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Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov 2020 Jul 5. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Hong Kong Children's Hospital. Hong Kong.

Background: Ascaris lumbricoides is the most common helminthic infection. More than 1.2 billion people have ascariasis worldwide. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020 Jul 2;14(7):e0008296. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

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

World Health Organization (WHO) has defined moderate-to-heavy intensity (M&HI) infections with soil-transmitted helminths (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and the two hookworms, Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus) based on specific values of eggs per gram of stool, as measured by the Kato-Katz method. There are a variety of novel microscopy and DNA-based methods but it remains unclear whether applying current WHO thresholds on to these methods allows for a reliable classification of M&HI infections. We evaluated both WHO and method-specific thresholds for classifying the M&HI infections for novel microscopic (FECPAKG2, McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC) and DNA-based (qPCR) diagnostic methods. Read More

J Infect Dev Ctries 2020 Jun 29;14(6.1):58S-65S. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.

Introduction: Intestinal parasites have an insidious impact on human health. In response to high parasite frequencies in Northwest Ethiopia, mass drug administration (MDA) is provided for school children using albendazole/mebendazole (since 2007) and praziquantel (since 2015). The study objective was to assess trends and seasonal patterns of intestinal parasite infections in a context of MDA. Read More

Pediatric Health Med Ther 2020 8;11:161-169. Epub 2020 Jun 8.

Department of Nursing, College of Health Science, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.

Background: Intestinal parasites (IP) are a major public health problem in several developing countries. It accounts for 1.5 billion infections with one or more intestinal parasitic agents. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020 Jun 22. Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Department of Infection and Host Defense, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.

We reported 865 cases of soil-transmitted nematodiasis occurring in Japan during 2000-2017. The predominant nematode was ( = 279, 32.3% of all cases), and other species included (30. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020 Jun 22. Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Department of Microbiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi.

Some recent studies suggest ongoing transmission of parasitic diseases in the American South; however, surveys in Mississippi children are lacking. We enrolled 166 children (median age 8 years, range 4-13 years) from the Mississippi Delta region and carried out multi-parallel real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for , , and on their stool samples. Dried blood spots were obtained for multiplex serology antibody detection. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2020 Jun 24;13(1):324. Epub 2020 Jun 24.

Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK.

Background: The most commonly used diagnostic tool for soil-transmitted helminths (STH) is the Kato-Katz (KK) thick smear technique. However, numerous studies have suggested that the sensitivity of KK can be problematic, especially in low prevalence and low intensity settings. An emerging alternative is quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020 Jun 23;14(6):e0008322. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development, Montpellier, France.

Background: The World Health Organization now recommends semiannual mass drug administration (MDA) of albendazole with integrated vector management as an option for eliminating lymphatic filariasis (LF) in areas of loiasis-endemic countries where it may not be safe to use diethylcarbamazine or ivermectin in MDA programs. However, the published evidence base to support this policy is thin, and uptake by national programs has been slow.

Methodology/principal Findings: We conducted a community trial to assess the impact of semiannual MDA on lymphatic filariasis and soil-transmitted helminth infections (STH) in two villages in the Bandundu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with moderately high prevalences for LF and hookworm infections. Read More

Oman Med J 2020 May 8;35(3):e128. Epub 2020 Jun 8.

Medical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE.

Objectives: Consuming raw vegetables presents a considerable risk to the public and is the chief mode of transmission of intestinal parasites. We sought to assess the degree of parasitic contaminations on selected vegetables in the UAE.

Methods: A total of 218 fresh vegetable samples were collected randomly from different farms and local supermarkets between February 2017 and January 2018. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020 Jun 16;14(6):e0008231. Epub 2020 Jun 16.

Laboratory of Parasitology, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.

