Cerebral Schistosomiasis: case report and review of literature

Schistosomiasis is an infection caused by trematodes (flatworms from the phylum Platyhelminthes), which are acquired transcutaneously by swimming in contaminated waters. The central nervous system (CNS) schistosomiasis is a rare presentation of the disease. Brain infection to S. Mansoni has been rarely reported, in anedoctal fashion. It should be recognized early, since it disposes a specific treatment, and this treatment may prevent neurological deterioration. A high index of suspicion is necessary, mainly in patients coming from endemic areas, with brain or spinal cord lesions associated with eosinophilia and inflammatory CSF. Finding eggs from schistosoma into excrements or CNS biopsy confirms the diagnosis. We describe a 35-year old Brazilian man, harboring an isolated brain infection to S. mansoni.

Esquistossomose: quebrando o ciclo / Schistosomiasis: breaking the Cycle

O combate à esquistossomose esbarra nas dificuldades geradas pelas condições sanitárias a que muitas pessoas estão expostas, especialmente na região nordeste, devido à desigualdade social que ainda persiste no Brasil. Gravado na região metropolitana de Recife e Cabo de Santo Agostinho/PE, os principais objetivos deste vídeo são: oferecer aos profissionais do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) uma visão ampliada sobre a doença; contribuir para o conhecimento do seu ciclo; e orientar quanto ao reconhecimento do agente etiológico, bem como os fatores que mantêm a transmissão da doença.

Trombose venosa mesentérica após desconexão ázigo-portal para o tratamento de varizes esofágicas hemorrágicas na esquistossomose mansônica / Mesenteric venous thrombosis following porta-azygous disconnection for the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices in mansonian schistosomiasis

A trombose venose mesentérica é definida pela presença de trombo no sistema venoso mesentérico com infarto intestinal, independentemente do grau de severidade. Pode ser primária ou secundária aos fatores de risco como procedimeto cirúrgico abdominal...(aU)

Background - Mesenteric venous thrombosis following surgical treatment for portal hypertensionis a splenectomy. Case report - A male patient with schistosomiasis presenting with previous history of upper digestive bleeding underwent porta-azygous disconnecction...

Infecciones tropicales en viajeros a Latinoamérica: parte II / Tropical diseases in travelers to Latin America: part II

Las infecciones permanecen como una de las más importantes causas de morbilidad entre los viajeros. Los países de América Latina son uno de los puntos de destino más importantes. Las dos enfermedades de mayor frecuencia son malaria y diarrea del viajero; sin embargo, Latinoamérica es aún un importante lugar de transmisión de fiebre amarilla, dengue, leishmaniasis, hepatitis por virus A, hepatitis por virus B y enfermedades de transmisión sexual. Alrededor del 7 por ciento de los casos de malaria en el viajero en todo el mundo, se adquirieron en Sudamérica y 40 a 60 por ciento de ellos son causados por Plasmodium falciparum. Se deben suministrar a los viajeros recomendaciones adecuadas de vacunación, quimioprofilaxis y medidas de protección individual, orientadas a sus lugares de destino. Un problema interesante de discutir es la enfermedad en el viajero que retorna a casa

Assessment of the role of soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 [sICAM-1] in the pathogenesis and as a marker of disease severity in different stages of human schistosomiasis and toxoplasmosis

The role of soluble intracellular adhesion molecule 1 [sICAM-1] in the pathogenesis and its relevance to disease severity was assessed in different stages of human infection with S. mansoni, S. hematobium and T. Gondii. The levels of sICAM-1 obtained in the current study, correlated with disease severity degree of cell destruction and type of immune response. Highest sICAM-1 levels were observed in only two groups [hepatosplenic schistosomiasis and patients with mixed active S. Hematobium and T. gondii infections], while the other two groups [separate cases of active S. hematobium infection or latent T. Gondii infection] showed no significant rise in sICAM-1 levels

Pairing of schistosoma mansoni males in infected Syrian hamsters

Pairing of male schistosomes in the liver of infected hamsters was recorded with Egyptian S. mansoni strain. The homospecific male pairs never carried each other in the gynecophoric duct, but they are closed in either central or hepatic veins. Other perfused males and females en copula showed normal mating behavior. The paired males were more or less in the same size. The random sexed miracidia used resulted in obtaining 1: 2.1 female/male ratio. It is concluded that the random increase of male schistosomes may create the male pairing behavior. Also, the migration of female against the blood stream to the mesenteric plexus of the host and the failure of male to catch them may lead to this homosexual pairing. The black hemozoin- like substance seen in mature females was also observed in the pairing males and this probably reflects the effect of scarcity or migration of females to the mesenteric plexus

Encephalopathy after distal splenorenal shunt in schistosomiasis: surgical treatment by ligation of collateral circulation

A anastomose esplenorenal distal e a melhor alternativa para a prevençäo da hemorragia em esquistossomoticos que sangram devido hipertensäo portal. Baseado na experiência anastomose esplenorenal distal de que apenas pequeno grupo destes pacientes desenvolve encefalopatia portosistemica no pós-operatorio da anastomose esplenorenal distal...

