Parasitol Res 2017 May 15. Epub 2017 May 15.

Department of Parasitology, University of Vila Velha-ES, Vila Velha, ES, Brazil.

Strongyloidiasis is the most clinically important disease among the infections caused by geohelminths, seeing that this parasite can cause autoinfection. The use of nematophagous fungi like Duddingtonia flagrans, that have predation action on eggs and infecciososas forms of helminths, emerges as an alternative method for environmental control. For this reason, analyzing the viability of larvae and eggs of Strongyloides venezuelensis and the action of Duddingtonia flagrans AC001 in vermiculite, as well as the action of the nematophagous fungi in different growth stages, is important to elaborate and define the best culture conditions that favor the activity of the fungus. Read More

Parasitol Res 2017 May 12. Epub 2017 May 12.

Research and Diagnostic Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Mekong Health Science Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.

The parasitic nematodes, Strongyloides stercoralis and Strongyloides fuelleborni, can infect humans and non-human primates. We amplified and sequenced a portion of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene (rRNA) and of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene of Strongyloides from humans in the study area in Thailand, where people have frequent contact with long-tailed macaques. Fresh stool samples were obtained from 213 people and were examined using the agar plate culture method. Read More

Parasitol Res 2017 May 10. Epub 2017 May 10.

Centre for Tropical Diseases, Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Via Sempreboni 5, 37024, Negrar, Verona, Italy.

Strongyloides stercoralis can cause severe infection both in humans and dogs. Coproparasitological examination has low sensitivity for the diagnosis of this parasite; hence, different diagnostic techniques have been implemented. However, serology and molecular methods have been assessed almost exclusively in humans. Read More

Clin Med Insights Case Rep 2017 8;10:1179547616684828. Epub 2017 Feb 8.

Internal Medicine Residency, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Brighton, MA, USA.

Chronic strongyloidiasis is an infection of the tropical regions, caused by the nematode Strongyloides stercoralis. In the United States, patients are typically immigrants. The very long asymptomatic phase followed by the clinical presentation of the disease mimics asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as in this case report. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2017 May 2;17(1):320. Epub 2017 May 2.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory, and Digestive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0215, Japan.

Background: Strongyloidiasis is a chronic parasitic infection caused by Strongyloides stercoralis. Severe cases such as, hyperinfection syndrome (HS) and disseminated strongyloidiasis (DS), can involve pulmonary manifestations. These manifestations frequently aid the diagnosis of strongyloidiasis. Read More

Parasitol Res 2017 Jun 29;116(6):1687-1693. Epub 2017 Apr 29.

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

Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal helminth that infects people worldwide. Hyperinfection or disseminated human strongyloidiasis can involve vital organs, leading to lethal outcomes. We analyzed immunoproteomics of antigenic spots, derived from S. Read More

Radiol Bras 2017 Mar-Apr;50(2):137-138

Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

J La State Med Soc 2017 Mar-Apr;169(2):51. Epub 2017 Apr 15.

Department of Internal Medicine, Tulane Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, LA.

Case: A 48 year-old man with no past medical history was sent to our emergency department (ED); from a primary care clinic for hypertensive urgency of 200/130. The man reported an intermittent non-productive cough of approximately one year's duration and worsening dyspnea on exertion and orthopnea over the last month with lower extremity swelling. Of note, he emigrated from Honduras twenty years ago. Read More

Rev Chilena Infectol 2017 Feb;34(1):47-53

Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Departamento de Parasitología, Serviço de Referência Nacional em Filarioses, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Pernambuco, Brasil.

The strongyloidiasis is a parasitic disease that poses as a serious public health problem, mainly in tropical and subtropical countries. Over the years, some conditions, such as advances in corticosteroid treatment and immunosuppressive diseases, have improved not only the increase in cases of strongyloidiasis, but also the emergence of severe forms of the disease and / or deaths. For these reasons, the objective of this study is to make a critical analysis of the occurrence of strongyloidiasis in patients with comorbidities, describing clinical and epidemiological characteristics associated with these diseases that can highlight the importance of monitoring this parasitosis in most susceptible groups. Read More

Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2017 Apr 3;59:e7. Epub 2017 Apr 3.

Universidade Federal de Goiás, Laboratório de Parasitologia, Jataí, Goiás, Brazil.

Latex from Carica papaya is rich in bioactive compounds, especially papain, which may help to control parasitic diseases. This study evaluated the efficacy of latex from C. papaya and purified papain against Strongyloides venezuelensis. Read More

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2017 Jun 14;88(2):168-170. Epub 2017 Mar 14.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave Levy Place 1090, New York, NY, 10029.

