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Nagamori Y, Scimeca R, Hall-Sedlak R, Blagburn B, Starkey LA, Bowman DD, Lucio-Forster A, Little SE, Cree T, Loenser M, Larson BS, Penn C, Rhodes A, Goldstein R. Multicenter evaluation of the Vetscan Imagyst system using Ocus 40 and EasyScan One scanners to detect gastrointestinal parasites in feces of dogs and cats. J Vet Diagn Invest 2024; 36:32-40. [PMID: 38014739 PMCID: PMC10734580 DOI: 10.1177/10406387231216185] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The Vetscan Imagyst system (Zoetis) is a novel, artificial intelligence-driven detection tool that can assist veterinarians in the identification of enteric parasites in dogs and cats. This system consists of a sample preparation device, an automated digital microscope scanner, and a deep-learning algorithm. The EasyScan One scanner (Motic) has had good diagnostic performance compared with manual examinations by experts; however, there are drawbacks when used in veterinary practices in which space for equipment is often limited. To improve the usability of this system, we evaluated an additional scanner, the Ocus 40 (Grundium). Our objectives were to 1) qualitatively evaluate the performance of the Vetscan Imagyst system with the Ocus 40 scanner for identifying Ancylostoma, Toxocara, and Trichuris eggs, Cystoisospora oocysts, and Giardia cysts in canine and feline fecal samples, and 2) expand the assessment of the performance of the Vetscan Imagyst system paired with either the Ocus 40 or EasyScan One scanner to include a larger dataset of 2,191 fecal samples obtained from 4 geographic regions of the United States. When tested with 852 canine and feline fecal samples collected from different geographic regions, the performance of the Vetscan Imagyst system combined with the Ocus 40 scanner was correlated closely with manual evaluations by experts. Sensitivities were 80.0‒97.0% and specificities were 93.7‒100.0% across the targeted parasites. When tested with 1,339 fecal samples, the Vetscan Imagyst system paired with the EasyScan One scanner successfully identified the targeted parasite stages; sensitivities were 73.6‒96.4% and specificities were 79.7‒100.0%.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ruth Scimeca
- Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | | | - Byron Blagburn
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Lindsay A. Starkey
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Dwight D. Bowman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Araceli Lucio-Forster
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Susan E. Little
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Travis Cree
- Zoetis, Global Diagnostics, Parsippany, NJ, USA
| | | | | | - Cory Penn
- Zoetis, Global Diagnostics, Parsippany, NJ, USA
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Little S, Braff J, Duncan K, Elsemore D, Hanna R, Hanscom J, Lee A, Martin KA, Sobotyk C, Starkey L, Sundstrom K, Tyrrell P, Verocai GG, Wu T, Beall M. Diagnosis of canine intestinal parasites: Improved detection of Dipylidium caninum infection through coproantigen testing. Vet Parasitol 2023; 324:110073. [PMID: 37976897 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110073] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Intestinal parasites, including cestodes like Dipylidium caninum, are common in dogs in the United States of America (USA), but fecal flotation consistently, and, at times, dramatically, fails to identify many of these infections. To determine the extent to which including coproantigen testing for D. caninum would improve the identification of dogs infected with this cestode, we evaluated fecal samples from 877 dogs (589 pet and 288 from municipal shelters) from six USA states using zinc sulfate (specific gravity 1.24) fecal flotation with centrifugation along with coproantigen detection for Giardia sp., hookworms, ascarids, and Trichuris vulpis. For D. caninum, PCR of perianal swabs was included. Intestinal parasite infections were identified, using centrifugal fecal flotation or coproantigen, in 265 dogs (13.2 % pet, 64.9 % shelter). Dipylidium caninum infection was detected in 5.6 % of dogs with the combination of coproantigen and centrifugal fecal flotation, and 7.3 % of dogs when perianal swab results were included; prevalence varied by diagnostic method, population, and geographic region. In pet dogs, D. caninum infection was identified by fecal flotation (0), coproantigen (2.2 %), or perianal swabs (1.2 %). The same methods revealed infection in 0.3 %, 12.5 %, and 11.1 % of shelter dogs, respectively. Frequent use of praziquantel in shelter dogs (116/288; 40.3 %) may have reduced prevalence. Positive and negative agreement of D. caninum coproantigen with perianal swab PCR in pet dogs was 85.7 % and 98.8 %, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis accounting for region, population, and age found D. caninum infection to be more common in shelter dogs relative to pet (adjusted OR 4.91 [2.48, 10.24]) and in the Southcentral and Southeast regions relative to North (adjusted OR 9.59 [1.92, 174.13] and 17.69 [3.67, 318.09] respectively). Coproantigen testing also enhanced the detection of other intestinal parasites over fecal flotation alone, including Giardia sp. (14.7 % vs 3.3 %), hookworms (13.8 % vs 8.4 %), ascarids (2.9 % vs 2.2 %), and T. vulpis (2.9 % vs 1.4 %). Together, these data indicate that the coproantigen assay employed increases detection of D. caninum infections several fold, supporting the use of this test in clinical practice, and add to a growing body of research documenting enhanced diagnosis through implementation of multiple laboratory-based methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Little
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | | | - Kathryn Duncan
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; Merck Animal Health, Rahway, NJ 07065, USA
| | | | - Rita Hanna
- IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., Westbrook, ME 04092, USA
| | | | - Alice Lee
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic & Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Katy A Martin
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Caroline Sobotyk
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Lindsay Starkey
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, 166 Greene Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Kellee Sundstrom
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | | | - Guilherme G Verocai
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Timothy Wu
- Department of Population Medicine, Section of Anatomic Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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Lauffer A, Piazzon ML, Giovannone F, Flesher S, Kilgore JT. Bilious Worm Emesis Secondary to Intestinal Helminthic Infection. J Pediatr 2023; 262:113587. [PMID: 37393043 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Lauffer
- Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine Department of Pediatrics Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine Huntington, West Virginia
| | - Mariana Lanata Piazzon
- Division of Pediatric Infectious DiseasesDepartment of PediatricsMarshall University Joan C. Edwards School of MedicineHuntington, West Virginia
| | | | - Susan Flesher
- Division of Pediatric Hospital MedicineDepartment of PediatricsMarshall University Joan C. Edwards School of MedicineHuntington, West Virginia
| | - Jacob T Kilgore
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases Department of Pediatrics Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine Huntington, West Virginia
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Morandi B, Sabetti MC, Napoleoni M, Pascucci I, Orlandi G, Pietra M, VanLeeuwen JA, Greenwood SJ, Poglayen G, Galuppi R. Endoparasites in dogs diagnosed at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH)-University of Bologna, combined with clinicopathological results. A long-term retrospective secondary data study. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293330. [PMID: 37862344 PMCID: PMC10588848 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans and dogs commonly share the same domestic environment. Europe, and Italy specifically, have a substantial and growing dog population. Potentially zoonotic parasites may be harbored even by dogs receiving regular veterinary care. Thus, transmission of zoonotic or potentially zoonotic parasites to owners and their families should not be underestimated. Frequently, endoparasite infections occur as a subclinical infection and clinicopathological alterations have been documented including anemia, hypoalbuminemia, and eosinophilia. The aim of this large retrospective secondary data study was to analyze coprological endoparasite results and putative risk factors obtained from owned dogs, through a 9-year-period (2011-2019). Possible associations between diagnosed endoparasites and sex, age, seasonality, and year of examination were evaluated. Additionally, parasitological diagnoses were combined to complete blood count parameters and biochemical profiles, when available, to check for any possible hematological alteration from parasitism. A total of 1,972 dogs were evaluated for endoparasites using common fecal diagnostic tests over a 9-year period. The overall proportion of endoparasite-positive animals was 10%. The most common endoparasites detected were Cystoisospora spp. (3%), Toxocara canis (2.8%), Giardia duodenalis (1.6%), and Trichuris vulpis (1.2%). Of these parasites detected, Toxocara poses the greatest zoonotic risk, while Giardia species are considered to have a low potential to be zoonotic. There was no significant diagnostic trend across the years through the study period. Dogs were more frequently diagnosed endoparasite-positive when young and during cold seasons compared to the baselines of mature dogs and warm seasons. The clinicopathological profiles indicated that parasitized dogs had mild hematological alterations. The frequency of detected potentially zoonotic endoparasites in this study highlights that the risk should not be underestimated. Parasitic infection was found to be mostly dependent on age and season. Having this information may help clinicians to develop anthelmintic protocols to reduce the risk of transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetto Morandi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, Perugia, Italy
| | | | - Maira Napoleoni
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, Perugia, Italy
| | - Ilaria Pascucci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, Perugia, Italy
| | - Gionata Orlandi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Pietra
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - John A. VanLeeuwen
- Department of Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada
| | - Spencer J. Greenwood
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Atlantic Veterinary College, Charlottetown, Canada
| | - Giovanni Poglayen
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberta Galuppi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Fantinatti M, Da-Cruz AM. Enterobius vermicularis in Brazil: An integrative review. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2023; 56:e00732023. [PMID: 37792827 PMCID: PMC10550099 DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0073-2023] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterobius vermicularis, an intestinal helminth, is transmitted through the ingestion of eggs found in food, water, dust, or other fomites, including infected individuals. This review aimed to examine the frequency and distribution of E. vermicularis infections in Brazil between 1991 and 2022. The conducted bibliographic survey revealed that the frequency of E. vermicularis infections in Brazil ranged from 0.1 to 26.1%, depending on factors such as population ethnicity, individual age group, geographic area, time frame, and diagnostic method. However, these findings were based on a limited number of publications, suggesting that the actual prevalence rates of E. vermicularis infection may still be unknown and potentially underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Fantinatti
- Universidade Federal de Roraima, Curso de Medicina, Boa Vista, RR, Brasil
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Alda Maria Da-Cruz
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Disciplina de Parasitologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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Jafeer KAMM, Ali Malaa SF, Al-Aboobi ZAM, Alkhafaji NAK. Evaluation of intestinal parasites as a causative agent of diarrhea in children and some treatments used in Babylon Governorate. Pan Afr Med J 2023; 46:29. [PMID: 38107340 PMCID: PMC10724028 DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2023.46.29.40536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Saba Fadhil Ali Malaa
- Community Health Department, Technical Institute of Babylon, Al Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, Babylon, Iraq
| | - Zainab Abed Mohsen Al-Aboobi
- Community Health Department, Technical Institute of Karbala, Al Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, Karbala, Iraq
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AlDahoul N, Karim HA, Momo MA, Escobar FIF, Magallanes VA, Tan MJT. Parasitic egg recognition using convolution and attention network. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14475. [PMID: 37660120 PMCID: PMC10475085 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41711-3] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) caused by protozoan and helminth parasites are among the most common infections in humans in low-and-middle-income countries. IPIs affect not only the health status of a country, but also the economic sector. Over the last decade, pattern recognition and image processing techniques have been developed to automatically identify parasitic eggs in microscopic images. Existing identification techniques are still suffering from diagnosis errors and low sensitivity. Therefore, more accurate and faster solution is still required to recognize parasitic eggs and classify them into several categories. A novel Chula-ParasiteEgg dataset including 11,000 microscopic images proposed in ICIP2022 was utilized to train various methods such as convolutional neural network (CNN) based models and convolution and attention (CoAtNet) based models. The experiments conducted show high recognition performance of the proposed CoAtNet that was tuned with microscopic images of parasitic eggs. The CoAtNet produced an average accuracy of 93%, and an average F1 score of 93%. The finding opens door to integrate the proposed solution in automated parasitological diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nouar AlDahoul
- Computer Science, New York University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
- Faculty of Engineering, Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, Malaysia.
