Five Facts About Giardia Lamblia
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Load more
Recommended publications
-
A Multifaceted Approach to Combating Leishmaniasis, a Neglected Tropical Disease
OLD TARGETS AND NEW BEGINNINGS: A MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO COMBATING LEISHMANIASIS, A NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASE DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy from the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Adam Joseph Yakovich, B.S. ***** The Ohio State University 2007 Dissertation Committee: Karl A Werbovetz, Ph.D., Advisor Approved by Pui-Kai Li, Ph.D. Werner Tjarks, Ph.D. ___________________ Ching-Shih Chen, Ph.D Advisor Graduate Program In Pharmacy ABSTRACT Leishmaniasis, a broad spectrum of disease which is caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania , currently affects 12 million people in 88 countries worldwide. There are over 2 million of new cases of leishmaniasis occurring annually. Clinical manifestations of leishmaniasis range from potentially disfiguring cutaneous leishmaniasis to the most severe manifestation, visceral leishmaniasis, which attacks the reticuloendothelial system and has a fatality rate near 100% if left untreated. All currently available therapies all suffer from drawbacks including expense, route of administration and developing resistance. In the laboratory of Dr. Karl Werbovetz our primary goal is the identification and development of an inexpensive, orally available antileishmanial chemotherapeutic agent. Previous efforts in the lab have identified a series of dinitroaniline compounds which have promising in vitro activity in inhibiting the growth of Leishmania parasites. It has since been discovered that these compounds exert their antileishmanial effects by binding to tubulin and inhibiting polymerization. Remarkably, although mammalian and Leishmania tubulins are ~84 % identical, the dinitroaniline compounds show no effect on mammalian tubulin at concentrations greater than 10-fold the IC 50 value determined for inhibiting Leishmania tubulin ii polymerization. -
Giardiasis Importance Giardiasis, a Gastrointestinal Disease Characterized by Acute Or Chronic Diarrhea, Is Caused by Protozoan Parasites in the Genus Giardia
Giardiasis Importance Giardiasis, a gastrointestinal disease characterized by acute or chronic diarrhea, is caused by protozoan parasites in the genus Giardia. Giardia duodenalis is the major Giardia Enteritis, species found in mammals, and the only species known to cause illness in humans. This Lambliasis, organism is carried in the intestinal tract of many animals and people, with clinical signs Beaver Fever developing in some individuals, but many others remaining asymptomatic. In addition to diarrhea, the presence of G. duodenalis can result in malabsorption; some studies have implicated this organism in decreased growth in some infected children and Last Updated: December 2012 possibly decreased productivity in young livestock. Outbreaks are occasionally reported in people, as the result of mass exposure to contaminated water or food, or direct contact with infected individuals (e.g., in child care centers). People are considered to be the most important reservoir hosts for human giardiasis. The predominant genetic types of G. duodenalis usually differ in humans and domesticated animals (livestock and pets), and zoonotic transmission is currently thought to be of minor significance in causing human illness. Nevertheless, there is evidence that certain isolates may sometimes be shared, and some genetic types of G. duodenalis (assemblages A and B) should be considered potentially zoonotic. Etiology The protozoan genus Giardia (Family Giardiidae, order Giardiida) contains at least six species that infect animals and/or humans. In most mammals, giardiasis is caused by Giardia duodenalis, which is also called G. intestinalis. Both names are in current use, although the validity of the name G. intestinalis depends on the interpretation of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. -
The Cytoskeleton of Giardia Lamblia
