Human Intestinal Parasites Research Articles

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in humans and domestic animals in Jirel community, Dolakha, Nepal.

Gastrointestinal (GI) parasites are major health concerns in both humans and domestic animals. Livestock farming is one of the common livelihood practices in rural Nepal. The proximity at human and domestic animal interface increases the chances of dissemination of enteric parasites, especially those of zoonotic importance. This study was aimed at finding the parasite prevalence and risk factors in both humans and their domestic animals in Jirel community. A field survey was conducted on the Jirel ethnic people and their domestic animals in Dolakha district, where a total of 152 fresh fecal samples from humans and domestic animals (cow, pigs, goats, chickens, ducks, and pigeons) were collected. The feces were examined by wet mounts and concentration techniques. A structured questionnaire survey was carried out among the local people and owners of the domestic animals to gather sociodemographic information, awareness, and hygienic practices in relation to parasite transmission. The enteric parasite prevalence was found to be highest in goats (80.0%;12/15), followed by pigs (55.55%;5/9), cows (45.45%;6/11), chickens (11.7%;4/34), and humans (1.41%;1/71), while the fecal samples of ducks and pigeons did not contain any parasites. The only parasite identified in humans was Ascaris lumbricoides. Similarly, three genera of GI parasites (Eimeria sp., Strongyloides sp, and Trichuris sp.) from goats, two genera each from cow (Eimeria sp. and Strongyloides sp.), pigs (Entamoeba sp. and A. suum), and chickens (Eimeria sp. and Ascaridia galli), were detected. Based on the direct field observation, questionnaire survey and laboratory analysis, it is concluded that the Jirel community people are aware of health and hygiene; however, intervention measures are necessary to prevent parasitic infection in their domestic animals.

Molecular detection and identification of Enteromonas species in human and animal hosts using polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing

Enteromonas hominis, a human intestinal protozoan parasite of the diplomonad group, has been overlooked because of its commensal features; therefore, molecular studies on this parasite are limited. To address this gap, we designed a molecular screening protocol using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing targeting the 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA gene and applied this screening method to the molecular epidemiological analysis of Enteromonas spp. in humans and various livestock. We validated our methodology using stool samples collected from 215 humans and 270 animal hosts (buffaloes, pigs, dogs, goats, horses, rodents, chickens, and ducks) during an annual epidemiological investigation conducted from 2013 to 2016 on Sumba Island, Indonesia. The overall prevalences of Enteromonas spp. were 33.9 % (n = 73/215) in humans and 25.2 % (n = 68/270) in mammals and avians. The positive predictive value of this PCR method for Enteromonas spp., as evaluated through sequencing, was 90.1 % in human samples and 58.1 % in non-human samples (particularly low, 11.4 % in rodents). Although the specificity of the PCR approach may not be perfect, in combination with DNA sequencing, it was effective in detecting and identifying a partial sequence (1458 bp) of the target gene region in Enteromonas species.

Tracking Stone Age mariners: projecting into the past

ABSTRACT It has become increasingly clear that, through the millennia, travel by water has been generally safer, faster, and more economical than travel by land. Humans possessed seagoing watercraft early on, disablings and uncontrolled storm-generated drifts would inevitably have occurred, and the prevailing winds and oceanic surface currents would have impelled some of these craft over oceans, leading to insular and extrahemispheric discoveries and exchanges. Intentional exploratory voyages also occurred. Although there is much material evidence of developed watercraft from the Late Neolithic on, few Stone Age vessel vestiges other than of logboats have been recovered archaeologically. However, indirect means exist to obtain a sense of what occurred long ago. First is demonstration of very early human presences on islands. Here, many contemporary scientific proxies for otherwise-undocumented human occupancy are described. In the New World, the presence of tropical/subtropical human intestinal parasites implies trans-ocean crossings impressively early in time, including by the seventh millennium B.C.

