Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0042961 (volvulus)
 4,305 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Practice of multidrug therapy in leprosy (combination Dapsone + Rifampicine + Clofazimine) established since 1981, has significantly reduced the incidence of the disease. However, immunosuppression due to treatment of multi-drugs therapy induced adverse reactions with glucocorticoid and the change in host immune response due to the leprosy itself, might increase the risk of parasitic infections. To test this hypothesis, we carried out a case-control study at the "Institut Marchoux" in Bamako. Stool and urine samples from all patients included in the study were examined for parasites identification. In addition, we performed thick and thin blood film to identify malaria infection and skin biopsy (snip) to detect onchocerciasis. A total of 121 cases of leprosy and 219 controls aged 10-84 years old were included in the study from March 1999 to February 2000. Sixty two percent (n = 121) of cases were treated with glucocorticoid. The prevalence of infection due to Entamoeba coli and Entamoeba histolytica were higher in cases than in controls (p = 0.02). The prevalence of infection due to hookworms was higher in cases than in controls. There was no difference of the infections to the other intestinal parasites. Three cases of cryptosporidiosis and one case of isosporosis were observed in leprosy group vs none in the control group. There was no significant difference between cases and controls with regard to prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium, Trichomonas vaginalis and Onchocera volvulus. The prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum was 4.9% (6/121) in the leprosy case and 7.8% (17/219) in the control group. In conclusion, despite the corticotherapy and immunosuppression due to leprosy, there was no difference in prevalence of pathogenic parasites. Entomoeba coli, Entamoeba histolytica which have significantly higher prevalence among the cases were not pathogen therefore there was no higher risk of severe intestinal parasitosis among the cases of leprosy. Treatment with glycocorticoid in patients with leprosy did not suggest any impact on the prevalence of this parasitic infections. In addition, multidrug therapy did not show any effect on the carriage of Plasmodium falciparum.
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PMID:[Systematic search for parasites among leprosy patients in Mali]. 1261 42

The control of river blindness (onchocerciasis) has been one of the major public health achievements of recent decades. Initially, vector control was used to stop transmission of the parasite Onchocerca volvulus by blackflies (Simulium) but the introduction of ivermectin (Mectizan) as a means of morbidity control enabled new strategies of distribution to be developed based on community directed treatment. The donation of Mectizan by Merck & Co. Inc. for onchocerciasis control in 1987 'as long as needed' was a public health landmark to be followed by a donation from GlaxoSmithKline of albendazole in 1997 for lymphatic filariasis to which Merck also responded by agreeing to extend their donation to include the coadministration of Mectizan and albendazole. Both the drugs, however, have wider impacts than those specific to filarial parasites and are effective against a range of intestinal parasites, whilst ivermectin has an important effect on ectoparasites. The wider benefits of the annual public health intervention-collateral benefits--therefore include deworming, improved nutritional status, increased growth, improved school performance and attendance, and improved haemoglobin status as a result of the impact of albendazole on hookworm, a major cause of anaemia. More recently, studies suggest that worm-free children have a significantly reduced frequency of malaria specific episodes of fever and Ascaris-infected children have a two-fold higher frequency of cerebral or severe malaria than those without Ascaris. These findings suggest that programmes based on annual interventions to control river blindness and lymphatic filariasis can contribute disproportionately more to a range of public health problems than has been hitherto recognized, thereby assisting in attaining the millennium development goal targets.
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PMID:Public-private partnerships in blindness prevention: reaching beyond the eye. 1630 84