Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 55 in total

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  1. Abdelnasir S, Anwar A, Kawish M, Anwar A, Shah MR, Siddiqui R, et al.
    AMB Express, 2020 Jul 17;10(1):127.
    PMID: 32681358 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-020-01061-z
    Acanthamoeba castellanii can cause granulomatous amoebic encephalitis and Acanthamoeba keratitis. Currently, no single drug has been developed to effectively treat infections caused by Acanthamoeba. Recent studies have shown that drugs conjugated with nanoparticles exhibit potent in vitro antiamoebic activity against pathogenic free-living amoebae. In this study, we have developed a nano drug delivery system based on iron oxide nanoparticles conjugated with metronidazole which were further loaded with amphotericin B to produce enhanced antiamoebic effects against Acanthamoeba castellanii. The results showed that metronidazole-nanoparticles-amphotericin B (Met-MNPs-Amp) significantly inhibited the viability of these amoebae as compared to the respective controls including drugs and nanoparticles alone. Met-MNPs-Amp exhibited IC50 at 50 μg/mL against both A. castellanii trophozoites and cysts. Furthermore, these nanoparticles did not affect the viability of rat and human cells and showed safe hemolytic activity. Hence, the results obtained in this study have potential utility in drug development against infections caused by Acanthamoeba castellanii. A combination of drugs can lead to successful prognosis against these largely neglected infections. Future studies will determine the value of conjugating molecules with diagnostic and therapeutic potential to provide theranostic approaches against these serious infections.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis
  2. Anisah N, Amal H, Kamel AG, Yusof S, Noraina AR, Norhayati M
    Trop Biomed, 2005 Jun;22(1):11-4.
    PMID: 16880749 MyJurnal
    Is Acanthamoeba sp. normally found in the eyes? A study was carried out to establish the possibility of Acanthamoeba sp. as a part of the normal conjunctival flora. Conjunctiva swabbing were carried out in 286 healthy Orang Asli school children using sterile cotton swab. The swab was then inoculated onto non-nutrient agar (NN-A). Heat killed Escherichia coli that was used as food source for the growth of the amoebae was pipetted onto and away from the smear. The plates were incubated at 30 degrees C and examined daily using an inverted microscope for 14 days. Morphology of the trophozoites and cysts of the amoebae were used as the taxonomic criteria for identification. Positive-controls and negative-controls were done to check for the consistency of the technique used and monitoring of contamination respectively. None of the conjunctiva swab cultured was positive for Acanthamoeba sp. This finding may indicate that Acanthamoeba sp. is not part of normal conjunctival flora or conjunctiva swab is an insensitive technique to isolate the organism. However, a more extensive research is needed to investigate these possibilities.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis/diagnosis*; Amebiasis/microbiology; Amebiasis/pathology
  3. Anuar TS, Al-Mekhlafi HM, Abdul Ghani MK, Abu Bakar E, Azreen SN, Salleh FM, et al.
    Int J Parasitol, 2012 Dec;42(13-14):1165-75.
    PMID: 23123168 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.10.003
    Currently, species-specific information on Entamoeba infections is unavailable in Malaysia and is restricted worldwide due to the re-description of pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica and non-pathogenic Entamoeba dispar and Entamoeba moshkovskii. Therefore, this cross-sectional study was conducted to provide the first known documented data on the true prevalence of these three species in western Malaysia using a molecular method. Another aim of this study was to determine the association of potential risk factors associated with each Entamoeba sp. A total of 500 stool samples from three Orang Asli tribes were randomly collected. The overall prevalence of E. histolytica, E. dispar and E. moshkovskii determined by microscopy was 18.6% (93/500). Molecular analysis revealed that while most Entamoeba-positive individuals were infected with E. dispar (13.4%), followed by E. histolytica (3.2%) and E. moshkovskii (1.0%), the present findings show low prevalence rates of mixed infections with E. histolytica and E. dispar (2%), E. dispar and E. moshkovskii (1.2%) and association infections of E. histolytica, E. dispar and E. moshkovskii (0.4%). Logistical regression analysis indicates that the dynamics of the transmission of the three Entamoeba spp. was different. Of six statistically significant variables observed in the univariate analysis, three were retained as significant risk factors for E. histolytica infection in the logistical regression model. These factors were (i) not washing hands after playing with soil or gardening (Odds ratio (OR)=4.7; 95% confidence level (CI)=1.38, 16.14; P=0.013), (ii) indiscriminate defecation in the river or bush (OR=5.7; 95% CI=1.46, 21.95; P=0.012) and (iii) close contact with domestic animals (OR=5.4; 95% CI=1.36, 2.51; P=0.017). However, subjects with family members who were infected with E. histolytica/E. dispar/E. moshkovskii (OR=3.8; 95 CI=2.11, 6.86; P<0.001) and those who consumed raw vegetables (OR=1.8; 95% CI=1.01, 3.23; P=0.047) were more likely to be infected with E. dispar. On the other hand, no associated factor was identified with E. moshkovskii infection. Nevertheless, diarrhoea (P=0.002) and other gastroenteritis symptoms (P<0.001) were only associated with E. histolytica infection. The present study provides new insight into the distribution and risk factors of E. histolytica, E. dispar and E. moshkovskii infections among Orang Asli communities in Malaysia. Identifying the different risk factors of E. histolytica and E. dispar infections will help in the planning specific strategies in the control and prevention of each infection in the communities. Moreover, it emphasises the need for molecular methods to determine the species-specific prevalence of Entamoeba spp.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis/epidemiology*
  4. Anwar A, Numan A, Siddiqui R, Khalid M, Khan NA
    Parasit Vectors, 2019 Jun 03;12(1):280.