International Journal for Parasitology 33 (2003) 3–28 www.parasitology-online.com Invited review The cytoskeleton of Giardia lamblia Heidi G. Elmendorfa,*, Scott C. Dawsonb, J. Michael McCafferyc aDepartment of Biology, Georgetown University, 348 Reiss Building 37th and O Sts. NW, Washington, DC 20057, USA bDepartment of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, 345 LSA Building, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA cDepartment of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Integrated Imaging Center, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA Received 18 July 2002; received in revised form 18 September 2002; accepted 19 September 2002 Abstract Giardia lamblia is a ubiquitous intestinal pathogen of mammals. Evolutionary studies have also defined it as a member of one of the earliest diverging eukaryotic lineages that we are able to cultivate and study in the laboratory. Despite early recognition of its striking structure resembling a half pear endowed with eight flagella and a unique ventral disk, a molecular understanding of the cytoskeleton of Giardia has been slow to emerge. Perhaps most importantly, although the association of Giardia with diarrhoeal disease has been known for several hundred years, little is known of the mechanism by which Giardia exacts such a toll on its host. What is clear, however, is that the flagella and disk are essential for parasite motility and attachment to host intestinal epithelial cells. Because peristaltic flow expels intestinal contents, attachment is necessary for parasites to remain in the small intestine and cause diarrhoea, underscoring the essential role of the cytoskeleton in virulence. This review presents current day knowledge of the cytoskeleton, focusing on its role in motility and attachment. -
Original Article Dientamoeba Fragilis Diagnosis by Fecal Screening
Original Article Dientamoeba fragilis diagnosis by fecal screening: relative effectiveness of traditional techniques and molecular methods Negin Hamidi1, Ahmad Reza Meamar1, Lameh Akhlaghi1, Zahra Rampisheh2,3, Elham Razmjou1 1 Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2 Preventive Medicine and Public Health Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 3 Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Abstract Introduction: Dientamoeba fragilis, an intestinal trichomonad, occurs in humans with and without gastrointestinal symptoms. Its presence was investigated in individuals referred to Milad Hospital, Tehran. Methodology: In a cross-sectional study, three time-separated fecal samples were collected from 200 participants from March through June 2011. Specimens were examined using traditional techniques for detecting D. fragilis and other gastrointestinal parasites: direct smear, culture, formalin-ether concentration, and iron-hematoxylin staining. The presence of D. fragilis was determined using PCR assays targeting 5.8S rRNA or small subunit ribosomal RNA. Results: Dientamoeba fragilis, Blastocystis sp., Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba coli, and Iodamoeba butschlii were detected by one or more traditional and molecular methods, with an overall prevalence of 56.5%. Dientamoeba was not detected by direct smear or formalin-ether concentration but was identified in 1% and 5% of cases by culture and iron-hematoxylin staining, respectively. PCR amplification of SSU rRNA and 5.8S rRNA genes diagnosed D. fragilis in 6% and 13.5%, respectively. Prevalence of D. fragilis was unrelated to participant gender, age, or gastrointestinal symptoms. Conclusions: This is the first report of molecular assays to screen for D. -
Catalogue of Protozoan Parasites Recorded in Australia Peter J. O
1 CATALOGUE OF PROTOZOAN PARASITES RECORDED IN AUSTRALIA PETER J. O’DONOGHUE & ROBERT D. ADLARD O’Donoghue, P.J. & Adlard, R.D. 2000 02 29: Catalogue of protozoan parasites recorded in Australia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 45(1):1-164. Brisbane. ISSN 0079-8835. Published reports of protozoan species from Australian animals have been compiled into a host- parasite checklist, a parasite-host checklist and a cross-referenced bibliography. Protozoa listed include parasites, commensals and symbionts but free-living species have been excluded. Over 590 protozoan species are listed including amoebae, flagellates, ciliates and ‘sporozoa’ (the latter comprising apicomplexans, microsporans, myxozoans, haplosporidians and paramyxeans). Organisms are recorded in association with some 520 hosts including mammals, marsupials, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. Information has been abstracted from over 1,270 scientific publications predating 1999 and all records include taxonomic authorities, synonyms, common names, sites of infection within hosts and geographic locations. Protozoa, parasite checklist, host checklist, bibliography, Australia. Peter J. O’Donoghue, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Australia; Robert D. Adlard, Protozoa Section, Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane 4101, Australia; 31 January 2000. CONTENTS the literature for reports relevant to contemporary studies. Such problems could be avoided if all previous HOST-PARASITE CHECKLIST 5 records were consolidated into a single database. Most Mammals 5 researchers currently avail themselves of various Reptiles 21 electronic database and abstracting services but none Amphibians 26 include literature published earlier than 1985 and not all Birds 34 journal titles are covered in their databases. Fish 44 Invertebrates 54 Several catalogues of parasites in Australian PARASITE-HOST CHECKLIST 63 hosts have previously been published. -
