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A 9-year-old dog was presented with weight loss, respiratory effort, and an enlarged abdomen. Imaging studies and exploratory surgery showed pulmonary and splenic masses and bi-cavitary effusion, later classified as hemorrhage. Cytology of the peritoneal and pleural fluids also revealed several microfilariae. Immunologic and molecular analyses confirmed Dirofilaria immitis infection and histopathology of the spleen indicated a cavernous endothelial proliferation with undefined etiology (hemangiosarcoma vs reaction to parasite infestation). The nematode larvae are speculated to have entered body cavities via erratic migration or via hemorrhage and visceral lesions to be related to parasitism. Nematode infection should be considered as a differential diagnosis for internal bleeding of undetermined origin., (© 2024 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.)

A 47-year-old man was admitted to a hospital for disturbance of consciousness. He was diagnosed with multiple hemorrhagic brain abscesses in bilateral hemispheres with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and was transferred to our hospital for further examination and treatment. On admission, although he could respond to pain stimuli, he could not talk or communicate. His laboratory data on admission revealed CD4-positive T cell count of 67 cells/μL, and HIV1-RNA viral load of 5.6 × 10 5 copies/mL. Both the serum IgG Toxoplasma gondii antibody and the cerebrospinal fluid polymerase chain reaction for Toxoplasma gondii DNA were positive. He was diagnosed with cerebral toxoplasmosis and HIV infection. His level of consciousness worsened, and the number of hemorrhagic lesions had increased in both hemispheres and the left thalamus on the computed tomography scan following two weeks of antitoxoplasma therapy. These newly discovered hemorrhagic lesions revealed in the CT had been found as the high intensity signal regions of initial fluid-attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance imaging. After five weeks of treatment, the hemorrhagic lesions gradually improved along with the patient's consciousness. Antiretroviral therapy was initiated six weeks following antitoxoplama therapy with reassurance that immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome did not occur. After approximately four months of antitoxoplasma therapy, the patient was discharged into a group home with residual left hemiparesis on maintenance antitoxoplasma and antiretroviral therapy. Clinicians should recognize the delay of clinical and radiological improvement for hemorrhagic cerebral toxoplasmosis and patiently continue the antitoxoplasma therapy., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This report presents a novel canine condition in 32 dogs in which aberrant migration of Spirocerca lupi larvae through mesenteric arteries, instead of gastric arteries, led to small or large intestinal infarction. This form of spirocercosis was first recognized in Israel in 2013 and is currently ongoing. Typical clinical signs were anorexia and weakness of 3 to 4 days and, less frequently, vomiting and diarrhea, followed by collapse, bloody diarrhea, and severe vomiting. Exploratory laparotomy showed 1 or more infarcted and often perforated intestinal segments in all cases. Microscopically, there was intestinal mucosal to transmural coagulative necrosis and mesenteric multifocal necrotizing eosinophilic arteritis, thrombosis, hemorrhage, and early fibroplasia. Third-stage S. lupi larvae were identified by morphologic features in 9 of 32 (28%) cases, and the species was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction in 4 cases. Nearly 50% of the dogs had been receiving prophylactic therapy, which did not prevent this form of spirocercosis.

