-
Heliyon Apr 2024Mass drug administration of praziquantel is expected to reduce carriage in treated children in endemic communities. However, the effectiveness of this annual exercise...
Point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen positivity and associated factors in school children one year after mass praziquantel administration in an endemic district in Ghana.
BACKGROUND
Mass drug administration of praziquantel is expected to reduce carriage in treated children in endemic communities. However, the effectiveness of this annual exercise has not been assessed in Ghana. Therefore, this study aimed to detect viable infection using point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) positivity as proxy and associated factors in children previously treated with praziquantel in an endemic municipality in Ghana.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This cross-sectional study was done in the Assin Central municipality in the Central Region of Ghana. School children, less than 16 years of age, treated with 40 mg/kg of praziquantel (treatment period: February-March 2019), provided early morning urine (∼40 mL) and stool (∼4 g) samples. Immediately, POC-CCA (ICT International, South Africa) was done, while ova were detected in formalin fixed samples using microscopy later. Additionally, participant's socio-demographic information and factors associated with infection transmission were collected from each child.
RESULTS
A total of 520 children participated in the study (males-51.9%, majority age range [9-11 years, 34.4%]). Overall, 244 (46.9%) were positive for urinary CCA with no detected by microscopy. POC-CCA positivity was higher in females (48.4%), children with 2-3 siblings (49.3%), children aged 6-8-year range (55.4%) and residents of Brofoyedur (52%). However, age ( = 16.1, p = 0.0003) and town of residence ( = 11.7, p = 0.019) associated with CCA positivity. Further, location of water body ( = 16.4, p = 0.008), frequency of water contact ( = 12.3, p = 0.015) and handling of the intermediate host ( = 5.1, p = 0.024) associated with POC-CCA outcome.
CONCLUSION
About 47% of the school children were positive for CCA, one year after mass praziquantel administration in the Assin Central municipality. Varied factors associated with the post-praziquantel administration POC-CCA positivity. This study should be replicated in other endemic areas to identify groups at risk of parasite persistence or reinfection to inform modification of control and preventive measures.
PubMed: 38596068
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28529 -
The American Journal of Tropical... Apr 2024In Nigeria, mass drug administration (MDA) for schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) has often been coordinated with other programs that receive...
In Nigeria, mass drug administration (MDA) for schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) has often been coordinated with other programs that receive greater external funding. As these programs reach stop MDA milestones, SCH and STH programs will likely need to transition implementation, or "mainstream," to domestic support. A mixed-methods study was conducted in four districts before (2021) and after (2022) mainstreaming to evaluate its impact on MDA coverage. Household surveys were done in 30 villages per district pre- and post-mainstreaming. All selected communities were eligible for STH treatment; around a third were eligible for SCH treatment. Mass drug administration was primarily conducted in schools. A total of 5,441 school-aged children were included in pre-mainstreaming and 5,789 were included in post-mainstreaming. Mass drug administration coverage was heterogeneous, but overall, mebendazole coverage declined nonsignificantly from 81% pre-mainstreaming to 76% post-mainstreaming (P = 0.09); praziquantel coverage declined significantly from 73% to 55% (P = 0.008). Coverage was significantly lower among unenrolled children or those reporting poor school attendance in nearly every survey. For the qualitative component, 173 interviews and 74 focus groups were conducted with diverse stakeholders. Respondents were deeply pessimistic about the future of MDA after mainstreaming and strongly supported a gradual transition to full government ownership. Participants formulated recommendations for effective mainstreaming: clear budget allocation by governments, robust and targeted training, trust building, and comprehensive advocacy. Although participants lacked confidence that SCH and STH programs could be sustained after reductions in external support, initial results indicate that MDA coverage can remain high 1 year into mainstreaming.
PubMed: 38593792
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0600 -
Parasitology Research Apr 2024Because of recent reports of praziquantel resistance in schistosome infections, there have been suggestions to employ ivermectin as a possible alternative, especially as...
