Tropical Parasitology

Immunocompromised patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are prone to multiple infections, of which parasitic infections are an important cause. Parasitic protozoal infections - both by common and rare protozoa are documented in such patients. Here, we report a rare and interesting case of five protozoal infections affecting a single HIV-infected person at the same time of initial presentation. A 64-years-male came to us with complaints of chronic diarrhea for 6 months. He was investigated and found to be positive for HIV I...

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Acute appendicitis secondary to amoebic infestation is a rare possibility, especially in endemic areas. If left untreated, significant postoperative morbidity and mortality can result from the spread of amoebic trophozoites and subsequent tissue reaction. Histopathological examination of the resected appendix with demonstration of invasion by the parasite is mandatory for establishing a diagnosis. Careful examination of the specimen is thus of paramount importance.

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AIMS: Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 is a viral infection that was first discovered in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, in December 2019. Effects of COVID-19 infection could drastically influence other concomitant diseases like Malaria. Malaria and COVID-19 may mimic each other and share look-alike symptoms. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the clinical and biochemical characteristics of malaria and COVID-19 synergism that was based on the published case reports...

Parasites are uncommon causes of heart diseases except in endemic areas, and very few data are available which deals with parasites infecting human heart. However, literatures demonstrated that certain parasites such as protozoan and helminths can lead to significant cardiac complications. Although all organs can be affected, the heart and the lungs are the most frequently affected organs either directly or indirectly. It may involve all layers of the heart including pulmonary vasculature, thus producing a wide variety of clinical manifestations, which may present as myocarditis, pericarditis, cardiomyopathy, endomyocardial fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension...

By converging advanced science, engineering, and design, deep techs are bringing a great wave of future innovations by mastering challenges and problem complexity across sectors and the field of parasitology is no exception. Remarkable research and advancements can be seen in the field of parasite detection and diagnosis through smartphone applications. Supervised and unsupervised data deep learnings are heavily exploited for the development of automated neural network models for the prediction of parasites, eggs, etc...

CONTEXT: Toxoplasma gondii and rubella virus are microorganisms that can cause intrauterine infections and congenital anomalies in the fetus. Data regarding the simultaneous seroprevalence of these infections are not available in Senegal. AIMS: This study aimed to determine for the first time the simultaneous seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis and rubella among pregnant women in Dakar. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, anti- Toxoplasma and anti-rubella antibodies were analyzed in the serum samples obtained from pregnant women receiving prenatal care at Military Hospital of Ouakam between 2016 and 2021 using a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay for the quantitative determination of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and rubella in human serum...

BACKGROUND: Battle against malaria has been going on since time immemorial. Understanding the true burden of disease and the determinants of its transmission are important for implementing adequate control measures. This study intends to explore the local epidemiology and burden of malaria in Puducherry, a coastal Union territory located in the Southern part of India over a period of 7 years. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective record-based study was conducted from 2015 to 2021, where details from all samples that tested positive for malaria by peripheral blood examination or rapid card test, from suspected cases were collected and analyzed...

Hard ticks are mainly responsible for more "tick-borne" diseases in humans when compared to soft ticks. Tick infestation of ocular and periocular tissues is rare. We report the case of a 61-year-old male with left upper eyelid edema with erythema and live parasite on the lid margin.

BACKGROUND: Fecal calprotectin (FC) and fecal occult blood (FOB) were suggested as potential inflammatory markers for assessing intestinal schistosomiasis morbidity that are conventionally detected through invasive methods. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: The present work aimed to evaluate FC and FOB as morbidity markers of Schistosoma mansoni infection before and after praziquantel treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 205 stool samples (117 schoolchildren and 88 adults) were collected and examined by Kato Katz...

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We present a unique case of asymptomatic NCC that was accidently diagnosed on radiological investigations after a road traffic accident. An Ophthalmologic consult was sought to rule out intraocular or optic nerve cysticercosis. Fundoscopy showed multiple white-pale yellow lesions in the right eye which on ultrasonography confirmed cyst lined by a cyst wall consistent with subretinal cysticercosis. The patient was treated with diode laser photocoagulation. A high index of suspicion is required to diagnose NCCin endemic areas...

CONTEXT: Histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) detecting rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have played an important role in enabling prompt malaria diagnosis in remote locations. HRP2 has advantages over other biomarkers because of its abundance in the bloodstream, repetitive binding epitopes, and falciparum-specificity. Most HRP2-based RDTs also exhibit some cross-reactivity to a closely related protein (HRP3) . Plasmodium falciparum parasites lacking HRP2 ( pfhrp2 ) and 3 ( pfhrp3 ) genes escape detection by these RDTs...

BACKGROUND: Cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by Echinococcus granulosus , is a major zoonotic disease that causes significant human morbidity and mortality. This cosmopolitan disease is difficult to diagnose, treat, and control. So far, crude extracts of hydatid cyst fluid containing antigen B or antigen 5 have been used as the primary antigenic source for its immunodiagnosis. The main issue is that it reacts with sera from people infected with other helminths. There is currently no standard, specific, or sensitive test for disease diagnosis, and no human vaccine has been reported...

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INTRODUCTION: Blastocystis sp. is the most common parasitic infestation in humans. However, its pathogenicity remains controversial. Our aim was to study the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. parasite subtypes in patients with gastrointestinal manifestations referred for colonoscopy and assess possible correlation with clinical, colonoscopic, and histopathological findings. METHODOLOGY: One hundred patients with gastrointestinal manifestations referred for colonoscopy were enrolled...

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Entamoeba histolytica ( E. histolytica ) is an enteric microaerophilic protozoan parasite responsible for millions of cases worldwide. Majority of the infections due to E. histolytica remain asymptomatic; however, it can cause an array of symptoms ranging from devastating dysentery, colitis, and abscesses in different vital organs. The interactions between the E. histolytica and its host are a multifaceted chain of events rather than merely destruction and invasion. There are manifold decisive steps for the establishment of infections by E...

CONTEXT: Cyclosporiasis is an emerging enteric coccidian parasitic disease worldwide, caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis . There is scanty data from India, especially among immunocompetent patients. AIMS: The aim is to evaluate the occurrence of Cyclosporiasis in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: It is a prospective cohort study conducted from June 2006 to May 2018 at our tertiary care center...