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PubMed2006

[Prevalence of helminths in dogs in the region of Van and their potential public health significance].

This study was performed in order to determine the prevalence of helminth infections among dogs and to emphasize the importance of this concept for public health. All selected dogs were from the city of Van and a total of 115 fecal samples were examined. Of these, 61 were from stray dogs, 26 were breeders and the final 28 dogs were dogs belonging to institutions. All samples were examined in the laboratory of the parasitology laboratory of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University. Fulleborn's flotation method was used. Sixty nine (60.0%) of the dogs were found to be infected by one or more helminth species. Two Cestoda species and 4 Nematoda species were detected. Toxascaris leonina (23.5%), Taenia spp. (14.8%), Ancylostoma caninum (8.7%), Dipylidium caninum (3.5%), Uncinaria stenocephala (0.9%) and Toxocara canis (13.9%) were responsible for infections. Although the rates of infection between stray (59.0%) and official dogs (46.4%) was not significant, the rate was statistically significant according to Duncan's t-test ( < 0.05) in breeder dogs as compared to the previous 2 groups. The results show that helminth infection in dogs in Van is very high. The high prevalence of T. canis, Taenia spp., and A. caninum in dogs in Van is considered to be critical from the view point of public health importance. In conclusion, helminth infection of dogs is still a very serious problem for public health in Van.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Allergic reactivity of children of different socioeconomic levels in tropical populations.

Widely variable prevalences of allergic diseases have been reported in tropical populations, and this has been suggested to be due to effects of the nonspecific polyclonal stimulation of IgE synthesis caused by the helminthic infections that are endemic in these areas. Since 1980, we have been evaluating the allergic reactivity of different socioeconomic sectors of the population of tropical Venezuela (lat. 2-12 degrees N), and in the present study analyze the overall results obtained in the laboratory evaluation of children (5-15 years of age) belonging to these groups. Children of medium-high socioeconomic level (M-HSEL), who experience occasional helminthic infections, have moderately high total serum IgE levels, and have elevated skin test positivities and specific IgE levels against environmental allergens. Persons of low socioeconomic level, in the urban, and particularly rural situation experience frequent helminthic infection, and have highly elevated total serum IgE levels. In contrast to the M-HSEL, the majority of these children have detectable specific IgE antibody against a variety of inhalant allergens, but relatively few have high levels, and their skin test positivity is also low. In these frequently parasitized persons, evidence of saturation of mast cell Fc epsilon receptors was found by tests of passive sensitization. We propose, therefore, that helminthic parasites have a biphasic effect on allergic reactivity; occasional infections are stimulatory, via their nonspecific potentiation of IgE synthesis against environmental allergens, and frequent infections are suppressive due to the widely polyclonal stimulation that they cause, resulting in both diminished specific antibody production against any given allergen and mast cell Fc epsilon receptor saturation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Intestinal parasitic infections among rural farming communities in eastern Sierra Leone.

A study carried out in four rural, mainly farming villages in the Gorama Chiefdom, Kono District, Eastern Sierra Leone revealed that intestinal helminth infections are prevalent in this area of Sierra Leone. Out of the 1164 persons of all ages who were examined, 853 (73.5%) proved positive for at least one intestinal helminth infection. Ascaris lumbricoides was the most common helminth encountered (37.5%), followed by hookworms, 12.9%; Trichuris trichiura, 12.6%; Schistosoma mansoni, 5.6%; Strongyloides stercoralis, 3.8%; tapeworms 1.0%, and multiple infections were common. Adults used poorly built pit latrines, while children defecated indiscriminately and unsupervised around houses and in the nearby bush. In addition, in most of the villages, domestic water was obtained from polluted streams and rivers. Only one village had protected pipe borne water supply. The high prevalence of intestinal helminth infections in this area results from constant infection and reinfection caused by poor sewage disposal, poor environmental health, and the low socioeconomic status prevailing in these communities.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The organ pathology in the acute stage of tissue helminthiases: the role of eosinophilia of the blood and tissues, blood immunoglobulins E and G4 and immune response-inducing factors].

