In the past decades, cases of canine ocular onchocercosis have been reported worldwide, particularly in the United States and Europe. Onchocerca lupi, originally described from a wolf, has been implicated in some of these cases, and its zoonotic role has been hypothesized on the basis of the reexamination of two cases of human ocular onchocerciasis. In the present study, we describe, for the first time, the occurrence of O. lupi in the subconjunctival region of the human eye in a patient from Turkey. The nematode was identified as O. lupi based on its morphology and molecular phylogenetic analysis of partial cox1 and 12S ribosomal DNA genes. The results suggest that O. lupi should be considered in the differential diagnosis of other eye parasitic infections in humans. The role of dogs as natural hosts of O. lupi and the vectors of this zoonotic parasite need to be investigated.
Objective: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic in all Mediterranean countries including Turkey, and children are at greater risk than adults in endemic areas. In VL patients, serological assays are considered to be sensitive for the diagnosis and/or follow up. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of serology for following up of childhood VL in Turkey. Methods: Sera obtained from twenty parasitologically confirmed children with VL were tested using IFAT and ELISA. The patients were monitored clinically and serologically (range: 20-500 days) during and after treatment. All VL patients were treated with meglumine antimonate. Results: Anti-Leishmania antibodies in successfully treated VL patients showed a steep decline but, in three patients who had relapsed, an increase was detected. Significantly lower values were observed after treatment with both serological techniques. Mean ELISA optical density values before and after treatment were: 0.78±0.36 (0.26-1.76) and 0.38±0.24 (0.09-0.83) respectively, (p<0.001) and mean IFAT values (log 10 transformed titers) before and after treatment were: 3.02±0.90 (1.81-4.51) and 2.16±0.75 (1.20-3.90) respectively, (p<0.001). Conclusion: ELISA and IFAT are valuable not only for diagnosis but also for monitoring of drug therapy in childhood visceral leishmaniasis as rapid and non-invasive techniques. (Turkiye Parazitol Derg 2011; 35: 125-8) (Turkiye Parazitol Derg 2011; 35: 125-8)
These data suggest that human fasciolosis is not as rare as previously reported in Turkey. F. hepatica infection should be suspected especially in the presence of eosinophilia, abdominal pain and liver lesions.
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