| | | | - Mhd Adel Momo
- Fleet Management Systems and Technologies, Istanbul, Turkey
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Leutenegger CM, Lozoya CE, Tereski J, Andrews J, Mitchell KD, Meeks C, Willcox JL, Freeman G, Richmond HL, Savard C, Evason MD. Comparative study of a broad qPCR panel and centrifugal flotation for detection of gastrointestinal parasites in fecal samples from dogs and cats in the United States. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:288. [PMID: 37587483 PMCID: PMC10433665 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05904-z] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND For decades, zinc sulfate centrifugal fecal flotation microscopy (ZCF) has been the mainstay technique for gastrointestinal (GI) parasite screening at veterinary clinics and laboratories. Elsewhere, PCR has replaced microscopy because of generally increased sensitivity and detection capabilities; however, until recently it has been unavailable commercially. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to compare the performance of real-time PCR (qPCR) and ZCF for fecal parasite screening. Secondary aims included further characterization of markers for hookworm treatment resistance and Giardia spp. assemblages with zoonotic potential and qPCR optimization. METHODS A convenience sampling of 931 canine/feline fecal samples submitted to a veterinary reference laboratory for routine ZCF from the Northeast US (11/2022) was subsequently evaluated by a broad qPCR panel following retention release. Detection frequency and agreement (kappa statistics) were evaluated between ZCF and qPCR for seven GI parasites [hookworm/(Ancylostoma spp.), roundworm/(Toxocara spp.), whipworm/(Trichuris spp.), Giardia duodenalis, Cystoisospora spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Tritrichomonas blagburni] and detections per sample. Total detection frequencies were compared using a paired t-test; positive sample and co-infection frequencies were compared using Pearson's chi-squared test (p ≤ 0.05 significant) and qPCR frequency for hookworm benzimidazole (BZ) resistance (F167Y) and zoonotic Giardia spp. assemblage markers calculated. Confirmatory testing, characterization, and qPCR optimization were carried out with Sanger sequencing. RESULTS qPCR detected a significantly higher overall parasite frequency (n = 679) compared to ZCF (n = 437) [p = < 0.0001, t = 14.38, degrees-of-freedom (df) = 930] and 2.6 × the co-infections [qPCR (n = 172) vs. ZCF (n = 66)], which was also significant (p = < 0.0001, X2 = 279.49; df = 1). While overall agreement of parasite detection was substantial [kappa = 0.74; (0.69-0.78], ZCF-undetected parasites reduced agreement for individual and co-infected samples. qPCR detected markers for Ancylostoma caninum BZ resistance (n = 5, 16.1%) and Giardia with zoonotic potential (n = 22, 9.1%) as well as two parasites undetected by ZCF (T. gondii/T. blagburni). Sanger sequencing detected novel roundworm species, and qPCR optimization provided detection beyond ZCF. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate the statistically significant detection frequency advantage offered by qPCR compared to routine ZCF for both single and co-infections. While overall agreement was excellent, this rapid, commercially available qPCR panel offers benefits beyond ZCF with detection of markers for Giardia assemblages with zoonotic potential and hookworm (A. caninum) BZ resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jan Andrews
- Antech Diagnostics, Inc, Fountain Valley, CA, USA
| | | | - Cathy Meeks
- Antech Diagnostics, Inc, Fountain Valley, CA, USA
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da Silva YH, Campos DR, Lima GAC, Quintal JP, Guimarães BG, do Rêgo GMM, de Avelar BR, Intrieri JDM, Correia TR, Scott FB. Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in domestic cats (Felis catus) diagnosed by different coproparasitological techniques in the municipality of Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro. Rev Bras Parasitol Vet 2023; 32:e006223. [PMID: 37585954 PMCID: PMC10449314 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612023049] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
The objectives of this work were to investigate the occurrence of parasites in feces of cats, compare different coproparasitological techniques for their diagnosis and determine associations with parasitism. The samples were processed using three different coproparasitological techniques: centrifugal flotation in sucrose, centrifugal flotation in ZnSO4 and simple sedimentation. The parasitic association between parasitism and variables such as age, sex and fecal consistency was performed using the chi-square test or the G test with a significance level of 5%. A total of 237 samples were analyzed, of which 93 (39.2%) were positive, being Ancylostoma spp. (17.3%), Giardia intestinalis (12.2%), Platynosomum illiciens (8.0%), Cystoisospora spp. (6.3%), Toxoplasma gondii/ Hammondia hammondi (3.4%), Diphyllobothriidae (2.1%), Toxocara spp. (1.7%), Dipylidium caninum (1.3%) and Mesocestoides spp. (0.8%). In the parasitism association analysis, it was possible to verify a statistical difference in the age category for Cystoisospora spp. (p=0.001) observing a strong relationship between parasitism and young animals, the association with sex proved to be important for P. illiciens (p<0.001) with a higher frequency of parasitized females and fecal consistency revealed to be related to the parasites G. intestinalis (p=0.007) and P. illiciens (p=0.033) showing a higher number of positive animals for these parasites with normal fecal consistency. In conclusion, we observed a higher occurrence of Ancylostoma spp. and G. intestinalis in fecal samples from domestic cats received in routine diagnoses and the presence of other parasites with zoonotic potential, as well as the relationship of these diagnosed parasites with the categories sex, age and fecal consistency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ygor Henrique da Silva
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro - UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ, Brasil
| | - Diefrey Ribeiro Campos
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro - UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ, Brasil
| | - Gabriel Alcides Capucho Lima
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro - UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ, Brasil
| | - Janaína Pires Quintal
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro - UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ, Brasil
| | - Brena Gava Guimarães
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro - UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ, Brasil
| | - Guilherme Mota Maciel do Rêgo
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro - UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ, Brasil
| | - Barbara Rauta de Avelar
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro - UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ, Brasil
| | - Juliana de Moraes Intrieri
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro - UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ, Brasil
| | - Thais Ribeiro Correia
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro - UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ, Brasil
| | - Fabio Barbour Scott
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro - UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ, Brasil
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Vanhooren M, Stoefs A, Van Den Broucke S, Van Esbroeck M, Demuyser T, Kindt S. Intestinal helminthic infections: a narrative review to guide the hepatogastroenterologist. Acta Gastroenterol Belg 2023; 86:460-473. [PMID: 37814562 DOI: 10.51821/86.3.11895] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Intestinal helminthic infections are not uncommon in Western Europe, mainly due to modern travel, emigration and globalization. Moreover, some helminthic infections are endemic in Western Europe and are part of the everyday clinical practice. The hepatogastroenterologist should therefore recognize and manage these patients or at least refer them to appropriate reference centers. Signs and symptoms are often unspecific or even absent. Discerning the disease at an early stage avoids expensive diagnostic testing, life-threatening complications and in some cases even further spread of the disease. This review article aims to guide the hepatogastroenterologist when suspecting a helminthic infection by addressing the most prevalent symptoms, summarizing the most probable associated helminthic entities, highlighting practical steps in diagnosis and available treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Vanhooren
- Department of Gastroenterology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
| | - A Stoefs
- Department of Microbiology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
| | - S Van Den Broucke
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (ITMA), Antwerp, Belgium
| | - M Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (ITMA), Antwerp, Belgium
| | - T Demuyser
- Department of Microbiology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
- AIMS lab, Center for Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - S Kindt
- Department of Gastroenterology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
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Korzeniewski K, Richert W. Intestinal parasitic infections in officers of the Border Guard in East Poland. Int Marit Health 2023; 74:175-179. [PMID: 37781943 DOI: 10.5603/imh.97185] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poland has experienced increased economic migration since 2021. Large waves of migrants, mostly from Asian and African countries, are trying to get into the European Union by crossing Poland's eastern border illegally. The influx of illegal migrants into Poland is the result of a policy adopted by the Belarusian and Russian regimes that are trying to provoke another migrant crisis in Europe. In the opinion of some Polish politicians illegal migration contributes to the spread of parasitic diseases in our country as many migrants arriving into Poland carry intestinal parasites. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of infections with intestinal parasites in the Polish Border Guard officers safeguarding Poland's eastern borders. MATERIALS AND METHODS Parasitological diagnostics was carried out between April and May 2023. The study involved 218 Polish Border Guard officers from the Podlaski Border Guard Unit (PBGU) and 209 officers from the Bug Border Guard Unit (BBGU), whose task is to patrol and safeguard Poland's border with Ukraine and Belarus. Faecal examinations were performed using three different light microscopy testing methods (direct smear, decantation, flotation) at the Department of Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine at the Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland. RESULTS Considered to be potentially pathogenic intestinal parasites were diagnosed in 20 out of 218 officers serving in the PBGU (8.7% infected with Blastocystis spp., 0.5% with Dientamoeba fragilis) and in 9 out of 209 officers serving in the BBGU (3.8% infected with Blastocystis spp., 0.5% with Dientamoeba fragilis). There were no infections with nematodes, cestodes or trematodes in the study participants. No correlation was found between a parasitic infection and the presence of diarrhoea or other gastrointestinal symptoms within 6 months prior to the study in both groups. CONCLUSIONS Although Polish Border Guard officers deployed to the eastern border are exposed to difficult environmental conditions and have frequent contacts (either directly or indirectly) with migrants arriving from countries which report high incidence of parasitic infections, the rates of infections with potentially pathogenic protozoa in officers from the PBGU and BBGU are low and mainly attributable to pathogens which are widespread in the general Polish population. Low rates of parasitic infections in officers serving in the border zone suggest that the epidemiological situation of parasitic diseases in East Poland is satisfactory and that the disease prevention strategies (including the use of personal protection gear) implemented by the Polish medical services are effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Korzeniewski
- Department of Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine, Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Wanesa Richert
- Department of Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine, Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
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Korzeniewski K, Shkilna M, Richert W, Zaporozhan S, Huk M, Shevchuk O, Korda M. Intestinal parasite infections among internal war refugees and inhabitants of the Ternopil region, Western Ukraine. Int Marit Health 2023; 74:272-277. [PMID: 38111248 DOI: 10.5603/imh.97560] [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] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine resulted in the destruction of the country's infrastructure and a decline in the standard of living for many citizens (e.g. shortages of electricity and safe drinking water, limited access to healthcare, living in unsuitable cold basements). A lot of Ukrainians living in the eastern, southern and central parts of the country were forced to flee their homes. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasite infections among internal war refugees and residents of Ternopil, a city in Western Ukraine, in response to the worsening of the epidemiological situation in the country. MATERIALS AND METHODS Parasitological diagnostics was carried out in June 2023 and involved 127 adult Ukrainian citizens aged 19-80 years old, including 80 internal war refugees (most of the participants came from Donetsk, Luhansk, Dnipro, Kherson regions) and 47 residents of Ternopil region, Western Ukraine. Surveys and parasitological examination of stool samples by three different light microscopy testing methods (direct smear, decantation, flotation) were performed. The samples were then tested for the presence of Giardia intestinalis intestinal protozoa by molecular tests (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR]) and immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). RESULTS All RT-PCR and RDT tests to detect Giardia intestinalis were found to be negative. The examination of faecal samples taken from 127 patients showed no infections with nematodes, cestodes or trematodes. The examinations only revealed infections with potentially pathogenic Blastocystis spp.: 18/80 infections in the population of internal war refugees (22.5%) and 7/47 infections among residents of the Ternopil region (14.9%). Survey results demonstrated frequent use of antibiotics and antiparasitic drugs without physician advise or prescription: 43.9% of the study participants (n = 127) were taking antibiotics, and 25.2% were taking antiparasitic drugs during the period of 3 months prior to the study. CONCLUSIONS An absence of intestinal parasite pathogens was detected in the studied population. The authors may explain it by the fact, that many Ukrainian patients have unlimited access to antimicrobial drugs (drugs sold without a valid prescription and taken without consultation with a physician), which could have contributed to the low incidence of intestinal parasite infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Korzeniewski
- Department of Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine; Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Mariia Shkilna
- Department of Infectious Diseases with Epidemiology, Dermatology and Venerology, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Ternopil, Ukraine
| | - Wanesa Richert
- Department of Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine; Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Stepan Zaporozhan
- Department of General Surgery, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Ternopil, Ukraine
| | - Mariana Huk
- Department of Infectious Diseases with Epidemiology, Dermatology and Venerology, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Ternopil, Ukraine
| | - Oksana Shevchuk
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Ternopil, Ukraine
| | - Mykhailo Korda
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Ternopil, Ukraine
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Prasongdee TK, Seesui K, Sadee P, Sadaow L, Sukeepaisarnjaroen W, Kraiklang R, Sanpool O, Maleewong W, Intapan PM. High Prevalence of Intestinal Capillariasis in Chronic Diarrhea Patients in Thailand: Serological Screening Using a Rapid Lateral-Flow Immunochromatographic Assay. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 107:370-372. [PMID: 35895399 PMCID: PMC9393472 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-1247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Intestinal capillariasis is an emerging fish-borne helminthic disease caused by the round worm Capillaria philippinensis. Chronic infection may lead to death if the disease is misdiagnosed and inappropriate treatment is given. We used a rapid lateral-flow immunochromatographic test for screening of intestinal capillariasis in patients with chronic diarrhea. We screened 292 chronic diarrhea patients who had visited hospitals in Thailand. Sixty-six (22.6%) cases were positive according to the kit. All positive patients received mebendazole at 200 mg twice per day for 30 consecutive days or albendazole at 200 mg twice per day for 10 consecutive days. Later, stool concentration techniques, used to examine stool samples from all serologically positive individuals on three consecutive days, revealed C. philippinensis eggs, larvae, and/or adults. The kit is useful for screening and rapid diagnosis of intestinal capillariasis in chronic diarrhea patients in an endemic area for prevention of serious disease and facilitates treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thidarat K. Prasongdee
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | | | - Phuangphaka Sadee
- Clinical Immunology Unit, Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Lakkhana Sadaow
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- Mekong Health Science Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | | | - Ratthaphol Kraiklang
- Department of Public Health Administration, Health Promotion, Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Oranuch Sanpool
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- Mekong Health Science Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Wanchai Maleewong
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- Mekong Health Science Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Pewpan M. Intapan
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- Mekong Health Science Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
