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J F Lindo

Publications and source records attributed to J F Lindo.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Short report: long-term serum antibody isotype responses to Strongyloides stercoralis filariform antigens in eight patients treated with ivermectin.

The enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay was used to investigate long-term changes in serum immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1), IgG4, IgE, and IgA against Strongyloides stercoralis phosphate-buffered saline-soluble filariform larval antigens in eight Jamaican patients treated with ivermectin. Patients were followed for periods of between 170 and 542 days. Based on repeated formalin-ether concentration and agar plate culture, all patients were found to be uninfected up to 18 months following chemotherapy. Generally, all antibody isotype levels decreased following treatment, although there was considerable heterogeneity among patients. In a single patient with hyperinfection, the decrease in IgG4 was marginal and may represent a treatment failure. Reduction in serum antibody isotype responses to S. stercoralis following treatment may be used to assess the effectiveness of ivermectin in treating endemic strongyloidiasis.

Animals↗

Age-prevalence and household clustering of Strongyloides stercoralis infection in Jamaica.

The epidemiology of Strongyloides stercoralis was studied in families of clinical (reference) cases and their neighbours at endemic foci in Jamaica. Thirteen foci were studied based on the place of residence of a reference case. For each household of a reference case, the 4 most proximal neighbourhood households (spatial controls) were included in the study. Out of 312 persons contacted 244 were followed up using questionnaires, stool examination and serology. Prevalence of infection based on stool examination was 3.5% and on ELISA 24.2%. Prevalence increased with age but was not related to gender. Reference cases were significantly older than the general study population. The prevalence of infection based on both serology and stool examination was significantly higher in reference than in neighbouring households (the reference cases, themselves, were not included in the analysis). Furthermore, prevalence of infection was highest among persons who shared a bedroom with a reference case and decreased significantly with increasing spatial separation. This is indicative of close contact transmission which has not been previously shown for a geohelminth, but which is common among microparasites.

Adolescent↗

Cutaneous furuncular myiasis in a Jamaican resident.

Data are presented on a case of cutaneous furuncular myiasis in a Jamaican resident. This condition is virtually unknown in the Caribbean, but is endemic in Central and South America. The infection, which was caused by Dermatobia hominis, was acquired in Belize and was misdiagnosed and treated as infected insect bites. Cutaneous furuncular myiasis should be considered in patients with sub-acute inflammatory nodular skin lesions with a history of recent travel to endemic countries.

Animals↗

Strongyloides stercoralis: characterization of immunodiagnostic larval antigens.

Forty-one-, 31-, and 28-kDa proteins of Strongyloides stercoralis filariform larvae have previously been demonstrated to be sensitively and specifically recognized by serum IgG in individuals with strongyloidiasis. Characteristics of these proteins, their immunodominant epitopes, and reactive antibodies are described here. The proteins are soluble in aqueous as well as detergent extracts. The immunodominant epitopes are present in S. stercoralis but not in S. cebus or S. ratti. Epitopes on the three proteins are not shared, as determined by cross-adsorption of serum with each of the size components on nitrocellulose. In most sera from strongyloidiasis patients there was reactivity to each of the proteins by IgG1 and IgG4, but reactivity by IgG2 or IgG3 was detectable only in a minority. A rabbit antiserum raised to a 41-kDa size fraction of S. stercoralis larvae reacted against a doublet of 41-kDa which was distinct from the immunodiagnostic 41-kDa protein.

Animals↗

Immunoepidemiologic studies of Strongyloides stercoralis and human T lymphotropic virus type I infections in Jamaica.

Epidemiologic investigations of Strongyloides stercoralis and human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) infections were conducted. Of 312 persons contacted, 209 (67%) provided blood and stool samples. Prevalences of S. stercoralis and HTLV-I antibodies were 26.8% and 8.1% (n = 198), respectively, and S. stercoralis larvae were detected in 4%. HTLV-I antibodies were significantly more common in persons positive for S. stercoralis larvae (10 [58.8%] of 17) compared with seropositive larva-negative (4 [8.9%] of 45) or seronegative persons (9 [6.2%] of 145) (P < .002). IgE levels increased with age in S. stercoralis-seropositive persons who were HTLV-I negative (P < .002). However, there was an age-related depression of serum IgE in HTLV-I-positive positive persons (P < .003) that was sufficient to annul the IgE level-raising effect of S. stercoralis seropositivity. The data provide evidence that HTLV-I infection is associated with increased frequency of larvae in the stool of S. stercoralis-infected persons and suggest that the mechanism may involve suppression of the IgE response.

Adult↗

Prospective evaluation of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblot methods for the diagnosis of endemic Strongyloides stercoralis infection.

Recently described enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblot methods for the detection of serum IgG against Strongyloides stercoralis larval antigens were prospectively evaluated for the diagnosis of endemic strongyloidiasis. A modification of the ELISA involved preincubation of sera with Onchocerca gutturosa phosphate-buffered saline-soluble extract to remove cross-reactivity with other helminths. The sensitivity of the ELISA increased from 80% to 85% following preincubation. Similarly, there was an increase in specificity from 94% to 97%. The IgG recognition of 41-, 31-, and 28-kD filariform larval components showed sensitivities of 100%, 85%, and 65%, respectively. Both the ELISA following incubation of sera with O. gutturosa extract and serum IgG reactivity to a 41-kD larval component using immunoblotting are sensitive and specific techniques for diagnosing endemic strongyloidiasis.

Animals↗

Serum IgG reactivity with 41-, 31-, and 28-kDa larval proteins of Strongyloides stercoralis in individuals with strongyloidiasis.

