scholarly journals Concepts in Immunology and Diagnosis of Hydatid Disease

2003 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenbao Zhang ◽  
Jun Li ◽  
Donald P. McManus

SUMMARY Echinococcosis is a cosmopolitan zoonosis caused by adult or larval stages of cestodes belonging to the genus Echinococcus (family Taeniidae). The two major species of medical and public health importance are Echinococcus granulosus and E. multilocularis, which cause cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE), respectively. Both CE and AE are both serious diseases, the latter especially so, with a high fatality rate and poor prognosis if managed inappropriately. This review discusses new concepts and approaches in the immunology and diagnosis of CE, but comparative reference has also been made to AE infection and to earlier pivotal studies of both diseases. The review considers immunity to infection in the intermediate and definitive hosts, innate resistance, evasion of the immune system, and vaccination of intermediate and definitive hosts, and it particularly emphasizes procedures for diagnosis of CE and AE, including the value of immunodiagnostic approaches. There is also discussion of the new advances in recombinant and related DNA technologies, especially application of PCR, that are providing powerful tools in the fields of vaccinology and molecular diagnosis of echinococcosis.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Balázs Dezsényi ◽  
Zsolt Dubóczki ◽  
Tamás Strausz ◽  
Eszter Csulak ◽  
Veronika Czoma ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Human alveolar echinococcosis (AE) caused by Echinococcus multilocularis is an underreported, often misdiagnosed and mistreated parasitic disease mainly due to its low incidence. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of human AE patients in Hungary for the first time. Method Between 2003 and 2018, epidemiological and clinical data of suspected AE patients were collected retrospectively from health database management systems. Results This case series included a total of 16 AE patients. The mean age of patients was 53 years (range: 24–78 years). The sex ratio was 1:1. Four patients (25%) revealed no recurrence after radical surgery and adjuvant albendazole (ABZ) therapy. For five patients (31.3%) with unresectable lesions, a stabilization of lesions with ABZ treatment was achieved. In seven patients (43.8%), progression of AE was documented. The mean diagnostic delay was 33 months (range: 1–122 months). Three AE related deaths (fatality rate 18.8%) were recorded. Conclusions AE is an emerging infectious disease in Hungary with a high fatality rate since based on our results, almost every fifth AE patient died in the study period. Differential diagnosis and appropriate surgical and medical therapy for AE is an urging challenge for clinicians in Hungary, as well as in some other European countries where E. multilocularis is prevalent.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Alejandro De Jesús Cortés-Sánchez

Fish and products are considered a food of nutritional quality that constituents a part of the human diet, produced and commercialized worldwide. Tilapia is one of the main fish for aquaculture production destined for human consumption in different presentations: refrigerated, frozen, fillet, cured, canned, among others. Fish, in addition to being a highly nutritious food, is also sensitive to deterioration and contamination along the food chain, being able to be contaminated mainly by microorganisms that are casual agents of consumer illnesses. Clostridium botulinum and spores can contaminate foods such as fish and products whose germination, growth and generation of botulinum toxin puts the health of consumers at high risk of acquiring botulism disease, which is of importance in public health due to its incidence and high fatality rate. This review describes in a general way the aspects related to fish and tilapia, foodborne diseases such as botulism, the causal agent, in addition to sanitary regulation, control and prevention of contamination of food products to protect food safety, and consumer’s health.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Sanju George ◽  
Jessy Fenn ◽  
Kripa Robonderdeep

Gambling is a popular pastime in India, as in most cultures across the world. Although research from India is limited, there is enough evidence to suggest that it should be of public health importance. In this brief paper, we look at the evolution of gambling in India and also discuss potential ways forward to address this issue.


Author(s):  
David A Savitz

Abstract Interpreting the results of epidemiologic studies calls for objectivity and rigorous scrutiny, acknowledging the limitations that temper the applicability of the findings to public health action. Current trends have posed new challenges to balancing goal of scientific objectivity and validity with public health applications. The ongoing tension between epidemiology’s aspirations and capability has several sources: the need to overpromise in research proposals, compromising methodologic rigor because of public health importance, defending findings in the face of hostile critics, and appealing to core constituencies who have specific expectations from the research.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fufa Dawo Bari ◽  
Haimanot Belete Wodaje ◽  
Umer Said ◽  
Hika Waktole ◽  
Melaku Sombo ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Hepatitis E is an enteric and zoonotic disease caused by hepatitis E virus (HEV) that is mainly transmitted via the faecal-oral route through contaminated food or the environment. The virus is an emerging infectious agent causing acute human infection worldwide. A high seroprevalence of the disease was reported in pregnant women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, raising significant public health concern. The presence of HEV specific antibodies were also reported in dromedary camels in the country; however, the infectious virus and/or the viral genome have not been demonstrated to date in animal samples. Methods To address this gap, a total of 95 faecal samples collected from both apparently healthy pigs of uncharacterised types (50 samples) in Burayu and Addis Ababa areas and camels (Camelus dromedarius, 45 samples) in west Hararghe were screened for the presence of HEV genome using universal primers in a fully nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (nRT-PCR). The protocol is capable of detecting HEV in faecal samples from both pigs and camels. Results The nRT-PCR detected HEV genes in six (12%) pig faecal samples and one camel sample (2.2%). Therefore, the results indicate that HEV is circulating in both pigs and camels in Ethiopia and these animals and their products could serve as a potential source of infection for humans. Conclusion The detection of HEV in both animals could raise another concern regarding its public health importance as both animals’ meat and camel milk are consumed in the country. Further studies to determine the prevalence and distribution of the virus in different animals and their products, water bodies, food chain, and vegetables are warranted, along with viral gene sequencing for detailed genetic characterisation of the isolates circulating in the country. This information is critically important to design and institute appropriate control and/or preventive measures.


2008 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Björkstén ◽  
R. Crevel ◽  
C. Hischenhuber ◽  
M. Løvik ◽  
F. Samuels ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Mythri Halappa

AbstractMedications are one of the most important tools in public health practice. Since the 1980s, self‑medication is of prime public health importance as World Health Organization, in order to reduce the burden on health care professionals changed some prescription drugs to be sold over the counter. Each drug has its own advantages & disadvantages. Hence, always they have to be taken with caution. Considering this a recent trend has increased in surveying the prevalence of self medication. Hence, this review critically evaluated the studies to put a light on basic concept of self medication.Key words: Self medication, Drug abuse, Self care, Substance abuse, Antibiotic usage. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 225-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Tan ◽  
Luca Piccoli ◽  
Antonio Lanzavecchia

Plasmodium falciparum remains a serious public health problem and a continuous challenge for the immune system due to the complexity and diversity of the pathogen. Recent advances from several laboratories in the characterization of the antibody response to the parasite have led to the identification of critical targets for protection and revealed a new mechanism of diversification based on the insertion of host receptors into immunoglobulin genes, leading to the production of receptor-based antibodies. These advances have opened new possibilities for vaccine design and passive antibody therapies to provide sterilizing immunity and control blood-stage parasites.


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