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Cureus May 2024In clinical practice, the typical approach to ingested foreign bodies in stable patients involves expectant management, as most materials pass through the...
In clinical practice, the typical approach to ingested foreign bodies in stable patients involves expectant management, as most materials pass through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract without adverse effects. However, foreign bodies that travel through the appendix's lumen can cause acute appendicitis due to their inability to exit the colon. Rarer causes of appendicitis include parasitic infiltration by . The wandering behavior of within the GI tract can lead to various surgical complications in the abdomen. Occasionally, these parasites can migrate to the vermiform appendix, where they may either induce pathological changes or remain asymptomatic. We report an unusual case of an eight-year-old Pakistani female patient who presented to the emergency room with pain in the right iliac fossa, associated with anorexia and nausea, for one day. On examination, the patient was found to be vitally stable, with right iliac fossa tenderness noted on palpation. Additionally, the patient exhibited positive pointing, rebound, Rovsing, and psoas signs. Her medical history revealed that she had ingested a metallic needle seven months ago. Blood tests were undertaken, and an abdominal X-ray confirmed the existence of a radiopaque metallic object in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen. The patient underwent an open appendicectomy for acute appendicitis and was discovered to have a metallic needle lodged in the vermiform appendix. Concurrently, she also had ascariasis, as she vomited a 23-cm-long worm. It is important to consider both mechanical and parasitic etiologies in diagnosing acute appendicitis; detailed evaluation and management strategies are necessary to address these unique etiologies effectively.
PubMed: 38832168
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59632 -
Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease Dec 2023An estimated 1.5 billion people are infected with soil-transmitted helminths (hookworms, and ). These infections are targeted for elimination by the World Health...
An estimated 1.5 billion people are infected with soil-transmitted helminths (hookworms, and ). These infections are targeted for elimination by the World Health Organization (WHO) by 2030, with the main interventions being mass drug administration using albendazole or mebendazole. Tanzania is one of the endemic countries; it has been implementing MDA to school-aged children for more than a decade and the infection prevalence and intensity of infection have declined. Thus, at this point, the monitoring and evaluation of infection prevalence and intensity of infections, and assessing drug efficacy is crucial and requires accurate diagnostic tests. The currently used standard diagnostic test, the Kato-Katz (KK) technique, has several limitations and the WHO is calling for the development and evaluation of new diagnostic tests. The Lab-on-a-disk (LOD) was developed and tested in the endemic areas of north-western Tanzania to evaluate its sensitivity and specificity using KK and the formol-ether concentration technique. The results showed that when using a duplicate KK slide, the LOD had a sensitivity and specificity of 37.2% (95% CI: 30.7-43.9) and 67.3% (95% CI: 63.1-71.3%). Using four KK slides as a standard technique, the overall sensitivity and specificity were 37.7% (95% CI: 33.1-42.6) and 70.7% (95% CI: 65.5-75.6). The LOD attained high specificity but low sensitivity especially in detecting eggs of . The LOD technique has potential as a promising diagnostic test, but its sensitivity still requires improvement.
PubMed: 38276635
DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed9010005 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Sep 2023Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are global health problem, especially in low-income countries. Main objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence...
BACKGROUND
Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are global health problem, especially in low-income countries. Main objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence and intensity of STH and its risk factors among school children in Kandahar city of Afghanistan.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
This was a school-based cross-sectional analytical study, with data collected during eight-month-period (May-December, 2022) from 6- and 12-years old school children in Kandahar city, Afghanistan. All the stool samples were examined by saline wet mount method and Kato-Katz technique. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, Chi square test, and multivariate logistic regression. A total of 1275 children from eight schools of Kandahar city were included in this study. Mean age of these children was 8.3 years with 53.3% boys. The overall prevalence of any intestinal parasitic infection was 68.4%. The overall prevalence of STH infection was 39.1%, with Ascaris lumbricoides (29.4%) as the most prevalent STH species. Mean intensity of overall STH infection was 97.8. Multivariate logistic regression revealed playing barefoot (AOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.2), not washing hands after defecating and before eating (AOR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.7), having untrimmed nails (AOR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.8), and belonging to poor families (AOR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.7) as the risk factors associated with the predisposition of school children for getting STH in Kandahar city of Afghanistan.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE
There is high prevalence of STH among school children of Kandahar city in Afghanistan. Most of the risk factors are related to poverty, decreased sanitation, and improper hygiene. Improvement of socioeconomic status, sanitation, and health education to promote public awareness about health and hygiene together with periodic mass deworming programs are better strategies for the control of STH infections in Afghanistan.
