Morphological changes in the jejunum of calves naturally infected with Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp

Giardiosis and cryptosporidiosis are frequently diagnosed in calves at the large animal clinic of the veterinary school. Few studies have been reported in the literature regarding pathogenesis of these two intestinal protozoa. The aims of this study were to follow the histological changes in the villi and crypts and the changes in the number of intraepithelial lymphocytes in the jejunum of naturally infected calves during the acute phase of infection. For this purpose, 29 calves aged between 7 and 10 days were bought at a local auction. The animals were housed in individual pens to avoid cross-contamination. Fecal samples were examined microscopically for the presence of Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts, three times per week for a period of 45 days. Six calves did not pass any cysts or oocysts and were used as controls. Fifteen calves passed Giardia cysts only, five passed both cysts and oocysts, and three passed oocysts only. The villus to crypt ratio index was 1.76 in the control group and 1.08 in the Giardia-infected group. In the Cryptosporidium-infected calves, the ratio was 1.18 and calves infected with both parasites had an index of 1.37. The number of intraepithelial lymphocytes per millimeter of jejunum tissue was 21 in the control group. This number was doubled in the calves infected with Giardia, but was slightly lower in the other infected groups. All of the infected calves had intermittent diarrhea and mucus was seen in many fecal samples.     

Prevalence and geographical distribution of Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. in dairy farms in Québec

Many patients with psychotic disorders lack awareness of being ill. This often presents a serious impediment to treatment compliance. We hypothesized that exposing partially remitted patients to videotapes of themselves, made while they were acutely psychotic, might increase their insight into the nature of their illness. Eighteen acutely psychotic inpatients were assigned randomly to a control or experimental group and interviewed on videotape 24 to 48 hours after admission, using scales that measure insight (Insight and Treatment Attitudes Questionnaire [ITAQ]) and psychopathology (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale [BPRS]). One to six weeks later, when judged to be significantly improved, subjects were shown either a videotape of their initial interview (experimental group) or a placebo videotape (control group) and then reinterviewed 24 to 48 hours later on videotape, using the BPRS and ITAQ scales. Evaluation of initial and final ITAQ and BPRS scores revealed significantly greater improvement in insight scores and in delusionality in the experimental group. However, no significant difference in overall psychopathology was seen for the two groups. These results suggest that exposure of hospitalized patients to videotapes of their own psychotic behavior may be a cost-effective therapeutic tool for developing personal insight into psychotic illness.     

Spontaneous Cryptosporidium infection in weaned rabbits

The first occurrence of Cryptosporidium parvum Tyzzer, 1912 in broiler rabbits in the Czech Republic is reported. The protozoon was determined on the basis of morphometrical parameters of oocysts and of localization of endogenous developmental stages. The dynamics of natural Cryptosporidium infection was studied in a group of 72 young rabbits after weaning (their age ranging from 23-33 to 82-92 days) obtained from six large flocks and used in a feeding experiment. C. parvum was found in rabbits from four farms (Tab. I). Animals under observation were divided into 9 subgroups according to the genotype (Hyla 2000, California White, crosses of New Zealand x California, New Zealand White, Cunistar and Zika) as well as according to the farm of origin. The animals were housed in 28 cages under the conditions of two-floor cage technology. The upper floor consisted of cages housing three head, the lower floor two head each. The animals were fed ad libitum with commercial feed mixture (till the average age of 64.days supplemented with Robenidin as coccidiostat). During the first 10 days of observation pooled samples of droppings from each cage were examinated by flotation-centrifugation method according to Breza (1957) and Pavlásek (1991) in the intervals of three to four days, later one-week intervals. Post mortem scrapings from mucous epithelium taken from young rabbits were examinated (to reveal endogenous developmental stages of C. parvum) together with digesta (to detect oocysts of the protozoon) taken from the full length of the small intestine using method of native preparations and Giemsa stain. In one 37-day dead animal the small and large intestines were examined histologically. The maximum number of young rabbits infected with C. parvum were 30-40 and 33-43 days old (Fig. 1). In animals of this age category the oocysts of the protozoon were found in pooled samples in 11 and 12 cages (39.3 and 42.9%) from totally 28 cages under study. In rabbits of more than 50 days of age the occurrence of infection was significantly decreased (3.7%). During the experiment seven rabbits (9.7%) died; six of them (8.3%) at the age of 30-40 days. All these naturally infected and dead animals represented cases of monoinfection with C. parvum. The major clinical signs were typical diarrhoea lasting 3-5 days, inappetency, apathia, lethargy, prominent signs of exhaustion followed by dehydration of the organism. Atrophy of villi of the ileum in one of young rabbits was found histologically. Table II presents concrete data on significantly lower body weights (the decrease being 7-61.5%) as compared with rabbits of the same age not infected with cryptosporidia. It was not possible to evaluate objectively the differences in susceptibility to C. parvum infection between the individual genotypes of rabbits. As was found in the course of our further studies (unpublished data) a possible source of infection of young rabbits can be represented by their mothers in which oocysts are excreted sporadically shortly before parturition and during several days after it. Cryptosporidium infection (cryptosporidiosis) in flocks of broiler rabbits is taken as a new protozoal disease in the Czech Republic and C. parvum as one of possible agents in cases of disorders of digestive tract, namely in rabbits after weaning.     

