Made by DATEXIS (Data Science and Text-based Information Systems) at Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin
Deep Learning Technology: Sebastian Arnold, Betty van Aken, Paul Grundmann, Felix A. Gers and Alexander Löser. Learning Contextualized Document Representations for Healthcare Answer Retrieval. The Web Conference 2020 (WWW'20)
Funded by The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy; Grant: 01MD19013D, Smart-MD Project, Digital Technologies
The drug of choice for the treatment of hookworm disease is mebendazole which
is effective against both species, and in addition, will remove the intestinal
worm Ascaris also, if present. The drug is very efficient, requiring only a
single dose and is inexpensive. However, treatment requires
more than giving the anthelmintic, the patient should also receive dietary
supplements to improve their general level of health, in particular iron
supplementation is very important. Iron is an important constituent of a
multitude of enzyme systems involved in energy metabolism, DNA synthesis and
drug detoxification.
An infection of "N. americanus" parasites can be treated by using benzimidazoles, albendazole, and mebendazole. A blood transfusion may be necessary in severe cases of anemia. Light infections are usually left untreated in areas where reinfection is common. Iron supplements and a diet high in protein will speed the recovery process. In a case study involving 56–60 men with "Trichuris trichiura" and/or "N. americanus" infections, both albendazole and mebendazole were 90% effective in curing "T. trichiura". However, albendazole had a 95% cure rate for "N. americanus", while mebendazole only had a 21% cure rate. This suggests albendazole is most effective for treating both "T. trichiura" and "N. americanus".
One strategy to control the disease in areas where it is common is the treatment of entire groups of people regardless of symptoms via mass drug administration. This is often done among school-age children and is known as deworming. While testing and treating children who are infected looks like it is effective, there is insufficient evidence to conclude that routine deworming, in the absence of a positive test, improves nutrition, haemoglobin, school attendance or school performance.
For this purpose, broad-spectrum benzimidazoles such as mebendazole and albendazole are the drugs of choice recommended by WHO. These anthelminthics are administered in a single dose are safe, relatively inexpensive, and effective for several months. Mebendazole can be given with a single dose twice a day for three consecutive days. Albendazole is given at a single dose. WHO recommends annual treatment in areas where between 20 and 50% of people are infected, and a twice a year treatment if it is over 50%; and in low risk situation (i.e. less than 20% prevalence) case-by-case treatment. In addition to these, pyrantel pamoate is also equally effective on ascaris. However, it has been reported that albendazole, mebendazole, and pyrantel pamoate are not entirely effective against "T. trichiura" with single oral doses in population-based control.
In cases of coinfection, combination therapy with ivermectin and diethylcarbamazine is advocated. However coinfection with malaria and HIV, especially among African women, does not respond well to the current combination therapies. It is more pressing for trichuriasis that the recommended drugs fail to provide positive results. A novel drug tribendimidine, which was approved in China by the CCDC for human use in 2004, has been subjected to clinical trials showing that they are highly effective against major human flukes, ascaris (>90% cure rate) and hookworm (>82%); however with low cure rate for whipworm (<37%).
Broad-spectrum benzimidazoles (such as albendazole and mebendazole) are the first line treatment of intestinal roundworm and tapeworm infections. Macrocyclic lactones (such as ivermectin) are effective against adult and migrating larval stages of nematodes. Praziquantel is the drug of choice for schistosomiasis, taeniasis, and most types of food-borne trematodiases. Oxamniquine is also widely used in mass deworming programmes. Pyrantel is commonly used for veterinary nematodiasis. Artemisinins and derivatives are proving to be candidates as drugs of choice for trematodiasis.
Parasitic infections can usually be treated with antiparasitic drugs.
Albendazole and mebendazole have been the treatments administered to entire populations to control hookworm infection. However, it is a costly option and both children and adults become reinfected within a few months after deparasitation occurs raising concerns because the treatment has to repeatedly be administered and drug resistance may occur.
Another medication administered to kill worm infections has been pyrantel pamoate. For some parasitic diseases, there is no treatment and, in the case of serious symptoms, medication intended to kill the parasite is administered, whereas, in other cases, symptom relief options are used. Recent papers have also proposed the use of viruses to treat infections caused by protozoa.
An infection of "N. americanus" parasites can be treated by using benzimidazoles: albendazole or mebendazole. A blood transfusion may be necessary in severe cases of anemia. Light infections are usually left untreated in areas where reinfection is common. Iron supplements and a diet high in protein will speed the recovery process. In a case study involving 56-60 men with "Trichuris trichiura" and/or "N. americanus" infections, both albendazole and mebendazole were 90% effective in curing "T. trichiura". However, albendazole had a 95% cure rate for "N. americanus", while mebendazole only had a 21% cure rate. This suggests albendazole is most effective for treating both "T. trichiura" and "N. americanus".