Topics: Male; Animals; Humans; Child; Female; Afghanistan; Cross-Sectional Studies; Prevalence; Helminths; Risk Factors; Schools
PubMed: 37695763
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011614 -
Journal of Tropical Medicine 2023Vegetable and fruit consumptions are important for health as they are good sources of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. However, contamination of vegetables...
BACKGROUND
Vegetable and fruit consumptions are important for health as they are good sources of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. However, contamination of vegetables and fruits is indicated as the main contributing factor to parasitic contamination.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to assess the prevalence and associated factors of intestinal parasites among fruits and vegetables collected from local markets in Bule Hora Town, Southeast Ethiopia.
METHODS
A cross-sectional assessment was carried out on 391 raw fruits and vegetables from the market in Bule Hora Town from July 29 to August 17, 2022. After being soaked in physiological saline and vigorously shaken for 15 minutes with the help of a mechanical shaker, a total of 391 samples taken from various fruits and vegetables were evaluated using the sedimentation concentration technique. Software SPSS version 25 was used to analyze the data after it had been entered using EpiData version 3.1. To assess various associated factors, binary and multivariable logistic regression was employed.
RESULTS
142 (36.3%) of the 391 samples analyzed had at least one species of parasite. The parasite (40.1%) was found the most frequently, whereas spp. was found the least frequently. Variables such as fingernail trimming (AOR = 1.99; 95% CI: 1.274-3.108), hand washing habit with soap after using toilet (AOR = 2.912; CI: 1.896-4.47), and eating raw vegetables or fruits (AOR = 0.604; CI: 0.394-0.925) were associated with parasitic contamination.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study show that eating vegetables that are raw in the study area carries a potentially significant risk of contracting parasitic illnesses. Therefore, the appropriate bodies should make an effort to lower the rate of product contamination with intestinal parasites by educating vendors and the general public.
PubMed: 37781133
DOI: 10.1155/2023/1861919 -
The Lancet Regional Health. Western... Feb 2024The Philippines reports a high prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections despite the implementation of nationwide mass drug administration since 2006. The...
BACKGROUND
The Philippines reports a high prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections despite the implementation of nationwide mass drug administration since 2006. The spatial variation of STH infections in the Philippines was last described using the 2005-2007 national STH and schistosomiasis survey. This study aimed to identify sociodemographic and environmental factors that drive STH transmission and predict high-risk areas in the Philippines.
METHODS
Epidemiological data on STH for students aged 5-16 years were obtained from the 2015 Philippines National Prevalence survey, while environmental data were extracted from satellite images and publicly available sources. Model-based geostatistics, implemented in a Bayesian framework, was used to identify sociodemographic and environmental correlates and predict high-risk areas for STH across the Philippines. The best-fitting model with the lowest deviance information criterion (DIC) was used to interpret the findings of the model and predict STH infection risk for the entire country. Risk maps were developed for each STH infection using the posterior means derived from the model.
FINDINGS
The prevalence of (20.0%) and (29.3%) was higher in the Visayas Island than in the Luzon and Mindanao Islands. Hookworm prevalence was highest in Mindanao Island (1.3%). Risk of was positively associated with males (odds ratio [OR]: 1.197; 97.5% Credible Interval [CrI]: 1.114, 1.286) and temperature (OR: 1.148; 97.5% CrI: 1.033, 1.291), while normalized difference vegetation index (OR: 0.354; 97.5% CrI: 0.138, 0.930) and soil pH (OR: 0.606; 97.5% CrI: 0.338, 0.949) were negatively associated with the transmission. risk was positively associated with males (OR: 1.261; 97.5% CrI: 1.173, 1.341), temperature (OR: 1.153; 97.5% CrI: 1.001, 1.301), and rainfall (OR: 1.004; 97.5% CrI: 1.011, 1.069). Hookworm risk was positively associated with males (OR: 2.142; 97.5% CrI: 1.537, 2.998), while children aged ≤12 years (OR: 0.435; 97.5% CrI: 0.252, 0.753) had a negative association with risk compared to those over 12 years. Focal areas of high risk were identified for and in the Visayas Island, and hookworm in the Mindanao Island.
INTERPRETATION
The spatial distribution of all three STH infections has considerably decreased since a previous national risk-mapping exercise. The high-risk areas identified in the study can be used to strategically target deworming and health education activities to further reduce the burden of STH and support progress toward elimination.
FUNDING
The Australian Centre for the Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.
PubMed: 38076323
DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100974 -
PloS One 2024Consuming contaminated raw vegetables and fruits is one of the primary means of parasite transmission to humans. Periodic monitoring of parasitic contamination in these...
