Displaying publications 61 - 80 of 234 in total

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  1. Fulltext Cytokine response during non-cerebral and cerebral malaria: evidence of a failure to control inflammation as a cause of death in African adults
    Dieye Y, Mbengue B, Dagamajalu S, Fall MM, Loke MF, Nguer CM, et al.
    PeerJ, 2016;4:e1965.
    PMID: 27168977 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1965
    Background. With 214 million cases and 438,000 deaths in 2015, malaria remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases in tropical countries. Several species of the protozoan Plasmodium cause malaria. However, almost all the fatalities are due to Plasmodium falciparum, a species responsible for the severest cases including cerebral malaria. Immune response to Plasmodium falciparum infection is mediated by the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and growth factors whose actions are crucial for the control of the parasites. Following this response, the induction of anti-inflammatory immune mediators downregulates the inflammation thus preventing its adverse effects such as damages to various organs and death. Methods. We performed a retrospective, nonprobability sampling study using clinical data and sera samples from patients, mainly adults, suffering of non-cerebral or cerebral malaria in Dakar, Sénégal. Healthy individuals residing in the same area were included as controls. We measured the serum levels of 29 biomarkers including growth factors, chemokines, inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Results. We found an induction of both pro- and anti-inflammatory immune mediators during malaria. The levels of pro-inflammatory biomarkers were higher in the cerebral malaria than in the non-cerebral malaria patients. In contrast, the concentrations of anti-inflammatory cytokines were comparable in these two groups or lower in CM patients. Additionally, four pro-inflammatory biomarkers were significantly increased in the deceased of cerebral malaria compared to the survivors. Regarding organ damage, kidney failure was significantly associated with death in adults suffering of cerebral malaria. Conclusions. Our results suggest that a poorly controlled inflammatory response determines a bad outcome in African adults suffering of cerebral malaria.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites
  2. Fulltext Genome-wide mosaicism in divergence between zoonotic malaria parasite subpopulations with separate sympatric transmission cycles
    Divis PCS, Duffy CW, Kadir KA, Singh B, Conway DJ
    Mol Ecol, 2018 02;27(4):860-870.
    PMID: 29292549 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14477
    Plasmodium knowlesi is a significant cause of human malaria transmitted as a zoonosis from macaque reservoir hosts in South-East Asia. Microsatellite genotyping has indicated that human infections in Malaysian Borneo are an admixture of two highly divergent sympatric parasite subpopulations that are, respectively, associated with long-tailed macaques (Cluster 1) and pig-tailed macaques (Cluster 2). Whole-genome sequences of clinical isolates subsequently confirmed the separate clusters, although fewer of the less common Cluster 2 type were sequenced. Here, to analyse population structure and genomic divergence in subpopulation samples of comparable depth, genome sequences were generated from 21 new clinical infections identified as Cluster 2 by microsatellite analysis, yielding a cumulative sample size for this subpopulation similar to that for Cluster 1. Profound heterogeneity in the level of intercluster divergence was distributed across the genome, with long contiguous chromosomal blocks having high or low divergence. Different mitochondrial genome clades were associated with the two major subpopulations, but limited exchange of haplotypes from one to the other was evident, as was also the case for the maternally inherited apicoplast genome. These findings indicate deep divergence of the two sympatric P. knowlesi subpopulations, with introgression likely to have occurred recently. There is no evidence yet of specific adaptation at any introgressed locus, but the recombinant mosaic types offer enhanced diversity on which selection may operate in a currently changing landscape and human environment. Loci responsible for maintaining genetic isolation of the sympatric subpopulations need to be identified in the chromosomal regions showing fixed differences.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites/genetics*
  3. Fulltext Efficient Surveillance of Plasmodium knowlesi Genetic Subpopulations, Malaysian Borneo, 2000-2018
    Divis PCS, Hu TH, Kadir KA, Mohammad DSA, Hii KC, Daneshvar C, et al.
    Emerg Infect Dis, 2020 07;26(7):1392-1398.
