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Kurth F, Tober-Lau P, Lingscheid T, Bardtke L, Kim J, Angheben A, Gobbi FG, Mbavu L, Stegemann MS, Heim KM, Pfäfflin F, Menner N, Schürmann M, Mikolajewska A, Witzenrath M, Sander LE, Mayer B, Zoller T. Post-treatment haemolysis is common following oral artemisinin combination therapy of uncomplicated malaria in travellers. J Travel Med 2023; 30:6972275. [PMID: 36611010 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taad001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) for the treatment of malaria is highly effective, well tolerated and safe. Episodes of delayed hemolysis occur in up to 57.9% of patients with severe malaria treated with intravenous artesunate, mainly caused by 'pitting' of infected red blood cells (RBCs) in the spleen and delayed loss of these once-infected RBCs (oiRBCs). Several reports indicate that post-treatment hemolysis (PTH) also occurs in uncomplicated malaria treated with oral ACT, calling for systematic investigation. METHODS Prospective observational study to identify the proportion of patients with PTH after oral ACT, defined as increased lactate dehydrogenase activity and low haptoglobin level on day 14 after treatment. Patients were enrolled at two study centres in Germany and Italy. Study visits took place on days 1, 3, 7, 14, 28. Laboratory investigations included extended clinical routine laboratory tests, quantitative P.f.-HRP2, anti-RBC antibodies, and oiRBCs. State of semi-immunity to malaria was assessed from childhood and ongoing exposure to Plasmodium spp. as per patient history. RESULTS A total of 134 patients with uncomplicated malaria and 3-day ACT treatment were recruited. Thirty-seven (37.4%) of 99 evaluable patients with P.f. and none of nine patients with non-P.f. malaria exhibited PTH on d14. Patients with PTH had higher initial parasitaemia, higher oiRBC counts on d3, and a 10-fold decrease in oiRBCs between d7 and d14 compared to patients without PTH. In patients with PTH, loss of haemoglobin (Hb) was 4-fold greater in non-Africans than in Africans (-1.3 vs -0.3 g/dl). Semi-immune African patients with PTH showed markedly increased erythropoiesis on d14 compared to not semi-immune African and non-African patients with PTH. CONCLUSIONS PTH is common in patients with uncomplicated malaria and oral ACT. While the observed loss of Hb will not be clinically relevant in most cases, it could aggravate pre-existing anaemia and warrants follow-up examinations in populations at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Kurth
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Pinkus Tober-Lau
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tilman Lingscheid
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lara Bardtke
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johanna Kim
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Andrea Angheben
- Department of Infectious/Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy
| | - Federico G Gobbi
- Department of Infectious/Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy
| | - Lena Mbavu
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Miriam S Stegemann
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katrin M Heim
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Frieder Pfäfflin
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nikolai Menner
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mariana Schürmann
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Agata Mikolajewska
- Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Witzenrath
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Leif E Sander
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin
| | - Beate Mayer
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Zoller
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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2
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Positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in experimental human malaria, a prospective cohort study. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5696. [PMID: 35383257 PMCID: PMC8983718 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09748-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebral malaria is the most serious manifestation of severe falciparum malaria. Sequestration of infected red blood cells and microvascular dysfunction are key contributing processes. Whether these processes occur in early stage disease prior to clinical manifestations is unknown. To help localize and understand these processes during the early stages of infection, we performed 18-F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging in volunteers with Plasmodium falciparum induced blood stage malaria (IBSM) infection, and compared results to individuals with P. vivax infection, in whom coma is rare. Seven healthy, malaria-naïve participants underwent imaging at baseline, and at early symptom onset a median 9 days following inoculation (n = 4 P. falciparum, n = 3 P. vivax). Participants with P. falciparum infection demonstrated marked lability in radiotracer uptake across all regions of the brain, exceeding expected normal variation (within subject coefficient of variation (wCV): 14.4%) compared to the relatively stable uptake in participants with P. vivax infection (wCV: 3.5%). No consistent imaging changes suggestive of microvascular dysfunction were observed in either group. Neuroimaging in early IBSM studies is safe and technically feasible, with preliminary results suggesting that differences in brain tropism between P. falciparum and P. vivax may occur very early in infection.
