BACKGROUND Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) plays a critical role in airway inflammation through G protein-coupled LPA receptors (LPA1-3). We have demonstrated that LPA induced cytokine and lipid mediator release in human bronchial epithelial cells. Here we provide evidence for the role of LPA and LPA receptors in Th2-dominant airway inflammation. METHODS Wild type, LPA1 heterozygous knockout mice...

BACKGROUND In this study, we evaluated the biochemical, immunological, histopathological and antischistosomal activities of Schistosoma mansoni or Fasciola gigantica worm homogenates mixed either with or without saponin that was extracted from Atriplex nummularia. METHODOLOGY The immunization schedule was based on subcutaneous administration of two doses (50 microg /100 microl PBS) of each ho...

BACKGROUND The pathophysiology of female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) is only partially understood. This study aims to describe the histopathological findings, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results, and gynecological manifestations of FGS in women with different intensities of Schistosoma haematobium infection. METHODS Women aged 15-35 years living in an S. haematobium-endemic area in Mada...

VAN ZYL, LULU C. , 1974. Serum protein fractions as determined by cellulose acetate electrophoresis in Schistosoma mattheei infested sheep. Onderstepoort J. vet . Res. 41, 714 (1974). The serum protein fraction values of Dorper sheep infested with Schistosoma mattheei were determined by cellulose acetate electrophoresis at regular intervals for 15 months. Statistical analyses showed that increa...

Schistosomes are digenean flukes, parasitic of birds, mammals and crocodiles. The family Schistosomatidae contains species of considerable medical and veterinary importance, which cause the disease schistosomiasis. Previous studies, both morphological and molecular, which have provided a good deal of information on the phylogenetics of this group, have been limited in the number of species inve...

It is well known that geographic strains of MATERIALS AND METHODS schistosomes vary in infectivity for their host snails2 6 . l Z z 2 . This is of importance not only for Snail Strains. the introduction of schistosomes into previously uninfected areas, but because of the potential for the spread of drug resistant strains of worms. B. glabrata, an albino strain of Puerto Rican origin, has been m...

In the course of its complex life cycle, the parasite Schistosoma mansoni need to adapt to distinct environments, and consequently is exposed to various DNA damaging agents. The Schistosoma genome sequencing initiative has uncovered sequences from genes and transcripts related to the process of DNA damage tolerance as the enzymes UBC13, MMS2, and RAD6. In the present work, we evaluate the impor...

A remarkable characteristic of infectious diseases classified as Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) is the fact that they are mostly transmitted in tropical and subtropical regions with poor conditions sanitation low access to healthcare, which makes transmission areas more likely overlap. Two most important NTDs, schistosomiasis leishmaniasis, despite being caused by very different etiological...

BACKGROUND Helminth infection and malaria remain major causes of ill-health in the tropics and subtropics. There are several shared risk factors (e.g., poverty), and hence, helminth infection and malaria overlap geographically and temporally. However, the extent and consequences of helminth-Plasmodium co-infection at different spatial scales are poorly understood. METHODOLOGY This study was c...

BACKGROUND Acute schistosomiasis constitutes a rare but serious condition in individuals experiencing their first prepatent Schistosoma infection. To circumvent costly and time-consuming diagnostics, an early and rapid diagnosis is required. So far, classic diagnostic tools such as parasite microscopy or serology lack considerable sensitivity at this early stage of Schistosoma infection. To val...