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Hernández-Castro C, Dashti A, Vusirikala A, Balasegaram S, Köster PC, Bailo B, Imaña E, López A, Llorente MT, González-Barrio D, Sánchez S, Carmena D. Prevalence and temporal dynamics of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Blastocystis sp. among toddlers attending day-care centres in Spain. A prospective molecular-based longitudinal study. Eur J Pediatr 2023; 182:213-223. [PMID: 36282323 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-022-04662-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp., and Blastocystis sp. are common intestinal eukaryotic parasites affecting children in developed and resource-limited countries. Lack of information on the epidemiology and long-term stability in asymptomatic children complicates interpretation of transmission and pathogenesis. To assess the occurrence, genetic diversity, and temporal dynamics of intestinal eukaryotic parasites in young children, 679 stool samples from 125 toddlers attending six public day-care centres in Central Spain were collected bimonthly within a 1-year period. Detection and identification of species/genotypes were based on PCR and Sanger sequencing methods. Four eukaryotic species were identified: G. duodenalis (2.5‒31.6%), Cryptosporidium spp. (0.0‒2.4%), Blastocystis sp. (2.5‒6.4%), and Entamoeba dispar (0.0‒0.9%). Entamoeba histolytica and Enterocytozoon bieneusi were undetected. Sequence analyses identified assemblage A (63.6%) and B (36.4%) within G. duodenalis (n = 11), C. hominis (40%), C. parvum (40%), and C. wrairi (20%) within Cryptosporidium spp. (n = 5), and ST1 (3.8%), ST2 (46.2%), ST3 (15.4%), and ST4 (34.6%) within Blastocystis sp. (n = 26). Giardia duodenalis sub-assemblage AII/AIII was detected in a toddler for 10 consecutive months. Stable carriage of Blastocystis ST2 allele 9, ST3 allele 34, and ST4 allele 42 was demonstrated in five toddlers for up to 1 year. Conclusions: Giardia duodenalis and Blastocystis sp. were common in toddlers attending day-care centres in Central Spain. Long-term infection/colonization periods by the same genetic variant were observed for G. duodenalis (up to 10 months) and Blastocystis sp. (up to 12 months). What is Known: • Asymptomatic carriage of G. duodenalis and Blastocystis sp. is frequent in toddlers. • The epidemiology and long-term stability of these eukaryotes in asymptomatic young children is poorly understood. What is New: • Long-term colonization/infection periods by the same genetic variant were described for Blastocystis sp. (up to 12 months) and G. duodenalis (up to 10 months).
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Hernández-Castro
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.,Parasitology Group, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Corporation for the Study of Tropical Pathologies, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Alejandro Dashti
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Amoolya Vusirikala
- UK Field Epidemiology Training Programme, UK Health Security Agency, London, SE1 8UG, UK
| | | | - Pamela Carolina Köster
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Begoña Bailo
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Imaña
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrea López
- Food and Waterborne Bacterial Infections Reference and Research Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Teresa Llorente
- Food and Waterborne Bacterial Infections Reference and Research Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - David González-Barrio
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergio Sánchez
- Food and Waterborne Bacterial Infections Reference and Research Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
| | - David Carmena
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain. .,CIBER Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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Bustamante J, Sainz T, Montojo FA, Almirón MD, Subirats M, Vega DM, Mellado MJ, López-Hortelano MG. Screening for parasites in migrant children. Travel Med Infect Dis 2022; 47:102287. [PMID: 35304329 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2022.102287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Globalization has pushed population movements in the last decades, turning imported diseases into the focus. Due to behavioral habits, children are at higher risk of acquiring iparasitosis. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of parasites in migrant children and factors associated with parasitic diseases. METHOD Retrospective cross-sectional study (2014-2018) including children diagnosed with parasitosis. The diagnosis was based on serology and/or microscopic stool-sample evaluation. Epidemiological and clinical data were recorded. RESULTS Out of 813 migrant children screened, 241 (29.6%) presented at least one parasite, and 89 (10.9%) more than one. The median age was 6.6 years (IQR: 3.1-11.9) and 58.9% were males. Most cases were referred for a health exam; only 52.3% of children were symptomatic, but 43.6% had eosinophilia. The most common diagnosis were giardiasis (35.3%), schistosomiasis (19.1%), toxocariasis (15.4%), and strongyloidiasis (9.1%). After the multivariate analysis, African origin and presenting with eosinophilia were the main risk factors for parasitism. CONCLUSIONS parasitosis are frequent among migrant children. Children are often asymptomatic, and thus active screening for parasitosis should be considered among high-risk populations. Eosinophilia can be useful to guide complimentary tests, as well as geographical origin, but normal eosinophil count does not exclude parasitosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Bustamante
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital General de Valdepeñas, Ciudad Real, Spain; La Paz Research Institute (IdiPAZ) Madrid, Spain; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain
| | - Talía Sainz
- La Paz Research Institute (IdiPAZ) Madrid, Spain; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain; General Pediatrics and Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department, Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Red de Investigación Traslacional en Infectología Pediátrica (RITIP), Spain.
| | - Fátima Ara Montojo
- La Paz Research Institute (IdiPAZ) Madrid, Spain; General Pediatrics Department, Hospital de Quiron, Pozuelo, Spain
| | - Mariana Díaz Almirón
- La Paz Research Institute (IdiPAZ) Madrid, Spain; Biostatistics Department, La Paz University Hospital, Spain
| | - Mercedes Subirats
- La Paz Research Institute (IdiPAZ) Madrid, Spain; Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Hospital La Paz Madrid, Spain
| | - Dolores Montero Vega
- La Paz Research Institute (IdiPAZ) Madrid, Spain; Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Hospital La Paz Madrid, Spain
| | - María José Mellado
- La Paz Research Institute (IdiPAZ) Madrid, Spain; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain; General Pediatrics and Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department, Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Red de Investigación Traslacional en Infectología Pediátrica (RITIP), Spain
| | - Milagros García López-Hortelano
- La Paz Research Institute (IdiPAZ) Madrid, Spain; General Pediatrics and Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department, Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Red de Investigación Traslacional en Infectología Pediátrica (RITIP), Spain
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