Marked increase in cryptosporidiosis cases, Spain, 2023.

BackgroundBy mid-September 2023, several event notifications related to cryptosporidiosis had been identified from different regions in Spain. Therefore, a request for urgent notification of cryptosporidiosis cases to the National Surveillance Network was launched.AimWe aimed at assessing the extent of the increase in cases, the epidemiological characteristics and the transmission modes and compared to previous years.

Results of the REIV-TOXO national survey on prenatal screening for toxoplasmosis in Spain.

Introduction: Currently, the status of serological screening for toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Spain is unknown, and there is no official recommendation. The objective of this study is to show the current practice of gestational screening for toxoplasmosis in hospitals belonging to the Spanish Network for Research on Congenital Toxoplasmosis (REIV-TOXO).

Methods: An electronic survey was sent between April 2021 and September 2021 to investigators from 118 hospitals of REIV-TOXO, representing all Spanish regions.

Prevalence of in Endangered Wild Felines ( and ) in Spain.

The wildcat () and the Iberian lynx () are important species in Spain, considered as near-threatened and endangered, respectively. Both can be infected by , a parasite that can cause morbidity and mortality in transplacentally-infected or immunocompromised mammals. The data on the prevalence of this parasite in wild populations of these species in Spain are outdated.

[Toxoplasmosis in Spain, analysis of hospitalizations during the period 1997-2018.].

Objective: Toxoplasmosis is a systemic infectious disease. Infection is acquired by ingestion of cysts or by vertical transmission mother-to-child during pregnancy (congenital toxoplasmosis). In Spain, the prevalence shows wide variability depending on the region and the study.

Multi-Laboratory Evaluation of a Lateral Flow Rapid Test for Detection of Amebic Liver Abscess.

Independent evaluations of XEh Rapid, an IgG4-based rapid dipstick test, were performed to assess its diagnostic performance to detect amebic liver abscess (ALA) using 405 samples at seven laboratories in four countries. The test showed high diagnostic specificity (97-100%) when tested with samples from healthy individuals ( = 100) and patients with other diseases ( = 151). The diagnostic sensitivity was tested with a total of 154 samples, and the results were variable.

Helminthosis and eosinophilia in Spain (1990-2015).

The finding of blood eosinophilia in a patient is a relatively frequent reason to refer him/her to a Clinical Department of Infectious Diseases. The doctor usually intends to rule out a parasitic disease in the autochthonous population, travelers or immigrants. It is uncommon for an eosinophilia to be produced by protozoa infection, whereas helminth parasites are more frequently associated with an increase of eosinophil counts in the infected patient.

[Diagnostic of intestinal parasitosis by coproantigen detection].

Intestinal parasites are highly prevalent in tropical areas and developing countries, but are also common in industrialised countries as well. Traditionally, their diagnosis has been made by microscopic examinations of the faeces of the patient. These have been shown to have poor sensitivity, require serial samples, are very time-consuming and require a specialised technique.