Proteins from a deoxycholate-soluble extract of Strongyloides stercoralis infective larvae were separated by SDS-PAGE, blotted onto nitrocellulose paper, and reacted with sera from individuals with confirmed S. stercoralis infections (n = 100), suspected S. stercoralis infections in whom no larvae could be detected (n = 27), and other nematode infections (40 with Wuchereria bancrofti, 20 with Onchocerca volvulus, 20 with Necator americanus, and 20 with mixed Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections). Immunodominant proteins of approximately 41, 31, and 28 kDa were recognized by IgG in 91%, 88%, and 90%, respectively, of sera from those with confirmed strongyloidiasis; in 100%, 100%, and 93% of sera from those with suspected strongyloidiasis; and in 9%, 12%, and 14% of sera from those infected with other nematodes. IgG reactivity to each of these proteins was a more specific means of immunodiagnosis than the currently used indirect ELISA; the methods were equally sensitive.

Animals↗

Inactivation of strongyloides stercoralis filariform larvae in vitro by six Jamaican plant extracts and three commercial anthelmintics.

In vitro bioassay of (a) aqueous methanol extracts (AME) of the green leaves of mimosa (Mimosa pudica), love weed (Cuscuta americana), vervine (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis), chicken weed (Salvia serotina) and breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis); (b) methanol-water fraction (MWF) of breadfruit leaves, and (c) commercially available drugs albendazole, thiabendazole and levamisole were assayed for nematode inactivating potential, using filariform larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis. Test larvae were obtained from a 10-day-old charcoal coproculture. Bioassays were conducted in Locke's solution, using 100 larvae in each of three replicates. Inactivation was recorded microscopically at 1, 3, 6 and 12 hours, then every 24 hours up to 5 days' incubation. It50 (time for inactivation of 50% of larvae) values read: levamisole and mimosa extract less than 1 hour; love weed extract, approximately 2 hours; breadfruit (MWF), 9.5 hours; chicken weed, 20 hours; albendazole, 35 hours; breadfruit (AME), 49 hours; thiabendazole, 74 hours and vervine extract, 81.5 hours. It95 values followed a similar, trend, and were approximately double the It50 measures. A potential role for locally available natural products in the treatment of strongyloidiasis is highlighted.

Animals↗

A survey of intestinal helminths of well-cared-for dogs in Jamaica, and their potential public health significance.

This study investigates the level of helminthic infestation in better-cared-for dogs in a middle-class community in suburban Kingston. A canine zoographic study was conducted, and fresh faecal deposits were collected and analysed for helminth life-cycle stages. The survey indicated that 73% (n = 93) of households in the study area owned one dog or more (mean = 1.4). Resident's attitudes towards canine management suggested that the dog population was, in general, restricted to the residential estate, and most owners claimed to have dewormed their dogs at least as young animals. Of 141 faecal specimens, 58% contained eggs or larvae of one or more of eight helminths: Uncinaria stenocephala (26%), Ancylostoma sp. (23%), Trichuris vulpis (9%), Toxocara canis (8%), Spirocerca lupi (6%), Strongyloides sp. (6%), Apophallus sp. (4%) and taeniids (1%). There was a high level of multiple infection in the host animals, with approximately one fifth of the infected samples containing three or more helminth types. Infection intensity was apparently low, but some dogs harboured heavy worm loads.

Animals↗

Immunodiagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis infection: a method for increasing the specificity of the indirect ELISA.

Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) allows sensitive detection of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) G against a soluble extract of Strongyloides stercoralis infective larvae. In this study, 40/40 (100%) human strongyloidiasis sera had high levels of anti-S. stercoralis IgG, but 30/40 (75%) filariasis sera, and 12/40 (30%) necatoriasis sera also had higher levels than control sera from UK residents. In attempts to increase the assay specificity by absorption of cross-reactive IgG, the effectiveness of pre-incubation of sera with extracts of different parasitic nematodes was investigated. One hour of incubation with 20 micrograms/ml aqueous extract of Onchocerca gutturosa absorbed cross-reactive IgG in most filariasis and necatoriasis sera, reducing the proportion with IgG levels above the positivity threshold by more than one-half. Preliminary results suggest that absorption with extracts of other filarial nematodes is equally effective, and that some of the cross-reactive IgG is directed against phosphorylcholine. Cross-reactive IgG in most necatoriasis sera was effectively absorbed with 20 micrograms/ml extract of Necator americanus. Cross-reactive IgG was not effectively absorbed with an extract of Ascaris lumbricoides. Absorption of cross-reactive IgG is an effective means of increasing the specificity of the indirect ELISA, for use in the immunodiagnosis and immuno-epidemiology of S. stercoralis infection.

Absorption↗

Humoral responses in human strongyloidiasis: correlations with infection chronicity.

Strongyloides stercoralis L3-specific antibody isotype responses amongst individuals with known long-standing (28-46 years) infection were compared with those of 'young' (6-29 years of age) and 'old' (30-80 years of age) infected individuals from an endemic Jamaican population. Characterization of age-dependent isotype patterns in the endemic community showed that immunoglobulin (Ig) G1 responses were significantly inversely correlated with age. Additionally, a trend towards lower IgE levels in the older age group was observed. Comparison with responses amongst known chronically infected individuals showed that IgG1 and IgE levels were similar to those of the 'old' endemic group, but were significantly lower than those of the 'young' group. In contrast, IgA levels were similar in both endemic groups, but were elevated in chronically infected individuals. IgG4 levels were similar in all groups studied. These findings suggest that age correlates with infection chronicity in communities endemic for S. stercoralis, and that individuals acquire infection early in their lives and remain infected into adulthood. Early and sustained upregulation of IgG4 may facilitate the establishment of infection and, in combination with developing IgE hyporesponsiveness, may promote chronic asymptomatic strongyloidiasis. Conversely, upregulated IgA may be involved in controlling chronic infection levels which are reflected in reduced IgG1 production.

Adolescent↗