RESUMEN
Hookworm infection is considered the most prevalent human soil-transmitted helminth infection affecting approximately 500 million people and accounting for 3.2 million disability-adjusted life years lost annually. As with many other neglected tropical diseases, no international surveillance mechanisms that show accurate data on the prevalence of hookworm infection are in place, thus hindering strategies to control parasite transmission. In this review, we unravel the current knowledge in immunopathology and immunoregulation of hookworm infection and present discoveries in drug therapies based on the capability of hookworms to regulate inflammation to treat allergic, inflammatory and metabolic diseases. Additionally, we highlight potential vaccine development and treatments and propose avenues for further inquiry.
Asunto(s)
Ancylostomatoidea/patogenicidad , Infecciones por Uncinaria/inmunología , Infecciones por Uncinaria/terapia , Animales , Anticuerpos Antihelmínticos/inmunología , Interacciones Huésped-Parásitos , Humanos , Inmunidad Celular , Inmunomodulación , Masculino , Prevalencia , Suelo/parasitología , VacunasRESUMEN
The aim of this study was to evaluate environmental contamination by helminth eggs with zoonotic potential that were found in dog feces in the vicinity of elementary schools. Seventy-nine samples of dog feces were collected from 28 municipal schools located in five neighborhoods in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. The samples were processed using the Willis-Mollay technique and analyzed using an optical microscope (40X), to identify any parasite eggs present. All neighborhoods were positive and 74.7% of the samples exhibited one or more helminth genera. The agent with the highest prevalence was Ancylostoma spp. (93.2%), followed by Trichuris spp. (18.6%), Toxocara spp. (11.9%) and Toxascaris (1.7%). These data show that there is a need for greater care towards controlling these helminths with zoonotic potential, including responsible pet ownership and daily activities to clean and collect dog feces in the vicinity of schools, because these are places where children play and study.(AU)
O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a contaminação ambiental por ovos de helmintos com potencial zoonótico, diagnosticados em fezes caninas depositadas nas proximidades de escolas primárias. Setenta e nove amostras de fezes foram colhidas em 28 escolas municipais localizadas em cinco bairros da cidade de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brasil. As amostras foram processadas pela técnica de Willis-Mollay e analisadas em microscópio óptico (40X), para identificar quaisquer parasitos presentes. Todos os bairros foram positivos e 74,7% das amostras apresentaram um ou mais gêneros de helmintos. O agente com maior prevalência foi Ancylostoma spp. (93,2%), seguido por Trichuris spp. (18,6%), Toxocara spp. (11,9%) e Toxascaris (1,7%). Esses dados mostram que há necessidade de maior cuidado no controle desses helmintos com potencial zoonótico, incluindo a posse responsável dos animais e atividades diárias de limpeza e colheita de fezes de cães nas proximidades das escolas, porque esses são locais onde as crianças brincam e estudam.(AU)
Asunto(s)
Contaminación Ambiental , Ancylostomatoidea/crecimiento & desarrollo , Ancylostomatoidea/patogenicidad , Zoonosis , HelmintosAsunto(s)
Infecciones por Uncinaria/complicaciones , Albendazol/uso terapéutico , Ancylostomatoidea/efectos de los fármacos , Ancylostomatoidea/patogenicidad , Animales , Antiprotozoarios/uso terapéutico , Biopsia con Aguja/métodos , Nalgas/anomalías , Nalgas/patología , Nalgas/fisiopatología , Exantema/etiología , Femenino , Infecciones por Uncinaria/patología , Infecciones por Uncinaria/fisiopatología , Humanos , Martinica , Persona de Mediana Edad , Prurito/etiología , ViajeRESUMEN
Hookworm disease from Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale affects approximately 700 million people, with N. americanus being the predominant species. Unlike other pathogens (e.g., bacterial infections), where "virulence" is described in regards to acute pathogenesis and case-fatality, hookworms are well-evolved, multicellular parasites that establish long-term infections in their human hosts with a subtle and chronic, but insidious, pathogenesis, usually in the form of iron deficiency anemia from parasite blood feeding that, over time, has devastating effects on the human host especially when it involves children or women of child bearing years. As such, many of the typical terms for "virulence factors" used in other reviews in this special edition cannot be applied to hookworm (e.g., "colonization", "invasion", "or "toxicity"); rather the virulence of hookworm infection comes in terms of their ability to maintain a chronic blood-feeding infection in the lumen of relatively healthy human hosts, an infection that is usually measured in years but can sometimes be measured in decades. In the current manuscript, we describe the routes of invasion hookworms take into their human hosts and the means by which they modulate the human immune system to maintain this long-term parasitism. Little data on hookworm infection comes from actual human infections; instead, much of the data is derived from observations of laboratory animal models, in which hookworms fail to establish this distinctive "chronic infection," either due to physiological or immunological responses of these animal models. Hence, the mode and effects of chronic immunity must be extrapolated from this very different sort of infection to humans. Herein, we aim to synthesize immunological information from both types of models in the context of immune regulation and protection in order to identify future research focuses for the development of new treatment alternatives (i.e. drugs and vaccines).