Background: Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are increasingly being used as diagnostic tools for soil-transmitted helminths (STHs; Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Necator americanus, Ancylostoma duodenale and A. ceylanicum), Strongyloides stercoralis and Schistosoma in human stool. Currently, there is a large diversity of NAATs being applied, but an external quality assessment scheme (EQAS) for these diagnostics is lacking. Read More

Acta Trop 2020 Jun 4;209:105575. Epub 2020 Jun 4.

Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia; Center for Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Electronic address:

Strongyloides stercoralis is a parasitic worm that is of considerable clinical relevance. Indeed, it may persist asymptomatically for many years, but can lead to potentially fatal dissemination when the host's immune status is impaired. As commonly employed stool microscopy techniques (e. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020 Jun 4;14(6):e0008315. Epub 2020 Jun 4.

National Center for Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.

Background: Soil transmitted helminths are highly prevalent worldwide. Globally, approximately 1.5 billion people are infected with Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura or hookworm. Read More

J Surg Case Rep 2020 May 26;2020(5):rjaa096. Epub 2020 May 26.

Department of pathology, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Moshi, Tanzania.

Mass deworming against soil-transmitted helminthiasis, including (AL), is one of the largest public health interventions in low- and middle-income countries. The prevalence of in Tanzania is 6.8%. Read More

Nat Rev Dis Primers 2020 May 28;6(1):44. Epub 2020 May 28.

Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK.

Trichuriasis and ascariasis are neglected tropical diseases caused by the gastrointestinal dwelling nematodes Trichuris trichiura (a whipworm) and Ascaris lumbricoides (a roundworm), respectively. Both parasites are staggeringly prevalent, particularly in tropical and subtropical areas, and are associated with substantial morbidity. Infection is initiated by ingestion of infective eggs, which hatch in the intestine. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020 May 26;14(5):e0008187. Epub 2020 May 26.

IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Center for Tropical Diseases, Negrar, Verona, Italy.

Loiasis, caused by the filarial nematode Loa loa, is endemic in Central and West Africa where about 10 million people are infected. There is a scarcity of convenient, commercial diagnostics for L. loa. Read More

Genome Biol 2020 May 25;21(1):122. Epub 2020 May 25.

Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.

Background: African populations provide a unique opportunity to interrogate host-microbe co-evolution and its impact on adaptive phenotypes due to their genomic, phenotypic, and cultural diversity. We integrate gut microbiome 16S rRNA amplicon and shotgun metagenomic sequence data with quantification of pathogen burden and measures of immune parameters for 575 ethnically diverse Africans from Cameroon. Subjects followed pastoralist, agropastoralist, and hunter-gatherer lifestyles and were compared to an urban US population from Philadelphia. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020 May 18. Epub 2020 May 18.

Institut für Tropenmedizin, Eberhad Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infection highly prevalent in Central Africa where it is co-endemic with many other parasitic infections, including soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). For its optimal control, there is a need of descriptive epidemiological data for each endemic region. The objective of the present study was to determine the epidemiological situation around schistosomiasis in Lambaréné, Gabon. Read More

Front Immunol 2020 28;11:756. Epub 2020 Apr 28.

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

Background: Epigenetic changes in response to allergen exposure are still not well understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate histone acetylation levels in peripheral blood leukocytes from humans naturally infected by intestinal parasites and perennially exposed to house dust mites (HDM).

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated by gradient centrifugation from 20 infected and 21 non-infected individuals living in a rural/village in Colombia. Read More

Korean J Parasitol 2020 Apr 30;58(2):195-200. Epub 2020 Apr 30.

Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Korea Association of Health Promotion, Seoul 07649, Korea.

Soil-transmitted helminths, including Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura, are important intestinal parasites mostly affecting younger people in developing countries. In 2014-2015, we performed mass fecal examinations targeting a total of 2,227 schoolchildren in 3 districts (South Dagon, North Dagon, and Hlaing-thar-yar) of Yangon Region, Myanmar, using the Kato-Katz thick smear technique. The egg positive children were subjected to a mass drug administration (MDA) using a single oral dose of 400 mg albendazole. Read More

Korean J Parasitol 2020 Apr 30;58(2):109-119. Epub 2020 Apr 30.

Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea.

Soil-transmitted helminths and Schistosoma haematobium affect more than 3 billion people globally and mainly occur in sub-Saharan Africa. The present study assessed the overall infection status of a 1716-student cohort of school-children in Zanzibar and applied mass drug administration (MDA) to the cohort from 2007 to 2009. Schools in Pemba, Zanzibar, had a much higher prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections than those in Unguja, and the Chaani, Ghana, and Machui schools of Unguja exhibited high S. Read More

J Parasitol Res 2020 29;2020:2521750. Epub 2020 Jan 29.

Debre Tabor University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.

Background: In Ethiopia, 25.3 and 12.3 million school-age children are living in soil-transmitted helminth and schistosomiasis endemic areas, respectively. Read More

Interdiscip Perspect Infect Dis 2020 17;2020:9321348. Epub 2020 Jan 17.

School of Health Science, Madda Walabu University, P.O. Box 302, Bale-Robe, Ethiopia.

Background: Intestinal parasitic infection is one of the major health problems globally. It is more common in developing countries including Ethiopia. So, adequate evidence is needed regarding the predictors of intestinal parasitic infection. Read More

BMC Public Health 2020 May 12;20(1):672. Epub 2020 May 12.

Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis & STH Control Program, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Road # 29, New DOHS, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Background: In 2016, after 8 years of twice-annual nationwide preventive chemotherapy (PC) administration to school-age children (SAC), the Bangladesh Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MOHFW) sought improved impact and intervention monitoring data to assess progress toward the newly adopted goal of eliminating soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) as a public health problem.

Methods: We surveyed four Bangladeshi districts between August and October 2017. We conducted a multi-stage, cluster-sample, household survey which produced equal-probability samples for preschool-age children (PSAC; 1-4 years), SAC (5-14 years), and adults (≥ 15 years). Read More

Parasite Immunol 2020 Jul 25;42(7):e12728. Epub 2020 May 25.

Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Helminth infection represents a major health problem causing approximately 5 million disability-adjusted life years worldwide. Concerns that repeated anti-helminthic treatment may lead to drug resistance render it important that vaccines are developed but will require increased understanding of the immune-mediated cellular and antibody responses to helminth infection. IL-4 or antibody-activated murine macrophages are known to immobilize parasitic nematode larvae, but few studies have addressed whether this is translatable to human macrophages. Read More

Acta Trop 2020 Jul 3;207:105516. Epub 2020 May 3.

Institute for Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany; Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Bundeswehr Hospital Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address:

Introduction: A test comparison of in-house and commercial real-time PCR (qPCR) kits for the detection of human parasites and microsporidia in stool samples was conducted without a gold standard. Three different commercial kits were included in the comparison, with a range of 3-15 different PCR targets, while 14 targets were covered by in-house testing, so not all 16 target pathogens were covered by all assays.

Methods: Residual materials from nucleic acid extractions of stool samples with very high likelihood of being colonized or infected by at least one enteric parasite species or microsporidia were tested. Read More

J Trop Med 2020 14;2020:4124808. Epub 2020 Apr 14.

Embakasi Medical Health Centre and Mukuru Health Centre, P.O. Box 30108-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.

Background: The burden of nematode infections is high mostly in children below 5 years old, with clinical manifestations ranging from mild to painful symptoms due to severe infections that end up suppressing the immune system of the infected children. The occurrence of these infections is highest in areas of extreme poverty. This study evaluated the intensity of nematode infections and assessed the status of deworming in children aged 3 to 5 years living in Mukuru slum settlement, Nairobi County, Kenya. Read More

Sci Rep 2020 Apr 29;10(1):7219. Epub 2020 Apr 29.

School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia.

