Tag

Schistosomiasis

All articles tagged with #schistosomiasis

health17 days ago•4 min saved

Philippine farmer’s brain infection confirmed via 1950s lab test showing egg tails

A rice farmer in the Philippines was diagnosed with neuroschistosomiasis after experiencing a focal seizure. MRI scans revealed nodules in her left frontal lobe, suspected to be worm eggs. Doctors confirmed the infection using a 1950s circumoval precipitin test, which showed antibody tails on reference eggs, and found 190 Schistosoma japonicum eggs per gram in her stool. Treatment with anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-seizure medications resolved the symptoms, and a follow-up MRI three months later showed the eggs were gone.

via Ars Technica|

#health #medical-diagnostics #neurology

health4 months ago•10 min saved

Decades of pelvic pain finally explained by a tropical parasite

After more than 100 doctors over decades, Andy L.’s constant pelvic and perineal pain was finally explained by a rectal biopsy showing a granuloma and antibodies confirming urogenital schistosomiasis from a Tanzania trip decades earlier. Misdiagnoses—from Peyronie’s disease to psychosomatic explanations—gave way to the diagnosis, and praziquantel treatment lowered antibodies and eased symptoms, though eggs left in tissue can cause ongoing problems. He’s now raising awareness of this neglected tropical disease that mostly affects Africa.

via The Washington Post|

#chronic-pain #health #misdiagnosis

health1 year ago•3 min saved

Researchers warn of deadly snail-borne disease spreading to new areas

Researchers warn that climate change is facilitating the spread of schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease carried by snails, leading to outbreaks in new regions and disproportionately affecting marginalized populations, especially women and girls, with potential health and reproductive consequences.

via Yahoo|

#climate-change #disease-spread #health

health-science2 years ago•3 min saved

"Novel Vaccine Approach Targets Widespread Parasite Infection"

Scientists in Brazil have used a radical vaccine strategy involving phage display to identify potential vaccine targets for schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease affecting millions worldwide. By analyzing proteins of the Schistosoma parasite, the researchers have identified key proteins driving the immune response to the infection, opening up promising prospects for vaccine development. While early results in mice are encouraging, the track record of schistosomiasis vaccines is challenging, with most candidates failing to elicit a strong immune response or protect against the disease. Nonetheless, this study provides a wealth of new candidates for further exploration in the quest for an effective vaccine.

via ScienceAlert|

#health-science #parasite #phage-display

health3 years ago•3 min saved

Immune system mechanism fights parasitic infection.

Penn State immunology researchers have discovered that type I interferon, a protein that is important for the body's defense against viruses, plays a critical role in suppressing inflammation in mice infected with the schistosome parasite. Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease responsible for more than 250 million human infections worldwide. The discovery may lead to effective therapies for those suffering from schistosomiasis, second only to malaria as the most prevalent parasitic disease globally.

via Medical Xpress|

#health #immune-system #inflammation