Concomitant ectopic Enterobius vermicularis infection in uterine cervical cancer

BackgroundEnterobius vermicularis (E. vermicularis), also referred to as pinworm, is a widespread human intestinal parasite which predominantly occurs in young children, making their caretakers a population at risk for the transmission of this helminth. It can occasionally affect extraintestinal organs and tissues, including the female genital tract. Infestation can be asymptomatic or manifest as different kinds of gynaecological disorders, such as pelvic inflammation mimicking tumours, abnormal uterine bleeding, or vaginitis. Diagnosis is made by identifying ova in the sample collected from the perineal skin using a transparent adhesive tape or microscopic examination of resected tissue. Mebendazole is the first-line medication and should also be administered to all household members.Case presentationWe present a case of a patient who had undergone surgery for invasive cervical cancer with an accidental finding of E. vermicularis eggs in the cervix.ConclusionsAlthough not very common, infestation with E. vermicularis should be considered in differential diagnoses of various gynaecological disorders accompanied by histological findings of granulomatous inflammation.

Comparative Study of Herbal drugs and Synthetic drugs used for treatment of Intestinal Worm Infestation

The purpose of this study was to compare the herbal drugs which are used traditionally with commonly used synthetic drugs for the treatment of intestinal worm infestation. The experiment was conducted using adult Indian earthworms (Pheretima Posthuma) owing to their anatomical and physiological similarity to human intestinal parasites, making it convenient for the evaluation of anthelmintic compounds in a laboratory setting. As a control sample and preparation of samples normal saline solution was used. Various concentrations of both herbal and synthetic drugs were tested and result was obtained in the terms of time of paralysis and time of death in minutes. All the drugs show different time of paralysis and death of worms. In this study we took herbal powders without any extraction process or chemical process done on it.

Antiparasitic activity of the iron-containing milk protein lactoferrin and its potential derivatives against human intestinal and blood parasites

An iron-containing milk protein named lactoferrin (Lf) has demonstrated antiparasitic and immunomodulatory properties against a variety of human parasites. This protein has shown its capability to bind and transport iron molecules in the vicinity of the host–pathogen environment. The ability of parasites to sequester the iron molecule and to increase their pathogenicity and survival depends on the availability of iron sources. Lf protein has suggested a iron chelating effect on parasites iron and, hence, has shown its antiparasitic effect. Since the parasites have a complex life cycle and have developed drug resistance, vaccines and other treatments are a handful. Therefore, therapeutic research focusing on natural treatment regimens that target the parasite and are non-toxic to host cells is urgently needed. The antiparasitic efficacy of Lf protein has been extensively studied over the past 40 years using both in vitro and in vivo studies. This review article highlighted past important studies on Lf protein that revealed its potential antiparasitic activity against various intracellular and extracellular intestinal or blood-borne human parasites. This review article structures the role of Lf protein in its various forms, such as native, peptide, and nanoformulation, laying the groundwork for its function as an antiparasitic agent and its possible known mechanisms of action.

Intestinal Parasites Associated with American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana) in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria.

American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) has been implicated as mechanical vector of parasites of humans and animals. Therefore, this study aimed to identify and determine the prevalence of human intestinal parasites associated with the body surface and gut of P. americana. A total of 221 cockroaches which include 104 males and 117 females were collected from household kitchen, toilet area and canteen after which they were brought to laboratory for study. The body surface of the cockroach was washed with 5ml normal saline solution to remove external parasites on the body surface for examination and later rinsed with 70% alcohol and dried before dissecting. The cockroach was dissected to examine internal parasites. Eleven parasites were recovered and identified, these include Ascarislumbricoides (51.58%),Strongyloides stercoralis (48.42%) Trichuristrichiura (52.49%),Enterobiusvermicularis (37.10%), Taenia spp (14.93%),Toxocara(31.67%), Ancylostoma spp (34.84%), Necator americanus (53.39%), andDiphylidium spp(66.23%) Balantidium coli (66.52%). The parasites were recorded both on the body surface and gut of the cockroach. There is no significant difference (p > 0.05) between parasites infection rate comparing both sexes; though, female cockroach having a higher infection rate (91.45%) than male (81.5%). Cockroach collected from toilets carried more parasites (96.34%) as compared to those from restaurants/canteen (89.71%) and household kitchens (81.69%). All parasites encountered were pathogenic to human and animals. This study has revealed that P. americana can act as mechanical vector by transporting and transmitting these parasites easily to man and animal. Good sanitary practices, reinforcement of worms' eradication programs, and the fight against these insects remain a necessity to contain the menace of parasites burden and cockroach control.

