Schistosomal myeloradiculopathy due to Schistosoma mansoni: report on 23 cases

Schistosoma mansoni infection is likely to be responsible for a significant proportion of cases of myelopathy occurring in areas where schistosomiasis is endemic. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical, laboratory and therapeutic data of 23 patients with schistosomal myeloradiculopathy. The medical records of 23 patients with schistosomal myelopathy admitted to two general hospitals of Belo Horizonte (MG), in Brazil, from 1995 to 1999, were reviewed retrospectively. Seventeen patients were male (74 percent). The mean age for the whole group was 27 years. Lower limb weakness and associated lumbar and/or lower limb pain were reported by 20 patients (87 percent), and 16 (70 percent) were unable to walk. All individuals presented urinary retention and 19 (83 percent) complained of intestinal dysfunction. The treatment was based on the association of antischistosomal drugs and corticosteroids. Five patients (22 percent) presented a full response to treatment, 13 (57 percent) partial response without functional limitations and 4 (17 percent) partial improvement with limitations or no response. Three out of the 4 patients who stopped steroids before 45 days of treatment developed recurrence of the symptoms and signs of myelopathy. Our cases demonstrate the severe presentation of the disease and the data disclosed here suggest that treatment with steroids should be kept for months after clinical improvement

Cytokines as determinants of resistance and pathology in human Schistosoma mansoni infection

The role of diferent cytokines in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferative response and in in vitro granuloma formation was evaluated in a cross-sectional study with patients with the different clinical forms and phases of Schistosoma mansoni infection, as well as a group of individuals "naturally" resistant to infection named normal endemic (NE). The blockage of IL-4 and IL-5 using anti-IL-4 and anti-IL-5 antibodies significantly reduced the PBMC proliferative response to soluble egg (SEA) and adult worm (SWAP) antigens in acute (ACT), chronic intestinal (INT) and hepatosplenic (HS) patients. Similar esults were obtained in the in vitro granuloma formation. Blockage of IL-10 had no significant effect on either assay using PBMC from ACT or HS. In contrast, the addition of anti-IL-10 antibodies to PBMC cultures from INT patients significantly increased the proliferative response to SEA and SWAP as well as the in vitro granuloma formation. Interestingly, association of anti-IL-4 and anti-IL-10 antibodies did not increase the PBMC proliferative response of these patients, suggesting that IL-10 may act by modulating IL-4 and IL-5 secretion. Addition of recombinant IL-10 decreased the proliferative response to undetectable levels when PBMC from patients with the different clinical forms were used. Analysis of IFN-gamma in the supernatants showed that PBMC from INT patients secreted low levels of IFN-gamma upon antigenic stimulation. In contrast, PBMC from NE secreted high levels of IFN-gamma. These data suggest that IL-10 is an important cytokine in regulating the immune response and possibly controlling morbidity in human schistosomiasis mansoni, and that the production of IFN-gamma may be associated with resistance to infection.

Acute schistosomiasis: report on five singular cases

The cases of five patients with unusual manifestation of acute schistosomiasis mansoni are described in this paper. One patient developed skin lesions, three displayed diverse lung involvement, and one presented pyrogenic liver abscesses caused by Staphylococcus aureus.

Esquistossomose e hepatites virais: uma revisão / Schistosomiasis and viral hepatitides: a review

Os principais estudos sobre a associação esquistossomose e hepatite pelos vírus B, C e D são apresentados e discutidos. As limitações de cada estudo são apontadas e os autores sugerem novos caminhos na investigação desta provável interação.

The papers published on the association of schistosomiasis with viral hepatitis (B, C and D) are reviewed. The shortcomings of each work are pointed out and suggestions are forwarded to try and direct the investigations on this probable interaction.

Pulmonary involvement in Schistosomiasis mansoni

The post-treatment pulmonary alterations were evaluated in patients (Study 1) and in mice (Study 2) infected with Schistosoma mansoni. Study 1: the patients were examined pre and post-treatment (with ora oxamniquine) and the following exams were performed: sputum for eosinophils and chest x-ray. Study 2: four groups of mice (total = 64) were studied; Group I (infected and treated with oxamniquine); II (infected and not treated); III (not infected and treated) and IV (not infected and not treated). All were x-rayed to check for pulmonary abnormalities pre and post-treatment and lung specimens were studied by optical microscopy and immunofluorescence. We have found abnormalities in the parameters checked in both studies and the results suggest an immunological reaction, probably due to deposition of immune complexes in the lungs, with subsequent activation of the complement system. The experimental study showed that the alterations are not dependent of the presence of eggs and/or worms of S. mansoni in the lungs, thus corroborating the hypothesis of deposition of circulating material.

Pulmonary schistosomiasis: bronchopneumonitis probably due to schistosomulae.

Relata-se o caso de um paciente que apos 2 a 3 semanas de contato infectante com cecarias desenvolveu quadro clinico e radiologico de broncopneumonite. O paciente nao possuia infeccao esquistossomotica anterior. Houve recuperacao espontanea sem sequela em 20 dias e as alteracoes clinico-radiologicas foram interpretadas em associacao a passagem de esquistossomulos pelos pulmoes

Segunda contribuicao sobre as alteracoes ultra-estruturais dos hepatocitos na forma aguda (toxemica) da esquistossomose mansoni. / Second contribution on ultrastructural alterations of acute hepatocyte (toxaemic) of schistosomiasis mansoni

Estudamos as alteracoes ultra-estruturais dos hepatocitos na forma aguda, toxemica, da esquistossomose, em cinco pacientes, membros de uma mesma familia infectados em identicas condicoes em um corrego existente proximo da lagoa de Pampulha, em Belo Horizonte (MG), e nao tratados especificamente para a esquistossomose. Este estudo confirma os dados obtidos em trabalho anterior, em sete pacientes infectados no Municipio de Sabara (MG). Nos cinco casos, as alteracoes ultra-estruturais foram inespecificas, pouco acentuadas, embora mais intensas do que as observadas anteriormente, e se caracterizaram sobretudo pelas modificacoes das organelas citoplasmaticas, explicando o frequente encontro de celulas claras a microscopia optica. A identificacao de alguns granulomas a microscopia eletronica permitiu verificar que estes mostram, no exsudato, granulocitos eosinofilos, macrofagos, plasmocitos, celulas epitelioides e mastocitos. Entre as celulas havia material amorfo e finos feixes de colageno