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Parasites & Vectors Dec 2020Human gnathostomiasis is a food-borne zoonosis. Its etiological agents are the third-stage larvae of Gnathostoma spp. Human gnathostomiasis is often reported in... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Human gnathostomiasis is a food-borne zoonosis. Its etiological agents are the third-stage larvae of Gnathostoma spp. Human gnathostomiasis is often reported in developing countries, but it is also an emerging disease in developed countries in non-endemic areas. The recent surge in cases of human gnathostomiasis is mainly due to the increasing consumption of raw freshwater fish, amphibians, and reptiles.
METHODS
This article reviews the literature on Gnathostoma spp. and the disease that these parasites cause in humans. We review the literature on the life cycle and pathogenesis of these parasites, the clinical features, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, control, and new molecular findings on human gnathostomiasis, and social-ecological factors related to the transmission of this disease.
CONCLUSIONS
The information presented provides an impetus for studying the parasite biology and host immunity. It is urgently needed to develop a quick and sensitive diagnosis and to develop an effective regimen for the management and control of human gnathostomiasis.
Topics: Animals; Fishes; Food Parasitology; Foodborne Diseases; Fresh Water; Gnathostoma; Gnathostomiasis; Humans; Immunity; Larva; Life Cycle Stages; Socioeconomic Factors; Zoonoses
PubMed: 33298141
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04494-4 -
Biology Jul 2022Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that regulate the beginning of adaptive immune responses. The mechanisms of tolerance to antigens moving...
Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that regulate the beginning of adaptive immune responses. The mechanisms of tolerance to antigens moving through the digestive tract are known to be regulated by intestinal DCs. Agnatha and Gnathostoma are descendants of a common ancestor. The Ostracoderms gave rise to Cyclostomes, whereas the Placoderms gave rise to Chondrichthyes. and are two evolutionary lines of bony fishes. and descend from the . From , and evolved. Using immunohistochemistry with TLR-2, Langerin/CD207, and MHC II, this study aimed to characterize intestinal DCs, from myxines to teleosts. The findings reveal that DCs are positive for the antibodies tested, highlighting the presence of DCs and DC-like cells phylogenetically from myxines, for the first time, to teleosts. These findings may aid in improving the level of knowledge about the immune system's evolution and these sentinel cells, which are crucial to the body's defense.
PubMed: 36101424
DOI: 10.3390/biology11071045 -
International Journal For Parasitology.... Apr 2021In Vietnam, fisheries play a key role in the national economy. Helminth infections in fish have a major impact on public health and sustainable fish production. A... (Review)
Review
In Vietnam, fisheries play a key role in the national economy. Helminth infections in fish have a major impact on public health and sustainable fish production. A comprehensive summary of the recent knowledge on fish helminths is important to understand the distribution of parasites in the country, and to design effective control measures. Therefore, a systematic review was conducted, collecting available literature published between January 2004 and October 2020. A total of 108 eligible records were retrieved reporting 268 helminth species, among which are digeneans, monogeneans, cestodes, nematodes and acanthocephalans. Some helminths were identified with zoonotic potential, such as, the heterophyids, opisthorchiids, the nematodes , sp. and spp. and the cestode ; and with highly pathogenic potential, such as, the monogeneans of Capsalidae, Diplectanidae and Gyrodactylidae, the nematodes and Camallanidae, the tapeworm the acanthocephalans and Overall, these studies only covered about nine percent of the more than 2400 fish species occurring in the waters of Vietnam. Considering the expansion of the aquaculture sector as a part of the national economic development strategy, it is important to expand the research to cover the helminth fauna of all fish species, to assess their potential zoonotic and fish health impacts.
PubMed: 33384920
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.12.001 -
Journal of Infection in Developing... Dec 2021Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Gnathostoma spinigerum usually cause eosinophilic meningitis with associated peripheral blood eosinophilia. A 44-year-old man developed...
Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Gnathostoma spinigerum usually cause eosinophilic meningitis with associated peripheral blood eosinophilia. A 44-year-old man developed acute paraplegia with bowel and bladder dysfunction. Spinal magnetic resonance images showed a long T2W hyperintensity signal from the 1st to 8th spinal thoracic level. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed eosinophilia and elevated cerebrospinal fluid protein, whereas differential leucocytes count in peripheral blood was unremarkable. Positive immunoblot tests for A. cantonensis antibody in serum and cerebrospinal fluid were reported. The patient had neither history of recent traveling to the high endemic areas of the parasite in Thailand, nor consumption the parasitic hosts. Immediate treatment with intravenous pulse methylprednisolone and oral albendazole resulted in complete recovery. Despite an unremarkable differential leucocytes count, absence a history of parasitic hosts consumption, and a less common presentation with meningomyelitis, A. cantonensis should be considered when cerebrospinal fluid eosinophilia presents.
Topics: Adult; Angiostrongylus cantonensis; Animals; Eosinophilia; Humans; Male; Myelitis; Strongylida Infections; Thailand
PubMed: 35044954
DOI: 10.3855/jidc.14975 -
Clinical Microbiology Reviews Jul 2009Gnathostomiasis is a food-borne zoonosis caused by the late-third stage larvae of Gnathostoma spp. It is being seen with increasing frequency in countries where it is... (Review)
Review
Gnathostomiasis is a food-borne zoonosis caused by the late-third stage larvae of Gnathostoma spp. It is being seen with increasing frequency in countries where it is not endemic and should be regarded as another emerging imported disease. Previously, its foci of endemicity have been confined to Southeast Asia and Central and South America, but its geographical boundaries appear to be increasing, with recent reports of infection in tourists returning from southern Africa. It has a complex life cycle involving at least two intermediate hosts, with humans being accidental hosts in which the larvae cannot reach sexual maturity. The main risks for acquisition are consumption of raw or undercooked freshwater fish and geographical exposure. Infection results in initial nonspecific symptoms followed by cutaneous and/or visceral larva migrans, with the latter carrying high morbidity and mortality rates if there is central nervous system involvement. We review the literature and describe the epidemiology, life cycle, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of gnathostomiasis.
Topics: Africa, Southern; Animals; Anthelmintics; Asia, Southeastern; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Gnathostoma; Humans; South America; Spirurida Infections
PubMed: 19597010
DOI: 10.1128/CMR.00003-09 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2021Nematode infections transmitted to humans by the consumption of wild or cultured eels are increasingly being reported. In the present study, 120 Asian swamp eel,...
Nematode infections transmitted to humans by the consumption of wild or cultured eels are increasingly being reported. In the present study, 120 Asian swamp eel, (Zuiew), individuals collected from China were examined for parasite infections, and 78 larval nematodes were isolated. Morphological and molecular characteristics, including sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene regions, were employed to identify these nematodes at the lowest taxonomic level possible. Asian swamp eel was infected with two zoonotic parasite taxa: advanced third-stage larvae, with 6.67% prevalence and mean intensity = 1.25, and sp. fourth-stage larvae, with 26.67% prevalence and mean intensity = 2.13. These findings evidence the need to enhance public hygiene and food safety awareness toward eel consumption.
PubMed: 34200165
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10060711 -
American Journal of Translational... 2021The two most common causes of eosinophilic meningitis (EOM) are the parasites: and . This study aimed to evaluate whether clinical factors can predict either...
OBJECTIVE
The two most common causes of eosinophilic meningitis (EOM) are the parasites: and . This study aimed to evaluate whether clinical factors can predict either neuroangiostrongyliasis or gnathostomiasis in EOM patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We included reports of patients with eosinophils in the CSF and either serological or pathological diagnosis of neuroangiostrongyliasis or gnathostomiasis published in 2014 or earlier and available on PubMed. Predictive clinical models were generated for neuroangiostrongyliasis and gnathostomiasis.
RESULTS
In total, 155 patients were included in the study, 24 in the gnathostomiasis group and 131 in the neuroangiostrongyliasis group. According to the separate models, factors associated with neuroangiostrongyliais were gender of male, snail exposure, and headache, and independent factors for gnathostomiasis were weakness (adjusted odds ratio 50.8) and radicular pain (adjusted odds ratio 35.3). The combined model identified two independent factors for neuroangiostrongyliasis: weakness and radicular pain. The laboratory models revealed that xanthochromic CSF perfectly predicted both neuroangiostrongyliasis and gnathostomiasis. Two other predictive factors were blood eosinophilia and CSF eosinophils, which positively predicted gnathostomiasis (adjusted odds ratios of 1.13 and 1.08, respectively).
