Impact of Enterobius vermicularis infection and mebendazole treatment on intestinal microbiota and host immune response.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies on the association of enterobiasis and chronic inflammatory diseases have revealed contradictory results. The interaction of Enterobius vermicularis infection in particular with gut microbiota and induced immune responses has never been thoroughly examined. METHODOLOGY/FINDINGS: In order to answer the question of whether exposure to pinworm and mebendazole can shift the intestinal microbial composition and immune responses, we recruited 109 (30 pinworm-negative, 79 pinworm-infected) first and fourth grade primary school children in Taichung, Taiwan, for a gut microbiome study and an intestinal cytokine and SIgA analysis. In the pinworm-infected individuals, fecal samples were collected again at 2 weeks after administration of 100 mg mebendazole. Gut microbiota diversity increased after Enterobius infection, and it peaked after administration of mebendazole. At the phylum level, pinworm infection and mebendazole deworming were associated with a decreased relative abundance of Fusobacteria and an increased proportion of Actinobacteria. At the genus level, the relative abundance of the probiotic Bifidobacterium increased after enterobiasis and mebendazole treatment. The intestinal SIgA level was found to be lower in the pinworm-infected group, and was elevated in half of the mebendazole-treated group. A higher proportion of pre-treatment Salmonella spp. was associated with a non-increase in SIgA after mebendazole deworming treatment. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Childhood exposure to pinworm plus mebendazole is associated with increased bacterial diversity, an increased abundance of Actinobacteria including the probiotic Bifidobacterium, and a decreased proportion of Fusobacteria. The gut SIgA level was lower in the pinworm-infected group, and was increased in half of the individuals after mebendazole deworming treatment.

Características clínico-demográficas de la población del Sur de Gran Canaria con diagnóstico de enterobiasis: valoración de la toma de muestras / Demographic and clinical features of diagnosed individuals of enterobiasis in the southern Gran Canaria: sampling assessment

Introducción. La enterobiasis, causada por Enterobius vermicularis es una de las parasitosis más prevalentes en población infantil, cuyo diagnóstico implica la demostración de los huevos o gusanos mediante el método de Graham. El objetivo del estudio es describir las características clínico-demográficas y microbiológicas de pacientes con sospecha de Enterobiasis en el área Sur de Gran Canaria. Material y métodos. Estudio descriptivo y prospectivo de los resultados de muestras perianales evaluadas mediante el método de Graham por el Servicio de Microbiología del Hospital Universitario Insular de Gran Canaria entre Noviembre de 2014 y Noviembre de 2015. Se ha realizado un análisis descriptivo y de asociación de riesgo de las variables clínicas y demográficas y los resultados del Test de Graham. Resultados. Se obtuvieron 1.128 muestras válidas. En el 11,4% se observaron huevos de E. vermicularis; el 88,4% de las muestras positivas en menores de 14 años y el 53,5% en género masculino. Dolor abdominal (18,6%), prurito anal (11,6%), eosinofilia (8,5%) y parasitosis intestinal (7,8%) fueron los motivos de solicitud en las muestras positivas. Predomino elevado sin diagnóstico de sospecha o diagnósticos no relacionados con enterobiasis. Conclusiones. La enterobiasis es un motivo de consulta en atención primaria y una patología de interés en Gran Canaria. La calidad de recogida de muestras y el diagnóstico de sospecha es necesaria para realizar un buen análisis microbiológico (AU)

Introduction. Enterobius vermicularis, also known as pinworn, is the responsible agent for Human Enterobiasis. It is one of the most prevalent, but underrated, parasitic disease in children population. Diagnosis involves demonstration of either eggs or adult worms by Graham test. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical, demographic and microbiological features of patients with suspected diagnosis of Enterobiasis in southern Gran Canaria. Material and methods. Descriptive and prospective study of perianal samples evaluated by Graham test in the Microbiology Department of `Insular de Gran Canaria´ University Hospital between November 2014 and November 2015. Descriptive analysis to evaluate the correlation between clinical and demographic variables and the results of Graham test microbiological observation. Results. 1,128 samples were analyzed. E. vermicularis was found in 11.4% of the samples. Among the positives samples, 88.4% belonged to children under 14 years, and 53.5% were male. Abdominal pain (18.6%), anal itching (11.6%), eosinophilia (8.5%) and intestinal parasitosis suspicion (7.8%) were the reasons of parasitological investigation request in positive samples. Nevertheless, a high proportion of the requests was not founded in a suspicious diagnosis or was unrelated to Enterobiasis. Conclusions. Enterobiasis is a common disease in primary health care and is of great importance in Gran Canaria. Quality in sample collection as well as diagnosis suspicious information are necessary for a good microbiological analysis (AU)

Enterobíase / Enterobiasis

Os autores fazem uma revisão da enterobíase com uma visão clínica, com maior ênfase no diagnóstico e apresentação de novas opções terapêuticas desta parasitose intestinal

Pelvic abscess from enterobius vermicularis. Report of a case with cytologic detection of eggs and worms.

BACKGROUND: Enterobius vermicularis is known to produce perianal and ischioanal abscesses and invade the peritoneal cavity via the female reproductive system, causing pelvic peritonitis. However, there are only rare case reports on the cytodiagnosis of these parasitic lesions. CASE: A 28-year-old woman was admitted with a tender left iliac fossa mass and greenish vaginal discharge. Ultrasonogram and computed tomography scan confirmed the presence of a mass lesion suggestive of a tuboovarian abscess. Cytologic examination of the pus obtained during left salpingo-oophorectomy revealed the presence of ova of E vermicularis and fragments of the adult worm in an inflammatory exudate consisting predominantly of neutrophils, eosinophils and occasional epithelioid cell granulomas. Paraffin sections of the tuboovarian mass showed necrotizing epithelioid cell granulomas, but neither ova nor any worm section was identified. Although the possibility of tuberculosis was considered histologically, Ziehl-Neelsen (Z-N) stain for acid-fast bacilli was negative. Z-N staining of the smear and mycobacterial culture of the pus also did not yield positive results. CONCLUSION: E vermicularis may cause tuboovarian abscess with necrotizing epithelioid granulomas mimicking tuberculosis. Cytologic examination of the pus is helpful in the diagnosis.