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Biomedical subjects

H Feldmeier

Publications and source records attributed to H Feldmeier.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Day-to-day variation and circadian rhythm of egg excretion in urinary schistosomiasis in the Sudan.

The daily variation of urinary excretion of Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni ova was assessed in a group of 24 Sudanese schoolboys using the filtration Trypan blue staining technique. An intra-class correlation coefficient of r = 0.88 indicated a surprisingly low daily variation of excretion of S. haematobium ova. All patients with a median egg output of at least 100 ova per 10 ml also voided S. mansoni ova in the urine. The daily variation of S. mansoni ova was slightly greater than for S. haematobium. For an excretion rate of at least five ova per 10 ml, the lower range of mean (P = 0.95) is one, if urine filtration is done on a single day. A circadian rhythm of S. haematobium egg excretion, with a peak around noon, was confirmed. Physical exercise combined with fluid intake prior to micturition significantly increased the egg output at all time points examined.

Child↗
PubMed1983

Effect of chemotherapy and reinfection on IgE-containing and IgG-containing circulating immune complexes, serum IgE and IgE antibodies in patients chronically infected with Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium.

The effect of chemotherapy and reinfection on circulating immune complexes (CIC), serum IgE, and parasite-specific IgE antibodies was studied in patients concomitantly infected with Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium. Before chemotherapy IgE- and IgG-containing CIC were present in high concentrations in all patients and IgE antibodies to S. mansoni and to S. haematobium in almost 80% of the cases. Serum IgE was excessively high (median 4,900 ku/1), but decreased to half of its initial value 2 months after chemotherapy. When reinfection with S. haematobium occurred onwards from month 4, the serum IgE reincreased and reached almost the pretreatment level at month 16. Effective chemotherapy was also followed by a rapid decrease of IgE-containing CIC and a slower, but significant, decrease of IgG-containing CIC. However, in contrast to IgE and IgE antibodies, the reinfection did not lead to a reincrease of CIC. It was interesting to note that the concentration of IgE as well as that of IgE-containing CIC was significantly correlated to the intensity of the infection. These investigations demonstrated that high levels of IgE- and IgG-containing CIC are present in chronic human schistosomiasis, but that the concentrations of CIC fall to normal values, when the parasites are eliminated by chemotherapy.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMed1983

General considerations on endemic treponematosis in the rural Sahel region of Upper Volta.

A sero-immunological survey conducted by indirect immunofluorescence technique has made it possible to determine accurately the prevalence and distribution of treponematoses in the Sahel rural region of Upper Volta. The number of carriers of antitreponemal antibodies varies from one place to another, but is particularly high in a nomad community, where prevalence attains 84.2%. The magnitude of endemic foci can also be expressed in terms of maximal titer and geometric mean of antibody titers. The seropositive values increase as a function of age, but sex is not a significant factor as regards prevalence, which would appear to depend essentially on the way of life, habits and promiscuity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Specific IgE antibodies and IgE containing circulating immune complexes in human schistosomiasis.

IgE antibodies (IgE-AB) have been investigated in patients infected with S. mansoni, S. haematobium, S. mansoni and S. haematobium or S. intercalatum using an enzyme immuno assay based on the RAST principle. Antigens applied were crude extracts from S. mansoni, S. haematobium and S. japonicum adult worms. IgE containing immune complexe (IgE-CIC) were determined by precipitation with PEG and subsequent identification with I125 labelled antihuman IgE. In the patients with schistosomiasis IgE-AB to the homologous antigen were demonstrated in 84% of monoinfected and in 100% of the mixed-infected individuals. Within the mixed-infected patient group IgE-AB to S. mansoni antigen were significantly higher than to S. haematobium. Cross-reactivity of IgE-antibodies was proved by use of S. haematobium and S. japonicum antigen in S. mansoni monoinfection . Specifity of the test was 94%. The amount of IgE-CIC correlated significantly with the concentration of the homologous IgE-AB, indicating that these CIC were composed of specific antibodies linked to parasite antigen.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMed1983

Immunodiagnosis of Schistosomiasis haematobium and schistosomiasis mansoni in man. Application of crude extracts from adult worms and cercariae in the IHA and the ELISA.