Cryotherapy by application of liquid nitrogen to the skin has been used to kill cutaneous larvae migrans, but the procedure has a low cure rate and a high incidence of pain and severe skin damage, so it now is passed over in favor of suitable pharmaceuticals. Topical application of some pharmaceuticals has merit, but requires repeated, persistent applications and is less effective than some systemic treatments.
The most common treatment for hookworm are benzimidazoles, specifically albendazole and mebendazole. BZAs kill adult worms by binding to the nematode’s β-tubulin and subsequently inhibiting microtubule polymerization within the parasite. In certain circumstances, levamisole and pyrantel pamoate may be used. A 2008 review found that the efficacy of single-dose treatments for hookworm infections were as follows: 72% for albendazole, 15% for mebendazole, and 31% for pyrantel pamoate. This substantiates prior claims that albendazole is much more effective than mebendazole for hookworm infections. Also of note is that the World Health Organization does recommend anthelmintic treatment in pregnant women after the first trimester. It is also recommended that if the patient also suffers from anemia that ferrous sulfate (200 mg) be administered three times daily at the same time as anthelmintic treatment; this should be continued until hemoglobin values return to normal which could take up to 3 months.
Hookworm infection can be treated with local cryotherapy when the hookworm is still in the skin.
Albendazole is effective both in the intestinal stage and during the stage the parasite is still migrating under the skin.
In case of anemia, iron supplementation can cause relief symptoms of iron deficiency anemia. However, as red blood cell levels are restored, shortage of other essentials such as folic acid or vitamin B12 may develop, so these might also be supplemented.
Other important issues related to the treatment of hookworm are reinfection and drug resistance. It has been shown that reinfection after treatment can be extremely high. Some studies even show that 80% of pretreatment hookworm infection rates can be seen in treated communities within 30–36 months. While reinfection may occur, it is still recommended that regular treatments be conducted as it will minimize the occurrence of chronic outcomes. There are also increasing concerns about the issue of drug resistance. Drug resistance has appeared in front-line anthelmintics used for livestock nematodes. Generally human nematodes are less likely to develop resistance due to longer reproducing times, less frequent treatment, and more targeted treatment. Nonetheless, the global community must be careful to maintain the effectiveness of current anthelmintic as no new anthelmintic drugs are in the late-stage development.
If complications of helminthiasis, such as intestinal obstruction occur, emergency surgery may be required. Patients who require non-emergency surgery, for instance for removal of worms from the biliary tree, can be pre-treated with the anthelmintic drug albendazole.
Education, improved sanitation, and controlled disposal of human feces are critical for prevention. Nonetheless, wearing shoes in endemic areas helps reduce the prevalence of infection.
Control of this parasite should be directed against reducing the level of
environmental contamination. Treatment of heavily infected individuals is one
way to reduce the source of contamination (one study has estimated that 60% of
the total worm burden resides in less than 10% of the population). Other
obvious methods are to improve access to sanitation, e.g. toilets, but also
convincing people to maintaining them in a clean, functional state, thereby making
them conducive to use.
CLM can be treated in a number of different ways:
- Systemic (oral) agents include albendazole (trade name "Albenza") and ivermectin (trade name "Stromectol")).
- Another agent which can be applied either topically "or" taken by mouth is thiabendazole (trade name "Mintezol")), an anti-helminthic.
- Topical freezing agents, such as ethylene chloride or liquid nitrogen, applied locally can freeze and kill the larvae, but this method has a high failure rate because the larvae are usually located away from the site of the visible skin trails. Additionally, this is a painful method which can cause blistering and/or ulceration of the skin and it is therefore not recommended.
- It is recommended to use Benadryl or some anti-itch cream (i.e. Cortizone or Calamine lotion). This will help relieve some of the itch.
- Wearing shoes in areas where these parasites are known to be endemic offers protection from infection. In general, avoiding exposure of skin to contaminated soil or sand offers the best protection. In some areas dogs have been banned from beaches in an attempt to control human infection.
The first step in treatment includes washing and then irrigating the bite wound.
Seek medical attention if: if the cat has not been vaccinated against rabies.
A tetanous booster is given to the person if It has been more than 5 years since their last tetanus shot. If a cat has bitten someone, and there is no evidence that the cat has been vaccinated against rabies, the person will be treated for rabies infection.
Cat bites can often be prevented by:
- instructing children not to tease cats or other pets.
- being cautious with unfamiliar cats.
- approaching cats with care, even if they appear to be friendly.
- avoiding rough play with cats and kittens.