Strongyloides stercoralis is a unique intestinal nematode with the ability to replicate and complete its life cycle without leaving the host. We report a fatal case of Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome in a patient who had persistent eosinophilia for several years but negative Strongyloides serology. Our case suggests that ELISA serologies cannot solely be relied upon to diagnose Strongyloides stercoralis infection; history and clinical judgment remain crucial to this diagnosis. Read More

Germs 2017 Mar 1;7(1):28-31. Epub 2017 Mar 1.

MD, FIDSA, Senior Consultant, Institute of Infectious Diseases, Apollo Hospitals, 2A Rajam Mansion, 4 Luz Ave 4th St, Chennai, 600004, Tamil Nadu, India.

Introduction: Strongyloidiasis can cause hyperinfection or disseminated infection in an immunocompromised host, and is an important factor linked to enterococcal bacteremia and meningitis.

Case Reports: We report two cases highlighting the importance of suspecting Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome in patients with enterococcal meningitis.

Conclusion: Our cases highlight the importance of suspecting Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome in cases of community acquired enterococcal bacteremia and meningitis. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2017 Mar 22;2017. Epub 2017 Mar 22.

Department of Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.

Strongyloides stercoralis infection is usually asymptomatic but can result in a hyperinfection syndrome, most commonly triggered by acquired or iatrogenic immunosuppression. Here, we present a case of a man aged 60 years originally from a strongyloides endemic area with a medical history of alcohol abuse who presents with strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome (SHS) complicated by partial small bowel obstruction, pulmonary haemorrhage, large bandemia without eosinophilia and cardiac arrest resulting in death. This case is notable for the presence of bandemia and absence of eosinophilia, lack of historical risk factors for hyperinfection, specifically corticosteroid immunosuppressants, and dramatic decline in clinical status which ultimately resulted in the patient's death. Read More

Infect Dis Poverty 2017 Mar 23;6(1):65. Epub 2017 Mar 23.

National Institute of Parasitic Diseases Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.

Schistosomiasis, one of the 17 neglected tropical diseases listed by the World Health Organization, presents a substantial public health and economic burden. Of the 261 million people requiring preventive chemotherapy for schistosomiasis in 2013, 92% of them lived in sub-Saharan Africa and only 12.7% received preventive chemotherapy. Read More

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2017 Mar 6. Epub 2017 Mar 6.

Dermatology Department, Faculty of Medicine of ABC, São Paulo, Brazil.

Clin Microbiol Infect 2017 May 1;23(5):335.e1-335.e5. Epub 2017 Mar 1.

Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

Objective: This multicentre cross-sectional study aims to estimate the prevalence of five neglected tropical diseases (Chagas disease, filariasis, schistosomiasis, strongyloidiasis and toxocariasis) among immigrants accessing health care facilities in five Italian cities (Bologna, Brescia, Florence, Rome, Verona).

Methods: Individuals underwent a different set of serological tests, according to country of origin and presence of eosinophilia. Seropositive patients were treated and further followed up. Read More

Transplant Proc 2017 Mar;49(2):373-377

Adult Stem Cell Transplant Program, The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine & Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, Florida, USA.

Syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone (SIADH) has been reported to be associated with systemic Strongyloides stercoralis. Here, we report a case of a stem cell transplant (SCT) recipient who developed severe SIADH secondary to systemic S Stercoralis. The SIADH resolved quickly after treating the systemic S Stercoralis with ivermectin. Read More

J Parasitol Res 2017 22;2017:5056314. Epub 2017 Jan 22.

Department of Animal Biology, Post-Graduation Program in Animal Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil.

Strongyloidiasis is a parasitic neglected disease caused by the nematode Strongyloides stercoralis affecting 30 to 100 million people worldwide. Complications, strongly associated with alcoholism, organ transplants, and HTLV-1 virus, often arise due to late diagnosis, frequently leading to patient death. Lack of preemptive diagnosis is not the only difficulty when dealing with this parasite, since there are no gold standard diagnostic techniques, and the ones used have problems associated with sensitivity, resulting in false negatives. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2017 Feb 8;2017. Epub 2017 Feb 8.

Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017 Feb 8;11(2):e0005213. Epub 2017 Feb 8.

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.

Background: Chronic parasitic infections are associated with active immunomodulation which may include by-stander effects on unrelated antigens. It has been suggested that pre-natal exposure to parasitic infections in the mother impacts immunological development in the fetus and hence the offspring's response to vaccines, and that control of parasitic infection among pregnant women will therefore be beneficial.

