Biomedical subjects

P Dubinský

Publications and source records attributed to P Dubinský.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Influence of Toxocara canis infection during pregnancy on offspring resistance towards re-infection.

The impact of Toxocara canis infection of Balb/c mice mothers on the future immune response of their offspring towards reinfection with the same parasite was studied. Two groups of offspring, the first originating from the mothers infected with a single dose of 1000 Toxocara canis eggs and the second from non-infected mothers, were both challenged with 500 T. canis eggs per animal at 6 weeks of age. The proportions of spleen CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, the level of serum cytokines IFN-gamma and IL-5, eosinophilia in peripheral blood, the production of specific antibodies and the number of migrating larvae were monitored. In both groups of offspring, the challenge infection resulted in an increase in CD4+ T-cell subtype in comparison with the non-infected healthy control, although after an initial decline a subsequent increase in CD8+ was observed. The immunoregulation index (CD4+/CD8+) was lower in the group of mice originating from infected mothers throughout the whole experiment compared to the offspring of non-infected mothers as well as in healthy control mice of the same age. In the offspring of infected mothers mainly, a reduced production of IFN-gamma and of IL-5, suppressed eosinophilia and a higher level of protective antibodies was detected, compared to the control second group, in which the INF-gamma concentration significantly increased after day 42 p.i. In the first group of offspring before challenge, 12.7 +/- 2.5 larvae in the brains and 32 +/- 2.1 larvae in the muscles transmitted from the infected mothers were detected. There was a significant reduction in larval recovery from brain on days 42 and 49 p.i. (56.7 and 56.8%, respectively), while from muscles in the same time there was a reduction of 46.7 and 39%, respectively, compared to the offspring of non-infected mothers. These results indicate a significant protective memory of immune mechanisms against T. canis induced in offspring of Toxocara-infected mother mice.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Echinococcus multilocularis in the red fox Vulpes vulpes from the East Carpathian region of Poland and the Slovak Republic.

The occurrence of Echinococcus multilocularis in the Poland-Slovak frontier zone of the East Carpathian region was assessed, for comparison with that in adjacent regions in both countries. A total of 392 red foxes from Poland and 427 red foxes from the Slovak Republic were examined from 2001 to 2004. Significant differences in prevalences were observed in foxes captured from the borderland and adjacent zones in both countries. The mean prevalence of E. multilocularis in the Polish borderland reached 45.7+/-18.6% and in the Slovak border 35.0+/-10.7%. In both countries, the prevalence of E. multilocularis in red foxes from adjacent districts, outside the frontier Carpathian region, was considerably lower (18.9+/-9.2% in Poland and 20.8+/-9.0% in Slovakia). These differences are probably due to geomorphological and ecological factors, which contribute to the survival of the tapeworm eggs and the subsequent spread of infection. The Carpathian regions of northeast Slovakia and southeast Poland are characterized by specific climatic conditions such as low mean annual air temperatures, low temperatures in active soil surfaces, high soil humidities and a high mean annual rainfall.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

First record of Trichinella pseudospiralis in the Slovak Republic found in domestic focus.

Infection of Trichinella spp. is widespread among wildlife in Slovakia and the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the main reservoir of Trichinella britovi. Trichinella spiralis has been rarely documented in sylvatic and domestic animals of this country. During routine examination of domestic pigs at the slaughter, Trichinella larvae were detected by artificial digestion in a domestic pig of a large-scale breeding farm in Eastern Slovakia. The parasite has been identified by molecular (PCR) and biochemical (allozymes) analyses and by the morphology of the nurse cell as the non-encapsulated species Trichinella pseudospiralis infecting both mammals and birds. The epidemiological investigation carried out at the farm level revealed the presence of the same parasite species in other three pigs of 192 examined (2.1%), in 3 of 14 (21.4%) examined synanthropic rats (Rattus norvegicus) and in a domestic cat. The farm was characterized by inadequate sanitary conditions, insufficient nutrition, cannibalism and the presence of rat population. A different profile has been observed at the phosphoglucomutase locus in T. pseudospiralis isolates from Slovakia in comparison with the T. pseudospiralis reference isolate from the Palearctic region. This is the first documented focus of T. pseudospiralis from Central Europe. The detection in domestic pigs of a non-encapsulated parasite infecting both mammals and birds stresses the need to avoid the use of trichinelloscopy to detect this infection at the slaughterhouse.

