Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine

195-208

Authors: Samar Habib, Manar Azab, Khaled Elmasry, Aya Handoussa

Leishmania donovani is one of the causative agents of visceral leishmaniasis. The immune response against Leishmania depends on CD4+ T helper type 1 cells. The immune system is unable to combat Leishmania because the parasite can exert several immune suppressive mechanisms that facilitate escaping the immune responses. One of these mechanisms is the up-regulation of programmed death-1/programmed death ligand-1 pathway which causes T cells to undergo exhaustion. Autophagy is strongly linked to the immune response, with some research indicating that activating autophagy reduces the immune response to some intracellular pathogens, while others indicate that activating autophagy limits the growth of intracellular pathogens. Leishmania was found to subvert the host defense mechanisms for its own persistence, such as Leishmania-induced autophagy modulation. Leishmania was reported to activate autophagy in different studies, thus getting a dual benefit by evading the immune system and simultaneously utilizing the autophagy byproducts as nutrients. In this review, we introduced different immune evasion/suppressive mechanisms used by Leishmania, and different immunotherapies which were developed accordingly. We focused on the programmed death-1/programmed death ligand-1 pathway as well as autophagy with the potential interplay of both mechanisms.

214-222

Authors: Vipavinee Cheypanya, Pheravut Wongsawad, Chalobol Wongsawad, Nattawadee Nantarat

Objective: To examine and study the morphology, epidemiology, and molecular phylogeny of Anisakis larvae in blue mackerel [Scomber australasicus (Cuvier, 1832)] and Indian mackerel [Rastrelliger kanagurta (Cuvier, 1816)] using light microscope, scanning electron microscope, molecular phylogeny, and species delimitation methods for confirmation and investigation of Anisakis species and their evolutionary relationship. Methods: A total of 90 fish (45 per species) were purchased from a department store in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Anisakis samples were investigated for morphological characteristics using light and scanning electron microscopes. Molecular phylogeny and species delimitation methods based on the cox2 gene were performed. Results: The prevalence, mean intensity (Mean±SEM), and mean abundance of Anisakis larvae (Mean±SEM) in blue mackerel were 77.78%, 6.74±1.320, and 5.24±1.107, respectively, and in Indian mackerel, these values were 13.33%, 2.50±0.764, and 0.33±0.159, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy showed the detail of morphological characteristics and provided the different shapes of mucron and excretory pores in Anisakis larvae congruent with the phylogenetic tree. The species tree was congruent with the phylogenetic tree. Conclusions: The prevalence, mean intensity, and mean abundance of Anisakis larvae were higher in blue mackerel. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that Anisakis pegreffii was found in blue mackerel in Thailand. The phylogenetic tree also supported the morphological data of Anisakis larvae. However, species delimitation based on cox2 revealed 1-3 possible cryptic species in this genus. Anisakis spp. contamination of fish products is unpleasant and a health concern considering human infection with larvae (anisakiasis) arises.

231-233

Authors: Sara Iqbal, Humza Thobani, Saulat Fatimi

Rationale: Salmonella (S.) typhi is a rare cause of osteomyelitis in immunocompetent adults. Extensive drug resistance (XDR) may lead to more complicated cases of S. typhi osteomyelitis. Patient concern: A 55-year-old female presented with a persistent low-grade fever and a swelling on her lower left chest with a sinus discharging purulent fluid for the past 8 months. Her symptoms had been unresponsive to previous anti-microbial therapy. Diagnosis: Rib osteomyelitis caused by XDR S. typhi. Interventions: Surgical wound debridement, left 7th-9th rib resection and intravenous 桇 meropenem were done. Outcome: Fever resolved and left-sided swelling resected without recurrence. Lessons: The prevalence of XDR S. typhi is growing in South Asia and should be considered as the differential diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis.

236-237

Authors: Mahadevan Ganesan, Jagannathan Renganathan, Vaithiyanadhaswamy Vasuki, Raj Joseph

None.

239-240

Authors: Giao Huynh, Thien Thuan Tran, Han Thi Ngoc Nguyen, Le An Pham

None.