Nematode eggs are pervasive pathogens that infect billions of people and livestock every year. Adult parasitic nematode worms can be distinguished based on their size and morphology. However, their eggs, particularly their species Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum cannot be identified from each other. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020 04 24;14(4):e0008087. Epub 2020 Apr 24.

Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America.

There is growing interest in local elimination of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection in endemic settings. In such settings, highly sensitive diagnostics are needed to detect STH infection. We compared double-slide Kato-Katz, the most commonly used copromicroscopic detection method, to multi-parallel quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in 2,799 stool samples from children aged 2-12 years in a setting in rural Bangladesh with predominantly low STH infection intensity. Read More

JNMA J Nepal Med Assoc 2019 Sep-Oct;57(219):371-372

Department of Internal Medicine, Dhulikhel Hospital, Dhulikhel, Kavre.

Ascariasis is a frequent human gastrointestinal tract helminthic disease caused by Ascaris lumbricoide. It usually stays in the intestinal lumen and occasionally migrates into the biliary tract through ampulla of Vater .Biliary ascariasis is a critical complication of intestinal ascariasis with life-threatening manifestations . Read More

Parasit Vectors 2020 Apr 20;13(1):203. Epub 2020 Apr 20.

Laboratory of Parasitology, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Salamanca (IRNASA-CSIC), C/Cordel de Merinas 40-52, 37008, Salamanca, Spain.

Background: Ascaris roundworms are the parasitic nematodes responsible for causing human and porcine ascariasis. Whereas A. lumbricoides is the most common soil-transmitted helminth infecting humans in the world, A. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2020 Apr 19;13(1):200. Epub 2020 Apr 19.

New England Biolabs, Inc, Ipswich, MA, USA.

Background: Approximately 30% of children worldwide are infected with gastrointestinal parasites. Depending on the species, parasites can disrupt intestinal bacterial microbiota affecting essential vitamin biosynthesis.

Methods: Stool samples were collected from 37 asymptomatic children from a previous cross-sectional Argentinian study. Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020 04 14;4:CD010599. Epub 2020 Apr 14.

Botucatu Medical School, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Department of Tropical Diseases and Imaging Diagnosis, Av. Prof. Montenegro, s/n, Distrito de Rubiao Jr, Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 18618-970.

Background: Ascaris lumbricoides is a common infection, and mainly affects children living in low-income areas. Water and sanitation improvement, health education, and drug treatment may help break the cycle of transmission, and effective drugs will reduce morbidity.

Objectives: To compare the efficacy and safety of anthelmintic drugs (albendazole, mebendazole, ivermectin) for treating people with Ascaris infection. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2020 11;2020:1083251. Epub 2020 Mar 11.

Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research into Tropical Medicine, UPO, PMB KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana.

Several intestinal parasites of baboons are of zoonotic importance, especially where there is considerable interaction between the baboons and humans. The identification of gastrointestinal parasite infections of baboons () was undertaken at the Shai Hills Reserve Resort, Ghana. A total of 51 faecal samples were collected randomly from individual baboons (51) and examined for cysts, eggs, and larvae of parasites of medical importance, using the direct saline smear and formol-ether concentration technique. Read More

Pathog Glob Health 2020 05 5;114(3):145-159. Epub 2020 Apr 5.

Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,142 Orang Ali schoolchildren in six states of Peninsular Malaysia to investigate the current prevalence and risk factors of STH infections. Faecal samples were examined using direct smear, formalin-ether sedimentation, Kato-Katz, and Harada-Mori methods. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect information on the demographic, socioeconomic, personal hygiene, and health status of the participants. Read More

Water Sci Technol 2019 Dec;80(12):2328-2337

Helminth eggs are among the most important biological contaminants in environmental engineering. They pose a significant health risk associated with poor sanitation, the use of contaminated water for irrigation, and the disposal of excreta or sludge to land. Helminths are parasitic worms transmitted to humans via their eggs, which is the infective stage of their life cycle. Read More

Int J Infect Dis 2020 Jun 30;95:115-117. Epub 2020 Mar 30.

Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Salvador-BA, Brazil. Electronic address:

Introduction: Biliary ascariasis, although uncommon, can lead to infectious complications and severe outcomes. This study reported three patients with biliary ascariasis and who were admitted to a paediatric hospital in Salvador, Brazil.

Case Reports: Case 1: A 1-year-old boy, with HIV, hospitalised with diarrhoea, fever, pain, and abdominal distension. Read More

J Parasitol Res 2020 13;2020:8681247. Epub 2020 Mar 13.

ONRS, Sasiga District Education Office, Ethiopia.

Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) have been major public health burdens in low-income countries like Ethiopia. Studies in different areas of Ethiopia have shown a high prevalence of IPIs in poor families. A similar study has not been conducted in Sasiga District given that the area is possibly at high-risk of IPIs due to the prevailing risk factors. Read More

Acta Trop 2020 Jul 26;207:105445. Epub 2020 Mar 26.

Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Dr. Francisco J. Triana-Alonso", (BIOMED-UC) Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Sede Aragua, Universidad de Carabobo, Av. Las Delicias, Maracay, PO Box: 2351, Aragua, Venezuela.

The objective of this study was to identify and treat carriers of adult Taenia solium present in two rural Venezuelan communities through examination of faecal samples by coproscopical analysis, and by the application of a polyclonal and a monoclonal (VP-1) coproantigen ELISA. Both the polyclonal and monoclonal ELISA's were negative when tested with soluble extracts of adults of Ascaris lumbricoides, Hymenolepis nana and Trichuris trichura. The polyclonal ELISA was positive for soluble extracts adults of T. Read More

Turkiye Parazitol Derg 2020 Mar;44(1):25-30

Sivas Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Tıbbi Parazitoloji Anabilim Dalı, Sivas, Türkiye

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of intestinal parasites in patients admitted to our hospital with gastrointestinal complaints in our city harboring sociocultural and economic changes, and to show the relationship between these parasites and variables such as age, sex and year.

Methods: The distribution of intestinal parasites in patients who suffered from gastrointestinal symptoms and were referred to our microbiology/parasitology laboratory from various clinics of the Sivas Cumhuriyet University Training and Research Hospital between January 2006 and December 2018 was determined. After macroscopic examination, 19,760 stool specimens were examined with Nativ-lugol, if necessary, flotation, sedimentation, trichrome and modified acid-fast, Certest Combo Card test Crypto + Giardia + Entamoeba (CerTest Biotec S. Read More

Kobe J Med Sci 2020 Feb 10;65(4):E118-E123. Epub 2020 Feb 10.

Department of Public Health, Faculty of Science and Technology, Rajabhat Rajanagarindra University, Chachoengsao, Thailand.

Cockroaches are the greatest potential mechanical vector of various pathogenic microorganisms. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and species type of human pathogenic parasite infestations on the external body surface of the cockroaches. A total of 450 cockroaches collected from three fresh markets were identified in three species belonging to Periplaneta americana, Periplaneta brunnea and Periplaneta australasiae. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020 Jun;102(6):1373-1375

Laboratory of Clinical Parasitology and Diagnostics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.

To determine whether the presence of is associated with other gastrointestinal parasite infections, stool samples from 95 Honduran rural children were analyzed using multi-parallel quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Kato-Katz. Combined results detected the following prevalence: , 71.6%; , 63. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2020 Mar 18;13(1):141. Epub 2020 Mar 18.

School of Medicine, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.

Background: Enteric parasites are transmitted in households but few studies have sampled inside households for parasites and none have used sensitive molecular methods.

