There is increased recognition that dendritic cells (DCs) are an important source of the IL-12 required to initiate protective immunity to protozoa, such as Leishmania and Toxoplasma. This article reviews the advances made in the last two years in understanding the pathways that lead to DC activation after infection with these organisms. Interestingly, there appear to be differences in the DC a...

Charon ventriculi comprised over 30% of the total protozoa observed in rumen contents of a Flamenga cow fed Rhodes grass hay (Chloris gayana). Both percentage of composition and concentration decreased markedly when concentrate was added to the ration or the animal was fed in pasture. Although C. ventriculi is classified as a holotrich, concentrations of this species in the rumen appear to foll...

Parasitic and bacterial infections affecting the gastrointestinal tract represent a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Nitroheterocyclic drugs have been available since the early 1960s for the treatment of anaerobic protozoa. The application of these drugs has widened and they are presently used to treat anaerobic pathogenic bacteria and protozoa. 5-nitroimidazoles are a we...