Dataset Information

An in-depth analysis of a piece of shit: distribution of Schistosoma mansoni and hookworm eggs in human stool.

ABSTRACT:

Background

An accurate diagnosis of helminth infection is important to improve patient management. However, there is considerable intra- and inter-specimen variation of helminth egg counts in human feces. Homogenization of stool samples has been suggested to improve diagnostic accuracy, but there are no detailed investigations. Rapid disintegration of hookworm eggs constitutes another problem in epidemiological surveys. We studied the spatial distribution of Schistosoma mansoni and hookworm eggs in stool samples, the effect of homogenization, and determined egg counts over time in stool samples stored under different conditions.

Methodology

Whole-stool samples were collected from 222 individuals in a rural part of south Côte d'Ivoire. Samples were cut into four pieces and helminth egg locations from the front to the back and from the center to the surface were analyzed. Some samples were homogenized and fecal egg counts (FECs) compared before and after homogenization. The effect of stool storing methods on FECs was investigated over time, comparing stool storage on ice, covering stool samples with a water-soaked tissue, or keeping stool samples in the shade.

Principal findings

We found no clear spatial pattern of S. mansoni and hookworm eggs in fecal samples. Homogenization decreased S. mansoni FECs (p?=?0.026), while no effect was observed for hookworm and other soil-transmitted helminths. Hookworm FECs decreased over time. Storing stool samples on ice or covered with a moist tissue slowed down hookworm egg decay (p<0.005).

Conclusions/significance

Our findings have important implications for helminth diagnosis at the individual patient level and for epidemiological surveys, anthelmintic drug efficacy studies and monitoring of control programs. Specifically, homogenization of fecal samples is recommended for an accurate detection of S. mansoni eggs, while keeping collected stool samples cool and moist delayed the disintegration of hookworm eggs.

SUBMITTER: Krauth SJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3527364 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

An in-depth analysis of a piece of shit: distribution of Schistosoma mansoni and hookworm eggs in human stool.

Krauth Stefanie J SJ Coulibaly Jean T JT Knopp Stefanie S Traoré Mahamadou M N'Goran Eliézer K EK Utzinger Jürg J

PLoS neglected tropical diseases 20121220 12

<h4>Background</h4>An accurate diagnosis of helminth infection is important to improve patient management. However, there is considerable intra- and inter-specimen variation of helminth egg counts in human feces. Homogenization of stool samples has been suggested to improve diagnostic accuracy, but there are no detailed investigations. Rapid disintegration of hookworm eggs constitutes another problem in epidemiological surveys. We studied the spatial distribution of Schistosoma mansoni and hookw ...[more]

PMID: 23285307

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Project description:Background & aimsSchistosomiasis is a parasitic infection which affects more than 200 million people globally. Schistosome eggs, but not the adult worms, are mainly responsible for schistosomiasis-specific morbidity in the liver. It is unclear if S. mansoni eggs consume host metabolites, and how this compromises the host parenchyma.MethodsMetabolic reprogramming was analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging, liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry, metabolite quantification, confocal laser scanning microscopy, live cell imaging, quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting, assessment of DNA damage, and immunohistology in hamster models and functional experiments in human cell lines. Major results were validated in human biopsies.ResultsThe infection with S. mansoni provokes hepatic exhaustion of neutral lipids and glycogen. Furthermore, the distribution of distinct lipid species and the regulation of rate-limiting metabolic enzymes is disrupted in the liver of S. mansoni infected animals. Notably, eggs mobilize, incorporate, and store host lipids, while the associated metabolic reprogramming causes oxidative stress-induced DNA damage in hepatocytes. Administration of reactive oxygen species scavengers ameliorates these deleterious effects.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that S. mansoni eggs completely reprogram lipid and carbohydrate metabolism via soluble factors, which results in oxidative stress-induced cell damage in the host parenchyma.Impact and implicationsThe authors demonstrate that soluble egg products of the parasite S. mansoni induce hepatocellular reprogramming, causing metabolic exhaustion and a strong redox imbalance. Notably, eggs mobilize, incorporate, and store host lipids, while the metabolic reprogramming causes oxidative stress-induced DNA damage in hepatocytes, independent of the host's immune response. S. mansoni eggs take advantage of the host environment through metabolic reprogramming of hepatocytes and enterocytes. By inducing DNA damage, this neglected tropical disease might promote hepatocellular damage and thus influence international health efforts.

Project description:Protein variation in blood-dwelling schistosome worms generated by differential splicing of micro-exon gene transcripts. The infective schistosome cercaria develops from an undifferentiated germ ball within the daughter sporocyst in the molluscan host, during which considerable morphological development and synthesis of proteins essential for infection occurs. The free-living, non-feeding cercaria is notable for its swimming and host location behaviour. On contact with host skin it rapidly penetrates, replaces its tegument surface membranes, and begins body remodelling, before crossing the dermis to exit the skin via a blood vessel. Such a ‘violent’ transition from snail to fresh water to mammalian host should be accompanied by remarkable changes in the patterns of gene expression. All gene models from version E of the S. mansoni genome (www.GeneDB.org) were incorporated into a 350K feature Roche-NimbleGen, high-density oligonucleotide array. From a map-ordered list, every 13th 50mer was chosen as a probe. Double-stranded cDNA from three biological replicates each of germ balls, cercariae, and day 3 schistosomula was hybridised to the array without amplification. Statistical analysis was carried out using programmes from the Bioconductor suite (Gentleman et al. 2004 Genome Biol 5(10):R80). More than 1000 loci were shown to be differentially expressed in each of the comparisons between the three life cycle stages. Gene ontology (GO) analysis was then carried out to discover the categories enriched in each stage. In addition custom categories based on biological function (e.g. stress response) or parasite tissue (e.g. tegument) were analysed. Three biological replicates each of germ balls, cercariae, day 3 in vitro cultured schistosomula, and eggs were used. No technical replicates were included. This is the first genome-wide microarray platform for S. mansoni. It was used to investigate the gene expression patterns of the above lifecycle stages. The first three are the stages before, during and after penetration of mammalian host skin.

Dataset Information

An in-depth analysis of a piece of shit: distribution of Schistosoma mansoni and hookworm eggs in human stool.

Background

Methodology

Principal findings

Conclusions/significance

Publications

An in-depth analysis of a piece of shit: distribution of Schistosoma mansoni and hookworm eggs in human stool.

Similar Datasets

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