The antibody responses of patients infected with S. haematobium or S. mansoni were investigated in an indirect hemagglutination test (IHA) and an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using crude extracts of cercariae and adult worms of S. haematobium and S. mansoni, and of adult worms of S. japonicum. Patients were Africans from endemic areas, as well as Europeans who had acquired their infection relatively recently. Although the IHA showed a similar pattern of antibody responses as the ELISA it was less sensitive to assess recently acquired infections. Of special interest, antibodies found in patients with schistosomiasis mansoni cross-reacted strongly with antigens extracted from adult S. haematobium and S. japonicum. In contrast, sera of patients with schistosomiasis haematobium reacted significantly better with the homologous antigen than with heterologous antigens. In the ELISA the ratio of the absorption values of anticercarial antibodies to antiworm antibodies could be used to discriminate chronic from recent infections.

Africa↗
PubMed1982

Simultaneous use of a sensitive filtration technique and reagent strips in urinary schistosomiasis.

A sensitive filtration technique and polyvalent urine analysis reagent strips were used simultaneously in patients with urinary schistosomiasis in order to detect pathological conditions other than haematuria and proteinuria. A significant correlation was found between haematuria, proteinuria, leucocyturia and intensity of infection as measured by egg excretion in urine. The best correlation between the reagent strip findings and intensity of infection was obtained when the three parameters were combined. After treatment with metrifonate the reduction of egg excretion was paralleled by the normalization of the reagent strip findings. Analysis of day-to-day variation demonstrated a similar low variation of the filtration technique and the reagent strip findings. Specificity of urine analysis of reagent strips was tested in two age-matched control groups. Although the study was designed only as a pilot study, the results suggests that polyvalent reagent strips may be a useful tool for diagnosis of heavily infected patients under field conditions, as they permit rapid and easy identification of subjects with high egg counts.

Child↗
PubMed1982

Efficacy of metrifonate in urinary schistosomiasis: comparison of reduction of Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni eggs.

Patients with schistosomiasis mansoni and schistosomiasis haematobium from the Gezira area of the Sudan were investigated for the simultaneous presence of Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium eggs in urine. Before treatment, 28 or 34 mixed-infection patients constantly excreted eggs of S. mansoni in the urine; however, the concentration was only 1.7% that of S. haematobium eggs. Patients were given two doses of metrifonate (10 mg/kg body weight) 2 weeks apart in order to compare the effect of the organophosphorous compound on the two parasite species. Each dose of metrifonate was followed by a significant decrease in egg output in urine (P less than 0.01). The egg reduction was similar for both parasite species, and was almost 99% after the second treatment. Before treatment was started, a positive correlation existed between the numbers of S. haematobium and S. mansoni eggs excreted in urine (r = 0.75, P less than 0.001), and this correlation did not change after the first or the second dose of metrifonate. After treatment, in 6 of 37 patients S. haematobium eggs and in 8 of 28 patients S. mansoni eggs were not, or were only slightly, reduced. When chemotherapeutic failure of metrifonate against S. haematobium or S. mansoni occurred, it was quantitatively similar for both parasite species.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Flubendazole versus mebendazole in intestinal helminthic infections.

In a double-blind study the vermicidal effect of flubendazole, a new benzimidazole derivative, was evaluated and compared to mebendazole. Both drugs were administered in a single dose of 600 mg. While in the treatment of Ascaris and hookworm infestations flubendazole and mebendazole showed a similar efficacy, mebendazole seemed to be slightly superior in the treatment of trichuriasis. Both drugs were well tolerated and no side effects were observed even in patients with a heavy worm load.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Efficacy of metrifonate in urinary schistosomiasis in light and heavy infections.

In a prospective clinical trial, patients with urinary schistosomiasis from the Sudan and from other African countries were treated with two or three doses of metrifonate (10 mg/kg), respectively, in two weeks' intervals. Patients seen in the Sudan (n = 37) were followed up for 3 months, those seen in Hamburg (n = 17) up to 20 months. Each dose of metrifonate led to a decrease of almost 90% in egg excretion independently of the pretreatment intensity of infection so that after three doses a reduction of almost 99.9% was achieved. The estimated proportion of parasitological cure after two doses of metrifonate was in the order of 24% in the lightly infected patients seen in Hamburg, and in the order of 8% in the heavily infected Sudanese patients. Almost 59% of the patients who received a complete metrifonate treatment of three doses stopped to excrete ova of S. haematobium. Drug failure was found in almost the same proportion in the two patient groups (17.5% and 16.2%, respectively) and could not be overcome by additional doses of metrifonate. The considerable reduction in egg excretion after a single dose of metrifonate might have a remarkable benefit in large scale programmes where the aim is drastic reduction of worm burden rather than complete cure.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Combination of techniques for concentration and identification of microfilariae from peripheral blood.

