Introduction: Enteric parasitic infections still the cause of major health problems among Egyptian children as they have great morbid effect on their physical and cognitive development. Malnutrition makes children more prone to micronutrient deficiency and subsequently more vulnerable to parasitic infection. The present study aimed to identify the effect of intestinal parasitism on micronutrient serum level and children nutritional status. Materials and Methods: A case control study was carried out on children from 1 to 6 years old who were attending the Assiut University Children Hospital outpatient clinic, after parasitological stool examination they were divided into Group 1 (G1, n: 60) positive with enteric parasite and Group 2 (G2, n: 60) age and sex matched and free of parasites. Anthropometric measurements were expressed as weight for age (WFA), height for age (HFA), and weight for height (WFH) parameters. Serum zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results: Intestinal parasitic infection rate was 55.7%; more commonly detected parasites were Giardia lamblia 28%, Cryptosporidium sp. 20%, and polyparasitism 18%. All children (G1 and G2) were underweight (WFA) while 63% of G1 were malnourished, either in the form of wasting (WFH) or stunting (HFA) or both aspects. Stunting and wasting were more dominant among children infected with G. lamblia and Cryptosporidium sp. and most of them were below 2 years old. Conclusions: Coincident decrease in serum Zn level and an increase of serum Cu was more prominent among G. lamblia and Cryptosporidium sp. patients. G. lamblia and Cryptosporidium sp. were found to be more associated with nonstandard children nutritional status beside to an altered micronutrient level.

Introduction: Enteric parasitic infections still the cause of major health problems among Egyptian children as they have great morbid effect on their physical and cognitive development. Malnutrition makes children more prone to micronutrient deficiency and subsequently more vulnerable to parasitic infection. The present study aimed to identify the effect of intestinal parasitism on micronutrient serum level and children nutritional status. Materials and Methods: A case control study was carried out on children from 1 to 6 years old who were attending the Assiut University Children Hospital outpatient clinic, after parasitological stool examination they were divided into Group 1 (G1, n: 60) positive with enteric parasite and Group 2 (G2, n: 60) age and sex matched and free of parasites. Anthropometric measurements were expressed as weight for age (WFA), height for age (HFA), and weight for height (WFH) parameters. Serum zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results: Intestinal parasitic infection rate was 55.7%; more commonly detected parasites were Giardia lamblia 28%, Cryptosporidium sp. 20%, and polyparasitism 18%. All children (G1 and G2) were underweight (WFA) while 63% of G1 were malnourished, either in the form of wasting (WFH) or stunting (HFA) or both aspects. Stunting and wasting were more dominant among children infected with G. lamblia and Cryptosporidium sp. and most of them were below 2 years old. Conclusions: Coincident decrease in serum Zn level and an increase of serum Cu was more prominent among G. lamblia and Cryptosporidium sp. patients. G. lamblia and Cryptosporidium sp. were found to be more associated with nonstandard children nutritional status beside to an altered micronutrient level.

Introduction: Enteric parasitic infections still the cause of major health problems among Egyptian children as they have great morbid effect on their physical and cognitive development. Malnutrition makes children more prone to micronutrient deficiency and subsequently more vulnerable to parasitic infection. The present study aimed to identify the effect of intestinal parasitism on micronutrient serum level and children nutritional status. Materials and Methods: A case control study was carried out on children from 1 to 6 years old who were attending the Assiut University Children Hospital outpatient clinic, after parasitological stool examination they were divided into Group 1 (G1, n: 60) positive with enteric parasite and Group 2 (G2, n: 60) age and sex matched and free of parasites. Anthropometric measurements were expressed as weight for age (WFA), height for age (HFA), and weight for height (WFH) parameters. Serum zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results: Intestinal parasitic infection rate was 55.7%; more commonly detected parasites were Giardia lamblia 28%, Cryptosporidium sp. 20%, and polyparasitism 18%. All children (G1 and G2) were underweight (WFA) while 63% of G1 were malnourished, either in the form of wasting (WFH) or stunting (HFA) or both aspects. Stunting and wasting were more dominant among children infected with G. lamblia and Cryptosporidium sp. and most of them were below 2 years old. Conclusions: Coincident decrease in serum Zn level and an increase of serum Cu was more prominent among G. lamblia and Cryptosporidium sp. patients. G. lamblia and Cryptosporidium sp. were found to be more associated with nonstandard children nutritional status beside to an altered micronutrient level.

Background: The species of liver fluke of the genus Fasciola are obligatory parasites that inhabit the biliary ducts of herbivorous animals as well as human. Understanding genetic structure and status of genetic variation of F. hepatica populations has important implications for epidemiology and effective control of fasciolosis. Aim: To genetically characterize Fasciola isolates from different hosts from Assiut, Egypt using sequence analysis of the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Methods: Three adults F. hepatica were isolated from naturally infected sheep and fragments of Fasciola spp. were extracted from three human cases by ERCP (Endscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography). Genomic DNA was extracted from preserved flukes. Conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with a set of arbitrary primers was used to estimate genetic variation within the species. Ribosomal ITS-1 and ITS-2 regions of the isolates were amplified. The amplicons were sequenced at ITS-1 and ITS-2. Results: Both regions were amplified successfully for all samples and bands ranged between 400 bp and 650 bp were shown in all cases. Comparison of the obtained ITS sequences to those from known Fasciola species circulating globally and retrieved from GenBank revealed that the present worms were genetically identical (100%) with F. hepatica. Different isolates did not show any significant genetic variations in rDNA-ITS-1 and ITS-2 as all the sequences showed to be 100% identical. Conclusions: These findings have implications for studying the population genetics, epidemiology, diagnosis and control of fasciolosis especially in human.

