Schistosoma mansoni in family 5 years after safari

Schistosomiasis in immigrants, refugees and travellers in an Italian referral centre for tropical diseases

BACKGROUND

Schistosomiasis is one of the most important neglected tropical diseases. If unrecognised and untreated, the chronic infection can lead to irreversible complications.

METHODS

Retrospective observational study aimed at describing clinical history, laboratory findings and imaging presentation of imported schistosomiasis diagnosed at the Centre for Tropical Diseases, Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital of Negrar, Verona, Italy from 2010 to 2014. The aim of our study was to assess differences in demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, laboratory data and ultrasound findings between immigrants/visiting friends and relatives (VFR) from endemic countries (endemic group) and expatriates/travellers (non-endemic group).

RESULTS

A total of 272 patients were retrieved: 234 in the endemic and 38 in the non-endemic group. Most of the patients acquired schistosomiasis in Africa (97.4%). Symptoms were reported by 52.9% of the patients; abdominal pain (36%), macroscopic hematuria (11.3%), and genito-urinary symptoms (7.4%) being the most frequently reported. Increased IgE and blood eosinophilia were observed in 169 (63.8%) and 130 (47.8%) patients, respectively. The proportion of positive serology was 250/272 (91.9%).The Circulating Cathodic Antigen CCA for Schistosoma mansoni was positive in 14/61 individuals (23%). At microscopy, infected subjects were 103/272 (37.9%). The species of Schistosoma found were S. haematobium (47.6%), S. mansoni (46.6%) or both (5.8%). Schistosomiasis was classified as confirmed in 103 (37.9%), probable in 165 (60.6%) and suspected in 4 (1.5%) cases using clinical presentation, laboratory data and ultrasound findings. The infection was further classified based on organ involvement: intestinal (17.9%), hepatosplenic (5.1%), urogenital (48.9%), and indeterminate (43.8%). The comparative analysis of endemic and non-endemic patients highlighted differences in sex and age. Endemic patients had more frequent ova identification (41.9% vs. 13.2%, P < 0.001) and increased IgE (70% vs. 26.3%, P < 0.001) when compared with non-endemic. Multivariate analyses showed that younger age, abnormal ultrasound findings and blood eosinophilia were significantly associated with positive microscopy (OR = 0.94, OR = 2.12, OR = 1.98, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Symptoms, eosinophilia and abnormal ultrasound findings were present in about half of patients, without differences between groups. Many patients had positive serology but negative microscopy, indicating that schistosomiasis might be misdiagnosed. A combination of diagnostic tools may facilitate the diagnosis.

Schistosoma mansoni-related morbidity in a low-prevalence area of Brazil: a comparison between egg excretors and seropositive non-excretors

In areas where there is a low prevalence of schistosomiasis mansoni, faecal examination is a relatively insensitive method of detection and infected people may also be missed because most show only mild morbidity. In such settings, serology may be a more useful diagnostic tool than microscopy. In the present study, the clinical and biochemical characteristics of individuals who were stool-positive for Schistosoma mansoni eggs were compared with those of individuals, from the same low-prevalence area of Brazil, who were stool-negative but seropositive for the parasite. Overall, 269 subjects were checked both for schistosome eggs in their faeces (using Kato-Katz smears and Lutz sedimentation) and for anti-S. mansoni IgG in their sera (using an ELISA). Although 128 (48%) of these subjects were found seropositive, only 26 (10%) were found to be egg excretors and two of the egg excretors were seronegative. Compared with the seropositive egg-negatives, the egg excretors had significantly higher frequencies of fatigue, melaena, jaundice and swelling of the abdomen. The egg excretors also had higher frequencies of hepatomegaly (20% v. 16%) and splenomegaly (4% v. 1%). In both groups of subjects, mean concentrations of serum proteins and haemoglobin and mean leucocyte counts were in the normal range whereas most blood concentrations of alanine aminotransferase and many of those of aspartate aminotransferase were slightly elevated. Although the egg excretors tended to have low-intensity infections, it seems possible that the seropositive nonexcretors had even milder infections that could not be detected by faecal examination. The high frequency of cure observed when the egg excretors were given praziquantel at 40 mg/kg (94%) is probably another indication that most had light infections when they were treated.