A New Species of Giardia Künstler
Lyu et al. Parasites & Vectors (2018) 11:202 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-018-2786-8 RESEARCH Open Access A new species of Giardia Künstler, 1882 (Sarcomastigophora: Hexamitidae) in hamsters Zhangxia Lyu1,2†, Jingru Shao1†, Min Xue1, Qingqing Ye1, Bing Chen1, Yan Qin1,3 and Jianfan Wen1* Abstract Background: Giardia spp. are flagellated protozoan parasites that infect humans and many other vertebrates worldwide. Currently seven species of Giardia are considered valid. Results: Here, we report a new species, Giardia cricetidarum n. sp. in hamsters. Trophozoites of G. cricetidarum n. sp. are pear-shaped with four pairs of flagella and measure on average 14 μm (range 12–18 μm) in length and 10 μm (range 8–12 μm) in width. The trophozoites of the new species are generally larger and stouter than those of most of the other Giardia spp. and exhibit the lowest length/width ratio (c.1.40) of all recognized Giardia species. Cysts of G. cricetidarum n. sp. are ovoid and measure on average 11 μm (range 9–12 μm) in length and 10 μm (range 8–10 μm) in width and are indistinguishable from the cysts of other Giardia species. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on beta-giardin, small subunit rRNA, and elongation factor-1 alpha loci all demonstrated that G. cricetidarum n. sp. is genetically distinct from all currently accepted Giardia spp. Investigation of the host range indicated that the new species was only found in hamsters (including Phodopus sungorus, P. campbelli and Mesocricetus auratus), while all the other described mammal-parasitizing species (G. muris, G. -
Giardia Duodenalis in Children and Adults Attending a Day Care Centre in Central Italy Crotti D.*, D’Annibale M.L.*, Fonzo G.*, Lalle M.**, Cacciò S.M.** & Pozio E.**
Article available at http://www.parasite-journal.org or http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2005122165 DIENTAMOEBA FRAGILIS IS MORE PREVALENT THAN GIARDIA DUODENALIS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS ATTENDING A DAY CARE CENTRE IN CENTRAL ITALY CROTTI D.*, D’ANNIBALE M.L.*, FONZO G.*, LALLE M.**, CACCIÒ S.M.** & POZIO E.** Summary: Résumé : LA PRÉVALENCE DE DIENTAMOEBA FRAGILIS EST PLUS ÉLEVÉE QUE CELLE DE GIARDIA DUODENALIS CHEZ LES ENFANTS ET LES ADULTES Giardia duodenalis is a well recognised enteropathogen, while EN TRAITEMENT AMBULATOIRE DANS L’ITALIE DU CENTRE Dientamoeba fragilis is rarely detected and consequently it is not recognised as an important human pathogen. In 2002-2003, a Giardia duodenalis est un parasite entérique bien connu, tandis survey has been carried out on enteroparasites in faecal samples que Dientamoeba fragilis, rarement détecté, n’est pas considéré of outpatients attending a day care centre in the town of Perugia comme un agent pathogène important chez l’homme. En 2002- (Central Italy). To improve the detection level, at least three 2003, une investigation sur les entéroparasites a été conduite sur samples from each patient were collected at different days and des échantillons de selles de patients en traitement ambulatoire within two hours from defecation. The coproparasitological dans la ville de Perugia (Italie du Centre). Afin d’augmenter le examination has been carried out by direct microscopic niveau de détection, un minimum de trois échantillons pour chaque examination, faecal concentration, and Giemsa and modified patient a été collecté aussitôt après la défécation et pendant Ziehl-Nielsen stainings of faecal smears. The genotypes of Giardia plusieurs jours. -
Serosurvey and Molecular Detection of the Main Zoonotic Parasites Carried by Commensal Rattus Norvegicus Populations in Tehran, Iran