Background: The species of liver fluke of the genus Fasciola are obligatory parasites that inhabit the biliary ducts of herbivorous animals as well as human. Understanding genetic structure and status of genetic variation of F. hepatica populations has important implications for epidemiology and effective control of fasciolosis. Aim: To genetically characterize Fasciola isolates from different hosts from Assiut, Egypt using sequence analysis of the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Methods: Three adults F. hepatica were isolated from naturally infected sheep and fragments of Fasciola spp. were extracted from three human cases by ERCP (Endscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography). Genomic DNA was extracted from preserved flukes. Conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with a set of arbitrary primers was used to estimate genetic variation within the species. Ribosomal ITS-1 and ITS-2 regions of the isolates were amplified. The amplicons were sequenced at ITS-1 and ITS-2. Results: Both regions were amplified successfully for all samples and bands ranged between 400 bp and 650 bp were shown in all cases. Comparison of the obtained ITS sequences to those from known Fasciola species circulating globally and retrieved from GenBank revealed that the present worms were genetically identical (100%) with F. hepatica. Different isolates did not show any significant genetic variations in rDNA-ITS-1 and ITS-2 as all the sequences showed to be 100% identical. Conclusions: These findings have implications for studying the population genetics, epidemiology, diagnosis and control of fasciolosis especially in human.

Background: The species of liver fluke of the genus Fasciola are obligatory parasites that inhabit the biliary ducts of herbivorous animals as well as human. Understanding genetic structure and status of genetic variation of F. hepatica populations has important implications for epidemiology and effective control of fasciolosis. Aim: To genetically characterize Fasciola isolates from different hosts from Assiut, Egypt using sequence analysis of the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Methods: Three adults F. hepatica were isolated from naturally infected sheep and fragments of Fasciola spp. were extracted from three human cases by ERCP (Endscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography). Genomic DNA was extracted from preserved flukes. Conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with a set of arbitrary primers was used to estimate genetic variation within the species. Ribosomal ITS-1 and ITS-2 regions of the isolates were amplified. The amplicons were sequenced at ITS-1 and ITS-2. Results: Both regions were amplified successfully for all samples and bands ranged between 400 bp and 650 bp were shown in all cases. Comparison of the obtained ITS sequences to those from known Fasciola species circulating globally and retrieved from GenBank revealed that the present worms were genetically identical (100%) with F. hepatica. Different isolates did not show any significant genetic variations in rDNA-ITS-1 and ITS-2 as all the sequences showed to be 100% identical. Conclusions: These findings have implications for studying the population genetics, epidemiology, diagnosis and control of fasciolosis especially in human.

Background: The species of liver fluke of the genus Fasciola are obligatory parasites that inhabit the biliary ducts of herbivorous animals as well as human. Understanding genetic structure and status of genetic variation of F. hepatica populations has important implications for epidemiology and effective control of fasciolosis. Aim: To genetically characterize Fasciola isolates from different hosts from Assiut, Egypt using sequence analysis of the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Methods: Three adults F. hepatica were isolated from naturally infected sheep and fragments of Fasciola spp. were extracted from three human cases by ERCP (Endscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography). Genomic DNA was extracted from preserved flukes. Conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with a set of arbitrary primers was used to estimate genetic variation within the species. Ribosomal ITS-1 and ITS-2 regions of the isolates were amplified. The amplicons were sequenced at ITS-1 and ITS-2. Results: Both regions were amplified successfully for all samples and bands ranged between 400 bp and 650 bp were shown in all cases. Comparison of the obtained ITS sequences to those from known Fasciola species circulating globally and retrieved from GenBank revealed that the present worms were genetically identical (100%) with F. hepatica. Different isolates did not show any significant genetic variations in rDNA-ITS-1 and ITS-2 as all the sequences showed to be 100% identical. Conclusions: These findings have implications for studying the population genetics, epidemiology, diagnosis and control of fasciolosis especially in human.

Background: The species of liver fluke of the genus Fasciola are obligatory parasites that inhabit the biliary ducts of herbivorous animals as well as human. Understanding genetic structure and status of genetic variation of F. hepatica populations has important implications for epidemiology and effective control of fasciolosis. Aim: To genetically characterize Fasciola isolates from different hosts from Assiut, Egypt using sequence analysis of the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Methods: Three adults F. hepatica were isolated from naturally infected sheep and fragments of Fasciola spp. were extracted from three human cases by ERCP (Endscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography). Genomic DNA was extracted from preserved flukes. Conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with a set of arbitrary primers was used to estimate genetic variation within the species. Ribosomal ITS-1 and ITS-2 regions of the isolates were amplified. The amplicons were sequenced at ITS-1 and ITS-2. Results: Both regions were amplified successfully for all samples and bands ranged between 400 bp and 650 bp were shown in all cases. Comparison of the obtained ITS sequences to those from known Fasciola species circulating globally and retrieved from GenBank revealed that the present worms were genetically identical (100%) with F. hepatica. Different isolates did not show any significant genetic variations in rDNA-ITS-1 and ITS-2 as all the sequences showed to be 100% identical. Conclusions: These findings have implications for studying the population genetics, epidemiology, diagnosis and control of fasciolosis especially in human.

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