Loxocelism is a neglected medical problem that depends on its severity, can cause a cutaneous or viscero-cutaneous syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by hemostatic effects and necrosis, and the severity of the loxoscelism depends on the amount of venom injected, the zone of inoculation, and the species. In the Chihuahuan desert, the most abundant species is L. apachea. Its venom and biological effects are understudied, including neurological effects. Thus, our aim is to explore the effect of this regional species of medical interest in the United States-Mexico border community, using rat blood and central nervous system (CNS), particularly, two brain structures involved in brain homeostasis, Area postrema (AP) and Choroid plexus (PC). L. apachea specimens were collected and venom was obtained. Different venom concentrations (0, 0.178 and 0.87 μg/g) were inoculated into Sprague-Dawley rats (intraperitoneal injection). Subsequently, blood was extracted and stained with Wright staining; coronal sections of AP were obtained and stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining and laminin γ immunolabelling, the same was done with CP sections. Blood, AP and CP were observed under the microscope and abnormalities in erythrocytes and fluctuation in leukocyte types were described and quantified in blood. Capillaries were also quantified in AP and damage was described in CP. L. apachea venom produced a segmented neutrophil increment (neutrophilia), lymphocyte diminishment (leukopenia) and erythrocytes presented membrane abnormalities (acanthocytosis). Extravasated erythrocytes were observed in HE stained sections from both, AP and CP, which suggest that near to this section a hemorrhage is present; through immunohistofluorescence, a diminishment of laminin γ was observed in AP endothelial cells and in CP ependymal cells when these structures were exposed to L. apachea venom. In conclusion, L. apachea venom produced leukopenia, netrophilia and acanthocytosis in rat peripheral blood, and also generated hemorrhages on AP and CP through degradation of laminin γ., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Strongyloidiasis is an infectious disease affecting approximately 30-100 million people globally. The main human pathogen is Strongyloides stercoralis which may cause a brief period of acute symptoms and signs after the initial infection, and then lapse into a chronic asymptomatic carrier state for decades due to the nematode's unique ability to autoinfect hosts. Immunosuppression from steroid therapy, T-lymphocytic viral (HTLV-1) infections, or a variety of underlying medical conditions may then result in dissemination and the highly lethal and infectious hyperinfection syndrome. Clinical suspicions for the condition are often not high in non-endemic areas, the diagnosis is difficult, and the incidence is increasing, particularly given recent mass population movements. Indications of infection at autopsy include gastrointestinal ulceration and haemorrhage, with pulmonary oedema, congestion, haemorrhage and diffuse alveolar damage., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Prepatent Otostrongylus arteritis results in hemorrhagic diathesis in free-ranging Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) attributed to aberrant larval migration of the lungworm, Otostrongylus circumlitus. Clinical signs are often nonspecific, including lethargy, anorexia, and blepharospasm, but can progress to spontaneous frank hemorrhage and death within 72 hours of onset. Previously published case reports describe coagulopathy with prolonged PT and APTT, normal to elevated platelet counts, normal antithrombin concentrations, and low concentrations of fibrinogen degradation products. Disseminated intravascular coagulation was proposed as the cause of hemorrhage, but is inconsistent with some of the reported clinicopathologic changes., Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare plasmatic coagulation and fibrinolysis in healthy and Otostrongylus-affected elephant seals, in order to identify potential therapy. We hypothesized that hyperfibrinolysis contributed to hemorrhage in these cases., Methods: Citrated plasma samples were collected from 3- to 4-month-old Northern elephant seals in a wildlife rehabilitation hospital. The sampled population included 25 healthy, prerelease seals and 32 clinically ill seals diagnosed with presumptive Otostrongylus arteritis. Twenty-one of the included seals had Otostrongylus infestation confirmed at necropsy. Standard coagulation tests and plasma thromboelastography were performed for a complete assessment of coagulation and fibrinolysis., Results: Northern elephant seals with definitive Otostrongylus infestation were hypocoagulable and hypofibrinolytic compared to healthy controls., Conclusions: Results were most consistent with disseminated intravascular coagulation. Treatment with antifibrinolytic drugs to control hemorrhage may be unrewarding; alternative therapies such as plasma transfusions or coagulation factor concentrates should be investigated., (© 2017 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.)

Background: Strongyloidiasis is a chronic parasitic infection caused by Strongyloides stercoralis. Severe cases such as, hyperinfection syndrome (HS) and disseminated strongyloidiasis (DS), can involve pulmonary manifestations. These manifestations frequently aid the diagnosis of strongyloidiasis. Here, we present the pulmonary manifestations and radiological findings of severe strongyloidiasis., Methods: From January 2004 to December 2014, all patients diagnosed with severe strongyloidiasis at the University of the Ryukyus Hospital or affiliated hospitals in Okinawa, Japan, were included in this retrospective study. All diagnoses were confirmed by the microscopic or histopathological identification of larvae. Severe strongyloidiasis was defined by the presence of any of the following: 1) the identification of S. stercoralis from extra gastrointestinal specimens, 2) sepsis, 3) meningitis, 4) acute respiratory failure, or 5) respiratory tract hemorrhage. Patients were assigned to either HS or DS. Medical records were further reviewed to extract related clinical features and radiological findings., Results: Sixteen severe strongyloidiasis cases were included. Of those, fifteen cases had pulmonary manifestations, eight had acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (53%), seven had enteric bacterial pneumonia (46%) and five had pulmonary hemorrhage (33%). Acute respiratory failure was a common indicator for pulmonary manifestation (87%). Chest X-ray findings frequently showed diffuse shadows (71%). Additionally, ileum gas was detected for ten of the sixteen cases in the upper abdomen during assessment with chest X-ray. While, chest CT findings frequently showed ground-glass opacity (GGO) in 89% of patients. Interlobular septal thickening was also frequently shown (67%), always accompanying GGO in upper lobes., Conclusions: In summary, our study described HS/DS cases with pulmonary manifestations including, ARDS, bacterial pneumonia and pulmonary hemorrhage. Chest X-ray findings in HS/DS cases frequently showed diffuse shadows, and the combination of GGO and interlobular septal thickening in chest CT was common in HS/DS, regardless of accompanying pulmonary manifestations. This CT finding suggests alveolar hemorrhage could be used as a potential marker indicating the transition from latent to symptomatic state. Respiratory specimens are especially useful for detecting larvae in cases of HS/DS.