Iraqi household cockroaches collected from Diyala Province are potential vectors of medically-important parasites

Household cockroaches constitute a significant public health threat due to their capacity of transmitting medically-important parasites and other pathogens. The role of Iraqi household cockroaches as potential vectors of medically-important parasites was evaluated in the present study. Fifty cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) were collected from different dwelling places of Baquba City, Diyala Province during the period from October to December 2022. The contents of their guts and external body surfaces were examined for the presence of medically-important parasites. The overall prevalence rate of parasitic infestation on the external body surfaces was 60.0%, while the overall prevalence rate of parasitic infection in the guts was 56.0%. Based on capture sites, cockroaches trapped in the toilets had more parasites than those caught from kitchens and rooms. Four species of medically important parasites were isolated from the external body surfaces of the cockroaches; three species were identified as protozoa and only one species was helminth. The protozoan parasites were identified as Blastocystis spp. (36.0%), Giardia spp. (14.0%) and Cryptosporidium spp. (4.0%). In addition, five species of medically important parasites were isolated from the gut contents; four species were identified as protozoa and only one species was helminth. The protozoan parasites were identified as Blastocystis spp. (24.0%), Giardia spp. (10.0%), Cryptosporidium spp. (8.0%), and Entamoeba histolytica/ E. dispar (2.0%). Enterobius vermicularis was the only helminth parasite isolated from both gut contents (2.0%) and external body surfaces (2.0%). In conclusion, the results showed that cockroaches were found to harbor intestinal parasites of public health importance and awareness on the potential role of these insects in the transmission of human intestinal parasites needs to be established

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in leafy green vegetables consumed by inhabitants of Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia

Vegetables are a crucial component of every diet and a good source of vitamins and minerals. Many raw vegetables, such as salads, are consumed, and consuming raw vegetables contaminated with human and animal feces can lead to a variety of intestinal parasite diseases. The goal of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the incidence of contamination of green leafy vegetables with human intestinal parasites, as well as identify the most common parasite species and any seasonal variation in parasite abundance in green leafy vegetables found and sold for human consumption in various markets and stores in Jeddah. To the best of our knowledge, no research has been conducted on the prevalence of parasite-contaminated vegetables in Jeddah. From September 2020 to July 2021, 250 leafy vegetables (coriander, watercress, lettuce, parsley, leek, and green onion) were collected from various markets and stores in Jeddah. The vegetables were sorted, labelled, and evaluated in the laboratory after being completely washed with distilled water, examined for sediment, staining, and microscopically examined. Chromatographic immunoassay tests were also used to confirm parasite identification. Intestinal parasites were discovered in 35.2% of the vegetables (88/250). Coriander was the most contaminated (64.2%), while green onion was the least contaminated (21.9%). Blastocystis spp. was the most often discovered parasite (55.7%), followed by Strongyloides spp. larva (22.7%) and Entamoeba coli cysts (6.8%). Summer has the greatest percentage of parasites, followed by autumn, while winter has the fewest. There was no statistically significant relationship between the kind of vegetable, seasonal parasite prevalence in green vegetables, and parasite type.These findings highlight the importance of inspecting vegetables grown or imported from endemic countries for parasite contamination. In Jeddah, several fresh green vegetables were tainted with intestinal parasites. This demonstrates that those who consume raw vegetables regularly may be susceptible to parasitic illnesses. These findings highlight the need of monitoring vegetables grown or imported from parasitic-endemic areas. As a result, it is critical to establish strategies and control measures to limit the likelihood of parasites in food-borne diseases.
 Keywords: contamination; intestinal parasites; Jeddah; leafy vegetables

Prevalence and molecular characterization of Giardia intestinalis isolated from children and calves in Babylon province, Iraq.

