echinostomiasis

Echinostomiasis: A Food-Borne Intestinal Parasitic Disease

Echinostomiasis, also known as echinostomiasis intestinalis, is a food-borne parasitic disease caused by intestinal trematodes (flukes) belonging to the family Echinostomatidae. This disease is characterized by the infection of the human intestine by digenetic trematodes, which are typically found in various aquatic organisms such as snails, fish, and crustaceans.

Life Cycle

The life cycle of echinostomes involves three hosts: a snail or other aquatic organism (first intermediate host), a freshwater fish or tadpole (second intermediate host), and a mammal or bird (definitive host). The disease is transmitted to humans through the consumption of raw or undercooked infected intermediate hosts.

Symptoms

The clinical symptoms of echinostomiasis include:

• Abdominal pain
• Violent watery diarrhea
• Anorexia
• Nausea and vomiting

These symptoms can occur focally, meaning they are limited to specific geographic areas where the disease is prevalent.

Prevalence and Distribution

Echinostomiasis is endemic in southeast Asia and the Far East. The disease is attributed to at least 16 species of digenean trematodes transmitted by snails. Two separate life cycles of echinostomes, human and sylvatic, efficiently operate in endemic areas.

References:

• [1] Echinostomiasis is a zoonotic disease caused by intestinal trematodes in the family Echinostomatidae (echinostomes). [Source: 10]
• The life cycles of echinostomes involve three hosts: a snail or other aquatic organism, a freshwater fish or tadpole, and a mammal or bird. [Sources: 10, 13]
• Human echinostomiasis is a food-borne infection caused by trematode parasites of the genus Echinostoma. [Sources: 12, 14]

Echinostomiasis, a parasitic infection caused by the intestinal trematode Echinostoma, can manifest in various ways depending on the severity of the infestation. Here are some common signs and symptoms:

• Abdominal pain: A frequent symptom of echinostomiasis, abdominal pain can range from mild to severe and may be accompanied by epigastric discomfort [1][2].
• Diarrhea: Violent watery diarrhea is a characteristic symptom of echinostomiasis, often accompanied by weight loss and anorexia [3][4].
• Weight loss: Infestations with Echinostoma can lead to significant weight loss due to the parasite's feeding activities in the intestines [5].
• Eosinophilia: A small number of fatal cases have been reported, where heavy worm infestations led to peripheral eosinophilia [1].
• Fatigue: Easy fatigue is another symptom associated with echinostomiasis, particularly in heavy infections [5].

In some cases, the symptoms may be more severe and include:

• Bloating
• Nausea
• Vomiting

It's worth noting that most infestations are either asymptomatic or limited to mild abdominal pain. However, when symptoms do occur, they can significantly impact an individual's quality of life.

References: [1] R. and Esteban, J.G., 2016. An update on human echinostomiasis. Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene ... [2] Clinical symptoms of echinostomiasis include abdominal pain, violent watery diarrhea, and anorexia. The disease occurs focally and transmission is linked to fresh or brackish water habitats. Infections are associated with common sociocultural practices of eating raw or insufficiently cooked mollusks, fish, crustaceans, and amphibians ... [3] Clinical symptoms of echinostomiasis include abdominal pain, violent watery diarrhea, and anorexia. The disease occurs focally and transmission is linked to fresh or brackish water habitats. Infections are associated with common sociocultural practices of eating raw or insufficiently cooked mollusks, fish, crustaceans, and amphibians ... [4] Clinical symptoms of echinostomiasis include abdominal pain, violent watery diarrhea, and anorexia. The disease occurs focally and transmission is linked to fresh or brackish water habitats. Infections are associated with common sociocultural practices of eating raw or insufficiently cooked mollusks, fish, crustaceans, and amphibians ... [5] R. and Esteban, J.G., 2016. An update on human echinostomiasis. Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene ...

