Prevalence of Serum IgG Antibodies to Cystic Echinococcus Antigen among Patients in an Uzbekistan Emergency Hospital

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is one of the most widespread zoonotic helminthiases, which can last an asymptomatic infection for several years. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate serum antibody prevalence of CE among asymptomatic people in Uzbekistan using ELISA. A total of 2,547 serum samples were collected, 66 from confirmed CE patients and 2,481 of patients with other diseases than CE at a hospital in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The serum samples were screened for CE specific IgG antibodies by ELISA using cystic fluid antigen obtained from sheep. The serum antibody positive rate was 89.4% (59/66) in CE and 3.6% (89/2,481) in other disease patients. The present ELISA recognized 89.4% sensitivity and 96.4% specificity. The ELISA absorbance of positive samples was distributed 0.271-0.971 for CE and 0.273-0.887 for other disease patients. The other disease patients with high absorbance over 0.3 were 50 (2.0%) who were presumed to be active CE patients. The patients in their 40s showed the highest positive rate of 5.2% (P=0.181), and women were 4.4% while men were 3.1% positive (P=0.136). The data confirmed that there are many asymptomatic patients of CE in Tashkent. It is indicated that CE is an endemic disease of public health importance in Uzbekistan.     

Serodiagnosis of Echinococcosis by ELISA Using Cystic Fluid from Uzbekistan Sheep

According to increase of travel, the cases of imported echinococcosis have been increasing in Korea. The present study was undertaken to develop a serodiagnostic system for echinococcosis in Korea. For diagnosis of echinococcosis, the fluid of Echinococcus granulosus hydatid cysts was collected from naturally infected sheep in Uzbekistan. Also serum samples of infected patients who were surgically confirmed were collected in a hospital in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. According to the absorbance of 59 echinococcosis positive and 39 negative control serum samples, the cut-off value was determined as 0.27. The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA with hydatid fluid antigen were 91.5% and 96%, respectively. The antigen cross-reacted with the serum of some cysticercosis or clonorchiasis patients. However, immunoblot analysis on the cystic fluid recognized antigenic proteins of 7-, 16-, and 24-kDa bands in their dominant protein quantity and strong blotting reactivity. In conclusion, the present ELISA system using hydatid cyst fluid antigen from Uzbekistan sheep is sensitive and specific for diagnosis of echinococcosis cases.     

An abattoir-based study on the prevalence of hydatidosis in livestock in Mashhad, Iran

A 6-year (2004-2010) retrospective study was carried out to determine the prevalence of hydatidosis in livestock slaughtered in Mashhad abattoir, Mashhad, in north-eastern Iran and the capital of Khorasan province. Between 20 March 2004 and 19 March 2010, 5,131,485 animals (411,163 cattle; 4,547,618 sheep; 172,704 goats) were slaughtered in the study area and 388,399 (7.5%) livers and 1,139,529 (22.2%) lungs were discarded. Hydatidosis was responsible for 4% and 6.5% of total livers and lungs inspected, respectively. Of the cattle livers and lungs inspected over the survey period, 5.5% and 7.9% were condemned, respectively, because they held hydatid cysts. The corresponding values for livers and lungs of sheep (2%, 4%) and of goats (4.5%, 7.8%), respectively, were also condemned due to hydatidosis. Data showed a prominent seasonal pattern for hydatidosis. Liver condemnations due to hydatidosis were higher in winter and autumn for cattle and sheep, respectively, whereas lung condemnations were higher in summer for sheep and cattle. In goats, liver and lung condemnations were higher in winter. This could be attributed to various factors, such as sources of slaughtered animals, changes in management practice and ecological factors. The present survey provides baseline data for the future monitoring of this potentially important parasitic disease in the region.     

Construction of In Vivo Fluorescent Imaging of Echinococcus granulosus in a Mouse Model

Human hydatid disease (cystic echinococcosis, CE) is a chronic parasitic infection caused by the larval stage of the cestode Echinococcus granulosus. As the disease mainly affects the liver, approximately 70% of all identified CE cases are detected in this organ. Optical molecular imaging (OMI), a noninvasive imaging technique, has never been used in vivo with the specific molecular markers of CE. Thus, we aimed to construct an in vivo fluorescent imaging mouse model of CE to locate and quantify the presence of the parasites within the liver noninvasively. Drug-treated protoscolices were monitored after marking by JC-1 dye in in vitro and in vivo studies. This work describes for the first time the successful construction of an in vivo model of E. granulosus in a small living experimental animal to achieve dynamic monitoring and observation of multiple time points of the infection course. Using this model, we quantified and analyzed labeled protoscolices based on the intensities of their red and green fluorescence. Interestingly, the ratio of red to green fluorescence intensity not only revealed the location of protoscolices but also determined the viability of the parasites in vivo and in vivo tests. The noninvasive imaging model proposed in this work will be further studied for long-term detection and observation and may potentially be widely utilized in susceptibility testing and therapeutic effect evaluation.     

