scholarly journals Hookworm infection in infants: a case report and review of literature

2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Umbrello ◽  
R. Pinzani ◽  
A. Bandera ◽  
F. Formenti ◽  
G. Zavarise ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Hookworm infections (Necator americanus, Ancylostoma duodenale) are common in rural areas of tropical and subtropical countries. Human acquisition results from direct percutaneous invasion of infective larvae from contaminated soil. Overall, almost 472 million people in developing rural countries are infected. According to simulation models, hookworm disease has a global financial impact of over US$100 billion a year. Hookworm infection in newborn or infancy is rare, and most of the cases reported in literature are from endemic countries. Here, we describe the case of an infant with an Ancylostoma duodenale infection and review the literature currently available on this topic. Case presentation An Italian 2-month-old infant presented with vomit and weight loss. Her blood exams showed anemia and eosinophilia and stool analysis resulted positive for hookworms’ eggs, identified as Ancylostoma duodenale with real time-PCR. Parasite research on parents’ stools resulted negative, and since the mother travelled to Vietnam and Thailand during pregnancy, we assumed a transplacental transmission of the infection. The patient was treated successfully with oral Mebendazole and discharged in good conditions. Discussion Hookworm helminthiasis is a major cause of morbidity in children in the tropics and subtropics, but rare in developed countries. Despite most of the patients is usually asymptomatic, children are highly exposed to negative sequelae such as malnutrition, retarded growth and impaired cognitive development. In infants and newborns, the mechanism of infection remains unclear. Although infrequent, vertical transmission of larvae can occur through breastfeeding and transplacentally. Hookworm infection should be taken into account in children with abdominal symptoms and unexplained persistent eosinophilia. The treatment of infants infected by hookworm has potential benefit, but further studies are needed to define the best clinical management of these cases.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4179
Author(s):  
Maurizio Tiepolo ◽  
Vieri Tarchiani ◽  
Alessandro Pezzoli

In the tropics, rural areas are still the place where many people live, despite ongoing urbanization [...]


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e044066
Author(s):  
Prashant Mathur ◽  
Vaitheeswaran Kulothungan ◽  
Sravya Leburu ◽  
Anand Krishnan ◽  
Himanshu Kumar Chaturvedi ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo generate national estimates of key non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors for adolescents (15–17 years) identified in the National NCD Monitoring Framework and, study the knowledge, attitudes and practices towards NCD risk behaviours among school-going adolescents.Design and settingA community-based, national, cross-sectional survey conducted during 2017–2018. The survey was coordinated by the Indian Council of Medical Research—National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research with 10 reputed implementing research institutes/organisations across India in urban and rural areas.ParticipantsA multistage sampling design was adopted covering ages between 15 and 69 years—adolescents (15–17 years) and adults (18–69 years). The sample included 12 000 households drawn from 600 primary sampling units. All available adolescents (15–17 years) from the selected households were included in the survey.Main outcome measuresKey NCD risk factors for adolescents (15–17 years)—current tobacco and alcohol use, dietary behaviours, insufficient physical activity, overweight and obesity.ResultsOverall, 1402 households and 1531 adolescents completed the survey. Prevalence of current daily use of tobacco was 3.1% (95% CI: 2.0% to 4.7%), 25.2% (95% CI: 22.2% to 28.5%) adolescents showed insufficient levels of physical activity, 6.2% (95% CI: 4.9% to 7.9%) were overweight and 1.8% (95% CI: 1.0% to 2.9%) were obese. Two-thirds reported being imparted health education on NCD risk factors in their schools/colleges.ConclusionThe survey provides baseline data on NCD-related key risk factors among 15–17 years in India. These national-level data fill information gaps for this age group and help assess India’s progress towards NCD targets set for 2025 comprehensively. Though the prevalence of select risk factors is much lower than in many developed countries, this study offers national evidence for revisiting and framing appropriate policies, strategies for prevention and control of NCDs in younger age groups.


2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (04) ◽  
pp. 380-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjana Topić ◽  
Silvija Čuković-Čavka ◽  
Marko Brinar ◽  
Mirjana Kalauz ◽  
Ivica Škrlec ◽  
...  

