• Journal of Korea Association of Health Promotion
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.62-71
• /
• 2005

In order to investigate the epidemiological situation of intestinal parasite infections in Lao PDR, parasitological surveys were carried out on a national scale including 17 Provinces and the Vientiane Municipality. A total of 29,846 stool specimens were collected from primary schoolchildren in May 2000 June 2002 and examined once with the cellophane thick smear technique. The cumulative egg Positive rate For intestinal helminthes was 61.9%, BV species, the rate for As caris lumbricoides was 34.9%, hookworm 19.1%, Trichuris trichiura 25.8%,Opisthorchis viverrini 10.9%, Taenia spp. 0.6% and Hymenolepis spp. 0.2%. The northern mountainous regions suck as Phongsaly, Huaphan or Saysomboune Province showed higher prevalence(over 70%) of soil- transmitted helminthes. The regions along the Mekong River such as Khammuane, Saravaue or Savannakhet Province showed higher prevalence(over 20%)of fish-borne parasites. On the other hand, Schistosoma mekongi eggs were detected from1.7% of schoolchildren only in Champassak Province, a previously known endemic area. The highest prevalence was noted in Phongsaly Province(96.0%) and the lowest in Bolikhamxay Province(27.5%). An additional smal1-scale survey by cellophane anal swab detected Enterobius vermicularis eggs in 35.7% of 451 schoolchildren aged 6-8 in Khammuane, Vientiane, Champassak Province and the Vientiane Municipality. Meanwhile, the mean blood hemoglobin level of hootrworm-infected children was not lower than that of hookworm-uninfected children, suggesting that nutritional factors are more important than parasite infection per se. Nevertheless, the above results indicate that a nationwide parasite control project is necessary to reduce possible morbidity of parasitic diseases in the country.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.53 no.5
• /
• pp.561-569
• /
• 2015

Schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections are widespread diseases of public health importance in Tanzania. A study on perceptions and practices related to schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections was undertaken among a community population of Kome Island in Sengerema District, north-western Tanzania, where intestinal schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections are endemic. Schistosomiasis and intestinal worm-related perceptions and practices were assessed before and 3 years after implementation of a participatory hygiene and sanitation transformation (PHAST) intervention as a control measure. Data were obtained from baseline and post-intervention knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) questionnaire surveys conducted twice in 2009 and 2012 among 82 individuals aged ${\geq}15years$. We found significant increases in respondents' knowledge of the cause, transmission, symptoms, health consequences, and prevention of schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections after PHAST intervention. The increase in respondents' knowledge on almost all aspects of the said infections was translated into actions to control schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections. This has not been achieved by chance, but due to well-designed and locally-adapted PHAST intervention. We conclude that despite criticisms, PHAST approach is still useful in empowering communities to control water, sanitation, and hygiene related infectious diseases such as schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.60 no.1
• /
• pp.51-56
• /
• 2022

Global efforts to identify groups at high risk for schistosomiasis have mainly concentrated on identifying their geographical distribution. Investigations on the socioeconomic characteristics of high-risk groups are relatively scarce. This study aimed to explore the associations between schistosomiasis among students and their parents' occupations. A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted targeting 105,167 students in 1,772 primary schools across Sudan in 2017. From these students, 100,726 urine and 96,634 stool samples were collected to test for Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni infection. A multi-level mixed effect analysis was used with age and sex as fixed factors, and school as a random factor. The odd ratios (ORs) of practicing open defecation among farmers' children were almost 5 times higher than their counterparts whose parents were government officials (OR=4.97, 95% confidence intervals (CIs): 4.57-5.42, P<0.001). The ORs of contacting water bodies for watering livestock among farmers' children were more than 4 times higher than those of children whose parents were government officials (OR=4.59, 95% CIs: 4.02-5.24, P<0.001). This study shows that schistosomiasis represents a disease of poverty and that farmers' children constituted a high-risk group.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.61 no.3
• /
• pp.251-262
• /
• 2023

