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Z Harrat

Publications and source records attributed to Z Harrat.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

First molecular detection of R. conorii, R. aeschlimannii, and R. massiliae in ticks from Algeria.

Ticks collected in Northern Algeria between May 2001 and November 2003 were tested by PCR for the presence of Rickettsia spp. DNA using primer amplifying gltA and OmpA genes. Three different spotted fever group rickettsias were amplified from these ticks: R. Conorii subsp. P. conorii strain Malish in Rhipicephalus sanguineus, R. aeschlimannii in Hyalomma marginatum, and R. massiliae in Rhipicephalus turanicus. Our results confirm the presence of R. conorii in ticks in Algeria and provide the first detection of R. aeschlimannii and R. massiliae in Algeria.

Algeria↗
PubMed2005

Spread of Leishmania killicki to Central and South-West Tunisia.

Twenty cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) cases were notified from December 2001 to February 2002, in a small village in the district of Oueslatia (governorate of Kairouan, central Tunisia) which is an endemic focus of infantile visceral leishmaniasis due to leishmania (L.) infantum and that had never been concerned previously by CL. The parasite typing of two isolates obtained from two children that have never left the region has identified L. killicki. This species had only been reported previously in a limited focus of Tunisian Southeast. In October 2002, an epidemiological survey with isoenzym characterization of the parasite led in a well-known focus of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis of South-West Tunisia also revealed the presence of L. killicki. These results suggest the spread of this species and stress the need of further investigations for a better control of CL in Tunisia.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Epidemiological, clinical and parasitological data about canine leishmaniasis in Tunisia].

Epidemiological, clinical and parasitological data concerning canine leishmaniasis were collected in two Tunisian populations of dogs, different in breed and life style: 23 rural dogs and 26 dogs of European breeds. All were symptomatic and lived in the north of Tunisia where human visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum are endemic. Leishmaniasis has been confirmed in all dogs by serology or/and by parasitic identification. Significant differences concerning age and symptoms suggest a higher susceptibility to infection in European imported breeds. In fact individuals of this population were significantly younger; 81% were less than 5 years old whereas 57% of the autochthonous rural dogs were more than 5 years old with 31% of them being older than 9 (p = 0.014). In spite of their young age, 75% of imported breeds presented an affection of their general state with more frequent cutaneous symptoms than the rural dogs (96% versus 69%, p = 0.02). Isoenzyme typing of 31 strains, obtained from the two populations, from different sites (blood, lymph nodes, spleen) has only identified the zymodeme Leishmania infantum MON-1. This stresses the need of more investigations to determine reservoirs of the other enzymatic variants identified in humans in Tunisia and Mediterranean basin.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2004

[Detection of Leishmania infantum MON-24 in the dog].

Two forms of cutaneous leishmaniasis are endemic in Algeria. Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major is widespread in the steppe regions of the northern Sahara. Sporadic cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum occurs in the north along the coastline. The main causative agent for the sporadic form is Leishmania infantum zymodeme MON-24. It has been isolated from the sandfly vector Phlebotomus perfiliewi. However all attempts to isolate this variant from dogs, i.e., the main reservoir of Leishmania infantum, have failed. The authors report the first successful detection of Leishmania infantum MON-24 in the dog.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

[Leishmania infantum MON-1: the only zymodeme isolated in canine leishmaniasis in Tunisia].

Iso-enzymatic characterization of 19 Leishmania strains isolated from Tunisian dogs revealed that all correspond to Leishmania infantum MON-1. This confirms the role of dog as a reservoir of the commonest zymodeme responsible for human visceral leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean basin. However, and in spite of the high number of identifications, many zymodemes, mainly the dermotropic ones as Leishmania infantum MON-24, frequently reported in humans, had never been isolated from dogs. The study of their cultural characteristics may contribute to explain the particular iso-enzymatic profile of dogs strains.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

[Leishmaniasis in Algiers: epidemiologic data].

The authors review the situation on human and canine leishmaniasis observed in Algiers during the period 1990-1997. 1800 sera have been tested by IFAT. The frequency of canine leishmaniasis rises to 37%. 25% of the positive dogs are asymptomatic. The canine leishmaniasis annual fluctuations seem to vary from one year to another, with an increase of number of cases comparing with the last period. Human leishmaniasis is also increasing in Algiers, where 22 cases of HVL and 40 cases CL have been notified. Nine strains of Leishmania (5 from dogs and 4 from human) were isolated and identified by isoenzymes eletrophoresis technique. All stocks were belonging to Leishmania infantum complex. To complete the study, the seasonal dynamic of phlebotomine sandflies was carried out in the same area where 2959 specimens have been captured. The results showed the predominance of P. perniciosus and P. longicuspis, the main vectors of visceral leishmaniasis in Algeria.

Algeria↗
PubMed2003

[Importance of amastigote forms morphology to differentiate Leishmania infantum and Leishmania major species].

