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Background: Soil-transmitted helminth infections (STHs) in pregnancy have been linked to maternal anemia, low birth weight, and adverse perinatal outcomes. STH includes Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm, and Trichuris trichiura. However, conflicting evidence exists regarding these effects. Hence, we aimed to assess the association of STH infections with perinatal outcomes. Methods and Materials: A community-based cohort study was conducted among pregnant women in primary care settings in Puducherry, South India, during December 2019 to April 2021. Stool samples were collected for STH screening and confirmed using polymerase chain reaction. Information on perinatal outcomes and hemoglobin levels were extracted from case records. The association of pre-term birth, low birth weight, anemia, and miscarriages with STH infection was analyzed using the Chi-square test. Results: Among the 650 women enrolled, 58 (8.9%) had one of the STH infections. At the time of recruitment, 336 (52.0%) women had anemia. Twenty-four women (3.7%) had miscarriages, 14 (2.2%) had pre-term birth, and 65 (10.4%) had low-birth-weight (LBW) babies. All 14 pre-term babies had LBW, and out of 65 LBW, 40 were in mothers with anemia. Incidence of LBW, pre-term deliveries, and anemia were higher in women with STH than in those without STH (LBW: 12.3% vs 10.2%, P = 0.62; pre-term: 3.5% vs 2.1%, P = 0.5; and anemia: 54.4% vs 51.85, P = 0.7). Conclusion: Though the incidence of anemia, LBW, and pre-term delivery was higher in women with STH infections compared to those without STH, we did not find any significant association between the presence of STH infections and perinatal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most prevalent nematode infections globally is Enterobius vermicularis, commonly known as pinworm. This infection is often seen among children living in poor socioeconomic conditions, in overcrowded households, and in immunocompromised patients with uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension, long-term steroid therapy, and other related issues. With treatment, the cure rate is between 90 to 95%. However, reinfection is frequent, particularly in cases where contacts are not treated concurrently. Hereby, the authors present a case report of two male patients (58 and 40 year-old) with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus who presented with pinworm infections in unconventional sites. Enterobius vermicularis can manifest in uncommon locations such as the caecum, the appendix, and other visceral organs of the abdomen, including the uterine endometrium. These atypical presentations can lead to more serious complications, such as granuloma and abscess formation, which may even result in infertility. Although pinworm infection is typically considered a childhood disease, immunosuppressed adults are also susceptible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Echinococcus species are zoonotic parasites that cause hydatid disease, affecting humans and animals. The seroprevalence of hydatid disease reflects the level of exposure to this parasite and can be used as an indicator of the burden of the disease in a population. Aim: To determine the seroprevalence of hydatid disease. Materials and Methods: The study was a retrospective observational study conducted at JIPMER hospital, a tertiary care centre located in Puducherry, Southern India. In this study, hydatid serological data from January 2019 to December 2022 were collected in March 2023 and retrospectively analysed in April 2023. All the serum samples that tested positive for Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) for echinococcosis during the period from January 2019 to December 2022 were included. The demographic details such as age, gender, place of residence, etc., of the patients whose samples were included were collected from their case records. These samples were then analysed using Microsoft Excel for proportions and percentages. Results: The study showed that the seroprevalence of hydatid disease was 70 (34%) out of 206 samples tested. The seroprevalence was higher in the older age group (>45 years), with 41 (58.6%) cases. It was observed that males and females were almost equally infected, with minor differences in the prevalence of 37 (52.9%) males and 33 (47.1%) females. Conclusion: As the prevalence of hydatid disease in Southern India was unknown, it was observed to be lower when compared to other states of India. This study has provided valuable information on the level of exposure of hydatid disease in the population and will help formulate disease control and prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Amoebiasis is caused by the most common intestinal protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica. This parasite causes amoebic colitis, which is manifested by diarrhea, followed by dysentery. The laboratory diagnosis of intestinal amoebiasis in most cases is by microscopic examination of stool samples. Other nonroutine methods include coproantigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) from stool samples, serum ELISA for antibodies, stool culture, isoenzyme analysis, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The present study aimed to comparatively analyze the different diagnostic modalities used for the detection of E. histolytica from the stool sample of patients with intestinal amoebiasis. Materials and Methods This study was undertaken with 631 patients, during a period of 3 years, from January 2017 to December 2019. Stool specimen obtained from each patient was subjected to direct microscopic wet mount examination, coproantigen ELISA, and nested multiplex PCR, respectively. Results Out of all the patients tested, 5.2% were positive for E. histolytica. Among the positive cases, stool microscopy was positive in 3.17%, coproantigen ELISA was positive in 29 (4.6%) cases, and PCR was positive in 30 (4.75%) cases. Statistical Analysis The prevalence of E. histolytica infection was summarized as percentages. The three diagnostic tests done were statistically analyzed, taking microscopy as the gold standard. The agreement between techniques (microscopy, coproantigen ELISA, and PCR) was analyzed with kappa statistics. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy were summarized as percentage with 95% confidence interval. Conclusion In all suspected amoebiasis cases, a combination of stool microscopy, coproantigen testing with molecular detection of the parasite offers the best approach to diagnosis of this parasitic infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Giardiasis is one of the greatest public parasitic infections causing diarrheal and also known to be associated with high morbidity and mortality, among the children's particularly in developing countries with less cleanliness practices. Thus, studying genomic variety of Giardia intestinalis aids to improve our perspective related to the variability in the genome of the parasite. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1006 stool samples were collected from the rural (n = 500) and urban settings (n = 506) from the children (<15 years) with and without symptoms and were screened for the presence of G. intestinalis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting triosephosphate isomerase gene. Further, all PCR-positive amplicons were subjected to restriction fragment length polymorphism using RsaI restriction enzyme. Results: Of the total 1006 stool samples, 500 samples from rural screened by PCR 108 (21%) were found to be positive for assemblage A, 116 (23.2%) belong to assemblage B, and 5 (1%) were mixed assemblages (A + B). Whereas in urban, of the 506 samples screened by PCR, 92 (18.1%) were found to be positive for assemblage A, 93 (18.3%) assemblage B, and 10 (1.9%) were mixed assemblages (A + B). No significant difference was found between the G. intestinalis assemblages with clinical details of symptomatic and asymptomatic in children. Conclusions: This signifies the first study inspection in our location to shed lights and delivers some preliminary data on assemblages and subassemblages. The results suggest that anthroponotic transmission could be a foremost transmission path for giardiasis among the study population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]