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J Assoc Physicians India 2019 Jan;67(1):81-82

Director, Institute of Digestive Disease and Hepatobiliary Sciences, Medanta-The Medicity Gurgaon, Haryana.

J Public Health Policy 2019 Mar 29. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Department of General Surgery, SKIMS Medical College Bemina, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

We assessed the level of regular, periodic deworming and awareness of National Deworming Day in the local population in the endemic region of Kashmir by conducting a cross-sectional survey in the local population of patients (or their attendants for patients 18 years of age or younger) who visited the hospital as outpatients or were admitted as inpatients. The study team presented questionnaires with simple questions about deworming and child immunization to 1150 participants, noted responses, and then compiled the data. We found that the level of regular deworming was very low: only 3. Read More

Z Gastroenterol 2019 Mar 12;57(3):327-334. Epub 2019 Mar 12.

Department of Ultrasound, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Parasitäre Erkrankungen werden in Europa relativ selten diagnostiziert und behandelt. Somit sind auch klinische Besonderheiten und bildgebende Merkmale weniger bekannt. In den heutigen Zeiten von Migration und weltweiter Flüchtlingsströme ist die Kenntnis parasitärer Infektionen zunehmend von Bedeutung. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019 02 15;13(2):e0006591. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.

Background: Mass drug administration (MDA), targeted at school-aged children (SAC) is the method recommended by the World Health Organization for the control of morbidity induced by soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection in endemic countries. However, MDA does not prevent reinfection between treatment rounds and research suggests that only treating SAC will not be sufficient to bring prevalence to low levels and possibly interrupt transmission of STH. In countries with endemic infection, such as Myanmar, the coverage, who is targeted, and rates of reinfection will determine how effective MDA is in suppressing transmission in the long-term. Read More

Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019 Jan 30. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Department of General Surgery, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore.

Parasitol Res 2019 Mar 31;118(3):873-880. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100, Sassari, Italy.

Toxocara canis is one of the most common intestinal parasites in dogs and represents a highly infectious zoonotic parasite worldwide. Adult worms live in the bowel of dogs, and infections in puppies are commonly acquired transplacentally. The biology of the parasite and the commonly used diagnostic method, based on faecal examination, often prevent an early diagnosis of toxocariasis in puppies. Read More

Turk J Surg 2018 Jan 3;34(4):306-310. Epub 2018 Jan 3.

Department of Pediatric Surgery, Afyon Kocatepe University School of Medicine, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey.

Objective: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography may be useful in the diagnosis and management of biliary system parasites.

Material And Methods: Investigators retrospectively evaluated patients with biliary system parasites who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography procedures over an eight-year period. We collected data regarding patient demographics, clinical features, and parasite type. Read More

Bol Med Hosp Infant Mex 2019 ;76(1):18-26

Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta GA, USA.

Background: The state of Chiapas has held the first place of extreme poverty in Mexico. The majority of Chiapas' municipalities are inhabited by marginalized, indigenous populations, who usually present diarrhea of unknown etiology. We evaluated the nutritional status, intestinal parasites, and common bacterial pathogens, including DEC (diarrheagenic Escherichia coli) strains, in 178 children under five years of age with a high (rural) and a moderate (urban) degree of marginalization. Read More

Case Rep Gastrointest Med 2018 10;2018:5831257. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Gastroenterology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Aleppo University Hospital, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria.

Background: is the most common parasitic infection in human. The worm is usually located in the small intestine, but may invade into the pancreatic or biliary tree, but rarely into gallbladder because of the anatomic features of the cystic duct.

Case Presentation: We report a case of gallbladder ascariasis that was diagnosed incidentally in a 70-year-old man, with negative ova and parasite test and no eosinophilia. Read More

Exp Parasitol 2019 Feb 22;197:9-15. Epub 2018 Dec 22.

Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.

