ProCite
RefWorks
Reference Manager
BibTeX
Zotero
EndNote
-
1.
Metzger WG, Mordmuller B, 2014. Loa loa-does it deserve to be neglected? Lancet Infect Dis 14: 353–357.
-
2.
Simonsen PE, Onapa AW, Asio SM, 2011. Mansonella perstans filariasis in Africa. Acta Trop 120 (Suppl 1): S109–S120.
-
3.
Chesnais CB, Takougang I, Paguele M, Pion SD, Boussinesq M, 2017. Excess mortality associated with loiasis: a retrospective population-based cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis 17: 108–116.
-
4.
Antinori S et al. 2012. Imported Loa loa filariasis: three cases and a review of cases reported in non-endemic countries in the past 25 years. Int J Infect Dis 16: e649–e662.
-
5.
Churchill DR, Morris C, Fakoya A, Wright SG, Davidson RN, 1996. Clinical and laboratory features of patients with loiasis (Loa loa filariasis) in the U.K. J Infect 33: 103–109.
-
6.
Cobo F, Cabezas-Fernandez MT, Salas-Coronas J, Cabeza-Barrera MI, Vazquez-Villegas J, Soriano-Perez MJ, 2015. Filariasis in sub-Saharan immigrants attended in a health area of southern Spain: clinical and epidemiological findings. J Immigr Minor Health 17: 306–309.
-
7.
Develoux M, Hennequin C, Le Loup G, Paris L, Magne D, Belkadi G, Pialoux G, 2017. Imported filariasis in Europe: a series of 31 cases from metropolitan France. Eur J Intern Med 37: e37–e39.
-
8.
Gantois N, Rapp C, Gautret P, Ficko C, Savini H, Larreche S, Saidi R, Crevon L, Simon F, 2013. Imported loiasis in France: a retrospective analysis of 47 cases. Travel Med Infect Dis 11: 366–373.
-
9.
Gobbi F, Beltrame A, Buonfrate D, Staffolani S, Degani M, Gobbo M, Angheben A, Marocco S, Bisoffi Z, 2017. Imported infections with Mansonella perstans nematodes, Italy. Emerg Infect Dis 23: 1539–1542.
-
10.
Gobbi F, Postiglione C, Angheben A, Marocco S, Monteiro G, Buonfrate D, Mascarello M, Gobbo M, Boussinesq M, Bisoffi Z, 2014. Imported loiasis in Italy: an analysis of 100 cases. Travel Med Infect Dis 12: 713–717.
-
11.
Klion AD, Ottesen EA, Nutman TB, 1994. Effectiveness of diethylcarbamazine in treating loiasis acquired by expatriate visitors to endemic regions: long-term follow-up. J Infect Dis 169: 604–610.
-
12.
Nutman TB, Miller KD, Mulligan M, Ottesen EA, 1986. Loa loa infection in temporary residents of endemic regions: recognition of a hyperresponsive syndrome with characteristic clinical manifestations. J Infect Dis 154: 10–18.
-
13.
Saito M, Armstrong M, Boadi S, Lowe P, Chiodini PL, Doherty T, 2015. Clinical features of imported loiasis: a case series from the hospital for tropical diseases, London. Am J Trop Med Hyg 93: 607–611.
-
14.
Boussinesq M, 2006. Loiasis. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 100: 715–731.
-
15.
Fink DL, Kamgno J, Nutman TB, 2011. Rapid molecular assays for specific detection and quantitation of Loa loa microfilaremia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 5: e1299.
-
16.
Toure FS et al. 1997. Detection of Loa loa-specific DNA in blood from occult-infected individuals. Exp Parasitol 86: 163–170.
-
17.
Toure FS, Mavoungou E, Kassambara L, Williams T, Wahl G, Millet P, Egwang TG, 1998. Human occult loiasis: field evaluation of a nested polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of occult infection. Trop Med Int Health 3: 505–511.
-
18.
Pedram B, Pasquetto V, Drame PM, Ji Y, Gonzalez-Moa MJ, Baldwin RK, Nutman TB, Biamonte MA, 2017. A novel rapid test for detecting antibody responses to Loa loa infections. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 11: e0005741.
-
19.
Klion AD, Horton J, Nutman TB, 1999. Albendazole therapy for loiasis refractory to diethylcarbamazine treatment. Clin Infect Dis 29: 680–682.
-
20.
Klion AD, Massougbodji A, Horton J, Ekoue S, Lanmasso T, Ahouissou NL, Nutman TB, 1993. Albendazole in human loiasis: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Infect Dis 168: 202–206.
-
21.
Klion AD, Vijaykumar A, Oei T, Martin B, Nutman TB, 2003. Serum immunoglobulin G4 antibodies to the recombinant antigen, Ll-SXP-1, are highly specific for Loa loa infection. J Infect Dis 187: 128–133.
-
22.
Van Hoegaerden M, Ivanoff B, Flocard F, Salle A, Chabaud B, 1987. The use of mebendazole in the treatment of filariases due to Loa loa and Mansonella perstans. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 81: 275–282.