Hookworms are soil-transmitted nematode parasites that can reside for many years in the small intestine of their human hosts; Necator americanus is the predominant infecting species. Adult worms feed on the blood of a host and can cause iron deficiency anaemia, especially in high-risk populations (children and women of childbearing age). Almost 500 million people in developing tropical countries are infected, and simulation models estimate that hookworm infection is responsible for >4 million disability-adjusted life years lost annually. Humans mount an immune response to hookworms, but it is mostly unsuccessful at removing adult worms from the bowel. Accordingly, the host switches to an immune-tolerant state that enables hookworms to reside in the gut for many years. Although anthelmintic drugs are available and widely used, their efficacy varies and the drugs do not prevent reinfection. Thus, other control strategies aimed at improving water quality, sanitation and hygiene are needed. In addition, efforts are underway to develop a human hookworm vaccine through public-private partnerships. However, hookworms could also be a resource; as hookworms have the capability to regulate the host's inflammation, researchers are experimentally infecting patients to treat some inflammatory diseases as an approach to discover new anti-inflammatory molecules. This area of endeavour might well yield new biotherapeutics for autoimmune and allergic diseases.

Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection syndrome is a rare but fatal disease, which occurs commonly in immunocompromised patients. Strongyloidiasis among patients with chronic kidney disease is rarely reported.A 55-year-old Chinese male presented to hospital with diarrhea and abdominal pain. He developed acute respiratory failure and progressed to diffuse alveolar hemorrhage owing to disseminated strongyloidiasis immediately. The bronchoalveolar lavage revealed filariform larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis.This patient was diagnosed with Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome. Although albendazole, mechanical ventilator support, fluid resuscitation, vasopressor support, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, hydrocortisone, and broadspectrum antimicrobials were actively used, the patient eventually died.Similar cases in patients with chronic kidney disease in the literature are also reviewed. Through literature review, we recommend that strongyloidiasis should be routinely investigated in patients with chronic kidney disease who will undergo immunosuppressive therapy.

Leech infestation is a very rare phenomenon in humans. It mostly occurs in humans when rural untreated water is drunk or while swimming in streams or lakes. When leeches adhere to the mucous membrane, they ingest blood. Thus, they can sometimes cause severe anemia that may require blood transfusion. We report a case that was referred to emergency service with bleeding in the floor of the mouth. A 10-year-old child was referred to the emergency service of a city hospital with a complaint of swelling in the floor of the mouth and spitting of blood. The patient was promptly taken to the operating room. Using local anesthesia, a surgical incision was made, and a moving, dark brown foreign body was removed from the floor of the mouth and identified as a leech. Leech endoparasitism should be considered as a cause of unexplained anemia due to bleeding from the throat. Accordingly, leech infestation must be considered in differential diagnosis when a patient complains of spitting of blood, hoarseness, or dysphagia.

Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection syndrome is a rare, yet highly fatal disorder. It occurs most commonly in immunocompromised patients. We report a case of a 36-year-old Ethiopian female who presented with abdominal pain and hypotension. Shortly thereafter, she developed acute respiratory failure and progressed to acute respiratory distress syndrome and septic shock. She was found to have diffuse alveolar hemorrhage due to disseminated strongyloidiasis. We discuss the clinical condition of Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome presenting with severe hypoxemia and complicated by severe diffuse alveolar hemorrhage leading to death. Similar cases in the literature are also describe., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Different foreign bodies can reach the lumen of the external auditory canal. Clinical presence of the foreign bodies depends on the nature of the foreign body, localization, morphological features, and the presence of pathological process., Case Report: This study gives a report on a rare foreign body--a tick on the eardrum, which is a very rare localization in European countries., Conclusion: Identification, determination of the nature of the foreign body and the way of extracting it depend on the application of adequate diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Rangeliosis is a disease which affects dogs in Brazil, caused by a piroplasm known as Rangelia vitalii. This disease causes a lot of clinico-pathological features, including the coagulation disorders associated with bleeding. The cause of these changes has not yet been determined. Considering the association of purinergic system and hemostasis this study aimed to evaluate the activity of enzymes that hydrolyze ATP, ADP and AMP; and deamination of adenosine in platelets from dogs experimentally infected with R. vitalii. For this study, 12 healthy young dogs (females) were used, separated in two groups. Group A (n=5) were uninfected controls, and group B were experimentally infected with R. vitalii (n=7). After being inoculated with R. vitalii-infected blood, animals were monitored by blood smear examinations, which showed intra-erythrocytic forms of the parasite after five days post-inoculation (PI). Blood samples were collected to quantitate and separate platelets (Day 0, 12 and 21 PI) and to measure the enzymatic activities (Day 12 and 21 PI). The activity of NTPDase, 5'-nucleotidase and adenosine deaminase (ADA) was measured in platelets. A reduction (P<0.01) in the number of platelets was observed in R. vitalii-infected blood at Days 12 and 21 PI. At Day 12 PI, a reduction (P<0.01) in the hydrolysis of ATP, ADP and AMP, and deamination of adenosine was observed in dogs infected with R. vitalii. At Day 21 PI the ADA activity remained decreased, unlike the activity of NTPDase which increased (P<0.05). Based on these results we can conclude that ATP, ADP and AMP hydrolysis and adenosine deamination were altered in platelets of R. vitalii-infected dogs. Considering the importance of the purinergic system in hemostasis, it is believed that those changes contribute to the coagulation disorders and bleeding observed in R. vitalii-infected dogs and discussed in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Helminths induce potent T helper 2 (TH2)-type immune responses that can mediate worm expulsion, but the role of this response in controlling the acute tissue damage caused by migrating multicellular parasites through vital tissues remains uncertain. We used a helminth infection model in which parasitic nematode larvae migrate transiently through the lung, resulting in hemorrhage and inflammation. We found that IL-17 initially contributed to inflammation and lung damage, whereas subsequent IL-4 receptor (IL-4R) signaling reduced elevations in IL-17 mRNA levels, enhanced the expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and IL-10 and stimulated the development of M2 macrophages, all of which contributed to the rapid resolution of tissue damage. These studies indicate an essential role for TH2-type immune responses in mediating acute wound healing during helminth infection.

Four dogs with acute neurological signs caused by haemorrhages in the central nervous system were diagnosed with Angiostrongylus vasorum infection as the underlying aetiology. Two dogs presented with brain lesions, one dog with spinal cord lesions and one with lesions in both the brain and spinal cord. Only one dog presented with concurrent signs of classical pulmonary angiostrongylosis (respiratory distress, cough), and only two dogs displayed overt clinical signs of haemorrhages. Results of coagulation assays were inconsistent. Neurological signs reflected the site of pathology and included seizures, various cranial nerve deficits, vestibular signs, proprioceptive deficits, ataxia and paraplegia. One dog died and three were euthanised due to lack of improvement despite medical treatment. This emphasises canine angiostrongylosis as a potential cause of fatal lesions of the central nervous system and the importance of including A. vasorum as a differential diagnosis in young dogs with acute neurological signs in Denmark.

A 3-year old girl presented to our A&E with a complaint of an acute event of per rectal bleed. The parent had given a history of a visit to a nearby waterfall one day ago. Upon admission she developed hypotension and had a fainting episode due to the excessive passing of blood per rectum. The case report shows how the appropriate investigations were carried out and the twist behind the cause.