Genotype and Phenotype of Echinococcus granulosus Derived from Wild Sheep (Ovis orientalis) in Iran

The aim of the present study is to determine the characteristics of genotype and phenotype of Echinococcus granulosus derived from wild sheep and to compare them with the strains of E. granulosus sensu stricto (sheep-dog) and E. granulosus camel strain (camel-dog) in Iran. In Khojir National Park, near Tehran, Iran, a fertile hydatid cyst was recently found in the liver of a dead wild sheep (Ovis orientalis). The number of protoscolices (n=6,000) proved enough for an experimental infection in a dog. The characteristics of large and small hooks of metacestode were statistically determined as the sensu stricto strain but not the camel strain (P=0.5). To determine E. granulosus genotype, 20 adult worms of this type were collected from the infected dog. The second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and cytochrome c oxidase 1 subunit (COX1) of the mitochondrial DNA were amplified from individual adult worm by PCR. Subsequently, the PCR product was sequenced by Sanger method. The lengths of ITS2 and COX1 sequences were 378 and 857 bp, respectively, for all the sequenced samples. The amplified DNA sequences from both ribosomal and mitochondrial genes were highly similar (99% and 98%, respectively) to that of the ovine strain in the GenBank database. The results of the present study indicate that the morpho-molecular features and characteristics of E. granulosus in the Iranian wild sheep are the same as those of the sheep-dog E. granulosus sensu stricto strain.     

Histological alterations and biochemical changes in the liver of sheep following Echis coloratus envenomation

Snake envenoming is a major problem in Al-Jouf Province of Saudi Arabia where most of these envenoming are caused by Echis coloratus which is the highest risk to human and animals in this Province. Little, if any, has been carried out on the histological alterations and biochemical changes in the liver of sheep following snake envenomation. Healthy adult male Ovis orientalis sheep were subjected to E. coloratus envenomation in an attempt to evaluate the histological alterations and biochemical changes in the liver. E. coloratus venom elevated glucose, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglyceride and total bilirubin while cholesterol was reduced. The histological alterations were mainly pyknosis, karyorrhexis, cytoplasmic vacuolation, necrosis, fatty changes and hepatocytes atrophy. Sinusoidal dilatation, Kupffer cell activation, amyloidosis, portal vein thrombosis, partial glycogen depletion and hepatic architecture distortion were also detected. The findings revealed that E. coloratus venom produced biochemical changes and histological alterations in the liver of the envenomated sheep that might affect the functions of this organ severely.     

Biological Parameters of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) Fed on Rabbits,Sheep, and Cattle

In order to determine the effect of various hosts on feeding performance of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, we used 3 mammalian species as hosts, cattle (Qinchuan), sheep (T an), and rabbits (Japanese white rabbit) for infest-ing ticks. Five hundreds of R. microplus larvae were exposed to each animal (3 animals/host species). Tick recoveries were 11.0%, 0.47%, and 5.5% from cattle, sheep, and rabbits, respectively. The averages of tick feeding periods were not significantly different on cattle, sheep, and rabbits, 28.8, 25.3, and 26.7 days, respectively. The average weights of individual engorged female from cattle, sheep, and rabbits were 312.5, 219.1, and 130.2 mg, respectively and those of egg mass weights each to 85.0, 96.6, and 17.8 mg. The highest egg hatching rate was in the ticks from cattle (96.0%), fol-lowed by those from rabbits (83.0%) and sheep (19.2%). These data suggest that rabbits could be as an alternative host to cultivate R. microplus for evaluating vaccines and chemical and biological medicines against the tick in the laboratory, although the biological parameters of ticks were less than those from cattle.     