-
23.
Duke BO, 1990. Effect of diethylcarbamazine on adult Loa in monkeys. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 84: 387–392.
-
24.
Bregani ER, Rovellini A, Mbaidoum N, Magnini MG, 2006. Comparison of different anthelminthic drug regimens against Mansonella perstans filariasis. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 100: 458–463.
-
25.
Coulibaly YI et al. 2009. A randomized trial of doxycycline for Mansonella perstans infection. N Engl J Med 361: 1448–1458.
-
26.
Tamarozzi F, Halliday A, Gentil K, Hoerauf A, Pearlman E, Taylor MJ, 2011. Onchocerciasis: the role of Wolbachia bacterial endosymbionts in parasite biology, disease pathogenesis, and treatment. Clin Microbiol Rev 24: 459–468.
| Past two years | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 330 | 277 | 32 |
| Full Text Views | 563 | 13 | 1 |
| PDF Downloads | 172 | 8 | 1 |
Laboratory Parameters after Treatment for Loa loa and Mansonella perstans: The Experience of a Single Referral Center for Tropical Diseases in a Non-Endemic Area
Federico Gobbi
Federico Gobbi
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, IRCCS Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Italy;
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Francesca Tamarozzi
Francesca Tamarozzi
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, IRCCS Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Italy;
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Dora Buonfrate
Dora Buonfrate
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, IRCCS Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Italy;
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Paola Rodari
Paola Rodari
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, IRCCS Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Italy;
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Stefano Tais
Stefano Tais
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, IRCCS Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Italy;
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Zeno Bisoffi
Zeno Bisoffi
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, IRCCS Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Italy;
Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Section, Diagnostic and Public Health Department, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Section, Diagnostic and Public Health Department, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Infections due to Loa loa and Mansonella perstans are common yet elusive neglected filariases. Parasitological cure after treatment is very difficult to assess, as adult parasites are not accessible. Therefore, outside transmission areas, patients require a long follow-up period to ascertain the therapeutic outcome, which is impractical for non-sedentary populations such as migrants. We studied the change over time of microfilaremia, eosinophil counts, and antifilarial antibodies tested with a commercial ELISA test (Bordier Affinity Products, Crissier, Switzerland), in a retrospective cohort of patients with confirmed L. loa and M. perstans infections, to evaluate the role of serology in clinical practice. After treatment, all 22 eligible patients diagnosed in our center between 2015 and 2017 reached amicrofilaremia, with microfilarial counts decreasing sharply within 2 months. Paralleling eosinophil counts, antibodies decreased in all patients, 36% of whom reached sero-reversion or near–sero-reversion in < 20 months. These findings suggest that positive serology is not just residual from a past infection, and may be used for diagnosis even when microfilaremia is negative or cannot be performed. Interestingly, antibodies and eosinophil counts increased following some, but not all, re-treatment courses. If the rise in these parameters reflects death of macrofilariae, caution is required in interpreting high eosinophil counts and antibody titers shortly after treatment, as these may reflect no need for further treatment. To optimize patients’ management, it is now pivotal to ascertain the interval between treatment and macrofilarial death and therefore whether re-treatments are required for complete clearance of parasites.
Author Notes
Authors’ addresses: Federico Gobbi, Francesca Tamarozzi, Dora Buonfrate, Paola Rodari, and Stefano Tais, Centre for Tropical Diseases, IRCCS Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Italy, E-mails: federico.gobbi@sacrocuore.it, francesca.tamarozzi@sacrocuore.it, dora.buonfrate@sacrocuore.it, paola.rodari@sacrocuore.it, and stefano.tais@sacrocuore.it. Zeno Bisoffi, Centre for Tropical Diseases, IRCCS Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Italy, and Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Section, Diagnostic and Public Health Department, University of Verona, Verona, Italy, E-mail: zeno.bisoffi@sacrocuore.it.
These authors contributed equally to this work.
ProCite
RefWorks
Reference Manager
BibTeX
Zotero
EndNote
-
1.
Metzger WG, Mordmuller B, 2014. Loa loa-does it deserve to be neglected? Lancet Infect Dis 14: 353–357.
-
2.
Simonsen PE, Onapa AW, Asio SM, 2011. Mansonella perstans filariasis in Africa. Acta Trop 120 (Suppl 1): S109–S120.
-
3.
Chesnais CB, Takougang I, Paguele M, Pion SD, Boussinesq M, 2017. Excess mortality associated with loiasis: a retrospective population-based cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis 17: 108–116.
-
4.
Antinori S et al. 2012. Imported Loa loa filariasis: three cases and a review of cases reported in non-endemic countries in the past 25 years. Int J Infect Dis 16: e649–e662.
-
5.
Churchill DR, Morris C, Fakoya A, Wright SG, Davidson RN, 1996. Clinical and laboratory features of patients with loiasis (Loa loa filariasis) in the U.K. J Infect 33: 103–109.
-
6.