AbstractThe nematode Strongyloides stercoralis, outside the tropics and subtropics present in small endemic foci, can cause an infection after direct skin contact with contaminated soil containing infective filariform larvae and, rarely, after intimate interhuman contact or after transplantation of an infected solid organ. Following skin penetration, migration, and maturation through several stages, a small number of invasive filariform larvae can develop anew in the gut lumen, perpetuating new cycles of penetration, tissue migration, and reproduction, without leaving the host.In a state of immunosuppression, autoinfection can progress to life-threatening hyperinfection and/or infection disseminated through virtually any organ. In developed countries, the most frequently recognized risk for severe hyperinfection is corticosteroid therapy, but this has been also described in malnourished, alcoholic, cancer, and transplant patients. Due to the frequent need for immunosuppressive therapy, patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are susceptible to develop overwhelming strongyloidiasis. Strongyloidiasis can be easily overlooked in clinical settings, and in many European regions there is poor insight into the epidemiological burden of this disease.We present a case of S. stercoralis hyperinfection that triggered 3 successive episodes of sepsis caused by pathogens of the gut flora in a young patient suffering from stenotic form of Crohn’s disease. S. stercoralis hyperinfection occurred in the corticosteroid-free period, shortly after resection of the terminal ileum, which was probably the trigger for the overwhelming course. The patient was successfully treated with 10-day albendazole therapy.


2010 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 203-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Bernardon Ribeiro ◽  
Herlon Saraiva Martins ◽  
Vera Aparecida dos Santos ◽  
Marcelo el Khouri ◽  
Leandro Savoy Duarte ◽  
...  

The present study intended to analyze the seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori, IgG, and its relation to dyspepsia in a population from the western Amazon region. During the "Projeto Bandeira Científica", a University of São Paulo Medical School program, in Monte Negro's rural areas, state of Rondônia, 266 blood samples were collected from volunteers. The material was tested for IgG antibodies anti-Helicobacter pylori by ELISA method and the participants were also interviewed on dyspepsia, hygiene and social aspects. Participants aged between five and 81 years old (34 years on average), 149 (56%) were female and 117 (44%) male. We found 210 (78.9%) positive, 50 (18.8%) negative and six (2.3%) undetermined samples. Dyspeptic complaints were found in 226 cases (85.2%). There was no statistical association between dyspepsia and positive serology for H. pylori. We concluded that the seroprevalence in all age categories is similar to results found in other studies conducted in developing countries, including those from Brazil. On the other hand, the seroprevalence found in Monte Negro was higher than that reported in developed countries. As expected, there was a progressive increase in the positivity for H. pylori in older age groups.


Populasi ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pieter J. Soumokil

It has been argued by many demographers that socio economic development with its associated fundamental changes in the role of women and the value of children is the dominant factor in the transition from high to low fertility. Research in less developed countries has found lower fertility levels in urban population compared to rural population. It was therefore assumed that the modernizing role of urbanlife helped bring about a decline infertility levels.This study in Irian Jaya, however, convincingly shows that fertility of urban women in Irian Jaya is higher than that of rural women. This differential infertility in favour of urban women in Irian Jaya appears to be real and not a result of underreporting of total live births in rural areas.The reasons for lower fertility in the rural areas in IrianJaya remain unknown, and more research is therefore needed. However, this study strongly suggests that the traditional system of swidden agricultyure in Irian Jaya, which places a highvalue on the labour input of women, may play a major role in constraining fertility in rural area of this province. On the other hand, high fertility in urban areas takes place because urbanwomen have their first birth earlier thanwomen inthe rural areas.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 549
Author(s):  
Julfikar Rahmad ◽  
Volvo Sihombing ◽  
Masrizal Masrizal

