Diagnosis, Diagnostics, Immunodiagnosis & Immunodiagnostics:
3111.
Amjad N. Nor AM. Singh H. An unusual presentation of acute
cholecystitis: biliary ascariasis. Hospital Medicine (London). 62(6):370-1, 2001 Jun. No Abstract.
3112.
Garg P, Metha R K, Dgakk H C, Marwah S. Biliary ductal ascariasis with
gallstone. Indian med Gaz . 134(4): 124-5,2000. No Abstract.
3113.
Grover SB. Pati NK. Rattan SK. Sonographic diagnosis of
Ascaris-induced cholecystitis and pancreatitis in a child. Journal of Clinical
Ultrasound. 29(4):254-9, 2001 May.
Abstract
We describe the
sonographic diagnosis of Ascaris-induced acute cholecystitis and pancreatitis
in a 2-year-old girl. Abdominal sonography revealed a grossly distended
gallbladder with a thick (0.5-cm) wall. The common bile duct was dilated to 0.6
cm without sludge or calculi. The pancreas was hypoechoic, with an enlarged,
3.3-cm pancreatic head. Sonography showed dilatation of the small- and
large-bowel loops, with multiple roundworms in duodenal and colonic loops.
Sonography has an important role not only in the diagnosis of this uncommon
condition but also in the documentation of its unusual etiologic agent.
Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
3114.
Santra A. Bhattacharya T. Chowdhury A. Ghosh A. Ghosh N. Chatterjee BP. Mazumder DN. Serodiagnosis of ascariasis with specific IgG4
antibody and its use in an epidemiological study. Transactions of the Royal
Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene.
95(3):289-92, 2001 May-Jun.
Abstract
In an earlier
study Ascaris-specific IgG4 antibody was found to be elevated in cases of
ascariasis. However, the usefulness of the elevated levels of this antibody in
Ascaris infection as a diagnostic marker has not been well established. In
India, in early 1999, blood samples of 83 cases of Ascaris infection, 35 cases
of other nematode infection and 53 control subjects (without any helminth
infection) were tested for anti-Ascaris IgG4 by ELISA. Further anti-Ascaris
IgG4 levels in the blood of Ascaris-infected patients were determined, after
eradication of the worms with drugs, at regular intervals to ascertain the
duration of elevation of titre of the serological marker following initial infection.
This information would indicate the sensitivity of the test as a diagnostic
marker for recent infection. Blood samples of 422 rural people were also tested
for anti-Ascaris IgG4 titre to ascertain the prevalence of ascariasis in the
community. High levels of anti-Ascaris IgG4 antibody (OD 1.246 +/- 0.212) were
found in all the 83 Ascaris-infected subjects compared to controls (OD 0.158
+/- 0.047). Anti-Ascaris IgG4 antibody levels of other nematode-infected
subjects were comparable to the controls. Anthelmintic treatment of 8
Ascaris-infected subjects caused sequential fall of IgG4 level in their blood,
and its titre reached control level within 6 months of deworming. Of 422
individuals from the rural community 229 (54.3%) had significantly high levels
of specific IgG4 antibody against Ascaris excretory-secretory antigen,
suggesting that they were infested with Ascaris. Thus, this study demonstrated
that anti-Ascaris IgG4 antibody is a very sensitive and specific marker for the
diagnosis of Ascaris infection. Utilizing this test, a significant number of a
rural population could be diagnosed with Ascaris infection in West Bengal,
India.
Apr 02
3903.