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3
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Schubert L, Thurnher PMM, Machold PK, Tobudic PS, Winkler PS. Pandemic-related delay of falciparum malaria diagnosis in a traveller leading to cerebral malaria. J Travel Med 2021; 28:6381387. [PMID: 34609486 PMCID: PMC8500152 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taab159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We report the case of a 29-year-old male in whom COVID-19 concerns led to a delayed diagnosis of falciparum malaria. The patient developed symptoms of cerebral malaria with cytotoxic lesions of the corpus callosum in magnetic resonance imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenz Schubert
- Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Professor Majda M Thurnher
- Department for Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Professor Klaus Machold
- Department of Medicine III, Division of Rheumatology, Medical University Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Professor Selma Tobudic
- Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Professor Stefan Winkler
- Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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4
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Mohanty S, Sahu PK, Pattnaik R, Majhi M, Maharana S, Bage J, Mohanty A, Mohanty A, Bendszus M, Patterson C, Gupta H, Dondorp AM, Pirpamer L, Hoffmann A, Wassmer SC. Evidence of Brain Alterations in Noncerebral Falciparum Malaria. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 75:11-18. [PMID: 34905777 PMCID: PMC9402700 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cerebral malaria in adults is associated with brain hypoxic changes on magnetic resonance (MR) images and has a high fatality rate. Findings of neuroimaging studies suggest that brain involvement also occurs in patients with uncomplicated malaria (UM) or severe noncerebral malaria (SNCM) without coma, but such features were never rigorously characterized. METHODS Twenty patients with UM and 21 with SNCM underwent MR imaging on admission and 44-72 hours later, as well as plasma analysis. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps were generated, with values from 5 healthy individuals serving as controls. RESULTS Patients with SNCM had a wide spectrum of cerebral ADC values, including both decreased and increased values compared with controls. Patients with low ADC values, indicating cytotoxic edema, showed hypoxic patterns similar to cerebral malaria despite the absence of deep coma. Conversely, high ADC values, indicative of mild vasogenic edema, were observed in both patients with SNCM and patients with UM. Brain involvement was confirmed by elevated circulating levels of S100B. Creatinine was negatively correlated with ADC in SNCM, suggesting an association between acute kidney injury and cytotoxic brain changes. CONCLUSIONS Brain involvement is common in adults with SNCM and a subgroup of hospitalized patients with UM, which warrants closer neurological follow-up. Increased creatinine in SNCM may render the brain more susceptible to cytotoxic edema.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjib Mohanty
- Center for the Study of Complex Malaria in India, Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Praveen K Sahu
- Center for the Study of Complex Malaria in India, Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | | | - Megharay Majhi
- Department of Radiology, Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Sameer Maharana
- Center for the Study of Complex Malaria in India, Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Jabamani Bage
- Center for the Study of Complex Malaria in India, Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Akshaya Mohanty
- Infectious Diseases Biology Unit, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Anita Mohanty
- Department of Intensive Care, Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Martin Bendszus
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Catriona Patterson
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Himanshu Gupta
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Arjen M Dondorp
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine & Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Lukas Pirpamer
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Angelika Hoffmann
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,University Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital Bern, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Samuel C Wassmer
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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5
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The returned traveler with neurologic manifestations: could my patient have a parasite? Curr Opin Infect Dis 2021; 34:245-254. [PMID: 33769967 DOI: 10.1097/qco.0000000000000732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The present review focuses on parasitic infections of the central nervous system (CNS) that can affect the international traveler. RECENT FINDINGS The epidemiology of imported parasitic infections is changing and clinicians are treating increasing numbers of returned travelers with parasitic infections in the CNS with which they are not familiar. SUMMARY The epidemiology, life cycle, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of parasites that affect the CNS will be discussed.
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6
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Barbosa-Silva MC, Lima MN, Battaglini D, Robba C, Pelosi P, Rocco PRM, Maron-Gutierrez T. Infectious disease-associated encephalopathies. Crit Care 2021; 25:236. [PMID: 34229735 PMCID: PMC8259088 DOI: 10.1186/s13054-021-03659-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases may affect brain function and cause encephalopathy even when the pathogen does not directly infect the central nervous system, known as infectious disease-associated encephalopathy. The systemic inflammatory process may result in neuroinflammation, with glial cell activation and increased levels of cytokines, reduced neurotrophic factors, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, neurotransmitter metabolism imbalances, and neurotoxicity, and behavioral and cognitive impairments often occur in the late course. Even though infectious disease-associated encephalopathies may cause devastating neurologic and cognitive deficits, the concept of infectious disease-associated encephalopathies is still under-investigated; knowledge of the underlying mechanisms, which may be distinct from those of encephalopathies of non-infectious cause, is still limited. In this review, we focus on the pathophysiology of encephalopathies associated with peripheral (sepsis, malaria, influenza, and COVID-19), emerging therapeutic strategies, and the role of neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria C Barbosa-Silva
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Pavilhão 108, sala 45, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Maiara N Lima
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Pavilhão 108, sala 45, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Denise Battaglini
- Anesthesia and Intensive Care, San Martino Policlinico Hospital, IRCCS for Oncology and Neuroscience, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Robba
- Anesthesia and Intensive Care, San Martino Policlinico Hospital, IRCCS for Oncology and Neuroscience, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostics (DISC), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paolo Pelosi
- Anesthesia and Intensive Care, San Martino Policlinico Hospital, IRCCS for Oncology and Neuroscience, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostics (DISC), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Patricia R M Rocco
- Laboratory of Pulmonary Investigation, Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology for Regenerative Medicine, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Rio de Janeiro Network on Neuroinflammation, Carlos Chagas Filho Foundation for Supporting Research in the State of Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Maron-Gutierrez
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Pavilhão 108, sala 45, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.
