Schistosomiasis is increasingly encountered among travelers returning from the tropics; signs and symptoms of travelers may differ from those of local populations. During 1993–2005, schistosomiasis was diagnosed in 137 Israeli travelers, most of whom were infected while in sub-Saharan Africa. Clinical findings compatible with acute schistosomiasis were recorded for 75 (66.4%) patients and included fever (71.3%), respiratory symptoms (42.9%), and cutaneous symptoms (45.2%). At time of physical examination, 42 patients (37.1%) still had symptoms of acute schistosomiasis, chronic schistosomiasis had developed in 23 (20.4%), and 48 (42.5%) were asymptomatic. Of patients who were initially asymptomatic, chronic schistosomiasis developed in 26%. Diagnosis was confirmed by serologic testing for 87.6% of patients, but schistosome ova were found in only 25.6%. We conclude that acute schistosomiasis is a major clinical problem among travelers, diagnostic and therapeutic options for acute schistosomiasis are limited, and asymptomatic travelers returning from schistosomiasis-endemic areas should be screened and treated.

Acute liver fluke infection results from eating raw fish illegally imported from Siberia.

Blood samples from 18 tickborne relapsing fever (TBRF) patients and Ornithodoros tholozani specimens were tested with a Borrelia flaB-PCR. Results were positive for all patients and 2%–40% of ticks. A 7–amino acid gap characterized all 9 sequenced flagellin gene amplicons. By phylogenetic analysis, Israel TBRF Borrelia sequences clustered separately from American and African groups.

Synaptic plasma membrane vesicles isolated from rat brain were loaded with L-glutamate either passively, by using a freeze-thaw technique, or by active transport. Subsequently the ion dependency of glutamate efflux from these vesicles was studied. With each of the types of loading similar results were obtained. Efflux requires the simultaneous presence of internal sodium ions and external potassium ions. The process is also stimulated by chloride ions, but either internal or external chloride ions cause stimulation. Addition of unlabeled L-glutamate stimulates efflux about 2-fold. It is concluded that efflux of L-glutamate is in many aspects symmetrical with its influx [Kanner, B. I., & Sharon, I. (1978) Biochemistry 17, 3949--3954]. It appears that in order for L-glutamate to interact with the transporter, sodium has to be present on the same side as L-glutamate whereas potassium has to be simultaneously present on the opposite site. The simplest way to account for these and the previous data is to postulate that the L-glutamate transporter catalyzes sodium and L-glutamate cotransport, while it simultaneously catalyzes antiport of potassium.

Twelve Israeli travelers acquired schistosomiasis in Laos during 2002–2008, and 7 of them had acute schistosomiasis. The patients were probably exposed to Schistosoma mekongi in southern Laos, an area known to be endemic for schistosomiasis. Four possibly were infected in northern Laos, where reports of schistosomiasis are rare.