Giardia intestinalis is one of the most prevalent intestinal parasites in humans and animals, and children in close contact with livestock are particularly at risk of infection. This study aimed to detect assemblages of G. intestinalis and determine the origin of zoonotic transmission of Giardia in children and calves in different parts of Babylon province, Iraq. One hundred stool samples from children (68 boys and 32 girls) and 100 fecal samples from calves (46 males and 54 females) of different ages were randomly collected. Molecular techniques were used to estimate the prevalence of G. intestinalis in children and calves. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed by targeting the triose phosphate isomerase gene in the samples to detect G. intestinalis assemblages. The overall rates of infection with G. intestinalis in children and calves were 21% and 34%, respectively, using the conventional microscopic method. The results illustrated that 61.90% (13/21) and 38.09% (8/21) of positive samples from children were allocated to assemblages A and B, respectively (p > 0.05). In calves, assemblages A and B were detecte in 82.35% (28/34) and 17.64% (6/34) of positive samples from calves, respectively (p ≤ 0.001). Ten PCR products were sequenced and submitted to the GenBank database. Phylogenetic analysis detected five human sequences each belonging to G. intestinalis assemblages A (OM850335-OM850339) and B (OM850340-OM850344). Similarly, five calf sequences each belonged to G. intestinalis assemblages A (ON75756-ON757660) and B (ON757661-ON757665). The detection of large numbers of G. intestinalis assemblage A in both humans and cattle indicated that cattle could be a main source of zoonotic G. intestinalis infection in children in Babylon province, Iraq.

A longitudinal study of Blastocystis in dairy calves from birth through 24 months demonstrates dynamic shifts in infection rates and subtype prevalence and diversity by age

Blastocystis is a common microeukaryotic intestinal parasite in humans and other animal hosts globally. However, no large-scale longitudinal study has ever been conducted for Blastocystis. To understand patterns of infection prevalence and subtype diversity and their relationship with host age, we have conducted the most comprehensive longitudinal study of Blastocystis infection ever performed. Dairy calves from a herd located in Maryland, USA, were followed from birth through 24 months of age, and 990 individual fecal samples from 30 calves were collected over the study period, representing three age groups (pre-weaned, post-weaned, and heifer). All samples were screened for Blastocystis via PCR, and subtype determination was performed using next-generation amplicon sequencing. Associations between age group and infection status were assessed using logistic regression analyses. Blastocystis infection prevalence increased with time, significant associations were observed between age groups and infection risk, and a cumulative prevalence of 100% was observed among the study population during the 24-month period. Thirteen previously reported subtypes (ST1-6, ST10, ST14, ST21, ST23–26) and one potentially novel subtype were observed. Diversity within ST10 supports the need for division of the subtype into new subtype designations. Associations between subtype and age group were explored, and relationships between subtypes and infection chronicity are described. While subtype diversity increased with age in the study population, distinct patterns of individual subtype prevalence and chronicity were observed, supporting the importance of subtype discrimination in studies of host infection and disease. The data from this study represent a significant advance in our understanding of Blastocystis infection dynamics within a single host population over time and can be used to inform future studies of Blastocystis epidemiology in both humans and other animal hosts.Graphical

Effects of Hypertonic Solutions on Two Species of Human Intestinal Parasites During Fecal Examination

Aim: Ova and parasite examination by flotation requires hypertonic solutions, which can damage the egg and cyst membranes, leading to false negatives. The authors investigated the harmful effects of ZnSO4 and C12H22O11 solutions on the ova and parasite examination. Materials & methods: The authors processed samples using the Three Fecal Test technique. Aliquots were floated in different pH levels, temperatures and solution densities. Results: Densities above 1.12g/ml ledstructures to collapse after 6-10min. pH neutralization of the ZnSO4 solution did not prevent the parasites from changing. Conclusion: All structures were altered when standard methods were performed. To delay collapse, the parasite floating under 5 °C is highly desirable.

