Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T03:51:37.605Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Influence of parasite load on the diagnosis and occurrence of eosinophilia in alcoholic patients infected with Strongyloides stercoralis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2017

M.L.S. Silva
Affiliation:
Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
E.J. Inês
Affiliation:
Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
J.N. Souza
Affiliation:
Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
A.B.S. Souza
Affiliation:
Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
V.M.S. Dias
Affiliation:
Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
L.N. Oliveira
Affiliation:
Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
C.M. Guimarães
Affiliation:
Obras Sociais Irmã Dulce, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
E.R. Menezes
Affiliation:
Obras Sociais Irmã Dulce, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
L.G. Barbosa
Affiliation:
Obras Sociais Irmã Dulce, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
M.C.M. Alves
Affiliation:
Obras Sociais Irmã Dulce, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
M.C.A. Teixeira
Affiliation:
Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
N.M. Soares*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
*
Author for correspondence: N.M. Soares, Fax: +55 71 32836919, E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Alcoholic patients are more susceptible to Strongyloides stercoralis infection. The chronic use of alcohol raises the levels of endogenous corticosteroids, which regulates the development of larvae and stimulates the differentiation of rhabditiform into infective filariform larvae, thus inducing internal autoinfection. Therefore, early diagnosis is important to prevent severe strongyloidiasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of parasitological methods, according to the parasite load and the number of stool samples, for diagnosis of S. stercoralis infection, as well the peripheral blood eosinophil count in alcoholic patients. A total of 330 patients were included in this study. The diagnosis was established using three parasitological methods: agar plate culture, Baermann–Moraes method and spontaneous sedimentation. Peripheral eosinophilia was considered when the level was >600 eosinophils/mm3. The agar plate culture (APC) had the highest sensitivity (97.3%). However, the analysis of multiple samples increased the sensitivity of all parasitological methods. The sensitivities of the methods were influenced by the parasite load. When the larval number was above 10, the sensitivity of APC was 100%, while in spontaneous sedimentation the sensitivity reached 100% when the larval number was above 50. In the present study, 15.4% of alcoholic patients infected with S. stercoralis (12/78) had increased peripheral blood eosinophil count (above 600 eosinophils/mm3). For an efficient parasitological diagnosis of S. stercoralis infection in alcoholic patients, repeated examination by two parasitological methods must be recommended, including agar plate culture due to its higher sensitivity. Moreover, S. stercoralis infection was associated with eosinophilia, mostly in patients excreting up to 10 larvae/g faeces.

Type
Research Paper
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Addolorato, G, Capristo, E, Gasbarrini, G and Stefanini, GF (1997) Depression, alcohol abuse and orocaecal transit time. Gut 41, 417418.Google Scholar
Arakaki, T, Iwanaga, M, Kinjo, F, Saito, A, Asato, R and Ikeshiro, T (1990) Efficacy of agar-plate culture in detection of Strongyloides stercoralis infection. Journal of Parasitology 76, 425428.Google Scholar
Blatt, JM and Cantos, GA (2003) Evaluation of techniques for the diagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive and HIV negative individuals in the city of Itajaí, Brazil. The Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases 7, 402408.Google Scholar
Concha, R, Harrington, W and Rogers, AI (2005) Intestinal strongyloidiasis: recognition, management, and determinants of outcome. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology 39, 203211.Google Scholar