    PMID: 32568035 DOI: 10.3201/eid2607.190924
    Population genetic analysis revealed that Plasmodium knowlesi infections in Malaysian Borneo are caused by 2 divergent parasites associated with long-tailed (cluster 1) and pig-tailed (cluster 2) macaques. Because the transmission ecology is likely to differ for each macaque species, we developed a simple genotyping PCR to efficiently distinguish between and survey the 2 parasite subpopulations. This assay confirmed differences in the relative proportions in areas of Kapit division of Sarawak state, consistent with multilocus microsatellite analyses. Analyses of 1,204 human infections at Kapit Hospital showed that cluster 1 caused approximately two thirds of cases with no significant temporal changes from 2000 to 2018. We observed an apparent increase in overall numbers in the most recent 2 years studied, driven mainly by increased cluster 1 parasite infections. Continued monitoring of the frequency of different parasite subpopulations and correlation with environmental alterations are necessary to determine whether the epidemiology will change substantially.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites
  4. First record of Megaselia scalaris (LOEW) (DIPTERA: PHORIDAE) infesting a spinose ear tick, Otobius megnini, colony in Sri Lanka
    Diyes GCP, Karunaratne WAIP, Tomberlin JK, Rajakaruna RS
    Trop Biomed, 2015 Dec 01;32(4):791-795.
    PMID: 33557472
    Megaselia scalaris (Loew) is a cosmopolitan polyphagous small fly with the ability of exploiting variety of ecological niches. Different life history stages act as detritivore, parasite, and parasitoid of wider spectrum of plant and animal matter under natural and laboratory conditions. Here, for the first time we present the opportunistic parasitism of M. scalaris on Otobius megnini, which act as a vector of Q fever and is capable of causing paralysis, toxic conditions, otoacariasis and otitis in humans and other animals. Tick samples from the ear canals of 14 thoroughbred horses were brought to the laboratory and several days later, larvae of M. scalaris were found feeding on immature stages of O. megnini. When the development was completed pupae were found attached to adult ticks and all nymphs were found dead. This context reveals the capability of M. scalaris surviving on O. megnini and the risk of their invading ear canals of horses.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites
  5. Fulltext Barnacles Mating Optimizer with Deep Transfer Learning Enabled Biomedical Malaria Parasite Detection and Classification
    Dutta AK, Mageswari RU, Gayathri A, Dallfin Bruxella JM, Ishak MK, Mostafa SM, et al.
    Comput Intell Neurosci, 2022;2022:7776319.
    PMID: 35694571 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7776319
    Biomedical engineering involves ideologies and problem-solving methods of engineering to biology and medicine. Malaria is a life-threatening illness, which has gained significant attention among researchers. Since the manual diagnosis of malaria in a clinical setting is tedious, automated tools based on computational intelligence (CI) tools have gained considerable interest. Though earlier studies were focused on the handcrafted features, the diagnostic accuracy can be boosted through deep learning (DL) methods. This study introduces a new Barnacles Mating Optimizer with Deep Transfer Learning Enabled Biomedical Malaria Parasite Detection and Classification (BMODTL-BMPC) model. The presented BMODTL-BMPC model involves the design of intelligent models for the recognition and classification of malaria parasites. Initially, the Gaussian filtering (GF) approach is employed to eradicate noise in blood smear images. Then, Graph cuts (GC) segmentation technique is applied to determine the affected regions in the blood smear images. Moreover, the barnacles mating optimizer (BMO) algorithm with the NasNetLarge model is employed for the feature extraction process. Furthermore, the extreme learning machine (ELM) classification model is employed for the identification and classification of malaria parasites. To assure the enhanced outcomes of the BMODTL-BMPC technique, a wide-ranging experimentation analysis is performed using a benchmark dataset. The experimental results show that the BMODTL-BMPC technique outperforms other recent approaches.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites*
  6. Plasmodium fieldi sp. nov., a new species of malaria parasite from the pigtailed macaque in Malaya
    EYLES DE, LAING AB, FONG YL
    Ann Trop Med Parasitol, 1962 Jul;56:242-7.
    PMID: 13891114
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites*
  7. PLASMODIUM YOUNGI N. SP., A MALARIA PARASITE OF THE MALAYAN GIBBON, HYLOBATES LAR LAR
    EYLES DE, FONG YL, DUNN FL, GUINN E, WARREN M, SANDOSHAM AA
    Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1964 Mar;13:248-55.
    PMID: 14125875
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites*
  8. Insights into immunopathology and triggering of apoptosis in chronic cerebral toxoplasmosis using murine models
    El Saftawy EA, Shash RY, Aboulhoda BE, Arsanyos SF, Albadawi EA, Abou-Fandoud SM, et al.
    Trop Biomed, 2021 Jun 01;38(2):53-62.
    PMID: 33973573 DOI: 10.47665/tb.38.2.037
    BACKGROUND: toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan protozoan disease with a wide range of neuropathology. Recent studies identified its potential association with several mental disorders e.g. schizophrenia dependable on apoptosis in their pathogenesis. We investigated value of toxoplasmosis to induce apoptosis of the neuronal cells.