Andrade C, Alava T, De Palacio IA, Del Poggio P,
Jamoletti C, Gulletta M, Montresor A. Prevalence and intensity of
soil-transmitted helminthiasis in the city of Portoviejo (Ecuador). Mem Inst
Oswaldo Cruz 2001 Nov;96(8):1075-9
We studied the stool samples of 151 school children in a district of the city of Portoviejo (Ecuador) in order to determine the prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and their relationships with anthropometric indices. The samples were analyzed with the semiquantitative Kato-Katz technique and the intensity of infections was categorized as light, moderate or high according to the thresholds set by the World Health Organization. Prevalence of soil transmitted helmintiasis was 65% (92 out of 141 collected samples), Ascaris lumbricoides was the most common STH (63%) followed by Trichuris trichiura (10%) and hookworm (1.4%). Heavy intensity infections were found in 8.5% of the stool samples, with T. trichiura showing higher worm burdens than A. lumbricoides. Sixteen percent of the children were below the third percentile for weight (wasted), while 27% were below the third percentile for height (stunted). A significant relationship was found between the worm burden and the degree of stunting. This study suggests that the periodic administration of an antihelminthic drug should be targeted to preschool and school children to allow a normal growth spurt and prevent stunting.
3904.
Ashwath Narayan D H, Sudarshan M K, Rajanna M S,
Prathiba M J, Ravikumar K L, Gangaboraiah: Randomized controlled trial
comparing the safetyand efficacy of single dose albendazol and mebendazoleon ascaris,hookworm
and trichuris infections. Indian commun Hlth 199,5 35-40.(013120) July1, 2001.
The efficacies of single dose treatments with 400 mg Albendazole and 500 mg Mebendazole against Ascaris, Trichuris and Hookworm infections were compared in a sequential, double blind, randomized controlled trail among 49 children aged 6-14 years from a rural residential school among whom infections with Ascaris and Hookworm were highly prevalent. The drugs were administered under medical supervision and the quantitative estimation of eggs per gram of faeces was done on days 0 and 14 by Stoll’s method. Both drugs were safe and highly effective against Ascaris and Hookworm with cure rate of 100%. However, the cure for Trichuris by egg reduction rate was low (57.6%) with Albendazole.
3905.
Bhattacharyya T, Chatterjee B P:
Serodiagnosis of ascariasis by IgG4
response to Ascaris Lubricoids somatic
antigen : a possible approach for epidemological studies, Proc Indian Sci Congr
Ass – Pt III, Sect-III 1999, 1-2. (abstr)
(016056) Aug 16, 2023 .
Somatic antigen of Ascaris
lumbricoides has been fractionated into eight fractions by gel chromatography
on a Sephacryl S-100 column in FPLC. Of
these, the sixth fraction (A1sVI) shows highest binding activity with
both IgE and IgG antibodies in Ascaris lubricoides infected patients’ sera.
Although A1sVI specific IgE and IgG responses have been detected in the shows
highest binding activity with both IgE and IgG antibodies in Ascaris
lubricoides infected patients’ sera. Although A1sVI specific IgE and IgG
responses have been detected in the sera of all Ascaris, hookworm, Trichuris
trichura and Stronglyoides stercoralis infected patients and strong binding of
A1sVI with IgG has been observed in all ascaris infected patients sera. Further
study has shown specific detection of IgG4 in all the serum samples
of sixty- three Ascaris infected patients when als VI was allowed to react with
different subclasses of IgG by ELISA, giving 65% of total IgG response. The
reactivities against A1sVI with IgG, IgG2 and IgG3 are
only 14%, 10% and 8% respectively of total IgG response. No IgG4
reactivities against A1sVI have been observed in the hookworm, Trichuris and
Strongly iodised infected patients’ sera, thus showing unique specificity of
the test system. This study may help in the serodiagnosis of ascariasis by
measuring Ascaris specifoc IgG4.
3906.
Gava VG, Nacul-Filho AA, Fundo P. Noncalculous
biliary obstruction in children and adolescents. J Am Coll Surg 2001 Dec;193(6):716-7 No
abstract.
3907.
