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Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease Nov 2022Intestinal parasitic infections are common infectious diseases causing many health problems and impaired growth and physical development.. Children under five years old... (Review)
Review
Intestinal parasitic infections are common infectious diseases causing many health problems and impaired growth and physical development.. Children under five years old are the most vulnerable to infections, due to their immature immunity and feeding and exploratory behaviours. This systematic review aimed to assess the relationship between intestinal parasitic infections and undernutrition among children under 5 years old. Fifteen studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were classified as high-quality studies. Twelve parasites were reported, including , spp., , , , hookworm, , , spp. and . Ascariasis is the most reported infection, with a prevalence ranging from 10.77% in Ethiopia to 57.14% in Malaysia, and is correlated with stunting (OR 2.17 (95% CI 1.14, 4.13), = 0.02). Giardiasis is the second most reported infection, with a prevalence ranging from 4.43% in Ethiopia to 66.33% in the Central African Republic, and is related to an increased risk of stunting (OR 2.34 (95% CI 1.07, 5.10), = 0.03)), wasting (OR 2.90 (95% CI 1.12, 7.49, = 0.03)), and being underweight (OR 1.53 (95% CI 1.02, 2.29, = 0.04)). The third and fourth most prevalent infections are and hookworm infections. Intestinal parasitic infections can occur very early in life and cause significant growth retardation. It is important to understand the prevalence and effects of infection based on the parasite species in order to implement therapeutic interventions and prevention controls.
PubMed: 36422922
DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7110371 -
Journal of Medicine and Life Apr 2022Cytokine response to () infection was measured after starting treatments with piperazine. This study aims to determine the impact of cytokine production after infection...
Cytokine response to () infection was measured after starting treatments with piperazine. This study aims to determine the impact of cytokine production after infection with before and after treatment with piperazine. Blood and stool samples of 50 patients with infection and 28 healthy individuals (control) were collected. In this study, IFNγ, IL-5, IL-12, and IL-13 in serum (using ELISA-based methods) were measured. Stool samples were examined using the Kato-Katz technique to detect parasites. Blood and stool samples were analyzed 14 days after starting piperazine treatment for infection. The medium concentration of IFNγ, IL-5, IL-12, and IL-13 in the serum samples with infection is higher than that of the control group. IFNγ, IL-5, IL-12, and IL-13 levels were significantly higher in the infected individuals (10.5±7.4 pg/ml, 14.6±5.1 pg/ml, 8.5±3.2 pg/ml and 13.6±7.5 pg/ml respectively) than the control group (4.7±2.4 pg/ml, 7.8±4.06 pg/ml, 6.3±3.4 pg/ml and 3.5±2.7 pg/ml respectively). Also, piperazine treatment can significantly reduce cytokines levels (IFN-γ: P=0.043, IL-5: P=0.02, and IL-12, p=0.001). This study shows that piperazine treatment can reduce cytokines profiles in patients with infection.
Topics: Ancylostomiasis; Cytokines; Humans; Interleukin-12; Interleukin-13; Interleukin-5; Piperazines
PubMed: 35646178
DOI: 10.25122/jml-2021-0383 -
Parasites & Vectors Mar 2020Hookworm infection is a major public health problem that threatens about 500 million people throughout tropical areas of the world. Adult hookworms survive for many... (Review)
Review
Hookworm infection is a major public health problem that threatens about 500 million people throughout tropical areas of the world. Adult hookworms survive for many years in the host intestine, where they suck blood, causing iron deficiency anemia and malnutrition. Numerous molecules, named excretory/secretory (ES) products, are secreted by hookworm adults and/or larvae to aid in parasite survival and pathobiology. Although the molecular cloning and characterization of hookworm ES products began 25 years ago, the biological role and molecular nature of many of them are still unclear. Hookworm ES products, with distinct structures and functions, have been linked to many essential events in the disease pathogenesis. These events include host invasion and tissue migration, parasite nourishment and reproduction, and immune modulation. Several of these products represent promising vaccine targets for controlling hookworm disease and therapeutic targets for many inflammatory diseases. This review aims to summarize our present knowledge about hookworm ES products, including their role in parasite biology, host-parasite interactions, and as vaccine and pharmaceutical targets and to identify research gaps and future research directions in this field.