de Kaminsky, RG (1993) Evaluation of three methods for laboratory diagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis infection. Journal of Parasitology 79, 277280.Google Scholar
de Paula, FM, de Castro, E, Gonçalves-Pires, MD, Marçal, MD, Campos, DM and Costa-Cruz, JM (2000) Parasitological and immunological diagnoses of strongyloidiasis in immunocompromised and non-immunocompromised children at Uberlândia, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo 42, 5155.Google Scholar
de Souza, JN, Inês, EDJ, Santiago, M, Teixeira, MCA and Soares, NM (2016) Strongyloides stercoralis infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: diagnosis and prevention of severe strongyloidiasis. International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases 19, 700705.Google Scholar
de Souza, JN, Machado, PR, Teixeira, MC and Soares, NM (2014) Recurrence of Strongyloides stercoralis infection in a patient with Hansen's disease: a case report. Leprosy Review 85, 5862.Google Scholar
Dreyer, G, Fernandes-Silva, E, Alves, S, Rocha, A, Albuquerque, R and Addiss, D (1996) Patterns of detection of Strongyloides stercoralis in stool specimens: implications for diagnosis and clinical trials. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 34, 25692571.Google Scholar
Ericsson, CD, Steffen, R, Siddiqui, AA and Berk, SL (2001) Diagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis infection. Clinical Infectious Diseases 33, 10401047.Google Scholar
Genta, RM, Douce, RW and Walzer, PD (1986) Diagnostic implications of parasite-specific immune responses in immunocompromised patients with strongyloidiasis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 23, 10991103.Google Scholar
Gill, GV and Bailey, JW (1989) Eosinophilia as a marker for chronic strongyloidiasis – use of a serum ELISA test to detect asymptomatic cases. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 83, 249252.Google Scholar
Hirata, T, Nakamura, H, Kinjo, N, Hokama, A, Kinjo, F, Yamane, N and Fujita, J (2007) Increased detection rate of Strongyloides stercoralis by repeated stool examinations using the agar plate culture method. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 77, 683684.Google Scholar
Inês, E de J, Souza, JN, Santos, RC, Souza, ES, Santos, FL, Silva, MLS, Silva, MP, Teixeira, MCA and Soares, NM (2011) Efficacy of parasitological methods for the diagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis and hookworm in faecal specimens. Acta Tropica 120, 206210.Google Scholar
Intapan, PM, Maleewong, W, Wongsaroj, T, Singthong, S and Morakote, N (2005) Comparison of the quantitative formalin ethyl acetate concentration technique and agar plate culture for diagnosis of human strongyloidiasis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 43, 19321933.Google Scholar
Iriemenam, NC, Sanyaolu, AO, Oyibo, WA and Fagbenro-Beyioku, AF (2010) Strongyloides stercoralis and the immune response. Parasitology International 59, 914.Google Scholar
Jongwutiwes, S, Charoenkorn, M, Sitthichareonchai, P, Akaraborvorn, P and Putaporntip, C (1999) Increased sensitivity of routine laboratory detection of Strongyloides stercoralis and hookworm by agar-plate culture. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 93, 398400.Google Scholar
Knopp, S, Mohammed, KA, Simba Khamis, I, Mgeni, AF, Stothard, JR, Rollinson, D, Marti, H and Utzinger, J (2008) Spatial distribution of soil-transmitted helminths, including Strongyloides stercoralis, among children in Zanzibar. Geospatial Health 3, 4756.Google Scholar
Kobayashi, J, Hasegawa, H, Soares, EC, Toma, H, Dacal, C, Do, AR, Brito, MC, Yamanaka, A, Foli, AA and Sato, Y (1996) Studies on prevalence of Strongyloides infection in Holambra and Maceió, Brazil, by the agar plate faecal culture method. Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo 38, 279284.Google Scholar
Koga, KK, Kasuya, S and Ohtomo, H (1992) How effective is the agar plate method for Strongyloides stercoralis? Journal of Parasitology 78, 155156.Google Scholar
Landis, JR and Koch, GG (1977) The measurement of observer agreement for categorical data. Biometrics 33, 159174.Google Scholar
