Predisposition toTrichuris trichiurainfection in humans

Abstract

The study examines the distribution of Trichuris trichiura infection in a village community in St Lucia, West Indies. The infection intensity of the same age-stratified population was assessed (by drug expelled worm burden and faecal egg count) at the initiation of the study, and after 17 months of reinfection following treatment. The frequency distribution of worm numbers per person was similar at both periods of sampling. There was a significant correlation between the initial infection intensity of an individual, and the intensity acquired by the same individual following the 17 month period of reinfection. This relationship was observed in a broad range of host age classes. The study provides firm evidence that individuals are predisposed to heavy (or light) T. trichiura infection.

Trichuris dysentery syndrome: a common cause of chronic iron deficiency anemia in adults in an endemic area (with videos)

“…Children present with dominant colonic symptoms and associated malnutrition, growth retardation, and impaired cognitive function. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] The adult patients in this study presented with no abdominal symptoms except 1 patient. Patients presented with progressive iron deficiency anemia and its effects.…”

“…Most people in an endemic area are colonized by small numbers (!15) of worms, and for them, the parasite is a commensal organism rather than a pathogen. 6 Some people, mostly children between 2 and 10 years of age, have hundreds or thousands of worms and are the ones in whom symptoms develop. Heavy colonic infection causes mucoid diarrhea, rectal bleeding, rectal prolapse, iron deficiency anemia, and finger clubbing.…”

Genetic component to susceptibility to Trichuris trichiura: Evidence from two Asian populations

“…Whipworm, like hookworm (Necator americanus) and roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), is typically overdispersed in the host population, with a small proportion of available hosts harboring a large proportion of the total population worm load [Bundy et al, 1987;Croll and Ghadirian, 1981;Forrester et al, 1988]. A familial patterning to whipworm burden was noted in several studies [Forrester et al, 1990;Chan et al, 1994a, b;Anderson et al, 1993].…”

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and environmental risk factors for soil-transmitted helminth intensity of infection in Timor-Leste, using real time PCR

“…Intensity of T . trichiura infection reacquired by an individual after treatment has been found to be significantly correlated with the intensity of infection prior to treatment [13]. Additionally, intensity of infection with STH has been identified as substantially greater when any of the species occurred in combination with one or more of the others [14], probably also due to exposure, genetic and immunological factors, which could then act in determining risk of associated morbidities.…”