Diphyllobothrium sp. en Canis familiares de la región del subtrópico argentino (Puerto Iguazú, Misiones) / Diphyllobothrium sp. in Canis familiaris from the subtropical area of Argentina (Puerto Iguazú, Misiones)

En este trabajo se informa el hallazgo de huevos de Diphyllobothrium sp. en ejemplares de Canis familiaris (perro doméstico) de Puerto Iguazú, una ciudad subtropical de la provincia de Misiones, Argentina. Durante 2013, en el marco de un relevamiento de la fauna parasitológica de los perros de Puerto Iguazú, se detectaron dos casos positivos en la búsqueda de huevos de Diphyllobothrium sp. La materia fecal de los perros fue recolectada en frascos con formol al 10% y procesada mediante las técnicas de sedimentación de Telemann y de flotación de Sheather. Dado que Misiones no forma parte de la zona endémica de difilobotriasis y considerando, además, su ubicación fronteriza, este hallazgo reviste gran importancia para la salud pública. Se señala la necesidad de actualizar el estado de conocimiento sobre el ciclo de vida de estos parásitos identificando el rango de hospederos intermediarios y definitivos, su potencial zoonótico y la situación epidemiológica en áreas no endémicas

This paper reports the first finding of Diphyllobothrium sp. eggs in Canis familiaris (domestic dog) from Puerto Iguazú, a subtropical city of Misiones province, Argentina. In 2013, two positive cases of Diphyllobothrium sp. eggs were detected during an annual parasitological survey of dogs. Dog feces were collected in vials containing 10% formalin and processed using Telemann's sedimentation and Sheather's flotation techniques. The two cases were detected in rural areas of the municipality. Since Misiones is not a part of the endemic area of diphyllobothriasis and given the fact that it is located in the three-border area of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, we consider this finding of great importance to public health. We stress the need for updating the current knowledge about the life cycle of these parasites considering the range of intermediate and definitive hosts, their zoonotic potential, and the epidemiological situation in non-endemic areas

Importancia de la difilobotriosis humana para el turismo / Significance of human diphyllobothriasis for tourism

La difilobotriosis es una infección parasitaria causada por cestodos del género Diphyllobothrium, cuyos adultos se desarrollan tanto en mamíferos como en aves. El hombre es también hospedero definitivo y los estadios juveniles se establecen en copépodos y peces teleósteos. En las zonas lacustres del sur argentino existen condiciones ecológicas propicias para la instalación de esta endemia. Durante el período 2002-2006 se atendieron en el Hospital de Enfermedades Infecciosas Francisco J. Muñiz de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (Argentina) 6 casos con difilobotriosis humana, a los cuales se les realizo el diagnóstico epidemiológico, clínico y de laboratorio. Se efectuó el tratamiento antiparasitario específico y el seguimiento correspondiente postratamiento. Todos los casos evolucionaron favorablemente. La importancia de esta publicación reside en alertar a los agentes que trabajan en salud sobre la presencia de esta patología emergente en zonas patagónicas andinas y en pacientes que consumen pescado crudo o poco cocido, provenientes de esa zona. Se destaca la posibilidad de adquirir esta infección íctica por el consumo de ciertos platos de origen oriental, como el sushi y el sashimi, en otras zonas no endémicas.

Possible influence of the ENSO phenomenon on the pathoecology of diphyllobothriasis and anisakiasis in ancient Chinchorro populations

Current clinical data show a clear relationship between the zoonosis rates of Diphyllobothrium pacificum and Anisakis caused by the El Niño Southern Oscillations (ENSO) phenomenon along the Chilean coast. These parasites are endemic to the region and have a specific habitat distribution. D. pacificum prefers the warmer waters in the northern coast, while Anisakis prefers the colder waters of Southern Chile. The ENSO phenomenon causes a drastic inversion in the seawater temperatures in this region, modifying both the cool nutrient-rich seawater and the local ecology. This causes a latitudinal shift in marine parasite distribution and prevalence, as well as drastic environmental changes. The abundance of human mummies and archaeological coastal sites in the Atacama Desert provides an excellent model to test the ENSO impact on antiquity. We review the clinical and archaeological literature debating to what extent these parasites affected the health of the Chinchorros, the earliest settlers of this region. We hypothesise the Chinchorro and their descendants were affected by this natural and cyclical ENSO phenomenon and should therefore present fluctuating rates of D. pacificum and Anisakis infestations.

