[Enterobius vermicularis causing symptoms of acute appendicitis]

Etiology of Appendicitis in Children: The Role of Bacterial and Viral Pathogens

BACKGROUND

Although acute appendicitis is the most common cause for abdominal surgery in children, its etiology is still largely unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of bacterial and viral pathogens for the etiology of appendicitis in children.

METHODS

Between 2000 and 2010, 277 children underwent appendectomy in our institution. On this collective, a retrospective study was performed on to identify the presence of bacterial or viral pathogens.

RESULTS

Intraoperatively, 39% of cases showed acute, 9% of cases chronic, and 41% of cases ulcerous inflammation. Bowel perforation was found in 7% of cases and four percent of the children had no inflammation of the appendix at all. Escherichia coli was the predominant bacterium with an incidence of 27.4%, followed by streptococci (9.8%). Concerning viral pathogens, adenovirus was the most common with an incidence of 5.4% followed by rotavirus (4.7%). Significant correlations between histopathological findings and present pathogens were found: in cases of bowel perforation there were significantly more infections with E. coli bacteria (32.2%, p < .001), streptococci (12.2%, p < 0.001), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6.7%, p < .001) whereas chronic inflammations were accompanied with a significantly elevated rate of yersinia infections (2.5%, p = .016). Acute inflammations were significantly more often associated with campylobacter (1.7%, p = .011) and oxyures infections (6.1%, p < .001). In relation to the patients' age, a significant accumulation of different pathogens was observed. CRP- and leukocyte counts showed differences between viral and bacterial inflammations.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicates that appendicitis in children might be triggered by bacterial and viral pathogens and that the type of pathogen directly correlates with patient age, type of inflammation, and level of inflammation values. To confirm and further evaluate these findings, additional studies need to be conducted.

The post-treatment effects of enterobiasis on the occurrence of enuresis among children in Calabar, Nigeria

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between enterobiasis and enuresis before and after albendazole therapy among 632 children, aged, 5-14 years, in Calabar, Nigeria.

METHODS

The scotch tape (cellotape) technique was used for the detection of eggs of Enterobius vermicularis (E. vermicularis) while questionnaire-based interviews were used for screening for anal itching and/or enuresis among study participants. All subjects found positive for Enterobius infection as confirmed by the presence of eggs and those with persistent anal itching (both enuretic and non-enuretic) were treated with 400 mg of albendazole given as a single dose. The treated subjects were re-assessed post-treatment to ascertain whether they were cured and also to determine their enuretic status (for the enuretics).

RESULTS

The overall prevalences of Enterobius infection, anal itching, and enuresis prior to albendazole therapy were 6.8%, 42.9%, and 35.6% respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of these parameters by the socio-economic class of subjects (P = 0.462, P = 0.647, and P = 0.610, respectively). The pre-treatment prevalences of enuresis among Enterobius and anal itching-positive subjects were 53.5% and 49.8%, respectively versus 34.3% and 24.9%, respectively among their negative counterpart (P = 0.012 and P < 0.001, respectively). Four (20%) out of the 20 enuretic children found Enterobius egg-negative after albendazole therapy were equally cured while 8(40%) had reduction of their enuresis, thus giving a total resolution rate of 60%. Similarly, 64.2% resolution (25% cure and 32.8% reduction) of enuresis was observed amongst 120 anal itching-cured/enuretic children. Enuretic status of the Enterobius-/anal itching-uncured subjects, on the other hand, remained unchanged post-treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is suggestive of the involvement of E. vermicularis in the aetiology of enuresis in Calabar. Children presenting with, especially, uncomplicated enuresis should be screened for enterobiasis.

[Changes in epidemiology, etiology, diagnostics, and therapy of acute appendicitis]

The frequency of acute appendicitis has fallen in the last three decades in developed industrialized countries. From 1961 to 1991 the number of appendectomies performed annually in Hungary decreased significantly. Since 1991 the numbers are essentially unchanged. Appendix lumen obstruction was formerly believed to be crucial in the etiology of the illness, while today mixed aerobic, anaerobic bacterial infection is considered more important. The inflammation process - according to immunogenetic differences - may lead to recovery or tissue necrosis and perforation. To date, no methods are known that could timely distinguish spontaneously healing or conservatively treatable appendicitis from those resulting in tissue necrosis, although routine usage of abdominal ultrasound technique is added to the clinical picture's modern diagnostic arsenal. The operative method for removing the appendix also has changed. Experience has confirmed that laparoscopic appendectomy is usually more favorable in the treatment of acute appendicitis than traditional surgery.