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Trends in Parasitology Feb 2021is the causative agent of intestinal schistosomiasis and infects ~54 million people annually, causing significant mortality and morbidity. This parasitic trematode is...
is the causative agent of intestinal schistosomiasis and infects ~54 million people annually, causing significant mortality and morbidity. This parasitic trematode is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, and colonized South America during the transatlantic slave trade. Parasites transition between five distinctive body plans, with asexual proliferation in the snail host and sexual proliferation in the vertebrate host, and motile free-living stages. Transmission results from contact with water containing infected . snails. Infection prevalence and intensity peaks in school age children: both reduced water contact and acquired immunity reduces infection in adults. Pathology to the human host results from granulomas that form around eggs trapped in the liver and gut. These is no effective vaccine available: treatment of infected patients with praziquantel is the mainstay of control efforts.
Topics: Animals; Anthelmintics; Humans; Life Cycle Stages; Schistosoma mansoni; Schistosomiasis mansoni; Snails
PubMed: 32713763
DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.06.003 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2023Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by dioecious blood flukes of the genus and second to malaria as a parasitic disease with significant... (Review)
Review
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by dioecious blood flukes of the genus and second to malaria as a parasitic disease with significant socio-economic impacts. Mating is essential for maturation of male and female schistosomes and for females to lay of eggs, which are responsible for the pathogenesis and propagation of the life cycle beyond the mammalian host. Single-sex schistosomes, which do not produce viable eggs without mating, have been overlooked given the symptomatic paucity of the single-sex schistosomiasis and limited diagnostic toolkit. Besides, single-sex schistosomes are less sensitive to praziquantel. Therefore, these issues should be considered to achieve the elimination of this infection disease. The aim of this review is to summarize current progress in research of single-sex schistosomes and host-parasite interactions.
Topics: Animals; Male; Female; Schistosomiasis; Schistosoma; Praziquantel; Host-Parasite Interactions; Life Cycle Stages; Mammals
PubMed: 37153566
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1158805 -
Arquivos de Neuro-psiquiatria May 2022Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a serious public health problem in several developing countries, including those in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. NCC is considered to be... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a serious public health problem in several developing countries, including those in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. NCC is considered to be the main cause of late-onset epilepsy in endemic areas.
OBJECTIVE
This review summarizes recent advances in diagnosis and therapy of NCC. Methods: Relevant articles and books were reviewed and used as a source of information for this review.
RESULTS
The diagnosis of NCC is based upon neuroimaging studies (MRI and computed tomography) and laboratory analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Praziquantel and albendazole are considered parasiticidal drugs against NCC, but there is an intense debate over the value and safety of these drugs.
CONCLUSION
Given the relative scarcity of clinical trials, more comparative interventional studies, especially randomized controlled trials in long-term clinical evolution, are required in order to clarify the controversy over the validity of parasitic therapy in patients with NCC.
Topics: Albendazole; Epilepsy; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Neurocysticercosis; Praziquantel
PubMed: 35976305
DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X-ANP-2022-S115 -
Current Therapeutic Research, Clinical... 2019Human schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by blood-worms that infect multiple organs, including the liver, intestine, bladder, and urethra. This disease may be... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Human schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by blood-worms that infect multiple organs, including the liver, intestine, bladder, and urethra. This disease may be eliminated with Praziquantel, vaccines, and gene therapy.
AIMS
In this review, the author describes the progress in a study of schistosomiasis that focused on the life cycle, diagnosis, and control.
METHODOLOGY
The author searched the PubMed Database at NCBI for articles on schistosomiasis published between 2014 and 2018. All articles were open access and in English.
RESULTS
The life cycle of this parasites involve two hosts: snails and mammals. Manifestations of schistosomiasis can be acute or chronic. Clinical manifestations of acute schistosomiasis can include fever and headache. Symptoms of chronic infections can include dysuria and hyperplasia. Infection can occur in several sites including the bile ducts, intestine, and bladder. The different sites of infection and symptoms seen are related to which of the species involved. Five species can infect humans. The three most commons are S. haematobium, S. japonicum, and S. mansoni. Detection tools for people with schistosomiasis can include the Kato-Katz and PCR. Praziquantel is at present the only effective treatment of this disease. In the future, vaccination or gene therapy may be used.
CONCLUSION
Kato-Katz and PCR are tools for detecting schistosomiasis on humans. Praziquantel, diagnosis, vaccines, and gene therapy are useful methods for eliminating schistosomiasis.
PubMed: 31372189
DOI: 10.1016/j.curtheres.2019.06.001 -
Trends in Parasitology Jul 2020Despite accelerating progress towards schistosomiasis control in sub-Saharan Africa, several age groups have been eclipsed by current treatment and monitoring strategies... (Review)
Review
Despite accelerating progress towards schistosomiasis control in sub-Saharan Africa, several age groups have been eclipsed by current treatment and monitoring strategies that mainly focus on school-aged children. As schistosomiasis poses a threat to people of all ages, unfortunate gaps exist in current treatment coverage and associated monitoring efforts, preventing subsequent health benefits to preschool-aged children as well as certain adolescents and adults. Expanding access to younger ages through the forthcoming pediatric praziquantel formulation and improving treatment coverage in older ages is essential. This should occur alongside formal inclusion of these groups in large-scale monitoring and evaluation activities. Current omission of these age groups from treatment and monitoring exacerbates health inequities and has long-term consequences for sustainable schistosomiasis control.
