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BACKGROUND AND AIM: Cystic echinococcosis (CE)/hydatidosis is one of the most prevalent neglected zoonotic diseases. It is initially asymptomatic and does not produce any clinical signs until the cyst becomes enlarged, causing localized pressure on internal organs and tissues. Therefore, the detection of Echinococcus granulosus antibodies is highly essential. This study evaluated the antigens of hydatid cyst fluid, protoscoleces, and germinal layers for efficient immunological diagnosis of CE in humans and camels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hydatid cyst fluid (FLc), protoscoleces (Psc), and the germinal layer (GLc) antigens were prepared from camel-lung hydatid cysts. In the same way, hydatid cyst fluid (FLh) and protoscoleces (Psh) antigens from human-liver cyst aspirate were produced. The comparative immunodiagnostic efficacy of the prepared antigens was verified using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), SDS-PAGE, and immunoblotting. RESULTS: ELISA proves that FLc and GLc antigens were higher than FLh and Psh antigens. This shows that binding reactivity in naturally infected human sera, camel sera, and Psc is the most potent, exhibiting 100% sensitivity with 78.26% and 76.47% specificity in camel and human sera, respectively. The CE prevalence using diagnostic Psc was 54.79% and 61.32% in tested human and camel sera, respectively. The electrophoretic profiles of all shared antigens showed similarities at 52, 41, and 22 kDa. Immunoblotting demonstrated common immune-reactive bands in all antigen types at 52 and 41 kDa against positive human and camel sera. CONCLUSION: This immunological study introduces camel hydatid cyst Psc as a potent diagnostic antigen and new immune-reactive fractions of 52 and 41 kDa for diagnosing hydatidosis in humans and camels.

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Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a worldwide distribution infects a wide variety of mammals, including humans. The present study aimed to detect the efficacy of soluble and whole T. gondii antigens propagated in specific pathogen-free of embryonated chicken egg (SPF-ECE) used to improve the potency of serological assays for diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in equids and human. Total of 220 serum samples from 170 equids (90 donkeys and 55 horses and 25 mules) and 50 humans were collected from different governorates in Egypt during the period from October 2017 to March 2018. Crude T. gondii tachyzoites antigens from low or high passages propagated in mice or SPF-ECE was used for modifying some serological tests. The experiment showed that the mortality rate of T. gondii for 103 and 104 low passages were 6/8 (75%) and 7/8 (88%) dead embryos but, lower mortality rate in high passage T. gondii were 4/8 (50%) and 5/8 (63%) dead embryos, respectively. No mortality or inflammatory signs were observed in control of negative groups. In equids sera were examined by S-ELISA using soluble T. gondii antigen propagated in SPF-ECE showed the highest positive results 26 (28.8%), followed by LAT 37 (22%) and MAGPT 36 (21.17%). While, W-ELISA and IFAT used whole T. gondii antigen prepared in SPF-ECE were 35 (20.58%) and 28 (19.41%) showed highly positive results than the same test used the whole antigen prepared in mice. The highest seroprevalence of T. gondii in human and donkeys were 19/50 (38%). and 26/90 (28.88%), more than mules were 6/25 (24%) and horses were 9/55 (16.3%) examined by S-ELISA respectively. SPF-ECE is considered an appropriate experimental model for isolation and propagation of T. gondii tachyzoites, and their soluble antigens used in serological tests (S-ELISA, LAT, and MAGPT) have sensitivity and specificity more than the whole antigen and provided reliable diagnostic tools for detection of toxoplasmosis in human and equids.