The microscopic study of the dermal smears of 62 cases of cutaneous leishmaniose, 27 infected by Leishmania (L.) infantum and 35 by L. major, showed that the amastigotes of L. infantum are meaningfully smaller (p < 0.001). This criteria is a simple pary alternative to distinguish these 2 species which have completely different epidemiology, recovery delay and prophylactic dispositions.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

[Infantile visceral leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum zymodeme MON-24 in Algeria].

In Algeria, visceral leishmaniasis is caused principally by Leishmania infantum MON-1, a common agent of the disease on the edges of the mediterranean basin. Other zymodemes (MON-34 and MON-80) of the same complex have also been isolated from immunologically competent patients. In the present study, the authors report the presence of Leishmania infantum MON-24, the main agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in northern Algeria, in five children with visceral leishmaniasis.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

[Particular profile of the zymodemes of Leishmania infantum causing visceral leishmaniasis in Tunisia].

The isoenzymatic typing of 16 stocks of Leishmania, isolated from Tunisian visceral leishmaniasis (VL) cases, revealed that all strains belonged to Leishmania (L.) infantum species. Although zymodeme MON-1 was predictably the most frequent (9 cases), it came as a surprise that L. infantum MON-24 was responsible of about third of cases. This latter zymodeme, while previously reported in Tunisia, Algeria and Spain, was assumed to be a dermotropic and the few cases of VL that it caused occurred always in HIV infected patients. L. infantum MON-80, occasionally reported during both cutaneous and VL of immunocompetent infants was identified in 2 patients. This report confirms that in addition to the more common L. infantum MON-1, zymodeme MON-24 has a substantial role in generating VL in immunocompetent infants in Tunisia.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

[Epidemiologic and parasitologic data concerning sporadic cutaneous leishmaniasis in northern Tunisia].

This study refers to 23 patients presenting with the sporadic forms of cutaneous leishmaniasis encountered in northern most humid parts of Tunisia. Culture inoculation for parasitic isolation was processed using two media: the classical NNN and a rabbit serum based medium (SLC). Cultures were positive in 17 cases with SLC medium and 13 cases with NNN medium. Eight isolates were typed using 15 isoenzymes systems. Six isolates were identified as Leishmania infantum MON-24 which confirms the crucial role of this zymodeme in causing this form of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The other two isolates were identified as Leishmania infantum MON-1, which is the principal agent of visceral leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean area.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Iso-enzyme study of Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces in Algeria].

The purpose of this study is to identity the strains of Echinococcus granulosus the causative agent of unilocular hydatid in Algeria--a high endemic area. For this, the authors established a simple and reproductible electrophoretic techniques for iso enzyme analysis of protoscoleces. The enzymatic extracts of protoscoleces from various hosts and localisations of hidatic cystic analysed by these electrophoretic techniques showed variable electrophoretic profils witness the existence of various strains.

Algeria↗
PubMed1998

[Leishmaniasis diagnosis: role of a simple medium for the culture of Leishmania].

Leishmaniasis, Zoonoses or Anthroponoses, according to the focus, know an extension through the world and Algeria counts unfortunately more among countries who where touched. Parallelement to this extension the eco-epidemiology of leishmaniasis knex some important modifications and that. We can't surround theme if we don't dispose of a simple culture medium permeting the shoot of all species to leishmania.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[Validation of DNA tools in the identification of Leishmania sp. parasites in Algeria].

The present study aimed at homogenizing the use of DNA tools for Leishmania parasite characterization in two endemic countries, Algeria and Tunisia. Two genomic DNA probes, pDK10 and pDK20, previously developped in Tunisia, were here applied to a collection of 41 isolates obtained from Algerian patients having cutaneous or visceral leishmaniases. These DNA tools allowed to discriminate among and to identify causal agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis, L. infantum and L. major. Apart from the pDK20--hybridization pattern obtained usually for the species L. infantum, new hybridization patterns were identified for isolates obtained from both visceral and cutaneous leishmaniases patients. Use of DNA probes in complement to isoenzyme typing offers interesting propects for a better description of transmission cycles.

Algeria↗
PubMed1995

[Current point of leishmaniasis epidemiology in Algeria].

The authors describe in this study the current situation of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in Algeria. After a review of the clinical forms and the epidemiological profile of the diseases in this country, the authors mention a resurgence of the number of cases, and the appearance of numerous new foci for both forms of the disease.

Algeria↗
PubMed1992

[Visceral leishmaniasis in Algeria. Evolution of visceral leishmaniasis in the Grande Kabylie area (1985-1990)].

The authors report 285 cases of visceral leishmaniasis recorded over a 6 year-period from 1985-1990 in the Wilaya of Tizi-Ouzou (Grande Kabylie). The authors report a resurgence of this disease during the last years, with a 5 human cases per 100,000 annual prevalence and a 6 per cent of rate death, the most active part of mediterranean area appears to be the region of Grand-Kabylie. A control program in the Wilaya of Tizi-Ouzou is proposed.

Adolescent↗