Schistosomiasis causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. This study aimed to assess the effect of schistosomula lung antigen preparation (SLAP) and soluble egg antigen (SEA) on a murine schistosomiasis mansoni model. Ninety laboratory-bred male Swiss albino mice were divided into 6 groups. Two doses of the vaccine were given at 2-week intervals. All mice were subcutaneously infected with 80±10 Schistosoma mansoni cercariae 2 weeks after the last vaccination dose. They were sacrificed 7 weeks post-infection. Parasitological and histopathological studies were conducted to assess the effect of inoculated antigens (single or combined). The results showed that the combination of SLAP and SEA (combination group) led to a significant reduction in worm burden (65.56%), and liver and intestine egg count (59% and 60.59%, respectively). The oogram pattern revealed a reduction in immature and mature eggs (15±0.4 and 10±0.8, respectively) and an increased number of dead eggs in the combination group (P<0.001). In terms of histopathological changes, the combination group showed notably small compact fibrocellular egg granuloma and moderate fibrosis in the liver. A high percentage of destroyed ova was observed in the intestine of the combination group. This study demonstrates for the first time the prophylactic effect of combined SLAP and SEA vaccine. The vaccine induced a significant reduction in the parasitological and pathological impacts of schistosomiasis mansoni in hepatic and intestinal tissues, making it a promising vaccine candidate for controlling schistosomiasis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.55 no.2
• /
• pp.167-174
• /
• 2017

China still has more than 30,000 patients of advanced schistosomiasis while new cases being reported consistently. D-dimer is a fibrin degradation product. As ascites being the dominating symptom in advanced schistosomiasis, the present study aimed to explore a prediction model of ascites with D-dimer and other clinical easy-achievable indicators. A case-control study nested in a prospective cohort was conducted in schistosomiasis-endemic area of southern China. A total of 291 patients of advanced schistosomiasis were first investigated in 2013 and further followed in 2014. Information on clinical history, physical examination, and abdominal ultrasonography, including the symptom of ascites was repeatedly collected. Result showed 44 patients having ascites. Most of the patients' ascites were confined in the kidney area with median area of $20mm^2$. The level of plasma D-dimer and pertinent liver function indicators were measured at the initial investigation in 2013. Compared with those without ascites, cases with ascites had significantly higher levels of D-dimer ($0.71{\pm}2.44{\mu}g/L$ vs $0.48{\pm}2.12{\mu}g/L$, P=0.005), as well ALB (44.5 vs 46.2, g/L) and Type IV collagen (50.04 vs $44.50{\mu}g/L$). Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses indicated a moderate predictive value of D-dimer by its own area under curve (AUC) of 0.64 (95% CI: 0.54-0.73) and the cutoff value as $0.81{\mu}g/L$. Dichotomized by the cutoff level, D-dimer along with other categorical variables generated a prediction model with AUC of 0.76 (95% CI: 0.68-0.89). Risks of patients with specific characteristics in the prediction model were summarized. Our study suggests that the plasma D-dimer level is a reliable predictor for incident ascites in advanced schistosomiasis japonica patients.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.211-218
• /
• 2001

The $M_r$ 63,000 glycoprotein (GP63) and lipophosphoglycan (LPG) of Leishmania donovani were evaluated as vaccine candidates against visceral leishmaniasis. Mice were immunized with liposomeencapsulated GP63 and/or LPG that were purified from the soluble extract of L. donovani promastigotes, and were challenged with virulent amastigotes. Mice immunized with GP63/LPG in liposomes plus BCG resulted in a 27.4% reduction of amastigotes in the liver compared to the control group (liposomes plus BCG), and mice immunized with liposome-GP63 plus BCG failed to induce a protective immune response against the challenge infection. Immunization of mice with GP63 fused to the Schistosoma japonicum glutathione S-transferase (GP63-GST) plus BCG also failed to elicit protective immunity. To analyze the cause of failure to induce protection, cytokine release from the spleen cells of immunized mice and Leishmania-specific serum antibodies were analyzed. Spleen cells from mice immunized with GP63-GST plus BCG that were exposed to soluble extract of L. donovani in vitro produced 10-fold greater quantities of IFN-gamma and 3-fold greater quantities of IL-5 than cells from mice receiving BCG only or saline. Western blot analysis revealed that sera from these mice had Leishmania-specific antibodies recognizing 1 to 3 antigens of L. donovani with M. W. of 60-65 kDa. Although immunization of mice with GP63-GST induced a strong Th1 response, this study indicated that GP63-GST simultaneously elicited the Th2 response of the CD4+ T-cell, which was known to abrogate the protective immune response conferred by the Th1 effector function.