Actin-dependent motility in Cryptosporidium parvum sporozoites

The present study investigated the role of actin polymerization and myosin motor protein activity in the gliding motility of Cryptosporidium parvum sporozoites. Short motility trails were detected using an indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA) with a polyclonal antisporozoite antibody following incubation of sporozoites on poly-L-lysine-coated glass slides. Sporozoite motility was blocked following exposure to cytochalasin D, a myosin light-chain kinase inhibitor 1-(5-iodonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl)-1H-hexhydro-1,4-diazapin e, and the myosin ATPase inhibitor 2,3-butanedione monoxime. Sporozoites were observed to form rounded, blunt-ended shapes when exposed to these same inhibitors. Incubation of purified oocysts with these compounds did not significantly inhibit in vitro excystation or subsequent infectivity in cultured epithelial cells. Indirect IFA revealed a uniform distribution of actin protein throughout the body of the sporozoite; immunoelectron microscopy confirmed a diffuse intracellular pattern of gold particles in excysted sporozoites. Collectively, these findings show that sporozoite motility is dependent upon an intact actin-myosin motor system, and the dynamic interaction of F-actin and myosin motor proteins has a further role in maintaining the structural integrity of excysted sporozoites. Further, in vitro excystation and infectivity of C. parvum occurs in the absence of dynamic sporozoite locomotion.     

Cryptosporidium muris in dairy cattle in Brazil

A total of 580 fecal samples from 30 cows and their calves from three dairy farms in S?o Paulo State, Brazil, was collected monthly over a period of 1 year (April 1994 to March 1995). A combination of water-ether centrifugal sedimentation technique followed by sucrose centrifugal flotation was used for neonatal samples and sucrose centrifugal flotation for the remainder of the samples. Cryptosporidium muris was found in calves from all farms, although the parasite was not detected in the dams. C. muris oocysts were excreted by 14 of the 30 calves, on at least one occasion during the year. Of the 307 calf fecal samples examined, 53 (17.3%) were positive for C. muris. The mean persistency of oocyst shedding in feces was 4 +/- 3 months. Sixty-four per cent of the positive calves excreted few oocysts, while 36% discharged many oocysts for a longer period (P < 0.05). Oocysts were first detected at the mean age of 3 +/- 1 months. The age of the positive calves ranged from 6 weeks to 14 months.     

Adult-onset hereditary ataxia in Scotland

A systematic search for cases of adult-onset hereditary ataxia was conducted on location in Scotland. The investigation resulted in the discovery of eight pedigrees with 42 patients of whom 16 were alive in 1975. Nine patients were examined by the authors and recent hospital records were available on the remaining seven. The clinical features were quite variable. In declining order of frequency, findings were gait and limb ataxia, dysarthria, hyperreflexia, extrapyramidal motor disturbances, impaired vibratory sense, spasticity, defects of extraocular movements and nystagmus, reflex depression, Babinski signs, impaired joint position sense, muscle weakness, optic atrophy, and mental abnormalities. Foot deformity occurred only once. Inheritance was compatible with autosomal dominant transmission, but complicated by consanguinity in two families. The minimum prevalence was calculated as 0.31/100,000. Autopsy in two members in one family revealed olivopontocerebellar degeneration.     