    PMID: 31159839 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3528-2
    BACKGROUND: Species of Acanthamoeba are facultative pathogens which can cause sight threatening Acanthamoeba keratitis and a rare but deadly brain infection, granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. Due to conversion of Acanthamoeba trophozoites to resistant cyst stage, most drugs are found to be ineffective at preventing recurrence of infection. This study was designed to test the antiacanthamoebic effects of different cobalt nanoparticles (CoNPs) against trophozoites and cysts, as well as parasite-mediated host cell cytotoxicity.

    METHODS: Three different varieties of CoNPs were synthesized by utilizing hydrothermal and ultrasonication methods and were thoroughly characterized by X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Amoebicidal, encystation, excystation, and host cell cytopathogenicity assays were conducted to study the antiacanthamoebic effects of CoNPs.

    RESULTS: The results of the antimicrobial evaluation revealed that cobalt phosphate Co3(PO4)2 hexagonal microflakes, and 100 nm large cobalt hydroxide (Co(OH)2) nanoflakes showed potent amoebicidal activity at 100 and 10 µg/ml against Acanthamoeba castellanii as compared to granular cobalt oxide (Co3O4) of size 35-40 nm. Furthermore, encystation and excystation assays also showed consistent inhibition at 100 µg/ml. CoNPs also inhibited amoebae-mediated host cell cytotoxicity as determined by lactate dehydrogenase release without causing significant damage to human cells when treated alone.

    CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, these findings determined, for the first time, the effects of composition, size and morphology of CoNPs against A. castellanii. Co3(PO4)2 hexagonal microflakes showed the most promising antiamoebic effects as compared to Co(OH)2 nanoflakes and granular Co3O4. The results reported in the present study hold potential for the development of antiamoebic nanomedicine.

    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis/drug therapy
  5. Anwar A, Ting ELS, Anwar A, Ain NU, Faizi S, Shah MR, et al.
    AMB Express, 2020 Feb 03;10(1):24.
