From owner-schistosoma@net.bio.net Sun Jan 10 22:00:00 1999 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: Donato Cioli Newsgroups: bionet.organisms.schistosoma Subject: Praziquantel Date: 11 Jan 1999 10:11:57 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 44 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: greveld@uni-duesseldorf.de Distribution: world Message-ID: <77detd$o2u@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON PRAZIQUANTEL The European Commission set up in 1997 a Concerted Action entitled "Patterns of praziquantel usage and monitoring of possible resistance in Africa". The objective of this 3-years initiative is to establish a network of scientists, field workers and health administrators dealing with the treatment of schistosomiasis, with the aim to examine in a global perspective various issues related to praziquantel usage, among which: drug costs and distribution, administration dosage and schedules, side-effects, appearance of drug resistance (with possible initiatives for the collection and study of suspected specimens), basic biology of drug action, policies of drug management in case of resistance. The first meeting was held in Rome in January 1998 (see Parasitology Today 14: 390, 1998) and a second meeting is planned for February 1999 in Morocco. The experiences of scientists and health workers from various endemic and nonendemic countries (Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Senegal, South Africa; Italy, England, Belgium) and international organizations (WHO, EU) are presently being shared. Additional contributions of information and experience would be highly welcome from anyone involved with praziquantel at any level: laboratory/research, field/clinical, health administration, drug production. Participation to the meetings is obviously limited by practical constraints, but some enlargement of the present group can be considered for individuals that might give particularly valuable contributions. As one of the major concerns of the group is the possible appearance of resistance to praziquantel, any information on this issue would be particularly valuable, especially if coming from endemic countries that are not yet represented in the group. Please address any comments, queries, contributions to the group coordinator: Donato Cioli, Institute of Cell Biology, 43 Viale Marx, 00137 Rome, Italy; fax +3906 8273287; e-mail: dcioli@ibc.rm.cnr.it. Additional information on the Concerted Action on praziquantel can be obtained from the SHARED site at: http://www.shared.de. Donato Cioli mail: Institute of Cell Biology, 43 Viale Marx, 00137 Rome, Italy phone: +39 06 8609 0340 fax: +39 06 827 3287 e-mail: dcioli@ibc.rm.cnr.it ******************************************************** From owner-schistosoma@net.bio.net Sun Jan 24 22:00:00 1999 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: Philippe Esterre Newsgroups: bionet.organisms.schistosoma Subject: So much Schisto markers ! Date: 25 Jan 1999 00:32:29 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 71 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: greveld@uni-duesseldorf.de Distribution: world Message-ID: <78ha6t$qck@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net Dear Colleagues, Good new for people involved in the Immunology of schistosomiasis mansoni, with the 'official' launching of a 'new' (previously named CEA..) circulating antigen. In addition to the (now classical, thanks to André Deelder's laboratory in Leiden, The Netherlands..) adult worms gut-associated glycoconjugates CAA (for Circulating Anodic Antigen) and CCA (its cathodic counterpart), another marker called CSEA (for Circulating Soluble Egg Antigen) is completely validated at both the laboratory and field levels. CAA and CCA (worm adults antigens, with a short (a few days) half-life in serum and a quick response (a substantial drop in the first week following treatment) to praziquantel therapy, are obviously good markers of active infection with Schistosma parasites (see DEELDER et al. Trop. Geogr. Med. 1994, 46: 233-238 and also the very interesting VAN LIESHOUT et al. Trans. Roy. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 1998, 92: 115-119). CSEA can be dosed by ELISA-based immunoassay using antibody against carbohydrate epitopes present in excreted egg antigens, and this marker has been validated both at the laboratory level (see NOUREL DIN et al. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 1994, 50: 585-594) and in field situation (NIBBELING et al. Trans. Roy. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.) even after specific chemotherapy (NIBBELING et al. Trans. Roy. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 1998, 92: 675-677). With its long half-life (a few weeks), it seems to have a different interest from CAA and CCA. As proposed by the authors, more than a new diagnosis and follow-up marker, CSEA might be better considered as a morbidity marker, correlated with the number of eggs trapped in tissues. It would be interesting now to compare the levels of CSEA, in the various patient groups, with the different morbidity markers validated by comparison with ultrasonographical data, both soluble ICAM-1 but nor selectins (see ESTERRE et al. Parasite Immunol., 1998, 20: 369-376) and serum Hyaluronan or PIIINP (better than previously described urinary Pyridinolines- see RICARD-BLUM et al. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 1998, 61(2): in press). In conclusion, researchers working on schistomiasis mansoni (and perhaps japonicum, but the work has still to be done ?) have the chance to take advantage of an interesting pannel of circulating (infection and morbidity..) markers. A situation which, in addition to the direct detection of periportal fibrosis by ultrasonography, can cause envy for other helminth diseases 'linked' researchers (true for Lymphatic Filariasis, for example) ! I'd appreciate anyone's comments. Sincerely - PHILIPPE. ************************************************ THE MALARDE INSTITUTE, 1949 - 1999 : 50 YEARS AT THE SERVICE OF HEALTH IN POLYNESIA ! ************************************************ Dr. Philippe ESTERRE - Head of Immunology Unit Institut de Recherches Médicales L. Malardé BP30 98713 - Papeete (TAHITI / French Polynesia) Phone: 689 41 64 67 - Fax: 689 43 15 90 E-mail : esterre@malarde.pf Dr.Christoph G.Grevelding Genetic Parasitology Institute of Genetic & Center for Biological and Medical Research Heinrich-Heine-Universitaet Universitaetsstrasse 1 40225 Duesseldorf Tel.:(49)-211-81-13070 Fax :(49)-211-81-12333 (49)-211-81-12279 e-mail: Christoph.Grevelding@uni-duesseldorf.de http://www.uni-duesseldorf.de/WWW/MathNat/Parasitologie/gen_para.htm From owner-schistosoma@net.bio.net Wed Jan 27 22:00:00 1999 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: Jean-Lou Justine Newsgroups: bionet.organisms.schistosoma Subject: Parasitology Course, 3-5 May 1999, Paris, France Date: 28 Jan 1999 07:15:40 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 193 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: greveld@uni-duesseldorf.de Distribution: world Message-ID: <78puus$eug@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net Parasitology Course, Paris, France, May 3-5, 1999 "Evolution of Parasites and of Host-Parasite Relationships" Programme of the course at the end of the message and: http://www.mnhn.fr/ens/ed/07-justi.htm List of courses organized in 1999 by the National Museum of Natural History in Paris: http://www.mnhn.fr/ens/ind_ed.htm General information about the National Museum of Natural History in Paris: http://www.mnhn.fr/index.html ---------------- The National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France organizes a series of courses on "Evolution of Parasites and of Host-Parasite Relationships". This course is intended for graduate and post-graduate students and all researchers in the field of parasitology. Registration is free of charge but participants should register in advance. Most of the courses (8/9) will be given in French. Please refer to the following information. The present message also includes the list of conferences, and the form for registration at the end. For more details contact Pr Jean-Lou JUSTINE, e-mail: justine@mnhn.fr ---------------------------------------------------------- "EVOLUTION DES PARASITES ET DES RELATIONS HOTES-PARASITES" May 3-5, 1999 ---------------------------------------------------------- Responsables: Dr Marie-Claude Durette-Desset et Pr Jean-Lou Justine Laboratoire de Biologie Parasitaire, Protistologie, Helminthologie EP1790 CNRS "Biologie et Evolution des Parasites" Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 61 rue Buffon, 75231 Paris cedex 05 Tel: (33) 1 40 79 35 03 Fax: (33) 1 40 79 34 99 E-mail: justine@mnhn.fr ---------------------- Informations generales: Programme de ce cours: http://www.mnhn.fr/ens/ed/07-justi.htm Liste des cours organises par le Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle en 1999: http://www.mnhn.fr/ens/ind_ed.htm Site du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle: http://www.mnhn.fr/index.html Ce cours est organise pour la sixieme annee consecutive. Les cours sont destines a un public tres large de parasitologues debutants ou confirmes. Les personnes assistant aux Conferences peuvent