1. Effect of Egyptian propolis on cryptosporidiosis in immunosuppressed rats with special emphasis on oocysts shedding, leukogram, protein profile and ileum histopathology
Hamdy SOUFY ; Soad M. NASR ; Tamer H. ABD EL-AZIZ ; Fathia A.M. KHALIL ; Hala A.A. ABOU ZEINA ; Nadia M. EL-BEIH ; Youssef F. AHMED
Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine 2017;10(3):253-262
Objectives To investigate the activity of Egyptian propolis extracts (ethanol and water) on cryptosporidiosis in experimentally infected dexamethasone-immunosuppressed rats. Methods A total of 180 male rats (190–220) g BWt were randomly divided into 9 equal groups (G1–G9). Groups of rats were kept as (G1): normal control, (G2–G9): immunosuppressed with dexamethasone and (G3-G9): infected with Cryptosporidium oocysts. Rats from (G4–G9) were given orally ethanol and water extract of propolis (at a dose of 50 mg/kg BWt) and nitazoxanide (standard anti-cryptosporidial drug at a dose of 100 mg/kg BWt) to infected rats with different regimes. Faecal pellets were collected from all groups to monitor oocysts shedding from the 2nd to the 15th day post infection. At the end of the experiment, blood was collected from all groups for determination of leukogram and serum proteins. Ileum specimens were also examined histopathologically. Results The highest reduction of oocysts shedding in faecal samples was 88% in rats prophylactically treated with propolis ethanol extract at the 4th dpi, and in rats prophylactically treated with water extract of propolis, was 91% at the 6th dpi. There was a marked increase in neutrophils count and α
2.Zika virus antibody-positivity among symptomatic/asymptomatic pregnant women in the Aseer region displays pre-exposure to dengue viruses
Harish, C.C. ; Ayed, A.A. ; Alhanshani, A.A. ; Youssef, A.A. ; Esther, P. ; Riyad, A.A.M. ; Abdullah, M.A. ; Anandalakshmi, S. ; Ashish, K. ; Ahmed, M.A.H.
Tropical Biomedicine 2023;40(No.3):337-343
Antibody cross-reactivity among flaviviruses is a major limitation in understanding the prevalence
without vector control measures. In this study, we investigated the presence of Zika virus (ZIKV)-specific
antibodies and the significance of their cross-reactivity with other flaviviruses, which could affect the
serological specificity in both symptomatic and asymptomatic pregnant women. Among the results
obtained from 217 serum samples tested for ZIKV-specific IgM and IgG, no specific predictions regarding
seropositivity or exposure due to extensive cross-reactivity with dengue virus (DENV) serology could be
made. Clear-cut positivity was observed in 1.8% (n = 4) and 1.0% (n = 2) for ZIKV IgM and IgG, respectively.
The same samples assessed for DENV showed 1.3% (n = 3) seropositivity each for IgM and IgG levels.
None of the samples were positive for ZIKV and DENV IgM or IgG. However, one sample (0.4%) tested
positive for ZIKV and DENV IgM. No significant correlation was observed between DENV IgM and IgG
when comparing the overlapped serotiters. On the other hand, the ZIKV IgG-positive sample showed
higher serotiters for DENV IgG, indicating cross-reactivity with ZIKV but without statistical significance.
Therefore, screening for the incidence of ZIKV becomes particularly challenging in a population where
the presence or pre-exposure to DENV is observed. Our observations further suggest that unless
flavivirus prevalence is properly addressed, determining the prevalence of ZIKV antibodies, which may
be confounded with other uninvestigated flaviviruses, will be complicated.