The problem of poverty is a classic problem that occurs in every country, both developed countries and developing countries like Indonesia. In every country, there are many programs carried out by the government to overcome the problem of poverty, one of which is the RASKIN program carried out by the Indonesian government. The method used to complete this research is SMARTER (Simple Multi Attribute Rating Technique Exploiting Ranks). During the Covid 19 pandemin, which is currently happening, various kinds of assistance are needed for middle and lower class people in rural areas, thus to distribute assistance, assistance distribution techniques are needed so that it reaches the right people. The SMARTER method was chosen because it is a form of decision support model used in decision making with multi attributes that will be used to solve decision-making problems. The research was conducted in Sei Beluru Village, Meranti District, Asahan Regency. In Sei Beluru Village, several criteria were obtained from direct observation of the field, namely the area of the house floor, the type of floor of the house, the type of house wall, the toilet facilities, the source of drinking water, lighting, materials. fuel used, frequency of eating, ability to buy meat, ability to buy clothes, ability to seek treatment, monthly income, education of the head of household, ownership of assets. Decision support systems using the Smarter method are able to analyze data on people who are entitled to receive Raskin assistance. The results obtained from this study are that from several prospective recipients of Raskin assistance with the specified criteria, it is found that the most prioritized alternative has the highest value of 0.603 using the Smarter method.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manabu Kaneko ◽  
Hiroaki Nozawa ◽  
Hirofumi Rokutan ◽  
Koji Murono ◽  
Tetsuo Ushiku ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Ectopic decidua is the presence of decidual tissue outside the uterus. Ectopic decidua of the appendix is a rare entity that can present with abdominal symptoms mimicking appendicitis. We report a case of a 39-year-old female patient at 27 weeks gestational age with a 2-day history of right lower quadrant abdominal pain. Case presentation The patient was referred to our hospital with suspicion of either acute appendicitis or threatened rupture of the uterus, the latter of which was considered unlikely following close examination. Therefore, she underwent emergency appendectomy via laparotomy. Microscopic examination revealed decidual tissue with myxoid degeneration in the subserosal layer of the tip side of the appendix, without endometriosis, which was compatible with ectopic decidua (deciduosis). Conclusions Because it is extremely difficult to distinguish ectopic decidua of the appendix from acute appendicitis, even with various imaging modalities, we should be aware that ectopic decidua of the appendix is a differential diagnosis for acute appendicitis in pregnant women.


2020 ◽  
pp. 91-99
Author(s):  
V. Moskalenko ◽  
V.P. Kolosha

The article deals with the problems of the influence of the livestock sector on the formation of sustainable development of rural areas. It is emphasized that currently global problems have formed in the world, namely: differentiation in living standards between developed countries and ‘third world’ countries, significant differentiation of income levels among most countries, environmental pollution, limited and reduced easily accessible natural resources, degradation of agricultural lands. Today, the principles of sustainable development are recognized as strategic directions for the development of the sector by the world’s leading countries. In the process of research, dialectical methods of cognition of processes and phenomena, monographic method (analysis of views on the concept of sustainable development), abstract-logical (theoretical generalizations and formulation of conclusions) were used. The article addresses the problems of the influence of the livestock sector on the formation of sustainable development of rural areas. A brief overview of approaches and principles for the interpretation of the concept of ‘sustainable development’ was conducted. It is noted that the current situation in rural areas is critical in terms of, first of all, social and environmental problems. The livestock sector should become one of the elements of their solution. It is noted that its development allows not only to diversify production, but also to improve the social situation and solve certain environmental problems. The authors give their own definition of rural development as a development that provides an increase in the level and quality of life of rural residents with the provision of their social needs and the ability to pass on the natural biodiversity of the respective areas to future generations. It is emphasized that this definition combines economic, social and environmental development.The key principles of the state policy in development of rural territories on the principles of susta­inable development with allocation of its constituent elements are formulated. Measures for sustainable development of rural areas through the support of the livestock sector as one of the components of agricultural production are proposed. It is noted that intensive production is possible today, provided that the optimal ratio of the structure of land use and the presence of the livestock sector in the structure of production is maintained.


Author(s):  
Oscar Zapata

Abstract Changes in climatic patterns are expected to have significant effects on health and wellbeing. However, the literature on the effect of climate on subjective wellbeing remains scant and existing studies focus mostly on developed countries or cross-country analyses. This paper aims to identify the relationship between climate conditions on happiness after controlling for individual and social characteristics. Ecuador, a geographically fragmented country with varying climate conditions across municipalities, constitutes an ideal case study to assess the effect of climate variables on happiness. We employ a cross-section analysis to identify the effect of temperature, precipitation and humidity on happiness. The paper shows that climate conditions constitute an important determinant of people's subjective wellbeing. The results also suggest that income and education attenuate the effect of temperature on happiness and that substantial differences are observed depending on whether places are hot/humid or cold/dry.


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