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Parra C, Grijalva F, Núñez B, Núñez A, Pérez N, Benítez D. Automatic identification of intestinal parasites in reptiles using microscopic stool images and convolutional neural networks. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0271529. [PMID: 35925986 PMCID: PMC9352023 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Captive environments trigger the propagation and multiplication of parasites among different reptile species, thus weakening their immune response and causing infections and diseases. Technological advances of convolutional neural networks have opened a new field for detecting and classifying diseases which have shown great potential to overcome the shortcomings of manual detection performed by experts. Therefore, we propose an approach to identify six captive reptiles parasitic agents (Ophionyssus natricis, Blastocystis sp, Oxiurdo egg, Rhytidoides similis, Strongyloides, Taenia) or the absence of such parasites from a microscope stool images dataset. Towards this end, we first use an image segmentation stage to detect the parasite within the image, which combines the Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) technique, the OTSU binarization method, and morphological operations. Then, we carry out a classification stage through MobileNet CNN under a transfer learning scheme. This method was validated on a stool image dataset containing 3616 images data samples and 26 videos from the six parasites mentioned above. The results obtained indicate that our transfer learning-based approach can learn a helpful representation from the dataset. We obtained an average accuracy of 94.26% across the seven classes (i.e., six parasitic agents and the absence of parasites), which statistically outperformed, at a 95% confidence level, a custom CNN trained from scratch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Parra
- NuCom, Nuevas Comunicaciones Iberia S.A., Barcelona, Spain
| | - Felipe Grijalva
- Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences (FICA), Telecommunications Engineering, Universidad de Las Américas (UDLA), Quito, Ecuador
- Departamento de Electrónica, Telecomunicaciones y Redes de Información (DETRI), Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Ladrón de Guevara, Quito, Ecuador
- * E-mail:
| | - Bryan Núñez
- Departamento de Electrónica, Telecomunicaciones y Redes de Información (DETRI), Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Ladrón de Guevara, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Alejandra Núñez
- Carrera de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Ambato, Ecuador
| | - Noel Pérez
- Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías “El Politécnico”, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Diego Benítez
- Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías “El Politécnico”, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
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Gasparinho C, Gonçalves MH, Chissaque A, Silva GL, Fortes F, Gonçalves L. Wasting, Stunting, and Anemia in Angolan Children after Deworming with Albendazole or a Test-and-Treat Approach for Intestinal Parasites: Binary Longitudinal Models with Temporal Structure in a Four-Arm Randomized Trial. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14112185. [PMID: 35683985 PMCID: PMC9183140 DOI: 10.3390/nu14112185] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Undernutrition, anemia, and intestinal parasitic infections are public health problems in Angola, especially in pre-school children. We analyzed binary data from a longitudinal four-arm randomized parallel trial conducted in Bengo Province, northern Angola, over the course of two years, with seven follow-up assessments to explore the effects of four interventions (deworming and a test-and-treat approach for intestinal parasites, at both the individual and household levels) on wasting and stunting, and to understand their indirect benefits for anemia, malaria, diarrhea, and vomiting. A total of 121 children with intestinal parasitic infections received baseline treatment, and were allocated to the four arms (1:1:1:1). Using continuous outcome variables of height-for-age (HAZ) and weight-for-height (WHZ) statistical approaches did not reveal a clear benefit of any particular arm (Pathogens 2021, 10, 309). Next, HAZ and WHZ were transformed into binary variables of stunting and wasting, respectively, considering their mild-to-severe (Z-score < −1) and moderate-to-severe degrees (Z-score < −2). Original clinical data (on anemia, diarrhea, vomiting, and malaria) were also analyzed. From a binary longitudinal analysis with different dependence structures, using the R package bild, fitted models revealed the potential benefit of a test-and-treat approach at the individual level for wasting compared with annual albendazole at the individual level, especially considering mild-to-severe forms (ORadj = 0.27; p = 0.007). All arms showed similar effects on stunting, compared with annual albendazole, at a 5% significance level. Time and age at baseline presented favorable effects in the percentage of stunting using both severity degrees. Results showed a decreased chance of having anemia and diarrhea over time, although with no significant differences between arms. Data from longitudinal studies are essential to study the direct and indirect effects of interventions, such as deworming, and to explore additional approaches aiming at better understanding the temporal structure of nutrition and health outcomes in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Gasparinho
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Angola (CISA), Rua Direita de Caxito, Caxito, Angola
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.C.); (F.F.)
- Correspondence: (C.G.); (L.G.)
| | - Maria Helena Gonçalves
- Departamento de Matemática, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal;
- Centro de Estatística e Aplicações da Universidade de Lisboa (CEAUL), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Assucênio Chissaque
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.C.); (F.F.)
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Distrito de Marracuene, Maputo 264, Mozambique
| | - Giovani L. Silva
- Centro de Estatística e Aplicações da Universidade de Lisboa (CEAUL), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Departamento de Matemática, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Filomeno Fortes
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.C.); (F.F.)
| | - Luzia Gonçalves
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.C.); (F.F.)
- Centro de Estatística e Aplicações da Universidade de Lisboa (CEAUL), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Correspondence: (C.G.); (L.G.)
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Zorbozan O. The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Access to Healthcare: The Experience of the Diagnostic Parasitology Laboratory of Ege University. Turkiye Parazitol Derg 2022; 46:124-128. [PMID: 35604190 DOI: 10.4274/tpd.galenos.2022.57338] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Beyond the Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) itself, the pandemic influenced healthcare settings in all aspects. It is aimed to demonstrate the effect of the pandemic on access to the healthcare setting in the parasitology direct diagnosis laboratory. METHODS Stool parasitological examination results were obtained retrospectively from the laboratory information system. Data belonging to the one-year of pandemic, lock-down and gradual normalization periods and their time equivalents were compared retrospectively. RESULTS During pandemic, parasites were detected in 529 of 2.233 samples. Parasites were detected in 58 of the 178 samples during the lock-down period and 471 of the 2.055 samples in the gradual normalization period. Incidence of Cryptosporidium spp. increased during the pandemic and lock-down periods. Incidence of Blastocystis spp. decreased during the pandemic and gradual normalization periods. Incidence of Giardia intestinalis decreased during the pandemic and gradual normalization periods. Incidence of Entamoeba histolytica/dispar increased during the pandemic and gradual normalization periods Incidence of Cyclospora spp. increased during the pandemic and gradual normalization periods. Incidence of Enterobius vermicularis decreased during the pandemic and gradual normalization periods and no case was seen during the lock-down period. CONCLUSION Although the incidence of parasites gives the impression that COVID-19 does not cause weakness in the fight against intestinal parasitic diseases, there may be parasitic infections with a similar frequency in the society that cannot access the laboratory. It is predicted that the effects of this vulnerability may lead to an increase in the incidence of parasites in postpandemic period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orçun Zorbozan
- Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Parasitology, İzmir, Turkey
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İnal N, Ünalan Altıntop T, Ergüven S, Akyön Yılmaz Y. Retrospective Results of Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Parasitology Laboratory Between 2014-2019. Turkiye Parazitol Derg 2022; 46:114-118. [PMID: 35604188 DOI: 10.4274/tpd.galenos.2022.84429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Parasitic infections emerge as a significant health problem, especially in underdeveloped and developing countries. Epidemiological data play an important role in taking effective measures against parasitic diseases. METHODS Clinical samples (stool, blood, bone marrow and tissue samples, etc.) that were sent to Hacettepe University Hospitals Parasitology Laboratory between 2014 and 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS The positivity rates of the parasites detected in this study are as follows; Blastocystis sp. (71.6%), Dientamoeba fragilis (13.3%), Giardia lamblia (4.7%), Echinococcus spp. (1.9%), Enterobius vermicularis (1.8%) and Taenia spp. (0.3%). In this study, four of the patients were found to be positive for Leishmania spp. and two patients for Plasmodium falciparum and four patients for Plasmodium spp. E. histolytica/E. dispar cysts and/or trophozoites examined by Trichrome staining in our study were not detected within six years. CONCLUSION According to this data and in the light of the results obtained from different regions of our country, it will be possible to properly direct the necessary strategies for the diagnosis, treatment of parasitic infections and the implementation of preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neşe İnal
- Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Tuğçe Ünalan Altıntop
- Amasya University, Sabuncuoğlu Şerefeddin Training and Research Hospital, Clinic of Medical Microbiology, Amasya, Turkey
| | - Sibel Ergüven
- Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Yakut Akyön Yılmaz
- Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology, Ankara, Turkey
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Morelli S, Colombo M, Traversa D, Iorio R, Paoletti B, Bartolini R, Barlaam A, Di Cesare A. Zoonotic intestinal helminthes diagnosed in a 6-year period (2015-2020) in privately owned dogs of sub-urban and urban areas of Italy. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2022; 29:100689. [PMID: 35256130 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2022.100689] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Intestinal helminthes of dogs have a relevant role for health and welfare of canine populations and many of them are zoonotic. Thus, a constant surveillance is pivotal to safeguard companion dogs and human health. Data from faecal examinations of pet dogs obtained in the last six years during the routine activity of the laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic diseases of the University Teaching Veterinary Hospital of the University of Teramo, Italy, are here reported. From 2015 to 2020 a total of 1083 individual faecal samples from privately owned dogs were examined using conventional copro-microscopic techniques. Endoparasite elements were found in 278 (25.7%) dogs, and among them, eggs of intestinal zoonotic helminthes were detected in 184 (17%) samples. The most common zoonotic parasites were Toxocara canis and hookworms (8.9% positivity rate for both). Most dogs (88%) were positive for a single zoonotic parasite while 12% of the positive animals harbored two or more zoonotic helminthes. A statistical analysis showed a significant association between dogs with less than one year of age and positivity to at least one intestinal zoonotic helminth, and that infections by T. canis are significantly more prevalent in dogs under one year of age. Despite being well known in canine clinical practice, these results indicate that zoonotic helminthes are still frequent in owned dogs. Thus, increased awareness of veterinary practitioners and pet owners is necessary to implement current diagnostic and control strategies to minimize the risk of zoonotic transmission of intestinal helminthes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Morelli
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio snc, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - Mariasole Colombo
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio snc, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - Donato Traversa
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio snc, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - Raffaella Iorio
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio snc, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - Barbara Paoletti
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio snc, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - Roberto Bartolini
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio snc, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Barlaam
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio snc, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - Angela Di Cesare
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio snc, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
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Kubas EA, Fischer JR, Hales EN. Endoparasitism of Golden Retrievers: Prevalence, risk factors, and associated clinicopathologic changes. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263517. [PMID: 35180232 PMCID: PMC8856576 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Endoparasitism is a common disease in dogs throughout their lifetime despite the widespread availability of inexpensive diagnostic tests and effective treatments. The consequences of host parasite interactions in otherwise apparently healthy dogs remains largely unknown. This cross-sectional study used complete blood count, serum biochemistry, and fecal flotation data collected from 3,018 young dogs (<3 years of age) enrolled within the Morris Animal Foundation Golden Retriever Lifetime Study (GRLS) to determine the prevalence of endoparasitism and compare bloodwork values of parasite positive and negative participants using logistic regression. Variables including age, gender, reproductive status, and geographic region at the time of evaluation were assessed to identify potential associations. To the authors’ knowledge, a comprehensive assessment of clinicopathological changes associated with endoparasite infection in a large cohort has not been completed in the recent decade. The overall prevalence of endoparasitism was 6.99% (211/3018). Dogs who were parasite positive had statistically lower albumin (P = 0.004), lower RBC count (P = 0.01), higher neutrophil count (P = 0.002), and higher platelet count (P <0.001) as compared to parasite negative dogs. It was also concluded that dogs living in rural areas were more likely to have endoparasites than those living in suburban areas. Epidemiological data is crucial for the design and monitoring of prevention and control strategies. Identification of endoparasites by fecal testing is an essential tool to identify susceptible and resistant animals that can act as spreaders and reservoirs of intestinal parasites thereby enabling appropriate therapy and reducing the risk of new infection to animals and humans. Further epidemiological studies are needed to prevent, monitor, and develop new strategies to control endoparasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Kubas
- Department of Internal Medicine, Veterinary Specialty Hospital, San Diego, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Julie R. Fischer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Veterinary Specialty Hospital, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Erin N. Hales
- Morris Animal Foundation, Denver, CO, United States of America
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Dhubyan Mohammed Zaki Z. Prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia Lamblia Associated with Diarrhea in Children referring to lbn Al-Atheer Hospital in Mosul, Iraq. Arch Razi Inst 2022; 77:73-79. [PMID: 35891729 PMCID: PMC9288614 DOI: 10.22092/ari.2021.356312.1820] [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] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Amebiasis and giardiasis are major health problems caused by Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia Lamblia which are the two most common intestinal protozoan parasites with worldwide distribution, especially in developing countries. Both protozoa are spread by the fecal-oral route; that is to say, by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of E. histolytica and G.lamblia in children with clinical signs of diarrhea referring to Ibn Al-Atheer Hospital in Mosul, Iraq, from January 2019 to December 2020. A total of 2,296 samples were examined by the direct swab of stool method. The patients were within the age range of less than 1 year and above 12 years. The results demonstrated that in 2019 and 2020, the prevalence rates of E. histolytica infections were (152, 13.2%) and (181, 15.7%); moreover, the prevalence rates of G.lamblia were obtained at (10, 0.86%) and (12, 1.04%) (P<0.01). The prevalence of intestinal parasite infections was significantly associated with age and gender, and the prevalence of both E. histolytica and G.lamblia infections were higher in males. Furthermore, the highest and lowest prevalence rates of E. histolytica and G.lamblia infections were reported in the age groups of under 1 year and above 12 years (P<0.05). The high prevalence of protozoan infection in the age group of under 1 year can be attributed to their lack of developed immunity system and resistance. Due to disease transmission, the enhancement of health conditions is of utmost importance in controlling the prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasites.