Background: Balantidium coli, a ciliated protozoan parasite that infects primates and pigs, and is the largest protozoan to infect humans, is a well-known cause of diarrhoea and dysentery in humans. Extra-intestinal disease is uncommon, however., Objective: We describe a case of lung involvement, with severe pulmonary haemorrhage resulting in iron deficiency anaemia and respiratory failure, of a 20-year-old, immune-competent man., Results: Diagnosis was made by bronchial biopsy and lavage, which showed numerous trophozoites compatible with B. coli with a background of acute inflammatory cells. The origin of infection was not clear, but inhalation of pig manure was postulated as there was no history of intestinal disease. The patient was treated with oxytetracyline and metronidazole, kept in an ICU, improved within 48 hours, and was discharged within 4 days., Conclusion: B. coli infection should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis of pulmonary haemorrhage.

We report the case of a female patient with an atypical case of alveolar haemorrhage secondary to disseminated strongyloidiasis. Although uncommon, clinicians should consider the diagnosis of pneumonia by disseminated strongyloidiasis in patients with endemic exposure to Strongyloides stercoralis who present with symptoms of cough, wheezing, and dyspnoea. Primary care physicians should strongly consider screening for strongyloidiasis in patients from endemic areas prior to considering the use of steroids or any other immunosuppressants. The best screening test would be serological testing.

Background: Severe leptospirosis features bleeding and multi-organ failure, leading to shock and death. Currently it is assumed that both exaggerated inflammation and immune suppression contribute to mortality in sepsis. Indeed, several proinflammatory cytokines are reported to be induced during leptospirosis. Toll-like receptors, which play an important role in the initiation of an innate immune response, are inhibited by negative regulators including the membrane-bound ST2 (mST2) receptor. Soluble ST2 (sST2) has been implicated to inhibit signaling through mST2. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of sST2 and (pro-) inflammatory cytokine release in patients with severe leptospirosis., Methodology and Principal Findings: In an observational study, 68 consecutive cases of severe leptospirosis were included. Soluble ST2 and cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10) were repeatedly measured. To determine whether blood cells are a source of sST2 during infection, we undertook an in vitro experiment: human whole blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were stimulated with viable pathogenic Leptospira. All patients showed elevated sST2, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 levels on admission. Admission sST2 levels correlated with IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10. Thirty-four patients (50%) showed clinical bleeding. Soluble ST2 levels were significantly associated with bleeding overall (OR 2.0; 95%CI: 1.2-3.6) and severe bleeding (OR 5.1; 95%CI: 1.1-23.8). This association was unique, since none of the cytokines showed this correlation. Moreover, sST2 was associated with mortality (OR 2.4; 95%CI: 1.0-5.8). When either whole blood or isolated PBMCs were stimulated with Leptospira in vitro, no sST2 production could be detected., Conclusions: Patients with severe leptospirosis demonstrated elevated plasma sST2 levels. Soluble ST2 levels were associated with bleeding and mortality. In vitro experiments showed that (white) blood cells are probably not the source. In this regard, sST2 could be an indicative marker for tissue damage in patients suffering from severe leptospirosis.

A study was undertaken in July 2005 to investigate an acute haemorrhagic syndrome that caused cattle mortality starting March 2005 in Mifumi, Senda, Kainja and Nyagoke villages of Tororo district in Uganda; areas dominantly infested with Glossina fuscipes fuscipes with scanty G. pallidipes. Four hundred and one (401) cattle belonging to 158 farmers were randomly sampled from a population of 549 and screened using a combination of Haematocrit Centrifugation Technique (HCT) and Buffy Coat Technique (BCT) for trypanosomosis. Of which 49 (12.2%) had trypanosome infection. Clinical cases manifested bleeding through the ears, severe weight loss, anaemia, weakness and enlarged lymph nodes prior to death. Out of an original population of 844 cattle 295 (35%) had died. The prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis in herds experiencing mortality (21.5%) was significantly higher than in those without mortality (2.6%) (chi(2)=33.4, P<0.001). Herd size, number of draught oxen and lactating cows in a given herd significantly influenced the risk of mortality (P<0.001). Males had a significantly higher prevalence of trypanosomosis (17.8%) than females (9.5%) (chi(2)=5.58, P<0.05) and significantly lower mean packed cell volume (PCV) (23.7%) than females (25.4%) (P<0.05). Older calves (7-12 months), yearlings (13-24 months) and adults (>24 months) with prevalences of 11.1%, 15.4% and 11.8%, respectively, were the most affected age categories. Trypanosome-infected cattle had a significantly lower mean PCV (17.9%) than non-infected ones (25.8%) (P<0.001), and a significantly higher proportion of anaemic animals (81.6%) than non-infected ones (37.2%) (chi(2)=34.6, P<0.001). Trypanosoma vivax was the dominant trypanosome species, constituting 82% of trypanosome infections. This work has provided further evidence on the importance of T. vivax-induced acute haemorrhagic syndrome in livestock trypanosomosis.

