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PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Oct 2020Intestinal worms, or soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), affect hundreds of millions of people in all tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The most prevalent...
Intestinal worms, or soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), affect hundreds of millions of people in all tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The most prevalent STH is Ascaris lumbricoides. Through large-scale deworming programs, World Health Organization aims to reduce morbidity, caused by moderate-to-heavy intensity infections, below 2%. In order to monitor these control programs, stool samples are examined microscopically for the presence of worm eggs. This procedure requires well-trained personnel and is known to show variability between different operators interpreting the slides. We have investigated whether ABA-1, one of the excretory-secretory products of A. lumbricoides can be used as a coproantigen marker for infection with this parasite. Polyclonal antibodies were generated and a coproantigen ELISA was developed. Using this ELISA, it was found that ABA-1 in stool detected Ascaris infection with a sensitivity of 91.5% and a specificity of 95.3%. Our results also demonstrate that there is a correlation between ABA-1 levels in stool and A. lumbricoides DNA detected in stool. Using a threshold of 18.2 ng/g stool the ABA-1 ELISA correctly assigned 68.4% of infected individuals to the moderate-to-heavy intensity infection group, with a specificity of 97.1%. Furthermore, the levels of ABA-1 in stool were shown to rapidly and strongly decrease upon administration of a standard anthelminthic treatment (single oral dose of 400 mg albendazole). In an Ascaris suum infection model in pigs, it was found that ABA-1 remained undetectable until day 28 and was detected at day 42 or 56, concurrent with the appearance of worm eggs in the stool. This report demonstrates that ABA-1 can be considered an Ascaris -specific coproantigen marker that can be used to monitor infection intensity. It also opens the path for development of point-of-care immunoassay-based tests to determine A. lumbricoides infection in stool at the sample collection site.
Topics: Animals; Ascariasis; Ascaris lumbricoides; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Feces; Female; Helminth Proteins; Humans; Male; Swine; Swine Diseases
PubMed: 33057357
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008807 -
Parasites & Vectors Mar 2021Ascaris lumbricoides is the most common causative agent of soil-transmitted helminth infections worldwide, with an estimated 450 million people infected with this...
BACKGROUND
Ascaris lumbricoides is the most common causative agent of soil-transmitted helminth infections worldwide, with an estimated 450 million people infected with this nematode globally. It is suggested that helminths are capable of evading and manipulating the host immune system through the release of a spectrum of worm proteins which underpins their long-term survival in the host. We hypothesise that the worm overexpresses these proteins when infecting adults compared to children to cirvumvent the more robust defence mechanisms of adults. However, little is known about the parasite's genes and encoded proteins involved during A. lumbricoides infection. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the expression profile of putative virulence-associated genes during an active infection of adults and children.
METHODS
In this study, quantitative PCR was performed to evaluate the expression profile of putative virulence-associated genes in A. lumbricoides isolated from infected children and adults. The study was initiated by collecting adult worms expelled from adults and children following anthelminthic treatment. High-quality RNA was successfully extracted from each of six adult worms expelled by three adults and three children, respectively. Eleven putative homologues of helminth virulence-associated genes reported in previous studies were selected, primers were designed and specific amplicons of A. lumbricoides genes were noted. The expression profiles of these putative virulence-associated genes in A. lumbricoides from infected adults were compared to those in A. lumbricoides from infected children.
RESULTS
The putative virulence-associated genes VENOM, CADHERIN and PEBP were significantly upregulated at 166-fold, 13-fold and fivefold, respectively, in adults compared to children. Conversely, the transcription of ABA-1 (fourfold), CATH-L (threefold) and INTEGRIN (twofold) was significantly suppressed in A. lumbricoides from infected adults.
CONCLUSIONS
On the basis of the expression profile of the putative virulence-associated genes, we propose that the encoded proteins have potential roles in evasion mechanisms, which could guide the development of therapeutic interventions.
Topics: Adult; Animals; Ascariasis; Ascaris lumbricoides; Child, Preschool; Feces; Female; Gene Expression; Helminth Proteins; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Male; Soil; Virulence; Virulence Factors
PubMed: 33757548
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04680-y -
Veterinary Parasitology Mar 2020Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum are parasitic nematodes that mainly parasitize the small intestines of people and pigs, respectively. Ascariasis seriously...
Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum are parasitic nematodes that mainly parasitize the small intestines of people and pigs, respectively. Ascariasis seriously endangers human health and causes huge economic losses in the pig industry. A. lumbricoides and A. suum have similar morphologies and genetic structures, and occasionally these organisms cross-infect the alternate host. Therefore, their taxonomies are controversial. In this study, the whole genomes of A. lumbricoides (n = 6) and A. suum (n = 6) were resequenced using a HiSeq X Ten sequencing platform. Phylogenetic, principal component, and population structure analyses showed clear genetic differentiation between the two Ascaris populations. Linkage disequilibrium analysis indicated that the A. lumbricoides population was more primitive than the A. suum population. In the selective elimination analysis, 160 and 139 candidate regions were screened in A. lumbricoides and A. suum, respectively, and the selected regions were analyzed by Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. The A. lumbricoides population had no significant enrichment in GO terms, but two KEGG pathways, the RNA degradation and tyrosine metabolism pathways, were significantly enriched. Five GO entries and one KEGG pathway, the alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism signaling pathway, were significantly enriched in the A. suum population. An analysis of the demographic histories of Ascaris populations revealed that A. lumbricoides and A. suum had similar trends in effective population size in different historical periods. Ascaris populations peaked about 1 million years ago and then began to decline. In the last glacial period, they dropped to a historical low and continued at this level until the last glacial maximum. This phenomenon may be associated with the cold climate at that time. This study provides new information on the genetic differentiation, evolutionary relationships, gene functional enrichment, and population dynamics of Ascaris populations, with implications for host differences, evolution, and classification of A. lumbricoides and A. suum.
Topics: Animals; Ascaris lumbricoides; Ascaris suum; Genome, Helminth; Whole Genome Sequencing
PubMed: 32126343
DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109062 -
Surgical Infections Apr 2010Ascaris lumbricoides infects an estimated 1.2 billion people worldwide, but is usually asymptomatic. Herein we report a case of acute respiratory distress caused by... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Ascaris lumbricoides infects an estimated 1.2 billion people worldwide, but is usually asymptomatic. Herein we report a case of acute respiratory distress caused by upper airway obstruction due to an adult A. lumbricoides nematodes after cardiac surgery.
METHODS
Case report and review of pertinent literature.
CASE REPORT
A 70-year old female, until recently a resident of the rural Philippines, underwent coronary bypass grafting in New York City. Nine hours after surgery (one hour after endotracheal extubation), cough and arterial oxygen desaturation prompted airway suctioning, which retrieved an adult nematode from the posterior oroharynx. symptomes abated immediately, after which the patient receive a curative course of mebendazole.
CONCLUSION
Although infection with A. lumbricoides is rare in the United States, it may become manifest with severe consequences in the postoperative period.
Topics: Aged; Airway Obstruction; Animals; Ascariasis; Ascaris lumbricoides; Coronary Artery Bypass; Female; Humans; New York City; Philippines; Respiratory Distress Syndrome
PubMed: 19803729
DOI: 10.1089/sur.2009.002 -
Pediatrics Sep 2010We report here the successful treatment of a 9-year-old boy who suffered a high-voltage electrical injury and a hospital course complicated by unexpected airway... (Review)
Review
We report here the successful treatment of a 9-year-old boy who suffered a high-voltage electrical injury and a hospital course complicated by unexpected airway obstruction from Ascaris lumbricoides. Review of the literature revealed 4 previous reports of this complication. We also discuss options for prevention and treatment of this rare complication of a common infestation.
Topics: Airway Obstruction; Animals; Ascariasis; Ascaris lumbricoides; Child; Electric Injuries; Humans; Male
PubMed: 20679304
DOI: 10.1542/peds.2010-0163 -
International Journal of Pediatric... Oct 2014We describe the case of a 14-month-old child with airway obstruction caused by a mature Ascaris lumbricoides worm. The child had been admitted to the paediatric... (Review)
Review
We describe the case of a 14-month-old child with airway obstruction caused by a mature Ascaris lumbricoides worm. The child had been admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit due to overwhelming sepsis, and during the course of his illness developed acute airway obstruction that resolved once the worm was removed from the airway. The Ascaris life-cycle is detailed, and a literature review of patients with airway obstruction due to Ascaris worms is presented.
Topics: Airway Obstruction; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antinematodal Agents; Ascariasis; Ascaris lumbricoides; Dexamethasone; Hospitalization; Humans; Infant; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; Male; Mebendazole
PubMed: 25129847
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2014.07.031 -
Parasites & Vectors Dec 2022Ascaris lumbricoides causes human ascariasis, the most prevalent helminth disease, infecting approximately 1 billion individuals globally. In 2019 the global disease...