Adenylate Kinase↗

PubMed2004

Circulation of Toxocara spp. in suburban and rural ecosystems in the Slovak Republic.

Toxocara spp., the common roundworms of domestic and wild animals, are the causative agents of larval toxocarosis in humans. The migration of Toxocara larvae in men causes clinical syndrome, called larva migrans visceralis or larva migrans ocularis. The objective of the present work was to investigate the prevalence of toxocarosis in dogs, red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and small mammals in the Slovak Republic. T. canis infection was diagnosed in 16.6% out of 145 dogs examined. Young animals showed significantly higher positivity (50.0%) than adults (12.4%). Coprological investigation of 310 red foxes showed 8.1% prevalence of T. canis, with higher occurrence in animals from rural conditions (8.6%) than from suburban environment (5.6%). Out of 710 small mammals examined, anti-Toxocara antibodies were detected in 7.7% of the animals. The most frequently seropositive species was Apodemus agrarius (15.9%). Seropositivity of small mammals from suburban localities was higher (10%) compared with rural areas (5.8%), with adult animals exhibiting higher seropositivity (8.0%) than subadults (6.8%). Our results have confirmed the importance of dogs, red foxes and small mammals in circulation of this serious helminthozoonosis in suburban and rural ecosystems.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2004

Field evaluation of an intravital diagnostic test of Echinococcus multilocularis infection in red foxes.

Echinococcus multilocularis parasitizes the small intestine of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and other carnivores, and has a wide distribution throughout the northern hemisphere. This cestode is the causative agent of human alveolar echinococcosis, a life-threatening helminth zoonosis. In 2000-2002, 2130 red foxes were examined for its presence in Slovakia, with a total prevalence of 30.7%. The data on occurrence were obtained by the combination of necropsy of small intestines from red foxes and coproantigen detection in faecal samples. The correlation between the number of detected specimens and the value of optical density of copro-ELISA test was found. When worm burdens were low (1-25 specimens) the sensitivity of the method was 31.3+/-8.64%, when worm burdens were >50 specimens, 81.8+/-0.66%, and with high worm burdens (>1000 specimens) the sensitivity reached 100+/-0.34%. E. multilocularis presence was detected using the nested PCR method from the eggs in the faecal samples with a 100% specificity. In epidemiological surveys of this zoonosis, it is of crucial importance to detect animals with a high level of infection, which are responsible for the bulk of environmental contamination. The advantage of copro-ELISA test lies in allowing the intravital diagnostics to be employed within the epidemiological survey of E. multilocularis occurrence in the protected and urban areas.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Influence of maternal infection on offspring immune response in murine larval toxocariasis.

The impact of Toxocara canis infection on the proportion of CD4+ and CD8+ T splenocytes, the serum concentrations of cytokine IFN-gamma and IL-5, and the production of Toxocara-specific antibodies were studied in two C57BL6/J mouse groups and their offspring. The mice were infected with 1000 T. canis eggs on the day of mating (early infection) and on day 14 of pregnancy (late infection). Early infection resulted in a significant increase of CD4+ T-cell subtype, however, a decline in CD8+ in comparison with late infection, as well as with non-infected control. The IFN-gamma serum concentrations decreased in infected mothers after the birth when compared with non-infected mothers, while in the offspring this cytokine was barely or not detectable. In the mothers of both infected groups, the humoral immune response included both parasite-specific IgM and IgG2 antibodies. While IgG1 levels remained constant throughout the whole experiment in mothers with early infection, late-infected mothers became seropositive only 3 weeks after delivery. IgM was not detectable in any offspring. Pups from early-infected mothers had IgG1 antibodies. Conversely, IgG2 was detectable in pups of both experimental infection groups. A significant difference was observed in the amounts of pups/litter of the infected mothers in comparison with the non-infected ones. Only 56% of females after early infection and 79% of those after late infection had a successful pregnancy. However, all mice of the control group produced a litter. The first T. canis larvae were detected in the muscles of the offspring of both groups on day 5 after the birth. These data show the changes in regulatory and cytotoxic immunity mechanisms of the infected mothers and their offspring and the high level of pregnancy loss as a result of larval toxocariasis.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