    METHODS: per-orally infected C57BL/6 mice with 15-20 cysts of the avirulent T. gondii Beverly strain at 9-11 weeks of age were examined 12 weeks later during parasite establishment. Distributions of the parasite's cysts and the histopathological lesions in the brains were analyzed using Image J software. Relative expression of TNF-α and iNOS of cell-mediated immunity (CMI), Bax (pro-apoptosis) and Bcl-2 (anti-apoptosis) were all assessed using immunohistochemistry.

    RESULTS: higher parasite burden was seen in the forebrain with p value <= 0.05. Dramatically increased TNF-α, iNOS, and Bax expressions with Bax/Bcl-2 ratio 2.42:0.52 were reported (p value <= 0.05). The significant correlation between Bax data and different CMI biomarkers including TNF-α and i-NOS was evaluated. Interestingly, no significant correlation was seen between TNF-α, iNOS, Bax and Bcl-2 expressions and location of the parasite. However, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was statistically correlated with CMI biomarkers and whole sample mean parasite burden, p value <= 0.05.

    CONCLUSION: Chronic toxoplasmosis exhibits an immense pro-apoptotic signal on the cerebral tissues of experimental mice.

    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites
  9. Fulltext Unresolved pneumonia: a case report of Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection in an immunocompromised patient
    Esteban Chin, Lim Han Hua
    Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2019;15(106):58-58.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Strongyloidiasis is endemic in the tropical and subtropical regions. Clinical manifestations of the dis-ease can range from asymptomatic eosinophilia in an immunocompetent host to a wide range of presentations in immunocompromised patients. Failure to consider the diagnosis of strongyloides infection, especially Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome, is a major contributor of high mortality rate in such cases. Case Description: We report a case of 60 years old gentleman who was admitted to Sarawak General Hospital for a left subtrochanteric femur pathological fracture and the diagnosis of multiple myeloma was made in the same setting. He was started on treat-ment for multiple myeloma which includes high dose steroids. During his course of admission, he was diagnosed with hospital-acquired pneumonia was subsequently initiated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Despite being exten-sively treated with multiple courses of broad-spectrum antibiotics, he deteriorated clinically, with eventual respirato-ry failure requiring ventilator support and ICU admission. A diagnosis of strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome was made after an incidental discovery of larvae in his sputum, which was later confirmed with stool sample. He was given a one-week course of albendazole 400mg twice daily and clinical improvement was observed. A repeated stool sample also demonstrated clearance of the parasites. Conclusion: This case highlights the need for clinical sus-picion of strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome in cases of unresolved pneumonia, especially for patients with risk factors of underlying immune-deficiency state. Preventive steps such early detection and eradication of strongyloides infection should be undertaken prior to initiation of immuno-suppressive therapy.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites
  10. [Nasal ascarids in Malaysia. 1. Ereynetoides malayi n.g.n. sp., parasite of Nectariniidae (Ereynetidae: Trombidiformes)]
    FAIN A, NADCHATRAM M
    Z Parasitenkd, 1962;22:68-82.
    PMID: 13891331
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites*
  11. Fulltext Fish Endoparasites from Streams near Paddy Fields in Serian and Padawan, Western Sarawak
    FELLICIA INCHING UCHANG, YANG LEE, FREDDY KUOK SAN YEO, YEE LING CHONG
    Trends in Undergraduate Research, 2019;2(1):0-0.
    MyJurnal
    The fish health status and parasitic infection in paddy fields are understudied in Borneo. This study was done to compare the prevalence and abundance of parasites on freshwater fishes in the upstream and downstream rivers of paddy fields. Parasite study on freshwater fishes was done by collecting live fish samples using ten minnow traps with baits at each site in Serian and Padawan, Sarawak, from October 2017 until March 2018. A total of 120 freshwater fishes were examined during this study period. Cold anaesthesia was applied on live samples prior to ectoparasite and endoparasite microscopic screening, which involved scraping of outer body mucous and removal of fish intestines, respectively. No ectoparasites were recovered from the fish samples. A total of 19 (15.83%) fishes from Cyprinids were infected with endoparasites. From these, 58 individuals of endoparasites were recovered. Two groups of parasites, namely Nematoda (Cucullanus sp.) and Trematoda (unidentified), were recovered from the fish intestines. From this study, there was a significant difference between the upstream fishes and downstream fishes in their endoparasite infection at both Triboh Village (p = 0.035) and Annah Rais Village (p = 1.445 × 10-6) using two samples t-test. The endoparasite abundance in fish was higher in the streams where there was less human disturbance. This study may serve as a baseline study on the parasitic infections of freshwater fishes in streams near paddy fields or other agricultural area in Sarawak.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites
  12. Fulltext Zoonotic parasites from exotic meat in Malaysia
    Fazly ZA, Nurulaini R, Shafarin MS, Fariza NJ, Zawida Z, Muhamad HY, et al.
