Strongyloidiasis in immigrants in Southern Spain

OBJECTIVE: To analyse clinical and epidemiological characteristics of immigrant patients diagnosed with strongyloidiasis in our area. METHODS: An analyse was performed on patients with strongyloidiasis seen in the Tropical Medicine Unit of the "Hospital de Poniente" in Almeria (Spain), from April 2004 to May 2012. RESULTS: A total of 320 patients were diagnosed with Strongyloides stercoralis infection, and 284 out of 314 patients (90.4%) had a positive specific serology. Forty-two percent of the patients reported symptoms and 45% had eosinophilia. The serological results were monitored in some of the patients, confirming a loss of antibodies in all 20 patients studied. CONCLUSIONS: Strongyloidiasis is a parasitic disease increasingly diagnosed in developed countries due to increased migratory flows from endemic areas. Often being asymptomatic, its diagnosis and treatment may prevent fatal outcomes, especially in immunocompromised patients

OBJETIVO: Analizar las características clínicas y epidemiológicas de los pacientes inmigrantes diagnosticados de strongyloidiasis en nuestra área. MÉTODOS: Se analizaron retrospectivamente los pacientes con strongyloidiasis que acudieron a la Unidad de Medicina Tropical del Hospital de Poniente de Almería (España), entre abril de 2004 mayo de 2012. RESULTADOS: 320 pacientes han sido diagnosticados con infección por S. stercoralis, 284/314 pacientes (90,4%) tenían una serología específica positiva. 42,3% de los pacientes presentaron síntomas y el 45% de los pacientes tenían eosinofilia. La monitorización del tratamiento confirmó la pérdida de anticuerpos en los 20 pacientes estudiados. CONCLUSIONES: La estrongiloidiasis es una parasitosis diagnosticada cada vez con más frecuencia en países desarrollados debido al aumento de los movimientos migratorios procedentes de zonas endémicas. Siendo a menudo asintomática, su diagnóstico y tratamiento pueden prevenir resultados fatales

Epidemiological aspects of retrovirus (HTLV) infection among Indian populations in the Amazon Region of Brazil.

HTLV was initially described in association with a form of leukemia in Japan and a neurological disease in the Caribbean. It was soon shown that HTLV-II was endemic among Amerindians and particularly among Brazilian Indians. The Amazon Region of Brazil is presently the largest endemic area for this virus and has allowed several studies concerning virus biology, the search for overt disease, epidemiological data including detailed demographic data on infected individuals, clear-cut geographic distribution, definition of modes of transmission and maintenance within small, epidemiologically-closed groups, and advances in laboratory diagnosis of the infection. A new molecular subtype named HTLV-IIc was further described on the basis of genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. This subtype is present in other areas of Brazil, indicating that the virus is additionally both a valuable marker for tracing past human migration routes in the Americas and a probable marker for social habits of the present human population. HIV, the other human retrovirus, is still not prevalent among indigenous communities in the Brazilian Amazon, but these groups are also easy targets for the virus.

HTLV-I and HTLV-II infections in volunteer blood donors and high-risk groups in Lebanon.

A serosurvey for Human T-cell Lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-I)/HTLV-II was conducted in 1,900 blood donors, 120 pregnant women and 436 high-risk group patients in Beirut, Lebanon. One of the 1,900 blood donors was anti-HTLV-I/II-seroreactive on screening by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) but was indeterminate by Western blot and negative by polymerase chain reaction. None of the other 556 subjects studied was seroreactive by EIA. The credibility of the zero prevalence of HTLV-I/II infection among the Lebanese blood donors is supported by the absence of seroreactivity of antibodies in the multiply transfused patients. It seems therefore that the prevalence of HTLV-I/II appears to be less than 1 in 2,456 in the Lebanese population and hence, HTLV-I/II infection does not appear to require routine screening in Lebanon.

