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Acta Parasitologica Mar 2024Balantidium coli, is a protozoa that can infect humans. Balantidium coli infection is mostly asymptomatic, but can cause of diarrhea, abdominal pain and sometimes...
PURPOSE
Balantidium coli, is a protozoa that can infect humans. Balantidium coli infection is mostly asymptomatic, but can cause of diarrhea, abdominal pain and sometimes perforated colon. There are only few previous reports regarding the infant balantidiasis and there is a little information about its clinical signs and treatment. In Islamic countries pig farming and consumption is prohibited and reservoir host is unknown.
METHODS
1.5 years old boy showed sever anorexia and diarrhea. The affected infant was depressed. The evaluation of fecal examination revealed a large number of B. coli trophozoites and cysts leaded us to an uncommon presentation of B. coli in the infant.
RESULTS
A few reports of human balantidiasis from Iran seems quite extraordinary. Wild boars have been proposed the responsible for transmission of human infection in Iran.
CONCLUSION
However, this report as the first report of infant balantidiasis in Iran supports the role of other sources and domestic or wild animals as reservoir hosts for B. coli in Iran.
Topics: Humans; Infant; Male; Balantidiasis; Balantidium; Diarrhea; Feces; Iran
PubMed: 38150066
DOI: 10.1007/s11686-023-00755-1 -
Terapevticheskii Arkhiv Dec 2023The aim of the article is to improve the differential diagnosis of specific and nonspecific inflammatory bowel diseases. In Russia, this scientific direction is... (Review)
Review
The aim of the article is to improve the differential diagnosis of specific and nonspecific inflammatory bowel diseases. In Russia, this scientific direction is associated with the name of G.F. Lang, who performed in 1901-1902 the study "On ulcerative inflammation of the large intestine caused by balantidiasis". The etiology of specific colitis is associated with infection with parasites, bacteria and viruses that cause inflammation of the intestinal wall, diarrhea, often with an admixture of mucus, pus and blood. Specific colitis (SC) may be accompanied by fever, abdominal pain, and tenesmus. Bacterial colitis is commonly caused by , , , , and . Viral colitis is caused by rotavirus, adenovirus, cytomegalovirus, and norovirus. Parasitic colitis can be caused by and balantidia. In gay people, SC can cause sexually transmitted infections: , and treponema pallidum, affecting the rectum. Stool microscopy, culture, and endoscopy are used to establish the diagnosis. Stool culture helps in the diagnosis of bacterial colitis in 50% of patients, and endoscopic studies reveal only nonspecific pathological changes. Differential diagnosis of SC should be carried out with immune-inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, undifferentiated colitis), radiation colitis and other iatrogenic bowel lesions. The principles of diagnosis and therapy of inflammatory bowel diseases associated with various etiological.
Topics: Humans; Bacterial Infections; Colitis; Colitis, Ulcerative; Diagnosis, Differential; Inflammation; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
PubMed: 38158934
DOI: 10.26442/00403660.2023.12.202496 -
Veterinary Parasitology Sep 2023Domestic camels (Camelus bactrianus, the Bactrian camel; and Camelus dromedarius, the dromedary) are pseudo-ruminant herbivores kept as livestock in rural, inhospitable...
Domestic camels (Camelus bactrianus, the Bactrian camel; and Camelus dromedarius, the dromedary) are pseudo-ruminant herbivores kept as livestock in rural, inhospitable regions (cold deserts and dry steppes of Asia, arid to semi-arid regions of Africa, western and central Asia). Their close contact with humans makes them a potential reservoir for zoonotic parasite infections, as has been suggested for human balantidiasis. However, there is confusion about the ciliate species that infects camels: Infundibulorium cameli was originally described in dromedaries, but this name has almost never been used and most authors identified their findings as Balantioides coli and, to a lesser extent, Buxtonella sulcata, a cattle ciliate. To clarify the taxonomic status of the parasite and the corresponding zoonotic significance for camels, we performed morphological characterization of cysts and genetic analysis (SSU-rDNA and ITS markers) of B. coli-like isolates from Bactrian camels from Bulgaria and from dromedaries from Spain and the United Arab Emirates. Our results indicate that the camel ciliate is not B. coli, nor is it B. sulcata, but is a different species that should be placed in the same genus as the latter. Thus, camels are not a reservoir for human balantidiasis. Although the correct genus name would be Infundibulorium according to the principle of priority, this would lead to confusion since this name has almost fallen into disuse since its initial description, but Buxtonella is almost universally used by researchers and veterinarians for the cattle ciliate. We therefore propose to apply the reversal of precedence and use Buxtonella as the valid genus name. Consequently, we propose Buxtonella cameli n.comb. as the name for the camel ciliate.