    Trop Biomed, 2013 Sep;30(3):535-42.
    PMID: 24189683 MyJurnal
    Four zoonotic parasites, Sarcocystis spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Trichinella spp. and Taenia spp were screened in exotic meats. A total of forty-six (n=46) meat samples from various species of exotic animals were received from all the 14 states in Malaysia from January 2012 to April 2012. All exotic meat samples were examined macroscopically and histologically for the four zoonotic parasites. Results by histological examination of exotic meats showed the presence of Sarcocystis and Toxoplasma cysts at 8.7% (n=4) and 4.3% (n=2) respectively. No Trichinella spp. and Taenia spp. were found.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites/classification*; Parasites/isolation & purification*
  13. Intestinal parasitic infections frequency in referred patients to a large teaching hospital, Khuzestan, Southwest, Iran, 2017
    Feiz Haddad MH, Maraghi S, Ali SA, Feiz Haddad R, Nasser Zadeh R
    Trop Biomed, 2018 Dec 01;35(4):915-925.
    PMID: 33601841
    Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are among the most important infectious diseases in Iran. A cross sectional study was designed to determine frequency of intestinal parasites among referrals to a large teaching hospital in Khuzestan, Southwest of Iran, 2017. A total number of 5613 stool samples were examined through direct smear and formalin-ether concentration methods to detect possible parasitic infections. Samples consisted of 2643 (47.09%) male and 2970 (52.91%) female. A total of 1468 (26.15%) samples were positive (13.11% male and 13.4% female) and 4145 (73.85%) were negative. The results also showed that 255 of samples had more than one type of parasite (mix infections). Counting single and mix parasite infections, the total number of positive cases reached to 1723. Helminthes parasites were present in 12 (0.7%) cases, while intestinal protozoan parasites were in 1711 (99.3%) cases. Almost equally, pathogenic and nonpathogenic parasites infected 860 (49.91%) and 863 (50.09%) of patients, respectively. The frequency for helminthes was determined at 0.52% with Hymenolepis nana and Enterobius vermicularis however, Giardia lamblia in 38.54% and Entamoeba histolytica/dispar at 10.68% were concluded as protozoa elements. The IPIs frequency was recorded in female and male patients at 49.16% and 50.14%, respectively. According to the current results the infection rate of intestinal parasites has been significantly reduced especially for helminths infections in this region possibly due to public attention to health issues such as; increased awareness of people, improvement of sanitation, seasonal variations, health education and personal hygiene.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites
  14. A clinical comparison of atebrin-musonate with quinine bihydrochloride. (A preliminary report based on the treatment of 286 cases of acute Malaria)
    Field JW, Niven JC
    Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1936;29:647-658.
    A comparison is made between atebrin-musonate and quinine bihydrochloride in the treatment of acute malaria. 286 cases of acute malaria due to Malayan strains of P. falciparum, P. vivax, and P. malariae, were treated in alternating sequence with one or other of these drugs. The rates at which the atebrin-musonate and the quinine case groups became trophozoite-free and fever-free are contrasted in a series of graphs. It is shown that there was a tendency for trophozoites to disappear from the peripheral blood and for temperatures to fall to normal somewhat earlier among cases treated with atebrin-musonate. No toxic effects of any importance were observed (but see footnote p. 657). Evidence is recorded which suggests that the minimal effective daily dose for an adult is 0·375 gramme (= atebrin 0·3 gramme). This dose when given either intramuscularly or intravenously on two successive days effected a rapid disappearance of parasites and fever. Intramuscular administration is regarded as the method of choice. It is noted that absorption of the drug from the muscles is very rapid, and that atebrin may be demonstrated in the urine within 10 minutes of an intramuscular injection of 0·3 gramme. A method of testing for the presence of atebrin in the urine which is sensitive to over one in a million is described. It was not possible to obtain precise data regarding the permanency of cure but an analysis of cases returning to hospital within 10 weeks of discharge suggests that relapses after atebrin-musonate treatment are probably fairly common.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites
  15. The morphology of malarial parasites in thick blood films. Part IV. The identification of species and phase
    Field JW
    Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1941;34:405.