    PMID: 32016777 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-020-0960-9
    Acanthamoeba spp. are the causative agent of Acanthamoeba keratitis and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE). The current options to treat Acanthamoeba infections have limited success. Silver nanoparticles show antimicrobial effects and enhance the efficacy of their payload at the specific biological targets. Natural folk plants have been widely used for treating diseases as the phytochemicals from several plants have been shown to exhibit amoebicidal effects. Herein, we used natural products of plant or commercial sources including quercetin (QT), kolavenic acid (PGEA) isolated from plant extracts of Polyalthia longifolia var pendula and crude plant methanolic extract of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (CPFLM) as antiacanthamoebic agents. Furthermore, these plant-based materials were conjugated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to determine the effects of the natural compounds and their nanoconjugates against a clinical isolate of A. castellanii from a keratitis patient (ATCC 50492) belonging to the T4 genotype. The compounds were conjugated with AgNPs and characterized by using ultraviolet visible spectrophotometry and atomic force microscopy. Quercetin coated silver nanoparticles (QT-AgNPs) showed characteristic surface plasmon resonance band at 443 nm and the average size distribution was found to be around 45 nm. The natural compounds alone and their nanoconjugates were tested for the viability of amoebae, encystation and excystation activity against A. castellanii. The natural compounds showed significant growth inhibition of A. castellanii while QT-AgNPs specifically exhibited enhanced antiamoebic effects as well as interrupted the encystation and excystation activity of the amoebae. Interestingly, these compounds and nanoconjugates did not exhibit in vitro cytotoxic effects against human cells. Plant-based compounds and extracts could be an interesting strategy in development of alternative therapeutics against Acanthamoeba infections.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis
  6. Anwar A, Siddiqui R, Shah MR, Khan NA
    PMID: 29967024 DOI: 10.1128/AAC.00630-18
    trans-Cinnamic acid (CA) is a natural organic compound. Using amoebicidal assays, for the first time we showed that CA affected the viability of the protist pathogen Acanthamoeba castellanii Conjugation with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) enhanced the antiamoebic effects of CA. CA-coated AuNPs (CA-AuNPs) also exhibited significant excystation and encystation activity, compared to CA and AuNPs alone. Pretreatment of amoebae with CA-AuNPs inhibited A. castellanii-mediated host cell cytotoxicity. Moreover, CA-AuNPs exhibited potent effects against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and neuropathogenic Escherichia coli K1 and protected host cells against bacteria-mediated host cell death.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis/drug therapy; Amebiasis/parasitology
  7. Anwar A, Siddiqui R, Khan NA
    ACS Chem Neurosci, 2019 01 16;10(1):6-12.
    PMID: 30149693 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00321
    Pathogenic free-living amoebae including Acanthamoeba spp., Balamuthia mandrillaris, and Naegleria fowleri cause infections of the central nervous system (CNS), which almost always prove fatal. The mortality rate is high with the CNS infections caused by these microbes despite modern developments in healthcare and antimicrobial chemotherapy. The low awareness, delayed diagnosis, and lack of effective drugs are major hurdles to overcome these challenges. Nanomaterials have emerged as vital tools for concurrent diagnosis and therapy, which are commonly referred to as theranostics. Nanomaterials offer highly sensitive diagnostic systems and viable therapeutic effects as a single modality. There has been good progress to develop nanomaterials based efficient theranostic systems against numerous kinds of tumors, but this field is yet immature in the context of infectious diseases, particularly parasitic infections. Herein, we describe the potential value of theranostic applications of nanomaterials against brain infections due to pathogenic amoebae.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis/diagnosis; Amebiasis/therapy*
  8. Anwar A, Masri A, Rao K, Rajendran K, Khan NA, Shah MR, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2019 02 28;9(1):3122.
    PMID: 30816269 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39528-0
    Herein, we report green synthesized nanoparticles based on stabilization by plant gums, loaded with citrus fruits flavonoids Hesperidin (HDN) and Naringin (NRG) as novel antimicrobial agents against brain-eating amoebae and multi-drug resistant bacteria. Nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized by using zetasizer, zeta potential, atomic force microscopy, ultravoilet-visible and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopic techniques. The size of these spherical nanoparticles was found to be in the range of 100-225 nm. The antiamoebic effects of these green synthesized Silver and Gold nanoparticles loaded with HDN and NRG were tested against Acanthamoeba castellanii and Naegleria fowleri, while antibacterial effects were evaluated against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and neuropathogenic Escherichia coli K1. Amoebicidal assays revealed that HDN loaded Silver nanoparticles stabilized by gum acacia (GA-AgNPs-HDN) quantitatively abolished amoeba viability by 100%, while NRG loaded Gold nanoparticles stabilized by gum tragacanth (GT-AuNPs-NRG) significantly reduced the viability of A. castellanii and N. fowleri at 50 µg per mL. Furthermore, these nanoparticles inhibited the encystation and excystation by more than 85%, as well as GA-AgNPs-HDN only completely obliterated amoeba-mediated host cells cytopathogenicity. Whereas, GA-AgNPs-HDN exhibited significant bactericidal effects against MRSA and E. coli K1 and reduced bacterial-mediated host cells cytotoxicity. Notably, when tested against human cells, these nanoparticles showed minimal (23%) cytotoxicity at even higher concentration of 100 µg per mL as compared to 50 µg per mL used for antimicrobial assays. Hence, these novel nanoparticles formulations hold potential as therapeutic agents against infections caused by brain-eating amoebae, as well as multi-drug resistant bacteria, and recommend a step forward in drug development.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis/drug therapy
  9. Anwar A, Siddiqui R, Hussain MA, Ahmed D, Shah MR, Khan NA
    Parasitol Res, 2018 Jan;117(1):265-271.
