Refaat M.A. Khalifa

Development and hatching mechanism of Fasciola eggs, light and scanning electron microscopic studies

Both light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used in the description. There were variable measurements of eggs from the same fluke and there was no relationship between the size of the fluke and size of eggs. Light microscopy revealed that the operculum has different shapes in Fasciola gigantica and F. hepatica. Under normal laboratory conditions of temperature (26xa0±xa01xa0°C), miracidia of F. gigantica developed within 12-16xa0days period, but those of F. hepatica developed within a period of 13-15xa0days. The miracidia of F. gigantica measured 110xa0×xa070xa0μm and that of F. hepatica measured 136xa0×xa074xa0μm. The life span of the miracidium in F. gigantica ranged between 9 and 12xa0h, while in F. hepatica the life span did not exceed 10xa0h. Miracidial epidermal plates in miracidium of F. gigantica were found to be 20 plates arranged in four tiers of six, four, six and four. Hatching process was recorded using scanning electron microscope, and it indicated partially opened operculum.

Experimental infections with Fasciola in snails, mice and rabbits

Experimental infection trails of Lymnaea (cailliaudi) natalensis snails with miracidia of Fasciola hepatica revealed neither cercariae nor larval stages shed. Infection of white mice with metacercariae from field-collected snails proved to be negative for Fasciola eggs and immature juveniles or adults after 84xa0days post infection. The infection of eight rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) has succeeded; two rabbits were infected, with a very low infection rate. Faeces of rabbits were negative for eggs. The worm burden was one and three worms from 40 fed metacercariae. The obtained fluke measures 23xa0mm in length by 4xa0mm in width. The tegument is covered with sharp-ending spines. The uterus contains few eggs. The intrauterine eggs measured 158xa0μmu2009×u200980xa0μm. According to the morphological characters of these flukes, they belong to F. gigantica.

First case of intestinal acariasis from Egypt.

We are hereby reporting a case where the eggs and adults of the mold mites; Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Shrank) and the trophozoites of Blastocystis sp. were found in stool of threexa0years old child from Minia City, Egypt. Intestinal mite infection was diagnosed after repeated identification of mite’ stages from six consecutive stool samples to exclude the possibilities of contamination and spurious infection. The patient was suffering from severe colicky abdominal pain and burning sensation around the anus onexa0month ago. All other members of his family were having the same acarine in their feces, but were all symptomless. The patient was treated with ivermectin 200xa0µg/kg body weight once every 10xa0days for three doses. His cure indicated that he was having asymptomatic blastocystosis.

Some studies on Capillaria philipinensis and its mysterious trip from Philippines to Egypt (review article).

Capillaria philippinensis is a mysterious parasite and intestinal capillariasis is a mysterious disease. It is now more than half a century since the discovery of the first case in Philippines without answering many questions concerning the parasites taxonomy, morphology, life cycle, diagnosis, pathology, clinical symptoms, mode of transmission as well as how it was transported to Egypt and how it started to spread and progressed in most Egyptian Governorates; particularly those of Middle Egypt. This article is a trial to overview all these aspects of the parasite.