Acuicultura y salud pública: La expansión de la difilobotriasis en Chile y el mundo / Aquaculture and public health: The emergence of diphyllobothriasis in Chileand the world

Recent clinical and epidemiológica! information, an analysis of the literature, and study of the technical aspects of Chilean salmon aquaculture indicate that this activity has the ability to expand the range of diphyllobothriasis caused by the fish tapeworm Diphyllobothrium latum. Evidence for expansion of the range of the fish tapeworm includes the emergences of clinical cases in Brazil related to consumption of salmon produced in Chile. Expansion of the range of this parasite is also suggested by an increase of its geographical range in Chile, beyond its previously endemic foci in the lakes of Regions IX and X. Prevention of further dissemination of this parasitic disease rests on an improvement of sanitation and sewage disposal around the lakes of Regions IX, X and XI in Chile, improvement in aquaculture methods including curtailing the use offish tapeworm-contaminated lakes to grow juveniles forms ofsalmonids and more measures to decrease the number of salmonid escapees from marine pens to prevent their return to rivers and lakes carrying the infestation. Moreover, tracking the origin ofjuveniies in marketed salmon, determining the presence of plerocercoids in them, and increased education of the public regarding the potential dangers of eating raw fish should also be implemented. Only by stimulating the dialogue between the industry, consumers and state regulators will it be possible to implement appropriate measures to prevent further expansion of this parasitic disease by salmon aquaculture.

Diphyllobothriasis: update on human cases, foci, patterns and sources of human infections and future considerations.

Diphylobothriasis is a well documented disease of humans. On a world scale new infections are reported regularly, especially from Russia and parts of Japan. Globally, new species have been discovered and the etiology of the disease may be changing. Human infections appear to be in decline but it is not clear if the sources of infection are also in decline or if public health awareness has improved. In North America there has been a decline in human cases while in South America an increase in reports from fish, especially salmonids suggests high levels in these fish species. The history of human infections of Diphyllobothrium latum is primarily associated with the consumption of the northern circumpolar distributed pike and percids and is often considered a parasite of humans only. Indeed some researchers believe that D. latum was introduced to North America by northern European immigrants. The more benign human infections of D. dendriticum appears to be primarily associated with salmonids and coregonid fishes and fish eating birds. Although the early cases of diphyllobothriasis in the 1930s in North America came from fish originating in Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba, there was general belief that it was declining in fish populations and therefore of little significance to humans in the area. However, high levels of a plerocercoid in the flesh of walleyes and pike led to rejection of commercially harvested walleye and pike in Manitoba and northern Ontario, Canada, and a financial loss to Aboriginal fishers. D. latum is widely distributed in fishes of Manitoba and is infective to humans where it is not pathogenic and has a life span up to 4.5 years. The distribution and potential infection routes has not changed in a century and is still well established in natural hosts in the boreal regions of North America. Evidence is building for an old pre-European presence in North America, involving the Beringian land bridge and later involvement of susceptible hosts (northern European immigrants).