Scolicidal Effects of Black Cumin Seed (Nigella sativa) Essential Oil on Hydatid Cysts

Surgery remains the preferred treatment for hydatid cyst (cystic echinococcosis, CE). Various scolicidal agents have been used for inactivation of protoscolices during surgery, but most of them are associated with adverse side effects. The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro scolicidal effect of Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae) essential oil and also its active principle, thymoquinone, against protoscolices of hydatid cysts. Protoscolices were aseptically aspirated from sheep livers having hydatid cysts. Various concentrations of the essential oil (0.01-10 mg/ml) and thymoquinone (0.125-1.0 mg/ml) were used for 5 to 60 min. Viability of protoscolices was confirmed by 0.1% eosin staining. Furthermore, the components of the N. sativa essential oil were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). Our study revealed that the essential oil of N. sativa at the concentration of 10 mg/ml and its main component, thymoquinone, at the concentration of 1 mg/ml had potent scolicidal activities against protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus after 10 min exposure. Moreover, thymoquinone (42.4%), p-cymene (14.1%), carvacrol (10.3%), and longifolene (6.1%) were found to be the major components of N. sativa essential oil by GC/MS analysis. The results of this study indicated the potential of N. sativa as a natural source for production of a new scolicidal agent for use in hydatid cyst surgery. However, further studies will be needed to confirm these results by checking the essential oil and its active component in in vivo models.     

Control of cystic echinococcosis in the Middle Atlas,Morocco: Field evaluation of the EG95 vaccine in sheep and cesticide treatment in dogs

BackgroundCystic echinococcosis (CE) is an important cause of human morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in Morocco and other North African countries.Methodology/Principal findingsWe investigated the potential of three strategies to reduce Echinococcus granulosus transmission: (1) 4-monthly treatment of dogs with praziquantel, (2) vaccination of sheep with the EG95 vaccine and (3) a combination of both measures. These measures were implemented during four consecutive years in different areas of the Middle Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The outcome of the interventions was assessed through hydatid cyst (viable and non-viable) counts in liver and lungs using necropsy or in vivo ultrasound examination of the liver. A total of 402 lambs were recruited for annual vaccination with the EG95 anti-E. granulosus vaccine and 395 similar lambs were selected as non-vaccinated controls.At approximately four years of age the relative risk (estimated as odds ratio) for vaccinated sheep to have viable hydatid cysts compared with non-vaccinated controls was 3% (9.37% of the vaccinated sheep were found infected while 72.82% of the controls were infected; p = 0.002). The number of viable cysts in vaccinated animals was reduced by approximately 97% (mean counts were 0.28 and 9.18 respectively; p<0.001). An average of 595 owned dogs received 4-monthly treatment during the 44 months trial, corresponding to 91% of the owned dog population. Approximately, 5% of them were examined for E. granulosus adult worms by arecoline purge or eggs in feces (confirmed by PCR). The proportion of infected dogs significantly decreased after treatment (12% versus 35%; p<0.001). Post-treatment incidence of re-infestation corresponded to a monthly risk of 4% (95% CI: 3–6%). Treatment of owned dogs on a 4-monthly basis did not reduce the level of transmission of E. granulosus to sheep, nor did it enhance the level of control generated by vaccination of sheep with EG95, possibly because of unowned dogs and wild canids were not treated.Conclusions/SignificanceThese data suggest that vaccination of sheep with EG95 has the potential to reduce the level of CE in Morocco and in other parts of the world with similar transmission dynamics. Under the epidemiological circumstances existing in the trial area, 4-monthly treatment of owned dogs with praziquantel was insufficient to have a major impact of E. granulosus transmission to sheep.     

In vivo evaluation of the efficacy of albendazole sulfoxide and albendazole sulfoxide loaded solid lipid nanoparticles against hydatid cyst

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus, which in this disease the metacestode develop in visceral organs especially liver and lungs. The disease is present worldwide and affects humans as well as herbivores including cattle, sheep, camels, horses and others. Benzimidazole carbamate derivatives, such as mebendazole and albendazole, are currently used for chemotherapeutic treatment of CE in inoperable patients and have to be applied in high doses for extended periods of time, and therefore adverse side effects are frequently observed. This study was designed to evaluate and compare the in vivo effects of 0.5 mg/kg, BID, albendazole sulfoxide (ricobendazole) and two different therapeutic regimens of 0.5 mg/kg BID and 2 mg/kg every 48 h of albendazole sulfoxide loaded solid lipid nanoparticles. Albendazole sulfoxide loaded solid lipid nanoparticles was prepared by solvent diffusion–evaporation method. Fifty Balb/c mice were infected by intraperitoneal injection of protoscoleces and 8 months post infection, the infected mice were treated for 15 days with the above mentioned regimens. They were then euthanized and the size and weight of the cysts as well as their ultrastructural changes were investigated. Although the cysts showed reduced size and weight in the treated animals but these reductions were not statistically significant. The cysts in the animals which received albendazole sulfoxide loaded SLN every 48 h showed more ultrastructural modification. However, these ultrastructural changes should be supported by further biochemical and molecular studies before introducing it as an efficient therapeutic regimen for treatment of human and animal hydatid disease.     

