Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease despite of being a major public health problem affecting nearly 240 million people in the world. Due to the migratory flow from endemic countries to ...Western countries, an increasing number of cases is being diagnosed in non-endemic areas, generally in migrants or people visiting these areas. Serology is the recommended method for screening and diagnosis of schistosomiasis in migrants from endemic regions. However, serological techniques have a highly variable sensitivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the sensitivity of three different serological tests used in real clinical practice for the screening and diagnosis of imported schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan migrant patients, using the detection of schistosome eggs in urine, faeces or tissues as the gold standard. We evaluated three different serological techniques in 405 sub-Saharan patients with confirmed schistosomiasis treated between 2004 and 2022: an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), an indirect haemagglutination assay (IHA) and an immunochromatographic test (ICT). The overall sensitivity values obtained with the different techniques were: 44.4% for IHA, 71.2% for ELISA and 94.7% for ICT, respectively. According to species, ICT showed the highest sensitivity ('S. haematobium': 94%, 'S. mansoni': 93.3%; and 'S. intercalatum/guineensis': 100%). In conclusion, our study shows that Schistosoma ICT has the best performance in real clinical practice, when compared to ELISA and IHA, in both 'S. mansoni' and 'S. haematobium' infections.
Migratory flows and international travel are triggering an increase in imported cases of schistosomiasis in non-endemic countries. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the LAMP ...technique on patients' urine samples for the diagnosis of imported schistosomiasis in a non-endemic area in comparison to a commercial immunochromatographic test and microscopic examination of feces and urine. A prospective observational study was conducted in sub-Saharan migrants attending the Tropical Medicine Unit, Almeria, Spain. For schistosomiasis diagnosis, serum samples were tested using an immunochromatographic test (Schistosoma ICT IgG-IgM). Stool and urine samples were examined by microcopy. Urine samples were evaluated by combining three LAMP assays for the specific detection of Schistosoma mansoni, S. haematobium, and for the genus Schistosoma. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy, a latent class analysis (LCA) was performed. In total, 115 patients were included (92.2% male; median age: 28.3 years). Of these, 21 patients (18.3%) were diagnosed with schistosomiasis confirmed by microscopy, with S. haematobium being the most frequent species identified (18/115; 15.7%). The Schistosoma ICT IgG-IgM test result was 100% positive and Schistosoma-LAMP was 61.9% positive, reaching as high as 72.2% for S. haematobium. The sensitivity and specificity estimated by LCA, respectively, were: 92% and 76% for Schistosoma ICT IgG-IgM, 68% and 44% for Schistosoma-LAMP, and 46% and 97% for microscopy. In conclusion, the Schistosoma-LAMP technique presented a higher sensitivity than microscopy for the diagnosis of imported urinary schistosomiasis, which could improve the diagnosis of active infection, both in referral centers and in centers with limited experience or scarce resources and infrastructure.
Abstract
Background
Giardiasis failing nitroimidazole first-line treatment is an emerging problem in returning European travelers. We present data on the efficacy and tolerability of 2 second-line ...treatment regimens.
Methods
This prospective, open-label, multicenter study assessed the efficacy and tolerability of quinacrine monotherapy (100 mg 3 times per day for 5 days) and albendazole plus chloroquine combination therapy (400 mg twice daily plus 155 mg twice daily for 5 days) in nitroimidazole-refractory giardiasis. The defined end points were the clinical outcome, assessed at week 5 after treatment and the parasitological outcome, assessed using microscopy of 2 stool samples, ≥2 to ≤5 weeks after treatment.
Results
A total of 106 patients were included in the study. Quinacrine achieved clinical and parasitological cure in 81% (59/73) and 100% (56/56), respectively. Albendazole plus chloroquine achieved clinical and parasitological cure in 36% (12/33) and 48% (12/25), respectively. All patients (9/9) who clinically and parasitologically failed albendazole plus chloroquine treatment and opted for retreatment with quinacrine achieved clinical cure. Mild to moderate treatment-related adverse events were reported by 45% and 30% of patients treated with quinacrine and albendazole plus chloroquine, respectively. One patient treated with quinacrine developed severe neuropsychiatric side effects. The majority of nitroimidazole-refractory Giardia infections (57%) were acquired in India.