Infección por helmintos parásitos en salmón coho, oncorhynchus kisutch, durante su retorno al río Simpson, Chile / Infection by parasitic helmiths in coho sallmon, oncorhynchus kisutch, during their return to Simpson river, Chile

Between may and july 1994, 17 adult returning salmons, oncorhynchus kisutch, were collected in the River Simpson, Chile. All fishes showed infection by plerocercoids of diphyllobothrium sp. in different locations: stomach, spleen, liver, mesenteries and gonads. Infection with larval cestodes of an unidentified species of phillobothriidae was determined in the intestine of seven (41,2 percent) salmons and its prevalences of infection showed significant differences between female and male salmons. The 94,4 percent of total plerocercoids of diphyllobothrium were isolated from the stomach wall. Prevalence and mean intensity of infection by diphyllobothrium sp. did not show significant differences between fishes of different sex

Frecuencia de infección por diphyllobothrium sp cestoda diphyllobothriidae en carnívoros silvestres de Argentina / Diphyllobothrium sp cestoda diphyllobothriidae infection frequency in Argentina wild carnivores

With the aims to determine the infection frequency by tapeworms of Diphyllobothrium genus 30 samples from captive wild carnivores were analyzed. A 30 percent of the animal analyzed was positive to the infection. Whereas the family Procionidae has a high percentage of positivity (60 percent). Canidae have lower infection ratio (20-25 percent). The accuracy for the diagnosis of Diphylobothrium was made by the morphology of scolex, proglottids and eggs. This is the first report of the parasite presence in Argentine wild carnivores

Difilobotriasis humana en la Patagonia, Argentina / Human diphyllobothriasis in Patagonia, Argentina

El objetivo del trabajo fué detectar hospedadores humanos en la zona andino patagónica argentina, teniendo en cuenta las prácticas de pesca desportiva y la importancia de los salmónidos dentro de la zona. entre 1986 y 1995 se implementaron Campañas de Información en los laboratorios de Análisis Clínicos de la región andinopatogónica argentina, destinadas a lograr una detección más eficiente de la difilobotriasis, a través de análisis coproparasitológicos. Adicionalmente, se confeccionaron planillas destinadas a recoger información sobre las características de la infección, del tratamiento y del paciente. Durante este período se detectaron 13 nuevos casos humanos, por identificación directa del parásito o por la presencia de huevos en materia fecal. Las características de las infecciones responden a las descriptas para el género Diphyllobothrium. En la región, los salmónidos son los peces predilectos en la pesca deportiva. Estos peces, frecuentemente parasitados con larvas, constituyen la principal fuente de contagio para el hombre al ser consumidos insuficientemente cocidos o ahumados en frío

Infecciones por taenia sp y otros cestodos intestinales en pacientes de consultorios y hospitales públicos del sector norte de Santiago de Chile: 1985-1994 / Taenia sp and other intestinal cestode infections in individuals from public outpatient clinics and hospitals from the north sector of Santiago, Chile: 1985-1994

During 1985-1994 period, 70,642 parasitological stool examinations were perfomed. The exam was made to each patient which presenting gastrointestinal symptoms or nutritional problems, specially in children. 59,960 out of the 70,642 examinations corresponded to 1 month -15 years old chidren, 4,280 to 16-30 years old individuals and 6,402 to up to 30 years old adults. The infection rates (x 100,000) were: taenia sp, 86; hymenolepis nana, 1,165; diphyllobotrium sp, 4 and hymenolepis diminuta, 1. In this period, 11 cases of infection by taenia saginata were detected, and none taenia solium infection. Although infections rates by intestinal cestodes were higher in males than females, in the taenia sp. infection the difference was not statistical significative. Médico-veterinary control of animals slaughtered in abbatoirs and the improvement of sanitary conditions in the last two decades have contributed to the control of most of human intestinal cestodiases

Registro de nuevos casos de difilobotriasis humana en Chile (1981-1992), incluído un caso de infección múltiple por diphyllobothrium latum / Record of new cases of human diphyllobothriasis in Chile (1981-1992), including a case of multiple diphyllobotrium latum infection

New records of human diphyllobothriasis in Chile (1981-1992), with a case of multiple diphyllobotrium latum infection

Current status of food-borne parasitic zoonoses in the United States.