Parasitic contamination of fresh vegetables and fruits sold in open-air markets in peri-urban areas of Jimma City, Oromia, Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND
Consuming contaminated raw vegetables and fruits is one of the primary means of parasite transmission to humans. Periodic monitoring of parasitic contamination in these food items is a crucial step in preventing the spread of parasitic disease in the community. This study was aimed at detecting intestinal parasitic contamination caused by consuming raw vegetables and fruits sold in three open-air markets and its associated factors in peri-urban areas of Jimma City, Oromia, Ethiopia.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted on fruits and vegetables collected from three peri-urban open-aired markets (namely; Hora Gibe, Bore and Jiren markets) in peri-urban areas of Jimma City between July and September 2021. A total of 187 fresh vegetable samples and 188 fruits were collected and examined for intestinal parasite contamination. About 200g of fruit and vegetable samples were processed and examined microscopically for parasite contamination, utilizing direct wet mount and modified Zeihl-Neelson staining methods in accordance with standard protocols. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on the socio-demographic characteristics of vendors and risk factors for fruit and vegetable contamination. All data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0.
RESULT
Of the 187 fresh vegetable samples and 188 fresh vegetable samples, 105 (56.1%) and 68/188 (36.2%) of vegetables and fruit samples, respectively, were found contaminated with one or more intestinal parasites. Remarkably, high level of contamination in fresh vegetable samples was recorded both in Carrot (Daucus carota) 63.8% (30/46) and Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) 63.1% (29/46) while Green pepper (Capsicum spp.) is the least contaminated. In fruit samples, Avokado (Persea americana) 42.6% (20/47) and Banana (Musa acuminata) 14.9% (7/47) were the most and the least commonly contaminated items respectively. The identified helminthes and protozoans were Ascaris lumbricoides, Strongyloides stercoralis, Hymenolepis nana, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium spp., Toxocara spp. And Fasciola spp. The most predominant parasite encountered was A. lumbricoides 46(12.3%) whereas both Toxocara spp. 12(6.9) and Fasciola spp. 2(0.5) were the least detected parasites. It is worth-mentioned that the rate of contamination in Bore market (38.15%) was higher compared with Jiren market (34.7%) and Hora Gibe market (27%). However, the rate of contamination in vegetables and fruit obtained from the three district was non-significant (p = 0.19). Contamination was more common in vegetables than fruits (AOR = 5.78, p<0.001). It was also observed that decreased parasitic contamination was significantly associated with washing the products before displaying it for selling (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
The study has identified a high rate of raw vegetables and fruits contaminated with intestinal helminthes and protozoan. Contaminated fresh vegetables and fruits in open-aired peri-urban markets of Jimma city, Ethiopia may play a significant role in transmission of intestinal parasitic infections to humans, particularly A. lumbricoides infection. Therefore, it is urgently needed for health authorities to educate the public on the proper handling of vegetables and fruits prior to consumption.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Parasites; Vegetables; Fruit; Cross-Sectional Studies; Ethiopia; Cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Fasciola; Toxocara; Prevalence
PubMed: 38512863
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290655 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2023Environmental Enteric Dysfunction (EED) is an associate driver of stunting in poor settings, and intestinal infections indirectly contribute to the pathophysiology...
Factors Associated with Carriage of Enteropathogenic and Non-Enteropathogenic Viruses: A Reanalysis of Matched Case-Control Data from the AFRIBIOTA Site in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Environmental Enteric Dysfunction (EED) is an associate driver of stunting in poor settings, and intestinal infections indirectly contribute to the pathophysiology underlying EED. Our work aimed at assessing whether enteric viral carriage is determinant to stunting. A total of 464 healthy and asymptomatic children, aged 2 to 5 years, were recruited, and classified as non-stunted, moderately stunted, or severely stunted. Among the recruited children, 329 stool samples were obtained and screened for enteric and non-enteric viruses by real-time polymerase chain reaction. We statistically tested for the associations between enteric viral and potential risk factors. Approximately 51.7% of the stool samples were positive for at least one virus and 40.7% were positive for non-enteric adenoviruses. No statistical difference was observed between virus prevalence and the growth status of the children. We did not find any statistically significant association between viral infection and most of the socio-demographic risk factors studied, except for having an inadequate food quality score or an over-nourished mother. In addition, being positive for was identified as a protective factor against viral infection. In conclusion, we did not find evidence of a direct link between stunting and enteropathogenic viral carriage in our population.
PubMed: 37623969
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12081009 -
Heliyon Dec 2023Rapid diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis caused by requires an accurate and timely assay, especially for low-intensity infection cases and in non-endemic areas....