BACKGROUND
Ascaris lumbricoides causes human ascariasis, the most prevalent helminth disease, infecting approximately 1 billion individuals globally. In 2019 the global disease burden was estimated to be 754,000 DALYs and resulted in 2090 deaths. In the absence of a vaccination strategy, treatment of ascariasis has relied on anthelminthic chemotherapy, but drug resistance is a concern. The propensity for reinfection is also a major challenge to disease control; female worms lay up to 200,000 eggs daily, which contaminate surrounding environments and remain viable for years, resulting in high transmission rates. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of reproductive processes, including control of egg production, spermatogenesis, oogenesis and embryogenesis, will drive the development of new drugs and/or vaccine targets for future ascariasis control.
METHODS
Transcriptome profiles of discrete reproductive and somatic tissue samples were generated from adult male and female worms using Illumina HiSeq with 2 × 150 bp paired-end sequencing. Male tissues included: testis germinal zone, testis part of vas deferens, seminal vesicle and somatic tissue. Female tissues included: ovary germinal zone, ovary part of the oviduct, uterus and somatic tissue. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from the fragments per kilobases per million reads (FPKM) profiles. Hierarchical analysis was performed to identify tissue-specific genes. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were employed to identify significant terms and pathways for the DEGs.
RESULTS
DEGs involved in protein phosphorylation and adhesion molecules were indicated to play a crucial role in spermatogenesis and fertilization, respectively. Those genes associated with the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling pathway and small GTPase-mediated signal transduction pathway play an essential role in cytoskeleton organization during oogenesis. Additionally, DEGs associated with the SMA genes and TGF-β signaling pathway are crucial in adult female embryogenesis. Some genes associated with particular biological processes and pathways that were identified in this study have been linked to defects in germline development, embryogenesis and reproductive behavior. In the enriched KEGG pathway analysis, Hippo signaling, oxytocin signaling and tight junction pathways were identified to play a role in Ascaris male and female reproductive systems.
CONCLUSIONS
This study has provided comprehensive transcriptome profiles of discrete A. lumbricoides reproductive tissue samples, revealing the molecular basis of these functionally important tissues. The data generated from this study will provide fundamental knowledge on the reproductive biology of Ascaris and will inform future target identification for anti-ascariasis drugs and/or vaccines.
Topics: Animals; Male; Female; Humans; Ascaris lumbricoides; Gene Expression Profiling; Transcriptome; Ascariasis; Ovary
PubMed: 36539906
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05602-2 -
Advances in Parasitology 2001In recent years much new information has been obtained about the epidemiology, population biology and public health significance of infections of Ascaris lumbricoides in... (Review)
Review
In recent years much new information has been obtained about the epidemiology, population biology and public health significance of infections of Ascaris lumbricoides in humans. Results from experimental infections of A. suum in pigs have helped to elucidate the observations made in the community on human ascariasis. The main purpose of the review is to see how new information may contribute to further acceptance of ascariasis as a serious contributor to ill-health and so to the design and implementation of sustainable control programmes intended to reduce the morbidity due to infection with A. lumbricoides. Eradication is neither a realistic nor prudent aim given the current shortage of appropriate sanitation in many countries where ascariasis is endemic. A substantial body of evidence shows that for the four common species of soil-transmitted nematode, including A. lumbricoides, regular administration of broad-spectrum anthelminthic drugs to children attending primary schools is a cost-effective means of controlling the infections. Anthelminthic drugs must be of proven quality and efficacy and health professionals should be prepared to detect and manage drug resistance should that emerge. Despite a deeper understanding of the immune response of a variety of hosts to infections with either A. lumbricoides or A. suum there is at present little prospect of an effective vaccine against ascariasis. The relationship between A. lumbricoides and A. suum is addressed, particularly since both species, if they are indeed separate species, occur in people and their pigs in many communities.
Topics: Adult; Animals; Ascariasis; Ascaris lumbricoides; Ascaris suum; Child; Female; Humans; Male
PubMed: 11013758
DOI: 10.1016/s0065-308x(01)48008-0 -
Archivos de Bronconeumologia Jul 2019
Topics: Adult; Albendazole; Animals; Anthelmintics; Ascariasis; Ascaris lumbricoides; Dyspnea; Female; Humans; Larva; Pleural Effusion; Pleurodesis; Pneumothorax; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 30975516
DOI: 10.1016/j.arbres.2018.10.005 -
Asian Journal of Surgery Sep 2023
Review
Topics: Animals; Humans; Ascaris lumbricoides; Intestines; Intestinal Fistula; Duodenal Diseases; Aortic Diseases
PubMed: 37105813
DOI: 10.1016/j.asjsur.2023.04.045