Serosurvey and molecular detection of the main zoonotic parasites carried by commensal Rattus norvegicus populations in Tehran, Iran Taher Azimi ( [email protected] ) Tehran University of Medical Sciences https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0213-5227 Mohammad Reza Pourmand Tehran University of Medical Sciences Fatemeh Fallah Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Abdollah Karimi Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Roxana Mansour-Ghanaie Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Seyedeh Mahsan Hoseini‐Alfatemi Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Mehdi Shirdoust Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Leila Azimi ( [email protected] ) Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Research Keywords: Zoonotic parasites, Rattus norvegicus, Leishmania spp, Toxoplasma gondii, Giardia spp, Tehran Posted Date: March 28th, 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-19380/v1 License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Read Full License Version of Record: A version of this preprint was published at Tropical Medicine and Health on July 22nd, 2020. See the published version at https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-020-00246-3. Page 1/10 Abstract Background: Rattus norvegicus are reservoirs of various zoonotic parasites that have become a global public health concern. Considering the distribution of Rattus norvegicus throughout Tehran, this study aims to assess the frequency of zoonotic parasites carried by commensal rodents in Tehran, Iran. Methods: The study considered ve regions (North, South, West, East, and center) of Tehran as case studies. The serological method was used for detecting antibodies against Trichomonas vaginalis , Babesia spp, and Cryptosporidium spp using a commercial qualitative rat ELISA kit. -
Genomic and Functional Analysis of Viruses from Giardia Duodenalis Isolates
biomedicines Article Re-Discovery of Giardiavirus: Genomic and Functional Analysis of Viruses from Giardia duodenalis Isolates Gianluca Marucci 1, Ilaria Zullino 1, Lucia Bertuccini 2 , Serena Camerini 2, Serena Cecchetti 2 , Agostina Pietrantoni 2, Marialuisa Casella 2, Paolo Vatta 1, Alex D. Greenwood 3,4 , Annarita Fiorillo 5 and Marco Lalle 1,* 1 Unit of Foodborne and Neglected Parasitic Disease, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy; [email protected] (G.M.); [email protected] (I.Z.); [email protected] (P.V.) 2 Core Facilities, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy; [email protected] (L.B.); [email protected] (S.C.); [email protected] (S.C.); [email protected] (A.P.); [email protected] (M.C.) 3 Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, 10315 Berlin, Germany; [email protected] 4 Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany 5 Department of Biochemical Science “A. Rossi-Fanelli”, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy; annarita.fi[email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +39-06-4990-2670 Abstract: Giardiasis, caused by the protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis, is an intestinal diarrheal disease affecting almost one billion people worldwide. A small endosymbiotic dsRNA viruses, G. Citation: Marucci, G.; Zullino, I.; lamblia virus (GLV), genus Giardiavirus, family Totiviridae, might inhabit human and animal isolates Bertuccini, L.; Camerini, S.; Cecchetti, S.; Pietrantoni, A.; Casella, M.; Vatta, of G. duodenalis. Three GLV genomes have been sequenced so far, and only one was intensively P.; Greenwood, A.D.; Fiorillo, A.; et al. -
Giardia Duodenalis in Environmental and Animal Samples in Scotland with Development of Novel
Identification of Giardia duodenalis in Environmental and Animal Samples in Scotland with Development of Novel Approaches of Filtration Elution Ben Horton MSc by Research Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bio-engineering. Heriot-Watt University September 2016 “The copyright in this thesis is owned by the author. Any quotation from the thesis or use of any of the information contained in it must acknowledge this thesis as the source of the quotation or information." Abstract Giardia duodenalis is a waterborne flagellated protozoan parasite known to cause substantial cases of disease throughout the world. The parasite is argued to be zoonotic, and as such consumption of water contaminated by animal faeces containing parasite cysts is thought to lead to human infection. Infection is skewed towards the developing world, but outbreaks do occur within the developed world. This project had two aims: to identify the prevalence of G. duodenalis within a range of Scottish samples, both faecal and water, and to develop a novel method for the elution of G. duodenalis cysts from filter matrixes by incorporating megasonic sonication into a pre-existing method – the FiltaMax system. Molecular techniques found that water samples within this study were mostly negative for parasite DNA, however faecal samples were often positive, with animal samples testing sporadically positive throughout the study. A novel methodology for filter matrix elution of G. duodenalis cysts was developed and proven to be comparable to current leading filtration methods. This megasonic method also boasted significant advantages over the FiltaMax system: such as reduction in labour involved, substantially reduced damage of the parasite during elution and future automation is a possibility. -
