8^th International Conference on Parasitology & Microbes December 03-04, 2020 Rome, Italy

Biography:

Purna Sudha Bindu Ambaru is the recipient of Women Scientist Grant by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India (No: SR/WOS-A/LS-352/2017 (G)), Prof.C.M.Gupta being her mentor. She is persuaing her Ph.D under the guidance of Dr.H.S.Subramanya in host institute, IBAB, Bangalore.

 

Abstract:

Leishmania species are flagellated unicellular eukaryotes that are known to cause a fatal vector-borne parasitic disease called Leishmaniasis. Visceral leishmaniasis is a chronic and potentially fatal parasitic disease of the viscera (the internal organs, particularly the liver, spleen, bone marrow and lymph nodes) due to infection by the parasite called Leishmania donovani. There are around 8000 protein coding genes in L.donovani and unfortunately, even until now, 42% of these genes are still hypothetical genes with unknown function. Here, we have systematically characterized an actin binding protein, profilin. Leishmania parasites express only one homolog of profilin (LdPfn), which catalyzes nucleotide exchange on G-actin and promotes actin polymerization at its low concentrations. However, at high concentrations, it strongly inhibits the polymerization process by sequestering actin monomers. Further, this protein is also found to be binding to poly-L-proline motifs and polyphosphoinositides. Monospecific anti-rLdPfn antibodies specifically recognized profilin protein in whole cell lysates of L. donovani promastigotes but failed to recognize profilin in human cell lysate indicating that Leishmania cells express a novel homologue of profilin. Profilin protein is found to be localized throughout the cell body, flagellum as well as in the nucleus and is found to be undergoing post-translational modification, phosphorylation. 50-60% depletion of the intracellular pool of this protein selectively affected the parasite growth and intracellular vesicle trafficking activity. Currently, we are analysing the transcriptome of the parasite and investigating the  pathways that were significantly affected in profilin deficient Leishmania cells.

 

Biography:

Abstract:

Hydatidosis or echinococcosis is considered to be one of the most common zoonotic diseases of the animals. Infection occurs when intermediate hosts such as camel, cattle, sheep, and goats ingested food or water contaminated with eggs from the definitive host (dog). This is a cross-sectional study which was carried out in one of the biggest abattoirs in Makkah in the west of Saudi Arabia. A total number of 38302 goats were examined and recorded at Makkah abattoirs.

The examination had been performed to all slaughtered animals on two organs (spleen and heart) for detection of any hydatid cysts during the period from July 2018 until December 2018. The study included also histopathological tissue evaluation. The total infections number of hydatidosis in goats is 0.23%. The infected Hearts were 40.35% whereas the infected spleen was 48.48% subsequently in local animals. The Imported animals were 2124, the infected animals in heart were 59.64%, whereas the infected animal involving spleen were 51.51%. Meanwhile, results of histopathological examination had shown that most of the hydatid cysts in goats caused progressive focal pressure and degenerative changes in the surrounding tissue.

 

Biography:

Abstract:

Toxoplasmosis is the parasitic disease which caused by a coccidian intracellular obligate parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. Modes of transmitting T. gondii are numerous, though, the most recognized and important method in which T. gondii could be transmitted is through ingestion of either oocysts or tissue cysts. Given this, the focus of the present study was detect the prevalence of T. gondii oocysts which is the Environmental infectious stage, in soil and water through the use of sheather’s solution and PCR techniques in Gaza- Palestine. For this purpose, 290 environmental samples were collected whereby 200 of which were from soil and 90 were water samples. More specifically, soil samples were collected from five sites, which were Wadi-Gaza, Near trash dumpsters, residential house yards, open-air markets, public squares and gardens. Meanwhile, water samples were also collected from Wadi-Gaza, which is a water stream stretching through Gaza, wells used for drinking and irrigation and lastly from the city’s main sewage treatment plant. Samples were collected from sites where cats, the main vehicle carrying oocyst, have been recognized to draw frequent appearance. The results of the present study  revealed that from the 290 environmental samples collected, 22 (7.58%) and 31 (10.68%) of samples were in fact contaminated according to the test methods of PCR and Sheather’s solution, respectively. The results also revealed an interesting relationship between the prevalence rate of T. gondii detected in the samples and the site source from which the samples were collected. The highest rate of contamination detected were from samples collected from residential house yards, while public squares and gardens represented the lowest rate. Moreover, 26 (13%) from the 200 soil samples pool were contaminated according to the Sheather’s solution method, while under the PCR, 18 (9.99%) samples were contaminated. On the other hand, only 4 (4.44%) from the 90 water samples reported contamination using PCR, and 5 (5.55%) according to Sheather’s solution. Regarding the prevalence of contamination in water samples, only samples collected from Wadi-Gaza reported contamination levels, while water samples collected from other sites were free of contamination. Lastly, the results of the present study reported that the relationship between the prevalence of oocyst contamination and site source from which the samples were collected was statistically significant. Meanwhile, the relationship between oocyst contamination of sample and month in which they were collected was not