Polymorphisms in the regulatory regions of cytokine genes may not only increase susceptibility to some infectious diseases but also affect the course and prognosis of the disease. TNF-α is considered an important Th1 cytokines that plays critical roles in control of Brucella infection and in macrophage activation. In this study, we are going to analyze the relationship of two polymorphisms in TNF-α and the inherited susceptibility/resistance to brucellosis in population of Makkah region. A cases-control association study was conducted in 69 individuals with human Brucellosis and 112 healthy individuals. Genotyping of TNF-308G>A and -857C>T polymorphism in both patients and healthy controls was done by PCR-RFLP method and were assessed for potential associations with susceptibility for human brucellosis and their mode of penetrance. The findings indicate an increased risk of TNF-α-308 A allele for human brucellosis reliable with the recessive genetic model of penetrance (Odd Ratio: 3.222, 95% CI: 1.008-5.702, P = 0.018). There is no association between susceptibility of human brucellosis and TNF-α-857 C/T polymorphism was observed. The protective role of TNF-α-857 C/T polymorphism against human brucellosis in this study population could not be excluded.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to confirm observations on the concomitant immunity to Schistosoma mansoni in mice and assess its effects on the resistance of mice to a challenge infection. Methods: Cercariae from infected Biomphalaria glabrata were used to infect mice. Twenty mice were infected with a single dose of S. mansoni cercariae. The animals were randomly divided into two groups: experimental group (Group A) and control group (Group B). Group A mice were challenged with the same number of cercariae six weeks after the primary infection. Perfusion of all mice was done 9 weeks after infection in order to obtain worm burdens in relation to their initial cercarial dose. The livers of all mice were obtained for parasitological and pathological assessments. Results: Our results showed that all the exposed animals became infected with S. mansoni. After a challenge infection, Group A mice had a 54.66% worm reduction rate, 41.45% liver egg reduction rate, and 51.76% granuloma size reduction rate compared to their respective controls. This study shows that mice with persistent adult S. mansoni infection are able to mount a very strong regulatory response to a challenge infection. It is concluded that concomitant immunity does occur in mice. Conclusion: These results describe novel imaging methods that permit visualization of live schistosomes within their living hosts and may help to elucidate mechanisms of infection and also be of value not only for epidemiological investigations, but also in designing government control programs for schistosomiasis. (Turkiye Parazitol Derg 2013; 37: 19-22) . Grup A fareleri birincil enfeksiyondan altı hafta sonra aynı sayıda serkarya ile sınandı. Başlangıç serkarya dozlarıyla ilişkili kurtçuk yükünü elde etmek için tüm farelere enfeksiyondan 9 hafta sonra perfüzyon yapıldı. Bütün farelerin karaciğerleri parazitolojik ve patolojik değerlendirmeler için alındı. Bulgular: Sonuçlarımız maruz kalan tüm hayvanların S. mansoni ile enfekte olduğunu gösterdi. Karşılaşılan bir enfeksiyondan sonra ilgili kontrolleriyle kıyaslandığında, Grup A farelerde kurtçuk azalma oranı %54.66, karaciğerdeki yumurta azalma oranı %41.45, granülom boyutundaki azalma oranı %51.76 idi. Bu çalışma göstermektedir ki persistant yetişkin S. mansoni enfeksiyonu olan fareler, meydan okuyan bir enfeksiyona çok güçlü bir düzenleyici cevap oluşturabilmektedir. Farelerde konkomitant bağışık oluştuğuna karar verilmiştir. Sonuç: Bu bulgular canlı şistozomların yaşayan konaklarında görüntülenmesini sağlayan yeni görüntüleme metotlarını tanımlamaktadır ve enfeksiyon mekanizmalarını açıklamaya yardımcı olabilir. Ayrıca bu bulgular, sadece epidemiyolojik araştırmalar için değil, şistozomiyaz için devlet kontrol programları tasarlamak için de önemlidir. (Turkiye Parazitol Derg 2013; 37: 19-22)

BackgroundGenetic polymorphisms that affect the production levels of certain cytokines and/or their receptors may determine the risk, severity or protection in some infectious diseases like brucellosis.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate the association of certain known Interferon-γ Receptor-1 (IFN-γ R1) gene promoter polymorphisms and the susceptibility to infection with Brucellosis in Saudi population.MethodsA cases-control association study was conducted in 69 individuals with human brucellosis and 94 healthy individuals. Genotyping of IFN-γ R1 — 56 C>T and IFN-γ R1 — 611 A>G polymorphism in both patients and healthy controls was done by PCR- restriction enzyme length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP) and PCR- confronting two primer pairs (PCR-CTPP) methods and were assessed for potential associations with susceptibility for human brucellosis and their mode of penetrance.ResultsInterestingly, we have designed a PCR-CTPP system to be used for genotyping of IFN-γ R1 — 611 A > G polymorphism. The PCR-CTPP is an accurate method for genotyping of SNPs. Moreover, it is time-saving, inexpensive and easy to perform.ConclusionBoth tested polymorphisms, IFN-γ R1 — 56 C>T and IFN-γ R1 -611 A>G polymorphism had no role in genetic susceptibility to human brucellosis in the study population. The PCR-CTPP can be used for genotyping IFN-γ R1 — 611 A > G polymorphism and other types of mutation.

The present study was conducted mainly to establish a new concomitant immunity model to Schistosoma mansoni in mice and assess its effects on the resistance of mice to a challenge infection with a possibility of using as a diagnostic marker. Three groups (A, B and C) of BALB/c mice were infected with a single dose of <i>S. mansoni</i> cercariae obtained from infected <i>Biomphalaria glabrata</i> snail. The group A mice were used as infected control group. The group B mice were intraperitoneally injected with allylthiourea (ATU) 22 days post-primary infection then they were challenged 3 weeks post-ATU treatment. The group C mice were challenged with the same number of cercariae 6 weeks post-primary infection. Perfusion of all mice was done 9 weeks after infection in order to obtain worm burdens. The livers of all mice were obtained for parasitological and pathological assessments. Our results showed that the group B mice had a 29.11% worm reduction rate, 25.37% liver egg reduction rate, and 37.48% granuloma size reduction rate compared to their respective controls. While the group C mice showed superior results and had a 54.66% worm reduction rate, 41.45% liver egg reduction rate, and 51.76% granuloma size reduction rate. It was concluded that these results described novel imaging methods that permit visualization of live schistosomes within their living hosts and may have important implications not only for epidemiological and diagnostic investigations, but also in designing control programs for schistosomiasis including anti-schistosome vaccine

In this study we explored the rabbit as an animal model for the congenital infection of schistosomiasis japonica and assessed the effect of a congenital S. japonicum infection on the resistance of rabbit kittens to a postnatal challenge infection. Kittens were challenged 17-19 weeks after the primary infection of their mothers. Perfusion was undertaken six weeks after the challenge. At this time parasitological, pathological and immunological parameters, worm reduction rate, granuloma size reduction rate, egg reduction rate, IgG and IgM responses were assessed and compared to that of kittens born to un-infected mothers. The overall prevalence of congenital infection in kittens of infected mothers was 20% (12/60). After a postnatal challenge infection, prenatally infected kittens had a 54.66% worm reduction rate, 41.45% egg reduction rate, and 51.76% granuloma size reduction rate compared to naive kittens. Congenital infection decreases the IgM responses by 39.47% while it increases the IgG responses by 56.22%. Together, these results indicate that congenital infection induce long-term effects on pathology and immune response patterns in rabbits' subsequently challenge with S. japonicum cercariae.