- Rio de Janeiro Network on Neuroinflammation, Carlos Chagas Filho Foundation for Supporting Research in the State of Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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7
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Woodford J, Gillman A, Jenvey P, Roberts J, Woolley S, Barber BE, Fernandez M, Rose S, Thomas P, Anstey NM, McCarthy JS. Positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in experimental human malaria to identify organ-specific changes in morphology and glucose metabolism: A prospective cohort study. PLoS Med 2021; 18:e1003567. [PMID: 34038421 PMCID: PMC8154100 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plasmodium vivax has been proposed to infect and replicate in the human spleen and bone marrow. Compared to Plasmodium falciparum, which is known to undergo microvascular tissue sequestration, little is known about the behavior of P. vivax outside of the circulating compartment. This may be due in part to difficulties in studying parasite location and activity in life. METHODS AND FINDINGS To identify organ-specific changes during the early stages of P. vivax infection, we performed 18-F fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) at baseline and just prior to onset of clinical illness in P. vivax experimentally induced blood-stage malaria (IBSM) and compared findings to P. falciparum IBSM. Seven healthy, malaria-naive participants were enrolled from 3 IBSM trials: NCT02867059, ACTRN12616000174482, and ACTRN12619001085167. Imaging took place between 2016 and 2019 at the Herston Imaging Research Facility, Australia. Postinoculation imaging was performed after a median of 9 days in both species (n = 3 P. vivax; n = 4 P. falciparum). All participants were aged between 19 and 23 years, and 6/7 were male. Splenic volume (P. vivax: +28.8% [confidence interval (CI) +10.3% to +57.3%], P. falciparum: +22.9 [CI -15.3% to +61.1%]) and radiotracer uptake (P. vivax: +15.5% [CI -0.7% to +31.7%], P. falciparum: +5.5% [CI +1.4% to +9.6%]) increased following infection with each species, but more so in P. vivax infection (volume: p = 0.72, radiotracer uptake: p = 0.036). There was no change in FDG uptake in the bone marrow (P. vivax: +4.6% [CI -15.9% to +25.0%], P. falciparum: +3.2% [CI -3.2% to +9.6%]) or liver (P. vivax: +6.2% [CI -8.7% to +21.1%], P. falciparum: -1.4% [CI -4.6% to +1.8%]) following infection with either species. In participants with P. vivax, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet count decreased from baseline at the time of postinoculation imaging. Decrements in hemoglobin and hematocrit were significantly greater in participants with P. vivax infection compared to P. falciparum. The main limitations of this study are the small sample size and the inability of this tracer to differentiate between host and parasite metabolic activity. CONCLUSIONS PET/MRI indicated greater splenic tropism and metabolic activity in early P. vivax infection compared to P. falciparum, supporting the hypothesis of splenic accumulation of P. vivax very early in infection. The absence of uptake in the bone marrow and liver suggests that, at least in early infection, these tissues do not harbor a large parasite biomass or do not provoke a prominent metabolic response. PET/MRI is a safe and noninvasive method to evaluate infection-associated organ changes in morphology and glucose metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Woodford
- Clinical Tropical Medicine Laboratory, QIMR-Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
- University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Ashley Gillman
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Peter Jenvey
- Department of Radiology, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Jennie Roberts
- Department of Radiology, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Stephen Woolley
- Clinical Tropical Medicine Laboratory, QIMR-Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
- Centre for Defence Pathology, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Bridget E. Barber
- Clinical Tropical Medicine Laboratory, QIMR-Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
| | - Melissa Fernandez
- Clinical Tropical Medicine Laboratory, QIMR-Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Stephen Rose
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Paul Thomas
- Herston Imaging Research Facility, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Nicholas M. Anstey
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
| | - James S. McCarthy
- Clinical Tropical Medicine Laboratory, QIMR-Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
- University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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Zoonotic and vector-borne parasites and epilepsy in low-income and middle-income countries. Nat Rev Neurol 2020; 16:333-345. [PMID: 32427939 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-020-0361-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Zoonotic and vector-borne parasites are important preventable risk factors for epilepsy. Three parasitic infections - cerebral malaria, Taenia solium cysticercosis and onchocerciasis - have an established association with epilepsy. Parasitoses are widely prevalent in low-income and middle-income countries, which are home to 80% of the people with epilepsy in the world. Once a parasitic infection has taken hold in the brain, therapeutic measures do not seem to influence the development of epilepsy in the long term. Consequently, strategies to control, eliminate and eradicate parasites represent the most feasible way to reduce the epilepsy burden at present. The elucidation of immune mechanisms underpinning the parasitic infections, some of which are parasite-specific, opens up new therapeutic possibilities. In this Review, we explore the pathophysiological basis of the link between parasitic infections and epilepsy, and we consider preventive and therapeutic approaches to reduce the burden of epilepsy attributable to parasitic disorders. We conclude that a concerted approach involving medical, veterinary, parasitological and ecological experts, backed by robust political support and sustainable funding, is the key to reducing this burden.
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