Nanotechnology: A promising strategy for the control of parasitic infections.

Annually 3.5 billion people are affected by the parasitic infections that results around 200,000 deaths per annum. Major diseases occur due to the neglected tropical parasites. Variety of methods have been used to treat the parasitic infections but now these methods have become ineffective due to the development of resistance in the parasites and some other side effects of traditional treatment methods. Previous methods include use of chemotherapeutic agents and ethnobotanicals for the treatment of parasites. Parasites have developed resistance against the chemotherapeutic agents. A major problem related to Ethnobotanicals is the unequal availability of drug at the target site which is responsible for the low efficacy of drug. Nanotechnology technology involves the manipulation of matter on a nanoscale level and has the potential to enhance the efficacy and safety of existing drugs, develop new treatments, and improve diagnostic methods for parasitic infections. Nanoparticles can be designed to selectively target parasites while minimizing toxicity to the host, and they can also be used to improve drug delivery and increase drug stability. Some important nanotechnology-based tools for parasitic control include nanoparticle-based drug delivery, nanoparticle diagnostics, nanoparticle vaccines, nanoparticle insecticides. Nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize the field of parasitic control by providing new methods for detection, prevention and treatment of parasitic infections. This review discusses the current state of nanotechnology-based approaches for controlling parasitic infections and highlights their potential to revolutionize the field of parasitology.

A review on point of care tests in parasitology.

BACKGROUND: Infectious diseases can be of serious public concerns because of its transmissibility. The parasitic infectious diseases in particular are often seen as neglected diseases of poverty. The diagnostic tests for parasitic diseases barring malaria are not easily available specially in low resources settings where they are needed most. The conventional mode of diagnosis based on centralized laboratory is time consuming and resource intensive. The modern-day medicine has shifted the focus to patient care. The use of point of care tests (POCT) has increased worldwide because they provide rapid diagnosis within the consultation time that too near patient care areas. This is very useful for starting initial treatment. These POCT provide excellent solution for rural and hard to reach areas where parasitic diseases are most prevalent. Despite the high demand, a relatively limited number of validated rapid diagnostics are commercially available for parasitic infections. OBJECTIVES AND CONTENT: This review aims to discuss various POCT available for these neglected parasitic diseases. Accurate detection of parasitic infection underpins a holistic approach to its control and management. The POCT can also be used to screen mass population to detect asymptomatic reservoirs and monitor interventions planned for elimination programs for many parasitic diseases. Recently focus is on integrated platforms and analysis of multiple analytes from single sample. Researchers are striving to produce POCT based on innovative technology such as lab-on-chip that can be made more affordable and suitable for low resource settings.

[Hospitalizations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions: validation study at a Hospital Information System (SIH) in the Federal District, Brazil, in 2012]. / Internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária: estudo de validação do SIH/SUS em hospital do Distrito Federal, Brasil, 2012.

This study analyzes hospitalizations due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions with a focus on infectious and parasitic diseases (IPDs) and validates the Hospital Information System, Brazilian Unified National Health System (SIH/SUS) for recording hospitalizations due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions in a hospital in the Federal District, Brazil, in 2012. The study estimates the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the SIH for recording hospitalizations due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions, with the patient's medical file as the gold standard. There were 1,604 hospitalizations for hospitalizations due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (19.6%, 95%CI: 18.7-20.5), and the leading IPDs were renal and urinary tract infection, infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, and infectious gastroenteritis. IPDs were the leading cause of hospitalization in the 20 to 29-year age bracket and caused 28 deaths. Sensitivity was 70.1% (95%CI: 60.5-79.7), specificity 88.4% (95%CI: 85.6-91.2), PPV = 51.7% (95%CI: 42.7-60.7), and NPV = 94.3% (95%CI: 92.2-96.4). The findings for admissions due to ACSCs in this hospital were similar to those of other studies, featuring admissions for IPDs. The SIH/SUS database was more specific than sensitive.

Severe pentastomiasis in children: a report of 2 cases.

Pentastomiasis is a type of parasitic zoonosis. Most patients with pentastomiasis are asymptomatic. We report here two pediatric patients with severe pentastomiasis (porocephaliais taiwan and armilliferiasis), and the results of their 6-year and 3-year follow-ups, respectively. The manifestations and outcomes of the two cases are described. The diagnoses were established by histopathologic and/or parasitologic examinations. After diagnosis, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), as well as praziquantel and/or albendazole, were used for treatment. This report highlights the seriousness of pentastomiasis in children. We suggest TCM be considered as supplementary or even primary treatment of children with severe pentastomiasis.

Meta analysis of the leech as a live foreign body: detection, precaution and treatment.

Foreign body in the esophagus is a common emergency presentation. Foreign body aspirations comprise the majority of accidental deaths in childhood. Conventional x-ray imaging is usually obtained to aid the diagnosis during the initial evaluation. The decision for surgical intervention is usually based on a suspicious history, physical examination and radiologic findings. Rigid bronchoscopy is very effective procedure for inhaled foreign body removal with fewer complications. Proper use of diagnostic techniques provides a high degree of success and the treatment modality to be used depending on the type of the foreign body is mostly satisfactory. Live foreign body is a rare entity but common emergency presentation. The approach towards a patient with leech infestation comprises a thorough history and systematic examination followed by relevant investigations. However, there is considerable debate over the most appropriate treatment option for such patients. A living foreign body, or parasite, in the oro-or naso-pharynx is rare in Western countries, but in other parts of the world is a fairly common cause of problems. In the past 10 years 28 cases of foreign bodies due to infestation with leeches were treated in our departments. In all patients, 2-70 years old, the complaint was of recurrent episodes of epistaxis, blood-spitting, odynophagia, dysphagia, dyspnea and hemoptysis several days before admission. Examination showed a green-brown mass protruding from different naso- and oro-pharengeal areas, which is in every case, was a blood-engorged leech. Treatment consisted of removing the leech by applying a forceps to the middle of the leech's body and giving a quick pull. Bleeding ceased immediately after removal of the leech. This review aims to develop a comprehensive approach towards patients presenting with foreign body ingestion by developing clinical practice guidelines. These guidelines address not only the initial evaluation of the patient but also the various management alternatives and their advantages, limitations and applicability in various scenarios, based upon a review of the literature.

Manifestaciones orales de patologías tropicales / Oral manifestations of tropical diseases

El presente trabajo expone las características clínias e histopatológicas de las pricnipales patologías tropicales (micóticas, parasitarias y virales) que presentan manifestaciones bucales, poniendo énfasis en la paracoccidioidomicosis, histoplasmosis, critpcocosis, dengue, leishmaniasis e infección micótica (AU)

[Value of screening for intestinal and urinary parasites in non-resident permanent students in Tunisia]. / Intérêt du dépistage des parasitoses digestives et urinaires chez les étudiants non résidents permanents en Tunisie.

In order to fight digestive and urinary parasitoses, a national program of surveillance has been founded. The screening of these parasitoses among the non permanent resident students in Tunisia (ENRPTS) is one of the main actions of this program. Among 2560 ENRPTS tested in the laboratory of Parasitologie of Institut Pasteur of Tunis, between 1998 and 2002, 674 were infected by parasites, which represents a global prévalence of 26.3%. The intestinal protozoa constitute the majority of parasites identified (87.4%). Entamoeba histolytica has been isolated in 89 cases, essentially from students from tropical African countries. Urinary bilharziosis has been diagnosed in 25 cases. These results confirm the utility of the control of the ENRPTS. The precocious tracking permits to avoid the introduction and the dissemination of parasites already absent or rare in our country.