The pathogenesis of organic lesions in the early phase of tissue-dwelling helminthic infections has been analyzed and discussed by taking into account the previous findings [8, 9, 12], the results of current clinical and immunological studies [10, 11, 60] in the light of a fundamental literature data review. The products secreted by invasive helminthic larvae and the substances expressed onto their cuticula tegument surface mimic nonspecific [34, 43] and specific [21, 28, 33, 42] modulators of host inflammatory processes or induce the latter directly [37, 30, 42, 70]. The development of severe visceral pathology at the very early stage of human toxocariasis [60] is associated with unbalanced overproduction of these modulators and directly acting substances by a zoonotic agent. Some of these substances provoke organic and systemic pathology in the nearest day-hours after massive human invasion with sylvatic Trichinella spiralis strains or with Paragonimus westermani ichunensis larvae with a fatal end in 2-2.5 weeks [8, 14]. Parasitic enzymes that mimic the host proteins [73, 42], perhaps recently revealed [30] parasitic myogenic proteins, human tissue epitopes normally unexpressed [71], i.e. autoantigens from the impaired tissues [16] have been regarded as the factors leading to immunopathological/autoimmunological processes [21, 73]. Experimental allergic myocarditis (EAM) with endo-, pericardial, and valvular damages was reproduced in the guinea pigs immunized with T. spiralis somatic antigen and myocardial tissue homogenate (without BCG) in lanoline and mineral oil [8]. The development of trichinellosis-induced EAM with its pathomorphological characteristics revealed the existence of a Th1-variant of myocarditis in trichinosis similar to that of myosin-induced myocarditis [69] and confirmed the unfavourable effect of Th1 population stimulated in tissue-dwelling helminthic infections [62, 66, 70]. Visceral pathology in 22 patients at the acute stage of trichinosis, Opisthorchis felineus infection and in the early phase of toxocariasis coincided with serum IgG4 hyperproduction, competitive with serum IgE production, or with hypereosinophilia in IL-4-independent allergic reaction [60]. The absence of visceral pathology in the examined patients with high blood eosinophilia and serum IgE content (without elevated IgG4 levels) confirmed the protective functions of these parameters of immune responses in helminthic infections. However, there were individual variations of responses in terms of these parameters: high levels of all 3 parameters in three patients and IL-4-independent allergic reaction in 4 patients, only 6 of them had no visceral pathology. These substantial individual variations of immune responses at the early stage of disease seem to reflect the susceptibility to infections [71].

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Nutritional status and the IgE response against Ascaris lumbricoides in children from a tropical slum.

Helminthic infection can stimulate the interleukin-4 (IL-4)-dependent polyclonal synthesis of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in children endemically exposed to these parasites. As such children are also frequently at nutritional risk, in this study we considered the possible influence of malnutrition on serum IL-4 levels and the IgE response in helminthic infection. We evaluated 85 Ascaris-infected children living in an urban slum area of Caracas, Venezuela, and found that the serum levels of IL-4 and total IgE were significantly higher in malnourished children than in their well nourished counterparts. In contrast, the specific anti-Ascaris IgE antibody response was significantly lower in the malnourished group. After anthelmintic treatment of the children, the total serum IgE and IL-4 levels decreased significantly in the well nourished group, while the specific anti-Ascaris IgE antibody response increased. No significant change was detected, however, in the malnourished group. Our results suggested that malnutrition potentiates the polyclonal stimulation of IgE synthesis induced by helminths. As specific IgE antibody has been implicated in the resistance to helminthic infection, and the polyclonal stimulus diminishes this response, these factors may increase the susceptibility of malnourished children to such parasites.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Effect of anthelmintic treatment on the allergic reactivity of children in a tropical slum.