In vitro fermentation of cellulosis amorphous and meadow hay in experimentally Ascaris suum-infected lambs.

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of rumen inocula from experimentally Ascaris suum (AS)-infected lambs on cellulose amorphous (CA) and meadow hay (MH) used as substrates during 72h incubation in vitro. The rumen inocula were obtained post-mortem from eight lambs that had been experimentally infected with 1000 AS eggs per lamb daily for 3 weeks. Samples of rumen inocula were obtained from the lambs weekly throughout the experiment for 8 weeks. Two lambs were kept as uninfected control animals. The substrates were incubated together with buffered rumen fluid in sealed fermentation bottles. In vitro dry matter degradability (IVDMD), total gas, methane and total and individual fatty acid (VFA) for both incubated substrates were measured and compared by the pressure transducer technique. Comparison of the values for the controls, total gas, methane and VFA revealed significant differences (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001, respectively) for both substrates. Pronounced differences (P<0.001) were also found between CA and MH especially for IVDMD, total gas and total VFA production. A decrease (P<0.001) of IVDMD, total gas, methane and total VFA was observed from week 6 to week 8. Restriction of fermentation was evident from week 7 to week 8. The results suggest that the functional damage arising from pathological lesions within the parasite-infected organs considerably affected the fermentation parameters of the incubated substrates.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

Estimating the genetic divergence and identification of three Trichinella species by isoenzyme analysis.

Isoenzyme-based approach was applied to compare Trichinella spiralis, T. britovi and T. pseudospiralis species. Among 13 enzyme systems examined, esterase (EST), malic enzyme (ME) and phosphoglucomutase (PGM) have been found as fully diagnostic, with no common allele in species studied. Adenosine deaminase (ADA), adenylate kinase (AK), hexokinase (HK), peptidase leucyl-alanine (PEP-C) and fructose-bis-phosphatase (FBP) have been capable of distinguishing the two species from resulting profiles. In addition, ADA, AK and PGM displayed the enzyme expression in the lowest amounts of muscle larvae in systems tested (100 larvae/100 microliters of extracts). Based on allozyme data, T. pseudospiralis has been found as the most distinct species within the group of taxa. Only a subtle genetic variability was recorded for T. pseudospiralis in which solely phosphoglucomutase exhibited variant patterns. In addition to the study of reference isolates, T. spiralis from lowland fox in Eastern Slovakia has been evidenced by use of genetic markers. This finding has proved that T. britovi is not the exclusive species parasitizing in the sylvatic ecosystem of the Slovak region.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Trichinellosis in the Slovak Republic.

The occurrence of trichinellosis in farm or wildlife animals in some areas pose the permanent risk of infection in humans. In Slovakia, where only the sylvatic trichinellosis exists, the humans trichinellosis is sporadic. The most common cause of infection is wild boar meat. Unusual local eating customs may also favour an outbreak of disease in humans. The outbreak of trichinellosis in Slovakia in 1998, when 336 people were affected, was of the same kind. Trichinella britovi was the agent of the infection.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Congenital trichinellosis? Case report.

A large trichinellosis outbreak in the Slovak Republic caused by the species Trichinella britovi and affecting 336 people also affected a pregnant woman. The mother was infected in the 10th week of pregnancy and was treated with mebendazole. On her own request abortion was performed in the 22nd week of pregnancy. Medium IgM and high IgG anti-Trichinella antibody titres were found. The placenta, body cavities liquid, tissues and organs of the foetus contained 0.02-30 larvae per gram of tissue, measuring 0.68 +/- 0.05-1.17 +/- 0.07 mm, with blurred inner structure. Immunocytochemical examination identified Trichinella larvae that infected the foetus in the early stage of development.

