ABSTRACT
Hepatic cystic echinococcosis is a chronic parasitic disease caused by the infection with the larvae of Echinococcus granulosus in human or animal liver tissues. As a chronic active infectious disease, tuberculous empyema mainly invades the pleural space and then causes visceral and parietal pleura thickening. It is rare to present comorbidity for hepatic cystic echinococcosis and tuberculous empyema. This case report presents a case of hepatic cystic echinococcosis complicated with tuberculous empyema misdiagnosed as hepatic and pulmonary cystic echinococcosis, aiming to improve clinicians’ ability to distinguish this disorder.
ABSTRACT
Dendritic cells (DCs), a type of antigen-presenting cells (APC), are recognized as an important regulator of immune response and immune tolerance, and play a critical role in the host innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Previous studies have shown that the long-term parasization of Echinococcus in the host is strongly associated with the host immune tolerance induced by DCs. This review summarizes the research progress of the role of DCs in host immune tolerance caused Echinococcus infection, aiming to provide the theoretical basis and insights into the management and immunotherapy of Echinococcus infections.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the changes of mitochondrial metabolic functions of macrophages following Echinococcus multilocularis infections, so as to provide insights into the pathogenesis of alveolar echinococcosis. Methods Two groups were assigned according to different treatment methods. In the culture group, mouse leukemic monocyte macrophage RAW264.7 cells were cultured with 2 000 E. multilocularis at a ratio of 500∶1, while RAW264.7 cells in the control group were given no treatment. Then, both the culture and control groups were further divided into the 24 h and 72 h subgroups. Mitochondria were stained with MitoTracker® Deep Red FM and the mean fluorescence intensity of macrophage mitochondria was measured with the Cytation 5 Cell Imaging Multi-Mode Reader. The mitochondrial DNA copy number was quantified using the quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay, and the mitochondrial energy metabolism was monitored using the Seahorse XF assay. In addition, the mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial membrane potential were detected using flow cytometry. Results The mean fluorescence intensities of macrophage mitochondria were significantly lower in the 24 h (15 341 ± 2 532 vs. 17 823 ± 3 429; t = 6.379, P < 0.01) and 72 h (18 102 ± 3 505 vs. 21 511 ± 5 144; t = 17.680, P < 0.01) culture subgroups than in the corresponding control subgroups, and lower mitochondrial DNA copy numbers were measured in the 72 h culture subgroup than in the 72 h control group [(3.23 × 109 ± 1.78 × 107) vs. (4.39 × 109 ± 3.70 × 107); t = 8.85, P < 0.001]. The oxygen consumption rates were significantly greater in the 24 h [(241.70 ± 73.13) pmol/min vs. (69.05 ± 52.30) pmol/min; t = 7.89, P < 0.01] and 48 h culture groups [(249.50 ± 42.06) pmol/min vs. (60.28 ± 40.66) pmol/min; t = 8.64, P < 0.01] than in the corresponding control groups, and a higher extracellular acidification rate was seen in the 48 h culture group than in the 48 h control group ([ 111.6 ± 17.49) mpH/min vs. (35.05 ± 7.57) mpH/min; t = 16.90, P < 0.01]. In addition, flow cytometry detected higher mean fluorescence intensity of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (58 264 ± 10 087 vs. 4 307 ± 97; t = 12.930, P < 0.01) and lower mitochondrial membrane potential (9.833% ± 2.285% vs. 2.667% ± 0.208%; t = 6.645, P < 0.01) in the 72 h culture group than in the control group. Conclusions E. multilocularis infection may impair mitochondrial functions and inhibit oxidative phosphorylation of macrophages, resulting in increased macrophage glycolysis. It is speculated that the alteration of macrophage metabolic states may contribute to the mechanisms underlying the development and progression of alveolar echinococcosis.
ABSTRACT
Imaging and serological approaches play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of alveolar echinococcosis; however, they also suffer from some problems during their applications in clinical practices, which urges the identification of potential diagnostic markers. Novel serological, genomics and proteomics diagnostic markers alone or in combination may increase the sensitivity and specificity in early diagnosis of alveolar echinococcosis, which play vital roles in monitoring of disease courses and prognostic evaluation. This review mainly presents the advances in the studies on novel diagnostic markers for alveolar echinococcosis.
ABSTRACT
A patient with cystic echinococcosis was presented with primary lesions in the waist and hip. The case was misdiagnosed as subcutaneous abscess at initial diagnosis, and then definitively diagnosed as echinococcosis by means of imaging examinations and anti-Echinococcus antibody test. This case was reported with aims to improve the awareness of cystic echinococcosis among clinical physicians to avoid and reduce the misdiagnosis and missing diagnosis.
ABSTRACT
The patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis have unapparent early symptoms due to invasive and slow growth, and the disease is usually at an advanced stage upon diagnosis, which has a poor prognosis. Early diagnosis of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis is therefore of great importance. The advances in the ultrasound techniques continues to improve the accuracy for the diagnosis of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis, and ultrasound plays a critical role in the treatment and assessment of therapeutic efficacy for hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. This paper mainly reviews the application of ultrasound in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with advanced hepatic alveolar echinococcosis, so as to provide more evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of advanced hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. Methods The clinical records of 175 cases with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University from 2012 to 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Results Among the 175 cases with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis, the male to female ratio was 1∶1.6, and the mean age was (38.6 ± 12.9) years (range, 11 to 69 years). 93.7% of the patients (164 cases) were Tibetan, and 79.4% (139 cases) were from Guoluo Prefecture. 73.7% (129 cases) were herdsmen, and 58.3% (102 cases) were illiterate. The major clinical symptoms included upper abdominal pain, yellowing of skin and mucosa, and scleral icterus. 69.1% of the lesions were located in bilateral livers, and 63.4% of the cases have 2 and more lesions. 53.7% of the cases have their inferior vena cava involved by the lesions. In addition, the most affected neighboring organ was diaphragmatic muscle (21.7%), and lung was the most affected distant metastatic site (40.6%). Conclusions Advanced hepatic alveolar echinococcosis is highly prevalent in Guoluo Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Screening of this disease is required in this region and rational treatment scheme should be developed.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with advanced hepatic alveolar echinococcosis, so as to provide more evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of advanced hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. Methods The clinical records of 175 cases with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University from 2012 to 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Results Among the 175 cases with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis, the male to female ratio was 1∶1.6, and the mean age was (38.6 ± 12.9) years (range, 11 to 69 years). 93.7% of the patients (164 cases) were Tibetan, and 79.4% (139 cases) were from Guoluo Prefecture. 73.7% (129 cases) were herdsmen, and 58.3% (102 cases) were illiterate. The major clinical symptoms included upper abdominal pain, yellowing of skin and mucosa, and scleral icterus. 69.1% of the lesions were located in bilateral livers, and 63.4% of the cases have 2 and more lesions. 53.7% of the cases have their inferior vena cava involved by the lesions. In addition, the most affected neighboring organ was diaphragmatic muscle (21.7%), and lung was the most affected distant metastatic site (40.6%). Conclusions Advanced hepatic alveolar echinococcosis is highly prevalent in Guoluo Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Screening of this disease is required in this region and rational treatment scheme should be developed.