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Avicenna Journal of Medicine 2019The intestinal parasites are still endemic among children, women, and men in Gaza Strip.
BACKGROUND
The intestinal parasites are still endemic among children, women, and men in Gaza Strip.
OBJECTIVES
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of intestinal parasites among young female students of Islamic University of Gaza to report the existence and prevalence of intestinal parasites.
METHODS
A total of 305 stool samples were collected from female students in all faculties and were examined by wet mount and formal ether sedimentation technique.
RESULTS
This study showed that the overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 20.6%. The detected intestinal parasites were as follows: (7.5%), (4.9%), (0.3%), (2.6%), (1.0%), and (3.9%). Science students showed the highest prevalence for parasitic infections (35.3%), and married students (16.7%) had higher prevalence than single students (6.5%).
CONCLUSION
It was concluded that female students also are under risk of gaining parasitic infection in spite of their education. It is recommended that university students should be subjected to regular medical examinations for parasitic infections.
PubMed: 31903389
DOI: 10.4103/ajm.AJM_8_19 -
Cureus Jun 2022Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder in which abdominal pain is associated with a change in bowel habits. Gut...
Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder in which abdominal pain is associated with a change in bowel habits. Gut inflammation might be one of the mechanisms of pathogenesis. However, the cause of IBS is not clearly understood. Post-infectious IBS (PI-IBS) is the onset of IBS after an episode of infectious gastroenteritis. While the exact pathophysiology of PI-IBS is not established, the mechanism might be an altered serotonin signaling activity, inflammation, malabsorption, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Various parasites such as and have a possible role in the etiology of IBS. is one of the predominant GI parasites in developing regions of the world, and the symptoms of non-dysenteric amebic colitis may mimic those of IBS, which makes them difficult to distinguish from each other. Our study will address the relationship between the different gastrointestinal protozoan parasites in IBS and the role of antiparasitic therapy in PI-IBS. This study also aimed to determine the prevalence of GI protozoan parasites in patients with IBS in a tribal region of India. Methods We conducted a descriptive facility-based cross-sectional study of patients presenting with IBS to Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital, Koraput, Odisha, from 2017 to 2021. We collected stool samples for histopathological analysis using direct wet mount and formal-ether concentration microscopy techniques if diarrhea persisted beyond the antidiarrheal therapy. The samples from IBS patients were compared against 80 healthy control patient stool samples. We used IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 24.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY,) to analyze the data. Results Our study included 120 patients with IBS, of whom 67 (56%) were infected with GI parasites. In the control group, 16 (20%) were infected with GI parasites, which was significantly fewer than the test group (p<0.001). Conclusion We found a widespread infestation with GI parasites in patients with diarrhea-predominate IBS. A parasitological stool test should be included in the diagnostic approach to IBS. Initiating early diagnosis and treatment can reduce the chance of post-infectious IBS.
PubMed: 35875298
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.26091 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Sep 2021Childhood diarrhoea, a major cause of morbidity and mortality in low-income regions, remains scarcely studied in many countries, such as Guinea-Bissau. Stool sample...
BACKGROUND
Childhood diarrhoea, a major cause of morbidity and mortality in low-income regions, remains scarcely studied in many countries, such as Guinea-Bissau. Stool sample drying enables later qPCR analyses of pathogens without concern about electricity shortages.
METHODS
Dried stool samples of children under five years treated at the Bandim Health Centre in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau were screened by qPCR for nine enteric bacteria, five viruses, and four parasites. The findings of children having and not having diarrhoea were compared in age groups 0-11 and 12-59 months.
RESULTS
Of the 429 children- 228 with and 201 without diarrhoea- 96.9% and 93.5% had bacterial, 62.7% and 44.3% viral, and 52.6% and 48.3% parasitic pathogen findings, respectively. Enteroaggregarive Escherichia coli (EAEC; 60.5% versus 66.7%), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC; 61.4% versus 62.7%), Campylobacter (53.2% versus 51.8%), and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC; 54.4% versus 44.3%) were the most common bacterial pathogens. Diarrhoea was associated with enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC)/Shigella (63.3%), ETEC (54.4%), astrovirus (75.0%), norovirus GII (72.6%) and Cryptosporidium (71.2%). The only pathogen associated with severe diarrhoea was EIEC/Shigella (p<0.001). EAEC was found more frequent among the infants, and EIEC/Shigella, Giardia duodenalis and Dientamoeba fragilis among the older children.
CONCLUSIONS
Stool pathogens proved common among all the children regardless of them having diarrhoea or not.