Conclusions
Quinacrine was a highly effective treatment in nitroimidazole-refractory giardiasis, but patients should be cautioned on the low risk of severe neuropsychiatric adverse event. Albendazole plus chloroquine had a low cure rate in nitroimidazole-refractory giardiasis. Nitroimidazole-refractory giardiasis was primarily seen in travelers returning from India.
The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological profile, clinical characteristics, and microbiological findings in African immigrants newly arrived to Spain attended at a specialized ...reference unit from October 2004 to February 2017. A common protocol for the screening of imported and cosmopolitan diseases was designed to evaluate patients with ≤ 12 months of stay in Spain. A total of 523 patients were included in the study, 488 (93.3%) of sub-Saharan origin. A high number of helminthic infections were diagnosed in sub-Saharan patients, including geohelminthiasis (hookworms 14.3%;
4.1%;
3.1%), schistosomiasis (12.3%), strongyloidiasis (17.2%), and filariasis (8.4%). Thirty-five patients (7.2%) had malaria, most by
Among communicable diseases, 33.6% of sub-Saharans presented HBsAg positivity compared with 5.7% of North African patients (
= 0.001). Thirteen patients were diagnosed with active tuberculosis. Seventy percent of the sub-Saharans and 40% of the North Africans who were tested had a latent tuberculosis infection (LTI). Treatment of LTI was administered in selected cases (14%), achieving end of treatment in 80% of them. In light of these results, effective screening strategies, particularly within the sub-Saharan immigrant population, including potentially communicable diseases and certain potentially serious parasitic diseases (
,
), should be implemented. It is necessary to facilitate fully and free of charge access to the public health system to newly arrived immigrants, as well as to implement programs and actions aimed at favoring care and follow-up, especially for communicable diseases. Empirical treatment of some parasitic diseases could be a cost-effective action.
Abstract
Background
Infection with Mansonella perstans is a neglected filariasis, widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by an elusive clinical picture; treatment for mansonellosis ...is not standardized. This retrospective study aimed to describe the clinical features, treatment schemes and evolution, of a large cohort of imported cases of M. perstans infection seen in four European centres for tropical diseases.
Methods
Mansonella perstans infections, diagnosed by identification of blood microfilariae in migrants, expatriates and travellers, collected between 1994 and 2018, were retrospectively analysed. Data concerning demographics, clinical history and laboratory examinations at diagnosis and at follow-up time points were retrieved.
Results
A total of 392 patients were included in the study. Of the 281 patients for whom information on symptoms could be retrieved, 150 (53.4%) reported symptoms, abdominal pain and itching being the most frequent. Positive serology and eosinophilia were present in 84.4% and 66.1%, respectively, of those patients for whom these data were available. Concomitant parasitic infections were reported in 23.5% of patients. Treatment, administered to 325 patients (82.9%), was extremely heterogeneous between and within centres; the most commonly used regimen was mebendazole 100 mg twice a day for 1 month. A total of 256 (65.3%) patients attended a first follow-up, median 3 months (interquartile range 2–12) after the first visit; 83.1% of patients having received treatment based on mebendazole and/or doxycycline, targeting Wolbachia, became amicrofilaremic, 41.1–78.4% of whom within 12 months from single treatment.
Conclusions
Lack of specific symptoms, together with the inconstant positivity of parasitological and antibody-based assays in the infected population, makes the clinical suspicion and screening for mansonellosis particularly difficult. Prospective studies evaluating prevalence of infection in migrants from endemic areas, infection-specific morbidity, presence of Wolbachia endosymbionts in M. perstans populations from different geographical areas and efficacy of treatment regimens are absolutely needed to optimize the clinical management of infection.
Abstract
Background
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by trematodes of the genus Schistosoma. Schistosoma haematobium causes urogenital schistosomiasis (UGS), a chronic disease ...characterized by pathology of the urogenital tract leading to potentially severe morbidity for which the treatment is poorly standardized. We conducted a survey in TropNet centres on the clinical presentations and management strategies of complicated urogenital schistosomiasis (cUGS).