Topics: Cattle; Animals; Humans; Camelus; Balantidiasis; Zoonoses; Asia; Africa; Cattle Diseases
PubMed: 37494847
DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.109984 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2023plays an important role in the diarrhea of weaned piglets, but its pathogenic potential and interaction with gut microbes remain unclear. To investigate the impact of...
plays an important role in the diarrhea of weaned piglets, but its pathogenic potential and interaction with gut microbes remain unclear. To investigate the impact of colonization on the gut bacterial structure and function of weaned piglets, a metagenomic analysis based on shotgun sequencing was performed on fresh fecal samples collected from ten -colonized piglets and eight -free ones in this study. The results showed that decreasing diversity and shifted composition and function of the bacterial community were detected in the weaned piglets infected by . In contrast to the -negative group, the relative abundances of some members of the phylum including , species, and , which produce short-chain fatty acids, were significantly reduced in the -positive group. Notably, some species of the genus (such as sp. CAG:604 and ) were significantly increased in abundance in the -positive piglets. A functional analysis of the gut microbiota demonstrated that the differential gene sets for the metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids were abundant in both groups, and the more enriched pathways in -infected piglets were associated with the sugar-specific phosphotransferase system (PTS) and the two-component regulatory system, as well as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis. Furthermore, several species of were significantly positively correlated to the synthesis of lipid A, leading to the exporting of endotoxins and, thereby, inducing inflammation in the intestines of weaned piglets. Taken together, these findings revealed that colonization by was distinctly associated with the dysbiosis of gut bacterial structure and function in weaned piglets. Lower relative abundances of and and higher abundances of species were biomarkers of infection in weaned piglets.
Topics: Swine; Animals; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Metagenome; Balantidiasis; Virulence; Diarrhea
PubMed: 37445967
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310791 -
Clinical Case Reports Jul 2023In contrast to intestinal balantidiasis, which is widespread throughout the world, urinary balantidiasis is uncommon. It often affects people with underlying diseases,...
KEY CLINICAL MESSAGE
In contrast to intestinal balantidiasis, which is widespread throughout the world, urinary balantidiasis is uncommon. It often affects people with underlying diseases, and acute infections may be fatal. Even though urine is not typical for this parasite, specific morphologic characteristics can aid in accurate diagnosis.
ABSTRACT
is a ciliated protozoan which can infect intestinal system. Urinary balantidiasis is an extremely rare infection that may cause serious issues in patients with underlying diseases. Herein, we present a case of urinary balantidiasis in a patient with bladder cancer.
PubMed: 37465246
DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.7494 -
Parasitology Research Dec 2023Balantioides coli is a common intestinal parasitic protozoan in pigs. In the present study, 801 fecal samples of pigs from seven farms in Xinjiang were analyzed based on...
Balantioides coli is a common intestinal parasitic protozoan in pigs. In the present study, 801 fecal samples of pigs from seven farms in Xinjiang were analyzed based on the ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 gene. The prevalence of B. coli was 4.2% (34/801), with the highest prevalence of 18.9% (18/95) occurring in Alaer, Xinjiang. B. coli was detected in all age groups (pre-weaned pigs, post-weaned pigs, fattening pigs and sows), with the highest rate in fatteners (6.9%, 9/129) and the lowest (1.2%, 2/169) in pre-weaned pigs. Significant differences (P = 0.000) were found among sampling sites but not among age groups (P = 0.084). Sequence analysis indicated that 34 sequence variants, including sequence type A (n = 11) and sequence type B (n = 23), occurred in all age groups. In this study, the existence of sequence type A suggested that B. coli poses a potential threat to human health. More studies are needed to better understand the distributions and public health significance of B. coli in China.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Swine; Female; Prevalence; Swine Diseases; Balantidiasis; China; Feces
PubMed: 38040997
DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08028-6 -
Frontiers in Pediatrics 2024Acute appendicitis secondary to parasitic infections is uncommon, being detected in less than 1% of cases. Balantidium coli is a parasite found in pigs and primates with...
INTRODUCTION
Acute appendicitis secondary to parasitic infections is uncommon, being detected in less than 1% of cases. Balantidium coli is a parasite found in pigs and primates with zoonotic potential. To date, only three cases of acute appendicitis induced by this parasite have been documented globally.
CASE
A 7-year-old female patient, who consumed pork daily, presented to the emergency department with a one-day history of abdominal pain in the lower quadrants, described as colic-like, alongside abdominal distension. Initial abdominal radiography led to a diagnosis of intestinal obstruction. Conservative management without therapeutic response necessitated referral to a higher complexity center. Upon admission, an abdominal computed tomography scan diagnosed acute appendicitis and secondary ileus. During surgical intervention, an appendiceal phlegmon formed by loops of the small intestine was mechanically released, revealing a perforated appendix with extensive fecal peritoneal contamination. Pathological analysis identified an inflammatory infiltrate and the presence of Balantidium coli trophozoites. Medical treatment included Piperacillin-Tazobactam and Metronidazole. The patient was discharged after 10 days of medical treatment.
DISCUSSION
Acute appendicitis caused by Balantidium coli is a rare occurrence. It is crucial to identify parasites in pathological samples due to their impact on postoperative management. The close contact between humans and pigs, especially in developing countries, suggests that the prevalence of parasitic infection and colonization by Balantidium coli may be higher than currently recognized. Regarding the identification of this patient's specific exposure, the regular consumption of pork suggests the hypothesis that improper processing is linked to the acquisition of the parasitic infection.
PubMed: 38803639
DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1410850