Topics: Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Child, Preschool; Diarrhea; Feces; Female; Guinea-Bissau; Humans; Infant; Male; Virus Diseases; Viruses
PubMed: 34587158
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009709 -
Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease 2021Enteric parasite infections are underestimated due to the limited sensitivity and specificity of microscopy, which remains the diagnostic gold standard in routine...
Epidemiology and clinical features of intestinal protozoan infections detected by Real-time PCR in non-native children within an Italian tertiary care children's hospital: A cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND
Enteric parasite infections are underestimated due to the limited sensitivity and specificity of microscopy, which remains the diagnostic gold standard in routine clinical practice. This could be a major problem in high-income countries, where the burden of parasitic diseases is low. In recent years, Multiplex Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) based methods have been implemented. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of four enteric protozoan species detected by RT-PCR in non-native children in Italy, and to describe their clinical characteristics.
METHODS
Adopted and immigrant children, evaluated for migration health assessment between 2017 and 2020 in a tertiary care children's hospital in Italy, were enrolled. Molecular analysis for Giardia lamblia, Dientamoeba fragilis, Blastocystis hominis, and Entamoeba histolytica, was conducted by in-house RT-PCR.
RESULTS
Overall, 209 children were enrolled and 70% of them resulted positive by RT-PCR for at least one enteric parasite. B. hominis (47.8%) was the most commonly identified protozoa, followed by D. fragilis (44.5%). Co-infections with multiple pathogens were detected in 35.4% of the samples. Almost 80% of parasite-positive children were asymptomatic and the most common symptom was flatulence (60.7% of symptomatic children). Eosinophils were significantly increased in RT-PCR positive children compared to the negative ones and children with D. fragilis presented the highest eosinophils count.
CONCLUSIONS
The In-house Multiplex RT-PCR assay provides a valid molecular detection system for selected enteric parasites. This novel and accurate diagnostic method can help in increasing the detection rate of parasite infection, especially in high-risk population.
Topics: Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Feces; Giardia lamblia; Hospitals; Humans; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Italy; Protozoan Infections; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Tertiary Healthcare
PubMed: 34116243
DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102107 -
Parasitology Apr 2021This epidemiological study assesses the occurrence of enteric parasites in 4303 patients attended at two public hospitals in Ankara (Turkey) during 2018-2019. Microscopy...
This epidemiological study assesses the occurrence of enteric parasites in 4303 patients attended at two public hospitals in Ankara (Turkey) during 2018-2019. Microscopy was used as a screening test. Giardia duodenalis was also identified using a commercial ELISA for the detection of parasite-specific coproantigens. Giardia-positive samples by microscopy/ELISA were confirmed by real-time PCR and characterized using a multilocus genotyping scheme. Blastocystis sp. was genotyped in a sample subset. Blastocystis sp. (11.1%, 95% CI 11.4‒14.8%) and G. duodenalis (1.56%, 95% CI 1.22‒1.96) were the most prevalent pathogens found. Cryptosporidium spp., Entamoeba histolytica and intestinal helminths were only sporadically (<0.5%) found. For G. duodenalis, sequence (n = 30) analyses revealed the presence of sub-assemblages AII (23.3%), discordant AII/AIII (23.3%) and mixed AII + AIII (6.7%) within assemblage A, and BIII (10.0%), BIV (3.3%) and discordant BIII/BIV (23.3%) within assemblage B. Two additional sequences (6.7%) were assigned to the latter assemblage but sub-assemblage information was unknown. No associations between G. duodenalis assemblages/sub-assemblages and sociodemographic and clinical variables could be demonstrated. For Blastocystis sp., sequence (n = 6) analyses identified subtypes ST1, ST2 and ST3 at equal proportions. This is the first molecular characterization of G. duodenalis based on MLG conducted in Turkey to date.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Blastocystis; Blastocystis Infections; Child; Child, Preschool; Feces; Female; Giardia lamblia; Giardiasis; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Phylogeny; Turkey; Young Adult
PubMed: 32981546
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182020001821 -
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2022The diagnosis of obesity comprises subjects with totally different phenotypes and metabolic profiles. Systemic inflammation and oxidative stress derived from the white...
The diagnosis of obesity comprises subjects with totally different phenotypes and metabolic profiles. Systemic inflammation and oxidative stress derived from the white adipose tissue are suggested as the link between this disease and the development of insulin resistance and metabolic comorbidities. The presence of unicellular eukaryotic parasites colonizing the human gut ecosystem is a common circumstance, and yet their influence on the inflammatory and redox status of the obese host has not been assessed. Herein, a set of inflammatory and redox biomarkers were assessed together with a parasitological analysis of 97 severely obese subjects. Information was also collected on insulin resistance and on the antioxidant composition of the diet. The global prevalence of intestinal unicellular parasites was 49.5%, with sp. the most prevalent protozoan found (42.3%). Colonized subjects displayed a higher total antioxidant capacity and a trend towards higher extracellular superoxide dismutase activity, regardless of their insulin resistance status, along with lower reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratios in plasma in the insulin-resistant subgroup. No changes in malondialdehyde levels, or in inflammatory cytokines in plasma, were found in regard to the colonization status. In conclusion, enteric eukaryotic unicellular parasites may play an important role in modulating the antioxidant defenses of an obese host, thus could have beneficial effects with respect to the development of systemic metabolic disorders.