Methods
We reviewed the clinical records of patients seen at TropNet centres over a 20-year timespan (January 2001–December 2020). Case definition for cUGS included the presence of urogenital cancer, obstructive uropathy, kidney insufficiency of all grades and female or male genital involvement leading to infertility. Collected data included demographic information, patient category (traveller or migrant), imaging data, microbiological data (serology results and presence/absence of eggs in urine), histological features and outcome at last visit recorded.
Results
Eight centres contributed with at least one case. Overall, 31 patients matched the inclusion criteria. Sub-Saharan Africa was the most likely place of infection for included patients. Median age was 30.6 years (range 21–46, interquartile ranges, IQR 27–33). Most patients (28/31, 90.3%) were males. Hydronephrosis was the most frequent complication, being present in 18 (58.1%) patients, followed by cancer, present in 5 patients (16.1%); 27 patients (87.1%) required surgical management of some sort. Use of praziquantel varied across centres, with six different regimens employed.
Discussion
Very few cases of cUGSs were found in our survey, possibly indicating underdiagnosis of this condition. Hydronephrosis was the most frequently observed urogenital complication, and most patients required invasive procedures. Infection by S. haematobium can result in considerable morbidity, resulting in clinically challenging presentations requiring a multidisciplinary approach. As such, development of common protocols for early diagnosis and treatment is urgently needed.
Abstract
Background
Microscopy continues to be the mainstay for the evaluation of parasitaemia in malaria but requires laboratory support and microbiological experience. Other fast and simple methods ...are necessary.
Methods
A retrospective observational study of imported malaria treated from July-2007 to December-2020 was carried out to evaluate the association between the degree of parasitaemia and both rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) reactivity patterns and haematological parameters.
Plasmodium falciparum
monoinfections diagnosed by peripheral blood smear and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR),which also had a positive RDT result in the same blood sample, were included in the study.
Results
A total of 273 patients were included. Most of them were male (n = 256; 93.8%) and visiting friends and relatives (VFR) travellers (n = 252; 92.3%). Patients with plasmodial lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) or aldolase and histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP-2) co-reactivity (Pan/Pf pattern) had a parasitaemia range between 0 and 37% while those with just HRP-2 reactivity (
P. falciparum
pattern) had ranges between 0 and 1%. Not a single case of
P. falciparum
pattern was found for parasitaemia ranges greater than 1%, showing a negative predictive value of 100% for high parasitaemia. All the correlations between haematological parameters and parasitaemia resulted to be weak, with a maximum rho coefficient of -0.35 for lymphocytes and platelets, and of 0.40 for neutrophils-to-lymphocytes count ratio. Multivariate predictive models were constructed reflecting a poor predictive capacity.
Conclusions
The reactivity pattern of RDT allows a rapid semi-quantitative assessment of
P. falciparum
parasitaemia in travellers with imported malaria, discriminating patients with lower parasite loads. Haematological parameters were not able to estimate parasitaemia with sufficient precision.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype E is a poorly studied genotype that almost exclusively occurs in African people. It seems to harbour intrinsic potential oncogenic activity and virological ...characteristics of immune scape but a paucity of information is available on clinical and virological characteristic of HBV genotype E-infected patients as well as on the efficacy of anti-HBV drugs for such patients. The increasing flow of migrants from high endemic HBV sub-Saharan Africa, where genotype E is the predominant one, to Western countries makes improving such knowledge critical in order to deliver proper medical care.
Prospective observational study of naïve patients of sub-Saharan origin treated for chronic HBV genotype E infection at a Tropical Medicine clinic sited in Spain from February 2004 to January 2018. The aim of the study was to describe the response of chronic HBV genotype E infection to nucleos(t)ide analogues (NA), entecavir or tenofovir, in real clinical practice.