Asunto(s)
Ancylostomatoidea/patogenicidad , Infecciones por Uncinaria/parasitología , Factores de Virulencia/fisiología , Animales , Interacciones Huésped-Parásitos , HumanosRESUMEN
It has been asserted that evidence of pre-Columbian hookworm has been found in the Americas, specifically in Peru, Brazil, and Tennessee. However, based on an analysis of the life cycle and morphology of hookworm, the paleopathologic indications for the presence of hookworm infestation in the Americas prior to 1492 are suspect. It is concluded that the material found in the Peruvian mummy is probably pinworms, that the Brazilian and Tennessee materials are probably not hookworm, and, therefore, that hookworm was one of many pathogens brought to the Americas after contact in 1492.
Asunto(s)
Infecciones por Uncinaria/historia , Ancylostomatoidea/crecimiento & desarrollo , Ancylostomatoidea/patogenicidad , Animales , Historia Antigua , Historia Medieval , Infecciones por Uncinaria/parasitología , Humanos , América del Norte , Paleopatología , América del SurRESUMEN
La ultraestructura de la Leishmania venezuelensis en humanos y gatos naturalmente infectados con leishmaniasis cutánea fue similar a la de otras especies conocidas de leishmania que producen enfermedad en humanos. Sin embargo, se observaron algunos hallazgos peculiares, tales como el diámetro promedio, el número y la distancia media entre los microtúbulos peliculares, la presencia de grandes megasomas, el desarrollo de vacuolas fagocíticas gigantes, la dispocisión de los túbulos en el corpúsculo parabasal, la presencia de microtúbulos por debajo de la membrana de la bolsa flagelar y la existencia de una organela excretoria en el polo posterior
Asunto(s)
Animales , Humanos , Masculino , Femenino , Gatos , Ancylostomatoidea/parasitología , Ancylostomatoidea/patogenicidad , Ascaridiasis , Helmintiasis/parasitología , Trichuris/parasitologíaRESUMEN
A fin de analizar el impacto que producen las parasitosis intestinales en la morbilidad infantil se determinó la prevalencia de las helmintiasis intestinales y el tipo de infestación que padece la población infantil de una comunidad marginal del Municipio Maracaibo. Se analizó un espécimen fecal de 151 niños mediante examen al fresco, concentración formol-éter y recuento de huevos por la técnica de Stoll. Se realizó el recuento de vermes expulsados post-tratamiento de Ascaris lumbricoides. Se evidenció prevalecia para Trichuris trichuria, A. lumbricoides, y Ancylostomideos. Se demostró asociación significativa entre helmitiasis y sexo. La intensidad promedio estimada a través del recuento de huevos resultó moderada para T. trichuria y leve para Ancylostomideos. En las manifestaciones por A. lumbricoides la intensidad promedio resultó severa según recuento de huevos, y moderada al calcularse por vermes expulsados post-tratamiento. T. trichuria, A. lumbricoides y los Ancylostomideos alcanzaron las mayores frecuencias. Se encontró discrepancia en los resultados para la especie A. lumbricoides donde el recuento de huevos mostró infestaciones moderadas
Asunto(s)
Preescolar , Niño , Humanos , Masculino , Femenino , Ancylostomatoidea/parasitología , Ancylostomatoidea/patogenicidad , Ascaridiasis , Helmintiasis/parasitología , Trichuris/parasitología , VenezuelaRESUMEN
In march - october 1987 were analyzed 1295 coprological specimens in a sample of the human population who lives in riverside localities in the Valdivia river basin, Chile. A 23,6 for percent of examined persons presented infection by one or more helminth species. The prevalence of infection by ascaris lumbricoides, trichuris trichiura and trichostrongylidae gen. sp were 15,5; 12,7 and 0,2 for percent, respectively. The prevalence of human ascariosis and trichuriosis were greater in pre-school and school children. The sex of the host and prevalence of geohelminthosis did not show any relationship. Prevalences of ascariosis and trichuriosis were higher in persons from houses no sanitary fecal and water disposal. Over 35 for percent and 20,7 for percent of family groups showed infection by A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura, respectively in over 40 for percent of the members of each group. Fecal samples from domestic mammals revealed the following prevalences rates helminth infections: in dogs 19,0 and 15,2 for percent for toxocara canis and uncinaria stenocephala respectively, in cats 65,1 for percent for toxocara cati, and in pigs 25,4 and 3,2 for percent for ascaris suum and trichuris suis respectively. Some of these species are clearly demostrated agents of zoonoses
Asunto(s)
Humanos , Animales , Masculino , Femenino , Preescolar , Adolescente , Adulto , Lactante , Animales Domésticos/parasitología , Helmintiasis/epidemiología , Prevalencia , Zoonosis/epidemiología , Distribución por Edad , Ancylostomatoidea/aislamiento & purificación , Ancylostomatoidea/patogenicidad , Ascaris lumbricoides/aislamiento & purificación , Ascaris lumbricoides/patogenicidad , Heces/parasitología , Recuento de Huevos de Parásitos , Saneamiento , Distribución por Sexo , Muestreo Estratificado , Toxocara/aislamiento & purificación , Toxocara/patogenicidad , Trichuris/aislamiento & purificación , Trichuris/patogenicidadRESUMEN
Se presenta un grupo familiar compuesto por 12 personas, de las cuales 11 vivieron durante 10 años en Bolivia y al retornar a Chile se les diagnosticó uncinariasis en exámenes coproparasitarios. Una hija nacida con posterioridad a la llegada a Chile no presentó esta parasitosis. Un hijo que no se trató presentó huevos de este enteroparásito 9 años después de volver de Bolivia. Se trataron con mebendazol con buenos resultados