PubMed: 36358463
DOI: 10.3390/antiox11112090 -
Clinical Microbiology and Infection :... Aug 2019This study aimed to (i) determine risk factors for enteropathogen co-infections, (ii) determine whether enteropathogen co-infections influence gastroenteritis risk, and...
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to (i) determine risk factors for enteropathogen co-infections, (ii) determine whether enteropathogen co-infections influence gastroenteritis risk, and (iii) determine whether enteropathogen co-infection occurred randomly in preschool children.
METHODS
A monthly-repeated cross-sectional survey in Dutch children aged 0-48 months was conducted during October 2012 to October 2014. A total of 981 stool samples were collected along with questionnaires collecting data on gastrointestinal symptoms and potential risk factors; 822 samples were successfully tested for 19 enteropathogens using real-time multiplex PCRs. Logistic regression analysis assessed co-infections in relation to gastroenteritis and potential risk factors.
RESULTS
In all, 598/822 (72.7%) stool samples tested positive for at least one enteropathogen, of which 290 (48.5%) were positive for two or more enteropathogens. Risk factors for two or more enteropathogen co-infections were young age (<12 months, OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.3; 13-36 months, OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.5, versus 37-48 months), day-care attendance (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.3-2.5), households with three or more children versus those with one child (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.8). Stool samples collected in spring less often had two or more enteropathogens versus summer (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.7). Food allergy was a risk factor for three or more enteropathogen co-infections (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.1-8.9). The frequency of co-infection was higher than expected for norovirus GI/norovirus GII, Clostridium difficile/norovirus GI, C. difficile/rotavirus, astrovirus/Dientamoeba fragilis, atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli/adenovirus, typical enteropathogenic E. coli/adenovirus, and enteroaggregative E. coli/astrovirus. No co-infection was associated with increased gastroenteritis risk.
CONCLUSIONS
Risk factors for enteropathogen co-infections were identified and specific enteropathogens co-occurred significantly more often than expected by chance. Enteropathogen co-infections were not associated with increased gastroenteritis risk, calling into question their clinical relevance in preschool children.
Topics: Child, Preschool; Coinfection; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dientamoebiasis; Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Family Characteristics; Feces; Female; Gastroenteritis; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Netherlands; Risk Factors; Rotavirus Infections
PubMed: 30553029
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2018.11.029 -
Parasite (Paris, France) 2022We provide the first evaluation of the CE-IVD marked Novodiag stool parasites assay (NVD), allowing rapid and high-plex detection of 26 distinct targets, encompassing...
The Novodiag Stool parasites assay, an innovative high-plex technique for fast detection of protozoa, helminths and microsporidia in stool samples: a retrospective and prospective study.
OBJECTIVES
We provide the first evaluation of the CE-IVD marked Novodiag stool parasites assay (NVD), allowing rapid and high-plex detection of 26 distinct targets, encompassing protozoans, helminths and microsporidia in stool samples.
METHODS
A total of 254 samples (n = 205 patients) were prospectively processed by the NVD and our routine procedure (RP). Performances of the NVD were compared with RP. Samples only positive by the NVD assay were investigated by external PCR assays. Sensitivity and specificity (Se/Sp) and time from sample receipt to results were determined for each method. The NVD was also evaluated against 77 additional samples positive for a wide range of parasites.
RESULTS
Overall positivity rate was 16.9% for RP compared with 34% using the NVD assay, and 164 samples (66%) were negative by both methods. Only 30 positive samples (12%) showed full concordance between RP and NVD. Fifty-three discordant samples were sent for external investigations. Except for Giardia intestinalis and Trichuris spp., higher Se was observed for the NVD assay for Blastocystis spp. (100% vs. 63%), Dientamoeba fragilis (100% vs. 0%), Schistosoma spp. (100% vs. 17%), and Enterobius vermicularis (100% vs. 67%) but roughly similar to RP for the remaining parasites tested. False-positive results were identified for Blastocystis spp., G. intestinalis, and Trichuris spp. using the NVD assay. The NVD mostly provides a diagnosis on the day of sample receipt compared with a mean of three days with RP.
CONCLUSIONS
Besides some limitations, the NVD is a new diagnostic strategy allowing rapid and high-plex detection of gastrointestinal parasites from unpreserved stools.
