Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in blood donors from the Lodi Red Zone and adjacent Lodi metropolitan and suburban area.

Objectives: To define the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in blood donors (referred to the first lockdown area (Lodi Red-Zone) of the Lombardy region and in a contiguous area that was not included in the first lockdown); to define the agreement between a commercial serological assay and a reference microneutralization assay; and to evaluate the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in a cohort of blood donors.

Methods: Blood donors referred to the first lockdown area in Lombardy Region and the neighbouring area were analysed for SARS-CoV-2 IgG-specific antibodies during the period 18 March to 24 June 2020. Serum samples were analysed using both a chemiluminescent immunoassay (LIAISON® SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG, DiaSorin) for the quantitative characterization of SARS-CoV-2 anti-S1 and anti-S2 IgG antibodies and a neutralizing antibodies (NT-Abs) assay.

Cerebral Toxocariasis as a Cause of Epilepsy: A Pediatric Case.

Toxocarosis is the consequence of human infection by spp. larvae and is one of the most common ascarioses, not only in developing countries, but also in the European region, where its prevalence reaches 14%. Due to their particular behavior, children are at higher risk of this parasitic infection, whose clinical features depend on the localization of the larvae.

Multilocus sequence typing of Dientamoeba fragilis identified a major clone with widespread geographical distribution.

The flagellated protozoan Dientamoeba fragilis is often detected in humans with gastrointestinal symptoms, but it is also commonly found in healthy subjects. As for other intestinal protozoa, the hypothesis that genetically dissimilar parasite isolates differ in their ability to cause symptoms has also been raised for D. fragilis.

Failure of repeated treatment with praziquantel and arthemeter in four patients with acute schistosomiasis.

Schistosomiasis is on the rise but still difficult to treat in international travelers; it should be suspected in patients returning from endemic areas. Praziquantel (PZQ) is not effective and may aggravate symptoms. More recently, combination treatment with artemisinin derivatives have shown promising results.

Immunoblotting with human native antigen shows stage-related sensitivity in the serodiagnosis of hepatic cystic echinococcosis.

The diagnosis of hepatic cystic echinococcosis is based on ultrasonography and confirmed by serology. However, no biological marker of cyst viability is currently available implying years-long patient follow-up, which is not always feasible in endemic areas. We characterized the performance of an immunoblotting test based on human hydatid cyst fluid with particular regard to its ability to distinguish between cyst stages.

Isolation and genotyping of Acanthamoeba strains from corneal infections in Italy.

Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a corneal disease caused by members of a genus of free-living amoebae and is associated predominantly with contact lens (CL) use. This study reports 16 cases of culture-proven AK diagnosed in northern Italy. Genotype identification was carried out with a PCR assay based on sequence analysis of the 18S rRNA gene, and sensitivity and specificity were evaluated in comparison with traditional parasitological techniques.

Amebic infections due to the Entamoeba histolytica-Entamoeba dispar complex: a study of the incidence in a remote rural area of Ecuador.

An epidemiologic field study was conducted in the village of Borbòn in Esmeraldas province in northern Ecuador to compare different parasitologic methods in the diagnosis of infection with the Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar complex. The results of two stool antigen detection assays (the Prospect Entamoeba histolytica microplate assay and the E. histolytica II assay) were compared with isoenzyme characterization of the amebic isolates.