Because of recent reports of praziquantel resistance in schistosome infections, there have been suggestions to employ ivermectin as a possible alternative, especially as its chemical composition is different from that of praziquantel, so cross-resistance is not expected. In order to ascertain possible damage and elimination of worms, we used ivermectin by oral gavage in infected mice, at a high dose (30.1 mg/kg, bordering toxicity). We also tested the efficacy of the drug at various times postinfection (PI), to check on possible effect on young and mature stages of the parasites. Thus, we treated mice on days 21 and 22 or on days 41 and 42 and even on days 21, 22, 41, and 42 PI. None of the treatment regimens resulted in cure rates or signs of lessened pathology in the mice. We also compared the effect of ivermectin to that of artemisone, an artemisinin derivative which had served us in the past as an effective anti-schistosome drug, and there was a stark difference in the artemisone's efficacy compared to that of ivermectin; while ivermectin was not effective, artemisone eliminated most of the worms, prevented egg production and granulomatous inflammatory response. We assume that the reported lack of activity of ivermectin, in comparison with praziquantel and artemisinins, originates from the difference in their mode of action. In wake of our results, we suggest that ivermectin is not a suitable drug for treatment of schistosomiasis.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Praziquantel; Ivermectin; Schistosomiasis; Artemisinins; Schistosomatidae
PubMed: 38592544
DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08178-1 -
Parasitology Apr 2024Cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by the larval stage of the cestode is one of the most widespread zoonoses in Mediterranean countries. Baiting not-owned dogs with...
Cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by the larval stage of the cestode is one of the most widespread zoonoses in Mediterranean countries. Baiting not-owned dogs with praziquantel (PZQ), due to their key role in the maintaining the transmission of CE, currently appears to be the most effective way to limit the transmission of CE, as well as an important aspect to introduce for the control of this parasitic disease. Therefore, this study aims to test 3 types of PZQ-based baits by evaluating different parameters (integrity over time, attractiveness and palatability for dogs, and mechanical resistance after release to different altitudes) and the bait acceptance in field by target animals, i.e. not-owned dogs, by using camera traps. The double PZQ-laced baits (with a double layer of highly palatable chews) showed the greatest resistance in the environment while also preserving the attractiveness and palatability up to 10 days, also withstood heights of 25 m, thus resulting as the most suitable also for drone delivery. The results on the field showed that most of the baits were consumed by not-owned dogs (82.2%), while the remaining were consumed by wild boars (8.9%), foxes (6.7%), badgers (1.1%) and hedgehogs (1.1%), confirming the specific and high attractiveness of the double PZQ-laced baits for the target population and highlights how an anthelmintic baiting programme may be a viable tool for the management of among free-ranging dog populations in endemic rural areas.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Echinococcus granulosus; Echinococcosis; Dog Diseases; Praziquantel; Anthelmintics; Zoonoses; Swine
PubMed: 38576256
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182024000258 -
Parasitology Apr 2024is a common tapeworm of dogs. Two cases of praziquantel resistance have been described in in the United States. No further reports have been published to the...
is a common tapeworm of dogs. Two cases of praziquantel resistance have been described in in the United States. No further reports have been published to the authors’ knowledge. Here, the case of a dog imported to Switzerland from Spain with a history of chronic excretion of tapeworm proglottids and unresponsiveness to praziquantel treatments is reported. Clinical signs were mild (restlessness, tenesmus, anal pruritus, squashy feces) and flea infestation could be ruled out. Infection with was confirmed through morphological and genetic parasite identification. Different subsequently applied anthelmintic compounds and protocols, including epsiprantel, did not confer the desired effects. Proglottid shedding only stopped after oral mebendazole administration of 86.2 mg kg body weight for 5 consecutive days. Clinical signs resolved and the dog remained coproscopically negative during a follow-up period of 10 months after the last treatment. This case represents the first reported apparent praziquantel and epsiprantel resistance in in Europe. Treatment was extremely challenging especially due to the limited availability of efficacious alternative compounds.
Topics: Animals; Praziquantel; Dogs; Dog Diseases; Drug Resistance; Anthelmintics; Cestode Infections; Switzerland; Cestoda; Spain; Feces; Male
PubMed: 38571299
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182024000398 -
International Journal of Surgical... Apr 2024A 39-year-old woman originally from Northeast Africa sought medical attention for positional dyspnea. Computed tomography of the chest revealed an 8.5 cm hypodense...