Methodology/principal Findings: We used new data from the Entebbe Mother and Baby Study, a trial of anthelminthic treatment during pregnancy conducted in Uganda, to further investigate this hypothesis. Read More

Clin Neuropathol 2017 May/Jun;36 (2017)(3):154-155

Iran J Parasitol 2016 Oct-Dec;11(4):527-533

Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran; Research Center for Fascioliasis and Parasitic Diseases, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.

Background: We aimed to determine the status of strongyloidiasis in mentally disabled population in the institutional places in Rasht City, the capital of Guilan Province, northern Iran.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 8 institutions for mentally retarded population in Rasht in 2013. Before collecting the samples, a questionnaire was filled out for each participant by an expert person. Read More

Iran J Parasitol 2016 Jul-Sep;11(3):411-416

Dept. of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Strongyloidiasis is a frequent misdiagnosed parasitic infection in the world that caused by Strongyloides stercoralis. In Iran, the disease is predominantly reported from warm and humid climate provinces. The patient was a 54-yr-old man, originated from Khuzestan Province with a history of pemphigus and diabetes that was treated with high-dose of corticosteroid drugs before admission in a non-private hospital in Shiraz, Iran in 2014. Read More

Parasitol Res 2017 Apr 26;116(4):1159-1163. Epub 2017 Jan 26.

Department of Parasitology of Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.

Strongyloidiasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases caused by infection with the nematode Strongyloides genus and distributed worldwide. Strongyloidiasis can be fatal in immunosuppressed patients induced hyperinfection or disseminated strongyloidiasis. Unfortunately, until now, due to the unspecific clinical symptom in infected individuals and the low sensitivity diagnosis of strongyloidiasis, many patients were misdiagnosed every year. Read More

Rev Chilena Infectol 2016 Oct;33(5):589-592

Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Ecuador.

Intestinal parasites are a common pathology in the pediatric practice, constituting a major public health problem. Currently their epidemiology, especially in countries like Ecuador where there are populations and communities where health services are scarce or difficult to access. We report the case of a child with chronic grade 3 malnutrition, from Sarayacu province of Pastaza, Ecuador an endemic area in several parasitosis. Read More

Rev Chilena Infectol 2016 Oct;33(5):584-588

Facultad de Salud, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Colombia.

Strongyloidiasis is an infection caused by the parasite Strongyloides stercoralis, which can be asymptomatic and means a high morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised hosts, severe malnutrition and coinfection with HTLV-1 virus. The parasite has the potential to produce and multiply internal autoinfection in humans, thus an hyperinfection can be developed. A case of pulmonary infection by this parasite is presented in this study, infection which advanced into a respiratory failure and required mechanical ventilation and hemodynamic support in an intensive care unit. Read More

J Helminthol 2017 Jan 23:1-5. Epub 2017 Jan 23.

Department of Parasitology,National Centre for Microbiology,Instituto de Salud Carlos III,Majadahonda,Madrid 28220,Spain.

Strongyloidiasis is usually an asymptomatic disease in immunocompetent patients, caused by Strongyloides stercoralis. However, in immunocompromised patients it can produce a severe clinical profile. Therefore, a correct diagnosis is necessary in these cases and in those chronic asymptomatic patients. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2016 26;2016:4872473. Epub 2016 Dec 26.

Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, 40170115 Salvador, BA, Brazil.

The course of Strongyloides stercoralis infection is usually asymptomatic with a low discharge of rhabditoid larva in feces. However, the deleterious effects of alcohol consumption seem to enhance the susceptibility to infection, as shown by a fivefold higher strongyloidiasis frequency in alcoholics than in nonalcoholics. Moreover, the association between S. Read More

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2017 Jan 18. Epub 2017 Jan 18.

Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium

Background: The diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs; Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworms) is traditionally based on the demonstration of eggs in stool using microscopic techniques. While molecular techniques are more appropriate to speciate STH species they are seldom applied. In this study we speciated STH eggs from stool using molecular techniques to gain insights into the distribution of both human and animal STH species in the human host. Read More

Iran J Parasitol 2016 Apr-Jun;11(2):279-283

Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.

Strongyloides stercoralis is a soil-transmitted helminth (STH) widespread in various part of the world. A 78-yr-old peasant diabetic female from Mazandaran Province northern Iran, was admitted to Infection Department of the Razi Hospital in city of Qaemshahr, north of Iran complaining about abdominal skin rash, pruritus, itching, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, dysuria and cough. This patient had cutaneous migration effects of S. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2017 Jan 16;2017. Epub 2017 Jan 16.

Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

Immunocompromised patients have high risk of infections from bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. One of these infections is those caused by Strongyloides stercoralis Immunocompromised patients are at risk of hyperinfection syndrome which is characterised with more systemic manifestation and a higher risk of morbidity and mortality. This can be complicated by coinfection with enteric organisms, specifically Gram-negative. Read More

Parasitology 2017 May 11;144(6):812-816. Epub 2017 Jan 11.

Centre for Tropical Diseases,Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital,Via Sempreboni 5,37024 Negrar,Verona,Italy.

Strongyloides stercoralis is a parasite that can cause death in immunocompromised people. A proper diagnosis is hence essential. The real-time polymerase-chain reaction (RT-PCR) is a novel, promising diagnostic method, that detects the DNA of the parasite in stool samples. Read More

Intern Emerg Med 2017 Jun 4;12(4):467-477. Epub 2017 Jan 4.

Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università di Firenze, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of acute and chronic conditions with distinct characteristics that thrive mainly among the poorest populations, almost exclusively in tropical countries. To evaluate the relevance and impact of NTDs in a temperate area, the number and features of patients diagnosed with NTDs at the Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit (ITDU), Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Florence, Italy between 2000 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Overall 289 NTD cases were diagnosed in 283 subjects accounting for 2. Read More

Lab Med 2017 Feb 13;48(1):93-96. Epub 2016 Dec 13.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal nematode with a complicated lifecycle and auto-infection. In healthy individuals, this parasite usually does not cause any symptoms. But in immunocompromised patients, the symptoms vary from abdominal pain and discomfort to sepsis and death. Read More

EBioMedicine 2017 Feb 2;15:12-23. Epub 2016 Dec 2.

Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Viet Nam; Vietnamese - German Centre for Medical Research (VG-CARE), Hanoi, Viet Nam. Electronic address:

Cancer may be induced by many environmental and physiological conditions. Infections with viruses, bacteria and parasites have been recognized for years to be associated with human carcinogenicity. Here we review current concepts of carcinogenicity and its associations with parasitic infections. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2016 Dec 17;95(6):1432-1434. Epub 2016 Oct 17.

Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.

Eosinophilia is a common laboratory finding in helminth infections but whether it is suggestive of neurocysticercosis (NCC) is controversial and inadequately studied. We determined the presence of eosinophilia (≥ 500 eosinophils/mm(3)) at clinical presentation in 72 patients with a proven or probable diagnosis of NCC and who had not received corticosteroids within 2 weeks of evaluation and complete blood count. Only two persons whose last possible endemic exposures to NCC were 7 and 6 years earlier had eosinophilia of 500 eosinophils/mm(3) and both had a positive antibody serology to strongyloidiasis. Read More

Am J Gastroenterol 2016 Dec;111(12):1678

Division of Digestive Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.

Parasitology 2017 Feb 29;144(2):124-130. Epub 2016 Nov 29.

Laboratório de Investigação Médica (LIM-06),Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina,Universidade de São Paulo,SP,Brazil.

Strongyloides venezuelensis is a parasitic nematode of rodents that is frequently used to obtain heterologous antigens for immunological diagnosis of human strongyloidiasis. The aim of this study was to identify antigens from filariform larvae of S. venezuelensis for immunodiagnosis of human strongyloidiasis. Read More

Lung India 2016 Nov-Dec;33(6):692-694

Department of Nephrology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, India.

Insights Imaging 2017 Feb 23;8(1):101-125. Epub 2016 Nov 23.

Radiology Department, La Princesa University Hospital, Diego de León 62, 28006, Madrid, Spain.

Radiologists seldom encounter parasitic diseases in their daily practice in most of Europe, although the incidence of these diseases is increasing due to migration and tourism from/to endemic areas. Moreover, some parasitic diseases are still endemic in certain European regions, and immunocompromised individuals also pose a higher risk of developing these conditions. This article reviews and summarises the imaging findings of some of the most important and frequent human parasitic diseases, including information about the parasite's life cycle, pathophysiology, clinical findings, diagnosis, and treatment. Read More

Front Microbiol 2016 8;7:1778. Epub 2016 Nov 8.

Centre for Tropical Diseases, Sacro Cuore HospitalVerona, Italy; Centro de Epidemiología Comunitaria y Medicina TropicalEsmeraldas, Ecuador.