Differences in susceptibility of biomphalaria Alexandria to schistosoma mansoni from Ejize and Dakahlia governorates, Egypt

Biomphalaria alexandrina snails were collected from irrigation canals at Giza and Daqahlia Governorates. They were exposed to strains of Schistosoma mansoni from these localities. The snails showed different rates of susceptibility to the parasite. There was a high range of snail sensitivity to S. mansoni infection [53.9% - 60.7%] when snail populations and parasite strains were from the same governorate. Snail populations and parasite strains from different governorates [Giza, Daqahlia] exhibited poor values of snail sensitivity and cercarial production with significant variations from those of the group of the same governorate

Axenic in vitro culture of schistosoma mansoni miracidia

Miracidia of Schistosoma mansoni have been grown axenically. The use of saline solution of 0.75% facilitated the shedding of epidermal plates which if occurred promote a rapid sporocystogenesis. Also, the use of a ratio of 1: 3 [fetal calf serum and medium 199], in addition to chernin balanced salt solution [SBSS] was ideal for maintaining sporocysts up to 14 days. All the miracidia shed their epidermal plates 2 hours post cultivation. At the end of the second week post cultivation, the daughter sporocysts measured 690 u in length by 50 u in width. The usage of plastic flat sided flasks with plenty of culture medium was very important for inducing a proper growth of sporocysts

Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among primary school children in Aswan governorate, Egypt

Five villages in Aswan governorate, Egypt were chosen for a study of prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections namely El Hakroub, El Sheikh Haroon, Kima, Sohail and Abou Handal. Stools of 500 primary school children living in such villages were examined by direct smear for helminthic and Protozoal infections. The study revealed that Ascaris Lumbriociodes was the most prevalent [8.2%] followed by. Oxyris Vermicularis [3.8%] then Hymenolepis name [3.4%] next Strongyloides Strcoralis Ancylostoma duodenale and Trichuris Trichura with infection rate of 1.2% for each. As regards intestinal protozoa, the infection rates of Entamoeba Histolytica and Giardia Lamblia were 7.6% and 7.2% respectively

Some immunochemical properties of proteinase in EGG extracts, hatching fluid and excretory secretory products of toxocara canis larvae

The sonicated egg extracts and hatching fluid taken at different developmental stages of T. canis embryonated eggs and the excretory-secretory products of cultivated infective larvae were studied for their proteinase activity. It was found that the enzyme activity was elevated at 18 days of embryonation and reached the maximum at 32 days in the sonicated extracts and hatching fluid. This clarified the role of the enzyme in hatching process. Again, a definite proteinase activity in the excretory-secretory products of cultivated infective larvae was proved in this study. This activity varies with different pH and temperature and reached a maximum at pH 8 and 55C. This biological activity helps the larvae to live and migrate for long periods in a wide variety of tissues with different environmental conditions. The proteolytic activity of the hatching fluid and excretory-secretory products were inhibited by immune serum against T. canis infection. These findings proved that both secretions have an immunogenic property which may provide new targets for selective chemotherapy and vaccination

Purification and characterization of a specific fasciola antigen

Specific fasciola antigen was prepared from homogenates of Fasciola hepatica adult worms. The homogenate was ultracentrifuged and the supernatant containing crude fasciola antigen was then passed over a cyanogen bromide activated sepharose 4B column coupled with antiserum against Schistosoma mansoni adult worm surface antigen. The specific, schistosoma-free fasciola antigen was tested for its specificity by immunodiffusion. Characterization of the specific fasciola antigen was done by gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting technique. The electrophoresis migration pattern of specific fasciola antigen, stained with Coomassie blue, showed seven bands in the 12-54 kDa regions. Using the immunoblotting technique, a batch of positive fascioliasis sera recognized two specific bands at the 33 and 54 kDa regions

