Gawish, F., Bayoumy, A., Abd El Raheem, M., Abo Hashim, A., El Badry, A. (2021). Circulating Schistosoma DNA in seropositive patients: A twostep diagnostic approach to rule-out acute and active chronic schistosomiasis in low transmission settings. Parasitologists United Journal, 14(1), 72-76. doi: 10.21608/puj.2021.66431.1109
Farouk Gawish; Ahmed Bayoumy; Mohamed Abd El Raheem; Anwar Abo Hashim; Ayman El Badry. "Circulating Schistosoma DNA in seropositive patients: A twostep diagnostic approach to rule-out acute and active chronic schistosomiasis in low transmission settings". Parasitologists United Journal, 14, 1, 2021, 72-76. doi: 10.21608/puj.2021.66431.1109
Gawish, F., Bayoumy, A., Abd El Raheem, M., Abo Hashim, A., El Badry, A. (2021). 'Circulating Schistosoma DNA in seropositive patients: A twostep diagnostic approach to rule-out acute and active chronic schistosomiasis in low transmission settings', Parasitologists United Journal, 14(1), pp. 72-76. doi: 10.21608/puj.2021.66431.1109
Gawish, F., Bayoumy, A., Abd El Raheem, M., Abo Hashim, A., El Badry, A. Circulating Schistosoma DNA in seropositive patients: A twostep diagnostic approach to rule-out acute and active chronic schistosomiasis in low transmission settings. Parasitologists United Journal, 2021; 14(1): 72-76. doi: 10.21608/puj.2021.66431.1109
Circulating Schistosoma DNA in seropositive patients: A twostep diagnostic approach to rule-out acute and active chronic schistosomiasis in low transmission settings
1Departments of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar Universities, Assiut
2Departments of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine , Assiut
3Departments of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine ,Cairo
4Department of Clinical Microbiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Background: Since its discovery in 1850 by Theodor Bilharz at Kasr Al-Ainy hospital, Cairo, Egypt, schistosomiasis continues to be a significant health challenge with a wide spectrum of chronic sequelae. There is no reliable single gold standard conventional method (microscopy or serology) for communities with low intensity and low transmission settings. Objectives: To evaluate a two-step immunomolecular diagnostic approach to rule-out recent Schistosoma re-infection in patients with characteristic pathological radiological features of chronic schistosomiasis. Subjects and Methods: Single serum samples were collected from patients from Kafr El Sheikh, Egypt. Selection of patients was based on microscopic absence of Schistosoma spp. eggs in either stool or urine samples; abstinence from treatment by Praziquantel in the last 2 months; and clinical and radiological diagnosis of pathological features of chronic schistosomiasis. All serum samples were serologically examined using indirect hemagglutination test (IHAT) for identification of anti-Schistosoma antibodies. Serum samples from 100 seropositive patients using IHAT were tested by multiplex PCR (mPCR) for detection of species-specific cell-free circulating Schistosoma DNA. Results: None of the seropositive serum samples were positive by PCR targeting Schistosoma speciesspecific gene. Patients who were farmers and/or who had received Praziquantel treatment were associated with Schistosoma seropositivity with statistical significance. Conclusion: A two-step immunomolecular diagnostic approach, using a single serum sample, can rule-out acute or active chronic schistosomiasis in patients that have characteristic pathological and radiological features of chronic schistosomiasis. Also, the two-step approach avoids over-treatment and development of drug resistance to Praziquantel, the only effective broad anti-Schistosoma medicine.
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