Cryptosporidium parvum--propagation of oocyst in neonatal calves

A retrospective analysis of treatment of 8 children aged 5 to 13 years with intracranial germ cell tumors (3 germinomas, 5 nongerminomatous cell tumors) is reported. All patients were initially operated. Five of them underwent total or incomplete removal of the tumor. After surgery 2 children received radiotherapy alone (1 germinome, 1 nongerminomatous germ cell tumors) and 5 (2 germinomas, 3 nongerminomatous germ cell tumors) combined radio- and chemotherapy. One patient (choriocarcinoma) didn't receive any adjuvant treatment after total tumor removal. All 3 children with germinomas show complete remission for 29, 40 and 93 months. Of 5 patients with nongerminomatous germ cell tumors in 2 the duration of remission was 22 and 53 months and 3 relapsed 4, 12 and 24 months after treatment. The data presented demonstrate that the treatment results of intracranial germ cell tumors in children depend on histologic type of the tumor. Thus, precise tumor type determination is most important for choosing optimally adequate treatment approach.     

Genus-specific biochemical markers for Phytomonas spp

In a newly established murine model of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa respiratory infection mimicking diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB), we investigated the effect of oral administration of clarithromycin on lymphocyte accumulation in the lung. Infection was produced by placement of a plastic tube precoated with P. aeruginosa in the bronchus. The number of bacteria on the tube was 6.25 +/- 0.22 log10 colony-forming units (cfu)/ml. Viable bacteria were constantly isolated at 10(5) to 10(6) cfu/specimen from the lungs for more than 1 yr. The histopathologic features resembled those of DPB consisting of massive accumulation of lymphocytes in the lung. The total number of pulmonary lymphocytes started to increase on Day 7, reaching a peak level within 12 d of intratracheal challenge. The number remained steady at that level for up to 120 d. There was also a steady fall in the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in the lungs, commencing on Day 7 and persisting to Day 120. A 10-d course of oral clarithromycin (10 mg/kg/d) from Day 7 resulted in a reduction of lymphocyte numbers to baseline level, although the dose did not influence the number of bacteria in the lungs. Treatment also increased the CD4+/CD8+ ratio to the baseline level from Day 7 to 17. Our results were similar to those detected in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with DPB and suggest that the therapeutic benefits of clarithromycin are due to its anti-inflammatory properties rather than antimicrobial effect.     

Cryptosporidium parvum in children with diarrhea in Mexico

This study was designed to determine if fentanyl altered MAC-awake (the end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane associated with eye opening to verbal command) in 30 healthy, ASA I patients. During anaesthesia, no other anaesthetics or drugs were given with the exception of sevoflurane. After surgery, end-tidal anaesthetic concentration was maintained constant for at least 15 min. If patients failed to respond to command, the end-tidal concentration was decreased and again maintained constant for 15 min. The anaesthetic concentration midway between the value permitting the response and that just preventing the response was recorded as MAC-awake. Fentanyl was administered at predicted plasma concentrations of 1 and 2 ng mg-1 using a computer-controlled continuous infusion and plasma concentrations of fentanyl were measured at the time of MAC-awake measurements. MAC-awake of the control group in which fentanyl was not administered was mean 0.67 (SD 0.12)% or 0.36 (0.03) MAC, being significantly higher than that of the fentanyl 2-ng ml-1 group (0.57 (0.09)% or 0.30 (0.04) MAC). In the fentanyl 1-ng ml-1 group, MAC-awake (0.65 (0.10)% or 0.34 (0.05) MAC) did not differ from that in the control group. Logistic regression analysis showed that increasing plasma concentration of fentanyl and increasing age significantly reduced the MAC-awake of sevoflurane. Because the reduction was very small relative to the overall scatter of the MAC-awake, a low plasma concentration of fentanyl did not significantly reduce the MAC-awake of sevoflurane.     