It is well known that helminthic infection can cause a polyclonal stimulation of the synthesis of IgE, which is dependent on interleukin-4 (IL-4) production, and it has been suggested that this can modulate the expression of allergic reactivity in tropical populations. We evaluated the effect of regular anthelmintic treatment, for a period of 22 months, on certain aspects of the allergic reactivity of children in a slum area of Caracas, Venezuela, where helminths are endemic. The treatment (Oxantel-Pyrantel; Quantrel) effectively eliminated intestinal helminthic infection and resulted in a significant decrease in the initially elevated total serum IgE levels. IL-4 was detectable in the serum, and a significant reduction in IL-4 was also observed after treatment. In contrast, both the immediate-hypersensitivity skin-test reactivity and serum levels of specific IgE antibody against environmental allergens were markedly increased in the treated children. In a group of children who were also evaluated in the same slum, but who declined treatment, a substantial increase in helminthic infection occurred, which was related to an acute deterioration of the socioeconomic conditions of Venezuela over the course of our study period. This was paralleled by a considerable increase in total IgE levels in these children and a decrease in the skin-test reactivities and specific IgE levels. The application of Prausnitz-Küstner passive transfer tests and analysis of specific IgE antibody levels indicated that the polyclonal stimulation of IgE synthesis by helminthic parasites results in mast cell Fc epsilon receptor saturation and suppression of specific IgE antibody synthesis. This inhibition of allergic reactivity is reversible by anthelmintic treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Comparison of immunoblot and immunoprecipitation methods for analyzing cross-reactive antibodies to filarial antigens.

Qualitative analysis of antibody responses in helminth infections is essential not only for developing better immunodiagnostic antigens but also for understanding immune recognition and its relevance to immunopathogenesis and protective immunity. In this study 2 qualitative analytic methods (immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting) were compared for the ability to define the extent of cross-reactivity in the serum antibodies from patients with various forms of filariasis (caused by Brugia malayi, Wuchereria bancrofti, Loa loa and Tetrapetalonema perstans) or other non filarial helminth infections (ascariasis, strongyloidiasis, trichinosis, echinococcosis and schistosomiasis). Our results demonstrated that the spectrum of cross-reactive antibodies identified by immunoprecipitation was limited because of the selective radiolabeling of particular filarial antigens, while immunoblotting was able to detect a much wider range of cross-reactive antibodies in both filarial and non-filarial serum pools. In addition, this latter procedure was easily adapted for simultaneous analysis of different antibody isotopes (e.g., IgE and IgG) to the same antigens in individual sera. Immunoblotting thus provides an excellent tool for studying the spectrum of antibodies of different isotypes evoked during helminth infections and for discriminating between those responses that are species-specific and those that are cross-reactive.

Antibodies↗
PubMed2006

Prevalence and risk factors of intestinal parasites in Cuban children.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasite infections and their risk factors in children in urban and rural settings in two Cuban municipalities. METHODS: A total of 1320 Cuban schoolchildren aged 4-14 were tested by stool examination for intestinal parasite infections and evaluated by parental questionnaire for a number of common environmental, sanitary, socioeconomic and behavioural risk factors. Multivariate regression was applied to examine the relationship between the respective parasite infections and the risk factors. RESULTS: Prevalences of intestinal parasite infections were 58% in Fomento and 45% in San Juan y Martínez; for helminth infections, these were 18% and 24% and for protozoa infections, 50% and 29%, respectively. Helminth infections were associated with high parental education (maternal: OR 0.68, CI 0.50-0.93; paternal: OR 0.71, CI 0.52-0.96), absence of toilet (OR 1.57, CI 1.12-2.19), consumption of water from a well or river (OR 0.56, CI 0.41-0.77) and eating unpeeled/unwashed fruit (OR 1.37, CI 1.01-1.87); protozoa infections were only associated with high maternal education (OR 0.72, CI 0.57-0.91). CONCLUSIONS: Paediatric intestinal parasite infections are still prevalent in certain areas in Cuba and associated with a number of common environmental, socioeconomic and sanitary risk factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Physical activity and growth of Kenyan school children with hookworm, Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides infections are improved after treatment with albendazole.

