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Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2023Studying parasitic nematodes, which generate a massive hazard to animal health, is more difficult than studying free-living nematodes as appropriate animal models are...
Studying parasitic nematodes, which generate a massive hazard to animal health, is more difficult than studying free-living nematodes as appropriate animal models are essential, and the relationship between parasites and hosts is extremely complex. is an intestinal nematode parasite that mainly infects dogs, humans and other primates. Currently, worms needed for research mainly rely on their natural host, the dog. This study explored a method of using as a model for The immunosuppressed were infected with . subcutaneously, and post-parasitic, first-stage larvae (PP L1) were detected in the faeces, with more larvae in female gerbils. In addition, parasitic females (PFs), third-stage larvae (L3s) and rhabditiform larvae were found primarily in the small intestines and lungs of infected gerbils. The PFs and auto-infective third-stage larvae (aL3s) obtained from are morphologically identical to those obtained from beagles and . Moreover, the infection of caused changes to biochemical indicators in the serum and in the physiology of . The results demonstrated that can be infected by , and this model provides a great tool for exploring the biological processes of this parasite and its interaction with the host.
PubMed: 38003750
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12111285 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Nov 2023
Topics: Humans; Gentian Violet; Phenazines; Staining and Labeling
PubMed: 37987732
DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00641-23 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Nov 2023
Topics: Humans; Bacteriological Techniques; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Gentian Violet; Phenazines
PubMed: 37987731
DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00642-23 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Dec 2023Recent reports of hookworm infection in Alabama, USA, has prompted surveillance in Mississippi, given the states' similar environmental conditions. We collected stool...
Recent reports of hookworm infection in Alabama, USA, has prompted surveillance in Mississippi, given the states' similar environmental conditions. We collected stool specimens from 277 children in Rankin County, Mississippi. Kato-Katz microscopic smear, agar plate culture, and quantitative PCR indicated no soil-transmitted helminths. Nevertheless, further surveillance in other high-risk Mississippi counties is warranted.
Topics: Child; Animals; Humans; Soil; Mississippi; Feces; Prevalence; Helminths
PubMed: 37987591
DOI: 10.3201/eid2912.230709 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Dec 2023We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) in areas of rural Alabama, USA, that have sanitation deficits....
We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) in areas of rural Alabama, USA, that have sanitation deficits. We enrolled 777 children; 704 submitted stool specimens and 227 a dried blood spot sample. We microscopically examined stool specimens from all 704 children by using Mini-FLOTAC for helminth eggs. We tested a subset by using molecular techniques: real-time PCR analysis for 5 STH species, TaqMan Array Cards for enteric helminths, and digital PCR for Necator americanus hookworm. We analyzed dried blood spots for Strongyloides stercoralis and Toxocara spp. roundworms by using serologic testing. Despite 12% of our cohort reporting living in homes that directly discharge untreated domestic wastewater, stool testing for STH was negative; however, 5% of dried blood spots were positive for Toxocara spp. roundworms. Survey data suggests substantial numbers of children in this region may be exposed to raw sewage, which is itself a major public health concern.
Topics: Child; Animals; Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Soil; Alabama; Helminthiasis; Helminths; Feces; Prevalence
PubMed: 37987581
DOI: 10.3201/eid2912.230751 -
Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease 2023Since Strongyloides can persist in its host for decades, and cause life threatening infections data on prevalence, the burden and risk factors for infection is crucial... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
BACKGROUND
Since Strongyloides can persist in its host for decades, and cause life threatening infections data on prevalence, the burden and risk factors for infection is crucial in migrant populations.
METHODS
In this observational retrospective cohort study, we describe the epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological characteristics of imported strongyloidiasis diagnosed at the Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, during 2010-2021.
RESULTS
We identified 98 individuals with strongyloidiasis, 89 (90.8%) born in endemic and 9 (9.2%) in non-endemic countries. Sub-Saharan Africa was the most common origin among the group born in endemic countries (62, 69.7%), (p < 0.005). There were 22 individuals with an underlying immunosuppressive condition. Gastrointestinal symptoms (53/98, 54.1%) were the symptoms most frequently described, and were more frequent in adults (57.0%) vs children (0%) (p = 0.013). Eosinophilia was detected in 74 (75.5%), being more frequent in the endemic-borne group (79.8% vs 33.3%, p = 0.002). Eight persons developed complications of strongyloidiasis because of either hyperinfection or disseminated disease. No people living with HIV with CD4 <500/mm (n = 6) developed severe strongyloidiasis.
CONCLUSION
A limited number of strongyloidiasis cases was identified, with few complicated cases in immunosuppressed patients. Further studies focusing on identifying and exploring the risk of complicated strongyloidiasis in immunosuppressed patients are needed.
Topics: Adult; Child; Humans; Retrospective Studies; Strongyloidiasis; Sweden; Tertiary Care Centers
PubMed: 37977232
DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2023.102666 -
Journal of Asthma and Allergy 2023Eosinophilic inflammation is a hallmark of asthma, and blood eosinophilia has been established as a biomarker for phenotyping asthma and predicting the response to...
Eosinophilic inflammation is a hallmark of asthma, and blood eosinophilia has been established as a biomarker for phenotyping asthma and predicting the response to anti-IL5 treatments. Although parasitic infections are rare in European adults, they remain an important differential diagnosis for blood eosinophilia. We present three patients with both domestic parasitic infections and asthma to raise awareness of the potential challenge of eosinophilia and to provide experience in the management of parasitic infections in the setting of planned or ongoing anti-IL5 treatment. One, a patient from Croatia with moderate asthma but severe blood eosinophilia had an underlying infection, with positive stool cultures. Second, a patient with severe allergic asthma and gastrointestinal symptoms had a positive titer in serology with a clinical response to treatment with ivermectin. Third, a patient with severe nonallergic eosinophilic asthma and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) showed an increasing hepatic tumour under anti-IL5-receptor therapy. Positive serology confirmed the diagnosis of , and albendazole therapy was initiated. Anti-IL5 therapies were safely started (Patient 2) or resumed (Patient 3) after the initiation of antiparasitic treatment. Screening for parasitic infections is useful in cases of hypereosinophilia, extrapulmonary symptoms or stay in endemic regions.