obtenir une "Attestation de Cours" a condition d'assister a la totalite des Conferences et de rediger une courte synthese qui sera jugee par les organisateurs. Il n'y a pas de "resumes" des cours, mais les conferenciers preparent des documents (schemas, textes) qui sont distribues gratuitement aux participants. Une *excellente* connaissance de la langue francaise est necessaire pour assister a ce cours de maniere profitable. En 1999, 8 conferences seront en francais, une en anglais. Malheureusement, rien n'est prevu pour le logement des participants. Les hotels proches du Museum sont relativement chers (250-400 FF) mais il existe des hotels moins chers a Paris. L'inscription au cours est gratuite mais doit etre preferentiellement effectuee a l'avance. Les formulaires sont disponibles sur simple demande. Les cours auront lieu au laboratoire de Chimie, 63 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris. ---------------------------------------------------------- PROGRAMME DU COURS ====================== "EVOLUTION DES PARASITES ET DES RELATIONS HOTES-PARASITES" May 3-5, 1999 ---------------------------------------------------------- Des petites modifications a ce programme sont encore possibles. Lundi 3 mai 1999 10h15-10h30 Accueil des participants 10h30-12h00 Dr Andre THERON (Perpignan) Comportement, rencontre et evolution des systemes Hotes-Parasites 14h00-15h30 Pr Jean-Lou JUSTINE (Paris) Phylogenies des Plathelminthes 15h45-17h15 Dr Tim LITTLEWOOD (Londres) Molecular systematics, phylogenetics and evolution of parasitic Platyhelminthes Mardi 4 mai 1999 10h30-12h00 Dr Gaston PICHON (Bondy) Quantification et modelisation des relations hote/ vecteur/ parasite, principalement appliquees à la filariose de Bancroft et au paludisme 14h00-15h30 Pr Claude VAUCHER (Geneve) Présentation des Cestodes et originalite des cestodoses humaines 15h45-17h15 Dr Anders Pape MOLLER (Paris) Evolution de la virulence: theorie et tests empiriques Mercredi 5 mai 1999 10h30-12h00 Pr Jean-Claude BEAUCOURNU (Rennes) Diversite et strategies d'adaptation des Insectes ectoparasites d'homeothermes 14h00-15h30 Dr Christophe CHARTIER (Niort) Cas particulier des relations hotes-parasites: la resistance des nematodes aux antihelminthiques chez les caprins 15h45-17h15 Dr Marie-Claude DURETTE-DESSET (Montpellier) Rongeurs et Nematodes Trichostrongylina: co-evolution ou capture? Les cours auront lieu dans La Salle de Cours Historique du Laboratoire de Chimie Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 63 rue Buffon 75005 Paris Metro: Gare d'Austerlitz, Jussieu, Censier; Bus: Ligne 89 ---------------------------------------------------------- BULLETIN D'INSCRIPTION ====================== "EVOLUTION DES PARASITES ET DES RELATIONS HOTES-PARASITES" May 3-5, 1999 ---------------------------------------------------------- Responsables: Dr Marie-Claude Durette-Desset et Pr Jean-Lou Justine Laboratoire de Biologie Parasitaire, Protistologie, Helminthologie EP1790 CNRS "Biologie et Evolution des Parasites" Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 61 rue Buffon, 75231 Paris cedex 05 Tel: (33) 1 40 79 35 03> Fax: (33) 1 40 79 34 99 E-mail: justine@mnh.fr ----------------------> Vous pouvez revoyer ce bulletin d'inscription par e-mail, fax ou courrier. Si vous renvoye ce bulletin d'inscription par e-mail (methode conseillee): - envoyez-la a l'dresse: justine@mnhn.fr - avec sujet: "buletin d'inscription rempli" - renvoyez uniqement cette partie, PAS tout le message! NOM: Prénom: ualité: Etudiant DEA Etudiant Doctorat Annee de These Etablissement d'Inscription Fonction M.E.N. M.E.S.R. C.N.R.S. INSERM AUTRES Adresse professionelle: Adresse personnelle: Telephone: Fax: e-mail (TRES IMPORTANT): Vous pouvez indiquer votre motivation ci-dessous (facultatif). ------------------------------------------------------------------- Prof. Jean-Lou JUSTINE Laboratoire de Biologie parasitaire, Protistologie, Helminthologie CNRS EP 1790 "Biologie et Evolution des Parasites" Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle 61 rue Buffon, 75231 PARIS cedex 05, France Telephone: France 01 40 79 35 03 International + (33 1) 40 79 35 03 Fax: France 01 40 79 34 99 International + (33 1) 40 79 34 99 e-mail: justine@mnhn.fr (Running 'Eudora' on a PPC Macintosh) >------------------------------------------------------------------- GRANTS from PARSYST programme (European Community TMR Programme "Access to Large Scale Facilities" Look at: http://www.mnhn.fr/progsc/index.html Conferences "Evolution of Parasites and Host-Parasite Relationships" Look at: http://www.mnhn.fr/ens/ed/07-justi.htm >-------------------------------------------------------------------