Enteriti acute e protratte nell’uomo: prevalenze eziologiche ed aspetti di metodologia diagnostica

The Authors describe methodological diagnostic course related to microbiological examination of faeces specimens. During 2004, 511 samples of 247 children and 264 adults were analysed for acute (389 subjects) or prolonged diarrhoeas (122). Campylobacter was observed in 57 cases (11.0%), in 36 children (14.2%) and 21 adults (8.0%); Salmonella was observed in 28 cases (5.4%), in 15 children (6.1%) and 13 adults (4.9%); toxin A of C. difficile was detected in 11 cases (2.2%); other bacterial pathogens were very rare. Rotavirus was detected in 31 children (12.5%) while Adenovirus in 3 children (1.2%). Protozoa were identified in 13 cases (2.5%): 3 in children (1.2 %) and 10 in adults (3.7%); among these, D. fragilis prevailed in respect of G. duodenalis: 10 cases (2.0%) vs 3 cases (0.6%); other protozoa never were observed. So, the positivities were only 151 for 29.5% (91 in children, 36.8% and 60 in adults, 22.7%). Finally some considerations relating sex, clinical features and epidemiological findings are reported.The Authors reaffirm the need for a rational and functional research, because is necessary to minimize and direct these ones towards local epidemiology, but underline the opportunity to increase the investigations when diversified risk factor are reported

Parassitosi intestinali umane nel Perugino nel corso del 2005

During 2005 we analyzed stool specimens of 661 subjects, 221 children (1-16 years old) and 440 adults, for O&P (direct and after formalin-etylacetate concentration microscopic observations, Giemsa and modified Ziehl- Neelsen permanent stains when requested). 13.8% of subjects were positive for parasitic infections (13.5% among children and 13.9% among adults). 8.8% of subjects are infected with pathogen parasites (7.2% among children and 9.6% among adults) and 5.0% with not pathogens (6.3% and 4.3% respectively). Among pathogen parasites, in children G. duodenalis was observed in 4.1% of cases,D. fragilis in 0.5%, E. vermicularis in 0.9%, T. trichiura in 1.8%. Among adults, D. fragilis was observed in 5.2% of cases, G. duodenalis in 1.8%, Cryptosporidium spp. in 0.5%, E. vermicularis in 0.5%, T. trichiura in 0.7%, S. stercoralis in 0.7%, H. nana in 0.2%, T. saginata in 0.5%, S. mansoni in 0.5%.Among childrens, 76.7% of pathogen parasites were imported from developing countries, particularly G. duodenalis in adopted ones; instead, among adults, 83.6% of pathogens was observed in home/Italian people, particularly D. fragilis. Cellophane tape test was performed on 40 home children and E. vermicularis prevailed in 22%; modified Baermann method was performed on 42 old subjects and S. stercoralis rabdithoid larvae were observed in 7.1% (but the same ones of O&P).The Authors recommend the O&P in subjects with intestinal aspecific troubles, ipereosinophilia, or other justified situations, emphasizing the importance of a rational, good and responsible O&P and/or other techniques for intestinal parasitosis, because are present, even if not frequent, not only imported, particularly D. fragilis, but also helminths, and not only E. vermicularis

Miasi congiuntivale da Oestrus ovis: descrizione di un nuovo caso e problematiche in tema di miasi in ambito umano

The Authors related a third case of ophtalmomyasis occurred to a young adult female, during holidays in Sardinia, near a beed of reeds bordering on the beach in the north of the island.Various larvae were captured in the eyeconjunctiva and three were identified at the optical microscope as first stadium larvae of Oestrus ovis on the base of typical and reported features and characters. The Authors relate the main diagnostics keys and algorithmes for the myasis that could affect humans, as in Italy as in developing countries, and suggest a major attention to these renewed clinical pathologies caused by larvae of various genera and species of flies, not only in natural cavities (like conjunctiva) but also on the cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues, and in intestinal tract

Enterite da Campylobacter upsaliensis: un paradigma della microbiologia clinica

The Authors describe a case of acute enteritis in a adult woman with severe hepatitis C infection caused by a strain of Campylobacter upsaliensis.The clinical isolate was obtained only on blood agar because filter membrane technique was performed. In fact for this strain it was no growth on selective Campy agar, which include cephalotin too; C. upsaliensis is sensitive to this antibiotic molecule. So, the use of filter membrane on blood agar or charcoal agar at 37°C in microaerophilic atmosphere is recommended for isolation of all campylobacters responsible of human enteritis

Opisthorchiasi autoctona al Lago Trasimeno (Perugia): descrizione di due episodi epidemici da Opisthorchis felineus e problematiche diagnostiche differenziali

