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BackgroundThe Kato-Katz thick smear (Kato-Katz) is the diagnostic method recommended for monitoring large-scale treatment programs implemented for the control of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in public health, yet it is difficult to standardize. A promising alternative is the McMaster egg counting method (McMaster), commonly used in veterinary parasitology, but rarely so for the detection of STH in human stool.Methodology/Principal FindingsThe Kato-Katz and McMaster methods were compared for the detection of STH in 1,543 subjects resident in five countries across Africa, Asia and South America. The consistency of the performance of both methods in different trials, the validity of the fixed multiplication factor employed in the Kato-Katz method and the accuracy of these methods for estimating ‘true’ drug efficacies were assessed. The Kato-Katz method detected significantly more Ascaris lumbricoides infections (88.1% vs. 75.6%, p<0.001), whereas the difference in sensitivity between the two methods was non-significant for hookworm (78.3% vs. 72.4%) and Trichuris trichiura (82.6% vs. 80.3%). The sensitivity of the methods varied significantly across trials and magnitude of fecal egg counts (FEC). Quantitative comparison revealed a significant correlation (Rs >0.32) in FEC between both methods, and indicated no significant difference in FEC, except for A. lumbricoides, where the Kato-Katz resulted in significantly higher FEC (14,197 eggs per gram of stool (EPG) vs. 5,982 EPG). For the Kato-Katz, the fixed multiplication factor resulted in significantly higher FEC than the multiplication factor adjusted for mass of feces examined for A. lumbricoides (16,538 EPG vs. 15,396 EPG) and T. trichiura (1,490 EPG vs. 1,363 EPG), but not for hookworm. The McMaster provided more accurate efficacy results (absolute difference to ‘true’ drug efficacy: 1.7% vs. 4.5%).Conclusions/SignificanceThe McMaster is an alternative method for monitoring large-scale treatment programs. It is a robust (accurate multiplication factor) and accurate (reliable efficacy results) method, which can be easily standardized.

Summaryobjective To identify possible synergistic associations of hookworm and other helminths. method Cross-sectional survey of all households within 10 km 2 of Americaninhas, a rural community in Minas Gerais, Brazil. We determined the prevalence and intensity of single and multiple helminth species infection in an age-stratified sample of 1332 individuals from 335 households.results Hookworm was the most prevalent helminth infection (68.2%), followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (48.8%) and Schistosoma mansoni (45.3%). Overall, 60.6% of individuals harboured mixed helminth infections. Multivariate analysis indicated significant positive associations for co-infection with hookworm and S. mansoni and for co-infection with hookworm and A. lumbricoides. Co-infections with hookworm and A. lumbricoides resulted in higher egg counts for both, suggesting a synergistic relationship between these species, although, we found important age differences in this relationship. However, the intensity of S. mansoni or A. lumbricoides co-infection did not differ from that of monoinfection.conclusion These results have implications for the epidemiology, immunology and control of multiple helminth infections. More research is needed to examine the rates of re-infection and immune responses after chemotherapy, and to what extent the effects of polyparasitism are altered by chemotherapy.

Marked heterogeneity exists in the patterns of parasitic infection between individuals, households and communities. Analysis of parasite distributions within populations is complicated by the fact that parasite distributions are highly aggregated, and few studies have explicitly incorporated this distribution when investigating small-scale spatial heterogeneities. This study aimed to quantify the small-scale (within and between household) heterogeneity of helminth infection in an area of Minas Gerais State, Brazil with rural and urban sectors. Parasitological data from a cross-sectional survey of 1,249 individuals aged 0-86 years from 242 households were analysed. Within household clustering of infection was assessed using random effect logistic regression models and between household spatial heterogeneity was assessed using a Bayesian negative binomial spatial model. The overall prevalence of hookworm (Necator americanus) was 66.9%, the prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni was 44.9%, and the prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides was 48.8%.Statistical analysis indicated significant (within) household and (between household) spatial clustering of hookworm in both rural and urban areas and of S. mansoni in rural areas. There was no evidence of either household or spatial clustering of S. mansoni in urban areas. The spatial correlation of S. mansoni was estimated to reduce by half over a distance of 700m in the rural area. Rural hookworm had a much smaller half-distance and urban hookworm showed an even smaller half-distance (12m). We suggest that such species-specific differences in patterns of infection by environment are primarily due to variation in exposure and parasite life cycle, although host genetic factors cannot be ruled out.