Parasites Associated with Open Markets Vegetables: Implication for Public Health Interventions in Ethiope East, Southern Nigeria

Objectives: Vegetables have been reported to be a mechanical means of transmission of human intestinal parasites. This study is aimed to ascertain the association between parasites and vegetables sold in Ethiope East, Delta State, Nigeria.
 Methods: Two hundred and seventy (270) vegetables were subjected to sedimentation and zinc sulphate floatation techniques for parasitic investigations.
 Results: Of the 270 vegetables examined, 184(68.15%) were infected. Talinium occidentalis had the highest prevalence (9.26%), closely followed by Brassica oleracea and Daucus carota with a value of 8.89% and 8.15% respectively. The highest parasite prevalence was observed in Abraka (78.89%), followed by Eku (72.22%) and Okpara water-side (53.33%). Abraka had its highest prevalence in D. carota and Cucumis sativum with a prevalence of 11.11 and 10.00% respectively. Statistically, there was no significant difference in the contaminated vegetable (p > 0.05) but a considerable significant difference was noted in the market locations (p < 0.05). The highest percentage occurrence of parasites was Ascaris lumbricoides with a percentage occurrence of 23.49. The most prevalent parasites in Abraka were A. lumbricoides (45.56%) and Entamoeba histolytica (30.00%). There was significant effect (p < 0.05) in the prevalence of parasites (p = 0.0003; df = 6; F = 11.07) and markets locations (p = 0.0019; df = 2; F = 11.01). The Principal Component Analysis showed that the study locations positively influence the occurrence of parasites with Abraka location accounting for 95.99% of the total variance. The analysis further showed that A. lumbricoides, Trichuris trichura, and hookworm prevalence were strongly correlated to Abraka and Okpara water-side locations.
 Conclusion: Given the public health importance of the parasites isolated, there is a need for improved environmental sanitation, personal hygiene and surveillance systems in vegetable transportation, storage and means of displays in Ethiope East and Delta State at large.

Evaluation of Vectorial Capacity of Houseflies and Cockroaches for Transmitting Human Intestinal Parasites

Houseflies and cockroaches are adapted to live in close association with human habitations. They carry lots of medically important parasites and pathogens to humans and animals. The study was carried out in Malegaon city of District Nashik (M.S., India). The objective of the present work was to investigate the presence of human intestinal parasites transmitted mechanically by these insects and to evaluate prevalence of diarrhea in the present study area. Houseflies and cockroaches were collected for a period of four months (July to October, 2020) from different areas like kitchen, restaurants, canteen, garbage piles, grocery stores, and fish and meat shops. Microscopic examination of intestinal parasites was conducted by using standard procedure. A total of 265 flies (166 Musca domestica, 49 Chrysomya megacephala, 31 Musca autumnalis, 19 Musca sorbens) and 230 cockroaches (137 Periplaneta americana, 54 Blatella germanica, 39 Blattella orientalis) were collected and examined for possible human intestinal parasites. Of the total examined flies and cockroaches, 181 (68.3%) flies and 163 (70.9%) cockroaches were found to be carriers of various parasites. A total of four protozoan and three helminth parasites were isolated from these insects. The most common protozoan and helminth parasites were Balantidium coli and Ascaris lumbricoides. There were also higher numbers of cockroaches positive for Balantidium coli and Entamoeba coli than houseflies. Similarly, females of both the insects were found to be more vectorial than males. Significant correlation (r=0.95197) was found between the incidence of diarrhea and number of positive flies. These data suggest that both the insects should be considered potential mechanical vectors of human intestinal parasites in the present study area.

Molecular prevalence and subtypes distribution of Blastocystis sp. among outpatients and inpatients in north and south areas of Henan Province, China.

