Publications by authors named "Melinda Tanabe"

Strongyloidiasis is a neglected, soil-transmitted helminth infection prevalent worldwide. The true burden of strongyloidiasis is unclear due to the lack of sensitive, field-friendly diagnostic tests. PCR tests to detect DNA in stool are sensitive and specific, but the need for expensive equipment limits their use in endemic regions.

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Background: Understanding mortality among travellers is essential for mitigating risks and enhancing travel safety. However, limited evidence exists on severe illnesses and injuries leading to death among travellers, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and remote regions.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective census study using country-level observational data from death certificates of travellers of seven South American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay) from 2017 to 2021.

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has a complex lifecycle with multiple intermediate and definitive hosts and influenced by environmental factors. The disease causes significant morbidity in children and its prevalent worldwide. There is lack of data about distribution and burden of the disease in endemic regions, owing to poor efficacy of the different diagnostic methods used.

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Article Synopsis
  • This text discusses a case of a 31-year-old man simultaneously diagnosed with Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL) and a severe non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection, noting that the exact causes of this association are still unknown.
  • The patient presented symptoms like rash, low blood cell counts, and swollen lymph nodes, with both HCL and the infection diagnosed through advanced medical testing.
  • Despite successful chemotherapy for HCL, the infection persisted for six months before being effectively treated with a combination of antibiotics, underscoring the need for more research into the relationship between HCL and these types of infections for better management in the future.
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Secondary hyperparathyroidism is a prevalent complication of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), arising from chronic renal insufficiency leading to disturbed calcium metabolism. This disruption triggers hypersecretion of the parathyroid gland, characterizing the condition. Osteitis fibrosa cystica (OFC), a rare complication of untreated secondary hyperparathyroidism, results in benign resorptive bone lesions and the formation of cystic cavities within bones.

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Anemia is a complex condition associated with diet, chronic infections, and blood loss. Children living at high altitudes have higher absolute hemoglobin levels due to hypoxemia. However, they are exposed to repeated infections and dietary limitations.

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is a trematode parasite distributed worldwide. It is known to cause disease in mammals, producing significant economic loses to livestock industry and burden to human health. After ingestion, the parasites migrate through the liver and mature in the bile ducts.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A case study details a 58-year-old woman with unusual breast furuncles that revealed an NTM infection despite her lacking common risk factors.
  • * The report emphasizes the need for multi-disciplinary collaboration to diagnose NTM effectively and highlights key aspects like its clinical presentation, histopathological features, differential diagnosis, treatment options, and case outcomes.
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  • Fasciola hepatica is a largely overlooked parasitic infection affecting both human health and livestock, particularly prevalent in the Andean Altiplano region, which holds about 50% of global infections.
  • In a study involving 2070 households and 2420 livestock samples in Anta province, Peru, frequencies of fascioliasis were assessed through fecal examination, revealing a 30.9% infection rate in livestock, with sheep having the highest rate at 40.8%.
  • The research found significant spatial associations between positive livestock feces and infected children in households, indicating that being within 50-200 meters of infected cattle feces increases the risk of fasciola infection in children, while also highlighting potential
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School-age children bear the highest burden of fascioliasis in endemic countries. Few studies have addressed Fasciola in preschool children. We performed a secondary data analysis using two Fasciola databases from Cusco, Peru, comparing preschoolers with elementary school children.

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We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children who had chronic fascioliasis in the highlands of Peru to determine triclabendazole treatment efficacy. Children passing Fasciola eggs in stool were offered directly observed triclabendazole treatment (>1 doses of 10 mg/kg). Parasitologic cure was evaluated by using microscopy of stool 1-4 months after each treatment.

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Article Synopsis
  • Fascioliasis is a zoonotic infection causing significant economic losses in livestock, with prevalence and financial impact varying by location and diagnostic methods.
  • A pilot study in the Anta province of Peru found that 62.5% of 2009 cattle were infected, with higher rates observed after the rainy season.
  • Bile microscopy was more effective than liver condemnation in diagnosing infections, and both methods are suggested to be used together for better evaluation of fascioliasis in livestock, indicating a need for larger studies to confirm these findings.
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Fasciola hepatica is highly prevalent in the highlands of Peru. School-age children have the greatest risk of infection. Mass treatment of at-risk populations has been proposed to control the infection and prevent complications.

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Murine typhus is a flea-borne disease of worldwide distribution with a recent reemergence in the United States of America. There are limited data about the presentation, treatment, and outcomes in the pregnant population. We report on two cases of murine typhus during pregnancy and review the literature to compile previously reported cases.

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The distinction between persistent infection and immunologic reactions in leprosy is often difficult but critically important since their management is different. We present the case of a 51-year-old Vietnamese female who presented in 2015 with areas of erythema and skin infiltration on face and chest, as well as edema on her hands and feet. Skin biopsy was consistent with lepromatous leprosy.

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