Background: Dried blood spots (DBS) are used for epidemiological surveys on infectious diseases in settings where limited resources are available. In fact, DBS can help to overcome logistic difficulties for the collection, transport and storage of biological specimens. Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of Strongyloides stercoralis serology performed on DBS. Read More

J Parasit Dis 2016 Dec 9;40(4):1347-1350. Epub 2015 May 9.

Department of Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Infectious Disease, Benha Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt ; Consultant Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Infectious Disease, Al-Noor Specialist Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal nematode with a complex life cycle. It is usually asymptomatic in healthy host however it may be a life threatening condition in immunocompromised patients when hyperinfection is associated with disseminated disease. However, reports of gastric involvement are rare. Read More

Parasitology 2017 Apr 21;144(4):459-463. Epub 2016 Nov 21.

Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária da Faculdade de Biociências e Laboratório de Parasitologia Molecular do Instituto de Pesquisas Biomédicas da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS),Av Ipiranga 6690,90690-900 Porto Alegre RS,Brasil.

The primary causative agent of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis (EoM) in endemic regions is the nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis. The occurrence of EoM was previously restricted to countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands; however, more recently, it has been reported from other regions, including Brazil. The commonly used diagnosis is detection of specific antibody reactivity to the 31 kDa antigen, which is derived from female worm somatic extracts. Read More

Transpl Infect Dis 2017 Feb 6;19(1). Epub 2017 Jan 6.

Division of Infectious Disease & International Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.

Strongyloides stercoralis has the potential to cause accelerated autoinfection in immunocompromised hosts. Screening tests for strongyloidiasis may be falsely negative in the setting of immunosuppression. We report a case of Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome in a patient with human T-lymphotropic virus type 1-associated T-cell leukemia early after hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Read More

Korean J Parasitol 2016 Oct 31;54(5):673-678. Epub 2016 Oct 31.

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

Epidemiological study on strongyloidiasis in humans is currently lacking in Malaysia. Thus, a cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis infection among the inhabitants of longhouse indigenous communities in Sarawak. A single stool and blood sample were collected from each participant and subjected to microscopy, serological and molecular techniques. Read More

Infect Immun 2017 Jan 29;85(1). Epub 2016 Dec 29.

National Institute of Health-NIRT-International Center for Excellence in Research, Chennai, India.

Microbial translocation, characterized by elevated levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and related markers, is a common occurrence in HIV and some parasitic infections. This is usually associated with extensive inflammation and immune activation. To examine the occurrence of microbial translocation and the associated inflammatory response in asymptomatic Strongyloides stercoralis infection, we measured the plasma levels of LPS and other microbial translocation markers, acute-phase proteins, inflammatory markers, and proinflammatory cytokines in individuals with (infected [INF]) or without (uninfected [UN]) S. Read More

Parasitol Int 2017 Feb 12;66(1):807-812. Epub 2016 Oct 12.

Department of Infectious, Respiratory, and Digestive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan.

Infections with parasites, such as Strongyloides stercoralis, typically cause elevated levels of serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) and eosinophils; however, co-infection with human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) can cause lower levels of serum IgE during S. stercoralis infection. We conducted this study to determine whether serum IgE levels and eosinophil counts could also be related to other patient characteristics or symptoms. Read More

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2016 Dec 4;86(4):362-364. Epub 2016 Sep 4.

Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195-7470, USA; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109-1024, USA.

Strongyloides stercoralis is an important human parasite, especially in rural areas and developing countries. Infected immunosuppressed patients are at risk for hyperinfection, with severe clinical consequences. Here we describe the incidental detection and diagnosis of an unexpected S. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2016 Nov 6;95(5):1051-1053. Epub 2016 Sep 6.

Centre for Tropical Diseases, Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, Negrar, Verona, Italy.

Strongyloides stercoralis is a soil-transmitted helminth widely diffused in tropical areas. Chronic infection is usually characterized by absent or mild symptoms, but immunocompromised subjects are at risk of developing a severe syndrome that can be fatal if not promptly treated. We report a case of S. Read More

Travel Med Infect Dis 2016 Nov - Dec;14(6):625-629. Epub 2016 Oct 26.

Public Health Ontario Laboratories, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Tropical Disease Unit, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address:

Background: We evaluated the performance of stool microscopy, serology, and real time PCR (qPCR) for the diagnosis of strongyloidiasis at our reference laboratory.

Methods: Using a convenience sample of specimens submitted between April 1, 2014 and May 31, 2015, positivity rates and performance characteristics were calculated.

Results: During the enrolment period, 17,933 stool specimens were examined for O&P, 14 of which were positive for Strongyloides larvae. Read More