Blastocystis sp. is one of the most common intestinal parasites in humans and many animals. To further understand the infection of Blastocystis hominis (B. hominis) and the distribution of its genotype in some areas of Henan Province, China, 793 stool samples from outpatients and inpatients in Xinxiang City and Xinyang City, Henan Province were collected from April 2020 to July 2022. The samples were detected by polymerase chain reaction and analyzed by univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis. The results showed that the infection rates of B. hominis in Xinxiang and Xinyang were 10.97% (51/465) and 10.98% (36/328), respectively. Although there were no significant differences in B. hominis infection between gender, age, residence, and disease background, the incidence of hematochezia significantly differed from the incidence of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation among participants (χ2 =15.795, p=0.002). A total of 87 positive samples were sequenced and compared with Basic Local Alignment Search Tool, and five subtypes (ST1, ST3, ST4, ST6, and ST7) were identified, of which ST3 was the dominant subtype (63.22%, 55/87), followed by ST7 (17.24%, 15/87) and ST1 (16.09%, 14/87). This is the first study that analyzed the prevalence and subtype distribution of B. hominis in southern and northern Henan Province, thus providing new insights into the epidemiology of B. hominis.

Intestinal parasite infections associated with sociodemographic and seasonal factors in the Western Amazon.

Intestinal parasites are a constant public health problem in the Amazon region, with a high prevalence of cases related to poor sanitary conditions. We investigated the sociodemographic and seasonal factors associated with human intestinal parasite infections in an area of the Western Amazon, Brazil, from September 2017 to August 2019. Data were collected using a database available at the Diagnostic Support Centre (Centro de Apoio ao Diagnóstico, CAD) of the Municipality of Rio Branco, on positive diagnoses for intestinal parasites. Among the 53,200 samples analysed, 18.3% (n = 9712) were positive. Of these, 96.4% (n = 9363) and 3.6% (n = 349) were protozoan and helminthic infections, respectively. Males showed higher odds ratio (OR) for Enterobius vermicularis infection (OR: 2.3) and giardiasis (OR: 1.9) and lower OR for Endolimax nana (OR: 0.9) and Entamoeba coli (OR: 0.9) infections. Individuals aged ≥ 15 presented higher OR for Strongyloides stercoralis (OR: 3.4), hookworms (OR: 2.3), and almost all protozoan infections than younger individuals. In the dry season, the OR for hookworms (OR: 1.5), Iodamoeba butschlii (OR: 1.4), and Endolimax nana (OR: 1.3) infections was higher than that in the rainy season, including a high chance of polyparasitism (OR: 1.6). We concluded that there was a significant difference between the different types of intestinal parasites, particularly protozoa, with high OR in the dry season and for certain groups.

Primary Mobile Image Analysis of Human Intestinal Worm Detection

One among a lot of public health concerns in rural and tropical areas is the human intestinal parasite. Traditionally, diagnosis of these parasites is by visual analysis of stool specimens, which is usually tedious and time-consuming. In this study, the authors combine techniques in the Laplacian pyramid, Gabor filter, and wavelet to build a feature vector for the discrimination of intestinal worm in a low-resolution image captured with mobile devices. The dimension of the feature vector is reduced using principal component analysis, and the resultant vector is considered as input to the SVM classifier. The proposed framework was applied to the Makerere intestinal dataset. At its preliminary stage, the results demonstrate satisfactory classification with an accuracy rate of 65.22% with possible extension in future work.

Efficient Classification Techniques in Classifying Human Intestinal Parasite Ova

Helminth parasites live in the human body and can cause serious health problems that will lead to cancer and may cause death in patients. These parasitic helminths congregate in the intestines to mate and produce ova. Therefore, early identification screening is necessary to prevent the spread of helminth parasites throughout the body. A manual microscopic feces test is still the most often used approach for helminth detection. As a result, the purpose of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of three classifiers in classifying four types of human intestinal parasite ova. Three classifier techniques used are k-Nearest Neighbourhood (k-NN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Ensemble classifier. There are four types of helminth ova which are Ascaris Lumbricoides Ova (ALO), Enterobius Vermicularis Ova (EVO), Hookworm Ova (HWO), and Trichuris Trichiura Ova (TTO). A total of 664 helminth parasite ova images were analyzed, consisting of 166 images from each helminth species. The Linear kernel function from the SVM classifier has obtained the highest accuracy performance reaching 92.23%. Followed by Cityblock distance from the k-NN classifier with an accuracy of 91.16% and AdaBoostM2 from the Ensemble classifier with an accuracy of 89.94%.