Topics: Ancylostoma; Ancylostomatoidea; Animals; Antioxidants; Body Fluids; Cloning, Molecular; Female; Helminth Proteins; Hookworm Infections; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Immunologic Factors; Male; Peptide Hydrolases; Protease Inhibitors; Vaccines
PubMed: 32171305
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04010-8 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Dec 2021In 1896, a serendipitous laboratory accident led to the understanding that hookworms propagate infection by penetrating skin, a theory that was then confirmed with the... (Review)
Review
In 1896, a serendipitous laboratory accident led to the understanding that hookworms propagate infection by penetrating skin, a theory that was then confirmed with the first experimental human infection, reported in 1901. Experimental human infections undertaken in the 20th century enabled understanding of the natural history of infection and the immune response. More recently, experimental hookworm infection has been performed to investigate the immunomodulatory potential of hookworm infection and for the evaluation of hookworm vaccines and chemotherapeutic interventions. Experimental human hookworm infection has been proven to be safe, with no deaths observed in over 500 participants (although early reports predate systematic adverse event reporting) and no serious adverse events described in over 200 participants enrolled in contemporary clinical trials. While experimental human hookworm infection holds significant promise, as both a challenge model for testing anti-hookworm therapies and for treating various diseases of modernity, there are many challenges that present. These challenges include preparation and storage of larvae, which has not significantly changed since Harada and Mori first described their coproculture method in 1955. In vitro methods of hookworm larval culture, storage, and the development of meaningful potency or release assays are required. Surrogate markers of intestinal infection intensity are required because faecal egg counts or hookworm faecal DNA intensity lack the fidelity required for exploration of hookworm infection as a vaccine/drug testing platform or as a regulated therapy.
Topics: Ancylostomatoidea; Animals; Antigens, Helminth; Feces; Female; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Hookworm Infections; Human Experimentation; Humans; Research; Vaccines
PubMed: 34882670
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009908 -
The American Journal of Tropical... May 2018
Topics: Albendazole; Ancylostomatoidea; Animals; Double-Blind Method; Farmers; Female; Hookworm Infections; Humans; Power, Psychological
PubMed: 29611502
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0934 -
International Journal For Parasitology.... Dec 2017Hookworms are blood-feeding nematodes that parasitize the alimentary system of mammals. Despite their high pathogenic potential, little is known about their diversity... (Review)
Review
Hookworms are blood-feeding nematodes that parasitize the alimentary system of mammals. Despite their high pathogenic potential, little is known about their diversity and impact in wildlife populations. We conducted a systematic review of the literature on hookworm infections of wildlife and analyzed 218 studies qualitative and quantitatively. At least 68 hookworm species have been described in 9 orders, 24 families, and 111 species of wild mammals. Black bears, red foxes, and bobcats harbored the highest diversity of hookworm species and , , and were the hookworm species with the highest host diversity index. Hookworm infections cause anemia, retarded growth, tissue damage, inflammation and significant mortality in several wildlife species. Anemia has been documented more commonly in canids, felids and otariids, and retarded growth only in otariids. Population- level mortality has been documented through controlled studies only in canines and eared seals although sporadic mortality has been noticed in felines, bears and elephants. The main driver of hookworm pathogenic effects was the hookworm biomass in a population, measured as prevalence, mean burden and hookworm size (length). Many studies recorded significant differences in prevalence and mean intensity among regions related to contrasts in local humidity, temperature, and host population density. These findings, plus the ability of hookworms to perpetuate in different host species, create a dynamic scenario where changes in climate and the domestic animal-human-wildlife interface will potentially affect the dynamics and consequences of hookworm infections in wildlife.
PubMed: 28765810
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2017.03.007 -
Impact of hookworm infection and preventive chemotherapy on haemoglobin in non-pregnant populations.Tropical Medicine & International... Dec 2021To assess the impact of hookworm infection and preventive chemotherapy on haemoglobin levels in non-pregnant populations in endemic areas. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of hookworm infection and preventive chemotherapy on haemoglobin levels in non-pregnant populations in endemic areas.
METHOD
Systematic review and meta-analysis searching PubMed and Web of Science for articles published since 2010 reporting either hookworm prevalence and Hb concentration (cross-sectional studies) or Hb concentration before and after the implementation of preventive chemotherapy (before-after studies and randomised controlled trials [RCTs]). For papers published before 2010, data were extracted from a previously published systematic review. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between Hb concentration and hookworm infection intensity (from cross-sectional studies) and the effect of preventive chemotherapy on Hb concentration (from before-after studies and RCTs). Sensitivity analyses investigated the impact of malaria endemicity and combined interventions for schistosomiasis and nutrition status on Hb concentration.
RESULTS
Among cross-sectional studies, both light- and heavy-intensity hookworm infections were associated with lower Hb in school-aged children. School-aged children with heavy hookworm infection in settings of high malaria endemicity had lower mean Hb than those in settings of low malaria endemicity. In non-pregnant populations, deworming with albendazole was associated with an increase in Hb of 3.02 g/L (95% CI 0.1, 6.0 g/L). No additional benefit was seen with deworming using albendazole co-administered with praziquantel for schistosomiasis infection or iron supplementation for nutrition status.
CONCLUSION
Our findings confirm the benefits of preventive chemotherapy as a public health intervention.
Topics: Anemia; Anthelmintics; Controlled Before-After Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Hemoglobins; Hookworm Infections; Humans; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 34587315
DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13681