We present a case series of patients who presented to Gimbie Adventist Hospital (GAH), Western Wollege, Ethiopia. GAH is located in the town of Gimbie in the Western Wollega province of Ethiopia, about 450 km west of Addis Ababa. Gimbie zone is 9 degrees north of the equator at 2000 m. There are 'area' wells, which supply only a minority of the population. The patients presented with bleeding of unknown aetiology and supportive care was the initial management. Leech infestation was found to be the cause of the bleeding. In Western Ethiopia in a patient presenting with bleeding of unknown aetiology, leech infestation is an important differential diagnosis.

An outbreak of acute cysticercosis occurred in six female goats 2-4 years old and three 50 days old kids from a goat farm in northern Italy. Goats were usually recovered in stable with an outdoor paddock. Post-mortem examination showed a massive infection of Taenia hydatigena larvae in the liver, lungs and on the peritoneum. All recovered Cysticercus tenuicollis were at immature stage.

A hemorrhagic disease affecting dogs in Brazil, referred to popularly as "nambiuvú" (bloody ears) and believed to be transmitted by ticks, has been observed in animals infected with an organism described originally in 1910 as a piroplasm, and known locally as Rangelia vitalii. In this series of 10 cases, the disease was characterized by anaemia, jaundice, fever, spleno- and lymphadenomegaly, hemorrhage in the gastrointestinal tract, and persistent bleeding from the nose, oral cavity and tips, margins and outer surface of the pinnae. The ixodid ticks Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Amblyomma aureolatum infested affected dogs from suburban and rural areas, respectively. Laboratory findings included regenerative anaemia, spherocytosis, icteric plasma and bilirubinuria. Those intracellular organisms were found in bone marrow smears but not in blood smears. Microscopically, zoites were seen within the cytoplasm of blood capillary endothelial cells. Parasitized and non-parasitized endothelial cells were positive immunohistochemically for von Willebrand factor (vWF). Langhans-type multinucleate giant cells were observed in the lymph nodes and choroid plexus. There was prominent erythrophagocytosis by macrophages in the lymph node sinuses and infiltration of the medullary cords by numerous plasma cells. Ultrastructurally, this organism had an apical complex that included a polar ring and rhoptries but no conoid. This parasite was contained within a parasitophorous vacuole that had a trilaminar membrane with villar protrusions and was situated in the cytoplasm of capillary endothelial cells. This organism tested positive by immunohistochemistry for Babesia microti. This pathogen was also positive by in situ hybridization for B. microti. Tentative clinical diagnosis in these cases was based on the history, clinical picture, haemogram and favorable response to therapy, and confirmed through microscopic examination of smears from the bone marrow or histological sections of multiple tissues, especially lymph nodes where zoites were most frequently found. The disease was reproduced by intravenous inoculation of blood from a naturally infected dog into an experimental dog. The authors demonstrate in this study that this organism is a protozoa of the phylum Apicomplexa, order Piroplasmorida. This piroplasm seems to be different from Babesia since it has an intraendothelial stage. Molecular phylogenetic analysis is necessary to better characterize this parasite and clarify its taxonomic status.

Accidents with the caterpillar Lonomia obliqua are often associated with a coagulation disorder and hemorrhagic syndrome in humans. In the present study, we have constructed cDNA libraries from two venomous structures of the caterpillar, namely the tegument and the bristle. High-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analyses were performed in parallel. Over one thousand cDNAs were obtained and clustered to produce a database of 538 contigs and singletons (clusters) for the tegument library and 368 for the bristle library. We have thus identified dozens of full-length cDNAs coding for proteins with sequence homology to snake venom prothrombin activator, trypsin-like enzymes, blood coagulation factors and prophenoloxidase cascade activators. We also report cDNA coding for cysteine proteases, Group III phospholipase A2, C-type lectins, lipocalins, in addition to protease inhibitors including serpins, Kazal-type inhibitors, cystatins and trypsin inhibitor-like molecules. Antibacterial proteins and housekeeping genes are also described. A significant number of sequences were devoid of database matches, suggesting that their biologic function remains to be defined. We also report the N-terminus of the most abundant proteins present in the bristle, tegument, hemolymph, and "cryosecretion". Thus, we have created a catalog that contains the predicted molecular weight, isoelectric point, accession number, and putative function for each selected molecule from the venomous structures of L. obliqua. The role of these molecules in the coagulation disorder and hemorrhagic syndrome caused by envenomation with this caterpillar is discussed. All sequence information and the , including figures and tables with hyperlinks to FASTA-formatted files for each contig and the best match to the databases, are available at http://www.ncbi.nih.gov/projects/omes.