    PMID: 29218442 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-017-5701-x
    Infectious diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, killing more than 15 million people worldwide. This is despite our advances in antimicrobial chemotherapy and supportive care. Nanoparticles offer a promising technology to enhance drug efficacy and formation of effective vehicles for drug delivery. Here, we conjugated amphotericin B, nystatin (macrocyclic polyenes), and fluconazole (azole) with silver nanoparticles. Silver-conjugated drugs were synthesized successfully and characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Conjugated and unconjugated drugs were tested against Acanthamoeba castellanii belonging to the T4 genotype using amoebicidal assay and host cell cytotoxicity assay. Viability assays revealed that silver nanoparticles conjugated with amphotericin B (Amp-AgNPs) and nystatin (Nys-AgNPs) exhibited significant antiamoebic properties compared with drugs alone or AgNPs alone (P 
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis/drug therapy*; Amebiasis/parasitology
  10. Anwar A, Khan NA, Siddiqui R
    Parasit Vectors, 2018 01 09;11(1):26.
    PMID: 29316961 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2572-z
    Acanthamoeba spp. are protist pathogens and causative agents of serious infections including keratitis and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. Its ability to convert into dormant and highly resistant cysts form limits effectiveness of available therapeutic agents and presents a pivotal challenge for drug development. During the cyst stage, Acanthamoeba is protected by the presence of hardy cyst walls, comprised primarily of carbohydrates and cyst-specific proteins, hence synthesis inhibition and/or degradation of cyst walls is of major interest. This review focuses on targeting of Acanthamoeba cysts by identifying viable therapeutic targets.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis/epidemiology*; Amebiasis/prevention & control*
  11. Azmi N, Othman N
    Membranes (Basel), 2021 May 21;11(6).
    PMID: 34063994 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11060376
    Amoebiasis is caused by Entamoeba histolytica and ranked second for parasitic diseases causing death after malaria. E. histolytica membrane and cytosolic proteins play important roles in the pathogenesis. Our previous study had shown several cytosolic proteins were found in the membrane fraction. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify the differential abundance of membrane and cytosolic proteins in membrane versus cytosolic fractions and analyze their predicted functions and interaction. Previous LC-ESI-MS/MS data were analyzed by PERSEUS software for the differentially abundant proteins, then they were classified into their functional annotations and the protein networks were summarized using PantherDB and STRiNG, respectively. The results showed 24 (44.4%) out of the 54 proteins that increased in abundance were membrane proteins and 30 were cytosolic proteins. Meanwhile, 45 cytosolic proteins were found to decrease in abundance. Functional analysis showed differential abundance proteins involved in the molecular function, biological process, and cellular component with 18.88%, 33.04% and, 48.07%, respectively. The STRiNG server predicted that the decreased abundance proteins had more protein-protein network interactions compared to increased abundance proteins. Overall, this study has confirmed the presence of the differentially abundant membrane and cytosolic proteins and provided the predictive functions and interactions between them.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis
  12. Baig AM, Khan NA
    Microb Pathog, 2015 Nov;88:48-51.
    PMID: 26276705 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2015.08.005
    Granulomatous amoebic encephalitis due to Acanthamoeba is a chronic disease that almost always results in death. Hematogenous spread is a pre-requisite followed by amoebae invasion of the blood-brain barrier to enter the central nervous system. Given the systemic nature of this infection, a significant latent period of several months before the appearance of clinical manifestations is puzzling. Based on reported cases, here we propose pathogenetic mechanisms that explain the above described latency of the disease.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis
  13. Basher MHA, Ithoi I, Mahmud R, Abdulsalam AM, Foead AI, Dawaki S, et al.
    Acta Trop, 2018 Feb;178:219-228.