Topics: Africa South of the Sahara; Age Distribution; Anthelmintics; Humans; Schistosomiasis
PubMed: 32430274
DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.04.012 -
Helminthologia Sep 2023Conservative treatment of human hydatidosis (cystic echinococcosis) with albendazole has improved significantly the prognosis of the disease. But its therapeutic...
Conservative treatment of human hydatidosis (cystic echinococcosis) with albendazole has improved significantly the prognosis of the disease. But its therapeutic effectiveness is 30 - 70 %. There is some evidence that the effectiveness of albendazole can be enhanced by praziquantel but there is no strict recommendation for the use of praziquantel as part of long-term drug therapy for hydatidosis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the combination of albendazole and praziquantel in patients with hepatic and/or pulmonary hydatidosis. A total of 20 patients (aged 12 - 70 years old) were included in the study for a 5-year period. Fourteen patients (70 %) were with hepatic hydatidosis, 4 (20 %) with pulmonary and 2 (10 %) with hepatic and pulmonary hydatidosis. They were treated with albendazole (15 mg/kg/day) and praziquantel (40 mg/kg/weekly) for 2 - 9 one-month courses. The result of the therapy was followed using imaging (abdominal ultrasound, lung radiography, computed tomography) and serology. Seventeen (85 %) out of 20 patients showed evidence of response on imaging defined as improvement or cure of hydatid cysts. Seven (35 %) of the patients with multiple cystic echinococcosis took praziquantel once a week for 6 months. Only 3 patients (15 %) with multiple hydatidosis (2 with liver and 1 with pulmonary hydatidosis) failed to respond to the therapy with both drugs. No side effects have been reported by the patients. The combination of albendazole and praziquantel seems to be an option to improve the therapeutic effectiveness of the conservative treatment of cystic echinococcosis.
PubMed: 38152469
DOI: 10.2478/helm-2023-0028 -
International Journal For Parasitology.... Aug 2020Ion channels underlie electrical excitability in cells and are essential for a variety of functions, most notably neuromuscular and sensory activity. They are also... (Review)
Review
Ion channels underlie electrical excitability in cells and are essential for a variety of functions, most notably neuromuscular and sensory activity. They are also validated targets for a preponderance of approved anthelmintic compounds. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels constitute an ion channel superfamily whose members play important roles in sensory signaling, regulation of ion homeostasis, organellar trafficking, and other key cellular and organismal activities. Unlike most other ion channels, TRP channels are often polymodal, gated by a variety of mechanisms. Furthermore, TRP channels fall into several classes or subtypes based on sequence and structure. Until recently, there had been very little investigation of the properties and functions of TRP channels from parasitic helminths, including schistosomes, but that situation has changed in the past few years. Indeed, it is now clear that at least some schistosome TRP channels exhibit unusual pharmacological properties, and, intriguingly, both a mammalian and a schistosome TRP channel are activated by praziquantel, the current antischistosomal drug of choice. With the latest release of the Schistosoma mansoni genome database, several changes in predicted TRP channel sequences appeared, some of which were significant. This review updates and reassesses the TRP channel repertoire in S. mansoni, examines recent findings regarding these potential therapeutic targets, and provides guideposts for some of the physiological functions that may be mediated by these channels in schistosomes.
Topics: Animals; Anthelmintics; Genes, Helminth; Genome, Helminth; Humans; Ion Channels; Phylogeny; Praziquantel; Schistosoma; Schistosoma mansoni; Schistosomiasis; TRPA1 Cation Channel; TRPV Cation Channels; Transient Receptor Potential Channels
PubMed: 32250774
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2020.02.002 -
International Maritime Health 2024Schistosomiasis, caused by Schistosoma trematode worms, represents a significant global health challenge. This review offers a thorough examination of the disease's... (Review)
Review
Schistosomiasis, caused by Schistosoma trematode worms, represents a significant global health challenge. This review offers a thorough examination of the disease's epidemiology, transmission dynamics, diagnostic modalities, and treatment options. Diagnostic techniques encompass direct parasitological methods, immunological assays, DNA/RNA detection, and biomarker utilization, each with distinct advantages and limitations. There is an urgent need for improved diagnostic tools with enhanced sensitivity and specificity. Praziquantel remains the cornerstone of treatment, exhibiting efficacy against all Schistosoma species, while the potential of artemisin derivatives in combination therapy is also explored. In this review, we focus on the importance of praziquantel administration as the central aspect of schistosomiasis treatment, highlighting ongoing efforts to optimize its utilization for improved patient outcomes.
Topics: Praziquantel; Humans; Schistosomiasis; Anthelmintics; Animals; Schistosoma
PubMed: 38647059
DOI: 10.5603/imh.99453