Serodiagnosis of human anisakidosis is presently hampered by the current lack of standardised serological assays that allow sensitive and specific detection of Anisakidae-specific antibodies in human patients. In the present study, we comparatively evaluated the diagnostic value (by IgG-ELISA) of excretory-secretory antigens (ESAgs) of Anisakis simplex, Pseudoterranova decipiens and Contracaecum osculatum, representing the most frequently found genera responsible for human infection. In addition, we tested also a mix of the three ES preparations (Mix-ESAgs) as well as two recombinant allergens of A. Read More

Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen 2018 12 30;138(20). Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Med Ultrason 2018 Dec;20(4):413-419

Medizinische Klinik 2, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Bad Mergentheim, Germany.

Ascariasis debris of the gallbladder is a very rare incidental or symptomatic presentation. Ascaris debris has a pseudotumorous appearance and may be confused with neoplasia. The aim of the current retrospective study is to investigate the value of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for the differential diagnosis of ascariasis debris and neoplasia of the gallbladder. Read More

Abdom Radiol (NY) 2019 Mar;44(3):1193-1194

Diagnostic Radiology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 11, Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore, 308433, Singapore.

Front Immunol 2018 9;9:2535. Epub 2018 Nov 9.

Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Human ascariasis has a global and cosmopolitan distribution, and has been characterized as the most prevalent neglected tropical disease worldwide. The development of a preventive vaccine is highly desirable to complement current measures required for this parasitic infection control and to reduce chronic childhood morbidities. In the present study, we describe the mechanism of protection elicited by a preventive vaccine against ascariasis. Read More

Z Gastroenterol 2018 Dec 22;56(12):1513-1520. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Department of Ultrasound, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China.

Parasitic diseases are relatively rarely diagnosed and treated in Europe. Therefore, European clinicians are not familiar with their clinical and imaging features. In an era of increased human migration, it is fundamental for clinicians to be able to identify such diseases. Read More

Wiad Lek 2018;71(7):1250-1253

State Higher Education Institution "Ternopil State Medical University By I. Horbachevsky Of Ministry Of Health Of Ukraine", Ternopil, Ukraine.

Objective: Inroduction: The urgency of the problem of chronic pancreatitis is increasing due to the fact that in 70.0% - 90.0% of cases of diseases of the digestive system are accompanied by pathology of other organs and systems, also including helminthiasis, especially ascariasis. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 11 12;12(11):e0006954. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Campus Coupure, Ghent, Belgium.

Background: Mass anthelmintic drug administration is recommended in developing countries to address infection by soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH). We quantified the public health benefit of treatment with mebendazole in eight million Vietnamese children aged 5-14 years from 2006 to 2011. This was compared to the environmental impact of the pharmaceutical supply chain of mebendazole, as the resource use and emissions associated with pharmaceutical production can be associated with a public health burden, e. Read More

Trop Med Int Health 2019 Feb 29;24(2):185-191. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.

Objective: To determine the frequency of therapeutic failure among patients with acute and subacute brucellosis and to explore the predictors of failure.

Methods: The study included 213 consecutive, naïve patients with acute and subacute brucellosis. All participants underwent clinical evaluation, chest radiography, stool microscopic examination and interferon-gamma release assay. Read More

Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018 16;8:367. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Immunology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018. Read More

Oxf Med Case Reports 2018 Nov 10;2018(11):omy088. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

Department of Radiology, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Nethermayne, Basildon, UK.

Biliary ascariasis is a tropical infectious disease, endemic in regions such as the Far East, Indian subcontinent and parts of the Middle East. The responsible organism is the worm. This case study presents a 54-year-old British Caucasian female patient, admitted with a 1-week history of generalized abdominal pain. Read More

Parasite Immunol 2018 Oct 8:e12595. Epub 2018 Oct 8.

Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, Colombia.