    PMID: 29203378 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.11.015
    Acanthamoeba species are ubiquitous free-living protozoa that can be found worldwide. Occasionally, it can become parasitic and the causative agent of acanthamoebic keratitis (AK) and Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis (GAE) in man. A total of 160 environmental samples and 225 naturally-infected animal corneal swabs were collected for Acanthamoeba cultivation. Acanthamoeba was found to be high in samples collected from environments (85%, 136/160) compared to infected animal corneas (24.89%, 56/225) by microscopic examination. Analysis of nucleotide sequence of 18S rRNA gene of all the 192 cultivable Acanthamoeba isolates revealed 4 genotypes (T3, T4. T5 and T15) with T4 as the most prevalent (69.27%, 133/192) followed by T5 (20.31%), T15 (9.90%) and T3 (0.52%). Genotype T4 was from the strain of A. castellanii U07401 (44.27%), A. castellanii U07409 (20.83%) and A. polyphagaAY026243 (4.17%), but interestingly, only A. castellanii U07401 was detected in naturally infected corneal samples. In environmental samples, T4 was commonly detected in all samples including dry soil, dust, wet debris, wet soil and water. Among the T4, A. castellanii (U07409) strains were detected high occurrence in dry (45%) followed by aquatic (32.50%) and moist (22.50%) samples but however A. castellanii (U07401) strains were dominant in dry samples of soil and dust (93.10%). Subsequently, genotype T5 of A. lenticulata (U94741) strains were dominant in samples collected from aquatic environments (58.97%). In summary, A. castellanii (U07401) strains were found dominant in both environmental and corneal swab samples. Therefore, these strains are possibly the most virulent and dry soil or dusts are the most possible source of Acanthamoeba infection in cats and dogs corneas.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis
  14. Bovornkitti S
    Respirology, 1996 Mar;1(1):11-21.
    PMID: 9432400
    The term 'tropical' refers to the region of the Earth lying between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Located between these equatorial parallels demarcating the Torrid Zone are several underdeveloped and developing countries: Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, southern India, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Cuba, Ethiopia, Sudan and Nigeria, to name but a few considered to be 'tropical'. The climate in most of these countries is characterized by high temperatures and high humidity. The tropical climate and general state of socio-economic underdevelopment in such countries provide an ideal environment for pathogenic organisms, their vectors and intermediate hosts to flourish. Furthermore, the cultural habits and educational background of the people living in such countries expose them to pathogens and, when these people become infected, they readily become reservoirs for, or carriers of, those organisms. Ultimately, the adverse socioeconomic conditions of underdeveloped countries impede attempts to eradicate or control tropical diseases.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis
  15. Bunsuwansakul C, Mahboob T, Hounkong K, Laohaprapanon S, Chitapornpan S, Jawjit S, et al.
    Korean J Parasitol, 2019 Aug;57(4):341-357.
    PMID: 31533401 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2019.57.4.341
    Acanthamoeba, one of free-living amoebae (FLA), remains a high risk of direct contact with this protozoan parasite which is ubiquitous in nature and man-made environment. This pathogenic FLA can cause sight-threatening amoebic keratitis (AK) and fatal granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) though these cases may not commonly be reported in our clinical settings. Acanthamoeba has been detected from different environmental sources namely; soil, water, hot-spring, swimming pool, air-conditioner, or contact lens storage cases. The identification of Acanthamoeba is based on morphological appearance and molecular techniques using PCR and DNA sequencing for clinico-epidemiological purposes. Recent treatments have long been ineffective against Acanthamoeba cyst, novel anti-Acanthamoeba agents have therefore been extensively investigated. There are efforts to utilize synthetic chemicals, lead compounds from medicinal plant extracts, and animal products to combat Acanthamoeba infection. Applied nanotechnology, an advanced technology, has shown to enhance the anti-Acanthamoeba activity in the encapsulated nanoparticles leading to new therapeutic options. This review attempts to provide an overview of the available data and studies on the occurrence of pathogenic Acanthamoeba among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members with the aim of identifying some potential contributing factors such as distribution, demographic profile of the patients, possible source of the parasite, mode of transmission and treatment. Further, this review attempts to provide future direction for prevention and control of the Acanthamoeba infection.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis/diagnosis; Amebiasis/epidemiology*; Amebiasis/therapy; Amebiasis/transmission
  16. Chang CH, Few LL, Lim BH, Yvonne-Tee GB, Chew AL, See Too WC
    Parasitol Res, 2023 Jul;122(7):1651-1661.
