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Enfermedades Infecciosas Y... Jan 2020Infections causes by parasites of the gastrointestinal tract are a global public health problem. In industrialised countries, their particular epidemiological (low... (Review)
Review
Infections causes by parasites of the gastrointestinal tract are a global public health problem. In industrialised countries, their particular epidemiological (low general prevalence of enteroparasites), economic (high labour costs) and clinical characteristics (constant increase in the number of samples and diagnostic determinations to be performed) have led molecular techniques to progressively replace conventional microscopy as the first-line diagnostic method of these pathogens in modern clinical laboratories. PCR-based techniques, particularly those developed for the simultaneous detection of the various agents that can cause the same infectious disease (syndromic diagnosis), already represent a cost-effective option that allow process automisation, workflow optimisation, and comparison of results among different laboratories, and facilitate accreditation of diagnostic procedures. This review clearly and concisely discusses the current situation of the molecular diagnosis of the main species of intestinal parasites in humans, particularly the enteric protozoans causing diarrhoea (Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, Entamoeba histolytica), the most important members the Microsporidia phyla (Enterocytozoon bieneusi) and Stramenopiles phyla (Blastocystis sp.), as well as the helminths transmitted by soil (Ancylostoma spp., Ascaris lumbricoides, Necator americanus, Strongyloides stercoralis and Trichuris trichiura) and food (Anisakis spp., Clonorchis sinensis, Fasciola spp., Taenia solium, and Trichinella spiralis). Special attention is paid to the description of available techniques and formats, to their diagnostic benefits and the most widely used genetic markers for their detection, both in clinical laboratories and genotyping in referral and research centres.
Topics: Animals; Diarrhea; Feces; Helminthiasis; Humans; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; Protozoan Infections; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
PubMed: 32111362
DOI: 10.1016/j.eimc.2020.02.005 -
European Review For Medical and... Jan 2019Metronidazole is an antibiotic widely used in different medical conditions such as trichomoniasis, amoebiasis, and giardiasis among others. Its use has been associated... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Metronidazole is an antibiotic widely used in different medical conditions such as trichomoniasis, amoebiasis, and giardiasis among others. Its use has been associated with toxicity; however, it is not well characterized. In this review, we discuss the different therapeutic uses of metronidazole and its side effects in order to aid future investigation in this field.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Relevant information, original research articles, clinical trials, and reviews were collected from PubMed to know the state of the art of the different therapeutic uses of metronidazole and the reported side effects.
RESULTS
Metronidazole was used by the first time in 1959, to treat an infection caused by Trichomonas vaginalis; subsequently, new therapeutic properties were discovered. Nowadays, Metronidazole is used to treat infections caused by Bacteroides, Fusobacteria and Clostridia, rosacea, oral and dental infections, bone and joint infections, gynecologic infections, endocarditis, septicemia, and respiratory tract infections. It also can be used to treat Crohn´s disease or even like prophylaxis, before surgical procedures. Metronidazole is well tolerated with mild to moderate side effects such as nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Nevertheless, serious neurotoxicity, optic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, and encephalopathy have been reported in rare cases. Their genotoxic effects observed in animal models are controversial in humans.
CONCLUSIONS
The therapeutic use of metronidazole had increased worldwide. Even though it is widely used, metronidazole has been associated with neurotoxicity and genotoxicity; however, its side effects are not well established. Conversely, its veterinary use is restricted in some countries because of its tumor association. Subsequently, further studies are needed to discover the secure use of metronidazole and describe new usages for this drug.
