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Background Toxoplasmosis during pregnancy is known for inducing variable serious outcomes. In many previous studies, pregnancy was evaluated as a single event while in reality; it has different distinct immunological stages depending on gestational time and possible external factors as infectious agents. A state of immunological balance as well as a state of maternal-fetal tolerance should be established; otherwise, atypical unwelcomed outcomes might occur as a result of such infection Aim This work aimed to study the gene expression profile of some pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in Toxoplasma seropositive cases Results All studied cytokines were significantly upregulated in group I, with a remarkable bias towards IFN-γ, denoting a predominant inflammatory state in group I. In group II; tested cytokines were approximately in a balanced state with a little shift towards anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β). A significant positive correlation was detected between pro-inflammatory together (p = 0.002, r = 0.96) and between anti-inflammatory cytokines together (p = 0.0008, r = 0.99) in group II, indicating the harmonized and synchronized expression of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In group III, IL-10 was relatively higher with negative correlation with IFN-γ (p = 0.006, r = 0.93), indicating the possible role of IL10 in saving some of the pregnancies’ outcomes in group III. Conclusion The present study suggests a potential role of these cytokines in the upcoming prognostic or/and therapeutic concerns of toxoplasmosis among pregnant women.

Cryptosporidium is one of the most common, worldwide diarrheal diseases caused by parasites. Due to absence of an effective treatment, determining the prevailing species of Cryptosporidium is a key in identifying its transmission dynamics and a necessary precursor required for the planning and implementation of effective preventive and control strategies. This PCR-RFLP study was done to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in the stool of a cohort of Egyptian children and evaluate/assess associated risk factors for susceptibility to cryptosporidiosis, due to the lack of existent studies addressing Cryptosporidium transmission dynamics in humans and assessed risk factors in Egypt. Stool samples were collected from 431 children; 331 diarrheic and 100 apparently healthy non-diarrheic children; their data were recorded. Samples were processed for Copro-nPCR targeting Hsp90 gene and PCR-RFLP analysis for species identification. Variables which showed statistical significance for Cryptosporidium were included in a logistic regression analysis to identify the estimated risk. Out of 84 (19.5%) Cryptosporidium-positive samples (78 diarrheic and 6 non-diarreic), 75 (89.3%) were Cryptosporidium hominis, 6 (7.1%) were Cryptosporidium parvum, and 3 (3.6%) were non-typed. There was a significant association between Cryptosporidium detection in stool and the estimated risk factors: diarrhea, soft stool, and drinking from tap water. Cryptosporidium is an indigenous, prevailing intestinal parasite among children in Cairo that physicians must consider, especially in diarrheic, preschool-aged children, who drink from tap water. The finding of a predominance of C. hominis indicates anthroponotic rather than zoonotic transmission.

Cryptosporidium is a significant cause of diarrhea worldwide especially in children. Infection may end fatally in immunocompromised patients. Multi-attribute analysis was used to determine the lab utility of 4 diagnostics; coproscopy of AF stained fecal smear, fecal immunoassays by ICT and ELISA and copro-nPCR assay targeting Hsp90 gene, for detection of Cryptosporidium in stool of 250 Egyptian children (150 diarrheic and 100 non-diarrhaeic children). Also, to determine Cryptosporidium molecular prevalence. Cryptosporidium was an important enteric pathogen among both diarrheic and non-diarrheic study children with a clearly high prevalence of 16.4 % (n = 41). Conventional methods had perfect specificity (100 %) but couldn`t be used as a consistent single detection method due to their lowered sensitivities. Multi-attribute analysis ranked nPCR the highest test for lab use. Being the test with the best diagnostic yield, nPCR is a reliable diagnostic test and is going to replace conventional methods for reliable detection of Cryptosporidium.

Estimated 500,000 - 1 million cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are reported to occur yearly worldwide, with a mean annual incidence of around 3 - 4% of global population. HCC is rapidly fatal in most patients; that makes its incidence and mortality rates almost equal. In the last 5-10 years there were many alarming reports of sharply increased incidence of HCC. In Egypt, HCC reported to account for about 4.7% of chronic liver disease (CLD) patients, which has tremendous impact on socio-economic development in the country. Available data suggests indirect evidence of an association between Schistosoma mansoni and hepatocellular carcinoma, possibly through potentiation of hepatitis infections. The present study was conducted case control analysis of 60 HCC patients. Chronic schistosomiasis cases were confirmed by finding Anti-Schistosoma mansoni antibodies IgG by ELISA. Hepatitis C viral infection was proved by detection of viral load by quantitative Real time PCR. Among the study group 56.6% (34/60) were dweller in rural in Al-Fayoum governorate. Within hepatocellular carcinoma cases 26.7% (16/60) and 33.3% (20/60) suffered mono chronic schistosomiasis and mono hepatitis C (HCV) infections respectively, with no statistically significant differences (p=0.37), indicating comparable risk value of both infections in predisposing directly to HCC. Additionally; frequency of HCC patients with assumed potentiated HCV infection by chronic Schistosoma mansoni 6.7% (4/60) were statistically significant (p

Schistosomiasis is a debilitating parasitic disease, affects large number of host species. Currently affects 250-300 million people in tropic areas. Schistosoma pathogenic impact is hepatic periportal fibrosis; the parasite-induced inflammatory cellular activation promotes oxidative stress, resulting in lipid peroxidation (LPO), with subsequent increase in inflammatory mediators as malondialdehyde (MDA). This study was set up to reveal possible contribution of lipid peroxidation byproducts MDA in hepatic pathophysiology. Results displayed that MDA don’t tend to change in relation with either age, nor hepatic transaminases AST & ALT, while exhibited a significant increase in MDA levels in human schistosomiasis versus control group P

A malaria survey of the entire population of a village in Western Burkina Faso (n=1,561) was conducted to assess malaria endemicity. The study population was examined for symptoms characteristic of malaria including fever, anaemia, splenomegaly and parasites present in thick blood films. In the overall study population, the prevalence of Plasmodium spp. infection by microscopic examination of thick blood films was 79.0% (1,233/1,561). In a subcohort with 201 individuals, PCR techniques found a prevalence rate for all Plasmodium spp. of 92.0% (185/201), while microscopy found one of 80.6% (162/201). A combination of both methods gives a rate of 95.5% (192/201). Though univariate logistic analyses of elevated body temperature, anaemia, splenomegaly and age showed them all to be predictors of or risk factors for an infection, only elevated body temperature and age were predictors in multivariate logistic analysis. However, the symptom of splenomegaly did show a highly significant association with infection by multiple species of Plasmodium.

The aim of the study was to assess whether infections with Plasmodium falciparum isolates encoding the P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (pfcrt) gene K76T polymorphism, a molecular marker for chloroquine resistance, are associated with multiple infections, age, or clinical signs of malaria in a semi-immune population in a holoendemic area of Burkina Faso. The parameters of interest were investigated in 210 P. falciparum-positive inhabitants. Logistic regression analysis showed that pfcrt K76T-carrying isolates are significantly more likely to cause anemia and splenomegaly. Furthermore, we found that infections with P. falciparum isolates encoding pfcrt K76T are dependent on age rather than multiple infections. Our findings suggest that pfcrt K76T might serve as a valuable marker for assessing the long-term clinical effect of chronic infections with chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum isolates in populations, without the need of drug efficacy trials.