Objectives: To identify characteristics that increased the risk of mortality in Ethiopian visceral leishmaniasis patients in a treatment programme managed by Médecins sans Frontières, in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia., Methods: Retrospective review of a cohort of 791 patients treated for visceral leishmaniasis., Results: The cohort displayed all the classical signs and symptoms of the disease. The case fatality rate was 18.5% (146) (95% CI: 15.8-21.3%). Logistic regression showed that individuals who experienced at least one episode of vomiting or haemorrhage were more likely to die than those who did not. A subcohort of individuals who tested human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive were more than four times more likely to die than those who tested HIV-negative (OR 4.5, 95% CI: 1.8-11.4)., Conclusion: This study identifies characteristics associated with death in this population and highlights the devastating effect of co-infection with visceral leishmaniasis and HIV in the African context.

Multi-organ infection with Fasciola hepatica is uncommon. We report a case of severe infection with Fasciola hepatica as a cause of liver and peritoneum injuries with hemorrhagic ascites as well as pulmonary, pericardial, splenic and portal system injuries in a 37-year old man who was a native of Green Cape. The patient was in poor general health, had a major inflammatory syndrome, and polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia (90 g/L). The diagnosis was confirmed by positive distomatosis serology and the presence of eggs of Fasciola hepatica in the histological samples of the liver and peritoneum. After treatment with praziquantel then triclabendazole, the global outcome was favorable.

We describe a case of disseminated strongyloidiasis involving a female patient with active systemic erythematosus (SLE). The cause of death was massive pulmonary hemorrhage induced by a filariform larvae infection. This was initially diagnosed during examination of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid just 2 days before her death. The case indicated that immunosuppressed individuals would be paid attention to possible parasitic infection prior to starting therapy even in non-endemic areas as well as other microorganisms.

Tissues from corticosteroid-treated gerbils hyperinfected with Strongyloides stercoralis were compared grossly and microscopically to similar tissues from animals with uncomplicated strongyloidiasis. Gerbils with hyperinfection developed severe pulmonary alveolar haemorrhage with a variable degree of subacute eosinophilic interstitial pneumonia associated with numerous alveolar, vascular and interstitial larvae. Hyperinfection induced by corticosteroids, given either before inoculation of S. stercoralis larvae or after a chronic Strongyloides infection was established, produced similar lesions. In contrast, lungs from gerbils with uncomplicated Strongyloides infection had severe eosinophilic perivasculitis and vasculitis with very little haemorrhage, no pneumonia and no larvae. Sections of adult worms were present in the proximal part of the intestinal tract, lodged in spaces between mucosal epithelial cells. Adult worms were not associated with inflammation and were more common in the corticosteroid-treated gerbils. In corticosteroid-treated gerbils only, there were numerous larvae in the distal intestinal tract, throughout the intestinal wall and adjacent mesentery, within interstitial tissues and in lymphatic vessels. Significant inflammation with associated larvae was only present in the caecum and mesenteric lymph nodes, suggesting that the caecum was the main site for initiation of parenteral migration with subsequent invasion of the lymphatic system and lungs. The lesions in these gerbils were similar to those found in humans. Infection of gerbils with S. stercoralis is the best rodent model of human strongyloidiasis.

