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The Domestic Dog as a Laboratory Host for Brugia malayi. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11101073. [PMID: 36297129 PMCID: PMC9607614 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11101073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Of the three nematodes responsible for lymphatic filariasis in humans, only Brugia malayi is actively maintained in research settings owing to its viability in small animal hosts, principal among which is the domestic cat. While the microfilaremic feline host is necessary for propagation of parasites on any significant scale, this system is plagued by a number of challenges not as pronounced in canine filarial models. For this reason, we investigated the capacity in which dogs may serve as competent laboratory hosts for B. malayi. We infected a total of 20 dogs by subcutaneous injection of 500 B. malayi third-stage larvae (L3) in either a single (n = 10) or repeated infection events (125 L3 per week for four weeks; n = 10). Within each group, half of the individuals were injected in the inguinal region and half in the dorsum of the hind paw. To track the course of microfilaremia in this host, blood samples were examined by microscopy biweekly for two years following infection. Additionally, to identify cellular responses with potential value as predictors of patency, we measured peripheral blood leukocyte counts for the first year of infection. A total of 10 of 20 dogs developed detectable microfilaremia. Peak microfilaria density varied but attained levels useful for parasite propagation (median = 1933 mL−1; range: 33–9950 mL−1). Nine of these dogs remained patent at 104 weeks. A two-way ANOVA revealed no significant differences between infection groups in lifetime microfilaria production (p = 0.42), nor did regression analysis reveal any likely predictive relationships to leukocyte values. The results of this study demonstrate the competence of the dog as a host for B. malayi and its potential to serve in the laboratory role currently provided by the cat, while also clarifying the potential for zoonosis in filariasis-endemic regions.
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Evans CC, Burkman EJ, Dzimianski MT, Garner B, Moorhead AR. The Course of Brugia malayi Microfilaremia in Experimentally Infected Cats. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2021; 21:586-592. [PMID: 34129397 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2020.2761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As one of the causative agents of lymphatic filariasis in humans, Brugia malayi has been established as the laboratory model of choice for studying this infection owing to its viability in small animal hosts, with the domestic cat being significant among these. The usefulness of individual feline infections is highly dependent on the levels of circulating microfilariae in the blood; thus, characterizing the course of microfilaremia benefits our understanding of this model. In B. malayi-endemic regions, cats are also known reservoirs of infection, and describing microfilaremia in a controlled setting may improve transmission modeling. We followed the course of B. malayi infection in 10 experimentally infected cats from inoculation to ultimate resolution. Seven cats developed patency, with a peak microfilaria concentration of 6525/mL. In addition, to identify cellular responses with potential value as predictors of patency, we measured the peripheral blood leukocyte counts during the first 8 months of infection and tested for correlations with lifelong microfilaria production. No strong relationships were observed, though cell values did appear to shift with the maturation phases of the parasite. The data we present reflect the course of microfilaremia in an important laboratory model under controlled conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher C Evans
- Department of Infectious Diseases and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Erica J Burkman
- Department of Infectious Diseases and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Michael T Dzimianski
- Department of Infectious Diseases and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Bridget Garner
- Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Andrew R Moorhead
- Department of Infectious Diseases and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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Ningombam A, Acharya S, Datta SK, Jat KR. An Unusual Presentation of Lymphatic Filariasis with Concurrent Pulmonary Tuberculosis Creating Diagnostic Perplexity. J Appl Lab Med 2021; 6:779-783. [PMID: 32995883 DOI: 10.1093/jalm/jfaa129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aparna Ningombam
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Shreyam Acharya
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Sudip Kumar Datta
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Kana Ram Jat
- Department of Paediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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Garg N, More S, Sharma M, Kotru M. Microfilaria: not always associated with eosinophilia. Trop Doct 2019; 49:210-212. [DOI: 10.1177/0049475519833264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Filariasis is a parasitic infection seen predominantly in tropical and subtropical countries including India. In clinically suspected cases, examining a thick wet mount smear or a buffy coat film is most informative. In unsuspected cases, however, eosinophilia in a peripheral blood smear (PBS) may be the sole indicator of parasitaemia. A few cases of tissue microfilaria with the absence of peripheral blood eosinophilia (PBE) have been reported. Here, we report two cases of microfilaria in PBS in the absence of PBE. A routine screening of the tail end of all PBS at low power magnification is also advised as it may facilitate the detection of asymptomatic cases when there is a normal eosinophil count.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Garg
- Resident, Department of Pathology, University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Shilpi More
- Resident, Department of Pathology, University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Monika Sharma
- Resident, Department of Pathology, University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Mrinalini Kotru
- Professor, Department of Pathology, University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, New Delhi, India