Although not a major public health problem, food-borne parasitic zoonoses in the United States are the cause of numerous diseases that occur widely in the population. The most common food-borne parasitic diseases in the United States are trichinosis, toxoplasmosis, taeniasis/cysticercosis, diphyllobothriasis, and anisakiasis. Since 1947, when the US Public Health Service began to record statistics on trichinosis cases in humans, the numbers of reported cases in the United States have declined markedly, from an average of about 400 with 10-15 deaths reported each year in the late 1940s, to an average of 57 per year with three deaths overall in the 5 years 1982-1986. Each year throughout the world, Toxoplasma gondii infects millions of persons, who contract it either by eating raw or poorly cooked meat from infected animals such as hogs or sheep or by ingesting soil contaminated with cat feces. In the United States between 400 and 10,000 infants are born each year with congenital toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmic encephalitis, marked by dementia and seizures, has become the most commonly recognized cause of central nervous system opportunistic infection in AIDS patients. Intestinal taeniid tapeworm infection acquired in the United States is almost entirely caused by Taenia saginata, the beef tapeworm. Neurocysticercosis, caused by larvae of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium, is diagnosed in hundreds of persons in the United States every year. Nearly all patients are immigrants or travelers from Mexico and other disease-endemic areas. Diphyllobothriasis and anisakiasis both have increased in recent years in association with increasing popularity of raw fish dishes. Adequate prevention and control of food-borne parasitic zoonoses require continued and improved programs to educate consumers, producers and medical practitioners.

Diphyllobothrium, Anisakis and other fish-borne parasitic zoonoses.

Fish-borne parasitic zoonoses such as anisakiasis and diphyllobothriasis occur infrequently in Canada and more work needs to be done on the interactions and transmission dynamics of marine and freshwater anisakids in North America. The diphyllobothriid tapeworms are primarily restricted to the northern Canada. Problems with the specific identification of these parasites from their fish hosts prompted the development of a series of nucleic acid probes. Use of the polymerase chain reaction proved to be quick, accurate and requires little skill, once developed.

Difilobotríase: atualizaçäo / Fish tapeworm: update review

É apresentada uma atualização sobre a difilobotríase no que tange aos modernos aspectos epidemiológicos, parasitológicos, clínicos e terapêuticos

Epidemiología de la difilobotriasis en la cuenca del río Valdivia, Chile / Epidemiology of diphyllobothriasis in the Valdivia River basin, Chile

Foram examinadas 1.295 pessoas de seis localidades situadas às margens da bacia do rio Valdivia (Chile), encontrando-se uma prevalência de infecçäo por Diphyllobothrium igual a 1,2% em Rinihue e Las Huellas. Em cäes a prevalência foi de 5,3% e 9,8% em Rinihue e Malihue, respectivamente, näo tendo sido observada infecçäo em gatos nem porcos. Os parasitas obtidos apòs tratamento foram identificados como Diphyllobothrium latum. A infecçäo humana por Diphyllobothrium latum nas áreas afetadas foi produzida pela ingestäo de peixes defumados ou cozidos insuficientemente. A pesquisa realizada em 1.450 peixes pertencentes a 4 espécies introduzidas e 11 autoctones capturadas na bacia do rio Valdivia mostrou a existência de plerocercoides de Diphyllobothrium latum e/ou D. dendriticum nas espécies introduzidas Salmo gairdneri e S. trutta além de outras autoctones. A prevalência ou intensidade média das infecçöes nos peixes bem como o grau de agregaçäo das subpopulaçöes variaram nos diferentes locais estudados. Na bacia do rio Valdivia, alguns peixes atuaram como hospedeiros intermediários e outros como paratênicos das espécies de Diphyllobothrium encontradas. Como medidas de controle nos pontos de difilobotríase nas áreas estudadas sugere-se a melhoria das condiçöes de saneamento básico, educaçäo sanitária e tratamento das pessoas infectadas .