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. A multicentre cross-sectional survey was performed to provide an accurate picture of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) cared for by Italian Infectious Diseases Centers (IDCs). This analysis describes factors associated with access to the treatment of CHB in a country where barriers to treatment are not expected to exist because of comprehensive coverage under the National Health System (NHS). The study was performed in 74 IDCs. The analysis focused on 3305 patients with CHB of 3760 HBsAg-positive patients enrolled from March to September, 2008. To account for missing values, a Multiple Imputation method was used. Treatment was reported in 2091 (63.3%) patients. In the multivariate analysis, an increased chance of getting treatment was independently associated with 10 years increase of age at diagnosis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-1.3, P < 0.001), HBeAg positivity (aOR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-2.8, P < 0.001), cirrhosis (aOR 3.6, 95% CI 2-6.3, P = 0.012), HDV (aOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.02-2.5, P = 0.042) and HIV positivity (aOR 6.5, 95% CI 4-10.8, P < 0.001). Conversely, a decreased chance was associated with female gender (aOR 0.6, 95% CI 0.5-0.7, P < 0.001), immigration (aOR 0.6, 95% CI 0.5-0.9, P = 0.009), alcohol consumption (aOR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-0.98, P = 0.04) and HCV positivity (aOR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.8, P = 0.005). Our study shows that Italian IDCs treat a high percentage of patients with CHB. Nevertheless, disparities exist which are not related to the severity of disease limiting access to antiviral therapy of CHB, even in a country with a universal healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptosporidium species are protozoan parasites that infect humans and a wide variety of animals. This study was aimed at identifying Cryptosporidium species and genotypes isolated from avian hosts. A total of 90 samples from 37 different species of birds were collected throughout a 3-month period from April 2008 to June 2008 in the National Zoo of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Prior to molecular characterization, all samples were screened for Cryptosporidium using a modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique. Subsequently samples were analysed with nested-PCR targeting the partial SSU rRNA gene. Amplicons were sequenced in both directions and used for phylogenetic analysis using Neighbour-Joining and Maximum Parsimony methods. Although 9 (10%) samples were positive for Cryptosporidium via microscopy, 8 (8·9%) produced amplicons using nested PCR. Phylogenetic trees identified all the isolates as Cryptosporidium parvum. Although C. parvum has not been reported to cause infection in birds, and the role of birds in this study was postulated mainly as mechanical transporters, these present findings highlight the significant public health risk posed by birds that harbour the zoonotic species of Cryptosporidium. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The present study describes the morphology of sparganum (larva) of the Malaysian Spirometra spp. collected from naturally infected frogs (Rana cancrivora) from rice fields in Tanjung Karang, Malaysia. Materials and Methods: Spargana of Spirometra spp. collected from naturally infected frogs (Rana cancrivora) were used for the morphological studies. Stretched on a metal ruler, measurements of the worm were recorded. Specimens were stained in Alum-carmine. Results: The length of the body ranged from 11-50 mm and the width ranged from 0.5-1.5 mm. Specimens stained with Alum-carmine showed ridges (formation of segments) on the surface of the body, and no sexual organs in the body. Conclusion: The Malaysian Spirometra spp. are similar in measurement and morphology to Spirometra erinacei but further studies are required for confirmation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daily intramuscular injection with thyroxine (T4) at a dose of 2.5 μg/100 g body weight decreased the larvae and adult worm burden of Parastrongylus malaysiensis in the brain and pulmonary arteries of male Sprague-Dawley albino rats. In contrast, rats treated with propyl thiouracil (PTU), an antithyroid drug, at a dose of 3.75 mg/100 g body weight retained greater numbers of larvae and adult worms. The results may reflect the contrasting immunomodulatory effects of T4 and PTU that influence the susceptibility of the host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]