Abortion, Induced↗

PubMed2000

Molecular evidence for the presence of a G7 genotype of Echinococcus granulosus in Slovakia.

Variability in Echinococcus granulosus is very important epidemiologically since strain characteristics may influence local patterns of transmission of hydatid disease. To classify the genotype presented in pig protoscoleces of the Slovak territory, a DNA-based approach has been used. Nucleotide sequences for a 471 bp region of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase 1 (ND1) gene revealed a substantial affinity of isolates examined to the G7 genotype. Only a 0.9-3.4% sequence variation was recorded for E. granulosus samples compared with the reference G7 variant. To distinguish between G7 and G9 genotypes not differing in ND1 sequences, isolates were additionally examined by PCR-RFLP analysis of the nuclear ITS1 region. The resulting two-banded pattern is characteristic for the G7 strain. The data presented thus provides the first explicit evidence of the G7 genotype in the Slovak region.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Immunomodulative effect of muramyldipeptide in mice with larval toxocarosis.

The phagocytic ability of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, the metabolic activity of peritoneal macrophages, the proliferative response of T- and B-cells, and the production of specific anti-Toxocara antibodies were studied in paratenic hosts with experimental larval toxocarosis after treatment with the immunomodulator muramyldipeptide for 119 days. Peroral infection of mice with 2,500 Toxocara canis eggs partially reduced the numbers of cells and inhibited the activity of all cellular immune-response parameters studied. During most of the experiment the greatest suppression was recorded for the peritoneal-macrophage metabolic activity. Parenteral administration of muramyldipeptide to mice at two doses prior to and after infection restored and significantly stimulated the parasite-inhibited phagocytic ability of blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes, metabolic activity of macrophages, and T-lymphocyte proliferative response. It also elevated the production of specific circulating anti-Toxocara antibodies. The immunomodulator significantly reduced the count of migrating T. canis larvae in the host organism (30.6%) and decreased by half the percentage of larvae in the brain.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗

PubMed1999

Lung nematodes of chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica, from the Tatra National Park, Slovakia.

A larvoscopic examination of faeces collected from localities inhibited by chamois in the Tatra National Park (TANAP) in 1997 demonstrated the presence of the lung nematodes Muellerius spp. (likely to be M. tenuispiculatus and M. capillaris) and Neostrongylus linearis. The overall prevalence of lung nematodes in chamois herds in TANAP was 48.4% with prevalences of 45.6% and 11.9% for Muellerius spp. and N. linearis, respectively. No significant differences in lung nematode prevalences were observed in the biotopes of TANAP with prevalence values of 44.9% being recorded in the High Tatras and 58.5% in the Belianske Tatras. Individual species were in equal proportion in both biotopes, although N. linearis was significantly less prevalent (11.2-13.8%). The prevalence of lung nematodes in the High Tatras varied from 25.0 to 84.2% within individual localities, while in the Belianske Tatras it was more proportionate (50.0-85.7%). In the High Tatras, the prevalence of lung nematodes in the chamois herds peaked during August, declining to its lowest in October. A similar prevalence was also recorded for Muellerius species, while the minimum prevalence of N. linearis was found in July. In the Belianske Tatras, the prevalence of lung nematodes including both species of Muellerius peaked in July and gradually decreased until October. On the other hand, N. linearis was most prevalent in October. The mean L1 count per gram faeces was low (7.6 +/- 13.2 larvae g-1).

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Larval toxocariasis and its clinical manifestation in childhood in the Slovak Republic.