Ascariasis is the most frequent soil transmitted helminthiasis and, as well as other helminth infections, is expected to influence the clinical presentation of allergic diseases such as asthma. Indeed, several clinical and experimental works have shown an important impact either increasing or suppressing symptoms, and the same effects have been detected on the underlying immune responses. In this review we analyze the work on this field performed in Colombia, a Latin American tropical country, including aspects such as the molecular genetics of the IgE response to Ascaris; the allergenic activity of Ascaris IgE-binding molecular components and the immunological and clinical influences of ascariasis on asthma. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 Oct 3;11(1):535. Epub 2018 Oct 3.

Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, QLD, South Brisbane, Australia.

Background: Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are highly prevalent in the Philippines. Mapping the prevalence and high-intensity of STH co-infections can help guide targeted intervention programmes to reduce morbidity, especially among vulnerable school-aged children. In this study, we aimed to predict the spatial distribution of the prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura co-infection and infection intensity classes in the Philippines to identify populations most in need of interventions. Read More

PLoS One 2018 25;13(9):e0204259. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Leishmaniasis Research Laboratory, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: Intestinal parasite infections are major public health problems in resource-limited countries that adversely affect the well-being of millions. Among these, intestinal schistosomiasis is a serious public health problem in tropical and sub-tropical countries.

Methods: A Community based cross sectional study was conducted from February to April 2017 in Addiremets town, Ethiopia. Read More

Infect Immun 2018 12 20;86(12). Epub 2018 Nov 20.

Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.

(roundworm) is the most common helminth infection globally and a cause of lifelong morbidity that may include allergic airway disease, an asthma phenotype. We hypothesize that larval migration through the lungs leads to persistent airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and type 2 inflammatory lung pathology despite resolution of infection that resembles allergic airway disease. Mice were infected with by oral gavage. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 09 17;12(9):e0006766. Epub 2018 Sep 17.

Departament of Parasitology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Ascaris lumbricoides and Necator americanus are soil-transmitted parasites with global geographic distribution, and they represent some of the most common and neglected infections in the world. Periodic treatment with mass drug administration (MDA) in endemic areas is the recommended action put forth by the World Health Organization. However, MDA can cause the selection of subpopulations that possess the genetic ability to overcome the mechanism of drug action. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 09 10;12(9):e0006723. Epub 2018 Sep 10.

Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.

Background: Laboratory-based studies have highlighted that pooling stool and urine samples can reduce costs and diagnostic burden without a negative impact on the ability to estimate the intensity of soil-transmitted helminth (STH, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworms) and schistosome infections (Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium). In this study, we compare individual and pooled stool examination strategies in a programmatic setting. Read More

Trop Med Int Health 2018 11 10;23(11):1242-1250. Epub 2018 Sep 10.

Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Objective: Environmental Enteric Dysfunction (EED) can be assessed by faecal biomarkers such as Myeloperoxidase (MPO), Neopterin (NEO) and Alpha-1 anti-trypsin (AAT). We aimed to test the association of intestinal pathogens with faecal markers of EED among slum-dwelling children in first 2 years of life.

Methods: The MAL-ED birth cohort data of Bangladesh site were used to conduct this analysis. Read More

Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018 7;8:271. Epub 2018 Aug 7.

Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Immunology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Ascariasis is a widespread soil-transmitted helminth infection caused by the intestinal roundworm in humans, and the closely related in pigs. Progress has been made in understanding interactions between helminths and host immune cells, but less is known concerning the interactions of parasitic nematodes and the host microbiota. As the host microbiota represents the direct environment for intestinal helminths and thus a considerable challenge, we studied nematode products, including excretory-secretory products (ESP) and body fluid (BF), of to determine their antimicrobial activities. Read More

Parasitol Res 2018 Nov 17;117(11):3507-3517. Epub 2018 Aug 17.

Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand.

Infections due to soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), i.e. Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, hookworms, and Strongyloides stercoralis, are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas in which approximately 1. Read More

Dig Liver Dis 2019 01 23;51(1):167. Epub 2018 Jul 23.