INFECTIOUS DISEASES of HAITI Free
INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF HAITI Free. Promotional use only - not for resale. Infectious Diseases of Haiti - 2010 edition Infectious Diseases of Haiti - 2010 edition Copyright © 2010 by GIDEON Informatics, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by GIDEON Informatics, Inc, Los Angeles, California, USA. www.gideononline.com Cover design by GIDEON Informatics, Inc No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. Contact GIDEON Informatics at [email protected]. ISBN-13: 978-1-61755-090-4 ISBN-10: 1-61755-090-6 Visit http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/ for the up to date list of GIDEON ebooks. DISCLAIMER: Publisher assumes no liability to patients with respect to the actions of physicians, health care facilities and other users, and is not responsible for any injury, death or damage resulting from the use, misuse or interpretation of information obtained through this book. Therapeutic options listed are limited to published studies and reviews. Therapy should not be undertaken without a thorough assessment of the indications, contraindications and side effects of any prospective drug or intervention. Furthermore, the data for the book are largely derived from incidence and prevalence statistics whose accuracy will vary widely for individual diseases and countries. Changes in endemicity, incidence, and drugs of choice may occur. The list of drugs, infectious diseases and even country names will vary with time. © 2010 GIDEON Informatics, Inc. www.gideononline.com All Rights Reserved. Page 2 of 314 Free. Promotional use only - not for resale. Infectious Diseases of Haiti - 2010 edition Introduction: The GIDEON e-book series Infectious Diseases of Haiti is one in a series of GIDEON ebooks which summarize the status of individual infectious diseases, in every country of the world. -
(2019) Tracing Zoonotic Parasite Infections Throughout Human Evolution
Unformatted version of the article: Ledger ML, Mitchell PD. (2019) Tracing zoonotic parasite infections throughout human evolution. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.2786. Tracing Zoonotic Parasite Infections Throughout Human Evolution Marissa L. Ledger Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, The Henry Wellcome Building, Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge CB2 1QH, UK [email protected] Piers D. Mitchell* Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, The Henry Wellcome Building, Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge CB2 1QH, UK [email protected] *corresponding author Key Words: archaeoparasitology; helminths; hominin evolution; paleoparasitology; zoonoses 1 ABSTRACT Parasites are useful pathogens to explore human-animal interactions because they have diverse life cycles that often rely on both as hosts. Moreover, some species are not host specific and are transmitted between animals and humans. Today most emerging infections are zoonoses. Here, we take a specific look at the emergence and re-emergence of zoonotic parasites throughout hominin evolution and consider evolutionary, cultural, and ecological factors involved in this. We combine genetic studies focused on molecular phylogenetic reconstructions, most often using the ribosomal RNA gene unit and mitochondrial genes from modern parasites, archaeological evidence in the form of preserved parasite eggs and antigens in skeletal and mummified remains, and modern epidemiological data to explore parasite infections throughout hominin evolution. We point out the considerably ancient origins of some key zoonotic parasites and their long coevolutionary history with humans, and discuss factors contributing to the presence of many zoonotic parasites in the past and today including dietary preferences, urbanization, waste disposal, and the population density of both humans and domesticated animals.