Anencephalus in Scotland 1961-72

During an average follow-up period of five years (from 1966 to 1975) 60 patients, 43 females and 17 males, were subjected to closed mitral valvulotomy at the Oulu University Central Hospital. Two patients died when still in hospital, and one died later at home. 25 % of whole series, and 41 % of the patients with atrial fibrillastion presented with a history of preoperative systemic embolism. Intraoperative embolism occurre in one patient, and late embolism in two patients. All these patients survived. Excellent or good results were recorded for 66 % of the living patients. Significant mitral calcification and/or preoperative regurgitation affected adversely both mortality and functional results. Closed mitral valvulotomy still offers excellent palliation with a minor risk for a significant number of carefully selected patients with mitral stenosis.     

Neosporosis and bovine abortion in Scotland

Serum samples were collected over a two-year period from aborting cows and their fetuses from throughout Scotland; 465 maternal sera were examined using an immunofluorescent antibody test for IgG antibody to Neospora caninum and 547 fetal sera were examined for IgM and IgG antibody to the parasite; 355 of the maternal sera were paired with their respective fetal samples. The maternal titres ranged from 1/8 to 1/16,384, with 59 per cent (275) having titres of 1/128 or 1/256. Of the 547 fetal sera, 9.9 per cent had IgM titres equal to or greater than 1/64, 11.2 per cent had IgG titres equal to or greater than 1/64 and 15.9 per cent had IgM and/or IgG titres equal to or greater than 1/64. It is concluded that a fetal IgM or IgG titre of 1/64 or more is evidence of fetal exposure to N caninum but that the examination of maternal sera is less reliable on an individual basis, although valuable for indicating the degree of infection in a herd. Although fetal seropositivity does not necessarily provide proof that N caninum was the cause of death in a given case, the observation that 15.9 per cent of aborted fetuses had antibody to the parasite shows that vertical transmission from dam to fetus is relatively common and may be an important cause of fetal loss in cattle in Scotland.     

Method detection limits of PCR and immunofluorescence assay for Cryptosporidium parvum in soil

We determined and compared the method detection limits (MDLalpha) of a PCR and an immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for detection of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in soils. Based on the MDLalpha and the quantitative nature and stability of the IFA, PCR analysis is not a useful screening step for soil studies of oocyst transport.     

Prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in elementary school children

The project described here was conducted to study the prevalence of various parasites in elementary school children in northern Jordan. A single stool specimen was collected from each of 1,000 students in the 6- to 14-year-old age group. A questionnaire covering demographic information, health status, and other relevant information was filled out by one of the parents of each student. Fresh stool specimens were processed by using wet mount preparations, formalin-ether, and Sheather's sugar flotation techniques. Permanently stained slides were prepared by acid-fast, Giemsa, and trichrome staining. Cryptosporidium species was found in 40 specimens (4%); however, only 15 specimens had Cryptosporidium species alone, and these 15 specimens were from symptomatic children with diarrheic stools. The symptoms reported most often were abdominal pain, cramps, malaise, nausea, and headache. The number of cases of infection was higher in villages, where contact with animals was evident and where contaminated drinking water could have been a major source of the infections.     

General aspects for biopsy examination

We describe a 34-year-old woman presenting with a 1-year history of asymptomatic, atrophic papules disseminated mainly on the trunk. The clinical features were characteristic of malignant atrophic papulosis, and the histopathologic features were confirmatory. The etiology of this rare condition, described for the first time in 1941, remains unknown. Also the pathogenesis is still controversial. A vascular disorder has been postulated by most authors, primary inflammatory or thrombotic vascular changes as well as primary endothelial proliferation being often mentioned in the literature. In the present case, the biopsy specimen of a recent efflorescence showed these three alterations all together, making it impossible to identify conclusively the primary event. Thrombosis, being already noticed in such early lesions, is likely to be of pathogenic importance. Rheological therapy as described in the literature may therefore be the most appropriate. In the present case, the lesions came spontaneously to a standstill without drug therapy.