CONCLUSION
Clinical factors may be predictive of neuroangiostrongyliasis and gnathostomiasis in EOM.
PubMed: 34650710
DOI: No ID Found -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Aug 2020We used molecular tools to identify an autochthonous case of gnathostomiasis in Madagascar. This severe ocular infection, caused by Gnathostoma spinigerum nematodes, led...
We used molecular tools to identify an autochthonous case of gnathostomiasis in Madagascar. This severe ocular infection, caused by Gnathostoma spinigerum nematodes, led to vision loss in the patient's left eye. Clinicians should be aware of this parasitosis in Madagascar and other countries in Africa.
Topics: Africa; Animals; Gnathostoma; Gnathostomiasis; Humans; Madagascar
PubMed: 32687036
DOI: 10.3201/eid2608.200383 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2021is the most common cause of gnathostomiasis in humans. It has a complex life cycle, which requires two intermediate hosts and a definitive host, and poses a high risk... (Review)
Review
is the most common cause of gnathostomiasis in humans. It has a complex life cycle, which requires two intermediate hosts and a definitive host, and poses a high risk for zoonosis. Definitive prognosis of gnathostomiasis relies mainly on the isolation of advanced-stage larvae (aL3), which is very challenging especially if the aL3 is sequestered in difficult-to-reach organs. There is also a lack of a confirmatory diagnostic test for gnathostomiasis. With the ongoing advancement of proteomics, a potential diagnostic approach is underway using immunoproteomics and immunodiagnostics. In addition to this, the employment of mass spectrometry could further elucidate not only understanding the biology of the parasite but also determining potential targets of prospective drugs and vaccines. This article reports the past, present, and future application of proteomics in the study of gnathostomiasis.
PubMed: 34578113
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10091080 -
Journal of Travel Medicine 2015Gnathostomiasis, a helminthic infection commonly reported in Southeast Asia and Latin America, may follow consumption of raw seafood infected with muscle-encysted larvae... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Gnathostomiasis, a helminthic infection commonly reported in Southeast Asia and Latin America, may follow consumption of raw seafood infected with muscle-encysted larvae of Gnathostoma species nematodes. As a result of increasingly exotic tastes for local ethnic dishes, including raw seafood, some regions outside of gnathostome-endemic areas import live species for raw consumption. This may facilitate imported human gnathostomiasis or potentially the establishment of this zoonosis in formerly nonendemic regions. Traveling to a gnathostome-endemic area is no longer a criterion for diagnosis. The objectives of this review are to enhance clinician awareness of this infection by describing the behavioral risk factors for its acquisition, life-cycle, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, management, and prevention.
METHODS
Internet search engines were queried with the key medical subject heading words. Case reports, case series, epidemiological investigations, and laboratory studies were reviewed; high risk behaviors for gnathostomiasis were identified; and human cases were stratified as cutaneous gnathostomiasis, visceral gnathostomiasis, neurognathostomiasis, and ocular gnathostomiasis.
RESULTS
The greatest risk factors for gnathostomiasis included the consumption of raw freshwater seafood dishes in endemic regions and the consumption of raw imported or domestic seafood dishes in households and ethnic restaurants in many nonendemic regions.
CONCLUSIONS
Gnathostomiasis is no longer a disease of returning travelers, and autochthonous cases may be anticipated to increase as a result of the importation of live Gnathostoma-infected species and the potential establishment of regional zoonoses of Gnathostoma-infected wild species. Since the eradication of gnathostomiasis is unlikely given the global distribution of Gnathostoma nematodes, the only effective preventive strategy is to educate persons in endemic and nonendemic areas that fish, eels, frogs, snakes, and birds must be cooked thoroughly first before eating and not eaten raw or marinated. The onset of migratory subcutaneous swellings with hyper-eosinophilia weeks to months after consuming raw seafood should provoke suspicion of gnathostomiasis.
Topics: Animals; Anthelmintics; Asia, Southeastern; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Disease Outbreaks; Fishes; Food Contamination; Food Parasitology; Gnathostoma; Gnathostomiasis; Humans; Latin America
PubMed: 25997919
DOI: 10.1111/jtm.12212