Growth, activity, appetite and intestinal helminth infections were compared for 55 Kenyan primary school children with hookworm (93% prevalence), T. trichiura (84% prevalence) and A. lumbricoides (29% prevalence) before and 9 wk after treatment with three 400-mg doses of albendazole (Zentel) or placebo. Fecal samples were examined for helminth eggs using a modified Kato technique. Activity was measured during free-play with motion recorders on the dominant thigh. Children rated their appetites on a 5-point scale. After baseline measurements, children were randomly allocated to the albendazole-treated (n = 28) and placebo (n = 27) groups, treated, and re-examined 9 wk later. At follow-up, egg counts were significantly lower than at baseline in the albendazole-treated group (P < or = 0.002), and gains in activity, reported appetite and most indices of growth were significantly greater for the albendazole-treated group than for the placebo group. We conclude that treatment of undernourished school children for intestinal helminth infections with albendazole may improve growth and appetite and increase spontaneous physical activity.

Albendazole↗
PubMed2006

Time delays between patient and laboratory selectively affect accuracy of helminth diagnosis.

Studies of intestinal helminth infections are influenced by the constraints of sample collection, as identification of helminth ova in stools is affected by the time since evacuation from the host. Different methods may be required to optimise diagnostic sensitivity under different study conditions. In the context of studies in rural Malawi, we collected stool samples with different time delays from production by subjects to sample collection by field staff, to examination in the laboratory. Stools were processed by Kato-Katz (KK) or formol-ether concentration (FEC) methods. Hookworm and Schistosoma mansoni were the most common helminths identified. The prevalence of hookworm was higher with KK (270/988, 27%) than with FEC (191/988, 19%). Comparison was made between the results from the two methods according to the timing of the processing steps. Delays in processing did not affect retrieval of S. mansoni. A decrease in sensitivity of almost 50% for detection of hookworm was observed with either method when preservation/refrigeration was delayed by more than 3h. A delay of 1 day from refrigeration or preservation to laboratory processing also reduced the sensitivity for hookworm by 50% for both methods. Care must be taken in studies of multiple helminth infections owing to the selective reduction of hookworm ova during transport. This is particularly critical when samples are not preserved, even over short periods of time, and even with formalin preservation.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Prevalence of multiple intestinal helminths among children in a rural community.

Impairment of physical and mental development has been identified as deleterious effects of helminthic infection. As a result, there have been concerted efforts to control this group of diseases especially among children who are most vulnerable. However, knowing the prevalence of multiple infections will strengthen or otherwise justify the use of broad spectrum antihelminthics in the prophylaxis and treatment of intestinal helminthes among children. This study was carried out in a farming community with no tarred access road, electricity or pipe-borne water. The diagnosis of intestinal helminthes was by Kato-Katz thick smear examination technique. One hundred and seventy stool samples from 88 male and 82 female children were examined. The mean age of the children was 8 +/- 1.6years. One hundred and sixteen of 170 (68.2%) of the study volunteers had one intestinal helminthic infection or the other. Co-infection by more than one helminth was not uncommon and this occurred in 49.1% of the infected population while 35.4%, 11.2% and 2.6% had double, triple and quadruple infections respectively. Ascaris lumbricoides and hookworm were the most common combinations observed in the study 52.6%, followed by the combination of A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura 17.5%. The triad of A. lumbricoides, hookworm and T. trichiura accounted for 12.3% among the multiply infected population. However, quadruple infection with A. lumbricoides, hookworm, T. trichliura and E. vernlicularis had 2.6% prevalence rate among the study population. Ascaris lumbricoides is the most prevalent among all the children, with a prevalence of 81.6%, 63.3% and 52.4% among children aged 12 -17years, 6-11 years and 0-5 years respectively. In conclusion, the presence of multiple infections especially of Ascaris lumbricoides and hookworm in almost 26% of the study population and multiple infections in 49.1% of the infected population justified the use of broadspectrum antihelminthics in the management of helminthiasis among school children of the rural community. Thus treatment and mass chemotherapy directed at school children will be a step in the right direction.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

HIV and helminth co-infection: is deworming necessary?