Diagnostic Tests for Echinostomiasis

Echinostomiasis, a parasitic disease caused by intestinal flukes belonging to the family Echinostomatidae, can be diagnosed through various laboratory tests. Here are some of the diagnostic tests used to detect echinostomiasis:

• Stool Exam: A stool exam is the primary test for diagnosing echinostomiasis. It involves examining a stool sample for eggs or parasites under a microscope.
• Kato-Katz Thick Smear: The Kato-Katz thick smear is a widely used method of diagnosis, where a fecal sample is mixed with a special solution and examined under a microscope for eggs.
• Stoll's Dilution: Stoll's dilution is another technique used to diagnose echinostomiasis. It involves mixing the stool sample with a solution and examining it under a microscope for eggs.
• Quantitative Formalin Acetate Concentration: This method involves using formalin and acetate to concentrate the eggs in the stool sample, making it easier to detect them under a microscope.

Key Features of Diagnostic Tests

• Eggs are broadly-oval, unembryonated when shed in stool, and have an inconspicuous operculum.
• The size range of eggs can vary depending on the species, measuring 77–130 μm long by 52–80 μm wide.

References

• [1] Diagnostic Tests A summary of available laboratory, imaging, and other tests for the disease. Identification of ova or adults in stool. Echinostoma adult: 2 ...
• [10] The diagnosis of human echinostomiasis is usually based on detection of eggs in fecal examinations.
• [12] Diagnosis of echinostomiasis is made by the finding of eggs in wet mounts of stool.
• [14] Update on hepatobiliary flukes: fascioliasis, opisthorchiasis and clonorchiasis ... Echinostomiasis / parasitology

Treatment Options for Echinostomiasis

Echinostomiasis, a food-borne parasitic disease caused by intestinal trematodes belonging to the family Echinostomatidae, can be effectively treated with anthelmintic drugs. The primary treatment option is:

• Praziquantel: This is the drug of choice for treating echinostomiasis, as recommended in various studies [2, 4, 9, 12]. A single oral dose of praziquantel at a dosage of 25-40 mg/kg body weight has been shown to be effective in treating this condition [10, 14].
• Mebendazole and Albendazole: These two anthelmintic drugs have also been found to be effective against echinostomiasis, although praziquantel remains the preferred treatment option [10].

Treatment Guidelines

When treating echinostomiasis with praziquantel, it is essential to follow these guidelines:

• A single oral dose of 25-40 mg/kg body weight is recommended.
• The drug should be taken under medical supervision.

Prevention and Control

While treatment options are available for echinostomiasis, prevention remains the most effective measure. This can be achieved by:

• Avoiding the consumption of raw or insufficiently cooked molluscs, fish, crustaceans, and amphibians.
• Practicing good hygiene and food handling practices.

References

[2] Toledo and Esteban (2016) - Praziquantel is the drug of choice for echinostomiasis. [4] Toledo and Esteban (2016) - Diagnosis of echinostomiasis is made by finding eggs in wet mounts or stool samples. [9] Sah et al. (2018) - Patient was treated with praziquantel 40 mg/kg, which is the drug of choice for Echinostoma species infection. [10] Toledo and Esteban (2016) - Mebendazole and albendazole have also been shown to be effective against echinostomiasis. [12] Toledo and Esteban (2016) - Praziquantel is the drug of choice for treating echinostomiasis in humans. [14] Sah et al. (2018) - Patient was treated with praziquantel 40 mg/kg, which resulted in successful removal of Echinostoma flukes from the gastrointestinal tract.

What is Differential Diagnosis of Echinostomiasis?

Differential diagnosis of echinostomiasis refers to the process of ruling out other possible causes of symptoms and conditions that may be similar to echinostomiasis. This is an important step in diagnosing echinostomiasis, as it helps healthcare professionals to determine whether a patient's symptoms are indeed caused by this parasitic infection.

Other Conditions with Similar Symptoms

According to medical literature [6], other trematode eggs in feces that may be considered in the differential diagnosis of echinostomiasis include:

• Liver flukes (e.g., Fasc