Topics: Animals; Antiprotozoal Agents; Carcinogenesis; DNA Damage; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Utilization; Humans; Legislation, Veterinary; Metronidazole; Neurotoxicity Syndromes; Protozoan Infections; Protozoan Infections, Animal; Veterinary Drugs
PubMed: 30657582
DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201901_16788 -
The Veterinary Clinics of North... Nov 2022Cytauxzoon felis is a hematoprotozoan parasite with a complex life cycle involving a tick-vector and a mammalian host. The mammalian hosts are all felidae but in the... (Review)
Review
Cytauxzoon felis is a hematoprotozoan parasite with a complex life cycle involving a tick-vector and a mammalian host. The mammalian hosts are all felidae but in the bobcat reservoir host, the parasite typically causes only a brief, self-resolving illness followed by a prolonged subclinical infection. In domestic cats, however, infection often leads to an acute febrile illness characterized by severe morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis is based on microscopic identification of parasites or molecular testing. Treatment for ill cats is expensive, difficult, and often unsuccessful. Prevention is quite possible and depends on avoidance of feeding by vector ticks.
Topics: Animals; Cats; Protozoan Infections, Animal; Disease Reservoirs; Piroplasmida; Lynx; Ticks; Cat Diseases
PubMed: 36336418
DOI: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2022.06.007 -
Medecine Tropicale Et Sante... Sep 2023Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran - 18 June 1845 - 18 May 1922: first French Nobel Prize in Medicine, "in recognition of his work on the role played by protozoa in causing...
Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran - 18 June 1845 - 18 May 1922: first French Nobel Prize in Medicine, "in recognition of his work on the role played by protozoa in causing diseases". One hundred years after his death, only written records remain of his work and life. The witnesses to this period are no more. Alphonse Laveran has become an "object" of history.He was deeply involved in a turbulent historical period, marked by crises of regime change (Monarchy/Empire/Republic), military events (French colonial expansion in North Africa from 1830, the wars of 1870 and 1914-1918) and their consequences (the medical impact of infections in the colonial empire and during armed conflicts, the Dreyfus affair, among others), the advent of Pasteurian "microbiology" and the deciphering of the causes and modes of transmission of infectious diseases. A player on the edge of the military and civilian worlds, with their own, sometimes incompatible, visions of the aims and objectives to be pursued, Alphonse Laveran lived through these upheavals in a society in the throes of change, in his family and scientific environment.Paradoxically, the primary sources available to us for learning about this scientist and man are both abundant and "scarce" for us in the 21st century. His scientific publications and many of his speeches at various academies, committees and meetings are for the most part public and accessible, giving us a vision of a professional in scientific and medical research in action, presenting and convincing people of his ideas and theoretical and practical insights. The writings of his contemporaries, both public and private, shed light on - distort? - the man's many facets. On the other hand, there are few surviving sources on the man and his vision of life, his life and that of his family and friends.We will rely on the archives that have been preserved, in particular by the organisations that welcomed him during his military and civilian career, as well as by his wife Marie Laveran and his colleague Marie Phisalix, one of the first doctors of medicine in France and a renowned herpetologist. These two female figures have preserved and contributed to his memory. Let's take a closer look at the man behind the scientist, as we can imagine him through the traces that remain.
Topics: Humans; Africa, Northern; France; Protozoan Infections; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century
PubMed: 38094485
DOI: 10.48327/mtsi.v3i3.2023.406 -
Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery Mar 2017Practical relevance: Trichomonosis of the large intestine of the cat was described as a cause of chronic diarrhea over 20 years ago. The trichomonad was identified as... (Review)
Review
Practical relevance: Trichomonosis of the large intestine of the cat was described as a cause of chronic diarrhea over 20 years ago. The trichomonad was identified as Tritrichomonas foetus, with a genotype that is distinct from venereal T foetus of cattle. Clinical challenges: Despite multiple means for diagnosis of the infection, including light microscopy, protozoal culture and PCR amplification using species-specific primers, tests with even greater sensitivity are needed. Feline trichomonosis is resistant to all commonly used antiprotozoal drugs. Ronidazole is currently the only drug demonstrated to be effective in eliminating the infection from cats; however, this drug has a narrow safety margin and clinical resistance is increasingly recognized. The more we learn about trichomonosis in cats, the more complicated and controversial the infection has become, ranging from what we should call the organism to whether we should even bother trying to treat it. Global importance: Feline trichomonosis is recognized to occur worldwide and is regarded as one of the most common infectious causes of colitis in the domestic cat. The infection is widespread in catteries and shelters; and, while remission of diarrhea may occur over time, persistence of the infection is common. Evidence base: This review provides a comprehensive examination of what is currently known about feline trichomonosis and pinpoints areas, based on the authors' opinion, where further research is needed.