SUMMARYHuman hookworm infections are distributed widely in tropical areas and have a significant impact on host morbidity and human health. In the present study, we investigated the cellular responsiveness and cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from Necator americanus-infected schoolchildren who had recently received chemotherapy, and compared them with non-infected endemic controls. Hookworm patients and treated, egg-negative individuals showed a lower cellular reactivity against phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and hookworm antigen when compared with eggnegative endemic controls. The baseline production of proinflammatory tumour necrosis factor-a (TNFa ) in PBMC from infected patients and treated, egg-negative individuals was elevated. On the other hand, PHA-or hookworm antigen-induced interleukin (IL)-12 and interferon (IFN)-g secretion was higher in endemic controls than in hookworm patients, who either continued egg-positive or were eggnegative after treatment. Also, PBMC from endemic controls secreted more IL-5 and IL-13 than the other patient groups. Opposite to that, the spontaneous as well as the antigen-driven IL-10 secretion was lower in endemic controls when compared with the other groups. In summary, patently hookworminfected as well as egg-negative treated patients disclosed an elevated spontaneous cellular secretion of proinflammatory TNF-a , a prominent secretion of regulatory Th2-type IL-10 and an impaired production of IL-12, IFN-g , IL-5 and IL-13.

BackgroundIn some tropical countries, such as Brazil, schistosomiasis control programs have led to a significant reduction in the prevalence and parasite burden of endemic populations. In this setting, the Kato-Katz technique, as the standard diagnostic method for the diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni infections, which involves the analysis of two slides from one fecal sample, loses its sensitivity. As a result, a significant number of infected individuals are not detected. The objective of this study was to perform extensive parasitological testing of up to three fecal samples and include a rapid urine test (POC-CCA) in a moderate prevalence area in Northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, and evaluate the performance of each test separately and in combination.Methods and findingsA total of 254 individuals were examined with variants of the standard Kato-Katz technique (up to18 Kato-Katz slides prepared from three fecal samples), a modified Helmintex (30 g of feces), the saline gradient (500 mg of feces), and the POC-CCA methods. We established a reference standard taking into consideration all the positive results in any of the parasitological exams. Evaluation of the parasite burden by two Kato-Katz slides confirmed that most of the individuals harbored a light infection. When additional slides and different parasitological methods were included, the estimated prevalence rose 2.3 times, from 20.4% to 45.9%. The best sensitivity was obtained with the Helmintex method (84%). All parasitological methods readily detected a high or moderate intensity of infection; however, all lost their high sensitivity in the case of low or very low intensity infections. The overall sensitivity of POC-CCA (64.9%) was similar to the six Kato-Katz slides from three fecal samples. However, POC-CCA showed low concordance (κ = 0.34) when compared with the reference standard.ConclusionsThe recommended Kato-Katz method largely underestimated the prevalence of S. mansoni infection. Because the best performance was achieved with a modified Helmintex method, this technique might serve as a more precise reference standard. An extended number of Kato-Katz slides in combination with other parasitological methods or with POC-CCA was able to detect more than 80% of egg-positive individuals; however, the rapid urine test (POC-CCA) produced a considerable percentage of false positive results.

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BackgroundIndividuals living in areas endemic for helminths are commonly infected with multiple species. Despite increasing emphasis given to the potential health impacts of polyparasitism, few studies have investigated the relative importance of household and environmental factors on the risk of helminth co-infection. Here, we present an investigation of exposure-related risk factors as sources of heterogeneity in the distribution of co-infection with Necator americanus and Schistosoma mansoni in a region of southeastern Brazil.MethodologyCross-sectional parasitological and socio-economic data from a community-based household survey were combined with remotely sensed environmental data using a geographical information system. Geo-statistical methods were used to explore patterns of mono- and co-infection with N. americanus and S. mansoni in the region. Bayesian hierarchical models were then developed to identify risk factors for mono- and co-infection in relation to community-based survey data to assess their roles in explaining observed heterogeneity in mono and co-infection with these two helminth species.Principal FindingsThe majority of individuals had N. americanus (71.1%) and/or S. mansoni (50.3%) infection; 41.0% of individuals were co-infected with both helminths. Prevalence of co-infection with these two species varied substantially across the study area, and there was strong evidence of household clustering. Hierarchical multinomial models demonstrated that relative socio-economic status, household crowding, living in the eastern watershed and high Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were significantly associated with N. americanus and S. mansoni co-infection. These risk factors could, however, only account for an estimated 32% of variability between households.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that variability in risk of N. americanus and S. mansoni co-infection between households cannot be entirely explained by exposure-related risk factors, emphasizing the possible role of other household factors in the heterogeneous distribution of helminth co-infection. Untangling the relative contribution of intrinsic host factors from household and environmental determinants therefore remains critical to our understanding of helminth epidemiology.