In comparison to other European countries, during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Poland reported a relatively low number of confirmed cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections. To estimate the scale of the pandemic in Poland, a serosurvey of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was performed after the first wave of COVID-19 in Europe (March–May 2020). Within this study, we collected samples from 28 July to 24 September 2020 and, based on the ELISA results, we found that 1.67% (25/1500, 95% CI 1.13–2.45) of the Poznan (Poland) metropolitan area’s population had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 after the first wave of COVID-19. However, the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies was confirmed with immunoblotting in 56% (14/25) samples, which finally resulted in a decrease in seroprevalence, i.e., 0.93% (14/1500, 95% CI 0.56–1.56). The positive anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG results were associated with age, occupation involving constant contact with people, travelling abroad, non-compliance with epidemiological recommendations and direct contact with the novel coronavirus. Our findings confirm the low SARS-CoV-2 incidence in Poland and imply that the population had little herd immunity heading into the second and third wave of the pandemic, and therefore, that herd immunity contributed little to preventing the high numbers of SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19-related deaths in Poland during these subsequent waves.
Olfactory neuroblastoma (esthesioneuroblastoma) is a very rare tumour of the olfactory mucosa. Morphological features and cytogenetic studies strongly suggest a neuro-ectodermal origin. Up to now, cytogenetic studies are inconsistent. Some of them have proposed that the tumour belongs to the pPNET family. In the present study we describe genomic imbalances in olfactory neuroblastoma in a 46-year-old woman by using the molecular cytogenetic technique--comparative genomic hybridization (CGH)--in order to define the spectrum of genetic abnormalities in the tumour. The anatomical location and morphological findings were the basis for the diagnosis of esthesionearoblastoma. Immunohistochemical reactions for NSE, synaptophysin, chromogranin A, HNK-1/Leu-7 and S-100 revealed a characteristic immunophenotype. The CGH analysis showed multiple changes including DNA overrepresentations of chromosomes 4, 8, 11 and 14, partial DNA gains of the long arms of chromosomes 1 and 17, deletions of the entire chromosomes 16, 18, 19 and X, and partial losses of chromosomes 5q and 17p. This study represents an early utilisation of the CGH technique in olfactory neuroblastoma and demonstrates that the tumour carries complex chromosomal aberrations.
Protozoa of the genus Cryptosporidium are common parasites of domestic and wild animals—mammals, birds, reptiles, and fishes. The invasive forms are thick-walled oocysts, which can be present in water supplies, on fruits, vegetables, or in the soil contaminated with feces. In this work, we describe three cases of middle-aged persons with massive Cryptosporidium hominis infection and chronic diarrhea with no immunological abnormalities and no history of previous travels to tropical countries. The lesions discovered during colonoscopy within the large intestine–cryptitis and the histopathological changes were related to massive cryptosporidiosis. All these statements indicate necessity of parasitological stool examination in cases with chronic diarrhea in which no etiological agents are detected, but not only in HIV positive individuals. Parasite’s eradication leads to symptom disappearance as well as improvement of histopathological mucosa alterations.
We report a case of Plasmodium knowlesi malaria imported to central Europe from Southeast Asia. Laboratory suspicion of P. knowlesi infection was based on the presence of atypical developmental forms of the parasite in Giemsa-stained microscopic smears. We confirmed and documented the clinical diagnosis by molecular biology techniques.
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a chronic zoonotic disease caused by the larval form of Echinococcus multilocularis. In humans, it may become a serious chronic infection of the liver which resembles a slow malignant process leading to death when untreated. The aim of the study was an assessment of the risk factors of the E. multilocularis infections and the description of AE clinical course in the group of 36 patients with confirmed AE, hospitalized at the Department and Clinic of Tropical and Parasitic Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences between 2013 and 2022. Among the study participants, most patients cultivated land, bred livestock, worked in the forest, or were employed in animal shelters. The E. multilocularis infection was diagnosed based on imaging and immunoassay techniques within 6 months in the majority of patients hospitalized in the Department. All patients hospitalized in the Department initiated anti-parasitic therapy at the moment of the diagnosis. Pharmacological treatment combined with surgery was applied in most of the study participants, who were presented with more advanced stages of infection. We conclude the following: 1. For humans in the risk group, regular abdominal imaging examinations and the detection of specific antibodies against E. multilocularis are recommended. 2. Regular screening tests in the hyperendemic areas of AE would increase the early detection of the disease and to improve the clinical prognosis in this extremely life-threatening parasitic disease.
Blastocystis hominis (stramenopila), an absolute anaerobic organism, has been considered a commensal of human large intestine, as even its massive invasion usually is asymptomatic. Nowadays, Blastocystis spp. has been mentioned more frequently as a potential etiologic agent of a chronic diarrhea, mainly among immunocompromised individuals, but also among patients with functional bowel disorders, malnourished, with chronic disease, or after organs transplantations. Blastocystis may also be responsible for traveler's diarrhea.Gastrointestinal disorders are quite common problems for individuals returning from different climatic and sanitary areas -countries located mainly in the tropics. Majority of such cases are patients suffering from self-limiting gastrointestinal tract. However, some patients, especially those who do not respond to empirical treatment in the primary health care, require more specialized diagnostics; this applies to the group of patients with prolonged diarrhea. Usually, they are caused by Escherichia coli infection. In this paper, we describe two travelers from Africa and India with prolonged diarrhea. The parasitic stool evaluation revealed massive Blastocystis hominis infestation. It was the reason to provide further diagnostics for acquired immunodeficiency, which gave the final diagnosis of HIV infection.
Background: Human alveolar echinococcosis is a severe parasitic disease of a progressive and neoplasm mimicking development, which has begun an emerging infection in Poland and some parts of Europe. Due to the very slow development after primary infection in human beings, in most cases alveolar echinococcosis is usually diagnosed in patients older than 40 years old. Advanced cases of E. multilocularis infection are sporadically reported in younger patients. Objective: The aim of this study is to describe an unusual clinical course of severe liver alveolar echinococcosis in young Polish patients which is sporadically observed in other endemic countries. Methods: Multidisciplinary clinical and laboratory examinations, including epidemiological interview, imaging, histopathological and immunodiagnostic techniques have been performed during hospitalization in a reference university centre. Results: We present three exceptionally rare cases of alveolar echinococcosis with final diagnosis established at an age under 30 years old. Thought a medical diagnosis recognised at a young age, only one of those patients could undergo a radical surgical resection of the parasitic mass located in the liver. Two other cases received longterm chemotherapy with albendazole due to an advanced and non-operative parasitic process with distant and contiguous metastases to the lungs and omentum. A possibility of a more intensive invasion with local E. multilocularis strains of a higher pathogenicity or acquired in very early infancy has been discussed. Conclusions: 1. Alveolar echinococcosis should always be taken into consideration in a differential diagnosis of irregular space-occupying lesions located in the liver, especially in patients who live in endemic areas and their epidemiological history indicates potential risk factors for the infection. 2. In young patients alveolar echinococcosis is actually more frequently recognised than previously expected, and a clinical prognosis can be no less severe than in elderly patients. 3. Early diagnosis of E. multilocularis infection in humans facilitates the choice of proper and optimal treatment for saving or significantly extending a patient's life.
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