Some Selected Abstracts:

1.

 van Doorn HR, Hofwegen H, Koelewijn R, Gilis H, Peek R, Wetsteyn JC, van Genderen PJ, Vervoort T, van Gool T.Use of rapid dipstick and latex agglutination tests and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serodiagnosis of amebic liver abscess, amebic Colitis, and Entamoeba histolytica Cyst Passage. J Clin Microbiol. 2005 Sep;43(9):4801-6.

Section of Parasitology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

A homemade enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a dipstick assay (Dipstick) for the detection of anti-Entamoeba histolytica antibodies in serum were developed and evaluated together with a commercially available latex agglutination test (LAT; Laboratoires Fumouze) for their use in serodiagnosis of amebiasis. The sensitivity of these assays was evaluated with sera from 27 patients with radiologically proven, cellulose acetate precipitation (CAP) test-positive amebic liver abscess, 7 patients with parasitologically and PCR-proven amebic colitis, and 11 patients with parasitologically and PCR-proven E. histolytica cyst passage. The sensitivities of the ELISA, Dipstick, and LAT were all 93.3% (42/45). With a combination of Dipstick and LAT, all abscess and colitis patients had at least one positive result. The specificity was assessed with 238 sera from patients with various parasitic, bacterial, viral, and fungal infectious diseases, sera containing autoimmune antibodies, and sera from healthy blood donors. The specificities of the ELISA, Dipstick, and LAT were 97.1%, 98.1%, and 99.5%, respectively. Of 61 sera from patients with PCR-proven E. dispar infection, 60 (98.4%) were negative in both Dipstick and LAT and 59 (96.7%) were negative in ELISA. Our data suggest that all three assays are sensitive serological tests. The rapid LAT and Dipstick provide fast results and can easily be applied in routine laboratories in order to facilitate the diagnosis of amebiasis.
 

13193.  Tanyuksel M, Yilmaz H, Ulukanligil M, Araz E, Cicek M, Koru O, Tas Z, Petri WA Jr. Comparison of two methods  (microscopy and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) for the diagnosis of amoebiasis. Exp Parasitol. 2005 Jul;110(3):322-6.
 

13194.   Ackers J, Mirelman D. Report on the 2nd EMBO Workshop on "Pathogenesis of Amoebiasis: From Genomics to Disease" held at Ein Gedi, Israel, November 16-20, 2004. Exp Parasitol. 2005 Jul;110(3):170-2.

13195.   Benetton ML, Goncalves AV, Meneghini ME, Silva EF, Carneiro M. Risk factors for infection by the Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar complex: an epidemiological study conducted in outpatient clinics in the city of Manaus, Amazon Region, Brazil. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2005 Jul;99(7):532-40.

13196.   Khan ZA, Alkhalife IS. Prevalence of Blastocystis hominis among "healthy" food handlers in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. J Egypt Soc Parasitol. 2005 Aug;35(2):395-401.

13197.   MacFarlane R, Bhattacharya D, Singh U. Genomic DNA microarrays for Entamoeba histolytica: applications for use in expression profiling and strain genotyping. Exp Parasitol. 2005 Jul;110(3):196-202.

13198.   Moran P, Ramos F, Ramiro M, Curiel O, Gonzalez E, Valadez A, Gomez A, Garcia G, Melendro EI, Ximenez C. Infection by human immunodeficiency virus-1 is not a risk factor for amebiasis. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2005 Aug;73(2):296-300.

13199.   van Doorn HR, Hofwegen H, Koelewijn R, Gilis H, Peek R, Wetsteyn JC, van Genderen PJ, Vervoort T, van Gool T. Use of rapid dipstick and latex agglutination tests and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serodiagnosis of amebic liver abscess, amebic Colitis, and Entamoeba histolytica Cyst Passage. J Clin Microbiol. 2005 Sep;43(9):4801-6. 

Some Selected Abstracts:

1.

Lewthwaite P, Gill GV, Hart CA, Beeching NJ. Gastrointestinal parasites in the immunocompromised. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2005 Oct;18(5):427-35. Review.

Infectious Disease Unit, North Manchester General Hospital, Manchester, UK.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Parasites and other infections have many effects on the gastrointestinal tract of individuals who are immunocompromised. Few reviews focus on parasitic infections, which are covered here. RECENT FINDINGS: The review first examines recent advances in our understanding of the taxonomy, diagnosis and treatment of pathogens such as cryptosporidia, cyclospora, isospora and microsporidia, which are recognized causes of diarrhoea in the immunocompromised, and discusses possible links between amoebiasis and HIV. The complex interactions of both intact and abnormal immune systems with helminth infections such as hookworm and strongyloidiasis, and with trematode infections such as schistosomiasis, are receiving increasing attention. These are discussed, together with the novel concept of using live helminths to treat inflammatory bowel disease. SUMMARY: Parasitic infections remain a significant problem for immunocompromised individuals in resource-poor settings, and further work is needed to develop accessible diagnostic tests and to improve our understanding and management of their pathogenic effects. New concepts about the interactions of helminths with host immunity suggest the need for collection of further epidemiological and clinical data to unravel the complexities of such immunological interactions.