Food-handlers (n = 1500) attending the public health laboratory in Khartoum, Sudan, for annual check-ups were screened for intestinal parasites by 3 different techniques (direct faecal examination, formol-ether concentration and floatation) to evaluate the adequacy of annual screening. Results showed that 29.4% of food-handlers were harbouring intestinal protozoa in stool samples: Entamoeba col...

Using both traditional methods and broad-range 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) polymerase chain reaction, we examined 2 cases of lethal cestodiasis, in which the disease agent had been poorly identified or misidentified. In one case, involving a patient with AIDS, we identified the human dwarf tapeworm, Hymenolepis nana, as a cause of aberrant metastatic larval disease. In the second case with similar...

The majority of helminth parasites that are considered by WHO to be the cause of 'neglected diseases' are zoonotic. In terms of their impact on human health, the role of animal reservoirs and polyparasitism are both emerging issues in understanding the epidemiology of a number of these zoonoses. As such, Hymenolepis (Rodentolepis) nana, Echinococcus canadensis and Ancylostoma ceylanicum all qua...

We present a field-portable lens-free optical tomographic microscope, which enables sectional-imaging of a large sample volume (~20 mm) with an axial-resolution of <7 μm. This platform, weighing ~110 grams, employs cost-effective lightemitting diodes and an optoelectronic sensor array to record in-line projection holograms of objects placed on a sensor-chip along different directions of illumin...

Haematological studies in helminthiasis reveal drastic alterations in the white blood cells (leucocytes), and its various components like neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils. The use of proper anthelmintic agent, restores normalcy in the infected host. These variations during helminth infections reflect the host defense status in combating the parasitic attack. The present study...

The prevalence of helminthic and protozoal infestations was studied among 778 individuals from a rural area of Northern Nigeria. The principal helminths present were Necator americanus or hookworm (46.27%, Hymenolepis nana (2.31), Enterobius vermicularis (1.29%), Taenia saginata (1.16%), Ascaris lumbricoides (0.51%), strongyloides stercorlis (2.26%) and Trichuris trichiura (2.26%). The prevalen...

ABSTRACT Hymenolepiasis is the most common intestinal tapeworm infection in humans caused by an cestode, Hymenolepis nana. Praziquantel (PZQ) effective drug among other compounds, however, many cases of resistance have been reported. Recent research projects focused on finding novel therapeutic agents from medicinal plants. In present study, Aaronsohnia factorovskyi was used against hymenolepia...