Global eradication of the guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis) is near, although perhaps delayed a little by the discovery of a transmission cycle in dogs. It is therefore an appropriate time to reflect on the severe impact of this infection on the life of the communities where it was endemic prior to the start of the global eradication programme in 1981. From 1971 to 1974, we conducted a serie...

The meningeal worm (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis) is a nematode parasite that commonly infects white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; WTD) throughout the deciduous forest biome and deciduous-coniferous ecotone of eastern and central North America; the species is not known to occur west of the grassland biome of central North America. We used county-specific prevalence data to evaluate potenti...

Impregnation of antimicrobial agents within biodegradable orthopedic implants provides a possibility for local antimicrobial prophylaxis of biomaterial-related infections. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a bioabsorbable ciprofloxacin containing bone screw (Ab-PLGA) in the prevention of biomaterial-related infection due to Staphylococcus aureus in a rabbit model. Anim...

A three-member family from Tehran referred with variety of nasopharyngeal symptoms including sneezing, coughing and nasal discharge following consumption of barbecued liver (Kabab).  Thirteen worm-like nymphs of Linguatula serrata were separated from larynx, nose and gum of these patients. The adult parasites live in the nose and paranasal sinuses of dogs and other carnivores.  Although this in...

T he “Golden Fleece Award” was established by the late Senator William Proxmire in 1975 to call attention to wasteful federal spending on useless and seemingly inane research. No doubt, enormous waste and corruption routinely emanate from Washington, DC. However, this and other eff orts to expose such evil sometimes have the eff ect of trivializing basic scientifi c inquiry that has no obvious ...

Parasitic worm infection, allergy and asthma involve increased IgE production, eosinophil activity, mucus secretion and smooth muscle reactivity, effected through Th-2 immune signalling. These pathological features of allergic disorder, common in developed countries, appear to be protective features in resistance to parasitic worm infections prevalent in many developing countries. We investigat...

BACKGROUND Armigeres subalbatus is a natural vector of the filarial worm Brugia pahangi, but it kills Brugia malayi microfilariae by melanotic encapsulation. Because B. malayi and B. pahangi are morphologically and biologically similar, comparing Ar. subalbatus-B. pahangi susceptibility and Ar. subalbatus-B. malayi refractoriness could provide significant insight into recognition mechanisms req...