Topics: Animals; Antiprotozoal Agents; Cat Diseases; Cats; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Protozoan Infections, Animal; Ronidazole; Tritrichomonas foetus
PubMed: 28245739
DOI: 10.1177/1098612X17693499 -
Experimental Eye Research Jan 2021Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a rare protozoal infection of the cornea. At least eight species of Acanthamoeba are known to cause this sight-threatening disease of the... (Review)
Review
Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a rare protozoal infection of the cornea. At least eight species of Acanthamoeba are known to cause this sight-threatening disease of the ocular surface. Acanthamoeba spp. exist in a wide array of niches ranging from thermal springs to under ice and every conceivable habitat in between. Contact lens wear is the leading risk factor for AK and is practiced by over 30 million individuals in the United States, yet the incidence of AK is less than 33 cases per one million contact lens wearers. Serological studies have reported that 90%-100% of individuals with no history of AK possess antibodies specific for Acanthamoeba antigens indicating that exposure to this organism is commonplace, yet disease is remarkably rare. Animal studies have shed light on the pathobiology and immunobiology of AK and indicate that a constellation of factors including the ocular surface microbiome and the microbiome of Acanthamoeba itself contribute to the pathogenesis of AK. Interesting, secretory antibodies produced by the adaptive immune response can prevent the initiation of corneal infection, but once Acanthamoeba trophozoites breach the corneal epithelium the adaptive immune system is helpless in altering the course of AK. It has been almost 50 years since AK was first described, yet many questions remain unanswered about this curious and enigmatic disease of the ocular surface.
Topics: Acanthamoeba; Acanthamoeba Keratitis; Animals; Antibodies, Protozoan; Contact Lenses; Cornea; Eye Infections, Parasitic; Humans; Risk Factors
PubMed: 33221372
DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108365 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2022
Topics: Humans; Protozoan Infections
PubMed: 36118046
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1002602 -
Pediatrics in Review Feb 2016• Stool antigen detection for Cryptosporidium sp, Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica are now commercially available, have better sensitivity and specificity... (Review)
Review
• Stool antigen detection for Cryptosporidium sp, Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica are now commercially available, have better sensitivity and specificity than the traditional stool microscopy, and are less dependent on personnel skill. Tests employing newer techniques with faster turnaround time are also available for diagnosing trichomoniasis.• Nitazoxanide, the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved medication for therapy of cryptosporidiosis, is effective among immunocompetent patients. However, on the basis of strong evidence from multiple clinical trials, nitazoxanide is considered ineffective among immunocompromised patients. (14) • Giardiasis can be asymptomatic or have a chronic course leading to malabsorption and failure to thrive. It can be treated with metronidazole, tinidazole, or nitazoxanide. On the basis of growing observational studies, postinfectious and extraintestinal manifestations of giardiasis occur, but the mechanisms are unclear. Given the high prevalence of giardiasis, public health implications need to be defined. (16) • Eradicating E histolytica from the gastrointestinal tract requires only intraluminal agent therapy. Therapy for invasive illnesses requires use of imidazole followed by intraluminal agents to eliminate persistent intraluminal parasites. • Malaria is considered the most lethal parasitic infection, with Plasmodium falciparum as the predominant cause of mortality. P vivax and P ovale can be dormant in the liver, and primaquine is necessary to resolve infection by P vivax and P ovale. • Among immunocompetent patients, infection with Toxoplasma gondii may be asymptomatic, involve localized lymphadenopathy, or cause ocular infection. In immunocompromised patients, reactivation or severe infection is not uncommon. On the basis of limited observational studies (there are no well-controlled randomized trials), therapy is recommended for acute infection during pregnancy to prevent transmission to the fetus/infant or decrease infectious sequelae to the fetus. (2) • On the basis of growing research evidence as well as consensus, trichomoniasis is associated with many health-related concerns, including adverse pregnancy outcomes and increased risk of acquisition and transmission of human immunodeficiency virus. (3)(25) Similar to toxoplasmosis,many infections are asymptomatic, and the true public health impact of trichomoniasis is difficult to define. Further research is warranted.