PubMed: 37965273
DOI: 10.2147/JAA.S428607 -
Cureus Oct 2023Strongyloidiasis is a helminth infection affecting 613.9 million people annually, mainly in the tropics and subtropics. The reported seroprevalence in the United States... (Review)
Review
Strongyloidiasis is a helminth infection affecting 613.9 million people annually, mainly in the tropics and subtropics. The reported seroprevalence in the United States is 4% with most of the cases reported in immigrants. Human T-lympho-tropic virus 1 (HTLV-1) infections, hypogammaglobulinemia, immunosuppressant use - particularly steroid use, alcoholism, and malnutrition have been associated with an increased risk of strongyloidiasis. Recently, cases of strongyloidiasis hyperinfection syndrome have been described in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients treated with steroids as well. This brief review discusses the epidemiology, clinical features, management, and prevention of strongyloidiasis including some facts about the infection in pregnancy, transplant recipients, and COVID-19 patients. We conducted an online search using the PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Strongyloidiasis can be asymptomatic or present with mild symptoms. is known to cause autoinfection. In immunocompromised individuals, it can present with severe symptoms, hyperinfection, or disseminated disease. Reported mortality in cases of disseminated Strongyloidiasis is 87.1%. Serology and detection of larvae in stool by direct microscopy are the most commonly used methods to diagnose strongyloidiasis. The drug of choice for the treatment is ivermectin. However, the use of ivermectin in human pregnancy is not well studied, and its teratogenic risks are unknown. Proactive screening of strongyloidiasis is necessary in immunocompromised individuals to prevent severe disease.
PubMed: 37954715
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46908 -
Cureus Oct 2023Strongyloidiasis is a rare parasitic disease that can remain dormant and asymptomatic in many individuals. However, in cases of immunosuppression, the motility rate of...
Strongyloidiasis is a rare parasitic disease that can remain dormant and asymptomatic in many individuals. However, in cases of immunosuppression, the motility rate of the parasite increases significantly. This case study presents a unique clinical scenario involving an 88-year-old Hispanic male with a disseminated infection. The patient's medical history includes coronary artery disease, a history of percutaneous coronary intervention, heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and subsequent recovery of left ventricular function, hypertension, dyslipidemia, mantle cell lymphoma being treated with rituximab every two months since 2019, and chronic anemia. This case emphasizes the importance for physicians to consider strongyloidiasis when faced with a diverse range of symptoms, including syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH), rash, gastrointestinal upset, urinary retention, chronic anemia, and chronic eosinophilia, as these manifestations may share a common origin.
PubMed: 37927761
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46408 -
Parasites & Vectors Nov 2023Ribosome biogenesis is the process of assembling ribosome complexes that regulate cell proliferation and differentiation with potential regulatory effects on...
BACKGROUND
Ribosome biogenesis is the process of assembling ribosome complexes that regulate cell proliferation and differentiation with potential regulatory effects on development. Many factors regulate ribosome biological processes. Nin one binding protein (Nob1) has received widespread attention as key genes regulating ribosome biogenesis-the 3' end of the 20S rRNA is cleaved by Nob1 at cleavage site D to form 18S rRNA, generating translationally capable 40S subunit. As a ribosome biogenesis factor, Nob1 may regulate the development of organisms, but almost nothing is known about the function of Nob1 for any parasitic nematode. We explored the functional role of NOBP-1 (the homologous gene of Nob1) encoding gene from a parasitic nematode-Strongyloides stercoralis.
METHODS
The full-length cDNA, gDNA and promoter region of Ss-nobp-1 was identified using protein BLAST in WormBase ParaSite according to the Caenorhabditis elegans NOBP-1 sequence to analyze the gene structure. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data in wormbase were retrieved and analyzed to assess the transcript abundance of Ss-nobp-1 in seven developmental stages of S. stercoralis. The standard method for gonadal microinjection of constructs was carried out to determine the anatomic expression patterns of Ss-nobp-1. The interaction between Ss-NOBP-1 and partner of NOBP-1 (Ss-PNO-1) was assessed by yeast two-hybridization and bimolecular fluorescence complementarity (BiFC) experiments.
RESULTS
The NOBP-1 encoding gene Ss-nopb-1 from the zoonotic parasite S. stercoralis has been isolated and characterized. The genomic DNA representing Ss-nobp-1 includes a 1599-bp coding region and encodes a protein comprising 403 amino acids (aa), which contains conserved PIN domain and zinc ribbon domain. RNA-seq analysis revealed that Ss-nobp-1 transcripts are present throughout the seven developmental stages in S. stercoralis and have higher transcription levels in iL3, L3 and P Female. Ss-nobp-1 is expressed mainly in the intestine of transgenic S. stercoralis larvae, and there is a direct interaction between Ss-NOBP-1 and Ss-PNO-1.
CONCLUSIONS
Collectively, Ss-NOBP-1 has a potential role in embryo formation and the infective process, and findings from this study provide a sound foundation for investigating its function during the development of parasitic nematode.
Topics: Animals; Female; Strongyloides stercoralis; Animals, Genetically Modified; Caenorhabditis elegans; Larva
PubMed: 37924155
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05940-9