Research of antigen and antibodies from retrovirus, CMV and HBV among prisoners of the penitentiary complex of the region of Campinas, SP, Brazil

Alguns virus das familias Retroviridae, tais como, o Virus do Linfoma Humano de Celulas T (HTLV); Herpesviridae, tais como o Virus Citomegalico (CMV) e da Hepatite B (HBV) podem ser co-transmitidos com o Virus da Imunodeficiencia Adquirida (HIV). Uma vez que prisioneiros estao expostos a diversos fatores de risco envolvidos na transmissao do HIV e dos virus acima mencionados, prisioneiros do sexo masculino do Complexo Penitenciario de Campinas, SP, Brasil, incluindo aqueles que eram HIV+ e HIV-, foram examinados para a presenca de anticorpos anti-HTLV-I/II; anticorpos IgG e IgM anti-virus citomegalico e a presenca do antigeno de superficie do HBV (HbsAg). A presenca de anti-HTLV-I/II foi determinada pela tecnica de Western Blot, enquanto IgG e IgM anti-CMV e a pesquisa do HbsAg foram feitas por ensaio Imunoenzimatico (MEIA-Abbott Lab)...

Detection of HTLV-I antibodies and DNA in blood sample of a patient with myelopathy in Nigeria

Descrevemos um caso de infecçäo por HTLV-I associado a mielopatia, em mulher de 50 anos, na Nigeria. A paciente apresentou fraqueza progressiva dos membros inferiores e posteriormente incapacidade para andar. A presença de anticorpo HTLV-I no plasma coletado da paciente foi repetidamente detectada pelos ensaios imunoenzimaticos (Abbott HTLV-I EIA e Coulter SELECT-HTLV I/II) e confirmada pela tecnica de Western Blot. Adicionalmente amplificou-se o DNA do HTLV-I a partir do DNA genomico isolado das celulas mononucleares do sangue periferico da paciente através da técnica de PCR. Este achado e significativo sendo o primeiro relato de associaçäo de HTLV-I com mielopatia, na Nigeria

[Prevalence of human T-lymphotropic virus, Type 1 and 2 in blood donors and patients with sexually transmissible diseases in Surinam]. / De prevalentie van humaan T-lymfotroop virus type 1 en 2 bij bloeddonors en patiënten met seksueel overdraagbare aandoeningen in Suriname.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 infection in the population of Surinam in order to enhance the safety of blood transfusion in Surinam. DESIGN: Descriptive. SETTING: Academic Hospital, Paramaribo, Surinam. METHOD: Blood was examined of the 777 regular donors (constituting 97% of the total pool) who donated blood between February 1 and June 1 1995 at the Blood Transfusion Centre of the Surinam Red Cross in Paramaribo, and also of the 140 patients with a sexually transmitted disease (STD) seen during the same period at the Dermatology centre of the Ministry of Health. All sera were screened with a particle agglutination test. Sera which were not negative were subsequently tested with a western blot method which distinguishes between HTLV-1 and HTLV-2. RESULTS: Three sera (0.4%) of the blood donors and 2 (1.4%) of the STD patients were positive for HTLV-1 (difference not significant). Nobody was found to be HTLV-2 positive. CONCLUSION: The HTLV-1 prevalence in the Surinam blood donors is similar to that of blood donors and the general population of many regions in Brazil but substantially lower than in several other regions in the Caribbean. Since examination of all donated blood is not a realistic option in Surinam it is recommended that all new regular blood donors should be tested for HTLV antibodies.

Clinical features of HTLV-I associated uveitis.

The prevalence of human T cell lymphoma virus type 1 (HTLV-I) was studied among patients with endogenous uveitis. Twelve (15.8%) of 76 uveitis patients with known aetiology or clinical entity were seropositive, the prevalence being comparable with that in the general population of the southwestern area of Japan where HTLV-I is highly endemic. In the comparison, 32 (41.0%) of 78 patients with aetiology or entity undefined uveitis were seropositive for HTLV-I, which indicated a significantly higher seroprevalence than controls matched for sex and age. The 32 cases of clinical entity undefined, HTLV-I positive uveitis were characterised by acute granulomatous or non-granulomatous uveal reactions which were accompanied by vitreous opacities and retinal vasculitis. The uveal inflammatory and retinal vascular changes responded well to topical and/or systemic corticosteroids and resolved in a few weeks in the majority of cases with favourable visual outcome. The disease affected one or both eyes, and eight cases (25%) showed recurrence within a year. The general condition of the patients remained well otherwise during a follow up study (mean follow up time 15.4 months), except for three cases with a possible association of hyperthyroidism. These findings provide additional information favouring an association between HTLV-I and isolated uveitis, a new disease entity which should be termed HTLV-I-associated uveitis.

