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American Journal of Hematology Jul 2003A 59-year-old woman suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukemia developed pulmonary lesions; bronchoalveolar lavage was performed for possible systemic fungal infection....
A 59-year-old woman suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukemia developed pulmonary lesions; bronchoalveolar lavage was performed for possible systemic fungal infection. However, direct microscopic analysis revealed ciliated protozoa identified as Balantidium coli. B. coli is the only known pathogenic ciliate, and is usually associated with intestinal infection in areas associated with pig rearing. On very rare occasions the organisms may invade extra-intestinal organs, in this case the lungs of an immunocompromised patient. This case is unusual as balantidiasis is rare in Europe, the patient had no obvious contact with pigs, and there was no history of diarrhea prior to pulmonary colonization. Metronidazole was rapidly administered, and the condition improved after 24-48 hr.
Topics: Animals; Antiprotozoal Agents; Balantidium; Female; Humans; Leukemia; Lung Diseases; Lung Diseases, Parasitic; Middle Aged; Protozoan Infections; Radiography, Thoracic; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 12827655
DOI: 10.1002/ajh.10336 -
The Korean Journal of Parasitology Dec 2018This study was carried out to determine the pathogen-causing diarrhoea in sheep Ovis aries in the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau Area, China. A trophozoite was identified as...
This study was carried out to determine the pathogen-causing diarrhoea in sheep Ovis aries in the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau Area, China. A trophozoite was identified as species of ciliate alveolates infecting the sheep based on morphological characteristics examined by microscope. It was mostly spherical, colourless and transparent, with many vesicles. Macronucleus and contractile vacuoles could not be distinguished. Size of the trophozoite was 80-180 × 70-150 μm and its surface was covered with cilia. Molecular analysis based on sequences of 18S rRNA and ITS genes confirmed the ciliate species as Balantidium coli. According to the literature, there have been many epidemiological investigations of B. coli infection in pigs, monkeys and humans. To our knowledge, this was the first report of B. coli infections in sheep in the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau Area of China, or eleswhere around the world. Importantly, the sheep case was rare but raised our concern that B. coli may spread across species and expand its host range.
Topics: Animals; Balantidiasis; Balantidium; Cluster Analysis; DNA, Protozoan; DNA, Ribosomal; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; Diarrhea; Male; Microscopy; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sheep; Sheep Diseases; Sheep, Domestic; Tibet
PubMed: 30630282
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2018.56.6.603 -
Journal of Veterinary Science Jun 2006A 4-year-old female Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia) was found dead in the Gwangju Uchi Park Zoo. The animal had previously exhibited weakness and lethargy, but no...
A 4-year-old female Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia) was found dead in the Gwangju Uchi Park Zoo. The animal had previously exhibited weakness and lethargy, but no signs of diarrhea. The carcass was emaciated upon presentation. The main gross lesion was characterized by severe serous atrophy of the fat tissues of the coronary and left ventricular grooves, resulting in the transformation of the fat to a gelatinous material. The rumen was fully distended with food, while the abomasum evidenced mucosal corrugation with slight congestion. Microscopic examination revealed the presence of Balantidium coli trophozoites within the lymphatic ducts of the gastric lymph node and the abdominal submucosa. On rare occasions, these organisms may invade extra-intestinal organs, in this case the gastric lymph nodes and abomasum.
Topics: Abomasum; Animals; Atrophy; Balantidiasis; Balantidium; Female; Heart Diseases; Lymph Nodes; Ruminants; Stomach
PubMed: 16645350
DOI: 10.4142/jvs.2006.7.2.207 -
World Journal of Gastroenterology Feb 2004Balantidium coli is the only parasitic ciliate of man. It is a flattened oval organism covered with cilia, and a gullet at the anterior end. It is infrequently...
Balantidium coli is the only parasitic ciliate of man. It is a flattened oval organism covered with cilia, and a gullet at the anterior end. It is infrequently pathogenic for man, although epidemic buds in tropical zones have been described. The infection fundamentally affects the colon and causes variable clinic pictures, from asymptomatic to serious dysenteric forms. We present a case of parasitologically diagnosed as causes of diarrhea in a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma from Turkey. In order to find out the causative etiologic agent of diarrhea, stool samples were examined by native, lugol and flotation methods and we detected moving trophozoites, which were approximately 60 microm long and 35 microm wide. These bodies were diagnosed as Balantidium coli. This case underlines that Balantidium coli should also be considered as a possible pathogen in immunocompromised patients with diarrhea.
Topics: Animals; Balantidiasis; Balantidium; Dysentery; Female; Humans; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin; Middle Aged; Turkey
PubMed: 14760781
DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v10.i3.458 -
The Korean Journal of Parasitology Aug 2013A new trichostome ciliate, Balantidium honghuensis n. sp., was isolated from the recta of Rana nigromaculata and R. limnocharis during parasite surveys in Honghu Lake,...
