The diagnosis of parasitic worm (helminth) infections requires specialized laboratory settings, but most affected individuals reside in locations without access to such facilities. We tested two portable microscopic devices for the diagnosis of helminth infections in a cross-sectional survey in rural Côte d'Ivoire. We examined 164 stool samples under a light microscope and then re-examined with...

A transcriptional product of a gene encoding cathepsin B-like peptidase in the bird schistosome Trichobilharzia regenti was identified and cloned. The enzyme was named TrCB2 due to its 77% sequence similarity to cathepsin B2 from the important human parasite Schistosoma mansoni. The zymogen was expressed in the methylotropic yeast Pichia pastoris; procathepsin B2 underwent self-processing in ye...

Background. Schistosomiasis is a public health problem in Democratic Republic of the Congo but estimates of its prevalence vary widely. The aim of this study was to determine prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni infection and associated risk factors among children in 4 health areas of Kisantu health zone. Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 4 health areas of Kisantu health zone. 38...

BACKGROUND Cercarial elastase is the major invasive larval protease in Schistosoma mansoni, a parasitic blood fluke, and is essential for host skin invasion. Genome sequence analysis reveals a greatly expanded family of cercarial elastase gene isoforms in Schistosoma mansoni. This expansion appears to be unique to S. mansoni, and it is unknown whether gene duplication has led to divergent prote...

Individual male and female schistosomes approximately three weeks of age were implanted into the portal venous system of C57Bl/6 mice to produce infections with a single pair of Schistosoma mansoni or S. japonicum. Mice were killed between seven and 54 weeks after infection. Worm fecundity was measured by counting eggs accumulating in the tissues and eggs passed in the feces. Schistosoma manson...

A morphometric study focusing on some features of the reproductive system of Schistosoma mansoni adult worms was performed, aiming to complete previously reported data concerning the effects of undernourishment of the host on the parasites. Male worms were significantly affected (p<0.05) regarding the testicular lobes. Key-words: Schistosoma mansoni. Nutritional status. Morphometric study. Phen...

pathologically important Platyhelminthes include the digenetic trematodes Opisthorchis, Clonorchis, Paragonimus, Fasci%psis and Fascio/a and the cestodes (tapeworms). Ali the schistosomes that mature in man belong to the genus Schistosoma of the family Schistosomatidae, which contains Il other genera, some of which cause cercarial dermatitis (Rollinson & Southgate, 1987). The genus Schistosoma ...

a Departamento de Bioquı́mica Médica, Uni6ersidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Uni6ersitária, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil b Di6isão de Quı́mica, Setor de Quı́mica Orgânica, CENPES, Petrobrás, Cidade Uni6ersitária, 21949-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil c Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Uni6ersidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, 28015-620, Brazil d I...