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Muñoz-Caro T, Conejeros I, Zhou E, Pikhovych A, Gärtner U, Hermosilla C, Kulke D, Taubert A. Dirofilaria immitis Microfilariae and Third-Stage Larvae Induce Canine NETosis Resulting in Different Types of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps. Front Immunol 2018; 9:968. [PMID: 29867950 PMCID: PMC5951940 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Heartworm disease is a zoonotic vector-borne disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis mainly affecting canids. Infectious third-stage larvae (L3) are transmitted to the definitive hosts via culicid mosquitoes; adult nematodes reside in the pulmonary arteries and in the right heart releasing unsheathed first-stage larvae (microfilariae) into the bloodstream leading to chronic and sometimes fatal disease. So far, early innate immune reactions triggered by these different D. immitis stages in the canine host have scarcely been investigated. Therefore, D. immitis microfilariae and L3 were analyzed for their capacity to induce neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in canine polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN). Overall, scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed both larval stages as strong inducers of canine NETosis. Co-localization of PMN-derived extracellular DNA with granulocytic histones, neutrophil elastase, or myeloperoxidase in parasite-entrapping structures confirmed the classical characteristics of NETosis. Quantitative analyses showed that both larval stages triggered canine NETs in a time-dependent but dose-independent manner. Moreover, parasite-induced NET formation was not influenced by the parasites viability since heat-inactivated microfilariae and L3 also induced NETs. In addition, parasite/PMN confrontation promoted significant entrapment but not killing of microfilariae and L3. Both, NETosis and larval entrapment was significantly reversed via DNase I treatments while treatments with the NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium failed to significantly influence these reactions. Interestingly, different types of NETs were induced by microfilariae and L3 since microfilarial stages merely induced spread and diffuse NETs while the larger L3 additionally triggered aggregated NET formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Muñoz-Caro
- Institute of Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Iván Conejeros
- Institute of Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Ershun Zhou
- Institute of Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Anton Pikhovych
- Clinical Development Animal Health, Animal Center, Bayer Animal Health GmbH, Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Gärtner
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Carlos Hermosilla
- Institute of Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Daniel Kulke
- Drug Discovery Animal Health, Parasiticides, Filaricides Research, Bayer Animal Health GmbH, Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Anja Taubert
- Institute of Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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Momčilović S, Cantacessi C, Arsić-Arsenijević V, Otranto D, Tasić-Otašević S. Rapid diagnosis of parasitic diseases: current scenario and future needs. Clin Microbiol Infect 2018; 25:290-309. [PMID: 29730224 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2018.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 04/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parasitic diseases are one of the world's most devastating and prevalent infections, causing millions of morbidities and mortalities annually. In the past, many of these infections have been linked predominantly to tropical or subtropical areas. Nowadays, however, climatic and vector ecology changes, a significant increase in international travel, armed conflicts, and migration of humans and animals have influenced the transmission of some parasitic diseases from 'book pages' to reality in developed countries. It has also been noted that many patients who have never travelled to endemic areas suffer from blood-borne infections caused by protozoa. In the light of existing knowledge, this new trend can be explained by the fact that in the process of migration a large number of asymptomatic carriers become a part of the blood bank donor and transplant donor populations. Accurate and rapid diagnosis represents the crucial weapon in the fight against parasitic infections. AIMS To review old and new approaches for rapid diagnosis of parasitic infections. SOURCES Data for this review were obtained through searches of PubMed using combinations of the following terms: parasitological diagnostics, microscopy, lateral flow assays, immunochromatographic assays, multiplex-PCR, and transplantation. CONTENT In this review, we provide a brief account of the advantages and limitations of rapid methods for diagnosis of parasitic diseases and focus our attention on current and future research in this area. The approximate costs associated with the use of different techniques and their applicability in endemic and non-endemic areas are also discussed. IMPLICATIONS Microscopy remains the cornerstone of parasitological diagnostics, especially in the field and low-resource settings, and provides epidemiological assessment of parasite burden. However, increased use and availability of point-of-care tests and molecular assays in modern era allow more rapid and accurate diagnoses and increased sensitivity in the identification of parasitic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Momčilović
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Serbia.
| | - C Cantacessi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - V Arsić-Arsenijević
- Department for Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - D Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Italy
| | - S Tasić-Otašević
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Serbia; Center of Microbiology and Parasitology, Public Health Institute Niš, Serbia
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Sharma GM, Bhardwaj AR, Relwani NR, Dubey S. Lymphatic Filariasis Presenting as a Swelling over the Upper Arm: A Case Report. Malays Orthop J 2018; 12:63-65. [PMID: 29725519 PMCID: PMC5920265 DOI: 10.5704/moj.1803.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Filariasis continues to be one of the endemic problems worldwide with 40% of the cases in India. We report a case of lymphatic filariasis in a 32-year old female who presented with a non-tender swelling over left upper arm. Blood sample showed no eosinophilia while the FNAC was diagnostic of W. bancrofti. Patient responded well with oral diethylcarbamazine. High index of suspicion of filariasis is indicated when dealing with a swelling of unknown cause especially in filariasis endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- G M Sharma
- Department of Orthopaedics, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai, India.,Department of Orthopaedics, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, New Delhi, India.,Department of Orthopaedics, Mahatma Gandhi Missions Medical College, Kamothe, India.,Department of Orthopaedics, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - A R Bhardwaj
- Department of Orthopaedics, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - N R Relwani
- Department of Orthopaedics, Mahatma Gandhi Missions Medical College, Kamothe, India
| | - S Dubey
- Department of Orthopaedics, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, New Delhi, India
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Abstract
In determining the etiology of eosinophilia, it is necessary to consider the type of patient, including previous travel and exposure history, comorbidities, and symptoms. In this review, we discuss the approach to the patient with eosinophilia from an infectious diseases perspective based on symptom complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise M O'Connell
- Helminth Immunology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 4 Center Drive, Building 4, Room B105, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Thomas B Nutman
- Helminth Immunology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 4 Center Drive, Building 4, Room B105, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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