Human Infections with Liver and Minute Intestinal Flukes in Guangxi, China: Analysis by DNA Sequencing, Ultrasonography, and Immunoaffinity Chromatography

The prevalence of liver and intestinal fluke infections was determined by surveying inhabitants of Hengxuan, Fusui, and Shanglin villages which were known to be endemic for liver flukes in Guangxi, China in May 2010. A total of 718 people were examined for helminth eggs by the Kato-Katz thick smear technique, ultrasonography, immunoaffinity chromatography, and DNA sequencing. The overall egg positive rate was found to be 59.6% (28.0-70.6%) that included mixed infections with liver and intestinal flukes. Cases showing higher than 20,000 eggs per gram of feces (EPG) were detected between 1.3% and 16.2%. Ultrasonographic findings exhibited overall 28.2% (72 of 255 cases) dilatation rate of the intrahepatic bile duct. Clonorchis sinensis infection was detected serologically in 88.3% (38 of 43 cases) among C. sinensis egg positive subjects by the immunoaffinity chromatography using a specific antigen for C. sinensis. For differential diagnosis of the liver and intestinal flukes, more precise PCR and nucleotide sequencing for copro-DNA were performed for 46 egg positive cases. Mixed infections with C. sinensis and Metagonimus yokogawai were detected in 8 of 46 egg positive cases, whereas 29 specimens were positive for Haplorchis taichui. Ultrasonographic findings and immunoaffinity chromatography results showed usefulness, even in a limited way, in figuring out of the liver fluke endemicity.     

Recent Situation of Taeniasis in Mongolia (2002-2012)

Epidemiological situation of taeniasis in Mongolia was assessed based on mitochondrial DNA identification of the parasite species. Multiplex PCR was used on a total of 194 proglottid specimens of Taenia species and copro-PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays were utilized for detection of copro-DNA of 37 fecal samples from taeniasis patients submitted to the Mongolian National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) from 2002 to 2012. In addition, 4 out of 44 calcified cysts in beef kept in formalin since 2003 were evaluated for histopathological confirmation of cattle cysticercosis. All proglottid specimens and stool samples were confirmed to be Taenia saginata by multiplex PCR and by copro-PCR and LAMP, respectively. Cysts collected from cattle were morphologically confirmed to be metacestodes of Taenia species. T. saginata taeniasis was identified from almost all ages from a 2-year-old boy up to a 88-year-old woman and most prominently in 15-29 age group (37%, 74/198) followed by 30-44 age group (34.8%, 69/198 ) from 15 of Mongolia''s 21 provinces, while cattle cysticerci were found from 12 provinces. The highest proportion of taeniasis patients was in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.     

Higher Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Antigen in Patients with Cystic Hydatid Disease than in Patients Referred to Internal Medicine Clinics in Turkey

Turkey remains an intermediate area for prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigenemia. The sheep-raising areas of Turkey also pose a high risk for cystic hydatid disease (CHD). Both HBV infection and CHD are major public health issues particularly in eastern parts of Turkey; however, there is no data regarding HBV infection in patients who have had CHD. The aims of this study were to evaluate the association between HBV infection and CHD and suggest ways to reduce HBV infection which is still widespread in Turkey. A retrospective study was conducted with 94 adult patients with active CHD referred to the hepatology department, Yuzuncuyil University School of Medicine from December 2010 to December 2012. All subjects came from rural areas of the region and underwent ultrasonography of abdomen which detected CHD of the liver. All the patients were serologically positive for Echinococcus granulosus. The control group consisted of 500 patients (300 men and 200 women) referred to the internal medicine clinics for other reasons. The patients with CHD and in the control group were tested for the existence of HBs antigen according to the standard procedures. The seroprevalence of HBs antigen was significantly higher in patients with active CHD than those in the control group (12.7% vs 5.2%; P=0.0017). Our data indicate that there is significant association between HBV infection and CHD. All patients with CHD should be screened for HBV infection.     