Rapid diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis caused by requires an accurate and timely assay, especially for low-intensity infection cases and in non-endemic areas. The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 (cox1) gene fragment of was selected as detection target as this short fragment, which can be rapidly sequenced and yet possess good diagnostic resolution. A pair of primers and a fluorescent probe were designed according to the principle of recombinase-aided amplification (RAA), which was subsequently optimized and applied as an -specific RAA assay. Its diagnostic performance was validated for sensitivity and specificity in comparison to microscopy-based egg counting after urine filtration. The RAA assay could detect as little as 10 copies/μL of recombinant plasmid, and no cross-reactions were observed with , , , or . This test can be conducted at 39 °C and the whole RAA reaction can be completed within 20 min. The validation of the RAA assay showed that it had 100 % consistency with urine-egg microscopy, as it does not require an elaborate reading tool, is simple to use, and should be useful for field diagnostics and point-of-care applications.
PubMed: 38144328
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23031 -
Cureus May 2024People with visual impairments and blindness face challenges in performing regular tasks such as maintaining proper sanitation, which makes them vulnerable to intestinal...
INTRODUCTION
People with visual impairments and blindness face challenges in performing regular tasks such as maintaining proper sanitation, which makes them vulnerable to intestinal parasitic infections.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
This study aims to examine the prevalence and distribution of intestinal parasitic infections in children and adolescents with ocular diseases and to assess if the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic affected these rates.
METHODS
This retrospective, hospital record-based study was conducted among children and adolescents attending the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology in Kolkata, India. It involved routine stool examinations as part of their treatment during 2019-2020. Early morning stool specimens were collected and brought to the institute laboratory in containers. Stools were examined under a microscope for cysts, ova, parasites, and adult worms. Findings were recorded in the laboratory record book. These data were then extracted into a spreadsheet and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York).
RESULTS
The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 8.59% (59 out of 687 patients). Among those 59 positive cases, , , , , spp., , and were detected in 27 (45.8%), 15 (25.4%), 8 (13.6%), 6 (10.2%), 3 (5.1%), 2 (3.4%), and 1 (1.7%) patients, respectively. The positivity rate of stool samples was higher from September and thereafter from January to March. The sample positivity rate was higher post-pandemic and lockdown, but not statistically significant (11.5% vs. 5.3%; χ²=4.044, df=1, p=0.44).
CONCLUSION
was the most commonly observed intestinal parasite in children and adolescents with ocular disease in our setting. Seasonal variation was noted with higher case positivity at the end of the rainy season and thereafter in winter. Therefore, we propose to strengthen the routine deworming program during this period in Eastern India. Higher sample positivity after the pandemic may be attributed to school closures during the lockdown period, which might have caused some children to miss their routine deworming medication.
PubMed: 38864043
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60152 -
Tropical Medicine and Health Jun 2024Untreated or inadequately treated wastewater carrying human feces can host helminth eggs and larvae, contaminating the soil and plants that are irrigated with it. In...
BACKGROUND
Untreated or inadequately treated wastewater carrying human feces can host helminth eggs and larvae, contaminating the soil and plants that are irrigated with it. In Addis Ababa, farmers use untreated wastewater to grow vegetables; however, there are little data currently available published on vegetables' contribution to the prevalence of helminth among female farmers along the Akaki River, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Addis Ababa City in February 2022. A stratified random sampling method was used to sample farming households. The sample size for each district was determined by a proportional allocation to the total number of households in the area. Two hundred and fifty-two composite vegetable samples and 101 farmers' stool samples were collected and analyzed for helminth prevalence. Data on socio-demographics were collected by trained data collators using a structured questionnaire. Kato-Katz concentration was used to detect STH from a stool sample. Stata version 14.0 was used to process the data. Poisson regression was used to identify the association between STH prevalence in the vegetable and the farm's stool.
RESULTS
Helminths were found in 67.5% of vegetables sampled and 20.8% of female farmers' stools. Ascaris lumbricoides eggs (vegetable 48.4% and stool 9.9%) were identified in all analyzed samples. Hookworm eggs (vegetable 13.1% and stool 8.9%) and Trichuris trichiura eggs (vegetable 5.9% and stool 2%) were also isolated. The total number of helminth eggs present in wastewater-irrigated vegetables and female farmers' stool had a positive association (p < 0.05) with a regression coefficient of 1.92 (95% CI = 1.56-2.28).
CONCLUSIONS
The study found a significant prevalence of helminth infections, particularly Ascaris lumbricoides, in stool and vegetable samples irrigated with wastewater. A clear association was found between vegetable production and a higher prevalence of helminth infections among female farmers. Therefore, it is important to ensure that farmers are educated in the importance of food washing and sanitation/hygiene practices when using wastewater irrigation for vegetable crops.
PubMed: 38845065
DOI: 10.1186/s41182-024-00604-5