Browsing by Subject "Schistosomiasis"

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    A clinico-pathological study of schistosomiasis in South Central Africa.
    (1948) Gelfand, Michael
    A study of bilharziasis as a whole, based largely on pathological and clinical experience, has not been attempted in Africa outside of Egypt. The most impressive work in Egypt in this connection is that Fairley on the experimental infection of monkeys, which he published in 1920. Elsewhere in Africa, a number of smaller publications dealing with a particular or restricted clinical branch of schistosomiasis has been contributed by various authors, notably from South Africa. Th most important of these is Cawston. Valuable contributions from the Congo were made by such workers as Fisher and Chesterman. From West Africa particular mention must be made of Blacklock, and from Nyasaland of Dye and Gopsill. Interesting clincial papers have also been published on bilharziasis from East Africa.
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    A statistical analysis of the Ceres project
    (1977) Bradshaw, Deborah; Troskie, C.G.
    This thesis has dual purpose of fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science as well as a statistical report to Blair Research Laboratory, Salisbury, to whom I am indebted for allowing me to use the data they had collected. I am grateful to the director, Dr. V. de V. Clarke, for his help and co-operation. I thank all the members of the Department of Mathematical Statistics, University of Cape Town, for being most willing to help me, and in icu for the guidance given by my supervisor Professor C.G. Troskie as well as the help given by Associate Professor .H. Money. I a grateful to Dr. W. Hatchuel for arranging, and to Pfizer Laboratories (Pty) Ltd, for supplying I financial assistance which together with my bursary from the C. S. I. R. made it possible to complete this thesis. Lastly, but by no means least, I am indebted to Mrs. M.I. Cousins for so skilfully typing this thesis despite all the tables it contains.
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    Effect of female genital schistosomiasis and anti-schistosomal treatment on monocytes, CD4+ T-cells and CCR5 expression in the female genital tract
    (Public Library of Science, 2014) Kleppa, Elisabeth; Ramsuran, Veron; Zulu, Siphosenkosi; Karlsen, Gunn Hege; Bere, Alfred; Passmore, Jo-Ann S; Ndhlovu, Patricia; Lillebø, Kristine; Holmen, Sigve D; Onsrud, Mathias
    BACKGROUND: Schistosoma haematobium is a waterborne parasite that may cause female genital schistosomiasis (FGS), characterized by genital mucosal lesions. There is clinical and epidemiological evidence for a relationship between FGS and HIV. We investigated the impact of FGS on HIV target cell density and expression of the HIV co-receptor CCR5 in blood and cervical cytobrush samples. Furthermore we evaluated the effect of anti-schistosomal treatment on these cell populations. Design The study followed a case-control design with post treatment follow-up, nested in an on-going field study on FGS. METHODS: Blood and cervical cytobrush samples were collected from FGS negative and positive women for flow cytometry analyses. Urine samples were investigated for schistosome ova by microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: FGS was associated with a higher frequency of CD14 + cells (monocytes) in blood (11.5% in FGS+ vs. 2.2% in FGS-, p = 0.042). Frequencies of CD4 + cells expressing CCR5 were higher in blood samples from FGS+ than from FGS- women (4.7% vs. 1.5%, p = 0.018). The CD14 + cell population decreased significantly in both compartments after anti-schistosomal treatment (p = 0.043). Although the frequency of CD4+ cells did not change after treatment, frequencies of CCR5 expression by CD4+ cells decreased significantly in both compartments (from 3.4% to 0.5% in blood, p = 0.036; and from 42.4% to 5.6% in genital samples, p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: The results support the hypothesis that FGS may increase the risk of HIV acquisition, not only through damage of the mucosal epithelial barrier, but also by affecting HIV target cell populations, and that anti-schistosomal treatment can modify this.
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    Interference with hemozoin formation represents an important mechanism of schistosomicidal action of antimalarial quinoline methanols
    (Public Library of Science, 2009) Soares, Juliana B R Corrêa; Menezes, Diego; Vannier-Santos, Marcos A; Ferreira-Pereira, Antonio; Almeida, Giulliana T; Venancio, Thiago M; Verjovski-Almeida, Sergio; Zishiri, Vincent K; Kuter, David; Hunter, Roger
    Author Summary Heme is an essential molecule to most living organisms, but once in a free state it exerts toxic effects. Blood-feeding organisms evolved efficient ways to detoxify free heme derived from hemoglobin digestion. A key mechanism present in some hematophagous organisms consists of the crystallization of heme into a pigment named hemozoin. Schistosoma mansoni is one of the etiologic agents of human schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease that affects over 200 million people in tropical and subtropical areas. Hemozoin formation represents the main heme detoxification pathway in S. mansoni . Here, we report that the antimalarial quinoline methanols quinine and quinidine exert schistosomicidal effects notably due to their capacity to interfere with hemozoin formation. When quinine or quinidine were administered intraperitoneally during seven days to S. mansoni -infected mice (75 mg/kg/day), both worm and eggs burden were significantly reduced. Interestingly, hemozoin content in female worms was drastically affected after treatment with either compound. We also found that quinine caused important changes in the cellular organization of worm gastrodermis and increased expression of genes related to musculature, protein synthesis and repair mechanisms. Together, our results indicate that interference with hemozoin formation is a valid chemotherapeutic target for development of new schistosomicidal agents.