A new trichostome ciliate, Balantidium honghuensis n. sp., was isolated from the recta of Rana nigromaculata and R. limnocharis during parasite surveys in Honghu Lake, Hubei Province, central China in summer of 2010 and 2011. Its detailed morphometric characters based on LM and SEM studies were described herein. The organism is oval in shape and thickly ciliated. The vestibulum is "V" shaped and occupies about 1/3 to 2/5 of the body length. The vestibular and nearby regions possess strong peripheral fibers which form a marked axial fiber about the cytopharynx. More than 10 contractile vacuoles are distributed along the periphery of the latter body. Comparisions were made between this new species and B. sinensis Nie, 1935. They were discriminated from each other in terms of general body forms, body size, and vestibulum shapes. Besides, special attention was paid to its high-speed daughter swarmers which we believed to be the infective stage of B. honghuensis. Possible infection routes of anura amphibian balantidia were discussed.
Topics: Animals; Balantidiasis; Balantidium; China; Ranidae; Rectum
PubMed: 24039285
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2013.51.4.427 -
The Journal of Veterinary Medical... Jan 1999A total of 375 fecal samples of 56 mammalian species belonging to 17 families of 4 orders were examined for the detection of Balantidium coli from December 1994 to...
A total of 375 fecal samples of 56 mammalian species belonging to 17 families of 4 orders were examined for the detection of Balantidium coli from December 1994 to August 1995. As a result, B. coli was found from 6 species belonging to 4 families of 2 orders (Primates and Artiodactyla) of host animals examined. White-handed gibbon (Hylobates lar), squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciurea) and Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) were new hosts for B. coli. All the wild boar (Sus scrofa) and chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) examined were positive. The highest number of B. coli was obtained from a chimpanzee (1,230/g feces). No B. coli was detected from the animals of orders Rodentia and Carnivora including dogs and cats. The rarity of B. coli infection in breeding animals in Japan. suggests that there is no serious problem in controlling infections.
Topics: Animals; Artiodactyla; Balantidiasis; Balantidium; Carnivora; Cats; Dogs; Feces; Japan; Primates; Rodentia
PubMed: 10027167
DOI: 10.1292/jvms.61.63 -
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 2000A cross sectional study of the prevalence and intensity of Balantidium coli in pigs was carried out on a Danish research farm. The prevalence of B. coli infection...
A cross sectional study of the prevalence and intensity of Balantidium coli in pigs was carried out on a Danish research farm. The prevalence of B. coli infection increased from 57% in suckling piglets to 100% in most pig groups > or = 4 weeks old. The mean number of cysts per gram faeces (CPG) of pigs aged 12 weeks and younger were < or = 206, whereas pigs aged 28 weeks and > 52 weeks had significantly higher counts of > or = 865 CPG. Although some lactating sows had very high CPG's, no significant differences in CPG could be detected between the intensities of pregnant sows, lactating sows and empty and dry sows. No human cases of B. coli infection have been published in Denmark though it is zoonotic.
Topics: Age Factors; Animals; Animals, Suckling; Balantidiasis; Balantidium; Cross-Sectional Studies; Denmark; Feces; Female; Lactation; Parasite Egg Count; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic; Prevalence; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; Statistics, Nonparametric; Swine; Swine Diseases
PubMed: 10920478
DOI: 10.1186/BF03549657 -
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 1967Three cases of gastritis in sows due to the stomach worm Hyostrongylus rubidus are described. This disease has not previously been reported from the Scandinavian...
Three cases of gastritis in sows due to the stomach worm Hyostrongylus rubidus are described. This disease has not previously been reported from the Scandinavian countries. Diffuse gastritis and extreme emaciation were the essential findings at necropsy in all 3 cases. In 2 animals the gastric changes consisted of diffuse nodular hyperplasia of the mucosa. In the third case similar hyperplastic changes were present, but these were largely obscured by a superimposed extensive diphtheresis of the mucosa. The gastric changes in cases of hyostrongylosis reported in the literature and the conceptions regarding their pathogenesis are reviewed and discussed. In the sow with diphtheroid gastritis large numbers of Balantidium coli, in addition to H. rubidus, were present in the altered stomach mucosa. It is assumed that the gastritis due to H. rubidus has resulted in gastric hypochlorhydria thus creating an environment of sufficiently low acidity for ingested Balantidium spp. to live and multiply. Whether this parasite has participated in the development of the gastric diphtheresis is impossible to ascertain.
Topics: Animals; Balantidiasis; Gastritis; Swine; Swine Diseases; Trichostrongyloidiasis
PubMed: 5624910
DOI: 10.1186/BF03547821 -
British Medical Journal Mar 1948
Topics: Balantidiasis; Dysentery; Humans
PubMed: 18902665
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.1.4548.448 -
British Medical Journal Sep 1947
Topics: Balantidiasis; Dysentery; Mercury
PubMed: 20263262
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.2.4523.417