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Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of intestinal helminths and protozoa in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and to estimate the influence of the anti-parasitic therapy on the course of the disease., Methods: The study was conducted at the Research Institute of Epidemiology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and Coloproctology Department of the Republic Clinical Hospital №1 of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan. One hundred UC patients and 200 healthy individuals were examined by triple coproscopy. Additionally, 20, 25 and 22 UC patients with Blastocystis infection were treated with nitazoxanide (1.0 g/day), mesalazine (1.5-2 g/day) or a combination of nitazoxanide (1.0 g/day) and mesalazine (≥1.5-2 g/day) for 14 consecutive days, respectively. Parasitological, clinical and endoscopic examinations were conducted before therapy, immediately after and 6 and 12 weeks after therapy completion., Results: The overall prevalence of helminths in UC patients and control individuals was not significantly different: 14±3.4% and 8.5±1.9%, respectively (OR: 1.7524; 95% CI: 0.8258 to 3.7186; P=0.1). Giardia lamblia was the most prevalent parasite in both groups, but the difference compared to the control was insignificant (OR: 0.4565; 95% CI: 0.2020 to 1.0318; P=0.05). A significantly higher prevalence of Blastocystis sp., Chilomastix mesnili and Iodamoeba butschlii in UC patients compared to control individuals was found (P<0.0005): 65.0%, 14.0% and 22.0%, respectively. During all follow-up periods, the clinical response and clinical remission were not statistically different between the groups (P>0.05). Mucosal healing immediately and 6 weeks after therapy with a combination of nitazoxanide with mesalazine was significantly better than with a monotherapy of nitazoxanide, respectively (P<0.05). UC patients treated with a combination of nitazoxanide with mesalazine showed better mucosal healing than in patients treated with a monotherapy of mesalazine (P>0.05)., Conclusions: Diagnosis of Blastocystis sp. should be introduced in the complex examination of UC patients. Further clinical studies are necessary for assessment of the efficiency of anti-Blastocystis therapy in UC patients., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal helminths and protozoa in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and to evaluate the possible association between the prevalence and CRC pathogenesis. A total of 200 CRC patients and 200 residents of Tashkent, who had no complaints related to the gastrointestinal tract, were examined by triple coproscopy using a concentration method and estimations of protozoan infection intensity. Of the CRC patients tested, 144 were classified as T 1 - 4 N 0 M 0 (without metastases) and 56 were classified as T 1-4 N 1-2 M 0-1 (with metastases). Parasitological examination was performed during CRC diagnosis before and after surgery and chemotherapy. A significantly higher prevalence of Blastocystis sp., Chilomastix mesnili, Jodamoeba butschlii, and Endolimax nana was found in CRC patients than in the control population (p < 0.0001), amounting to 80, 20, 22.5, and 11.5%, respectively. The high prevalence of Blastocystis sp., as well as the patterns of infection intensity, was stable at all stages of examination. The ratio of the number of CRC patients with and without Blastocystis sp. in the T 1-4 N 0 M 0 and T 1-4 N 1-2 M 0-1 groups amounted to 3.3 and 7.0, respectively. The ratios for C. mesnili, E. coli, J. butschlii, and E. nana in both groups were 0.2 and 0.2, 0.07 and 0.07, 0.3 and 0.16, and 0.18 and 0.01, respectively. The prevalence of helminths and Giardia lamblia in CRC patients and the control population was not significantly different. Taken together, these data indicate a possible role for Blastocystis sp. in CRC pathogenesis. Diagnosis, treatment, and further observation of patients with Blastocystis sp. are necessary at all stages of CRC, including during diagnosis and before and after surgery and chemotherapy.

Blastocystis hominis and nonpathogenic enteric protozoa were diagnosed in 300 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis mainly of its infiltrative form and 500 with Stages II and III HIV infection; the patients received antituberculosis therapy (ATT) and antiretroviral therapy (ART), respectively. Control groups included 200 Tashkent dwellers and 350 patients with various noninfectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Triple coproscopy was made. B. hominis was significantly more frequently detected in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and those with HIV infection than in healthy individuals: in 53.6 +/- 2.9, 42.2 +/- 2.2, and 18.0 +/- 2.5, respectively (P < 0.01). Only did the tuberculosis or HIV-infected patients show a high intensity of B. hominis infection, which was accompanied by recurring diarrhea and nausea. The high activity of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase was observed in 20% of the patients with tuberculosis + blastocytosis; that of alkaline phosphatase was seen in 25%. The tuberculosis or HIV-infected patients were more frequently found to have Chylomastix mesnili, Jodamoeba butschlii, and Endolimax nana. The specific features of intestinal colonization seem to reflect changes in local immunity; the drugs included into ATT and ART have no substantial effects on the viability of protozoa.