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Characteristics of Seropositive Patients in General Hospitals in Daejeon, Korea

To figure out the epidemiological status and relevance with other diseases in toxoplasmosis, we checked serum IgG antibody titers of 1,265 patients and medical records of seropositive patients. Seropositive rates were 6.6% by latex agglutination test (LAT) and 6.7% by ELISA. No significant differences were detected between sexes and age groups. The peak seroprevalence was detected in the 40-49-year-old age group. According to clinical department, Toxoplasma-positive rates were high in patients in psychiatry, ophthalmology, health management, emergency medicine, and thoracic surgery. Major coincidental diseases in seropositive cases were malignant neoplasms, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, chronic hepatitis B, chronic renal diseases, schizophrenia, and acute lymphadenitis, in the order of frequency. In particular, some patients with chronic hepatitis B and malignant neoplasms had high antibody titers. These results revealed that the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in a general hospital-based study was similar to that in a community-based study, and T. gondii seropositivity may be associated with neoplasms, diabetes, and other chronic infections.     

Cerebral cystic echinococcosis in Mongolian children caused by Echinococcus canadensis

Recent molecular re-evaluation of Echinococcus granulosus, which causes cystic echinococcosis (CE), has revealed that it is not a single species, but instead consists of 5 cryptic species. Among them, E. granulosus (dog-sheep strain) is predominant (75%) followed by Echinococcus canadensis (22%). The major affected organs, in humans, are the liver (88%) and lungs (11%). Primary cerebral CE comprises less than 1% of all cases. As cerebral CE cases are rare, there are few reports with molecular confirmation of the causative species. This study reports mitochondrial gene analysis from 4 Mongolian pediatric cerebral CE cases. Molecular confirmation was obtained for 3 of the 4 cases, with all 3 cases determined to be due to E. canadensis (G6/G7) infection. None of the cases had other organ involvement. This is only the third report on the molecular identification of the Echinococcus species responsible for cerebral CE, and only the second report of E. canadensis (G6/G7) being the causative agent of cerebral CE.     

Fascioliasis may promote tuberculous infectivity in small ruminants

Fascioliasis and bovine tuberculosis (TB) are global impediments to livestock development. We investigated the co-infectivity of fascioliasis and TB in small ruminants at slaughter. A total of 84 goats and 16 sheep were investigated from different slaughter houses in Mymensingh city, Bangladesh from June 2019 to February 2020. Grossly, acute fascioliasis was characterized by hemorrhagic tracts in the liver and chronic fascioliasis with biliary cirrhosis and pipe-stem liver. Grossly, seven goats and two sheep were associated with the acute and sixty goats and seven sheep were associated with the chronic phase of fascioliasis. Five goats’ livers showed both the acute and chronic phases of fascioliasis. In TB, granulomas with central core of caseous necrosis were seen in the lymph nodes (21), livers (10) and lungs (01) of goats or in the lymph nodes (03) and liver (01) of sheep. Histopathologically, biliary cirrhosis was seen in fascioliasis and granuloma, caseous necrosis and calcification in TB. In co-infection revealed granuloma (TB) with acid-fast bacilli and widespread biliary cirrhosis in the livers of goats (14) and sheep (02). The fragments of the 16S rRNA gene (372 bp, M. tuberculosis complex) and MPB83 gene (600 bp, M. bovis) were detected in the lymph nodes, livers and lungs using polymerase chain reaction. This study showed the existence of co-infectivity of Fasciola and M. bovis in goats and sheep in Bangladesh. Chronic fascioliasis may be associated with establishing tuberculous infection in small ruminants. Therefore, extremely zoonotic bovine TB control programs require active management of fascioliasis.     

Clinical and Demographic Characteristics of Patients with Urinary Tract Hydatid Disease

Background

Human cystic echinococcosis (CE) is caused by flatworm larvae of Echinococcus granulosus and is endemic in many parts of the world. In humans, CE cysts primarily affect the liver and pulmonary system, but can also affect the renal system. However, the clinical manifestations of renal CE can be subtle, so healthcare professionals often overlook renal CE in differential diagnosis. In this study, we examined the clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with urinary tract CE and analyzed the diagnosis and treatment procedures for this disease.

Methods

The records of 19 consecutive renal CE patients who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from January 1983 to April 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. In all cases, CE of the urinary tract was confirmed by pathological examination and visual inspection during surgery.

Results

Fifteen patients were males and 4 were females. The most common symptoms were non-specific lower back pain and percussion tenderness on the kidney region. All patients were followed up for 9–180 months after surgery. None of the patients experienced a recurrence of renal CE, but 4 patients experienced non-renal recurrence of hydatid disease.

