Tropical Parasitology最新文献

Background: Malaria is the second most life-threatening infectious disease in Indonesia, causing approximately 1-3 million deaths annually. Histopathologic studies assessing CD 68 and CD 34 protein expression in placental malaria and its association with maternal anemia are essential to determine the prognosis of malaria in pregnancy.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in 2017. Thirty biopsy samples of human placental tissue were obtained from Timika and Sumba, and ten normal biopsy samples were taken from the Pathological Anatomy Department of Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital as comparisons. CD 34 and CD 68 protein expressions were determined using immunohistochemistry, and the resulting data were analyzed using SPSS.

Results: Average hemoglobin (Hb) level was 9.5 mg/dL, 11.5 mg/dL, and 9.9 mg/dL in acute infection, chronic infection, and latent infection, respectively. A positive correlation was found between CD 68 protein expression and maternal Hb level. No correlation was found between CD34 expression and maternal anemia.

Conclusions: CD 68 expression in placental tissue biopsy from Timika and Sumba residents with placental malaria was shown to be positively correlated with maternal anemia. Immunohistochemical examination of CD 68 may play a role in the early diagnosis of malaria.

Little is known about the prevalence of intestinal protozoa in patients suffering from diarrhea in Jordan. The present study aimed to detect and speciate Entamoeba, Blastocystis, and Cryptosporidium species in a total of 159 human patients with diarrhea from November 2014 to October 2016. The overall prevalence for the three parasites was 19.5% (31/159). Entamoeba spp. (Entamoeba. dispar and/or Entamoeba histolytica), Blastocystis hominis, and Cryptosporidium parvum subtype IIaA15G2R1 were detected in 12.6%, 6%, and 0.6 of samples, respectively. This is the first molecular study in Jordan to confirm the diagnosis of Entamoeba species and to discriminate between E. histolytica and E. dispar.

Balamuthia mandrillaris is an opportunistic, free-living ameba that is pathogenic to humans. It has a worldwide distribution but is mainly detected in warmer regions. Balamuthia infections are rare but have been reported in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals of all ages. B. mandrillaris can enter through wounds on the skin or the nose and cause cutaneous lesions and the usually fatal Balamuthia amebic encephalitis (BAE). Infection usually spreads from the lungs or through nerve fibers, and attacks the central nervous system, forming granulomatous lesions and necrosis in the brain. Balamuthia infection is usually chronic, and patients initially present with nonspecific symptoms, including headache, nausea, myalgia, and low-grade fever. As the disease progresses, the patient becomes paralyzed and comatose, often leading to death. Lack of knowledge of predisposing factors, specific treatment, and standardized detection tools have resulted in a nearly cent percent fatality rate. Although only about 200 cases have been reported worldwide since its characterization in the 1990s, the number of reported cases has increased over the years. BAE is an emerging disease and a major health concern. Few patients have survived Balamuthia infections with antimicrobial treatment that has largely been empirical. Early diagnosis is the key and requires familiarity with the disease and a high degree of suspicion on the part of the diagnostician. There are currently no specific treatment and prevention recommendations. This review highlights our current understanding of B. mandrillaris in terms of its pathogenicity, genomics, and novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches against BAE infections.

Cryptosporidium species are commonly known to cause chronic intractable diarrhea in patients suffering from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, however extra-intestinal presentations have been rarely reported. Hereby, we report a rare case of isolated pulmonary cryptosporidiosis in a 75-year-old HIV-negative patient with metastatic carcinoma of the stomach who was managed conservatively with hemostatic radiotherapy for palliative care. The patient had presented with cough with expectoration for 2 months. Sputum microscopic examination was suggestive of pulmonary cryptosporidiosis. There was no evidence of intestinal cryptosporidiosis. Therapy for pulmonary cryptosporidiosis was started with tablet nitazoxanide. The patient succumbed to the disease few days later following discharge. Although rare, patients with disseminated gastrointestinal malignancy can potentially have isolated pulmonary cryptosporidiosis.

Hematological manifestations such as anemia and thrombocytopenia are known complications in malaria. Here, we report two cases presented as pancytopenia with hepatosplenomegaly and initial diagnosis kept as hematological malignancy like leukemia but later on its diagnosed as malaria-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis which is a rare entity. The aim of this report is to draw the attention of physicians, especially in tropical countries such as India and Sub-Saharan nations to keep in mind this uncommon presentation of malaria, though the exact pathophysiological mechanism still remains obscure.

The discovery of the mosquito as a vector for malaria parasite was an important discovery at the turn of the 19^th century for which Sir Ronald Ross received the Nobel Prize in 1902. Battista Grassi, an Italian physician and a zoologist is also credited with this discovery and he described the species of the mosquito and proved the transmission in healthy human volunteer. Although we remember his name only in this context, he also made numerous other discoveries spanning the fields of protozoology, helminthology, entomology, and zoology.

Context: Screening for malaria and coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in all patients with acute febrile illness is necessary in malaria-endemic areas to reduce malaria-related mortality and to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 by isolation.

Aims: A pilot study was undertaken to determine the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among febrile patients attending a malaria clinic.

Subjects and methods: All patients were tested for malaria parasite by examining thick and thin blood smears as well as by rapid malaria antigen tests. COVID-19 was detected by rapid antigen test and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in patients agreeing to undergo the test.

Results: Out of 262 patients examined, 66 (25.19%) were positive for Plasmodium vivax, 45 (17.17%) for Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) with a slide positivity rate of 42.40%, and Pf% of 40.50%. Only 29 patients consented for COVID-19 testing along with malaria; of them, 3 (10.34%) were positive for COVID-19 alone and 2 (6.89%) were positive for both COVID-19 and P. vivax with an incidence of 17.24%. A maximum number of patients (196) did not examine for COVID-19 as they did not agree to do the test.

Conclusion: Diagnosis of COVID-19 among three patients (10.34%) is significant both in terms of identification of cases and to isolate them for preventing transmission in the community. Detection of COVID-19 along with malaria is equally important for their proper management.