Comparison of Human Intestinal Parasite Ova Segmentation Using Machine Learning and Deep Learning Techniques

Helminthiasis disease is one of the most serious health problems in the world and frequently occurs in children, especially in unhygienic conditions. The manual diagnosis method is time consuming and challenging, especially when there are a large number of samples. An automated system is acknowledged as a quick and easy technique to assess helminth sample images by offering direct visibility on the computer monitor without the requirement for examination under a microscope. Thus, this paper aims to compare the human intestinal parasite ova segmentation performance between machine learning segmentation and deep learning segmentation. Four types of helminth ova are tested, which are Ascaris Lumbricoides Ova (ALO), Enterobious Vermicularis Ova (EVO), Hookworm Ova (HWO), and Trichuris Trichiura Ova (TTO). In this paper, fuzzy c-Mean (FCM) segmentation technique is used in machine learning segmentation, while convolutional neural network (CNN) segmentation technique is used for deep learning. The performance of segmentation algorithms based on FCM and CNN segmentation techniques is investigated and compared to select the best segmentation procedure for helminth ova detection. The results reveal that the accuracy obtained for each helminth species is in the range of 97% to 100% for both techniques. However, IoU analysis showed that CNN based on ResNet technique performed better than FCM for ALO, EVO, and TTO with values of 75.80%, 55.48%, and 77.06%, respectively. Therefore, segmentation through deep learning is more suitable for segmenting the human intestinal parasite ova.

Curative and Toxic Effects of Selected Medicinal Plants on Internal Organs of Rattus albus Experimentally Infected with Human Intestinal Parasites

Curative and Toxic effects of selected plant extracts: (Napleonaea imperalis, Sida acuta and Vernonia amygdalina) on Rattus albus experimentally infected with human intestinal parasites was studied from October 2014 to March 2016. Two hundred and thirty (230) male and female patients presenting with symptoms of gastroenteritis and abdominal discomfort at GOPD, IMSUTH, Orlu, were selected for the study. Three hundred and twenty two uninfected laboratory animals used for the study were innoculated with 7 human intestinal parasites: Ascaris lumbricoides, Necator americanus, Hymenolepsis nana, Trichuris trichiura, Entamoeba histolytica,Taenia species and Trichomonas hominis.Eight weeks after, the experimentally infected Rattus albus were treated with 3 selected plant extracts: Vernonia amygdalina, Sida acuta and Napoleonae imperialis and observed for 3 weeks. The active principles of the selected medicinal plants were extracted with ethanol at 78oC using soxhlet extraction method. Fifty four laboratory animals of about 150g body weight each were used for toxicity test. The different treatment groups and controls were selected for histopathological studies using paraffin wax embedding method. The results showed that all 3 selected plant extracts contain Tanins, Saponins, Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Cardiac Glycosides, Phytate, Oxalate, Phenol, Steroids, Terpenoids and Cyanide. Curative tests showed that all the plant extracts exhibited anti – parasitic effects (Curative dose) against human intestinal helminthes and protozoa at 10µg/150g body weight. Toxicity test showed that Napoleonaea imperialis and Vernonia amygdalina extracts exhibited toxicity resulting to death of laboratory animals (LD50) at 50µg/150g while Sida acuta extract exhibited toxicity resulting to death of laboratory animals (LD50) at 40µg/150g. Three types of impairment: inflammatory changes, degenerative changes and distortion were observed on the intestine of the laboratory animals. On the kidneys, 5 types of impairment: lymphocytic infiltration, degenerative changes, necrosis, vacuolation, and distortion of stroma and glomerulus were observed. This study has shown that Napoleonae imperialis, Sida acuta and Vernonia amygdalina extracts exhibit curative effects on human intestinal parasites at low concentrations. At higher concentration, they exhibit toxic effects on host organs: intestine, kidney and liver.