    PMID: 37202563 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07869-5
    The de novo biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine in Entamoeba histolytica is largely dependent on the CDP-choline and CDP-ethanolamine pathways. Although the first enzymes of these pathways, EhCK1 and EhCK2, have been previously characterized, their enzymatic activity was found to be low and undetectable, respectively. This study aimed to identify the unusual characteristics of these enzymes in this deadly parasite. The discovery that EhCKs prefer Mn2+ over the typical Mg2+ as a metal ion cofactor is intriguing for CK/EK family of enzymes. In the presence of Mn2+, the activity of EhCK1 increased by approximately 108-fold compared to that in Mg2+. Specifically, in Mg2+, EhCK1 exhibited a Vmax and K0.5 of 3.5 ± 0.1 U/mg and 13.9 ± 0.2 mM, respectively. However, in Mn2+, it displayed a Vmax of 149.1 ± 2.5 U/mg and a K0.5 of 9.5 ± 0.1 mM. Moreover, when Mg2+ was present at a constant concentration of 12 mM, the K0.5 value for Mn2+ was ~ 2.4-fold lower than that in Mn2+ alone, without affecting its Vmax. Although the enzyme efficiency of EhCK1 was significantly improved by about 25-fold in Mn2+, it is worth noting that its Km for choline and ATP were higher than in equimolar of Mg2+ in a previous study. In contrast, EhCK2 showed specific activity towards ethanolamine in Mn2+, exhibiting Michaelis-Menten kinetic with ethanolamine (Km = 312 ± 27 µM) and cooperativity with ATP (K0.5 = 2.1 ± 0.2 mM). Additionally, we investigated the effect of metal ions on the substrate recognition of human choline and ethanolamine kinase isoforms. Human choline kinase α2 was found to absolutely require Mg2+, while choline kinase β differentially recognized choline and ethanolamine in Mg2+ and Mn2+, respectively. Finally, mutagenesis studies revealed that EhCK1 Tyr129 was critical for Mn2+ binding, while Lys233 was essential for substrate catalysis but not metal ion binding. Overall, these findings provide insight into the unique characteristics of the EhCKs and highlight the potential for new approaches to treating amoebiasis. Amoebiasis is a challenging disease for clinicians to diagnose and treat, as many patients are asymptomatic. However, by studying the enzymes involved in the CDP-choline and CDP-ethanolamine pathways, which are crucial for de novo biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine in Entamoeba histolytica, there is great potential to discover new therapeutic approaches to combat this disease.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis*
  17. Cheng CW, Feng CM, Chua CS
    J Int Med Res, 2020 May;48(5):300060520922379.
    PMID: 32475192 DOI: 10.1177/0300060520922379
    Amebiasis is a frequently occurring parasitic infection in South East Asia. We present a case of a 54-year-old man with right lower quadrant abdominal pain that persisted for longer than 1 year. He had been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease in Indonesia. His abdominal pain persisted, despite therapy, and he visited Malaysia for transnational medical advice. Abdominal ultrasound showed fatty liver, gallbladder polyps, and a small left renal stone. Colonoscopy showed multiple ulcers in the cecum and a histopathological examination confirmed amebic infection of the cecum. The colonic ulcers subsided after anti-amebic treatment. This case highlights the need to consider the differential diagnosis of amebic colitis in patients presenting with manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease, especially in patients who live in or have traveled to endemic areas.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis/diagnosis*; Amebiasis/physiopathology
  18. Farnaza A, Baha L
    Malays Fam Physician, 2010;5(3):148-150.
    PMID: 25606208 MyJurnal
    A 27-year-old man presented with a two-week history of central colicky abdominal pain associated with loose stools. Further history revealed that he had been exposed to contaminated waters. Stool investigation by direct wet stool smears revealed the presence of Entamoeba histolytica and Blastocystis hominis cysts. A diagnosis of amoebiasis secondary to E. histolytica and concurrent B. hominis infestation was made. We would like to emphasise the importance of clinical history including recent travel to endemic areas. Any suspicion of parasitic infection should prompt the clinician to investigate. Early diagnosis and management would prevent serious complications associated with E. Histolytica infection.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis
  19. Gilman RH, Davis C, Gan E, Bolton M
    Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1976 Sep;25(5):663-6.
    PMID: 183555
    The indirect hemagglutination test was used to study antibody titers to Entamoeba histolytica in different Malaysian populations. Eighty-seven percent of Orang Asli (western Malaysian aborigines) adults and 79% of Orang Asli children with acute amebic dysentery were seropositive. However, significantly fewer children (39%) with amebic dysentery had high titer responses (titer greater than or equal to 1:1,280) than did adults with amebic dysentery (76%). No correlation between proctoscopic severity and amebic titer was found. Forty-four percent of asymptomatic family members were seroresponders. Satak, an Orang Asli village located near towns, had significantly more seroresponders (32%) than did the isolated, deep jungle village, Belatim (4%).
    Matched MeSH terms: Amebiasis/immunology*
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