The Authors describe two small and apparently asymptomatic epidemics of Opisthorchiasis caused by Opisthorchis felineus, which were observed in provence of Perugia, Umbrie region, Italy.The first one was observed in a couple of young adults during 2003 because both ones ate pickled (at 2-8°C) tenches fished in Trasimeno Lake in province of Perugia.The second episode was observed during 2006 among eight young adults that ate pickled fishes (tenches, carps and perches, always at 2-8°C); source of these fishes was the same lake.The request for a coproparasitological examination of stools in one of the two subjects of the first episode and in one of the eight subjects of the second episode was the casual observation of an increased count of periferical eosinophils. During January 2006, ten faecal samples of cats, living on “Isola Maggiore” of the Trasimeno Lake, were collected for a parasitological test; 40% was positive for ova of O. felineus.The Authors describe the diagnostical items for this parasitosis, relate the epidemiological features of this trematode infection, and suggest the importance of a good approach to this zoonotic parasitosis, which interest public health too and never were before observed in Italy among humans

Strongyloides stercoralis e strongiloidiasi in Umbria: analisi di una casistica decennale

(Strongyloides stercoralis and strongyloidiasis in Umbria: ten years of investigations).The Authors relate prevalences concerning strongyloidiasis in Perugia,Torgiano and Deruta, Provence of Perugia, Region of Umbria, Central Italy, between 1995 and 2004. The specific investigation for Strongyloides stercoralis was initially obtained using Baermann’s Method, and after with a modified tecnique of this method and/or with colture on agar of larvae. During 10 years S. stercoralis had been found in 69 elder subjects in relation to 734 examined people (9.4%).The research of this nematode was usually justified by a periferical hipereosinophilia; infact, among positive people, an increased eosinophilia was documented in 88.4% of subjects. The Authors describe biological features of this worm as for diagnostical aims as for epidemiological findings, in order to understand the persistence in these moist and temperate areas around rivers and lakes of central Umbria.Thus, the Authors report operating procedures to research and/or to exclude this helminthiaisis in Italian and immigrate population, on the base of anamnestical suggestions of potential infection

An case report of persistent giardiasis

The authors describe a persistent case of autoctonous giardiasis in an Italian adult man. Patient’s habits, clinical findings and diagnostic criteria are reported.The persistent elimination of Giardia spp. cysts with faeces along several month and years could be related to a repeated environmental ingestion or due to the onset of resistance towards the antiprotozoal drug

L’esame microbiologico dei campioni di feci: procedura operativa diagnostica

Le infezioni intestinali diarroiche rimangono ancora oggi la causa principale di morbilità e mortalità diffusa nel mondo nonostante i progressi nella comprensione della loro epidemiologia, patogenesi e clinica. In tale Procedura Operativa Diagnostica si analizzano gli agenti patogeni batterici e virali, che, a livello intestinale, sono responsabili della diarrea infettiva. Per la ricerc

Parasitic intestinal infections in humans between 2006 and 2007

Between 2006-07 faecal specimens of 2.132 subjects (1.508 adults and 624 children) were examined for ova & parasites, using direct and after formalin-ethylacetate concentration microscopy, and permanent specific stains. 380 bubjects (17.8 %) were infected: 313 adults (20.8 %) and 67 children (10.7 %). 331 cases (15.5 %) were infected by pathogens, 275 adults (18.2 %) and 56 children (9.0 %). 389 pathogenic or not pathogenic protozoa (18.2 %) and 60 helminths (2.8 %) were identified, more among adults than children (21.0 % vs 11.5 % and 3.2 % vs 1.8 % respectively).Among protozoa, D. fragilis was in all observed in 145 cases (6.8 %), G. duodenalis in 74 cases (3.5 %), other were very rare.Among helminths nematodes were more frequent than trematodes and cestodes, with S. stercoralis (14 cases) and E. vermicularis (13 cases) the most frequent ones. 2.302 subjects (1.505 adults and 797 children) were examined for microbiological tests because affected by acute or prolonged diarrhoea. 82 cases (3.6 %) of protozoal infections were observed, 70 among adults (4.7 %) and 12 among children (1.5 %). D. fragilis was in all prevalent (2.0 %) in respect of G. duodenalis (1.0 %) or other ones (0.6 %). For S. stercoralis specific investigation, modified Baermann method / larvae colture were performed: 20/189 cases (10.6 %) od strongyloidiasis was diagnosed in adults. For E. vermicularis investigation, scotch test was performer: 43/179 cases (24.0%) of enterobiasis was diagnosed. The Authors underline the application of standard operative procedures for O & P with permanent specific stains in subject affected by enterites too, and the analysis of more specimens for each subjects for good diagnostical performances