Methods: We collected bed and living room dust samples from households of children participating in a clinical trial of anthelmintic treatment in rural coastal Ecuador. Dust was examined for presence of DNA specific for 11 enteric parasites (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Ancylostoma duodenale, Necator americanus, Strongyloides stercoralis, Toxocara canis and T. Read More

BMC Public Health 2020 Mar 18;20(1):356. Epub 2020 Mar 18.

Eastern & Southern Africa Centre of International Parasite Control (ESACIPAC), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Mbangathi road, P.O.Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya.

Background: Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and schistosomiasis continue to cause serious health problems among affected communities. To ensure that infection transmission levels are reduced, repeated mass drug administration at regular intervals has been recommended by World Health Organization. Pre-school age children (PSAC) have been neglected both in terms of research activities and in control programmes in the past for reasons that they carry insignificant infection levels. Read More

Zhongguo Xue Xi Chong Bing Fang Zhi Za Zhi 2019 Oct;32(1):83-86

Zhenjiang Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Province, Zhenjiang 212004, China.

Objective: To understand the epidemic trend of soil-transmitted nematodiasis in Zhenjiang City from 2006 to 2018, so as to provide evidence for formulating targeted control measures.

Methods: The permanent residents at ages of 3 years and greater and the immigrants who had lived in Zhenjiang City for more than one year were selected as the study subjects. Fecal samples were collected, and the soil-transmitted nematode eggs were detected in fecal samples with the modified Kato-Katz technique (three smears from one stool sample), while the children at ages of 12 years and lower were tested for eggs using the adhesive cellophane-tape perianal swab method. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2020 Mar 16;13(1):138. Epub 2020 Mar 16.

Malaria and Other Parasitic Diseases Division, Rwanda Biomedical Center, Ministry of Health, Kigali, Rwanda.

Background: Schistosomiasis and infection by soil-transmitted helminths are some of the world's most prevalent neglected tropical diseases. Infection by more than one parasite (co-infection) is common and can contribute to clinical morbidity in children. Geostatistical analyses of parasite infection data are key for developing mass drug administration strategies, yet most methods ignore co-infections when estimating risk. Read More

Vet Parasitol 2020 Mar 26;279:109062. Epub 2020 Feb 26.

School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum are parasitic nematodes that mainly parasitize the small intestines of people and pigs, respectively. Ascariasis seriously endangers human health and causes huge economic losses in the pig industry. A. Read More

Sci Rep 2020 Feb 28;10(1):3680. Epub 2020 Feb 28.

NeuroEcology Lab, Faculty of Psychology, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, México.

If you think you are in control of your behavior, think again. Evidence suggests that behavioral modifications, as development and persistence of depression, maybe the consequence of a complex network of communication between macro and micro-organisms capable of modifying the physiological axis of the host. Some parasites cause significant nutritional deficiencies for the host and impair the effectiveness of cognitive processes such as memory, teaching or non-verbal intelligence. Read More

Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin 2020 Jan;38 Suppl 1:24-31

Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, España. Electronic address:

Infections causes by parasites of the gastrointestinal tract are a global public health problem. In industrialised countries, their particular epidemiological (low general prevalence of enteroparasites), economic (high labour costs) and clinical characteristics (constant increase in the number of samples and diagnostic determinations to be performed) have led molecular techniques to progressively replace conventional microscopy as the first-line diagnostic method of these pathogens in modern clinical laboratories. PCR-based techniques, particularly those developed for the simultaneous detection of the various agents that can cause the same infectious disease (syndromic diagnosis), already represent a cost-effective option that allow process automisation, workflow optimisation, and comparison of results among different laboratories, and facilitate accreditation of diagnostic procedures. Read More

Microb Pathog 2020 Feb 23;142:104099. Epub 2020 Feb 23.

Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address:

There are numerous epidemiological and experimental evidences to suggest that Ascaris lumbricoides infection is a neglected risk factor for development of asthma. For this purpose, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis for better understanding of this relationship. Systematic searching (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar) was done, up to September 30, 2019 to identify the relevant studies. Read More