Transplantation activity is increasing, leading to a growing number of patients at risk for toxoplasmosis. We reviewed toxoplasmosis prevention practices, prevalence, and outcomes for hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and solid organ transplant (SOT; heart, kidney, or liver) patients in Europe. We collected electronic data on the transplant population and prevention guidelines/regulations and clinical data on toxoplasmosis cases diagnosed during 2010–2014. Serologic pretransplant screening of allo-hematopoietic stem cell donors was performed in 80% of countries, screening of organ donors in 100%. SOT recipients were systematically screened in 6 countries. Targeted anti-Toxoplasma chemoprophylaxis was heterogeneous. A total of 87 toxoplasmosis cases were recorded (58 allo-HSCTs, 29 SOTs). The 6-month survival rate was lower among Toxoplasma-seropositive recipients and among allo-hematopoietic stem cell and liver recipients. Chemoprophylaxis improved outcomes for SOT recipients. Toxoplasmosis remains associated with high mortality rates among transplant recipients. Guidelines are urgently needed to standardize prophylactic regimens and optimize patient management.

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SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein was predicted by molecular docking to bind the host cell surface GRP78, which was suggested as a putative good molecular target to inhibit Covid-19. We aimed to confirm that GRP78 gene expression was increased in blood of SARS-CoV-2 (+) versus SARS-CoV-2 (−) pneumonia patients. In addition, we aimed to identify drugs that could be repurposed to inhibit GRP78, thus with potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Gene expression studies were performed in 10 SARS-CoV-2 (−) and 24 SARS-CoV-2 (+) pneumonia patients. A structure-based virtual screen was performed with 10,761 small molecules retrieved from DrugBank, using the GRP78 nucleotide binding domain and substrate binding domain as molecular targets. Results indicated that GRP78 mRNA levels were approximately four times higher in the blood of SARS-CoV-2 (+) versus SARS-CoV-2 (−) pneumonia patients, further suggesting that GRP78 might be a good molecular target to treat Covid-19. In addition, a total of 409 compounds were identified with potential as GRP78 inhibitors. In conclusion, we found preliminary evidence that further proposes GRP78 as a possible molecular target to treat Covid-19 and that many clinically approved drugs bind GRP78 as an off-target effect. We suggest that further work should be urgently carried out to confirm if GRP78 is indeed a good molecular target and if some of those drugs have potential to be repurposed for SARS-CoV-2 antiviral activity.

Blastocystis hominis is one of the most common eukaryotic organisms in the intestinal tract of humans, while its pathogenic potential is still controversial. A total of 286 stool samples obtained from adult and pediatric patients with or without gastrointestinal symptoms in two hospitals in Manisa, Turkey, were cultured to detect B. hominis infection. Forty-one and 51 isolates were obtained from the adults and children, respectively, and these isolates were subjected to subtyping by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the known sequence-tagged site primers. The correlation between the genotype and the symptoms was evaluated. PCR subtyping indicated that subtype 3 was the most common genotype in both symptomatic and asymptomatic groups, and the second common genotype was subtypes 1 and 2 in symptomatic and asymptomatic groups, respectively. A significant correlation between subtype 2 and the asymptomatic groups was found among both in pediatric and adult patients (chi(2) (cal) = 4.38, df = 1, p = 0.044). However, there were no significant differences between the other genotypes and the symptomatic or asymptomatic groups, as well as both the age and sex of the patients. The present study suggests that subtype 2 is a non-pathogenic genotype of B. hominis.

Background/Aim: A novel human coronavirus, named SARS-COV-2, has recently caused thousands of deaths all around the world. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays an important role in the development of diseases. Patients and Methods: We aimed to to investigate the relationship between ER stress markers in patients infected with SARS-COV-2 and patients with pneumonia. A total of 9 patients (4 patients diagnosed with pneumonia and 5 patients diagnosed with SARS-COV-2 infection) who admitted to the emergency Department with symptoms of pneumonia and SARS-COV-2 were included in the study. A total of 18 healthy individuals without any known chronic or acute disease and drug use were included as the healthy control group. Serum human glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78), serum human C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and serum human phospho extracellular signal regulated kinase (PERK) levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: GRP78 levels were found to be significantly higher in SARS-COV-2 positive cases compared to individuals in other groups. Serum GRP-78 level median value was statistically significantly higher in SARS-COV-2-positive group compared to the other groups (p=0.0003). Serum PERK level was statistically significantly higher in SARS-COV-2-positive pneumonia cases (p=0.046). Conclusion: An association was shown between GRP78 and SARS-COV-2 infection.Although a small number of patients was investigated, these results will be important and guide future treatments of SARS-COV-2.Coronaviruses are spherical or pleomorphic in shape with a mean diameter of 80-120 nm. They have heavily glycosylated trimeric spike (S) proteins on their surface (1). Coronavirus infection starts with receptor binding via the S protein. The interaction between the host cell surface receptor and the S1 subunit is the major determinant of the tropism of coronaviruses (2, 3). Upon receptor binding of S1, a conformational change is triggered in the S2 subunit, exposing its hidden fusion peptide for insertion into the cellular membrane.Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the organelle where the synthesis, folding, maturation and transport of proteins, calcium storage and lipid biosynthesis of the cell processes take place. ER stress is defined as the result of ER protein folding capacity, resulting in wrongly folded or unfolded protein accumulation (4). Excessive synthesis of secretion proteins, mutations in proteins involved in protein folding, abnormal changes in the amount of Ca +2 in ER and viral infections are some of the factors that cause protein accumulation in ER (5,6). The cell activates three mechanisms to eliminate ER stress caused by an imbalance between the amount of unfolded proteins in ER and the capacity of the cellular mechanism that handles this amount. Firstly, protein synthesis and translocation of proteins to ER are decreased, and the amount of protein entering ER is reduced with a temporary adaptation. Secondly; unfolded protein response (UPR) is activated. Therefore, an increase in the ca...

These results revealed that giardiasis increased the serological levels of copper, like other infectious agents. However, zinc and iron levels decreased during giardiasis due to malabsorption.

Recent reports of the pathogenic potential of Dientamoeba fragilis have underlined the need for an effective treatment against this colon-dwelling protozoan. Metronidazole is a well-known and commonly used anti-protozoal agent, but another 5-nitroimidazole derivative, ornidazole, may be preferable, where available, because of its longer half-life and fewer side-effects. This study compared the efficacies of metronidazole and ornidazole in a group of 112 patients with dientamoebiasis. Patients were randomised into two treatment groups: group 1 (n = 56) received metronidazole for 5 days, 20 mg/kg/day for children and 1.5 g/day for adults, in three oral doses, while group 2 (n = 56) received a single oral dose of ornidazole, 30 mg/kg for children and 2 g for adults. Stool samples were examined on the seventh and 14th days after treatment, and clinical symptoms were recorded to evaluate the efficacy of treatment. A statistically significant difference was recorded between the efficacies of ornidazole and metronidazole, both parasitologically (92.9% vs. 69.6%, p 0.001) and clinically (96.4% vs. 76.8%, p 0.001). Patients in the metronidazole group reported more side-effects than patients in the ornidazole group, none of whom required termination of treatment. These results suggest that single-dose ornidazole may be an important alternative agent for the treatment of dientamoebiasis.