Prevalencia de anticuerpos anti-HTLV-1 en comunidades de la costa norte de Honduras

El virus Linfotrópico Humano Tipo 1 (HTLV-1), es endémico en Japón, Africa y el Caribe. Es el agente etiológico de la Leucemia/Linfoma de células T adultas (ATL) y esta también asociado a trastornos neurológicos, como ser la Para paresis Espastica Tropical. Debido a que las comunidades de la costa norte de Honduras, tradicionalmente han tenido vínculos culturales y comerciales con las Islas del Caribe, se consideró de interés evaluar la prevalencia de anticuerpos más importantes de la costa norte del país: Puerto Cortés, Tela, La Ceiba, Trujillo. Como prueba de tamizaje se utilizó una prueba comercial de Aglutinación pasiva (ATLAS, Serodia) y las muestras positivas fueron analizadas por Western Blot, para su confirmación. La seroprevalencia de anticuerpos anti HTLV-1 en las comunidades negras de estos puertos osciló entre 1.5% - 14%; siendo Puerto Cortés y Tela las dos regiones con prevalencia más alta, la cual es muy similar a lo reportado en las islas del Caribe (14%). Se analisaron 596 muestras de personas de raza mestiza provenientes de: Puerto Cortés, Tela. Lo Ceiba, Tru jillo, Puerto Lempira e Islas de la Bahía. En la población mestiza en general encontró una prevalencia baja de 0.86. Se observó que la prevalencia de anticuerpos contra HTLV-1 en los individuos de raza negra se incrementa con la edad y no se encontró diferencia significativa por sexo. Un 95% de los sueros de raza negra analizados por Western Blot mostraron inmunoreactividad con dos o mas proteínas del HTLV-1, en contraste con un 25% de los sueros de mestizo. A 134 sueros de individuos de raza neza del puerto de Tela se les determinó títulos de anticuerpos contra malaria por medio de la técnica Inmunofluorescencia Indirecta (IFI) sin encontrarse indicios de reacción cruzada en los sueros seropositivos por HTLV-1 y que se debieron a anticuerpos contra Plasmodium. Este constituye el primer reporte sobre la prevalencia de infección por HTLV-1 en Honduras e indica que existen zonas de alta endemicidad en algunas comunidades negras de la costa norte de Honduras

[HIV-2 in The Netherlands]. / HIV-2 in Nederland.

By comparing data from the HIV confirmation laboratories it could be established that in the period prior to February 1991 a HIV-2 infection was demonstrated in at least 18 persons in the Netherlands. Consequently, use of combined HIV-1/2 tests is urgently recommended for screening in diagnostic and blood bank laboratories in the Netherlands. A suspicion of presence of HIV-2 antibodies may arise in the interpretation of a combined HIV-1/2-ELISA, a specific HIV-1-ELISA and the pattern of HIV-1 western immunoblot. Confirmation of the presence of HIV-2 antibodies should be obtained by means of western blots of viral lysates of both HIV-1 and HIV-2 and peptide tests from the transmembranous region. Most persons with a HIV-2 infection originated from Africa south of the Sahara or the Cape Verdean Islands or had had a sexual relationship with a person from these areas. The vast majority was heterosexual and 13 of the 18 infected persons were women. This differs greatly from the epidemiological pattern of HIV-1 infections in the Netherlands. The possibility of further spread of HIV-2 in the Netherlands via heterosexual contacts should be seriously taken into account.

Seroepidemiologic study of adult T-cell leukemia virus (ATLV) and hepatitis B virus infection in Okinawa, Japan.

A total of 2,283 serum samples were collected from healthy subjects in three islands of the Yaeyama district of Okinawa, Japan. These sera were tested for the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), and for antibody to adult T-cell leukemia-associated antigen (anti-ATLA). Correlation between hepatitis B virus infection and adult T-cell leukemia virus (ATLV) infection was determined by using the prevalence rates for three virus markers. Overall prevalence of HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-ATLA was 6.5%, 57.4%, and 17.9%, respectively. Age-specific prevalence of anti-HBc and anti-ATLA increased with age, but that of HBsAg did not. Sex-specific prevalence of HBsAg was significantly higher in males than in females, but that of anti-ATLA was significantly higher in females than in males. Statistical analysis revealed that prevalence of anti-ATLA was significantly higher in HBsAg-positive persons and HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive persons than in those negative for HBsAg and anti-HBc. These data suggest that hepatitis B virus-infected persons have a significantly higher chance of adult T-cell leukemia virus infection than those without hepatitis B virus infection in the area studied.