Schistosomiasis of the nervous system

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma. Currently 200 million people worldwide are infected. Neurological manifestations are a result of the inflammatory response of the host to egg deposition in the brain and spinal cord and is usually seen in patients with recent infection with no evidence of systemic illness. Cerebral and cerebellar disease can result in headache, seizure, and increased intracranial pressure. Cerebral schistosomiasis is more common in Schistosoma japonicum, but increasing cases due to Schistosoma mansoni are being reported in the literature. Other complications of cerebral schistosomiasis include delirium, loss of consciousness, visual field impairment, focal motor deficits, and ataxia. Myelopathy is the most common neurological manifestation of Schistosoma mansoni and the conus medullaris and cauda equine are the most common sites of involvement. Severe disease can result in flaccid paraplegia with areflexia, sphincter dysfunction, and sensory disturbance. Early recognition and prompt treatment are essential when physicians are faced with schistosomiasis involving the central nervous system. Schistosomicidal drugs, such as praziquantel, steroids and surgery, are the mainstay of therapy for this severe form of schistosomiasis.

Spinal schistosomiasis: differential diagnosis for acute paraparesis in a U.S. resident

BACKGROUND

Spinal schistosomiasis is a severe presentation of Schistosoma mansoni infection, which is endemic in South America, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa. With increasing international travel, a disease can spread from an endemic area to another part of the world easily.

OBJECTIVES

To present a case of a US resident who developed acute paraparesis due to spinal schistosomiasis after traveling to sub-Saharan Africa.

PARTICIPANT

A 45-year-old woman presented with abdominal pain radiating into the bilateral lower extremities. She was diagnosed with a pelvic mass and underwent an urgent hysterectomy with right salpingo-oopherectomy. Postoperatively, she developed progressive weakness with worsening pain in her bilateral lower extremities and neurogenic bladder. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an abnormal T2 hyperintense signal in the entire spinal cord below the T3 level with abnormal contrast enhancement from T9 through the conus medullaris. Spinal fluid analysis showed lymphocytic pleocytosis and elevated protein. The patient was diagnosed with transverse myelitis. Subsequently, a detailed history revealed a visit to Ethiopia 2 years earlier. Tests for S mansoni were positive. After treatment with praziquantel and prednisone, her neurologic function began to improve.

CONCLUSIONS

An increasing incidence of international travel is increasing the likelihood of US physicians' encountering this treatable condition. Travelers with spinal schistosomiasis may not have symptoms of systemic infection. Therefore, it is important to include spinal schistosomiasis in the differential diagnosis of acute inflammatory myelopathy, particularly with a history of travel to endemic areas.

Neurological complications of Schistosoma infection

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma. Currently more than 200 million people worldwide are affected. Neuroschistosomiasis constitutes a severe presentation of the disease. Neurological symptoms result from the inflammatory response of the host to egg deposition in the brain and spinal cord. Neurological complications of cerebral schistosomiasis include delirium, loss of consciousness, seizures, dysphasia, visual field impairment, focal motor deficits and ataxia. Cerebral and cerebellar tumour-like neuroschistosomiasis can present with increased intracranial pressure, headache, nausea and vomiting, and seizures. Myelopathy (acute transverse myelitis and subacute myeloradiculopathy) is the most common neurological complication of Schistosoma mansoni infection. Schistosomal myelopathy tends to occur early after infection and is more likely to be symptomatic than cerebral schistosomiasis. The conus medullaris and cauda equina are the most common sites of involvement. Severe schistosomal myelopathy can provoke a complete flaccid paraplegia with areflexia, sphincter dysfunction and sensory disturbances. Schistosomicidal drugs, steroids and surgery are the currently available treatments for neuroschistosomiasis. Rehabilitation and multidisciplinary team care are needed in severely disabled patients.