A 39-year-old woman originally from Northeast Africa sought medical attention for positional dyspnea. Computed tomography of the chest revealed an 8.5 cm hypodense anterior mediastinal mass with peripheral calcifications that raised a wide differential diagnosis including infectious and neoplastic lesions. Following surgical resection, a large cavitary necrotizing and calcified granuloma involving the thymus was identified on histopathological examination. The changes were associated with parasitic eggs that based on their morphology suggested infection due to trematode species. The diagnosis was further corroborated by identification of the increased IgG titers for species (ELISA Kit, NovaTec). The patient's symptoms improved following surgery and praziquantel therapy. This unique presentation emphasizes an unusual manifestation of schistosomiasis that can pose a diagnostic challenge, especially in non-endemic regions. It suggests that mediastinal involvement by schistosomiasis is likely due to an ectopic deposition of the parasitic eggs within a definitive host. Suspicion for schistosomiasis should be heightened based on patient demographics and travel to endemic areas.
PubMed: 38567392
DOI: 10.1177/10668969241241643 -
BMC Public Health Apr 2024Urogenital schistosomiasis (UgS) remains a persistent health challenge among adolescents in Anambra State, Nigeria, despite ongoing control efforts. Mass praziquantel...
Assessing urogenital schistosomiasis and female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) among adolescents in Anaocha, Anambra State, Nigeria: implications for ongoing control efforts.
BACKGROUND
Urogenital schistosomiasis (UgS) remains a persistent health challenge among adolescents in Anambra State, Nigeria, despite ongoing control efforts. Mass praziquantel treatment programs, initiated in 2013, primarily target primary school-aged children (5-14 years old), leaving adolescents (10-19 years old) enrolled in secondary schools vulnerable to urogenital schistosomiaisis. Additionally, the extent of female genital schistosomiasis (FGS), a neglected gynaecological manifestation of UgS remains unclear.
METHODOLOGY
To address these gaps, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Anaocha Local Government Area from February to May 2023. Four hundred and seventy consenting adolescents aged 10-19 years were enrolled. Urinalysis including urine filtration was employed to confirm haematuria and detect urogenital schistosomiasis (UGS) among the participants. For females with heavy infections (≥ 50 eggs/10 ml urine), a gynaecologist performed colposcopy examinations, complemented by acetic acid and Lugol's iodine staining to assess for female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) lesions or other related reproductive health conditions. Socio-demographic data, including information on potential risk factors, were systematically collected using the Kobo ToolBox software, following gender-sensitive data collection guidelines. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25, incorporating descriptive statistics, multinomial logistic regression, odds ratios, and significance testing.
RESULTS
Among the 470 adolescents (52.8% females, 47.2% males) examined, an overall UgS prevalence of 14.5% was observed, with an average of 5.25 eggs per 10 ml of urine. Females had a slightly higher prevalence (16.1%), and 7.5% had heavy infections. Although gender differences in infection rates were not statistically significant, males had slightly higher odds of infection (OR: 1.332; 95% CI: 0.791-2.244; p-value: 0.280). Adolescents aged 10-14 had the highest prevalence, with significantly increased odds of infection (OR: 1.720; 95% CI: 1.012-2.923; p-value: 0.045). Colposcopy examinations of females with heavy infections revealed FGS lesions and co-infections with Trichomonas vaginalis. Haematuria, though prevalent (24.6%), was not the sole indicator, as those without it faced significantly higher odds of infection (OR: 2.924; 95% CI: 1.731-4.941; p-value: 0.000). Dysuria and genital itching/burning sensation were other UgS and FGS associated symptoms. Direct water contact was associated with higher infection odds (OR: 2.601; 95% CI: 1.007-6.716; p-value: 0.048). Various risk factors were associated with UgS.
CONCLUSION
The study highlights the need for a comprehensive Urogenital Schistosomiasis (UGS) control strategy that includes secondary school adolescents, emphasizes risk factor management, promotes safe water practices, and raises awareness about UGS and Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) among adolescents, thus improving control efforts and mitigating this health challenge in the region.
Topics: Male; Child; Humans; Female; Adolescent; Child, Preschool; Young Adult; Adult; Animals; Schistosomiasis haematobia; Cross-Sectional Studies; Hematuria; Nigeria; Genitalia, Female; Prevalence; Water; Schistosoma haematobium
PubMed: 38566137
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18378-0 -
Bulletin of the World Health... Apr 2024To determine if the prevalence of schistosomiasis in children aged 9-12 years is associated with the prevalence in 5-8-year-olds and adults after preventive...
OBJECTIVE
To determine if the prevalence of schistosomiasis in children aged 9-12 years is associated with the prevalence in 5-8-year-olds and adults after preventive chemotherapy in schools or the community.
