections was 8% in aborted women. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and mixed TORCH infections constituted the highest percentage of TORCH pathogens in aborted women, constituting 6%. The most detected histopathological finding in seropositive cases (50%) was POC, with mixed inflammatory infiltrates and chronic endometritis, while in seronegative aborted women, POC was normal (64.1%). There is a statistically significant increase in the mean count of white blood cells in seropositive women. Therefore, it is important to provide health campaigns to bring awareness to the population about the risk factors of infectious agents to be avoided, especially during pregnancy