A 4-year-old female Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia) was found dead in the Gwangju Uchi Park Zoo. The animal had previously exhibited weakness and lethargy, but no signs of diarrhea. The carcass was emaciated upon presentation. The main gross lesion was characterized by severe serous atrophy of the fat tissues of the coronary and left ventricular grooves, resulting in the transformation of the fat to a gelatinous material. The rumen was fully distended with food, while the abomasum evidenced mucosal corrugation with slight congestion. Microscopic examination revealed the presence of Balantidium coli trophozoites within the lymphatic ducts of the gastric lymph node and the abdominal submucosa. On rare occasions, these organisms may invade extra-intestinal organs, in this case the gastric lymph nodes and abomasum.
Abomasum/parasitology ; Animals ; Atrophy/pathology/veterinary ; Balantidiasis/diagnosis/*veterinary ; Balantidium/*isolation&purification ; Female ; Heart Diseases/pathology/veterinary ; Lymph Nodes/*parasitology ; Sheep ; Sheep Diseases/diagnosis/*parasitology ; Stomach/*immunology/parasitology

Leishmania (L.) tropica is a causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis, and occasionally of visceral or viscerotropic leishmaniasis in humans. Murine models of Leishmania infection have been proven to be useful for elucidation of mechanisms for pathogenesis and immunity in leishmaniasis. The aim of this study was to establish a murine model for human viscerotropic leishmaniasis, and the growth pattern of L. tropica was studied in different tissues of BALB/c mice in order to find out whether the parasite visceralizes in this murine model. L. major was used as a control as this species is known to cause a progressive infection in BALB/c mice. L. tropica or L. major was injected into the footpad of mice, and thickness of footpad, parasite loads in different tissues, and the weight of the spleen and lymph node were determined at different intervals. Results showed that L. tropica visceralizes to the spleen and grows there while its growth is controlled in footpad tissues. Dissemination of L. tropica to visceral organs in BALB/c mice was similar to the growth patterns of this parasite in human viscerotropic leishmaniasis. The BALB/c model of L. tropica infection may be considered as a good experimental model for human diseases.
Animals ; *Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Foot/parasitology ; Humans ; Leishmania major/growth & development ; Leishmania tropica/*growth & development ; Leishmaniasis/*parasitology ; Lymph Nodes/parasitology/pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Organ Size ; Spleen/parasitology/pathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the prevalence of nymphal stages of L. serrata in mesenteric lymph nodes of camels slaughtered in Mashhad slaughterhouse, Northeast of Iran.

METHODSFor this purpose, mesenteric lymph nodes of 400 camels of different sex and age were examined. The lymph nodes were examined macroscopically and a digestion method was also applied for investigation of samples which was negative macroscopically.

RESULTSThe mesenteric lymph nodes of 73 camels out of 400 (18.25%) were infected by L. serrata nymphs.

CONCLUSIONSPrevalence of L. serrata nymphs in males and females and different age was not significantly different (P>0.05), but difference was observed between the prevalence in different seasons (P< 0.05). The potential importance of these findings to human health is discussed. This is the first report of infection with L. serrate of camels in camels slaughtered at northeast of Iran.

Abattoirs ; Animals ; Camelus ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Iran ; epidemiology ; Lymph Nodes ; parasitology ; Male ; Nymph ; Parasitic Diseases, Animal ; epidemiology ; parasitology ; Pentastomida ; Prevalence

Theileria annulata, a protozoan parasite of cattle and domestic buffaloes, is transmitted by ticks of the genus Hyalomma, and causes a disease named Mediterranean or tropical theileriosis. In this research 50 cattle naturally infected with Theileria annulata were treated with the extract of the plant Peganum harmala. The treatment was continued for 5 days, the dose of the extract being 5 mg/kg per day. After the treatment, 39 cattle responded to the treatment and recovered, but 11 did not respond to the treatment and died. The recovery rate of animals treated with the extract of the plant Peganum harmala was 78%.
Animals ; Antiprotozoal Agents/*therapeutic use ; Cattle ; Lymph Nodes/parasitology/pathology ; *Peganum ; Phytotherapy/*veterinary ; Plant Extracts/*therapeutic use ; *Theileria annulata ; Theileriasis/*drug therapy/pathology ; Treatment Outcome

Toxoplasma gondii Korean isolate (KI-1) tachyzoites were inoculated intraduodenally to BALB/c mice using a silicon tube, and the course of infection and immune responses of mice were studied. Whereas control mice, that were infected intraperitoneally, died within day 7 post-infection (PI), the intraduodenally infected mice survived until day 9 PI (infection with 1x10(5) tachyzoites) or day 11 PI (with 1x10(6) tachyzoites). Based on histopathologic (Giemsa stain) and PCR (B1 gene) studies, it was suggested that tachyzoites, after entering the small intestine, invaded into endothelial cells, divided there, and propagated to other organs. PCR appeared to be more sensitive than histopathology to detect infected organs and tissues. The organisms spread over multiple organs by day 6 PI. However, proliferative responses of splenocytes and mesenteric lymph node (MLN) cells in response to con A or Toxoplasma lysate antigen decreased significantly, suggesting immunosuppression. Splenic CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes showed decreases in number until day 9 PI, whereas IFN-gamma and IL-10 decreased slightly at day 6 PI and returned to normal levels by day 9 PI. No TNF-alpha was detected throughout the experimental period. The results showed that intraduodenal infection with KI-1 tachyzoites was successful but did not elicit significant mucosal immunity in mice and allowed dissemination of T. gondii organisms to systemic organs. The immunosuppression of mice included reduced lymphoproliferative responses to splenocytes and MLN cells to mitogen and low production of cytokines, such as IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, and IL-10, in response to T. gondii infection.
Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Cytokines/secretion ; Disease Models, Animal ; Duodenum/immunology/parasitology/pathology ; Endothelial Cells/parasitology ; Histocytochemistry ; Immune Tolerance ; Lymph Nodes/immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rodent Diseases/immunology/parasitology/pathology ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets/immunology ; Toxoplasma/*immunology/pathogenicity ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/*immunology/parasitology/pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the roles of histologic examination and polymerase chain reaction in diagnosis of toxoplasmic lymphadenitis (TL).

METHODSForty-six archival cases of histologically diagnosed TL, encountered during the period from April, 1999 to September, 2009 and with the paraffin-embedded lymph node tissue blocks available, were enrolled into the study. The presence of genome fragments of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) was analyzed using semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Thirty cases of one or two histopathologic triad of TL as the controls.

RESULTSThe positive rate of PCR in TL group was 76.1% (35/46), as compared to 10.0% (3/30) in the control group. The difference was of statistical significance. The sensitivity and specificity of the histologic triad in diagnosing TL was 92.1% (35/38) and 71.1% (27/38), respectively. The predictive value of positive and negative PCR results was 76.1% (35/46) and 90.0% (27/30). respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThe high specificity but low sensitivity of applying the histologic triad in diagnosing TL cases may be due to the occurrence of atypical histologic pattern. The sensitivity is improved with the use of semi-nested PCR in detecting T. gondii DNA.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; DNA, Protozoan ; analysis ; Female ; Genome, Protozoan ; genetics ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphadenitis ; diagnosis ; genetics ; parasitology ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paraffin Embedding ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Staining and Labeling ; Toxoplasma ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis ; diagnosis ; genetics ; parasitology ; pathology ; Young Adult