Cobo F, Cabezas-Fernandez MT, Salas-Coronas J, Cabeza-Barrera MI, Vazquez-Villegas J, Soriano-Perez MJ, 2015. Filariasis in sub-Saharan immigrants attended in a health area of southern Spain: clinical and epidemiological findings. J Immigr Minor Health 17: 306–309.
-
7.
Develoux M, Hennequin C, Le Loup G, Paris L, Magne D, Belkadi G, Pialoux G, 2017. Imported filariasis in Europe: a series of 31 cases from metropolitan France. Eur J Intern Med 37: e37–e39.
-
8.
Gantois N, Rapp C, Gautret P, Ficko C, Savini H, Larreche S, Saidi R, Crevon L, Simon F, 2013. Imported loiasis in France: a retrospective analysis of 47 cases. Travel Med Infect Dis 11: 366–373.
-
9.
Gobbi F, Beltrame A, Buonfrate D, Staffolani S, Degani M, Gobbo M, Angheben A, Marocco S, Bisoffi Z, 2017. Imported infections with Mansonella perstans nematodes, Italy. Emerg Infect Dis 23: 1539–1542.
-
10.
Gobbi F, Postiglione C, Angheben A, Marocco S, Monteiro G, Buonfrate D, Mascarello M, Gobbo M, Boussinesq M, Bisoffi Z, 2014. Imported loiasis in Italy: an analysis of 100 cases. Travel Med Infect Dis 12: 713–717.
-
11.
Klion AD, Ottesen EA, Nutman TB, 1994. Effectiveness of diethylcarbamazine in treating loiasis acquired by expatriate visitors to endemic regions: long-term follow-up. J Infect Dis 169: 604–610.
-
12.
Nutman TB, Miller KD, Mulligan M, Ottesen EA, 1986. Loa loa infection in temporary residents of endemic regions: recognition of a hyperresponsive syndrome with characteristic clinical manifestations. J Infect Dis 154: 10–18.
-
13.
Saito M, Armstrong M, Boadi S, Lowe P, Chiodini PL, Doherty T, 2015. Clinical features of imported loiasis: a case series from the hospital for tropical diseases, London. Am J Trop Med Hyg 93: 607–611.
-
14.
Boussinesq M, 2006. Loiasis. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 100: 715–731.
-
15.
Fink DL, Kamgno J, Nutman TB, 2011. Rapid molecular assays for specific detection and quantitation of Loa loa microfilaremia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 5: e1299.
-
16.
Toure FS et al. 1997. Detection of Loa loa-specific DNA in blood from occult-infected individuals. Exp Parasitol 86: 163–170.
-
17.
Toure FS, Mavoungou E, Kassambara L, Williams T, Wahl G, Millet P, Egwang TG, 1998. Human occult loiasis: field evaluation of a nested polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of occult infection. Trop Med Int Health 3: 505–511.
-
18.
Pedram B, Pasquetto V, Drame PM, Ji Y, Gonzalez-Moa MJ, Baldwin RK, Nutman TB, Biamonte MA, 2017. A novel rapid test for detecting antibody responses to Loa loa infections. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 11: e0005741.
-
19.
Klion AD, Horton J, Nutman TB, 1999. Albendazole therapy for loiasis refractory to diethylcarbamazine treatment. Clin Infect Dis 29: 680–682.
-
20.
Klion AD, Massougbodji A, Horton J, Ekoue S, Lanmasso T, Ahouissou NL, Nutman TB, 1993. Albendazole in human loiasis: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Infect Dis 168: 202–206.
-
21.
Klion AD, Vijaykumar A, Oei T, Martin B, Nutman TB, 2003. Serum immunoglobulin G4 antibodies to the recombinant antigen, Ll-SXP-1, are highly specific for Loa loa infection. J Infect Dis 187: 128–133.
-
22.
Van Hoegaerden M, Ivanoff B, Flocard F, Salle A, Chabaud B, 1987. The use of mebendazole in the treatment of filariases due to Loa loa and Mansonella perstans. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 81: 275–282.
-
23.
Duke BO, 1990. Effect of diethylcarbamazine on adult Loa in monkeys. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 84: 387–392.
-
24.
Bregani ER, Rovellini A, Mbaidoum N, Magnini MG, 2006. Comparison of different anthelminthic drug regimens against Mansonella perstans filariasis. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 100: 458–463.
-
25.
Coulibaly YI et al. 2009. A randomized trial of doxycycline for Mansonella perstans infection. N Engl J Med 361: 1448–1458.
-
26.
Tamarozzi F, Halliday A, Gentil K, Hoerauf A, Pearlman E, Taylor MJ, 2011. Onchocerciasis: the role of Wolbachia bacterial endosymbionts in parasite biology, disease pathogenesis, and treatment. Clin Microbiol Rev 24: 459–468.
| Past two years | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 330 | 277 | 32 |
| Full Text Views | 563 | 13 | 1 |
| PDF Downloads | 172 | 8 | 1 |