Kanwar Narain, Mahanta J: Prevalence and risk
factor of Ascaris lumbricoides infection: experience from some rural
communities of Assam. J Hum Ecol 2001, 12 (1), 75-9. (016357) Aug 16, 2023
Describes the prevalence and socio-environmental predictors of Ascaris lumbricoides infection in rural communities in Assam, India. Two sequential stoll samples from 580 residents selected from three rural areas were examined for intestinal parasites. Information on many potential risk factors Cox’s proportional hazards analysis (assuming constant risk period ) was used. In the overall multivariate model, open field defaecation was the only factor found independently associated with Ascaris infection. There was no gender specific difference in overall prevalence of Ascaria infection, however, there was statistically significant declining trend in prevalence with increasing age in females. Implication of these results for the epidemology and control of Ascaris infection are briefly discussed. 17 ref.
July 02
4488.
Bapat
SS, Pulikot AM. Hepato-cerebral complications in ascariasis. Indian Pediat
2001, 38(4), 431-2. No abstract.
Oct 2002
5159.
Palmer LJ, Celedon JC, Weiss ST, Wang B,
Fang Z, Xu X. Ascaris lumbricoides infection is associated with increased risk
of childhood asthma and atopy in rural China. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2002 Jun 1;165(11):1489-93
There
is growing international interest in the possible relationships between
helminthic infection and allergic disease, although the nature of the
relationships remains uncertain and controversial. The interrelationships of
current and past infection with Ascaris lumbricoides and asthma and atopy were
investigated in a cross-sectional sample of 2,164 children between the ages of
8 and 18 years from Anqing Province, China. The children were sampled from a
larger family-based study of the genetics of asthma. The prevalence of either a
history of or a positive stool examination for Ascaris was 24.5%. Asthma was
defined for analytic purposes using previously validated, stringent criteria
including airways responsiveness to methacholine. Independently of the other
factors assessed, infection with A. lumbricoides was associated with increased
risk of asthma (p < 0.001), an increased number of skin tests positive to
aeroallergens (p < 0.001), and an increased dose-response slope to
methacholine (p = 0.003). The association of sensitization to common
aeroallergens with increased asthma risk was enhanced in those children
infected with Ascaris, and such infection was associated with an increased risk
of asthma independent of sensitization to aeroallergens in this selected
population. These data suggest a complex relationship between ascariasis and
susceptibility to childhood asthma among predisposed children that may involve
an interaction with the immune response to inhaled aeroallergens.
5160. Rawat AK. Throat clearing habit and ascariasis. Indian Pediat. 2001; 38(9), 1064. No. Abstract
5161. Santra
A, Bhattacharya T, Chowdhury A, Ghosh A, Ghosh N, Chatterjee BP, Mazumder DNG.
Serodiagnosis of ascariasis with specific IgG(4) antibody and its use in an
epidemiological study. Trans Royal Soc trop Med Hyg. 2001; 95(3), 289-92.
Earlier study Ascaris-specific IgG(4) antibody was found to be elevated in cases of ascariasis.
However, the usefulness of the elevated levels of this antibody in Ascaris
infection as diagnostic marker has not been well established. In India, in
early 1999, blood samples of 83 cases of Ascaris infection, 35 (without any
helminth infection) were tested for anti-Ascaris of Ascaris-infected patients
were determined, after eradication of the worms with drugs, at regular
intervals to ascertain the duration of elevation of titre of the serological
marker following initial infection. This information would indicate the
sensitivity of the test as a diagnostic marker for recent infection. Blood
sample of 422 rural people were also tested for anti-Ascaris IgG, titre to
ascertain the prevalence of ascariasis in the community. High levels of
anti-ascaris IgG antibody (OD 1.246 +/- 0.212) were found in all the 83
Ascaris-infected subjects compared to controls (OD 0.158 +/- 0.047).
Anti-Ascaris IgG(4) level in their blood, and its titre reached control level
of specific IgG(4) antibody against Ascaris excretory-secretory antigen,
suggesting that they were infested with Ascaris. Thus, this study demonstrated
that anti-Ascaris IgG(4) antibody is a very sensitive and specific marker for
the diagnosis of Ascaris.
