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Immunodiagnosis and its role in schistosomiasis control in China: a review
Acta Tropica, Vol. 96, No. 2-3. (November 2005), pp. 130-136, doi:10.1016/j.actatropica.2005.07.007
Yin-Chang Zhu
Yin-Chang Zhu
Categories: schisto news feeds
Praziquantel for the treatment of schistosomiasis: its use for control in areas with endemic disease and prospects for drug resistance.
Expert review of anti-infective therapy, Vol. 4, No. 2. (April 2006), pp. 199-210, doi:10.1586/14787210.4.2.199
Praziquantel became available for the treatment of schistosomiasis and other trematode-inflicted diseases in the 1970s. It was revolutionary because it could be administered orally and had very few unwanted side effects. As a result of marked reductions in the price of praziquantel, the rate at which it is used has accelerated greatly in recent years. For the foreseeable future it will be the mainstay of programs designed to control schistosome-induced morbidity, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where schistosomiasis is heavily endemic. There is currently no evidence to suggest that any schistosomes have developed resistance to praziquantel as a result of its widespread use. Nevertheless, while resistance may not pose an obvious or immediate threat to the usefulness of praziquantel, complacency and a failure to monitor developments may have serious consequences in the longer term since it will be the only drug that is readily available for large-scale treatment of schistosomiasis.
Michael Doenhoff, Livia Pica-Mattoccia
Praziquantel became available for the treatment of schistosomiasis and other trematode-inflicted diseases in the 1970s. It was revolutionary because it could be administered orally and had very few unwanted side effects. As a result of marked reductions in the price of praziquantel, the rate at which it is used has accelerated greatly in recent years. For the foreseeable future it will be the mainstay of programs designed to control schistosome-induced morbidity, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where schistosomiasis is heavily endemic. There is currently no evidence to suggest that any schistosomes have developed resistance to praziquantel as a result of its widespread use. Nevertheless, while resistance may not pose an obvious or immediate threat to the usefulness of praziquantel, complacency and a failure to monitor developments may have serious consequences in the longer term since it will be the only drug that is readily available for large-scale treatment of schistosomiasis.
Michael Doenhoff, Livia Pica-Mattoccia
Categories: schisto news feeds
PCR diagnosis of acute schistosomiasis
BMC Infectious Diseases, Vol. $item.volume (30 January 2013), 55, doi:10.1186/1471-2334-13-55
Background: Acute schistosomiasis constitutes a rare but serious condition in individuals experiencing their first prepatent Schistosoma infection. To circumvent costly and time-consuming diagnostics, an early and rapid diagnosis is required. So far, classic diagnostic tools such as parasite microscopy or serology lack considerable sensitivity at this early stage of Schistosoma infection. To validate the use of a blood based real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for the detection of Schistosoma DNA in patients with acute schistosomiasis who acquired their infection in various endemic regions we conducted a European-wide prospective study in 11 centres specialized in travel medicine and tropical medicine. Methods: Patients with a history of recent travelling to schistosomiasis endemic regions and freshwater contacts, an episode of fever (body temperature >= 38.5[degree sign]C) and an absolute or relative eosinophil count of >=700/mul or 10%, were eligible for participation. PCR testing with DNA extracted from serum was compared with results from serology and microscopy. Results: Of the 38 patients with acute schistosomiasis included into the study, PCR detected Schistosoma DNA in 35 patients at initial presentation (sensitivity 92%). In contrast, sensitivity of serology (enzyme immunoassay and/or immunofluorescence assay) or parasite microscopy was only 70% and 24%, respectively. Conclusion: For the early diagnosis of acute schistosomiasis, real-time PCR for the detection of schistosoma DNA in serum is more sensitive than classic diagnostic tools such as serology or microscopy, irrespective of the region of infection. Generalization of the results to all Schistosoma species may be difficult as in the study presented here only eggs of S. mansoni were detected by microscopy. A minimum amount of two millilitre of serum is required for sufficient diagnostic accuracy.
Dominic Wichmann, Sven Poppert, Heidrun Von Thien, Joannes Clerinx, Sebastian Dieckmann, Mogens Jensenius, Philippe Parola, Joachim Richter, Mirjam Schunk, August Stich, Philipp Zanger, Gerd Burchard, Egbert Tannich
Background: Acute schistosomiasis constitutes a rare but serious condition in individuals experiencing their first prepatent Schistosoma infection. To circumvent costly and time-consuming diagnostics, an early and rapid diagnosis is required. So far, classic diagnostic tools such as parasite microscopy or serology lack considerable sensitivity at this early stage of Schistosoma infection. To validate the use of a blood based real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for the detection of Schistosoma DNA in patients with acute schistosomiasis who acquired their infection in various endemic regions we conducted a European-wide prospective study in 11 centres specialized in travel medicine and tropical medicine. Methods: Patients with a history of recent travelling to schistosomiasis endemic regions and freshwater contacts, an episode of fever (body temperature >= 38.5[degree sign]C) and an absolute or relative eosinophil count of >=700/mul or 10%, were eligible for participation. PCR testing with DNA extracted from serum was compared with results from serology and microscopy. Results: Of the 38 patients with acute schistosomiasis included into the study, PCR detected Schistosoma DNA in 35 patients at initial presentation (sensitivity 92%). In contrast, sensitivity of serology (enzyme immunoassay and/or immunofluorescence assay) or parasite microscopy was only 70% and 24%, respectively. Conclusion: For the early diagnosis of acute schistosomiasis, real-time PCR for the detection of schistosoma DNA in serum is more sensitive than classic diagnostic tools such as serology or microscopy, irrespective of the region of infection. Generalization of the results to all Schistosoma species may be difficult as in the study presented here only eggs of S. mansoni were detected by microscopy. A minimum amount of two millilitre of serum is required for sufficient diagnostic accuracy.
Dominic Wichmann, Sven Poppert, Heidrun Von Thien, Joannes Clerinx, Sebastian Dieckmann, Mogens Jensenius, Philippe Parola, Joachim Richter, Mirjam Schunk, August Stich, Philipp Zanger, Gerd Burchard, Egbert Tannich
Categories: schisto news feeds
Recent advances in vaccine research against schistosomiasis in Brazil
Acta Tropica, Vol. 108, No. 2-3. (November 2008), pp. 256-262, doi:10.1016/j.actatropica.2008.05.023
Sergio Oliveira, Cristina Fonseca, Fernanda Cardoso, Leonardo Farias, Luciana Leite
Sergio Oliveira, Cristina Fonseca, Fernanda Cardoso, Leonardo Farias, Luciana Leite
Categories: schisto news feeds