Results are presented of 90 children aged 1-15 years hospitalized with toxocariasis. Blood count analysis and laboratory examination were done by routine clinical laboratory methods. Anti-Toxocara antibodies were detected in the serum of patients using an ELISA method. Demographic analysis of the children's families exposed to the risk of disease allowed estimation of age-specific rates for clinical toxocariasis. The probability of toxocaral infection and the intensity of its clinical manifestations in children are determined by the epidemiology of this zoonosis and by the risk factors in the family. The presence of high titres of specific IgG antibodies in all age categories correlates with the clinical manifestations of toxocariasis. The highest admission rate is in the age categories of 3-5 years (43.3%) and 6-10 years (36.7%). Laboratory findings show that the most conspicuous changes occur in the age category 1-5 years. The high percentage of seropositive dog-keeping and puppy-breeding families and the possibility of infection with repeated doses of larvae stimulate eosinophilia, which prevails in children under the age of five years. We present the percentage of patients whose parameters showed deviations from the reference values for a particular age category. Analyses of laboratory indices and of clinical manifestations will contribute to the accuracy of diagnosis and effectiveness of treatment of this disease.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Inhibition of lymphoproliferative response and its restoration with a glucan immunomodulator in mice with experimental larval toxocarosis.

A high infective dose of Taxocara canis eggs (2,500 eggs per mouse) induced a partial immunosuppression in mice, manifested by inhibition of the proliferative response of splenic T and B cells to polyclonal activators. A glucan immunomodulator given to infected animals at the beginning of the experiment showed a marked stimulative and restorative effect on the parasite-suppressed lymphoproliferative response. The ability of T. canis to migrate in the host was reduced in glucan-treated animals by 27%.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMed1998

Genetic diversity in porcine Oesophagostomum dentatum and O. quadrispinulatum and their delineation by isoenzyme analysis.

The genetic diversity in eight strains of Oesophagostomum dentatum and O. quadrispinulatum was investigated by the electrophoresis study of ten enzyme systems. The loci Idh-2, Fbp, Sdh, and Pgm were found to be diagnostic between the species examined. Both the proportion of fixed allelic differences (26.3%) and the genetic distance coefficient (D = 0.54) are well above the range for differentiation of valid species. Isoenzyme patterns of susceptible and resistant lines of O. dentatum showed at polymorphic loci a reduced genetic heterogeneity in the latter group. No qualitative difference in terms of the presence/absence of alleles was observed among susceptible and resistant isolates with the enzymes studied. The detection of one possible hybrid indicates that introgression in O. dentatum and O. quadrispinuatum may occur.

Alleles↗

PubMed1998

Development and morphological variability of Echinococcus granulosus.

Characteristics are presented of Echinococcus granulosus strobila from dogs experimentally infected with protoscolices from a single cyst isolated from the liver of a domestic pig in a central Slovakian district. Adult cestodes are characterized mainly by 28-32 hooks highly variable in shape and size; 26-51 testes situated mostly throughout the proglottis (1 or 3 rows behind the vitelline gland); a lobate ovary; the shape of the uterus, which in 10% of proglottides is more or less spherical, in 62% is saccular with lateral sacculations of variable size, in 27% is saccular without lateral sacculations and in 1% is more or less tubular or strongly ramified; and an intermediately rapid rate of development lasting until between 40 and 44 days p.i. The present report analyzes the high degree of variability of the clone studied, referring to the knowledge on the characteristics of the pig, sheep, and cattle strains of E. granulosus and E. multilocularis species, with which some taxonomic characters of the clone representatives overlap.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

[Diagnosis and treatment of cystic echinococcosis].

New data are given on the life cycle of tapeworms of the genus Echinococcus, agents of a serious helmintozoonotic disease. The tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus, the agent of cystic echinococcosis, circulates also in Slovakia. Cystic echinococcosis most frequently affects the liver and a radical surgical treatment supplemented with the application of antiparasitics are the commonly used methods. The authors present the WHO proposal for classification of echinococcal cysts into 6 types, according to ultrasound imaging. They also report on a new technique known as PAIR (puncture--aspiration--injection--reaspiration), successfully used in many patients in endemic countries. They warn of a rapid distribution of the tapeworm E. multilocularis, the agent of alveolar echinococcosis, in central Europe. (Ref. 13.)

Echinococcosis↗