RESUMO
Cysticercosis due to Taenia solium infection is endemic in developing countries of the Americas, Asia, and Africa. This study was designed to establish the prevalence of cysticercosis in 158 inpatients of a psychiatric institution in the state of Tachira (Venezuela) and in 127 healthy control subjects. Positive blood tests for cysticercosis by Western blotting were recorded in 18.35% of the patients and in 1.57% of the controls. Individuals with mental retardation were found to carry an increased risk of cysticercosis (RR: 2.92; 1.22 < 2.92 > 7.0; P < 0.05) compared with patients with other psychiatric disorders. Taeniasis by Taenia spp. was not demonstrated in the patient group, although a high incidence of infection by other helminths (95.1%) was detected. The high prevalence of cysticercosis in the psychiatric inpatient group, compared with healthy individuals, and the lack of a differential diagnosis of neurocysticercosis suggest cerebral cysticercosis in a large proportion of these patients. Cysticercosis could be the origin of the psychiatric disorders of these patients and may also be due to contact with the parasite in an environment with poor hygiene conditions and a deficient health care system.
Assuntos
Cisticercose/epidemiologia , Pacientes Internados , Transtornos Mentais , Teníase/epidemiologia , Adulto , Anticorpos Anti-Helmínticos/sangue , Fezes/parasitologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fatores de Risco , Venezuela/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Different antigenic extracts of Taenia solium and Taenia crassiceps were evaluated in connection with the detection of antibodies in patients with neurocysticercosis aimed at selecting immunorelevant antigens for the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis by means of the immunoenzymatic assay and immunoblotting. The vesicular fluid of T. crassiceps proved to be more sensitive (100) and specific (86). On using the immunoblotting technique it was also observed that this extract was the most sensitive and specific. Within the protein profile of the antigen the band of 18 kDa was mostly recognized by the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neurocysticercosis. The vesicular fluid of T. crassiceps represents an alternative in the optimization of the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid and in the substitution of T. solium antigens due to its high sensitivity and specificity and to its easy obtention under controlled laboratory conditions.
Assuntos
Humanos , Animais , Antígenos de Helmintos/imunologia , Cysticercus , Neurocisticercose , Taenia , Testes Imunológicos , Neurocisticercose , Sensibilidade e EspecificidadeRESUMO
Las inmunodeficiencias primarias son un grupo de entidades patológicas que se caracterizan por presentar errores en los mecanismos de defensa, específicos o inespecíficos, debidos a la imposibilidad para el reconocimiento antigénico, la alteración de las interconexiones entre los elementos del sistema inmunológico o la ausencia de los mecanismos efectos del sistema, ocasionado por alteraciones genéticas. El estudio de un paciente en quien se sospecha una inmunodeficiencia primaria consiste en determinar la fase o etapa de la inmunología y el elemento de ésta que se encuentra afectada. En el presente trabajo se propone, esquemáticamente, un procedimiento para la metodización del estudio de las inmunodeficiencias primarias conducente al diagnóstico precoz y al tratamiento oportuno de estas entidades, a propósito del análisis de la historia clínica de un lactante atendido en el Servicio de Pediatría del Hospital Universitario de Los Andes. Durante su enfermedad febril originada en una eventual infección respiratoria que evolucionó torpidamente, se comprobó la presencia de niveles elevados de IgM e indetectables de IgG e IgA y en el estudio necrópsico ausencia de centros germinales linfáticos e hipertrofia de la pulpa blanca esplénica como ha sido descrito en el Síndrome Hiper IgM