Publications by authors named "Zendejas-Heredia P"

In recent years, soil-transmitted helminthiases, including strongyloidiasis have become a prominent public health concern in the southeastern United States of America (USA). While there is ongoing human soil-transmitted helminths (STH) surveillance in Mississippi and Alabama, very little attention has been paid to potentially zoonotic STH from dogs in this region. We microscopically examined faecal samples collected from 252 shelter dogs in Mississippi using the formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation method.

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Ancylostoma ceylanicum is the second most common hookworm infecting humans in the Asia-Pacific region. Recent reports suggest presence of the parasite in the Americas. We report A.

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Background: Ivermectin mass drug administration (MDA) is effective for controlling onchocerciasis and scabies, with evidence supporting its role in some species of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections. In the context of RISE, a cluster-randomised trial for scabies, this study evaluated the effectiveness of ivermectin MDA in reducing STH burden in the Western Province of Solomon Islands.

Methods: Twenty villages were randomised 1:1 to receive ivermectin MDA as one dose (IVM-1) or two doses (IVM-2) for scabies.

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Strongyloides stercoralis, the causative agent of strongyloidiasis, is a potentially zoonotic intestinal nematode endemic to northern Australia. Strongyloidiasis is typically observed in immunocompromised hosts and is characterised by gastrointestinal signs, respiratory symptoms and a failure to thrive. In immunocompromised hosts, hyperinfection syndrome and disseminated infections can prove life-threatening.

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The reduced prevalence of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes in countries with endemic parasitic worm infections suggests a protective role for worms against metabolic disorders, however clinical evidence has been non-existent. This 2-year randomised, double-blinded clinical trial in Australia of hookworm infection in 40 male and female adults at risk of type 2 diabetes assessed the safety and potential metabolic benefits of treatment with either 20 (n = 14) or 40 (n = 13) Necator americanus larvae (L3) or Placebo (n = 13) (Registration ACTRN12617000818336). Primary outcome was safety defined by adverse events and completion rate.

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Canine soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) cause important zoonoses in the tropics, with varying degrees of intensity of infection in humans and dogs. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors for STHs in community dogs residing in Grenada, West Indies. In May 2021, 232 canine fecal samples were examined for zoonotic helminths by microscopy (following flotation), and genomic DNA from a subset of 211 of these samples were subjected to multiplex qPCR for the detection and specific identification of hookworms, spp.

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Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infect 1.5 billion people and countless animals worldwide. In Australian Indigenous communities, STH infections have largely remained endemic despite control efforts, suggesting reservoirs of infection may exist.

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Ancylostoma ceylanicum hookworms are recognized agents of human infection in the Asia-Pacific region. We investigated prevalence of zoonotic hookworm infections in dogs in Grenada in 2021; 40.8% were infected by hookworms, including Ancylostoma ceylanicum.

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Background: The Kato-Katz microscopy technique is the global standard for assessment of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) burden. However, major limitations include its poor sensitivity, requirement for rapid sample processing, and inability to differentiate hookworm species nor detect Strongyloides spp. infections.

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The early-to-mid 1900s was an era that marked the first published reports of clinical cases and experimental human infections that provided valuable evidence to inform our current knowledge on the zoonotic nature of the canid and felid hookworms. To this day, descriptions of the pathognomonic syndromes produced in humans by these early pioneers provide vital information on the putative geographical distribution of these hookworm species, even before their discovery in dogs and cats. Cases of hookworm-related cutaneous larvae migrans and Ancylostoma caninum-induced eosinophilic enteritis continue to be reported in the medical literature, most commonly in recent migrants or returned travellers who have spent time in regions in which these canine and feline hookworms remain highly endemic.

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Soil-transmitted helminths are highly prevalent in the Asia-Pacific region. We report a 96.5% prevalence of zoonotic soil-transmitted helminths in dogs in Kiribati.

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Article Synopsis
  • - This study evaluates the effectiveness of different diagnostic techniques—Kato-Katz (KK), sodium nitrate (NaNO3) flotation (FF), and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)—for detecting soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) in terms of egg recovery rates (ERR) and limits of detection (LOD) among infected human stool samples.
  • - Results showed that qPCR was significantly more sensitive, detecting as low as 5 eggs per gram (EPG) compared to 50 EPG for both KK and FF, with the latter also having lower ERRs overall.
  • - The findings suggest that qPCR's superior diagnostic capabilities warrant consideration for broader use in monitoring and assessing the effectiveness of STH control programs
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Article Synopsis
  • * A study extracted and sequenced DNA from microfilariae collected in American Samoa to investigate the genetic diversity of Wuchereria bancrofti worms, revealing shared variants and some differences over time.
  • * Results indicate that while there is some genetic variation, there is no clear population structure among different regions, and the American Samoan sequences show a connection to those from Papua New Guinea, marking the first genetic variation reports of these parasites in Polynesia.
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