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Soares FA, Martins Dos Santos B, Rosa SL, Loiola SHN, Suzuki CTN, Sabadini E, Bresciani KDS, Falcão AX, Gomes JF. Dissolved air flotation as potential new mechanism for intestinal parasite diagnosis in feces. Acta Trop 2021; 224:106137. [PMID: 34562419 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The parasitological examination of feces is recommended for the laboratory diagnosis of intestinal parasites due to its practicality, low-cost, and moderate diagnostic sensitivity. Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) is an efficient technical principle used in other areas to separate dispersed solids. This study sought the preliminary evaluation of a proof-of-concept prototype as a tool for detecting species of parasites by adjusting DAF. Two DAF prototype units were developed to evaluate microbubbles' generation amidst fecal suspension and parasites' capture. For this evaluation, samples were screened and processed by the TF-Test technique (Control) and simultaneously by DAF device. The dimensional and attachment characteristics in the formation of the microbubbles were evaluated, and the percentage of parasitic recovery in floated and not-floated regions compared by Student's t-test. The second prototype unit proved to be more efficient in forming microbubbles with diameters between 34 and 170µm. The flotation tests showed a recovery of 73.27%, 58.12%, 37.85%, and 91.89% for Ascaris lumbricoides, Hymenolepis diminuta, Giardia duodenalis, and Strongyloides stercoralis, respectively. This study confirmed the selective interaction between microbubbles and parasite eggs and larvae during the flotation process using the DAF principle for the first time through imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Augusto Soares
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-889, Brazil; Laboratory of Image Data Science (LIDS), Institute of Computing (IC), University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Bianca Martins Dos Santos
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-889, Brazil; Laboratory of Image Data Science (LIDS), Institute of Computing (IC), University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Stefany Laryssa Rosa
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-889, Brazil; Laboratory of Image Data Science (LIDS), Institute of Computing (IC), University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Saulo Hudson Nery Loiola
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-889, Brazil; Laboratory of Image Data Science (LIDS), Institute of Computing (IC), University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Celso Tetsuo Nagase Suzuki
- Laboratory of Image Data Science (LIDS), Institute of Computing (IC), University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; ImmunoCamp Science and Technology, Vinhedo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Edvaldo Sabadini
- Department of Physical-Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Alexandre Xavier Falcão
- Laboratory of Image Data Science (LIDS), Institute of Computing (IC), University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jancarlo Ferreira Gomes
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-889, Brazil; Laboratory of Image Data Science (LIDS), Institute of Computing (IC), University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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Grillo F, Campora M, Carlin L, Cornara L, Parente P, Vanoli A, Remo A, Migliora P, Roberto F, Fassan M, Mastracci L. "Stranger things" in the gut: uncommon items in gastrointestinal specimens. Virchows Arch 2021; 480:231-245. [PMID: 34599376 PMCID: PMC8986674 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-021-03188-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Organic (such as parasites or vegetable remnants) and inorganic substances may be encountered during routine pathology diagnostic work up of endoscopic gastrointestinal biopsy samples and major resections, causing possible diagnostic conundrums for the young and not so young pathologists. The main aim of this review is the description of the most frequent oddities one can encounter as foreign bodies, in gastrointestinal pathology, on the basis of the current literature and personal experience. The types of encountered substances are divided into four principal categories: parasites (helminths such as Enterobius vermicularis, Strongyloides, Schistosoma, and Anisakis, and protozoa such as Entamoeba, Giardia and some intestinal coccidia); drugs and pharmaceutical fillers (found as deposits and as bystanders, innocent or not); seeds (possibly confused with worms) and plant remnants; pollutants (secondary to post-resection or post-biopsy contamination of the sample). An ample library of images is provided in order to consent easy referencing for diagnostic routine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Grillo
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Anatomic Pathology Unit, Genova, Italy
- Anatomic Pathology, Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostics (DISC), University of Genova, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genova, Italy
| | - Michela Campora
- Anatomic Pathology Section, S. Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy
| | - Luca Carlin
- Anatomic Pathology, Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostics (DISC), University of Genova, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genova, Italy
| | - Laura Cornara
- Department for the Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DiSTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paola Parente
- Pathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Casa Sollievo Della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, FG, Italy
| | - Alessandro Vanoli
- Anatomic Pathology Unit, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, and IRCCS San Matteo Hospital, Pavia, Italy
| | - Andrea Remo
- Pathology Unit, Service Department, ULSS9 "Scaligera", Verona, Italy
| | - Paola Migliora
- Clinical Cytopathology Service and Pathology Institute of Locarno, Locarno, Switzerland
| | - Fiocca Roberto
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Anatomic Pathology Unit, Genova, Italy
- Anatomic Pathology, Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostics (DISC), University of Genova, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genova, Italy
| | - Matteo Fassan
- Surgical Pathology Unit, Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV - IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Luca Mastracci
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Anatomic Pathology Unit, Genova, Italy.
- Anatomic Pathology, Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostics (DISC), University of Genova, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genova, Italy.
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Abstract
Parasites have coevolved with humans. Several of them colonize the human body and establish a symbiotic relationship. Other parasites cause severe and lethal diseases. Prevalence of parasitic infections is decreased in highly industrialized countries, largely due to enforced hygienic practices. In contrast, parasites cause significant morbidity and mortality in parts of the world with barriers to effective public hygiene. Some parasites have emerged as potent pathogens in specific patient populations, such as immune suppressed individuals, regardless of sanitation. This article reviews common parasites encountered in clinical practice and, in the setting of host-parasite symbiosis, discusses their immune regulatory role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie L Braseth
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - David E Elliott
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, 4546 JCP, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - M Nedim Ince
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, 4546 JCP, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
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Ohno M, Inatomi O, Imai T, Takahashi K, Bamba S, Konishi K, Sasaki M, Kushima R, Andoh A. Chronic cystoisosporiasis in an immunocompetent adult: A case report. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e24890. [PMID: 33725845 PMCID: PMC7969258 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000024890] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE Cystoisosporiasis is an intestinal infectious disease caused by a coccidian protozoa, Cystoisospora belli (C. belli). It can cause prolonged and refractory diarrhea most commonly in immunocompromised patients, while immunocompetent individuals usually exhibit no symptoms or self-limited diarrhea. PATIENT CONCERNS We herein report a case of chronic cystoisosporiasis in an immunocompetent patient. A 62-year-old man, who had been first diagnosed with cystoisosporiasis 15 years ago and had been treated with oral administration of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), complained of persistent watery diarrhea. He was negative for anti-human immunodeficiency virus antibody and anti-human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) antibody. DIAGNOSIS Biopsy specimens from the duodenum revealed oocysts in the atrophic absorptive epithelium and protozoa were detected through stool examination, indicating the recurrence of cystoisosporiasis. Capsule endoscopy showed diffuse atrophic mucosa with white villi in the entire small intestine. We diagnosed him with chronic cystoisosporiasis that occurred in an immunocompetent adult. INTERVENTIONS Since oral administration of TMP-SMX and ciprofloxacin were ineffective, the intravenous administration of TMP-SMX was initiated. OUTCOMES Intravenous TMP-SMX exhibited a significant improvement. LESSONS This case indicates that even immunocompetent individuals may develop recurrent and refractory cystoisosporiasis. Furthermore, intravenous treatment of antibiotic agents should be considered when the impaired absorptive ability from the small intestine is suspected.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Keiji Konishi
- Department of Infectious Disease, Osaka City General Hospital, Japan
| | | | - Ryoji Kushima
- Department of Pathology, Shiga University of Medical Science
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Allam AF, Farag HF, Lotfy W, Fawzy HH, Elhadad H, Shehab AY. Comparison among FLOTAC, Kato-Katz and formalin ether concentration techniques for diagnosis of intestinal parasitic infections in school children in an Egyptian rural setting. Parasitology 2021; 148:289-294. [PMID: 32907647 PMCID: PMC11010177 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182020001675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of the Kato-Katz, formalin ether concentration method (FECM) and FLOTAC using Sheather's sugar solution (FS1), saturated sodium chloride (FS2) and zinc sulfate (FS7) for the diagnosis of intestinal parasites among school children, focusing on Schistosoma mansoni. Ninety fecal samples were examined using the above mentioned techniques. The overall infection rate was 87.7%. Concerning protozoa, FLOTAC (FS1 and FS2) and FECM detected nearly equal infection rates (43.3% and 44.4%, respectively) with very good agreement. Kato-Katz diagnosed the highest helminthic infection rate (57.8%) followed by FLOTAC FS7 (44.4%) and FECM showed the lowest helminthic infection rate (27.7%). As for S. mansoni, Kato-Katz showed an infection rate of 38.8% vs FLOTAC (22.2%) and FECM (11.1%). The three techniques detected the same infection rate (11.1%) with egg counts more than 72 eggs/gram of feces. The FLOTAC sensitivity and accuracy for the diagnosis of protozoa were 97% and 99%, respectively. Regarding helminths diagnosis, FLOTAC technique showed higher sensitivity (77%) and accuracy (87%) compared to FECM (48% sensitivity and 70% accuracy). Therefore, FLOTAC can be used synchronously or in replacement to other diagnostic techniques. This can strategically impact future control programmes of intestinal parasitic infections in limited resources settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal Farahat Allam
- Department of Parasitology, Medical Research Institute, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Hoda Fahmy Farag
- Department of Parasitology, Medical Research Institute, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Wael Lotfy
- Faculty of Nursing, Matrouh University, Matrouh, Egypt
| | - Hayam Hussien Fawzy
- Department of Parasitology, Medical Research Institute, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Heba Elhadad
- Department of Parasitology, Medical Research Institute, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Amel Youssef Shehab
- Department of Parasitology, Medical Research Institute, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
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Akande F, Alohutade M. Diagnosis of bovine gastrointestinal parasites: comparison of different techniques and different solutions. Ann Parasitol 2021; 67:407-416. [PMID: 34953116 DOI: 10.17420/ap6703.354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cattle are important livestock species for protein and income supply. But disease agents, including gastrointestinal (GI) parasites, hinder their productivity. For effective GI parasites control, there is need for rapid, highly sensitive and specific diagnostic techniques and tools, lack of which poses problem to clinician, diagnostic staff and livestock owners. One hundred cattle faeces were analyzed through Simple Faecal Flotation (SFF), Modified Centrifugal Faecal Flotation (MCFF) and Mini-FLOTAC techniques (MFT) using sodium chloride, brine, sugar, salt/sugar and zinc sulphate at specific gravity of 1.2, 1.23, 1.25, 1.3 and 1.3 respectively as Flotation Solutions (FS). Overall GI parasite prevalence was 100%. Parasite elements identified were: Strongyle eggs (99%), Strongyloides papilosus (97%), Neoascaris vitulorum (78%), Trichostrongylus (56%), Nematodirus (46%), Capillaria spp. (14%) and Trichuris spp. (6%), Moniezia benedeni (24%), Moniezia expansa (16%), Taenia-like eggs (3%), Schistosoma eggs (3%) and Eimeria oocysts (100%). Sensitivity of 61.99%, 58.49% and 54.24%. for MFT, SFF and MCFF respectively was gotten using Salt/Sugar. With these techniques, Salt/Sugar availability with affordability; its use as a routine FS in diagnosis of GI parasite is advocated. The ease and rapid of use of Mini-FLOTAC diagnostic Kit can be adopted in low economic countries like Nigeria where power supply is limited as well as the safety of user and possibility of re-usage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Foluke Akande
- Department of Veterinary, Parasitology and Entomology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta 16001, Nigeria
| | - Mautin Alohutade
- Department of Veterinary, Parasitology and Entomology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta 16001, Nigeria