Lashof, AO, Lesterhuis, WJ, Wanten, G, Beckers, P and Keuter, M (2007) Colitis in an alcohol-dependent woman. The Lancet 369, 2050.Google Scholar
Marques, CC, Zago-Gomes, M da P, Gonçalves, CS and Pereira, FEL (2010) Alcoholism and Strongyloides stercoralis: daily ethanol ingestion has a positive correlation with the frequency of Strongyloides larvae in the stools. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 4, e717. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000717Google Scholar
Newberry, AM, Williams, DN, Stauffer, WM, Boulware, DR, Hendel-Paterson, BR and Walker, PF (2005) Strongyloides hyperinfection presenting as acute respiratory failure and gram-negative sepsis. Chest 128, 36813684.Google Scholar
Nutman, TB, Ottesen, EA, Leng, S, Samuels, J, Kimball, E, Lutkoski, M, Zierdt, WS, Gam, A and Neva, FA (1987) Eosinophilia in Southeast Asian refugees: evaluation at a referral center. Journal of Infectious Diseases 155, 309313.Google Scholar
Oliveira, LCM de, Ribeiro, CT, Mendes, D de M, Oliveira, TC and Costa-Cruz, JM (2002) Frequency of Strongyloides stercoralis infection in alcoholics. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 97, 119121.Google Scholar
Padigel, UM, Lee, JJ, Nolan, TJ, Schad, GA and Abraham, D (2006) Eosinophils can function as antigen-presenting cells to induce primary and secondary immune responses to Strongyloides stercoralis. Infection and Immunity 74, 32323238.Google Scholar
Puthiyakunnon, S, Boddu, S, Li, Y, Zhou, X, Wang, C, Li, J and Chen, X (2014) Strongyloidiasis – an insight into its global prevalence and management. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 8, e3018. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0003018Google Scholar
Sato, Y, Kobayashi, J and Shiroma, Y (1995) Serodiagnosis of strongyloidiasis. The application and significance. Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo 37, 3541.Google Scholar
Schär, F, Trostdorf, U, Giardina, F, Khieu, V, Muth, S, Marti, H, Vounatsou, P and Odermatt, P (2013) Strongyloides stercoralis: global distribution and risk factors. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 7, e2288. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002288Google Scholar
Schär, F, Hattendorf, J, Khieu, V, Muth, S, Char, M, Marti, H and Odermatt, P (2014) Strongyloides stercoralis larvae excretion patterns before and after treatment. Parasitology 141, 892897.Google Scholar
Shin, MH, Lee, YA and Min, DY (2009) Eosinophil-mediated tissue inflammatory responses in helminth infection. Korean Journal of Parasitology 47, S125S131.Google Scholar
Silva, ML, Inês, E de J, Souza, AB, Dias, VM, Guimarães, CM, Menezes, ER, Barbosa, LG, Alves, M del C, Teixeira, MC and Soares, NM (2016) Association between Strongyloides stercoralis infection and cortisol secretion in alcoholic patients. Acta Tropica 154, 133138.Google Scholar
Steinmann, P, Zhou, X-N, Du, Z-W, Jiang, J-Y, Wang, L-B, Wang, X-Z, Li, L-H, Marti, H and Utzinger, J (2007) Occurrence of Strongyloides stercoralis in Yunnan Province, China, and comparison of diagnostic methods. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 1, e75. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000075Google Scholar
Teixeira, MCA, Inês, EJ, Pacheco, FTF, Silva, RKNR, Mendes, AV, Adorno, EV, Lima, FM and Soares, NM (2010) Asymptomatic Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection in an alcoholic patient with intense anemia. Journal of Parasitology 96, 833835.Google Scholar
Teixeira, MCA, Pacheco, FTF, Souza, JN, Silva, MLS, Inês, EJ and Soares, NM (2016) Strongyloides stercoralis infection in alcoholic patients. BioMed Research International 2016, 4872473. http://doi.org/10.1155/2016/4872473Google Scholar
Uparanukraw, P, Phongsri, S and Morakote, N (1999) Fluctuations of larval excretion in Strongyloides stercoralis infection. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 60, 967973.Google Scholar
Wegener, M, Schaffstein, J, Dilger, U, Coenen, C, Wedmann, B and Schmidt, G (1991) Gastrointestinal transit of solid-liquid meal in chronic alcoholics. Digestive Diseases and Sciences 36, 917923.Google Scholar
Zaidi, A, Natarajan, N and Sharma, VR (2011) Eosinophilia as a marker of Strongyloides infection. Blood 118, 4932.Google Scholar