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SUMMER MAGAZINE 1984
Morehouse Students At SEEMS Meet
Darrion J. Prewitt, a sophomore biology
major, and Charles Nelson, a senior
biology major, presented preliminary
data on their research in Schistosomiasis
at the Southeast Electron Microscopy
Society (SEEMS) Symposium in Bir
mingham, A I. The purpose of the SEEMS is
to increase and to diffuse the knowledge
of microscopy. The society’s symposium
enables participants to engage in the
entire scientific process, from research
ideas, through design and experimenta
tion, to the presentation of research
findings. For the first time, this year's
SEEMS Conference consisted of a joint
meeting with four other electron
microscopy societies: Alabama Electron
Microscopy Society (SEMS). Appalachian
Regional Electron Microscopy Society
(SREMS), Louisiana Society of Electron
Microscopy (LSEM), and South Carolina
Electron Microscopy Society (SCEMS).
Prewitt and Nelson were the only Two
undergraduates and minorities to make
oral presentations on their research out of
more than fifty-four presentors.
The Director of the Schistosomiasis and
Cysticercosis Disease Research is Dr. Betty
Ruth Jones, professor of Biologv and
director of the Institute of Electron
Microscopy at Morehouse. Dr.
Patricianne Hurd, instructor and director
of Electron Microscopy at Fernbank
Science Center is a Co-worker on the
project.
Nelson began carrying out research
with Dr. Jones in 1978 and Prewitt started
his research in September of 1983. Several
other students (James Sirleaf and Deneke
Mariam, graduate students at Atlanta
University: Jimmie Hicks, and Roderic
Ball, undergraduates at Morehouse: and
Rasha Mustakeem, a ninth grade student
at Benjamin Elijah Mays High School, are
carrying out research with Dr. Jones.
These students carry out Biomedical
Research the entire summer and
academic year.
Presently, Prewitt and Nelson are using
scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to
study the surface morphology of snail
vectors in the life cycle of the
Schistosomes. During the symposium,
Prewitt presented a paper entitled “Cilial
Polymorphism Among Three Species of
Biomphalaria as Revealed by SEM.”
Nelson presented a paper entitled “Fine
Structure of Presumptive Sites for
Neurotransmitters in the Miracidium of
Schistosomia mansoni. Prewitt, Nelson
and Dr. Jones received certificates of
award for their participation in the
Microanalysis and Cryotechnique
Workshop. Prewitt and Nelson also
became members of the Southeast Elec
tron Microscopy Society.
The primary research interests of Dr.
Jones' laboratory are in the areas of
medical parasitology, tropical medicine
and ultrastructure. Said Dr. Jones,
“Current parasitic disease being in
vestigated are schistosomiasis and
cysticercosis. In general, we are involved
in studying developmental mechanism,
structural and functional host-parasite
interactions."
She explained that this includes
granuloma formation, localization of
biogenic amines, catecholamines, and
enzymes in larval, intramolluscan, and
adult stages of the parasite, and the effects
of chemotherapeutic agents on the
parasite and host tissues. This summer, Dr.
Jones presented a paper on
“Neurotransmitters in the Nervous
System of the Miracidium of Schistosoma
mansoni,” in Budapest, FJungary.
The current methods of approach are
through applications of light microscopy,
scanning and transmission electron
microscopy, x-ray microanalysis, freeze -
fracture replication, high - voltage elec
tron microscopy, stereomorphometry
and biochemical techniques. The long
term goal of this research is to ameliorate
and control these diseases.
WHAT IS SCHISTOSOMIASIS?
Schistosomiasis has been described as
one of the most devastating diseases of
mankind, second only to malaria in its
delirious effects on the social and
economic development of populations in
many warm areas of the world. “The
disease is worldwide and conservatively
estimated to affect 180-200 million peo-
ple.”
It is caused by small worms belonging to
the group of parasites called trematodes
or blood flukes. The adult schistosome
worm lives in the blood vessels of infected
persons. The eggs of the parasite are
passed out in the feces or urine of
infected people and develop into larvae
in fresh water. Here, they infect
freshwater snails, in which they multiply
and then release large numbers of free-
swimming cercariae. The cercariae
penetrate the skin of persons entering
faecal or urine - contaminated water.
Once in man, the larvae find their way
into the small blood vessels of the
intestines and urinary bladder, where
they mature into adult worms of both
sexes (the females live in a fold along the
body of the male). The females are egg-
laying machines. For possible five years,
eggs are laid continuously, and this
process may last as long as 20 years in
some patients. Eggs that are not excreted
lodge in either the bladder and adjacent
organs of the urinary system or in the
intestines and liver. The clinical
manifestations of the disease are nausea,
fever, portal hypertension, diarrhea,
enlargement of the liver and spleen
(hepatospleenomegaly), passage of blood
in the stool, and etc.
The most definitive diagnosis for the
disease is the presence of eggs in the stool
(S. japonicum and S. mansoni) or urine (S.
haematobium), or in rectal or bladder
biopsies. There is no known cure for
Schistosomiasis, but there are drugs that
are being used to treat the disease.
Niridazole and praziquantel are two of
the principal therapeutic agents used for
treating Schistosomiasis, a lethal and
devastating disease of man.
X
Charles Nelson