METHODS
We combined data from four community-randomized, preventive chemotherapy trials in treatment-naïve populations in Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania during 2010-2016 according to the number of praziquantel treatments and the delivery method. infection was sought on two slides prepared from each participant's first stool using the Kato-Katz technique. We assessed associations between prevalence in 9-12-year-olds and 5-8-year-olds and adults in the community before and after treatment using Bayesian regression models.
FINDINGS
Stool samples from 47 985 5-8-year-olds, 81 077 9-12-year-olds and 20 492 adults were analysed. We found associations between the prevalence in 9-12-year-olds and that in 5-8-year-olds and adults after preventive treatment, even when only school-age children were treated. When the prevalence in 9-12-year-olds was under 10%, the prevalence in 5-8-year-olds was consistently under 10%. When the prevalence in 9-12-year-olds was under 50%, the prevalence in adults after two or four rounds of preventive chemotherapy was 10%-15% lower than before chemotherapy. Post-chemotherapy age-group associations were consistent with pre-chemotherapy associations in this analysis and previous studies.
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of infection in 9-12-year-olds was associated with the prevalence in other age groups and could be used to guide community treatment decisions.
Topics: Child; Adult; Humans; Cote d'Ivoire; Prevalence; Bayes Theorem; Kenya; Tanzania; Schistosomiasis; Feces
PubMed: 38562204
DOI: 10.2471/BLT.23.289843 -
Veterinarni Medicina Feb 2024The study aimed to evaluate and compare the routes and rates of the depletion of the antiparasitic praziquantel (PZQ), a derivative of pyrazinoisoquinoline,...
The study aimed to evaluate and compare the routes and rates of the depletion of the antiparasitic praziquantel (PZQ), a derivative of pyrazinoisoquinoline, following its oral administration in grass carp (). We focused on the depletion of PZQ and its major metabolites - -hydroxy praziquantel (CPZQ) and -hydroxy praziquantel (TPZQ), in water, the plasma, hepatopancreas, kidney, muscle, and skin, following a single oral administration of PZQ in a concentration of 50 mg/kg. Fish were sampled before the drug administration and then eight times in the course of the 30-day-long experiment. Our results indicate the rapid absorption and elimination of PZQ and its metabolites in all the analysed matrices. The most PZQ-burdened tissue was the hepatopancreas, the gill and the skin. In all the samples, the concentration of the drug and its metabolites consistently declined over time. The residue of the parent compound was detected for the longest time in all the tissues. During the study, a significant ( < 0.01) correlation was found within the concentration of PZQ, CPZQ, and TPZQ in the water and all the biological matrices. It was also found that the PZQ residue was not detected below the maximum residue levels (i.e., 20 μg/kg) until 16 days after exposure in the muscle and skin.
PubMed: 38550621
DOI: 10.17221/109/2023-VETMED -
Bioinformatics and Biology Insights 2024Schistosomiasis, otherwise known as bilharzia or snail fever, is a disease that usually affects poor people and people exposed to poor sanitation. The disease affects...
Schistosomiasis, otherwise known as bilharzia or snail fever, is a disease that usually affects poor people and people exposed to poor sanitation. The disease affects over 200 million people worldwide annually. Schistosomiasis has been treated using a single drug, praziquantel, since the 1970s and this is resulting in schistosomes becoming resistant. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new antischistosoma drugs and vaccines. This study focuses on identifying potential antischistosomal compounds from the plant . We virtually screened a library of 163 compounds by docking against sulfotransferase (SULT) using the PyRx software. Docking scores ranged from -4.7 to -9.3 kcal/mol. Compounds with binding affinity of -7.6 or stronger were subjected to drug-likeness assessments using the DataWarrior software. We also employed the PAINS removal tool to filter off false-positive results. Twelve compounds passed the drug-likeness screen, and these were subjected to in silico toxicity predictions to determine their mutagenic, tumorigenic and reproductive potential. Seven compounds were predicted to be nontoxic. After considering the toxicity analysis results and drug scores of the compounds, we identified rosmarinic acid and hispidulin as qualifying for further evaluation as potential drugs against schistosomiasis. Free energy calculations using the fastDRH webserver and molecular dynamics simulations using CABS-flex showed that the receptor-ligand complexes for the 2 lead compounds are stable under physiological conditions. We recommend that rosmarinic acid and hispidulin be used as hit compounds for the development of potential antischistosomal drugs.
PubMed: 38550337
DOI: 10.1177/11779322241240651