We have previously suggested that helminth infections play a major role in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection in Africa and other developing areas, due to their profound effects on the host immune system, which make those infected more susceptible to HIV-1 infection and less able to cope with it. Chronic immune activation with a dominant Th2 profile, and anergy, are the hallmarks of chronic helminth infection, and may therefore account for most of these effects. In the present review, we summarize the studies that have addressed these issues and argue that despite some conflicting results, the cumulative immunological and epidemiological evidence is in favour of deworming as a preventive and possible therapeutic measure vis-à-vis HIV-1 infection. We suggest that it should be at least tested on a wider and larger scale than has been done until now, because of its immense potential impact on the still raging AIDS epidemic in developing countries.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1994

Immune responses to nematode exoantigens: sensitizing antibodies and basophil histamine release.

High levels of IgE and eosinophilia are found in both allergy and helminth infections, but allergic symptoms are rare in naturally acquired helminth infections. The interrelation of specific IgE antibodies and in vitro basophil histamine release (HR) induced by exoantigens from the larval stages (L2/L3) of the nematodes Toxocara canis and Ascaris suum was examined in 148 patients visiting an outpatient clinic for parasitic diseases. The antigen sensitivity of the basophils was found to be dependent not only on the absolute amount of antigen-specific IgE present in patient plasma, but also on the ratio between specific and total IgE. Thus, large HR was observed in some patients in response to helminth antigens despite low levels of both specific and total IgE content in plasma. Patients with eosinophilia showed greater IgE-mediated HR than the other patients examined. In contrast, only five patients showed HR after challenge with anti-IgG4, despite the presence of high levels of antigen-specific IgG4 and IgG1 in all patients showing specific IgE antibodies.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Involvement of interleukin-18 in severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

Serum levels of interleukin-18 (IL-18), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and immunoglobulin E (IgE) were determined for 96 patients with Plasmodium falciparum malaria admitted to hospital, Bangkok, Thailand in the period 1998-2000. The patients were divided into 3 groups, i.e. uncomplicated, severe and cerebral malaria according to WHO criteria (2000). Elevation of IL-18 levels was observed in all 3 groups, with a tendency for higher levels in cases with severe malaria throughout the course of the disease. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between IL-18 levels and the extent of parasitaemia among patients with severe malaria. However, IL-18 levels decreased more significantly in patients with cerebral malaria compared with the other groups in the late stage of the disease. Elevated levels of IFN-gamma were also observed in all groups of patients, especially in those with severe or cerebral malaria, and the levels in patients with cerebral malaria remained significantly higher than in those with uncomplicated malaria during days 4-7 post-treatment, suggesting the involvement of IFN-gamma in disease severity. Meanwhile, no significant difference was observed in IgE levels between the severe and uncomplicated groups of patients with helminth infection, although IgE levels were significantly higher in helminth-infected patients than uninfected patients. These results suggest that IL-18 plays a key role in inducing severe malaria through another pathway, such as elevation of IFN-gamma, rather than its IgE inducing activity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Toxocara infection is not associated with viral or bacterial central nervous system infection in children.

BACKGROUND: Helminth infections with larvae that migrate through the tissues have been considered risk factors for CNS infections. OBJECTIVES: The present work was designed to investigate the prevalence of anti- TOXOCARA antibodies in the serum and/or in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of children with infectious meningitis or meningoencephalitis and of a control group, without meningitis, admitted at the Children's Hospital NS Glória, Vitória, ES, Brazil. PATIENTS AND METHODS: After adsorption with ASCARIS LUMBRICOIDES antigen, serum and/or cerebrospinal fluid of 381 inpatients (201 with meningitis and 180 without meningitis) were submitted to an ELISA IgG, for anti- TOXOCARA antibodies using secretion/excretion antigens of third stage larvae of T. CANIS. RESULTS: No significant differences between the meningitis and the control groups were observed in the frequencies of positive tests for anti- TOXOCARA antibodies in the serum or CSF (respectively for the meningitis and control group: 33/103 or 32 % and 52/152 or 34.2 % for the serum, p = 0.821; 48/184 or 26.1 % and 23/121 or 19.0 % for the CSF; p = 0.196. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated that TOXOCARA infection, evaluated by detection of anti- TOXOCARA antibodies in serum or CSF, is not associated with viral or bacterial meningitis or meningoencephalitis in children in our country.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Soil-transmitted helminthiases and health behaviors among schoolchildren and community members in a west-central border area of Thailand.

The prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthic infections and health behaviors related to infections in schoolchildren and villagers of a community (4 hamlets) was studied in Hauy Kayeng subdistrict, Thong Pha Phum district, in the north of Kanchanaburi Province. The intestinal helminth infection rate of the schoolchildren was 15.6%. Hookworm infection was the most prominent (9.8%), followed by Trichuris trichiura (6.2%), and Ascaris lumbricoides (2.2%). The community showed higher prevalence rates and was infected with more types of intestinal helminths than the schoolchildren. Thirty-five point two percent (35.2%) of the residents were infected with soil-transmitted helminths, 30.5% with hookworm, 3.4% with A. lumbricoides and 2.2% with T. trichiura. Almost all hookworm cases (94.3%) were light intensity infections, while only 1.3% were heavy infections. Moreover, the hookworm infection rate in the community was found to be much higher when a stool culture method was used (39.1%). With this technique, 2.3% Strongyloides stercoralis infections were detected in the community population. Examination of the health behavior of the study samples showed that approximately 75% always defecated in a toilet. Schoolchildren who always wore shoes comprised 67%, which was lower than the community, at 85%.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Helminth-modified pulmonary immune response protects mice from allergen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness.

It has been shown that the presence of certain helminth infections in humans, including schistosomes, may reduce the propensity to develop allergies in infected populations. Using a mouse model of schistosome worm vs worm + egg infection, our objective was to dissect the mechanisms underlying the inverse relationship between helminth infections and allergies. We have demonstrated that conventional Schistosoma mansoni egg-laying male and female worm infection of mice exacerbates airway hyperresponsiveness. In contrast, mice infected with only schistosome male worms, precluding egg production, were protected from OVA-induced airway hyperresponsiveness. Worm-infected mice developed a novel modified type 2 cytokine response in the lungs, with elevated allergen-specific IL-4 and IL-13 but reduced IL-5, and increased IL-10. Although schistosome worm-only infection is a laboratory model, these data illustrate the complexity of schistosome modulation of host immunity by the worm vs egg stages of this helminth, with the potential of infections to aggravate or suppress allergic pulmonary inflammation. Thus, infection of mice with a human parasitic worm can result in reduced airway inflammation in response to a model allergen.

Allergens↗
PubMed2006

Toxocara infection seroprevalence and its relationship with atopic features in a general adult population.

BACKGROUND: The relationship of helminth infection with atopy is controversial. Toxocariasis is the most common helminth infection in industrialized countries. The study aimed to investigate the association between Toxocara exposure and atopic features. METHODS: The study is based on a cross-sectional survey of 463 subjects, randomly selected (stratified by decades of age) from a general adult population. Toxocara exposure was defined by the presence of serum Toxocara antibodies. Main outcome measures included total serum IgE levels, skin prick tests (SPT) to a panel of 13 relevant aeroallergens, specific IgE to aeroallergens (Phadiatop test), and respiratory symptoms evaluated by means of a questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 134 subjects (weighted proportion 28.6%, 95% CI 26.5-30.7%) showed Toxocara exposure. Pet ownership, rural habitat, farming, and low educational level were associated with Toxocara exposure. Toxocara exposure was associated with both positive SPT (particularly to mites) and positive specific IgE (Phadiatop test) after adjusting for potential confounders. The effect of Toxocara exposure on total serum IgE levels and blood eosinophil count was different in SPT-positive subjects and SPT-negative individuals. In SPT-negative individuals, Toxocara exposure was associated with an increase in both serum IgE levels and eosinophil counts, whereas an opposite trend was observed in SPT-positive individuals. Toxocara exposure was not associated with respiratory symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: In this adult population, Toxocara exposure is associated with allergic sensitization, particularly to mites. There is evidence of an intriguing interaction between Toxocara exposure and allergic sensitization for both total serum IgE levels and blood eosinophil counts.

Animals↗