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Belay A, Ashagrie M, Seyoum B, Alemu M, Tsegaye A. Prevalence of enteric pathogens, intestinal parasites and resistance profile of bacterial isolates among HIV infected and non-infected diarrheic patients in Dessie Town, Northeast Ethiopia. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243479. [PMID: 33320909 PMCID: PMC7737993 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enteric pathogens like Salmonella and Shigella species as well as intestinal parasites (IPs) are among the main causative agents of diarrhea in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), particularly in low income countries like Ethiopia. Antimicrobial resistance against commonly prescribed drugs has become a major global threat. This study, therefore, aimed at determining the magnitude of Salmonella, Shigella and IPs infections, their predicting factors, and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern among HIV infected and non-infected diarrheic patients in Dessie town, Northeast Ethiopia. METHODS A cross sectional study was conducted at three health facilities in Northeast Ethiopia between January 2018 and March 2018. Data on socio-demographic and associated risk factors were collected using structured questionnaire from 354 HIV infected and non-infected diarrheic outpatients. Fresh stool specimen was processed according to standard operating procedures. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 22. Descriptive statistics was used to determine frequency, Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predicting factors associated with the outcome variable. P-value <0.05 were used to declare statistical significance. RESULTS Among 354 diarrheic patients, 112 were HIV infected and 242 were HIV non-infected. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasite and bacterial infection among HIV infected versus non-infected, respectively, was 26 (23.2%) and 8 (7.1%) versus 50 (20.7) and 16 (6.6%). Salmonella was the highest in both groups, 6 (5.4%) vs 11 (4.5%). Most prevalent parasite was C. parvum, 9 (8%) among HIV+ while E. histolytica/dispar 39 (16.1%) among HIV-. Having bloody plus mucoid diarrhea, not utilizing latrine and drinking river or spring water were factors significantly associated with bacterial infection. Whereas, being illiterate or having primary level education, diarrhea lasting for 6-10 days, CD4 level between 200-500 cells/μl, not washing hand with soap showed significant association with IPs. The bacterial isolates were 100% susceptible to Ceftriaxone and 95.4% to Ciprofloxacin, while 100% resistant to Ampicillin and Amoxicillin. MDR was observed among 19 (79.2%) isolates. CONCLUSION Preventing and controlling infection by enteric pathogens as well as IPs require strengthening intervention measures. The 100% resistance of isolates to commonly prescribed antibiotics calls for expanding antimicrobial susceptibility testing so as to select appropriate antimicrobial agent and prevent emergence of drug resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assefa Belay
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Dessie Health Science College, Dessie, Ethiopia
| | - Melaku Ashagrie
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia
| | - Berhanu Seyoum
- Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Mekuanent Alemu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Dessie Health Science College, Dessie, Ethiopia
| | - Aster Tsegaye
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- * E-mail: ,
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Soares FA, Benitez ADN, dos Santos BM, Loiola SHN, Rosa SL, Nagata WB, Inácio SV, Suzuki CTN, Bresciani KDS, Falcão AX, Gomes JF. A historical review of the techniques of recovery of parasites for their detection in human stools. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2020; 53:e20190535. [PMID: 32491097 PMCID: PMC7269538 DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0535-2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the early 20th century, the detection of intestinal parasites has improved with the development of several techniques for parasitic structures recovery and identification, which differ in sensitivity, specificity, practicality, cost, and infrastructure demand. This study aims to review, in chronological order, the stool examination techniques and discuss their advantages, limitations, and perspectives, and to provide professionals and specialists in this field with data that lays a foundation for critical analysis on the use of such procedures. The concentration procedures that constitute the main techniques applied in routine research and in parasitological kits are a) spontaneous sedimentation; b) centrifugation-sedimentation with formalin-ethyl acetate; and c) flotation with zinc sulfate solution. While selecting a technique, one should consider the purpose of its application and the technical-operational, biological, and physicochemical factors inherent in the procedures used in stool processing, which may restrict its use. These intrinsic limitations may have undergone procedural changes driven by scientific and technological development and by development of alternative methods, which now contribute to the improvement of diagnostic accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Augusto Soares
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Campinas, SP, Brasil
| | | | | | | | - Stefany Laryssa Rosa
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Campinas, SP, Brasil
| | - Walter Bertequini Nagata
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Departamento de Apoio, Produção e Saúde Animal, Araçatuba, SP, Brasil
| | - Sandra Valéria Inácio
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Departamento de Apoio, Produção e Saúde Animal, Araçatuba, SP, Brasil
| | | | - Katia Denise Saraiva Bresciani
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Departamento de Apoio, Produção e Saúde Animal, Araçatuba, SP, Brasil
| | | | - Jancarlo Ferreira Gomes
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Campinas, SP, Brasil
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Computação, Campinas, SP, Brasil
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29
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Daş G, Klauser S, Stehr M, Tuchscherer A, Metges CC. Accuracy and precision of McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC egg counting techniques using egg-spiked faeces of chickens and two different flotation fluids. Vet Parasitol 2020; 283:109158. [PMID: 32544762 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Faecal egg counting techniques (ECTs) are useful tools for assessing anthelmintic efficacy and selecting hosts resistant to parasite infection. McMaster (MM) is one of the most commonly used ECTs, but it suffers from low sensitivity and precision. Mini-FLOTAC (MF) has been proposed to replace MM, but so far has not been evaluated for gastro-intestinal nematode infections in chickens. This study compared sensitivity, precision, and accuracy of MM and MF with two trials using egg-spiked faecal samples ranging from 50-1250 eggs per gram of faeces (EPG). In addition, effects of two flotation fluids with different specific gravities (SG), namely salt (SG = 1.20) and sucrose solutions (SG = 1.32), on accuracy and time-spent for both ECTs were evaluated. Overall sensitivity based on the composite reads across all EPG-levels was 97.1 % for MM and 100 % for MF. MF was, however, more sensitive (P = 0.003) or tended to (P = 0.087) be more sensitive than MM at only the lowest EPG-level (i.e. 50 EPG) using one of the duplicate reads, whereas there was no significant difference at any EPG-level using composite reads. Overall average precision of MF (79.5 %) was higher (P < 0.001) than that of MM (63.4 %) across all EPG-levels. Precision of MM increased from 22 to 87 % with increasing EPG-levels from 50-1250 EPG. Corresponding precision estimates for MF ranged from 76 to 91 %. Overall recovery rate of MM (74.6 %) was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than that of MF (60.1 %). There was no significant difference in recovery rate of spiked-eggs among different EPG-levels (P = 0.833). Recovery rate of MM ranged from 64 % to 79 % across different EPG-levels, while it ranged from 54 % to 64 % with MF without an interaction between ECT and EPG-level (P = 0.701). It took more time (P < 0.001) to process (prepare and read) samples with MF than with MM using the same flotation fluid. The sugar solution tended to (P = 0.100) increase egg-recovery with both ECTs, while increasing (P < 0.001) time-spent for processing the samples. Our data collectively suggest that MM is less sensitive than MF only at around minimum detection level of MM when using unrepeated reads. We conclude that McMaster is faster, relatively more accurate but less precise than Mini-FLOTAC. The sugar solution with higher SG increases accuracy of both techniques at the expense of increased labour time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gürbüz Daş
- Institute of Nutritional Physiology 'Oskar Kellner', Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany.
| | - Stefanie Klauser
- Institute of Nutritional Physiology 'Oskar Kellner', Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Manuel Stehr
- Institute of Nutritional Physiology 'Oskar Kellner', Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Armin Tuchscherer
- Institute of Genetics and Biometry, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Cornelia C Metges
- Institute of Nutritional Physiology 'Oskar Kellner', Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
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Benjamin-Chung J, Pilotte N, Ercumen A, Grant JR, Maasch JRMA, Gonzalez AM, Ester AC, Arnold BF, Rahman M, Haque R, Hubbard AE, Luby SP, Williams SA, Colford JM. Comparison of multi-parallel qPCR and double-slide Kato-Katz for detection of soil-transmitted helminth infection among children in rural Bangladesh. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008087. [PMID: 32330127 PMCID: PMC7202662 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
There is growing interest in local elimination of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection in endemic settings. In such settings, highly sensitive diagnostics are needed to detect STH infection. We compared double-slide Kato-Katz, the most commonly used copromicroscopic detection method, to multi-parallel quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in 2,799 stool samples from children aged 2–12 years in a setting in rural Bangladesh with predominantly low STH infection intensity. We estimated the sensitivity and specificity of each diagnostic using Bayesian latent class analysis. Compared to double-slide Kato-Katz, STH prevalence using qPCR was almost 3-fold higher for hookworm species and nearly 2-fold higher for Trichuris trichiura. Ascaris lumbricoides prevalence was lower using qPCR, and 26% of samples classified as A. lumbricoides positive by Kato-Katz were negative by qPCR. Amplicon sequencing of the 18S rDNA from 10 samples confirmed that A. lumbricoides was absent in samples classified as positive by Kato-Katz and negative by qPCR. The sensitivity of Kato-Katz was 49% for A. lumbricoides, 32% for hookworm, and 52% for T. trichiura; the sensitivity of qPCR was 79% for A. lumbricoides, 93% for hookworm, and 90% for T. trichiura. Specificity was ≥ 97% for both tests for all STH except for Kato-Katz for A. lumbricoides (specificity = 68%). There were moderate negative, monotonic correlations between qPCR cycle quantification values and eggs per gram quantified by Kato-Katz. While it is widely assumed that double-slide Kato-Katz has few false positives, our results indicate otherwise and highlight inherent limitations of the Kato-Katz technique. qPCR had higher sensitivity than Kato-Katz in this low intensity infection setting. Soil-transmitted helminth infections (STH) (e.g., Ascaris, hookworm, Trichuris) contribute to a large burden of disease among children in low- and middle-income countries. There is increasing interest in implementing large-scale deworming programs to eliminate STH in certain settings. Efforts to monitor whether local elimination has occurred require sensitive diagnostic tests that will not miss positive cases. Kato-Katz, a microscopy-based diagnostic test, has commonly been used to identify STH eggs in stool, but in settings where infection intensity is low, this method frequently misses positive samples because it requires visual identification of small numbers of eggs, and hookworm eggs may degrade prior to visualization. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is a molecular diagnostic method for detecting STH. It may detect more low intensity infections than Kato-Katz because it identifies STH DNA in stool; DNA can be detected in very small quantities and is less likely to degrade than STH ova. Thus, qPCR is likely to be more accurate than Kato-Katz. This study compared the performance of double-slide Kato-Katz and qPCR using 2,799 stool samples from children aged 2–12 years in a setting in rural Bangladesh with predominantly low STH infection intensity. qPCR was more sensitive than Kato-Katz for hookworm and Trichuris infections. 26% of samples were classified as Ascaris positive by Kato-Katz and negative by qPCR. DNA sequencing of 10 samples confirmed that Ascaris was absent in samples classified as positive by Kato-Katz and negative by qPCR. We conclude that Kato-Katz likely produced false positive results for Ascaris and that qPCR had a higher sensitivity than double-slide Kato-Katz in this low infection intensity setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade Benjamin-Chung
- Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Nils Pilotte
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ayse Ercumen
- Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jessica R. Grant
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | - Andrew M. Gonzalez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ashanta C. Ester
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Benjamin F. Arnold
- Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Mahbubur Rahman
- Infectious Disease Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rashidul Haque
- Infectious Disease Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Alan E. Hubbard
- Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Stephen P. Luby
- Infectious Diseases & Geographic Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Steven A. Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - John M. Colford
- Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
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Lovy J, Friend SE, Lewis NL. Seasonal intestinal coccidiosis in wild bluegill Lepomis macrochirus is associated with a spring bacterial epizootic. J Fish Dis 2019; 42:1697-1711. [PMID: 31617232 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.13095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Wild bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque, succumb to seasonal mortality in the early spring during cool water temperatures, shown previously to be related to bacteraemia caused by a psychrotrophic bacterium, Pseudomonas mandelii. In the study herein, intestinal coccidiosis in wild bluegill had seasonal prevalence causing heavy intestinal infections and sloughing of intestinal epithelium occurring in late winter/early spring. Infections were predominantly related to two different species, Goussia washuti n. sp., an epicellular coccidium, and a coccidium closely resembling Goussia desseri Molnár 1996, previously only described in percid fish in Europe. In 2019, co-infections of bacteraemia and intestinal coccidiosis occurred in bluegills. Evaluating coccidium infection intensity by fresh parasite examination and histology, an association was observed in which fish with moderate-to-heavy intestinal coccidiosis were 8-12 times more likely to have bacteraemia compared to fish with no or light coccidiosis. The association of these co-infections suggests that intestinal coccidiosis could contribute to seasonal bacterial epizootics of wild bluegill.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Lovy
- Office of Fish and Wildlife Health and Forensics, New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, Oxford, NJ, USA
| | - Sarah E Friend
- Office of Fish and Wildlife Health and Forensics, New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, Oxford, NJ, USA
| | - Nicole L Lewis
- Office of Fish and Wildlife Health and Forensics, New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, Oxford, NJ, USA
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Casas Deza D, Llorente Barrio M, Monzón Baez RM, Lamuela Calvo LJ, Gascón Ruiz M, Ramos Lisbona AI, García López S. It is not always Crohn's disease: Amebiasis as a differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease. Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019; 42:548-549. [PMID: 31122655 DOI: 10.1016/j.gastrohep.2019.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Diego Casas Deza
- Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España.