Prevalence of human fascioliasis in some villages of Sharkia

This study was carried out in Shershemah and El-Mossadah Villages, Sharkia Governorate, to determine: the prevalence of human fascioliasis, the heaviness of lymnaea cailliaudi snail canal infestation and the rate of snail infection with Fasciola cercaria. The prevalence of human fascioliasis is found to be 0.5% [10 cases out of 1964] in Shershemah and 1.8% [17 cases out of 944] in El-Mossadah. Lymnaea snails population was found to be more in the water canals than in the main water branches, with rates of cercarial infection of 46% in Shershemah and 26% in El-Mossadah. From this study, it can be concluded that lack of health education and environmental factors that can affect snail population and the organic pollution of water used for irrigation, are possible explanations for the difference in rates of human fascioliasis infection between the two villages

Fluxo sanguíneo da veia ázigos na esquistossomose hepatesplênica: ação do propranol / Blood flow azygos vein blood flow in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis: action propranol

Estudaram-se catorze pacientes com esquistossomose hepatesplênica, que haviam apresentado, pelo menos, um episódio de hemorragia digestiva associada á ruptura de varizes de esôfago. Todos os casos permaneceram em regime de internação hospitalar durante o periodo de estudo. Estavam em boas condições gerais e hemodinamicamente estáveis. O bloqueio beta-adrenérgico foi obtido com a administração de propranolol por via oral com doses que variaram de 120 a 1320 mg/dia. e valor médio de 571.43 mg. O beta-bloqueio foi definido pela redução da freqliência cardiaca em repouso no leito (deitado), entre 20 e 25%, ou pela hipotensão postural maior que 5 mm.Hg na pressão diastolica. Observou-se que, além da variação dos parâmetros que definiram o bloqueio, ocorreu, também, redução significativa da pressão arterial sistólica com o paciente deitado (7.80%), bem como em posição deppé (9.54%), depois da obtenção do bloqueio beta-adrenérgico. Notou-se, ainda, redução significativa da freqüência cardiaca em posiçâo em pé (22.77%) . Ao contrário, não se constatou variação significativa da pressão arterial diastolica. A dose da droga necessária para a obtenção do bloqueio foi designada como "dose de bloqueio". Em seguida a caracterizaçào desta, realizou-se a curva de decaimento sérico do propranolol, sendo que as dosagens foram realizadas por método fluorimétrico. Determinou-se, portanto, o nível sérico máximo do medicamento e, conseqüentemente, o intervalo de tempo entre a 90 administração e o nivel de pico. O propranolol foi 5suspenso por um intervalo de tempo mínimo de 48 horas, e o paciente encaminhado para uma avaliação hemodinâmico-angiográfica. Nesta avaliação, determinou-se o fluxo sangüineo da veia ázigos verificando-se valor médio basal de 374.76+124.31 ml/min. Observou-se reduçâo média deste fluxo...

Effects of cercarial concentration and length of exposure on the infection of mice by Schistosoma japonicum and S. mekongi cercariae.

The effects of cercarial concentration and length of exposure on the infection of mice by Schistosoma japonicum and S. mekongi were studied under laboratory conditions. For all cercarial concentrations of 10, 20 and 30, mice exposed for 1 min acquired little or no infection. Total worm recovery tended to rise with an increase either in cercarial concentration or exposure time. The highest infection rate and worm burden were obtained in mice exposed for 64 min to 30 cercariae per mouse. The present investigation suggested that exposures of 1 min or less carried little risk of infection at low cercarial concentration. There was a greater risk of infection in prolonged exposure to low cercarial concentration. Prolonged exposures to high cercarial concentration carried the greatest risk of high infection rate and worm burden.

Effects of physico-chemical factors on the infection of mice with Schistosoma japonicum and S. mekongi cercariae.

The three physico-chemical characteristics of water tested-pH, temperature and salinity were found to affect the infection of mice by cercariae of S. japonicum and S. mekongi. For both species of schistosomes, the range of optimal pH that showed highest infection and worm recovery rates was between 5.4-7.4 and decreased as the pH increased. Cercariae exposed to temperatures between 15 degrees-30 degrees C showed the highest infection and worm recovery rates. As temperature decreased or increased, the infection and worm recovery rates decreased. Sodium chloride concentration at low level (0.5-200 ppm) did not have great effect on the infection and worm recovery rates. The infection and worm recovery rates decreased as salinity increased. High sodium chloride concentration at 3200 ppm for S. mekongi cercariae and at 6400 ppm for S. japonicum cereariae inhibited cercarial penetration and no infection occurred.