Multi-parasite infection in an immigrant from Ghana: potential for new epidemic foci

Introduction: Imported parasitosis, which do not require an invertebrate vector, are extremely dangerous and can lead to the occurrence of disease in currently parasite free areas. In the present study we report a case of multi-parasitic infection in a young immigrant from Ghana to Italy caused by...

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Main Authors: Maura Fiamma, Silvia S Longoni, Emmanuel E Siddig, Sonia Attene, Vito Astone, Antonio Nicoletti, Bianca Paglietti, Antonella Santona, Angela Fele, Riccardo Ivaldi, Francesco Logias
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2020-11-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/13151
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author Maura Fiamma
Silvia S Longoni
Emmanuel E Siddig
Sonia Attene
Vito Astone
Antonio Nicoletti
Bianca Paglietti
Antonella Santona
Angela Fele
Riccardo Ivaldi
Francesco Logias
author_facet Maura Fiamma
Silvia S Longoni
Emmanuel E Siddig
Sonia Attene
Vito Astone
Antonio Nicoletti
Bianca Paglietti
Antonella Santona
Angela Fele
Riccardo Ivaldi
Francesco Logias
author_sort Maura Fiamma
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Imported parasitosis, which do not require an invertebrate vector, are extremely dangerous and can lead to the occurrence of disease in currently parasite free areas. In the present study we report a case of multi-parasitic infection in a young immigrant from Ghana to Italy caused by filaria, Schistosoma sp. and Strongyloides sp. Case presentation: A 27-year-old Ghanaian man attended the Hospital of Nuoro (Sardinia), Italy, at the end of August 2015, claiming pain to the kidney and hypertensive crisis; the patient presented with dyspnea and epistaxis, chronic itchy skin of the back, shoulders, arms and legs, anuria and high creatinine, metabolic acidosis and hypereosinophilic syndrome. Serological test for parasitic infections were done, and showed a marked positivity for filaria, Schistosoma sp. and Strongyloides sp. The patient started the treatment immediately with two doses per day of Bassado Antibiotic (tetracycline) for twenty days and then with a single dose of 3 mg of ivermectin that was repeated after 3 months. Conclusions: Immigrant patients from endemic areas who show clinical signs, such as a general itching on the back, shoulders and arms and legs, should have a thorough history in order to make early diagnosis and prevent further complications. Therefore, general practitioners and doctors in Europe and in other parasitosis non-endemic countries, should consider to test for parasites in any immigrant from endemic countries to aid in establishing the final diagnosis and prevent further complications.
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publisher The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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spelling doaj-art-a0a52035d05d407aa9d0c48f1e6ee4f72025-08-20T02:14:07ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802020-11-01141110.3855/jidc.13151Multi-parasite infection in an immigrant from Ghana: potential for new epidemic fociMaura Fiamma0Silvia S Longoni1Emmanuel E Siddig2Sonia Attene3Vito Astone4Antonio Nicoletti 5Bianca Paglietti 6Antonella Santona7Angela Fele8Riccardo Ivaldi9Francesco Logias10Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Sassari, ItalyDipartimento di Malattie Infettive - Tropicali e Microbiologia , IRCCS Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Verona, ItalyCentro di Ricerca sul Micetoma, Università di Khartoum, Khartoum, SudanU.O.C. Laboratorio Analisi, P.O. San Francesco, ATS Sardegna, ASSL Nuoro, Nuoro, ItalyU.O.C. Laboratorio Analisi, P.O. San Francesco, ATS Sardegna, ASSL Nuoro, Nuoro, ItalyU.O.S. Nefrologia e Dialisi, P.O. Ospedale Civile, AST Cosenza, Cosenza, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Sassari, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Sassari, ItalyU.O.S. Nefrologia e Dialisi, P.O. Ospedale Civile, AST Cosenza, Cosenza, ItalyNefrologia e Dialisi, Casa di Cura Madonna del Rimedio , Oristano, ItalyU.O.C. Nefrologia e Dialisi, P.O. San Francesco, ATS Sardegna, ASSL Nuoro, Nuoro, Italy Introduction: Imported parasitosis, which do not require an invertebrate vector, are extremely dangerous and can lead to the occurrence of disease in currently parasite free areas. In the present study we report a case of multi-parasitic infection in a young immigrant from Ghana to Italy caused by filaria, Schistosoma sp. and Strongyloides sp. Case presentation: A 27-year-old Ghanaian man attended the Hospital of Nuoro (Sardinia), Italy, at the end of August 2015, claiming pain to the kidney and hypertensive crisis; the patient presented with dyspnea and epistaxis, chronic itchy skin of the back, shoulders, arms and legs, anuria and high creatinine, metabolic acidosis and hypereosinophilic syndrome. Serological test for parasitic infections were done, and showed a marked positivity for filaria, Schistosoma sp. and Strongyloides sp. The patient started the treatment immediately with two doses per day of Bassado Antibiotic (tetracycline) for twenty days and then with a single dose of 3 mg of ivermectin that was repeated after 3 months. Conclusions: Immigrant patients from endemic areas who show clinical signs, such as a general itching on the back, shoulders and arms and legs, should have a thorough history in order to make early diagnosis and prevent further complications. Therefore, general practitioners and doctors in Europe and in other parasitosis non-endemic countries, should consider to test for parasites in any immigrant from endemic countries to aid in establishing the final diagnosis and prevent further complications. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/13151HelminthiasismicrofilariasisGhanaItalyRefugee camp
spellingShingle Maura Fiamma
Silvia S Longoni
Emmanuel E Siddig
Sonia Attene
Vito Astone
Antonio Nicoletti
Bianca Paglietti
Antonella Santona
Angela Fele
Riccardo Ivaldi
Francesco Logias
Multi-parasite infection in an immigrant from Ghana: potential for new epidemic foci
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Helminthiasis
microfilariasis
Ghana
Italy
Refugee camp
title Multi-parasite infection in an immigrant from Ghana: potential for new epidemic foci
title_full Multi-parasite infection in an immigrant from Ghana: potential for new epidemic foci
title_fullStr Multi-parasite infection in an immigrant from Ghana: potential for new epidemic foci
title_full_unstemmed Multi-parasite infection in an immigrant from Ghana: potential for new epidemic foci
title_short Multi-parasite infection in an immigrant from Ghana: potential for new epidemic foci
title_sort multi parasite infection in an immigrant from ghana potential for new epidemic foci
topic Helminthiasis
microfilariasis
Ghana
Italy
Refugee camp
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/13151
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