1.Post-COVID-19 cryptosporidiosis: A serious risk or mere association?
Enas, A.E. ; Hadel, M.A. ; Emad, A.A. ; Ibrahim, B.E. ; Morsy, S. ; Noha, M.A.
Tropical Biomedicine 2023;40(No.2):199-207
Post-COVID-19 conditions encompass a wide range of health problems, including enteritis, but their
association with parasitic infections has not yet been investigated. This study analyzed gastrointestinal
symptoms, medical histories, fecal Cryptosporidium oocysts, and the history of COVID-19 infection
in patients who attended the Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, from January to July 2021. Fecal
biomarkers, including H. pylori, occult blood, fecal calprotectin (FCAL), and TNF-a, were measured, and
Cryptosporidium spp. genotypes were molecularly characterized among post-COVID-19 patients using
RFLP. Preliminary results from 210 post-COVID-19 patients revealed that group 1 (Cryptosporidiumpositive) (n = 49) and group 2 (Cryptosporidium-negative) (n = 161) showed no significant difference in
the prevalence rate of diabetes mellitus (DM). While group 2 was linked to diarrhea, only infections with
Cryptosporidium post-COVID-19 were related to chronic diarrhea, vomiting, and weight loss. A total of
220 healthy subjects served as negative controls. Administering azithromycin, hydroxychloroquine, and
ivermectin was significantly related to an increased risk of Cryptosporidium infection in group 1, whereas
only azithromycin was more frequently recorded in group 2. Antioxidant supplementation insignificantly
affected the incidence of cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidiosis with a history of COVID-19 was linked to H.
pylori infections, increased inflammatory biomarkers (FCAL and TNF-a), and occult blood when compared
with group 2. Cryptosporidium genotype 1 was the most commonly occurring subset in individuals with
post-COVID-19. The findings demonstrated that aggravating gastrointestinal manifestations, increased
fecal biomarkers and anti-COVID-19 therapeutic interventions are significantly related to the existence
of Cryptosporidium oocysts in patients with post-COVID-19, indicating the predominance of.
2.Multidisciplinary biomarkers aggrieve morbidity in schistosomiasis
Noha, M.A. ; Enas, A.E. ; Aly, E. ; Mohamed, A.E
Tropical Biomedicine 2019;36(4):833-844
Background: Biomarkers by definition are measurable molecules that mark the
evidence of certain pathological processes. Collaboration of various biomarkers influences
morbidity of schsitosomiasis in Egypt. Objectives: To identify the biomarkers: CRP, IgE,
hemoglobin, ferritin, vitamin D, and platelets in terms of relationship with active and chronic
schistosomiasis; demographic data, and their interinfluence. Study design: A cross-sectional
study. Methods: Parasitological analysis of stool and urine samples, Indirect Hemagglutination
Test, Enzyme linked Immunoassay, Hematology Analyzer, and Statistical Package SPSS
(Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 25. Results: Out of 400 participants, 25%
suffered of schistosomiasis: active S. mansoni infections in 7 cases (1.75%), S. haematobium
infections in 6 cases (1.5%), and chronic schistosomiasis infections in 20 cases (5%). Creactive
protein (CRP) likewise IgE levels were higher in active S. mansoni and S. haematobium
infections when compared with chronic schistosomiasis. IgE levels appeared to affect infection
intensity in S. haematobium. Inversely, hemoglobin (Hb) values were low in active
schistosomiasis and upgraded in chronic infection (*p<0.05). Ferritin levels varied in active
Schistosoma infection and normalized during chronicity. Vitamin D was reduced in active and
chronic schistosomiais. Platelet counts were within normal ranges throughout the study
groups. Distribution of ferritin, vit D, and platelets was statistically insignificant among
Schistosoma infected population. Age affected only hemoglobin, CRP, and IgE biomarkers.
CRP and IgE were in direct relationship together and inversely proportional with hemoglobin
(*P <0.05). Conclusion: Anemia increased proportionally with biomarkers of inflammatory
stress (CRP and IgE) in early infections. Meanwhile, Hb and ferritin (iron stores) improved
during chronicity. Hypovitaminosis-D associated the entire course of schistosomiasis while
platelet counts were not affected.


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