Human blood containing a known number of Dirofilaria immitis or Brugia malayi microfilariae was incubated with Giemsa-stain or methylene blue solution and then subjected to density gradient centrifugation in Percoll-solution at a density of 1.090 g/ml. This resulted in complete separation of microfilariae from cellular components. Subsequently the microfilaria-containing layer was altered through a polycarbonate membrane. The stained parasites are then easily recognized and identified on the completely transparent membrane. The average recovery was 80%. This technique proved useful as a preparatory method and as a diagnostic tool for the detection of microfilariae in patients with low microfilaraemia.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Praziquantel compared to niridazole in schistosomiasis intercalatum therapy.

Praziquantel was compared to niridazole in schistosomiasis intercalatum in the Gabon. In a pilot study, 45 patients were randomly allocated to the two treatment groups. After treatment, 36 of these patients could be evaluated. Though the seven-day niridazole treatment showed significant reduction of egg excretion in all patients, cure rate was rather low. 9 out of 17 patients (53%) still excreted viable eggs of Schistosoma intercalatum. In contrast, patients treated with praziquantel in a one-day treatment (2 x 30 mg per kg) showed a persistent excretion of viable eggs in 3 out of 19 cases (16%). This difference was significant (p less than 0.025). Although the number of patients observed is rather small, results indicate that praziquantel is superior to niridazole in the treatment of schistosomiasis intercalatum both in view of application and side effects as well as curative potential.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

High efficacy of praziquantel in the treatment of 22 patients with Clonorchis/Opisthorchis infections.

In a prospective clinical study, the efficacy of praziquantel in the treatment of 22 patients with Clonorchis/Opisthorchis infections was investigated. The dose regimen was 90 mg per kg bodyweight, divided into three equal doses given on consecutive days. Parasitological, clinical, routine haematological and biochemical parameters were followed up for twelve months. Twenty patients (91%) had no detectable egg excretion in the feces or duodenal fluid after one treatment only. Two patients required repeated treatments and a different dose regimen. No serious side effects were observed. Praziquantel proved to be a safe and effective drug for therapy of Clonorchis/Opisthorchis infections.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Modulation of in vitro lymphocyte proliferation in patients with Schistosomiasis haematobium, Schistosomiasis mansoni and mixed infections.

Cell-mediated immunity to mitogens, nonparasitic and parasitic antigens was evaluated by means of in vitro lymphocyte proliferation in 37 African patients infected with S. haematobium, S. mansoni, or both parasites as well as in an uninfected control group. Lymphocytes of patients with schistosomiasis mansoni or schistosomiasis haematobium monoinfection could be similarly stimulated by a delipidized extract of S. mansoni adults. There was also no difference in lymphocyte responsiveness to stimulation by PHA, PWM, ConA, and PPD between these groups and as compared with uninfected controls. In the mixed infection patient group, stimulation by mansoni antigen - as well as by PPD, PHA, PWM - was significantly suppressed (p less than 0.01). Of particular interest, in cultures stimulated by the specific antigen the degree of in vitro suppression was inversely correlated to the intensity of infection (r = 0.54, p less than 0.025).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Diagnostic value of rectal biopsy and concentration methods in Schistosomiasis intercalatum: quantitative comparison of three techniques.

The diagnostic value of the rectal biopsy was compared to a quantitative stool filtration and the MIF concentration technique in schistosomiasis intercalatum in the Gabon. The rectal biopsy was significantly more sensitive in proving the presence of ova of Schistosoma intercalatum than the stool filtration (p less than 0.001). However, if the two techniques were compared on the basis of the capability to detect viable eggs in rectal mucosa or stool, no difference in sensitivity could be found. The MIF concentration technique was significantly less sensitive than the stool filtration (p less than 0.01) and seems only of minor diagnostic value in schistosomiasis intercalatum. It could be shown that the relative sensitivities of the three techniques in detecting S. intercalatum eggs depended on the age of the examined population, as presence of viable eggs in rectal mucosa and excretion of eggs in stool was inversely correlated to the age of the patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Combination of a viability test and a quantification method for Schistosoma haematobium eggs (filtration--trypan blue-staining-technique).

The efficiency of the polycarbamate membrane filtration technique for detecting Schistosoma haematobium eggs in urine has been increased by using a pore size of 14 micrometers diameter and the suction of a water jet pump. The technique permits filtration of several 1000 ml of urine in one test. Eggs concentrations of 1 egg in more than 1000 ml of urine were detected. Viability was assess after filtration by staining with trypan blue. Preliminary data of 118 Schistosoma haematobium-positive urine samples of 32 patients suggest that the filtration trypan blue-staining-technique is of high validity in light infection with scanty egg-output.

Filtration↗