Department of Coloproctology, Yang Hospital, Namyangju, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

Endoscopy 2018 10 10;50(10):E292-E293. Epub 2018 Aug 10.

Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Hyderabad, India.

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2018 11 7;18(11):638-640. Epub 2018 Aug 7.

1 Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University , Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

An 8-year-old male from south Louisiana was diagnosed with Loeffler syndrome of suspected Ascaris origin. Further investigation of the farm recovered larvated, infective Ascaris eggs from the soil in drains surrounding pens on the family's small hog farm. Molecular analysis of the recovered eggs, in conjunction with Ascaris-specific IgE, inadequate farm management and sanitation, and behavioral risk factors indicate the patient had an Ascaris suum soil-transmitted infection. Read More

Iran J Med Sci 2018 Jul;43(4):432-435

Department of Pediatrics, CSI Kalyani Multispeciality Hospital, Mylapore, Chennai, India.

Ascariasis is a common worm infestation in developing and under-developed countries. It is caused by the ingestion of food contaminated with Ascaris eggs from faeces and is more common in places with poor sanitation. Almost 25% of the world population is infested by Ascaris lumbricoides. Read More

Acta Trop 2018 Nov 21;187:1-4. Epub 2018 Jul 21.

Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, Colombia; Foundation for the Development of Medical and Biological Sciences (Fundemeb), Cartagena, Colombia. Electronic address:

Several studies, in different populations and environments, have shown that severe and light helminthiases diminish and increase allergy symptoms, respectively. However, data on the simultaneous presence of these contrary effects in a single community is lacking. In a rural community from Colombia, effects of helminthiases on allergy were evaluated. Read More

Gut Microbes 2018 19;9(5):422-436. Epub 2018 Jul 19.

a United States Department of Agriculture , Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Diet Genomics and Immunology Laboratory , Beltsville , MD.

An evaluation of a localized intestinal allergic type-2 response concomitant with consumption of probiotic bacteria is not well documented. This study investigated the effect of feeding probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subspecies lactis (Bb12) or a placebo in weaned pigs that were also inoculated with Ascaris suum (A. suum) eggs to induce a strong Th2-dependent allergic type 2 immune response. Read More

Emerg Infect Dis 2018 08;24(8):1551-1554

We examined human stool samples from Liberia for soil-transmitted helminth ova by Kato-Katz smear and by quantitative PCR. Twenty-five samples were positive for Trichuris trichiura by smear but negative by quantitative PCR. Reexamination of samples showed that they contained Capillaria eggs that resemble T. Read More

Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2018 12 2;8(3):372-378. Epub 2018 Jul 2.

Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.

Soil-transmitted helminths infect 1.5 billion people worldwide. Treatment with anthelminthics is the key intervention but interactions between anthelminthic agents and the gut microbiota have not yet been studied. Read More

Korean J Parasitol 2018 Jun 30;56(3):291-294. Epub 2018 Jun 30.

Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea.

Soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) are now no longer public health problems in the Republic of Korea (South Korea), but their status are unavailable in the residents of North Korea (NK) despite the expectation of large scale traffic and future reunification of the Korean Peninsula. A total of 20 female refugees from NK who had been admitted to the Division of Gastroenterology, Dankook University Hospital, were subjected in this study. Among them, 15 refugees were examined by the colonoscopy and 10 ones were examined with the stool examination (formalin-ether sedimentation). Read More

Parasite Epidemiol Control 2018 Aug 30;3(3):e00071. Epub 2018 Apr 30.

Kintampo Health Research Centre, P O Box 200, Kintampo, Brong Ahafo, Ghana.

Background: Helminths are among the most widespread infectious agents prevalent in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the developing world defined by inadequate sanitation, poverty and unsafe water sources. This study was carried out to describe the distribution of helminth and malaria parasite infections in the middle-belt of Ghana in sub-Saharan Africa where disease burden, including anaemia is rife and helminths are perceived to be significant contributors of the burden.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey involving 1826 residents located in the middle belt of Ghana where no or very little previous community-based helminth work had been carried out. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 Jun 28;11(1):373. Epub 2018 Jun 28.

Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, 62 Mills Rd, Canberra, 2601, ACT, Australia.

Background: Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) including Ascaris lumbricoides, Necator americanus, Ancylostoma spp. and Trichuris trichiura are cause of significant global morbidity. To mitigate their disease burden, at-risk groups in endemic regions receive periodic mass drug administration using anthelmintics, most commonly albendazole and mebendazole. Read More

Case Rep Gastroenterol 2018 May-Aug;12(2):224-229. Epub 2018 May 31.

Department of Medicine, Henry J. Carter Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility, New York, New York, USA.

Intestinal parasitic infections are a major public health issue across the world and particularly in rural and urban areas of tropical and subtropical countries. Those at increased risk include inhabitants of poor and disadvantaged regions, which are more likely to have inadequate environmental sanitation, insufficient water supply, greater contact rates with reservoirs of infection, limited health literacy, and socioeconomic disparities. Of the intestinal nematodes (roundworms) that parasitize the human gastrointestinal tract, is the largest in terms of size. Read More

VideoGIE 2017 Jul 6;2(7):179-181. Epub 2017 May 6.

Department of Gastroenterology, Jaswant Rai Speciality Hospital, Saket, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.

J Spec Oper Med Summer 2018;18(2):115-116

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 06 4;12(6):e0006562. Epub 2018 Jun 4.

Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel Switzerland.

Background: Over one billion people are infected with soil-transmitted helminths (STH), i.e. Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm and Trichuris trichiura. Read More

Parasitol Res 2018 Aug 2;117(8):2427-2436. Epub 2018 Jun 2.

Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Research and Diagnostic Center for Emerging Infectious Disease, Mekong Health Science Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.

Ascaris lumbricoides is the largest roundworm known from the human intestine while Ascaris suum is an internal parasite of pigs. Ascariasis, caused by Ascaris lumbricoides, has a worldwide distribution. Here, we have provided the first molecular identification of Ascaris eggs and adults recovered from humans and pigs in Thailand, Lao PDR, and Myanmar. Read More

Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2018 08 18;8(2):329-330. Epub 2018 May 18.

Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany.

A recent publication by Levecke et al. (Int. J. Read More

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2018 04;112(4):193-199

College of Medicine & Dentistry, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia.

Background: There is a deficiency in up-to-date soil-transmitted helminth (STH) prevalence data for many regions, including Oceania. This study investigated the prevalence of STH in two closely associated coral atoll communities in East Kwaio, Solomon Islands, reflective of many similar island communities throughout the Oceania region.

Methods: An STH survey, using the Kato-Katz technique, was conducted on human subjects living on two coral atolls in the Eastern Solomon Islands. Read More

Wiad Lek 2018;71(3 pt 2):674-677

Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Lviv, Ukraine, Lviv Municipal Centre For Family Planning And Human Reproduction, Lviv, Ukraine.

Objective: The aim: The purpose of this study is to analyze the frequency and structure of parasitic lesion in women with reproductive health disorders.

Patients And Methods: Materials and methods: The immune-enzyme method tested immunoglobulins IgG to ascaris, lamblia, toxocara. Determination of the presence of pinworm eggs (sticky tape and perianal scrape method) and ascarid (methods of K. Read More

J Immunol 2018 Jul 11;201(1):124-133. Epub 2018 May 11.

Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.

Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, determine immune cell phenotype. To understand the epigenetic alterations induced by helminth coinfections, we evaluated the longitudinal effect of ascariasis and schistosomiasis infection on CD4 T cell DNA methylation and the downstream tuberculosis (TB)-specific and bacillus Calmette-Guérin-induced immune phenotype. All experiments were performed on human primary immune cells from a longitudinal cohort of recently TB-exposed children. Read More