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Introduction: Trichinellosis, caused by Trichinella spiralis ( T. spiralis ), remains a prevalent parasitic zoonosis. Developing new drugs targeting and understanding the immune response against the infection is imperative. Previous research has inadequately explored the efficacy of crude myrrh extract and myrrh-based silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against trichinellosis, as well as their impact on histopathological, and immunological factors., Methods: This study evaluated the effects of silver nanoparticles biosynthesized using myrrh, crude myrrh extracts, and albendazole on the intestinal phase of T. spiralis . It also examined the associated histopathological changes and alterations in key immunological markers, including Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), Interleukin-10 (IL-10), and Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Five groups of 12 mice were allocated as follows: group 1: non-infected, non-treated (negative control), group 2: infected, non-treated (positive control), group 3: infected and treated with biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (40 μg/mL), group 4: infected and treated with myrrh crude extract (800 mg/kg), and group 5: infected and treated with albendazole (50 mg/kg). Treatment was orally administered starting on the 2 nd day post-infection and continued for three successive days. Mice of all groups were euthanized on the 6 th day post-infection, and the intestine of each was isolated for parasitological, histopathological, and immunohistochemistry evaluation of MMP-9, as well as assessment of cytokines level (IFN-γ and IL-10 gene expressions) via Real-time PCR technique., Results: The present study showed a considerable reduction in adult worm count among the treated groups. The mortality rates of adult worms were 88.64% in the silver nanoparticles treated group, 85.17% in the myrrh crude extract group, and 94.07% in the albendazole-treated group. Histopathological examination revealed prominent alterations in the intestine of the infected non-treated mice, which were markedly restored by treatment. Immunohistochemical examination accompanied by significant reduction in MMP-9 expression in the infected mice treated with AgNPs compared to the infected non-treated group, reflecting the role of AgNPs in downgrading the inflammatory reaction in the intestine of infected mice., Conclusion: Collectively, this study demonstrates the novel antiparasitic potential of silver nanoparticles biosynthesized with myrrh against T. spiralis in infected mice. The treatment was associated with moderate rise in IFN-γ gene expression and IL-10 expression, highlighting its therapeutic efficacy against T. spiralis ., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The reviewer MS declared a shared parent affiliation with the author JA to the handling editor at the time of review., (Copyright © 2024 Abd-ELrahman, Dyab, Mahmoud, Mohamed, Fouad, Gareh, Asseri, Dahran, Alzaylaee, Albisihi, Abd Elrahman, Alsharif, Mostafa, Hamad, Elmahallawy and Elossily.)

Introduction: Domestic dogs and cats can be a source of human infection by a wide diversity of zoonotic pathogens including parasites. Genotyping and subtyping tools are useful in assessing the true public health relevance of canine and feline infections by these pathogens. This study investigated the occurrence, genetic diversity, and zoonotic potential of common diarrhea-causing enteric protist parasites in household dogs and cats in Egypt, a country where this information is particularly scarce., Methods: In this prospective, cross-sectional study a total of 352 individual fecal samples were collected from dogs ( n  = 218) and cats ( n  = 134) in three Egyptian governorates (Dakahlia, Gharbeya, and Giza) during July-December 2021. Detection and identification of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis , Enterocytozoon bieneusi , and Blastocystis sp. were carried out by PCR and Sanger sequencing. Basic epidemiological variables (geographical origin, sex, age, and breed) were examined for association with occurrence of infection by enteric protists., Results and Discussion: The overall prevalence rates of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis were 1.8% (95% CI: 0.5-4.6) and 38.5% (95% CI: 32.0-45.3), respectively, in dogs, and 6.0% (95% CI: 2.6-11.4) and 32.1% (95% CI: 24.3-40.7), respectively, in cats. All canine and feline fecal samples analyzed tested negative for E. bieneusi and Blastocystis sp. Dogs from Giza governorate and cats from Dakahlia governorate were at higher risk of infection by Cryptosporidium spp. ( p  = 0.0006) and G. duodenalis ( p  = 0.00001), respectively. Sequence analyses identified host-adapted Cryptosporidium canis ( n  = 4, one of them belonging to novel subtype XXe2) and G. duodenalis assemblages C ( n  = 1) and D ( n  = 3) in dogs. In cats the zoonotic C. parvum ( n  = 5) was more prevalent than host-adapted C. felis ( n  = 1). Household dogs had a limited (but not negligible) role as source of human giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis, but the unexpected high frequency of zoonotic C. parvum in domestic cats might be a public health concern. This is the first molecular-based description of Cryptosporidium spp. infections in cats in the African continent to date. Molecular epidemiological data provided here can assist health authorities and policy makers in designing and implementing effective campaigns to minimize the transmission of enteric protists in Egypt., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elmahallawy, Gareh, Abu-Okail, Köster, Dashti, Asseri, Gouda, Mubaraki, Mohamed, Mohamed, Hassan, Elgendy, Hernández-Castro, Bailo, González-Barrio, Xiao and Carmena.)