| | | | | | | | - Marta Gascón Ruiz
- Servicio de Oncología Médica, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, Zaragoza, España
| | | | - Santiago García López
- Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España
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La Hoz RM, Morris MI. Intestinal parasites including Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Giardia, and Microsporidia, Entamoeba histolytica, Strongyloides, Schistosomiasis, and Echinococcus: Guidelines from the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice. Clin Transplant 2019; 33:e13618. [PMID: 31145496 DOI: 10.1111/ctr.13618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
These updated guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Community of Practice of the American Society of Transplantation review the diagnosis, prevention, and management of intestinal parasites in the pre- and post-transplant period. Intestinal parasites are prevalent in the developing regions of the world. With increasing travel to and from endemic regions, changing immigration patterns, and the expansion of transplant medicine in developing countries, they are increasingly recognized as a source of morbidity and mortality in solid-organ transplant recipients. Parasitic infections may be acquired from the donor allograft, from reactivation, or from de novo acquisition post-transplantation. Gastrointestinal multiplex assays have been developed; some of the panels include testing for Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Entamoeba histolytica, and Giardia, and the performance is comparable to conventional methods. A polymerase chain reaction test, not yet widely available, has also been developed to detect Strongyloides in stool samples. New recommendations have been developed to minimize the risk of Strongyloides donor-derived events. Deceased donors with epidemiological risk factors should be screened for Strongyloides and recipients treated if positive as soon as the results are available. New therapeutic agents and studies addressing the optimal treatment regimen for solid-organ transplant recipients are unmet needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo M La Hoz
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Michele I Morris
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
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Mardu F, Berhe B, Tesfay K, Negash H. Assessment of sanitary condition of services as implication for intestinal parasitic infections among prison inmates: institutional based cross-sectional study in eastern Tigrai zonal prison, northern Ethiopia, 2018. BMC Res Notes 2019; 12:393. [PMID: 31300055 PMCID: PMC6624882 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-019-4449-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The study aimed to assess the sanitary condition of services and its implication for intestinal parasitic infections among prison inmates in eastern Tigrai, northern Ethiopia. RESULTS We have assessed the availability and sanitary condition of services at Adigrat prison. Frequent water cuts and unavailability of soap in the prison have challenged prisoners and food handlers to maintain their hygiene. The living rooms were overcrowded and poorly ventilated besides to unsatisfactory kitchen rooms. The prevalence of intestinal parasites among the participants was 40% (108/270). The dominant parasite was Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (60, 22.2%) followed by Giardia lamblia, 39 (14.4%). The mixed infections of Entamoeba histolytica/dispar and Giardia lamblia were detected among 17 (6.3%) of the participants. In multivariate analysis, participants who were feeding in groups were more likely to harbor intestinal parasites than those who were feeding alone (AOR: 2.1; CI 1.05-4.3). Intestinal parasites are significant health problems to the prisoners of Adigrat prison with poor sanitation of services. Therefore, provision of necessary facilities such as hand washing basins, soaps, disinfectants, disinfestations, and food utensils could significantly reduce the burden of intestinal parasites in the prison.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fitsum Mardu
- Unit of Medical Parasitology, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Adigrat University, Adigrat, Ethiopia
| | - Brhane Berhe
- Unit of Medical Parasitology, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Adigrat University, Adigrat, Ethiopia
| | - Kebede Tesfay
- Unit of Medical Parasitology, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Adigrat University, Adigrat, Ethiopia
| | - Hadush Negash
- Unit of Medical Microbiology, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Adigrat University, Adigrat, Ethiopia
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Mewara A, Khurana S, Gupta S, Munda VS, Singh S, Sehgal R. Diagnostic performance of mini parasep ® solvent-free foecal parasite concentrator for the diagnosis of intestinal parasitic infections. Indian J Med Microbiol 2019; 37:381-386. [PMID: 32003337 DOI: 10.4103/ijmm.ijmm_19_44] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Various stool concentration techniques have been used to increase the microscopic detection of parasites. We assessed the enclosed, single-vial, Mini Parasep® technique in comparison to the currently used coprodiagnosis procedures. Materials and Methods A total of 150 stool samples were collected. Samples concentrated by formol-ether method (FEM) and Mini Parasep® SF foecal concentrator and unconcentrated samples were subjected to wet mount, iodine mount microscopy and smear examination by modified acid-fast staining. Results Direct wet mount detected 72 positive samples (48.6%), whereas 77 (51.3%) and 80 (53.3%) samples were detected by FEM and Mini Parasep® SF methods, respectively. The sensitivity of detection of parasites was 98.7%, 95% and 90.1% with Mini Parasep®, FEM and direct microscopy, respectively. A clearer background with less foecal debris and a better yield of Hymenolepis nana, Trichuris trichiura, Entamoeba coli and Giardia lamblia were noted with Mini Parasep®. Conclusion Mini Parasep® SF technique is simple, rapid and less cumbersome than conventional diagnostics, making it suitable for routine use. In addition, it offers higher sensitivity and better background clearance than both direct stool examination and FEM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Mewara
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Sumeeta Khurana
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Swati Gupta
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Vimal S Munda
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Shreya Singh
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rakesh Sehgal
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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Stracke K, Clarke N, Awburn CV, Vaz Nery S, Khieu V, Traub RJ, Jex AR. Development and validation of a multiplexed-tandem qPCR tool for diagnostics of human soil-transmitted helminth infections. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007363. [PMID: 31206520 PMCID: PMC6597125 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) are a major cause of morbidity in tropical developing countries with a global infection prevalence of more than one billion people and disease burden of around 3.4 million disability adjusted life years. Infection prevalence directly correlates to inadequate sanitation, impoverished conditions and limited access to public health systems. Underestimation of infection prevalence using traditional microscopy-based diagnostic techniques is common, specifically in populations with access to benzimidazole mass treatment programs and a predominance of low intensity infections. In this study, we developed a multiplexed-tandem qPCR (MT-PCR) tool to identify and quantify STH eggs in stool samples. We have assessed this assay by measuring infection prevalence and intensity in field samples of two cohorts of participants from Timor-Leste and Cambodia, which were collected as part of earlier epidemiological studies. MT-PCR diagnostic parameters were compared to a previously published multiplexed qPCR for STH detection. The MT-PCR assay agreed strongly with qPCR data and showed a diagnostic specificity of 99.60–100.00% (sensitivity of 83.33–100.00%) compared to qPCR and kappa agreement exceeding 0.85 in all tests. In addition, the MT-PCR has the added advantage of distinguishing Ancylostoma spp. species, namely Ancylostoma duodenale and Ancylostoma ceylanicum. This semi-automated platform uses a standardized, manufactured reagent kit, shows excellent run-to-run consistency/repeatability and supports high-throughput detection and quantitation at a moderate cost. Soil-transmitted helminthiases are among the most prevalent and damaging neglected tropical diseases and have a significant global health impact. Accurate identification and quantitation of STH infection is a cornerstone of effective control. Direct observation and counting of eggs in faeces is the current gold-standard method for diagnosis of infection. This approach is time consuming and has poor sensitivity. As ongoing oral benzimidazole therapy across many endemic regions leads to a reduction in STH prevalence and intensity, these sensitivity limitations become an increasingly relevant issue, particularly with respect to monitoring treatment efficacy, identifying reductions in parasite transmission, and accurately quantifying infection burden in discrete populations in middle-income countries. PCR-based detection has long been proposed as an alternative approach to STH diagnosis and many protocols, including quantitative PCR-based methods, have been developed. However, these methods are largely bespoke and use non-standardized reagents that can greatly impact on the transferability and relative consistency of their performance. In the current study, we evaluate an automated, commercially-produced molecular diagnostic tool for validation of the major soil-transmitted helminths, including Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Necator americanus, Ancylostoma duodenale and Ancylostoma ceylanicum, and evaluate its performance in comparison to an established multiplexed qPCR using faecal samples from endemic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Stracke
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Naomi Clarke
- Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Camille V. Awburn
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Susana Vaz Nery
- Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Virak Khieu
- National Center for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control, Ministry of Health, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Rebecca J. Traub
- Faculty for Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Aaron R. Jex
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty for Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Raso CNDS, Millar PR, Brener B, de Mattos DPBG, Leles D, Fonseca ABM, Sudré AP. Increasing the Efficiency of Spontaneous Sedimentation for the Diagnosis of Intestinal Protozoa. J Parasitol 2019; 105:248-251. [PMID: 30921523] [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] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between a longer sedimentation time, the reading of a larger number of slides, and the collection of multiple samples on the efficiency of the spontaneous sedimentation technique. Twenty-two patients with a previous parasitological exam positive for intestinal protozoa were recruited to collect new fecal samples (3 samples per patient) before the beginning of antiparasitic treatment. All collected fecal samples were used for spontaneous sedimentation and centrifuge-flotation techniques. Of these, all 22 patients were positive based on spontaneous sedimentation, and 59.1% (13/22) based on centrifuge flotation. The number of samples and the number of slides analyzed by spontaneous sedimentation influenced the number of positive cases. The modifications applied to the spontaneous sedimentation technique increased its performance in protozoa diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa Nascimento da Silveira Raso
- 1 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Microbiologia e Parasitologia Aplicadas (PPGMPA); Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói-RJ, 24210-130, Brazil
| | - Patricia Riddell Millar
- 1 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Microbiologia e Parasitologia Aplicadas (PPGMPA); Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói-RJ, 24210-130, Brazil
| | - Beatriz Brener
- 1 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Microbiologia e Parasitologia Aplicadas (PPGMPA); Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói-RJ, 24210-130, Brazil
| | - Danuza Pinheiro Bastos Garcia de Mattos
- 1 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Microbiologia e Parasitologia Aplicadas (PPGMPA); Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói-RJ, 24210-130, Brazil
| | - Daniela Leles
- 1 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Microbiologia e Parasitologia Aplicadas (PPGMPA); Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói-RJ, 24210-130, Brazil
| | | | - Adriana Pittella Sudré
- 1 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Microbiologia e Parasitologia Aplicadas (PPGMPA); Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói-RJ, 24210-130, Brazil
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Dirani G, Zannoli S, Paesini E, Farabegoli P, Dalmo B, Vocale C, Liguori G, Varani S, Sambri V. Easyscreen™ Enteric Protozoa Assay For the Detection of Intestinal Parasites: A Retrospective Bi-Center Study. J Parasitol 2019; 105:58-63. [PMID: 30807725] [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] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastroenteritis caused by single or multiple pathogens remains a major diagnostic challenge for the laboratory, as diagnosis is achieved using different techniques with variable sensitivity and specificity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the EasyScreen™ Enteric Protozoa Detection Kit, a multiplex PCR assay for the detection and identification of the 5 most common protozoan parasites in fecal samples. A total of 632 fecal samples, submitted for routine screening to 2 centers in north-eastern Italy, was included in the study. The results of the molecular assay were compared to those of the standard diagnostic procedures, represented by microscopy and immunoassays. Out of 32 samples testing positive by conventional tools, 31 were detected as concordantly positive using the EasyScreen Kit. Additionally, 91 out of 632 samples only tested positive by the molecular test, therefore increasing the positive detection rate by 275%. Finally, the EasyScreen assay detected 14 co-infections compared to 3 co-infections identified by conventional methods. The EasyScreen Kit provided a rapid and sensitive simultaneous identification of the most important diarrhea-causing protozoa that infect humans. Additionally, this molecular assay presents several advantages compared to conventional tools, such as the standardization and near-total automation of the process. Although critical issues related to the employment of molecular assays are still evident, the system is suitable for clinical parasitological diagnosis as long as it is used in association with conventional tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Dirani
- 1 Unit of Microbiology, The Great Romagna Area Hub Laboratory, Piazzale della Liberazione 60, 47522 Pievesestina di Cesena (FC), Italy
| | - Silvia Zannoli
- 1 Unit of Microbiology, The Great Romagna Area Hub Laboratory, Piazzale della Liberazione 60, 47522 Pievesestina di Cesena (FC), Italy
| | - Elena Paesini
- 1 Unit of Microbiology, The Great Romagna Area Hub Laboratory, Piazzale della Liberazione 60, 47522 Pievesestina di Cesena (FC), Italy
| | - Patrizia Farabegoli
- 1 Unit of Microbiology, The Great Romagna Area Hub Laboratory, Piazzale della Liberazione 60, 47522 Pievesestina di Cesena (FC), Italy
| | - Barbara Dalmo
- 1 Unit of Microbiology, The Great Romagna Area Hub Laboratory, Piazzale della Liberazione 60, 47522 Pievesestina di Cesena (FC), Italy
| | - Caterina Vocale
- 2 Regional Reference Center for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM), Unit of Microbiology, St. Orsola Malpighi University Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanna Liguori
- 2 Regional Reference Center for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM), Unit of Microbiology, St. Orsola Malpighi University Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy
- 3 Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefania Varani
- 2 Regional Reference Center for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM), Unit of Microbiology, St. Orsola Malpighi University Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy
- 3 Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Vittorio Sambri
- 1 Unit of Microbiology, The Great Romagna Area Hub Laboratory, Piazzale della Liberazione 60, 47522 Pievesestina di Cesena (FC), Italy
- 3 Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
