Background: An accurate test for the diagnosis and post-treatment follow-up of patients with schistosomiasis is needed. We assessed the performance of different laboratory parameters, including the... Show moreBackground: An accurate test for the diagnosis and post-treatment follow-up of patients with schistosomiasis is needed. We assessed the performance of different laboratory parameters, including the up-converting reporter particle technology lateral flow assay to detect circulating anodic antigen (UCP-LF CAA), for the post-treatment follow-up of schistosomiasis in migrants attending a dedicated outpatient clinic in a non-endemic country.Methods: Routine anti-Schistosoma serology results and eosinophil counts were obtained of patients with positive urine/stool microscopy and/or PCR (confirmed cases) or only positive serology (possible cases), and at least one follow-up visit at 6 (T6) or 12 (T12) months after praziquantel treatment. All sera samples were tested with the UCP-LF CAA assay.Results: Forty-eight patients were included, 23 confirmed and 25 possible cases. The percentage seropositivity and median antibody titers did not change significantly during follow-up. UCP-LF CAA was positive in 86.9% of confirmed and 20% of possible cases. The percentage positivity and median CAA levels decreased significantly post-treatment, with only two patients having positive CAA levels at T12.Conclusions: The UCP-LF CAA assay proved useful for the diagnosis of active infection with Schistosoma spp. and highly valuable for post-treatment monitoring in migrants, encouraging the development of a commercial test. Show less
Grootveld, R. van; Dam, G.J. van; Dood, C. de; Vries, J.J.C. de; Visser, L.G.; Corstjens, P.L.A.M.; Lieshout, L. van 2018
Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is a disease that still occurs in many parts of Africa, the Middle East and Southern America, mainly Brasil and the Caribbean. Schistosomiasis is, after... Show moreSchistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is a disease that still occurs in many parts of Africa, the Middle East and Southern America, mainly Brasil and the Caribbean. Schistosomiasis is, after malaria, the second most common parasitic infection. Currently 200 million people are infected with the worms that cause the disease. Schistosoma mansoni is the most common schistosome species that infects humans. The schistosome produces many different sugar structures (glycans) that are not made by humans. Central to this thesis are sugar structures with a __double fucose__. Such fucosylated glycans are mainly produced by the eggs, which play a major role in the disease schistosomiasis. The human immune defence system responds to these parasite glycans in several ways. High antibody responses have been measured against sugar structures with a __double fucose__ moiety and different types of immune cells interact with these glycan structures. Despite these immunological responses the human host is not able to clear the parasitic infection. Glycans are thought to play a role in the mechanisms that S. mansoni has developed to survive in the hostile environment of the human blood. In this thesis the structures of several glycans containing the __double fucose__ moiety have been characterised using different mass spectrometric techniques. Show less
Human schistosomiasis (bilharzia) is one of the major parasitic diseases in the world, affecting 200 million people predominantly in third world countries. In areas where the disease is highly... Show moreHuman schistosomiasis (bilharzia) is one of the major parasitic diseases in the world, affecting 200 million people predominantly in third world countries. In areas where the disease is highly prevalent it causes important health problems, and it also has socially-economic effects on the population. Schistosomiasis is caused by the presence of the blood-fluke Schistosoma in the blood-vessels of mammalian hosts. The current method for diagnosis of schistosomiasis in developing countries is the parasitological examination of urine and faeces for the presence of Schistosoma eggs. An alternative method which is now increasingly used is based on the detection of Schistosoma antigens in the circulatory system or the urine of the host. The gut of the parasite is an important source of these antigens since many gut-associated antigens are excreted into the circulation of the host following digestion of food (e.g. blood cells, proteins) by the parasite. Two major gut–associated antigens which have been thoroughly studied with regard to diagnostic detectability, are the circulating anodic antigen (CAA) and the circulating cathodic antigen (CCA). In this thesis, these two unique antigens are further analysed with respect to their biochemical carbohydrate structure, localization, in vitro and in vivo excretion and detection patterns, and their role in a number of host-parasite immune interactions (granulocytes, complement system). Show less