Intestinal parasitic diseases were diagnosed in 100 HIV-infected patients at different stages of disease (its asymptomatic form, persistent generalized lymphoadenopathy, pre-AIDS, and AIDS) (Group 1), 100 Tashkent residents (Group 2), and 349 patients with gastrointestinal diseases, allergic dermatoses, and skin depigmentation foci (Group 3). The HIV-infected patients were found to have virtually all parasites, such as Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium parvum, Chilomastix mesnili, Entamoeba coli, Iodamoeba butschlii, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, Endolimax nana, Blastocystis hominis, Enlerobius vermicularis, Ascaris lumbricoides, Hymenolepis nana, detectable in the population of Tashkent. The highest infestation with intestinal protozoa, including nonpathogenic amoebas and helmninths, was found in Groups 1 and 3. However, in all the forms of HIV infection, the infestation with E. histolytical/dispar was 10 times greater than that in Groups 2 and 3 (1% and 0.8%, respectively). G. lamblia was detected in 16, 21, and 45.2% in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In all the HIV-infected patients, the content of CD8 lymphocytes was increased, but that of CD20 lymphocytes was normal. Parasites were detectable with different levels of CD4 lymphocytes, but C. parvum was found only if its count was > 200/ml. In the HIV-infected patients, the hyperproduction of IgE was caused mainly by helminths rather than protozoa. In these patients, the increased level of IgE was also noted in the absence of parasites.

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) remains a common complication of radiographic procedures. Isovue (lopamidol) is a low-osmolality nonionic monomeric tri-iodinated water soluble agent widely used as a contrast medium in radiographic procedures for intravascular, intrathecal, and body cavity administration. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of lopamidol on renal function in patients without any preexisting renal condition who were undergoing radiographic imaging with the iodine contrast. Seventy-five patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) had CT-scans with intravenous lopamidol contrast. All the patients had a normal serum creatinine before administration of the contrast media. Serum creatinine was recorded for three consecutive days after the CT-scan. The control group consisted of medical ICU patients that were not administered iodine contrast during their stay in the unit. There was no change from the baseline in the control group. A significant increase in serum creatinine was recorded in patients undergoing CT-scan with lopamidol contrast. In 18% of the patients, creatinine was elevated more than 25% from the baseline. This level of creatinine elevation indicated a significant decrease in glomerular filtration, and thus fulfilled the criteria for contrast-induced nephropathy. Our data demonstrates that iodine contrast media for CT in ICU patients without preexisting kidney disease can precipitate clearly measurable nephropathic changes.

The drug ecdisten as tablets is the natural compound ecdisteron was extracted from Rhaponticum carthamoides (Willd.) Jljin. Ecdisten was tested in the treatment of 32 and 3 patients with persistent and acute giardiasis, respectively. A ten-day course of ecdisten, 5 mg 3 or 4 times a day, resulted in a clinical and parasitological recovery in 22 (68.7%) and 3 patients, respectively. After the reuse of a ecdisten course in 4 patients with persistent giardiasis wherein its initial dose was increased, recovery was achieved in 3 cases, the efficacy of the agent was 78.1%. Ecdisten should be used to treat giardiasis, in its chronic pattern or resistance to conventional giardicial agents.

The E-rosette-forming capacity of neutrophils and T-lymphocyte counts in the peripheral blood of 21 patients suffering from persistent giardiasis (PG) were found. A control group included 29 healthy persons. The patients with PG showed a significant increase in the count of early and late E-rosette-forming neutrophils along with a substantial decrease in the count of T-lymphocytes, which is indicative of an inflammatory process located mainly in the gallbladder. It is concluded that according to the neutrophil counts, immunodeficiency may not be regarded as a factor predisposing to PG.