    DOI: 10.1016/S0035-9203(41)90026-3
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites
  16. Fulltext A novel histozoic myxosporean, Enteromyxum caesio n. sp., infecting the redbelly yellowtail fusilier, Caesio cuning, with the creation of the Enteromyxidae n. fam., to formally accommodate this commercially important genus
    Freeman MA, Yanagida T, Kristmundsson À
    PeerJ, 2020;8:e9529.
    PMID: 32742799 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9529
    Gastrointestinal myxosporean parasites from the genus Enteromyxum are known to cause severe disease, resulting in high mortalities in numerous species of cultured marine fishes globally. Originally described as Myxidium spp., they were transferred to a new genus, Enteromyxum, to emphasize their novel characteristics. Their retention in the family Myxidiidae at the time was warranted, but more comprehensive phylogenetic analyses have since demonstrated the need for a new family for these parasites. We discovered a novel Enteromyxum in wild fish from Malaysia and herein describe the fourth species in the genus and erect a new family, the Enteromyxidae n. fam., to accommodate them. Enteromyxum caesio n. sp. is described infecting the tissues of the stomach in the redbelly yellowtail fusilier, Caesio cuning, from Malaysia. The new species is distinct from all others in the genus, as the myxospores although morphologically similar, are significantly smaller in size. Furthermore, small subunit ribosomal DNA sequence data reveal that E. caesio is <84% similar to others in the genus, but collectively they form a robust and discrete clade, the Enteromyxidae n. fam., which is placed as a sister taxon to other histozoic marine myxosporeans. In addition, we describe, using transmission electron microscopy, the epicellular stages of Enteromyxum fugu and show a scanning electron micrograph of a mature myxospore of E. caesio detailing the otherwise indistinct sutural line, features of the polar capsules and spore valve ridges. The Enteromyxidae n. fam. is a commercially important group of parasites infecting the gastrointestinal tract of marine fishes and the histozoic species can cause the disease enteromyxosis in intensive finfish aquaculture facilities. Epicellular and sloughed histozoic stages are responsible for fish-to-fish transmission in net pen aquaculture systems but actinospores from an annelid host are thought to be necessary for transmission to fish in the wild.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites
  17. Fulltext Lurking in the dark: Cryptic Strongyloides in a Bornean slow loris
    Frias L, Stark DJ, Lynn MS, Nathan SK, Goossens B, Okamoto M, et al.
    Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl, 2018 Aug;7(2):141-146.
    PMID: 29988792 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2018.03.003
    Within host communities, related species are more likely to share common parasitic agents, and as a result, morphological similarities have led researchers to conclude that parasites infecting closely related hosts within a community represent a single species. However, genetic diversity within parasite genera and host range remain poorly investigated in most systems. Strongyloides is a genus of soil-transmitted nematode that has been reported from several primate species in Africa and Asia, and has been estimated to infect hundreds of millions of people worldwide, although no precise estimates are available. Here we describe a case of infection with a cryptic species of Strongyloides in a Bornean (Philippine) slow loris (Nycticebus menagensis) living within a diverse community of several primate species in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, Malaysian Borneo. Fresh fecal samples were collected from five primate species and nematode larvae cultured from these samples were selected for phylogenetic analyses. Sequences obtained for most larvae were identified as S. fuelleborni, grouping into three different clusters and showing no aggregation within specific hosts or geographic location. In contrast, a set of parasite sequences obtained from a slow loris clustered closely with S. stercoralis into a different group, being genetically distinct to sequences reported from other primate hosts, humans included. Our results suggest that although S. fuelleborni infects all haplorrhines sampled in this primate community, a different species might be infecting the slow loris, the only strepsirrhine in Borneo and one of the least studied primates in the region. Although more data are needed to support this conclusion, we propose that Strongyloides species in primates might be more diverse than previously thought, with potential implications for ecological and evolutionary host-parasite associations, as well as epidemiological dynamics.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites
  18. Fulltext Parasite community structure in sympatric Bornean primates
    Frias L, Hasegawa H, Chua TH, Sipangkui S, Stark DJ, Salgado-Lynn M, et al.
    Int J Parasitol, 2021 10;51(11):925-933.