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Ahmad W, Nguyen NH, Boland BS, Dulai PS, Pride DT, Bouland D, Sandborn WJ, Singh S. Comparison of Multiplex Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel and Conventional Stool Testing for Evaluation of Diarrhea in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Dig Dis Sci 2019; 64:382-390. [PMID: 30361807 PMCID: PMC6358459 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-018-5330-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Gastrointestinal pathogen panels (GPPs) are increasingly being used for evaluation of diarrhea. The impact of these tests on patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is unknown. We performed a time-interrupted cohort study comparing GPPs and conventional stool evaluation in patients with IBD with diarrhea. METHODS We included 268 consecutive patients with IBD who underwent GPP (BioFire Diagnostics®) (n = 134) or conventional stool culture and Clostridium difficile polymerase chain reaction testing (n = 134) during suspected IBD flare between 2012 and 2016. Primary outcome was composite of 30-day IBD-related hospitalization, surgery, or emergency department visit; secondary outcome was IBD treatment modification. RESULTS Overall, 41/134 (30.6%) patients tested positive on GPP (18 C. difficile, 17 other bacterial infections, and 6 viral pathogens) versus 14/134 patients (10.4%, all C. difficile) testing positive on conventional testing. Rate of IBD treatment modification in response to stool testing was lower in GPP group as compared conventional stool testing group (35.1 vs. 64.2%, p < 0.01). On multivariate analysis, diagnostic evaluation with GPP was associated with three times higher odds of IBD-related hospitalization/surgery/ED visit (95% CI, 1.27-7.14), as compared to conventional stool testing. This negative impact was partly mediated by differences in ordering provider specialty, with non-gastroenterologists more likely to order GPP as compared to gastroenterologists. CONCLUSIONS In patients with suspected flare of IBD, GPPs have higher pathogen detection rate and lead to lower rate of IBD treatment modification. A diagnostic testing strategy based on GPPs is associated with higher hospital-related healthcare utilization as compared to conventional stool testing, particularly when utilized by non-gastroenterologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waseem Ahmad
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Nghia H Nguyen
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Brigid S Boland
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of California San Diego, 9452 Medical Center Drive, ACTRI 1W501, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Parambir S Dulai
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of California San Diego, 9452 Medical Center Drive, ACTRI 1W501, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - David T Pride
- Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Bouland
- Division of Hospital Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - William J Sandborn
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of California San Diego, 9452 Medical Center Drive, ACTRI 1W501, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Siddharth Singh
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of California San Diego, 9452 Medical Center Drive, ACTRI 1W501, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Htun NSN, Odermatt P, Paboriboune P, Sayasone S, Vongsakid M, Phimolsarn-Nusith V, Tran XD, Ounnavong PS, Andriama-Hefasoa N, Senvanpan ND, Homsana A, Lianosay B, Xayavong D, Robinson DR, Bounsavath P, Prasayasith PP, Syphan SD, Lu YX, Thilakoun K, Xaiyaphet XS, Vongngakesone PT, Eze IC, Imboden M, Sripa B, Reinharz D, Probst-Hensch N. Association between helminth infections and diabetes mellitus in adults from the Lao People's Democratic Republic: a cross-sectional study. Infect Dis Poverty 2018; 7:105. [PMID: 30396368 PMCID: PMC6219195 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-018-0488-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As a result of epidemiological transition, the health systems of low- and middle-income countries are increasingly faced with a dual disease burden of infectious diseases and emerging non-communicable diseases. Little is known about the mutual influence of these two disease groups. The aim of this study was to investigate the co-occurrence of helminth infections and diabetes mellitus in adults in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study among 1600 randomly selected adults aged 35 and older from four different socio-economical and ecological provinces. Information on socio-demographics, risk factors and health conditions was obtained from personal interviews. Clinical assessments including anthropometry (height, weight, waist and hip circumference) and blood pressure measurements were also conducted. Diabetes was classified based on self-reported diagnoses and a point-of-care glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) test from finger prick blood samples. Stool samples for helminth diagnosis were examined with formalin-ether concentration technique for intestinal parasitic infections. The independent associations of helminth infections with diabetic status and HbA1c were assessed using multiple regression analyses. RESULTS The prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes was 37.3% and 22.8%, respectively. Fifty-six percent of diabetic cases were undiagnosed and 85% of diagnosed diabetic cases had poor glycemic control. Participants from rural areas and from southern parts of the country had higher infection rates, with Opisthorchis viverrini, being the most common helminth infection (30.5%). We found a positive association between Taenia spp. infections and HbA1c (β = 0.117; 95% CI: 0.042-0.200) and diabetes mellitus risk (OR = 2.98; 95% CI: 1.10-8.05). No other helminth species was associated with glycated hemoglobin. CONCLUSIONS Hyperglycaemia and diabetic rates in Lao PDR are alarmingly high, but consistent with other high rates in the region. Given the high rates of under-diagnosis and poorly-controlled glycaemia in diabetes mellitus patients, routine diabetes screening and treatment is essential for the local healthcare system. Large longitudinal cohorts integrating biomarkers are warranted in the search of causal diabetes mellitus risk factors in the region. Common intestinal helminth infections, including O. viverrini, are unlikely to explain the high diabetes mellitus rates observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Shwe Nwe Htun
- 0000 0004 0587 0574grid.416786.aDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, PO Box, 4002, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- 0000 0004 1937 0642grid.6612.3University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peter Odermatt
- 0000 0004 0587 0574grid.416786.aDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, PO Box, 4002, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- 0000 0004 1937 0642grid.6612.3University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Phimpha Paboriboune
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Somphou Sayasone
- 0000 0004 0587 0574grid.416786.aDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, PO Box, 4002, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- grid.415768.9Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute, Ministry of Health, Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic
| | - Malisa Vongsakid
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Vilayouth Phimolsarn-Nusith
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Xuan Duong Tran
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Phoum-Savath Ounnavong
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Navalone Andriama-Hefasoa
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Nilun-Done Senvanpan
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Anousine Homsana
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Baocher Lianosay
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Dalouny Xayavong
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | | | - Phaivanh Bounsavath
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Phoy-Phaylinh Prasayasith
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Seng-Davanh Syphan
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Yi-Xiao Lu
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Kanchana Thilakoun
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Xaipa-Song Xaiyaphet
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Phout-Tasin Vongngakesone
- The Francophone Institute for Tropical Medicine (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Ikenna C Eze
- 0000 0004 0587 0574grid.416786.aDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, PO Box, 4002, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- 0000 0004 1937 0642grid.6612.3University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Medea Imboden
- 0000 0004 0587 0574grid.416786.aDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, PO Box, 4002, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- 0000 0004 1937 0642grid.6612.3University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Banchob Sripa
- 0000 0004 0470 0856grid.9786.0Tropical Disease Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Daniel Reinharz
- 0000 0004 1936 8390grid.23856.3aUniversité Laval, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Nicole Probst-Hensch
- 0000 0004 0587 0574grid.416786.aDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, PO Box, 4002, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- 0000 0004 1937 0642grid.6612.3University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Ayana M, Vlaminck J, Cools P, Ame S, Albonico M, Dana D, Keiser J, Manly H, Matoso LF, Mekonnen Z, Montresor A, Correa-Oliveira R, Rinaldi L, Sayasone S, Sowersby S, Tesfaye L, Vercruysse J, Mirams G, Levecke B. Modification and optimization of the FECPAKG2 protocol for the detection and quantification of soil-transmitted helminth eggs in human stool. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006655. [PMID: 30321180 PMCID: PMC6224113 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Standard diagnosis of human soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections is based on the microscopic detection of helminth eggs in stool and supports programmatic decision making in control programs. However, the current standard diagnostic techniques still show a number of limitations. Recently, the FECPAKG2 method was developed to detect helminth infections and asses drug efficacy in sheep or cattle. It includes a device that takes digital images of helminth eggs that have been concentrated into one microscopic field of view and stores these images online for future evaluation. The goal of this study was to introduce a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the detection and quantification of human STH eggs using the FECPAKG2 and to optimize 2 crucial steps of the protocol, namely the sedimentation step (aimed at separating sinking eggs from floating debris) and the accumulation step (aimed at concentrating the eggs by flotation). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A total of 55 stool samples from naturally infected children were used from 4 different geographical areas (Ethiopia, Laos, Tanzania and Brazil). The results showed that Trichuris eggs generally moved slower than eggs of the other two STH species during both sedimentation in water in the FECPAKG2 sedimenter as during accumulation in flotation solution in the FECPAKG2 cassettes. The highest number of eggs were present in the slurry of the sedimenter after overnight sedimentation (Ascaris: 95.7%, Trichuris: 89.8% and hookworm: 94.2% of the eggs). A minimum of 24 minutes were needed to ensure the accumulation of at least 80% of the eggs from all three STH species in the FECPAKG2 cassette (Ascaris: 96.1%; Trichuris: 88.2% and hookworm: 87.6%). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This study introduces for the first time a SOP for the FECPAKG2 method. Different aspects of the method for diagnosing human STH infections were optimized. Our study forms the basis for a thorough and objective evaluation of the system as a diagnostic tool that could be implemented in STH control programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mio Ayana
- Institute of Health, Faculty of Health Science, School of Medical Laboratory Science, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Johnny Vlaminck
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Piet Cools
- Institute of Health, Faculty of Health Science, School of Medical Laboratory Science, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Shaali Ame
- Public Health Laboratory-Ivo de Carneri, Chake Chake, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Marco Albonico
- Center for Tropical Diseases, Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Daniel Dana
- Institute of Health, Faculty of Health Science, School of Medical Laboratory Science, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Jennifer Keiser
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Leonardo F. Matoso
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Immunology, Research Center René Rachou—FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Nursing school, Federal university of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Zeleke Mekonnen
- Institute of Health, Faculty of Health Science, School of Medical Laboratory Science, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | | | - Rodrigo Correa-Oliveira
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Immunology, Research Center René Rachou—FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Laura Rinaldi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Somphou Sayasone
- National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | - Stephen Sowersby
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Lensa Tesfaye
- Institute of Health, Faculty of Health Science, School of Medical Laboratory Science, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Jozef Vercruysse
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | | | - Bruno Levecke
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
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Leta GT, French M, Dorny P, Vercruysse J, Levecke B. Comparison of individual and pooled diagnostic examination strategies during the national mapping of soil-transmitted helminths and Schistosoma mansoni in Ethiopia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006723. [PMID: 30199526 PMCID: PMC6147605 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Laboratory-based studies have highlighted that pooling stool and urine samples can reduce costs and diagnostic burden without a negative impact on the ability to estimate the intensity of soil-transmitted helminth (STH, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworms) and schistosome infections (Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium). In this study, we compare individual and pooled stool examination strategies in a programmatic setting. METHODS Stool samples were collected from 2,650 children in 53 primary schools in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia, during the national mapping of STHs and schistosome infections. Eggs of STHs and S. mansoni were quantified in both individual and pooled samples (pools were made from 10 individual samples) using a single Kato-Katz smear. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A pooled diagnostic examination strategy provided comparable estimates of infection intensity with higher fecal egg count (expressed in eggs per gram of stool (EPG)) than those based on individual strategy (Ascaris: 45.1 EPG vs. 93.9, p = 0.03; Trichuris: 1.8 EPG vs. 2.1 EPG, p = 0.95; hookworms: 17.5 EPG vs. 28.5 EPG, p = 0.18; S. mansoni: 1.6 EPG vs. 3.4 EPG, p = 0.02), but had lower sensitivity (Ascaris: 90.0% vs. 55.0%; Trichuris: 91.7% vs. 16.7%; hookworms: 92.6% vs. 61.8%; S. mansoni: 100% vs. 51.7%, p < 0.001). A pooled approach resulted in a ~70% reduction in time required for sample testing, but reduced total operational costs by only ~11%. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE A pooled approach holds promise for the rapid assessment of intensity of helminth infections in a programmatic setting, but it is not major cost-saving strategy. Further investigation is required to determine when and how pooling can be utilized. Such work should also include validation of statistical methods to estimate prevalence based on pooling samples. Finally, the comparison of operational costs across different scenarios of national program management will help determine whether pooling is indeed worthwhile considering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemechu Tadesse Leta
- Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- * E-mail:
| | - Mike French
- RTI International, Washington D.C., United States of America
| | - Pierre Dorny
- Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jozef Vercruysse
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Bruno Levecke
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
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Ojurongbe O, Okorie PN, Opatokun RL, Ojurongbe TA, Mabayoje VO, Olowe OA, Adeyeba OA. Prevalence and associated factors of Plasmodium falciparum and soil transmitted helminth infections among pregnant women in Osun state, Nigeria. Afr Health Sci 2018; 18:542-551. [PMID: 30602986 PMCID: PMC6307031 DOI: 10.4314/ahs.v18i3.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plasmodium falciparum and soil transmitted helminth (STHs) infection are widespread in sub-Sahara Africa, where co-infection is also common. This study assessed the prevalence of these infections and their risk factors among pregnant women in Osogbo, Nigeria. METHODS A total of 200 pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic were recruited. Plasmodium falciparum was detected using thick and thin film methods, while formol ether concentration method was used for STHs detection. A questionnaire was used to investigate the possible risk factors associated with acquisition of malaria and helminth infections. RESULTS The prevalence of P. falciparum, STHs and their co-infection was 29.5%, 12% and 5% respectively. P. falciparum, STHs and P. falciparum + STHs co-infection was significantly higher in primigravidae (52.5% vs 58.3% vs 80%) than in secongravidae (18.6% vs 25.0% vs 20%) and multigravidae (28.8% vs 16.7% vs 0%) (p=0.02). Prevalence associated factors identified for P. falciparum was age (p=0.0001) while gravidity (p=0.02) was identified for P. falciparum + STHs co-infection. CONCLUSION High prevalence of P. falciparum and helminth infections was observed among the pregnant women with primigravidae being the most susceptible to co-infection. There is an urgent need to implement an effective malaria and STHs preventive method for this high risk population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Patricia Nkem Okorie
- Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan
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Ramos-Poblete J, Kasper E, Mu A. A long way from Laos. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006534. [PMID: 30161135 PMCID: PMC6116920 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jade Ramos-Poblete
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California San Francisco, Fresno Medical Education Program, Fresno, California, United States of America
| | - Erica Kasper
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California San Francisco, Fresno Medical Education Program, Fresno, California, United States of America
| | - Anandit Mu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California San Francisco, Fresno Medical Education Program, Fresno, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Axelrad JE, Joelson A, Nobel Y, Whittier S, Lawlor G, Riddle MS, Green PHR, Lebwohl B. The Distribution of Enteric Infections Utilizing Stool Microbial Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing in Clinical Practice. Dig Dis Sci 2018; 63:1900-1909. [PMID: 29696481 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-018-5087-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal infection is a major cause of morbidity. We sought to characterize the pathogenic etiologies of gastrointestinal infection to identify seasonal patterns and predictors of specific infections utilizing a multiplex PCR assay in clinical practice. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study of 9403 patients who underwent 13,231 stool tests with a FilmArray gastrointestinal pathogen PCR panel during an episode of diarrhea from March 2015 to May 2017. Our primary outcome was the presence of a positive panel. Logistic regression was used to test for associations between season and infections. RESULTS A positive result was found in 3426 tests (25.9%) in 2988 patients (31.8%), yielding 4667 pathogens consisting of 1469 viruses (31.5%), 2925 bacteria (62.7%), and 273 parasites (5.8%). Age less than 50 years was associated with a higher prevalence of pathogens compared to age ≥ 50 (p < 0.0001). The overall prevalence of a positive result for bacteria peaked in the summer (635, 29.2%), and the prevalence of viruses peaked in the winter (446, 31.8%). Compared to the winter, testing in the summer yielded a higher prevalence of bacteria (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.33, 1.73, p < 0.0001) and lower odds of viruses (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.58, 0.81, p < 0.0001), primarily driven by E. coli species and norovirus. CONCLUSIONS Season was a major determinant in detecting specific pathogens. Our substantially lower positivity rate than previous reports in the literature on multiplex PCR assays may more accurately reflect true clinical practice. Recognizing the temporal distribution of enteric pathogens may help facilitate empiric treatment decisions in certain clinical situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan E Axelrad
- Division of Digestive and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, 180 Fort Washington Avenue, Suite 936, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Andrew Joelson
- Division of Digestive and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, 180 Fort Washington Avenue, Suite 936, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Yael Nobel
- Division of Digestive and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, 180 Fort Washington Avenue, Suite 936, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Susan Whittier
- Department of Microbiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Garrett Lawlor
- Division of Digestive and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, 180 Fort Washington Avenue, Suite 936, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Mark S Riddle
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Peter H R Green
- Division of Digestive and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, 180 Fort Washington Avenue, Suite 936, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Benjamin Lebwohl
- Division of Digestive and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, 180 Fort Washington Avenue, Suite 936, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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Moser W, Bärenbold O, Mirams GJ, Cools P, Vlaminck J, Ali SM, Ame SM, Hattendorf J, Vounatsou P, Levecke B, Keiser J. Diagnostic comparison between FECPAKG2 and the Kato-Katz method for analyzing soil-transmitted helminth eggs in stool. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006562. [PMID: 29864132 PMCID: PMC6002127 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over one billion people are infected with soil-transmitted helminths (STH), i.e. Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm and Trichuris trichiura. For estimating drug efficacy and monitoring anthelminthic drug resistance, accurate diagnostic methods are critical. FECPAKG2 is a new remote-diagnostic tool used in veterinary medicine, which produces an image of the stool sample that can be stored on an internet cloud. We compared for the first time FECPAKG2 with the recommended Kato-Katz method. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Two stool samples were collected from adolescent participants (age 15-18 years) at baseline and 14 to 21 days after treatment in the framework of a randomized clinical trial on Pemba Island, Tanzania. Stool samples were analyzed with different diagnostic efforts: i) one or ii) two Kato-Katz thick smears from the first sample, iii) two Kato-Katz thick smears from two samples and iv) FECPAKG2 from the first sample. Parameters were calculated based on a hierarchical Bayesian egg count model. Complete data for all diagnostic efforts were available from 615 participants at baseline and 231 hookworm-positive participants at follow-up. At baseline FECPAKG2 revealed a sensitivity of 75.6% (72.0-77.7) for detecting A. lumbricoides, 71.5% (67.4-95.3) for hookworm and 65.8% (64.9-66.2) for T. trichiura, which was significantly lower (all p<0.05) than any of the Kato-Katz methods and highly dependent on infection intensity. Despite that the egg counts based on FECPAKG2 were relatively lower compared to Kato-Katz by a ratio of 0.38 (0.32-0.43) for A. lumbricoides, 0.36 (0.33-0.40) for hookworm and 0.08 (0.07-0.09) for T. trichiura, the egg reduction rates (ERR) were correctly estimated with FECPAKG2. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The sensitivity to identify any STH infection was considerably lower for FECPAKG2 compared to Kato-Katz. Following rigorous development, FECPAKG2 might be an interesting tool with unique features for epidemiological and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendelin Moser
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Bärenbold
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Piet Cools
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Johnny Vlaminck
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Said M. Ali
- Laboratory Division, Public Health Laboratory-Ivo de Carneri, Chake Chake, Tanzania
| | - Shaali M. Ame
- Laboratory Division, Public Health Laboratory-Ivo de Carneri, Chake Chake, Tanzania
| | - Jan Hattendorf
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Penelope Vounatsou
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Bruno Levecke
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jennifer Keiser
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Abstract
Although examination of the stool for ova and parasites times three (O&P ×3) is routinely performed in the United States (US) for the evaluation of persistent and/or chronic diarrhea, the result is almost always negative. This has contributed to the perception that parasitic diseases are nearly non-existent in the country unless there is a history of travel to an endemic area. The increasing number of immigrants from third-world countries, tourists, and students who present with symptoms of parasitic diseases are often misdiagnosed as having irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease. The consequences of such misdiagnosis need no explanation. However, certain parasitic diseases are endemic to the US and other developed nations and affect both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Testing for parasitic diseases either with O&P or with other diagnostic tests, followed by the recommended treatment, is quite rewarding when appropriate. Most parasitic diseases are easily treatable and should not be confused with other chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. In this review, we critically evaluate the symptomatology of luminal parasitic diseases, their differential diagnoses, appropriate diagnostic tests, and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonmoon Mohapatra
- Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Peter's University Hospital - Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, New Brunswick, NJ, USA. Department of Infectious Diseases, Saint Peter's University Hospital - Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, New Brunswick, NJ, USA. 3Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Nutrition Saint Peter's University Hospital - Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Dhruv Pratap Singh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Peter's University Hospital - Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, New Brunswick, NJ, USA. Department of Infectious Diseases, Saint Peter's University Hospital - Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, New Brunswick, NJ, USA. 3Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Nutrition Saint Peter's University Hospital - Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - David Alcid
- Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Peter's University Hospital - Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, New Brunswick, NJ, USA. Department of Infectious Diseases, Saint Peter's University Hospital - Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, New Brunswick, NJ, USA. 3Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Nutrition Saint Peter's University Hospital - Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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Hujoel IA, Jaeger TM. 65-Year-Old Woman With Chronic Eosinophilia. Mayo Clin Proc 2018; 93:646-650. [PMID: 29395353 DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Revised: 04/29/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel A Hujoel
- Resident in Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Thomas M Jaeger
- Advisor to resident and Consultant in Primary Care Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
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Alemu G, Alelign D, Abossie A. Prevalence of Opportunistic Intestinal Parasites and Associated Factors among HIV Patients while Receiving ART at Arba Minch Hospital in Southern Ethiopia: A Cross-sectional Study. Ethiop J Health Sci 2018; 28:147-156. [PMID: 29983512 PMCID: PMC6016335 DOI: 10.4314/ejhs.v28i2.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opportunistic Intestinal Parasites (OIPs) commonly cause morbidity in HIV/AIDS patients due to the decline of CD4+T-cells. The burden of Opportunistic Intestinal Parasitic Infections (OIPIs) in Ethiopia is expected to be high due to poor sanitation and co-pandemicity of HIV/AIDs. Therefore, frequent assessment of the magnitude and associated factors for intestinal parasitosis is essential for the management of HIV/AIDS patients. METHODS A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted among patients attending Arba Minch Hospital Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Clinic from March to June 2016. Stool specimens were processed for parasitological examination using direct wet mount, formol-ether sedimentation and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining techniques. CD4+ T-cell count data were taken from patients' medical records. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics and possible associated factors for OIPIs. All the data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. RESULTS Two hundred and twenty ART patients participated in the study. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 28.18% while that of OIPIs alone was 17.72%. Among identified intestinal parasites, Cryptosporidium species accounts for the highest frequency (19/220, 8.63%), followed by Cyclospora species (13/220, 5.90%). Presence of domestic animals (AOR=2.07, 95%CI:1.07-8.40, P= 0.032) and CD4+ T-cell count <500cell/µl (AOR=4.66, 95%CI:1.17-5.35, P= 0.001) were significantly associated with OIPIs. CONCLUSION The study indicated that co-infection rate of OIPs is high among ART patients. It also found that contact with domestic animals and having CD4+ count <500 cell/µl predict for the presence of OIPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Getaneh Alemu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
| | - Dagninet Alelign
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
| | - Ashenafi Abossie
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
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50
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Lindholz CG, Favero V, Verissimo CDM, Candido RRF, de Souza RP, dos Santos RR, Morassutti AL, Bittencourt HR, Jones MK, St. Pierre TG, Graeff-Teixeira C. Study of diagnostic accuracy of Helmintex, Kato-Katz, and POC-CCA methods for diagnosing intestinal schistosomiasis in Candeal, a low intensity transmission area in northeastern Brazil. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006274. [PMID: 29518081 PMCID: PMC5843168 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Control initiatives have successfully reduced the prevalence and intensity of schistosomiasis transmission in several localities around the world. However, individuals that release low numbers of eggs in their feces may not be detected by classical methods that are limited by low sensitivity. Given that accurate estimates of prevalence are key to implementing planning control actions for the elimination of schistosomiasis, new diagnostic tools are needed to effectively monitor infections and confirm transmission interruption. The World Health Organization recommends the Kato-Katz (KK) thick smear as a parasitological test for epidemiological surveys, even though this method has been demonstrated to underestimate prevalence when egg burdens are low. The point-of-care immunodiagnostic for detecting schistosome cathodic circulating antigen (POC-CCA) method has been proposed as a more sensitive substitute for KK in prevalence estimations. An alternative diagnostic, the Helmintex (HTX) method, isolates eggs from fecal samples with the use of paramagnetic particles in a magnetic field. Here, a population-based study involving 461 individuals from Candeal, Sergipe State, Brazil, was conducted to evaluate these three methods comparatively by latent class analysis (LCA). The prevalence of schistosomiasis mansoni was determined to be 71% with POC-CCA, 40.% with HTX and 11% with KK. Most of the egg burdens of the individuals tested (70%) were < 1 epg, thereby revealing a dissociation between prevalence and intensity in this locality. Therefore, the present results confirm that the HTX method is a highly sensitive egg detection procedure and support its use as a reference method for diagnosing intestinal schistosomiasis and for comparative evaluation of other tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catieli Gobetti Lindholz
- Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, School of Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Vivian Favero
- Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, School of Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Carolina de Marco Verissimo
- Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, School of Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | | | - Renata Perotto de Souza
- Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, School of Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Renata Rosa dos Santos
- Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, School of Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Loureiro Morassutti
- Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, School of Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Helio Radke Bittencourt
- Polytechnic School, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Malcolm K. Jones
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Timothy G. St. Pierre
- School of Physics, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Carlos Graeff-Teixeira
- Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, School of Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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