During the study period, 2209 sub-Saharan patients were assisted at our Tropical Medicine Unit and 609 (27.6%) had chronic HBV (CHB) infection. Genotype information was available for 55 naïve patients initiating treatment with NA (entecavir or tenofovir), 43 (84.3%) of them being genotype E, although 15 were excluded because they did not meet study inclusion criteria. Thus, a total of 28 CHB genotype E patients were included and followed for 24 months at least. Twenty-one patients were in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis phase and 7 patients in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis phase. After one year of treatment, among those with good adherence, 89.4% (17/19) of the HBeAg-negative patients and 80% of the HBeAg-positive ones had undetectable viral loads. Response rates reached 100% in both groups after 15-18 months of follow-up. Out of the 7 HBeAg-positive patients, 6 (85.7%) presented HBeAg loss in a median time of 31.8 months. Neither serious adverse effects nor hepatocarcinoma cases happened during the study period.
HBV genotype may influence disease progression and antiviral response. Our study provides precious information on the efficacy and safety of NA treatment for CHB genotype E infection, a fairly unknown genotype with and increasing epidemiological impact.
The western area of the province of Almeria, sited in southern Spain, has one of the highest immigrant population rates in Spain, mainly dedicated to agricultural work. In recent years, there has ...been a significant increase in the number of cases of imported malaria associated with migrants from countries belonging to sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of our study is to describe the epidemiological, clinical and analytical characteristics of malaria patients treated in a specialized tropical unit, paying special attention to the differences between VFR and non-VFR migrants and also to the peculiarities of microscopic malaria cases compared to submicroscopic ones.
Retrospective observational study of migrants over 14 years of age with imported malaria treated from October 2004 to May 2019. Characteristics of VFR and non-VFR migrants were compared. Malaria cases were divided into microscopic malaria (MM) and submicroscopic malaria (SMM). SMM was defined as the presence of a positive malaria PCR test together with a negative direct microscopic examination and a negative rapid diagnostic test (RDT). Microscopic malaria was defined as the presence of a positive RDT and/or a positive smear examination.
Three hundred thirty-six cases of malaria were diagnosed, 329 in sub-Saharan immigrants. Of these, 78.1% were VFR migrants, in whom MM predominated (85.2% of cases). In non-VFR migrants, SMM represented 72.2% of the cases. Overall, 239 (72.6%) patients presented MM and 90 (27.4%) SMM. Fever was the most frequent clinical manifestation (64.4%), mainly in the MM group (MM: 81.1% vs SMM: 20.0%; p < 0.01). The most frequent species was P. falciparum. Patients with SMM presented fewer cytopenias and a greater number of coinfections due to soil-transmitted helminths, filarial and intestinal protozoa compared to patients with MM.
Imported malaria in our area is closely related to sub-Saharan migration. VFR migrants are the main risk group, highlighting the need for actions aimed at improving disease prevention measures. On the other hand, almost a third of the cases are due to SMM. This fact could justify its systematic screening, at least for those travelers at greater risk.
The integration of simple components to generate sophisticated hybrid materials with fine-tuned properties represents a significant scientific challenge. Herein, we present recent advances in the use ...of polymers to control the synthesis and properties of three of the most relevant inorganic nanoparticles, namely, quantum dots (QDs), magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), and noble metal nanoparticles (NMNPs). We show relevant examples of how polymeric structures synthesized by techniques such as ATRP, RAFT, and living cationic polymerization are used to aid in the synthesis and stabilization of the nanostructures to generate nanocomposites with outstanding capabilities. Special emphasis is placed on describing how some of the exceptional physicochemical properties of polymers are used as nanoreactors to facilitate the synthesis of the nanostructure by providing an adequate chemical environment. Additionally, we also describe how polymers are utilized to protect the integrity of the nanostructure from chemical degradation. The integration of polymeric structures and the nanostructures has a strong impact on the dispersion and morphology of the latter and, consequently, endow them with novel and promising features. The advances described here, particularly the use of polymers to modulate and provide new properties to nanoparticles, exemplify the great versatility of polymers and how these may expand the capabilities of inorganic nanostructures that can be used to generate novel and sophisticated hybrid materials.
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