5161. Sclabas
G, Kirschstein T, Uhl W, Hurlimann R, Ruchti C, Buchler MW. Juvenile idiopathic
fibrosing pancreatitis. Dig Dis Sci
2002 Jun;47(6):1230-5
Chronic
pancreatitis is a rare differential diagnosis of obstructive jaundice and/or
recurrent abdominal pain in childhood and adolescence. The hereditary
calcifying and the noncalcifying obstructive form are the two major forms of
juvenile chronic pancreatitis. Other causes include cystic fibrosis,
hyperparathyroidism, hyperlipoproteinemia and ascariasis. Even less common is
the so called idiopathic or fibrosing pancreatitis. Since the first description
by Comfort in 1946 only 41 further cases of juvenile idiopathic fibrosing
pancreatitis have been published. An association with gene mutations (PRSS1,
SPINK1, CTFR-5T genotype) is suspected. We report the cases of a 17-year-old
male patient who presented with painless obstructive jaundice and a 16-year-old
female patient who presented with abdominal pain and obstructive jaundice. Both
patients underwent surgical treatment with duodenum-preserving pancreatic head
resection. The relevant literature with special regard to modern pancreatic
surgery is reviewed to give an overview about this rare but surgically
treatable pediatric condition, which merits the attention of pediatricians and
gastroenterologists in cases of children and adolescents suffering from unexplained
abdominal pain.
5162. Williams-Blangero
S, VandeBerg JL, Subedi J, Aivaliotis MJ, Rai DR, Upadhayay RP, Jha B, Blangero
J. Genes on chromosomes 1 and 13 have significant effects on Ascaris infection.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002 Apr 16;99(8):5533-8
Nematode
parasites show a characteristic aggregated distribution among hosts. This
observation has important implications for pathogenesis, immunology, and
control of these infections, but the relative roles of environment and genetics
in determining these patterns have remained uncertain. This paper presents the
results of the first genome scan for susceptibility to infection with roundworm
(Ascaris lumbricoides). Data on 375 genetic markers were generated for each of
444 members of a genetically isolated Nepalese population, the Jirels. Ascaris
worm burden as assessed by egg counts was measured in these same individuals by
using the Kato Katz thick smear method. The extensive genealogical data
available for the population allowed assignment of all 444 individuals to a
single pedigree that contained 6,209 pairs of relatives that were informative
for genetic analysis. A variance components linkage analysis resulted in the
unequivocal localization of two genes (one on chromosome 1 and another on
chromosome 13) with clear, significant effects on susceptibility to Ascaris
infection. This is the first evidence that individual quantitative trait loci
influence variation in Ascaris burden in humans.
Pathogenesis :
5163. Pruss
A, Kay D, Fewtrell L, Bartram J. Estimating the burden of disease from water,
sanitation, and hygiene at a global level. Environ Health Perspect 2002 May;110(5):537-42
We estimated the disease burden from water, sanitation, and hygiene at the global level taking into account various disease outcomes, principally diarrheal diseases. The disability-adjusted life year (DALY) combines the burden from death and disability in a single index and permits the comparison of the burden from water, sanitation, and hygiene with the burden from other risk factors or diseases. We divided the world's population into typical exposure scenarios for 14 geographical regions. We then matched these scenarios with relative risk information obtained mainly from intervention studies. We estimated the disease burden from water, sanitation, and hygiene to be 4.0% of all deaths and 5.7% of the total disease burden (in DALYs) occurring worldwide, taking into account diarrheal diseases, schistosomiasis, trachoma, ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm disease. Because we based these estimates mainly on intervention studies, this burden is largely preventable. Other water- and sanitation-related diseases remain to be evaluated. This preliminary estimation of the global disease burden caused by water, sanitation, and hygiene provides a basic model that could be further refined for national or regional assessments. This significant and avoidable burden suggests that it should be a priority for public health policy.
5164. No
Abstract