Chromium51 labelled erythrocytes were used to measure blood loss in sheep infected with either H. contortus, H. placei or the F1 of their reciprocal cross hybrids (H. contortus males x H. placei females = CXP, H. placei males x H. contortus females = PXC). CXP consisted of sterile males and semi-sterile females and sheep infected with this hybrid had nil egg counts; while PXC consisted of semi-sterile males and females and their hosts had some eggs in their faeces. Immediately after their blood loss was estimated the sheep were killed and their worms counted. One hundred male and 100 female worms from each sheep were dried at 60 degrees C overnight and then weighed to give an estimate of the biomass in each infection. Total daily egg production was calculated from egg counts made on 3 random 2 g samples from the 24 h faecal collection. The relationship of the log blood loss to log worm number, to log biomass of infection in each sheep and to log total egg production in the parental species was linear. Biomass was no better an estimator of blood loss than was worm number. There was no improvement in the estimation of blood loss by regressing the male and female worms separately. In all of the analyses, there was no improvement by regressing H. contortus and H. placei or their hybrids separately. It appeared that egg production was not a major factor in the requirement for blood by Haemonchus. The size of individual female worms was negatively correlated with the number of worms in the infection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Laboratory bred albino mice, weighing 20 to 25 g, were orally infected with 2000 Baylisascaris transfuga infective eggs each. Mice were randomly chosen and sacrificed on days 1, 2, 3, 10, 15, 24 and 70 post-infection. Samples of intestine, mesenteric lymph nodes, liver, lungs, heart, spleen, kidneys, uterus, brain and skeletal muscles were collected and processed for conventional histopathology. In the early infection the major necropsy findings were focal haemorrhages on the intestinal wall, liver, lungs and brain. Histologically, larvae were found in haemorrhagic areas. In the subacute-chronic infection white nodules were scattered through all the examined organs, except the brain. Histologically, the white nodules corresponded to granulomas containing larvae surrounded by lymphocytes, eosinophil leukocytes and macrophages. The migration of B. transfuga larvae in spleen, kidneys and uterus of infected mice appears to have not been reported by previous workers. The possible role of B. transfuga larvae in the Visceral Larva Migrans syndrome is discussed.

The involvement of thromboxane and lipoxygenase in the regulation of pulmonary lesions and immune responses was investigated in dogs given ketoconazole and exposed to dead adult Dirofiliara immitis. Immunopathological reactions to the dead filariae were monitored by light and transmission electron microscopy and serology. When compared with control tissues, ketoconazole administration enhanced the level of pulmonary haemorrhage and early parenchymal fibrosis associated with dead adult filariae. Ultrastructurally, alveolar capillaries were filled with erythrocyte aggregations and proteinaceous material. These results suggested that an intact thromboxane and lipoxygenase pathway within the arachidonic acid system is necessary to minimize the effect of dead D. immitis in this pulmonary artery model.

Two cases of canine leishmaniasis associated with systemic necrotizing vasculitis are described. The main macroscopic lesions were haemorrhagic in type; histopathological changes confirmed a vascular lesion affecting small arteries of several organs (skin, intestinal tract, kidney, urinary bladder, mesenteric lymph nodes, adrenal gland, myocardium, lung, eye and choroid plexus). The presence of the parasite was confirmed with a specific immunocytochemical stain. The possibility of an immunological aetiology of the vasculitis and its classification is discussed.

Fifty seven patients with schistosomiasis of the liver and spleen in both the compensated and decompensated states and 15 non-bilharzial subjects were studied. Fibrinogen, plasminogen, fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products, alpha 2-macroglobulin, antithrombin III and Cl-activator concentrations were evaluated in an attempt to assess abnormalities at various stages of the disease. The results showed a progressive decrease in fibrinogen and plasminogen concentrations; fibrin degradation products showed a progressive increase as the disease progressed. Together with a falling platelet count, these data indicate the possible occurrence of disseminated intravascular coagulation with enhanced fibrinolysis which was most pronounced in those who vomited blood. Antithrombin III concentration showed a progressive decrease in parallel with the progress of the disease, possibly due to decreased synthesis or increased consumption, or both. Cl-activator concentration showed no significant change from that in normal controls at any stage of the disease. These findings provide further evidence that disseminated intravascular coagulation and enhanced fibrinolysis in the late stages of schistosomiasis may contribute to the haemorrhagic diathesis seen in the liver and spleen.

A 55-day-old newborn with an intense otitis haemorrhagica caused by a Calliphoridae larva of the genus Phaenicia is presented. During an ear lavage the larva was removed. The patient was admitted and once the genus was known he underwent a specific treatment and was discharged completely cured.