Conclusions

Hydatid cysts from E. granulosus are structurally similar in the liver and urinary tract. Thus, the treatment regimen for liver CE developed by the World Health Organization/Informal Working Group on Echinococcosis (WHO/IWGE) could also be used for urinary tract CE. In our patients, the use of ultrasound, computed tomography, serology, and clinical characteristics provided a diagnostic accuracy of 66.7% to 92.3%.     

Echinococcus granulosus genotypes in livestock of Iran indicating high frequency of G1 genotype in camels

In this study, 112 Echinococcus granulosus isolates from different livestock of Iran were genotyped by PCR amplification of ribosomal DNA-internal transcribed spacer 1 (rDNA-ITS1) region followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) with the enzyme RsaI. The possibility of intra-genotype variation was also investigated using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Isolates from sheep, goats, cattle and the majority of camels (12 of 18; 66.7%) were identified as the G1 genotype and a few camel isolates (6 of 18; 33.3%) belonged to the G6 genotype. Overall G1 and G6 genotypes were identified in 94.6% (106 of 112) and 5.3% (6 of 112) of all isolates, respectively. RAPD analysis based on 15 separate primers showed 7-14 bands of 200-3000 bp for strain G1. Considering each individual primer, no differences observed among isolates from different hosts and between livers and lungs. This study confirmed the existence of G1 and G6 genotypes in Iran. Moreover, G1 is much more prevalent even in camels, indicating the importance of sheep-dog cycle in public health. Studying intra-genotypic variation of E. granulosus warrants more research using other primers and methods.     

Characterization of the Virulence Phenotypes of Heterodera glycines in Minnesota

Knowledge of the virulence phenotypes of soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines populations is important in choosing appropriate sources for breeding resistant cultivars and managing the nematode. We investigated races of 59 H. glycines populations collected from 1997 to 1998 and races and HG Types of 94 populations collected in 2002 from soybean fields across southern and central Minnesota. In the 1997 to 1998 samples, race 3 was predominant and represented 78% of the populations. The remaining populations were 11.9% race 1, 1.7% race 4, 6.8% race 6, and 1.7% race 14. In the 2002 samples, the populations were classified as 15.3% race 1, 77.6% race 3, 2.4% race 5, 3.5% race 6 and 1.2% race 9. Percentage of 1997 to 1998 populations with female indices (FI) higher than 10 were 10.2% on Pickett 71, 3.4% on Peking, 13.6% on PI 88788, 3.4% on PI 90763, 1.7% on PI 209332, and 1.7% on PI 437654. Percentage of 2002 populations with FI >10 was 1.1% on Peking, 17.0% on PI88788, 14.9% on PI 209332, 33.0% on PI 548316, 11.7% on Pickett 71, and 0% on the other three indicators, PI 90763, PI 437654, and PI 89772. The line PI 548316 was relatively susceptible to the Minnesota H. glycines populations and may not be recommended for breeding resistant cultivars in the state. There was no noticeable change of frequencies of virulence phenotypes in response to the use of resistant cultivars during 1997 to 2002 in Minnesota except that FI increased on the PI 209332.     

Skeletal Manifestations of Hydatid Disease in Serbia: Demographic Distribution,Site Involvement,Radiological Findings,and Complications

Although Serbia is recognized as an endemic country for echinococcosis, no information about precise incidence in humans has been available. The aim of this study was to investigate the skeletal manifestations of hydatid disease in Serbia. This retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the medical database of Institute for Pathology (Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade), a reference institution for bone pathology in Serbia. We reported a total of 41 patients with bone cystic echinococcosis (CE) during the study period. The mean age of 41 patients was 40.9±18.8 years. In 39% of patients, the fracture line was the only visible radiological sign, followed by cyst and tumefaction. The spine was the most commonly involved skeletal site (55.8%), followed by the femur (18.6%), pelvis (13.9%), humerus (7.0%), rib (2.3%), and tibia (2.3%). Pain was the symptom in 41.5% of patients, while some patients demonstrated complications such as paraplegia (22.0%), pathologic fracture (48.8%), and scoliosis (9.8%). The pathological fracture most frequently affected the spine (75.0%) followed by the femur (20.0%) and tibia (5.0%). However, 19.5% of patients didn''t develop any complication or symptom. In this study, we showed that bone CE is not uncommon in Serbian population. As reported in the literature, therapy of bone CE is controversial and its results are poor. In order to improve the therapy outcome, early diagnosis, before symptoms and complications occur, can be contributive.