Topics: Animals; Blastocystis; Feces; Helminths; Humans; Microsporidia; Parasites; Prospective Studies; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 35550028
DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2022026 -
Zhongguo Xue Xi Chong Bing Fang Zhi Za... Jun 2023To investigate the prevalence of parasitic infections in human stool samples from a hospital in Chenzhou City, Hunan Province, so as to provide insights into the...
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of parasitic infections in human stool samples from a hospital in Chenzhou City, Hunan Province, so as to provide insights into the management of intestinal parasitic diseases.
METHODS
Stool samples were collected from patients admitted to a hospital in Chenzhou City from September 2020 to March 2021, subjected to physiological saline smearing and microscopy for detection of intestinal parasites. The prevalence of parasitic infections and the species of parasites were descriptively analyzed.
RESULTS
The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 1.61% in the 10 728 stool samples, and there were 3 samples with mixed infections of two parasite species. A total of seven parasite species were identified, including (162 cases, 1.55%), (5 cases, 0.05%), (5 cases, 0.05%), (one case, 0.01%), (one case, 0.01%), (one case, 0.01%) and (one case, 0.01%). The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was significantly higher among women than in men (2.14% vs. 1.25%; χ = 13.01, < 0.01), and a high prevalence rate was seen among patients at ages of 20 to 30 years (2.99%) and 80 years and older (2.86%); however, no age-specific prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was detected (χ = 12.45, > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was low among patients admitted to a hospital in Chenzhou City, and gender-specific prevalence was found. Food-borne and opportunistic parasites were predominant intestinal parasites, including , and .
Topics: Animals; Female; Humans; Male; Feces; Hospitals; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Parasites; Prevalence; Young Adult; Adult; Aged, 80 and over
PubMed: 37455102
DOI: 10.16250/j.32.1374.2022211 -
Gut Pathogens Aug 2022Kenya introduced Rotarix (GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium) vaccination into its national immunization programme beginning July 2014. The impact of this...
BACKGROUND
Kenya introduced Rotarix (GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium) vaccination into its national immunization programme beginning July 2014. The impact of this vaccination program on the local epidemiology of various known enteropathogens is not fully understood.
METHODS
We used a custom TaqMan Array Card (TAC) to screen for 28 different enteropathogens in 718 stools from children aged less than 13 years admitted to Kilifi County Hospital, coastal Kenya, following presentation with diarrhea in 2013 (before vaccine introduction) and in 2016-2018 (after vaccine introduction). Pathogen positivity rate differences between pre- and post-Rotarix vaccination introduction were examined using both univariate and multivariable logistic regression models.
RESULTS
In 665 specimens (92.6%), one or more enteropathogen was detected, while in 323 specimens (48.6%) three or more enteropathogens were detected. The top six detected enteropathogens were: enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAggEC; 42.1%), enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC; 30.2%), enterovirus (26.9%), rotavirus group A (RVA; 24.8%), parechovirus (16.6%) and norovirus GI/GII (14.4%). Post-rotavirus vaccine introduction, there was a significant increase in the proportion of samples testing positive for EAggEC (35.7% vs. 45.3%, p = 0.014), cytomegalovirus (4.2% vs. 9.9%, p = 0.008), Vibrio cholerae (0.0% vs. 2.3%, p = 0.019), Strongyloides species (0.8% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.048) and Dientamoeba fragilis (2.1% vs. 7.8%, p = 0.004). Although not reaching statistical significance, the positivity rate of adenovirus 40/41 (5.8% vs. 7.3%, p = 0.444), norovirus GI/GII (11.2% vs. 15.9%, p = 0.089), Shigella species (8.7% vs. 13.0%, p = 0.092) and Cryptosporidium spp. (11.6% vs. 14.7%, p = 0.261) appeared to increase post-vaccine introduction. Conversely, the positivity rate of sapovirus decreased significantly post-vaccine introduction (7.8% vs. 4.0%, p = 0.030) while that of RVA appeared not to change (27.4% vs. 23.5%, p = 0.253). More enteropathogen coinfections were detected per child post-vaccine introduction compared to before (mean: 2.7 vs. 2.3; p = 0.0025).
CONCLUSIONS
In this rural Coastal Kenya setting, childhood enteropathogen infection burden was high both pre- and post-rotavirus vaccination introduction. Children who had diarrheal admissions post-vaccination showed an increase in coinfections and changes in specific enteropathogen positivity rates. This study highlights the utility of multipathogen detection platforms such as TAC in understanding etiology of childhood acute gastroenteritis in resource-limited regions.
PubMed: 35915480
DOI: 10.1186/s13099-022-00506-z