    PMID: 33862059 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.03.003
    Parasites are important components of ecosystems, influencing trophic networks, competitive interactions and biodiversity patterns. Nonetheless, we are not nearly close to disentangling their complex roles in natural systems. Southeast Asia falls within global areas targeted as most likely to source parasites with zoonotic potential, where high rates of land conversion and fragmentation have altered the circulation of wildlife species and their parasites, potentially resulting in altered host-parasite systems. Although the overall biodiversity in the region predicts equally high, or even higher, parasite diversity, we know surprisingly little about wild primate parasites, even though this constitutes the first step towards a more comprehensive understanding of parasite transmission processes. Here, we characterise the gastrointestinal helminth parasite assemblages of a community of Bornean primates living along the Kinabatangan floodplain in Sabah (Malaysian Borneo), including two species endemic to the island. Through parasitological analyses, and by using several measures of parasite infection as proxies for parasite diversity and distribution, we show that (i) most parasite taxonomic groups are not limited to a single host, suggesting a greater flexibility for habitat disturbance, (ii) parasite infracommunities of nocturnal primates differ from their diurnal counterparts, reflecting both phylogenetic and ecological constraints, and (iii) soil-transmitted helminths such as whipworm, threadworm and nodule worm are widespread across the primate community. This study also provides new parasite records for southern pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina), silvered langurs (Trachypithecus cristatus) and Western tarsiers (Cephalopachus bancanus) in the wild, while adding to the limited records for the other primate species in the community. Given the information gap regarding primate-parasite associations in the region, the information presented here should prove relevant for future studies of parasite biodiversity and infectious disease ecology in Asia and elsewhere.
    Matched MeSH terms: Host-Parasite Interactions; Parasites*
  19. Current status of food safety hazards and health risks connected with aquatic food products from Southeast Asian region
    Gao P, Mohd Noor NQI, Md Shaarani S
    Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2020 Dec 28.
    PMID: 33356490 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2020.1866490
    Food safety issues associated with aquatic food products become more important with the increasing consumption and followed by its ongoing challenges. The objective of this paper is to review the food safety hazards and health risks related to aquatic food products for the Southeast Asian region. These hazards can be categorized as microplastics (MPs) hazard, biological hazards (pathogenic bacteria, biogenic amines, viruses, parasites), and chemical hazards (antimicrobial, formaldehyde, heavy metal). In different Southeast Asian countries, the potential health risks of aquatic food products brought by food hazards to consumers were at different intensity and classes. Among all these hazards, pathogenic bacteria, antimicrobials, and heavy metal were a particular concern in the Southeast Asian region. With environmental changes, evolving consumption patterns, and the globalization of trade, new food safety challenges are created, which put forward higher requirements on food technologies, food safety regulations, and international cooperation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites
  20. IFN-γ and IL-18 in conditioned media of parasite-infected host and IL-21-silenced colorectal cancer cells
    Ge P, Ong CY, Abdalkareem AE, Khoo BY, Yuan B
    Exp Ther Med, 2021 Feb;21(2):103.
    PMID: 33335566 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2020.9535
    The presence of certain soluble factors may provide a possible selective advantage for a parasite to gradually modify cell proliferation in neighbouring cells, which may result in chronic diseases. These soluble factors present in the conditioned medium also allow the parasite to invade rapidly into more host cells. The present study aimed to determine the levels of a group of type 1 T helper (Th1) cytokines in the conditioned media of host cells infected with parasites and in IL-21-silenced colorectal cancer cells. The conditioned media of human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs) parasitized with the RH and ME49 strains of Toxoplasma gondii for 10 days were prepared, and subsequently the levels of the Th1 cytokines in the conditioned media were determined by ELISA. HFFs were incubated with the growth media containing selected soluble factors, and cell proliferation markers were subsequently analysed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The mRNA expression level of cell proliferation markers was also examined in IL-21-silenced HCT116 cells, where the levels of soluble factors in the conditioned media were also determined as aforementioned. The results of the present study demonstrated that HFFs parasitized with ME49 released elevated levels of IFN-γ and lower levels of IL-18 into the conditioned medium compared with the controls. These phenomena were not observed in the conditioned medium of HFFs parasitized with RH. Similar levels of these soluble factors were also detected in the conditioned medium of IL-21-silenced HCT116 cells. The results of the present study also revealed that Ki67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen mRNA expression was altered in host cells incubated with various levels of IFN-γ and IL-18, as well as in IL-21-silenced HCT116 cells compared with the respective controls. In conclusion, the current study provided preliminary evidence on the fundamental molecular mechanisms of host-parasite interactions that result in chronic diseases, which may aid in the treatment of these diseases in the relevant endemic regions.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasites
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