Post-splenectomy infections in chronic schistosomiasis as a consequence of bacterial translocation

INTRODUCTION : Bacterial translocation is the invasion of indigenous intestinal bacteria through the gut mucosa to normally sterile tissues and internal organs. Schistosomiasis may cause alterations in the immune system and damage to the intestines, portal system and mesenteric lymph nodes. This study investigated bacterial translocation and alterations in the intestinal microbiota and mucosa in schistosomiasis and splenectomized mice. METHODS : Forty female 35-day-old Swiss Webster mice were divided into the following four groups with 10 animals each: schistosomotic (ESF), splenectomized schistosomotic (ESEF), splenectomized (EF) and control (CF). Infection was achieved by introduction of 50 Schistosoma mansoni (SLM) cercariae through the skin. At 125 days after birth, half of the parasitized and unparasitized mice were subjected to splenectomy. Body weights were recorded for one week after splenectomy; then, the mice were euthanized to study bacterial translocation, microbiota composition and intestinal morphometry. RESULTS : We observed significant reductions in the weight increases in the EF, ESF and ESEF groups. There were increases of at least 1,000 CFU of intestinal microbiota bacteria in these groups compared with the CF. The EF, ESF and ESEF mice showed decreases in the heights and areas of villi and the total villus areas (perimeter). We observed frequent co-infections with various bacterial genera. CONCLUSIONS : The ESEF mice showed a higher degree of sepsis. This finding may be associated with a reduction in the immune response associated with the absence of the spleen and a reduction in nutritional absorption strengthened by both of these factors (Schistosoma infection and splenectomy). .

Studies on patients with Schistosomiasis mansoni, HCV and/or typhoid fever

This study was carried out on two groups of patients: The first one included 50 Schistosomiasis mansoni patients [30 with simple infection, ten with splenomegaly and ten with ascites] and the second group included 111 patients of whom 20 with pure S. Manson, 27 with pure HCV infection, 54 with mixed infection of schistosomiasis and HCV and ten with schistosomiasis, HCV and typhoid fever. Serum transaminases and anti-HCV antibodies performed showed anti-HCV raised levels in 10% of simple schistosomiasis, 60% in splenomegalic patients, 80% in ascites patients and 7.1% in the controls. Liver function tests in the first group were within the normal range except in those with ascites. In the second group, liver function tests were normal in pure schistosomiasis patients. In pure HCV patients, serum bilirubin was normal in 22.2% and AST, AET and alkaline phosphatase were higher. In mixed infection; serum bilirubin was normal in 18.5%, serum transaminases were higher and alkaline phosphatase was normal among 77.7%. Patients with typhoid fever, HCV and schistosomiasis showed a significant increase of liver function as compared with each of pure HCV or HCV and schistosomiasis

Rapid characterization of S. mansoni expression library clones of potential interest

Uma biblioteca de expressao de cDNA de verme adulto de S. mansoni foi selecionada utilizando-se soros de macacos babuinos em fase inicial da infeccao. Os clones que reagiram positivamente com os soros de infeccao recente foram examinados quanto a reatividade contra soros normais e soros de infeccao heterologa. Com a finalidade de se conseguir melhor discriminacao entre reatividade positiva com o anticorpo especifico e aquela devido aos anticorpos anti-E. coli residuais, um clone de cDNA nao relacionado ao S. mansoni foi plaqueado em mistura com o clone positivo. O plano de fundo negativo proporcionado pelo clone nao relacionado forneceu o contraste necessario para discriminar a reacao positiva especifica...

Pneumonte intersticial por esquistossomose mansônica / Interstitial peneumonitis caused by Schistosoma mansoni

Os autores relatam um caso de pneumonite intersticial difusa, crônica, por Schistosoma mansoni, cujo diagnóstico etiológico só foi elucidado através de biópsia pulmonar a céu aberto, uma vez que os examos pré-operatórios de investigaçao nao foram sugestivos de helmintíase. Ressalta-se a raridade do caso devido à presença de hipertensao pulmonar sem o estabelecimento clínico (normalmente prévio e detectável) de hipertensao portal. Faz-se, por fim, uma revisao dos aspectos clínico-evolutivos, diagnósticos e terapêuticos da doença esquistossomótica a nível pulmonar.

Abscesso piogênico do fígado e esquistossomose mansônica: observaçöes no Estado do Espírito Santo / Liver pyogenic abscess and schistosomiasis mansonic: observations in the State of Espírito Santo

A possible association of the acute toxemic form of schistosomiasis and pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) has been recently suggested. As in the west of the Espírito Santo state schistosomiasis is endemic and PLA are frequently diagnosed in the Children's Hospital of Vitória we reviewed the records of the Hospital during the period from May 1991 to April 1993 to: a) identify all cases of PLA in which Schistosoma mansoni infection was present and b) annotate the procedence of each case to verify if there is an association of the two diseases. 65 cases of PLA were recorded and 39 had the result of a stool examination, being three positive for Schistosoma mansoni (7.6 per cent) and 26 for other helminth (mainly Ascaris and Trichocephalus). The procedence of the patients showed that only 7 (10.7 per cent) came from endemic areas. These results show that an association of Schistosoma mansoni infection and PLA was not significative in the country, where the acute toxemic form is not frequent. The great majority of PLA in this study came from the urban periphery of Vitória, where transmission of schistosomiasis does not occur but intestinal helminth infections are extremely frequent. The great majority of PLA in this study came from the urban periphery of Vitória, where transmission of schistosomiasis does not occur but intestinal helminth infections are extremely frequent. As 40 per cent of these PLA were cryptogenetic it is possible that the immunomodulation induced by intestinal parasites and the liver granulomas produced by the larvae of these helminths would be predisposing factors for pyogenic liver abscess.

Mielopatia por esquistossomose mansônica em crianças / Myelopathy due to schistosomiasis mansoni in children

Trata-se de relato clínico de seis crianças (quatro meninos e duas meninas) que apresentaram uma mielorradiculopatia aguda devido a infecção pelo S. mansoni. As idades variaram entre 21 meses e 10 anos. Três apresentaram a forma hepatoesplênica e três a forma intestinal da esquistossomose. Ovos de S. mansoni estavam presentes nas fezes de cinco casos. Testes imunológicos foram realizados no LCR em cinco casos com resultados positivos em apenas dois. Eosinorraquia (1 a 25 por cento) estava presente em cinco casos. Os níveis de proteínas variaram de 63 a 350 mg por cento. Gama-globulinas foram dosadas em três casos estando elevadas em dois. Todas as crianças não podiam andar uma semana após o início dos sintomas. Sinais radiculares estavam presentes em quatro casos. Distúrbios de sensibilidade e dos enfíncteres estavam presentes em três casos. Todos os pacientes foram tratados com oxaminiquine e cinco receberam corticosteróides. Em cinco casos os sintomas neurológicos regrediram completamente entre 20 dias e 10 meses. Em um caso a paraplegia permaneceu inalterada 45 dias após o início da doença. O diagnóstico de esquistossomose espinal baseia-se em dados clínicos, epidemiológicos e laboratoriais, bem como na resposta ao tratamento. Testes imunológicos têm boa especificidade mas pouca sensibilidade