Topics: Antiprotozoal Agents; Female; Humans; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic; Protozoan Infections; Risk Factors
PubMed: 26834225
DOI: 10.1542/pir.2015-0006 -
Parasite Immunology Sep 2014Innate and adaptive immunity play a significant role in urogenital infections. Innate immunity is provided by the epithelial cells and mucus lining along with acidic pH,... (Review)
Review
Innate and adaptive immunity play a significant role in urogenital infections. Innate immunity is provided by the epithelial cells and mucus lining along with acidic pH, which forms a strong physical barrier against the pathogens in female reproductive tract. Cells of innate immune system, antimicrobial peptides, cytokines, chemokines and adaptive immunity in the reproductive tract are evolved during infection, and a pro-inflammatory response is generated to fight against the invading pathogen Trichomonas vaginalis, a primary urogenital protozoa, the etiological agent of human trichomoniasis, a curable sexually transmitted infection. The involvement of the urogenital tract by other protozoal infections such as P. falciparum, Trypanosoma, Leishmania, Toxoplasma, Entamoeba histolytica and Acanthamoeba infection is rarely reported. Trichomonas induce pro-inflammatory and immunosuppressive responses in infected subjects. Multifactorial pathogenic mechanisms including parasite adherence, cysteine proteases, lipophosphoglycan, free radical, cytokine generation and Toll-like receptors appear to interplay with the induction of local and systemic immune responses that ultimately determine the outcome of the infection. However, the involvement of urogenital pathogen-specific immune mechanisms and effect of normal local resident flora on the outcome (symptomatic vs. asymptomatic) of infection are poorly understood. Moreover, immune interactions in trichomoniasis subjects co-infected with bacterial and viral pathogens need to be elucidated.
Topics: Adaptive Immunity; Female; Female Urogenital Diseases; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Male; Male Urogenital Diseases; Protozoan Infections
PubMed: 25201404
DOI: 10.1111/pim.12114 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2022In recent years, massive attention has been attracted to the development and application of machine learning (ML) in the field of infectious diseases, not only serving... (Review)
Review
In recent years, massive attention has been attracted to the development and application of machine learning (ML) in the field of infectious diseases, not only serving as a catalyst for academic studies but also as a key means of detecting pathogenic microorganisms, implementing public health surveillance, exploring host-pathogen interactions, discovering drug and vaccine candidates, and so forth. These applications also include the management of infectious diseases caused by protozoal pathogens, such as , , , , and , a class of fatal or life-threatening causative agents capable of infecting humans and a wide range of animals. With the reduction of computational cost, availability of effective ML algorithms, popularization of ML tools, and accumulation of high-throughput data, it is possible to implement the integration of ML applications into increasing scientific research related to protozoal infection. Here, we will present a brief overview of important concepts in ML serving as background knowledge, with a focus on basic workflows, popular algorithms (e.g., support vector machine, random forest, and neural networks), feature extraction and selection, and model evaluation metrics. We will then review current ML applications and major advances concerning protozoal pathogens and protozoal infectious diseases through combination with correlative biology expertise and provide forward-looking insights for perspectives and opportunities in future advances in ML techniques in this field.
Topics: Algorithms; Animals; Communicable Diseases; Cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium; Machine Learning; Neural Networks, Computer
PubMed: 35573796
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.882995