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BACKGROUND: Endemic waterborne zoonosis frequently occurs in both developed and less developed countries. Thus, bio-surveillance of waterborne zoonosis is a "necessity" for the implementation of effective preventive public health measures in Egyptian rural areas. The primitive individual water supplies created by the rural agriculture population, primarily from ground water, usually maximize the customers' exposure to impurity pathogens via diffused humans and animal excreta or wastages. The current study aimed to evaluate the frequency of zoonotic pathogens within the infiltrated untreated ground water supplies with an assessment of the impact of such biohazards on children living in the studied Egyptian rural areas. METHODS: A total of 796 stool samples were collected from children under 10 years of age from the Abulnomorous (401) and Shabramant (395) villages in Giza, Egypt, and two hundred forty five ground water samples were collected from various individual home water supplies (ground pumps) within two rural Egyptian localities, namely, the Abulnomorous (128) and Shabramant (117) villages. All the samples were examined for the identification of bacterial, fungal and parasitic zoonosis. RESULTS: The isolation of Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Shigella spp. was documented in the following frequencies in the water and stool samples of symptomatic children (11.4% and 5.2%), (6.9% and 2.9%), (13.9% and 6.4%) and (4.5% and 2.3%), respectively. Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans were detected in the examined water and morbid stool samples at (7.8% and 2.9%) and (1.6% and 0%), respectively. Additionally, the existence of parasites, including Entamoeba histolytica (5.7% and 4%), Giardia lamblia (9% and 1.7%) and Cryptosporidium oocysts (15.1% and 3.5%), was determined. Regarding Toxoplasma gondii, sporulated oocysts were detected in the ground water (2.9%). The prevalence of diarrhea among the examined children in Abulnomorous was higher (24.7%) than those living in Shabramant (18.7%), which might be attributable to the higher presentation of associated social and environmental risk factors in Abulnomorous than in Shabramant with significant differences P≤0.05. Additionally, the ground water analysis showed that the water samples collected from Abulnomorous (83.0%) were more polluted than those from Shabramant (74.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm human biohazards through rural individual water supplies and reflect the need for public health education regarding the correct use of drinking ground water only after effective treatment through filtration and/or boiling.

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Heavy metal pollution represents a serious problem facing many of the aquatic organisms. Lead is one of the most toxic elements found in many industrial effluents which are metabolized inside bodies and can cause skeletal deformities by impairing developmental processes and bone formation. This study was undertaken to determine the LC50 of Pb-acetate and detect the effect of 1/10 LC50 exposure on fingerlings of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Modern and accurate diagnostic methods were used; Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of gills, plain X-ray and Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) of the spinal column to explain the elemental analysis. The results indicated that the 96 h LC50 of lead acetate was 146.8 mg L(-1). SEM showed a distinct degeneration in gill filaments and pavement cells with increasing of mucus secretion after lead exposure. X-ray revealed slight dorsal spinal curvature. EDX analysis of the spinal column of treated fish showed decrease in calcium and phosphorus weight percents, on the other hand Pb appeared in treated fish but not in control ones. Finally this study can spot a light on the dangerous effects of lead toxicity in developing of fish and impairment of their skeletal ossification which may lead to skeletal deformities.

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Trichinella spiralis adult and adult excretory/secretory antigens were evaluated by ELISA and Western blot techniques for the serological diagnosis of trichinellosis in naturally infected human, swine and experimentally infected rats. Blood samples were collected from 16 symptomatic patients at hospital and 12 asymptomatic individuals working at the swine slaughter-house. Blood samples were also obtained from 75 pigs at two abattoirs and experimentally infected rats (day 25 PI). There was no great difference in the seroprevalence of trichinellosis between symptomatic (56%) and asymptomatic (50%) individuals. ELISA results recorded that 13% of swine was seropositive, while 44% were suspected to be infected with T. spiralis. Immunoblotting profiles of T. spiralis adult antigen against human, swine and rat sera showed common reactive bands at 95.00 and 64.466 KDa (human and swine), and 35.554 KDa (human and rat), while the blotting patterns of adult E/S products against human, swine and rat antibodies recognized two trichinellosis-specific determinants between human and swine (87.619 & 74.136 KDa) and between human and rat (98.00 & 16.535 KDa). It can be suggested that a 45.00, 75.355 & 25.389, and a 57.989 KDa polypeptides of adult antigen were diagnostic for human, swine and rat trichinellosis, respectively. While a 26.00, 24.00, and 46.994 KDa proteins of adult E/S products were diagnostic for human, swine and rat trichinellosis, respectively.

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