Rough play causes is perceived as aggressive. This will lead to the cat being defensive when approached by people. Preventing cat bites includes not provoking the cat.
Mammals can get parasites from contaminated food or water, bug bites, or sexual contact. Ingestion of contaminated water can produce Giardia infections.
Parasites normally enter the body through the skin or mouth. Close contact with pets can lead to parasite infestation as dogs and cats are host to many parasites.
Other risks that can lead people to acquire parasites are walking barefeet, inadequate disposal of feces, lack of hygiene, close contact with someone carrying specific parasites, and eating undercooked foods, unwashed fruits and vegetables or foods from contaminated regions.
Parasites can also be transferred to their host by the bite of an insect vector, i.e. mosquito, bed bug, fleas.
Inclusion of NTDs into initiatives for malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis, as well as integration of NTD treatment programs, may have advantages given the strong link between these diseases and NTDs. Some neglected tropical diseases share common vectors (sandflies, black flies, and mosquitos). Both medicinal and vector control efforts may be combined.
A four-drug rapid-impact package has been proposed for widespread proliferation. Administration may be made more efficient by targeting multiple diseases at once, rather than separating treatment and adding work to community workers. This package is estimated to cost US$0.40 per patient. When compared to stand-alone treatment, the savings are estimated to be 26–47%. While more research must be done in order to understand how NTDs and other diseases interact in both the vector and the human stages, safety assessments have so far produced positive results.
Many neglected tropical diseases and other prevalent diseases share common vectors, creating another opportunity for treatment and control integration. One such example of this is malaria and lymphatic filariasis. Both diseases are transmitted by the same or related mosquito vectors. Vector control, through the distribution of insecticide treated nets, reduces the human contact with a wide variety of disease vectors. Integrated vector control may also alleviate pressure on mass drug administration, especially with respect to rapidly evolving drug resistance. Combining vector control and mass drug administration deemphasizes both, making each less susceptible to resistance evolution.
Biotechnology companies in the developing world have targeted neglected tropical diseases due to need to improve global health.
Mass drug administration is considered a possible method for eradication, especially for lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, and trachoma, although drug resistance is a potential problem. According to Fenwick, Pfizer donated 70 million doses of drugs in 2011 to eliminate trachoma through the International Trachoma Initiative. Merck has helped The African Programme for the Control of Onchocerciasis (APOC) and Oncho Elimination Programme for the Americas to greatly diminished the effect of Onchocerciasis by donating ivermectin. Merck KGaA pledged to give 200 million tablets of praziquantel over 10 years, the only cure for schistosomiasis. GlaxoSmithKline has donated two billion tablets of medicine for lymphatic filariasis and pledged 400 million deworming tablets per year for five years in 2010. Johnson & Johnson has pledged 200 million deworming tablets per year. Novartis has pledged leprosy treatment, EISAI pledged two billion tablets to help treat lymphatic filariasis.
Visceral larva migrans (VLM) is a condition in humans caused by the migratory larvae of certain nematodes, humans being a dead-end host, and was first reported in 1952. Nematodes causing such zoonotic infections are "Baylisascaris procyonis", "Toxocara canis", "Toxocara cati", and "Ascaris suum". These nematodes can infect but not mature in humans and after migrating through the intestinal wall, travel with the blood stream to various organs where they cause inflammation and damage. Affected organs can include the liver, heart (causing myocarditis) and the CNS (causing dysfunction, seizures, and coma). A special variant is ocular larva migrans where usually "T. canis" larvae travel to the eye.
Only a few roundworm eggs are necessary to cause larva migrans in the human child or adult. However, visceral larva migrans seems to affect children aged 1–4 more often while ocular larva migrans more frequently affects children aged 7–8. Between 4.6% and 23% of U.S. children have been infected with the dog roundworm egg. This number is much higher in other parts of the world, such as Colombia, where up to 81% of children have been infected.
Cutaneous larva migrans is a condition where nematodes such as "Ancylostoma braziliense" migrate to the skin.
A list of causative agents of larva migrans syndromes is not agreed upon and varies with the author.
Cutaneous larva migrans (abbreviated CLM) is a skin disease in humans, caused by the larvae of various nematode parasites of the hookworm family (Ancylostomatidae). The most common species causing this disease in the Americas is "Ancylostoma braziliense". These parasites live in the intestines of dogs, cats, and wild animals and should not be confused with other members of the hookworm family for which humans are definitive hosts, namely "Ancylostoma duodenale" and "Necator americanus".
Colloquially called creeping eruption due to its presentation, the disease is also somewhat ambiguously known as "ground itch" or (in some parts of the Southern USA) "sandworms", as the larvae like to live in sandy soil. Another vernacular name is plumber's itch. The medical term CLM literally means "wandering larvae in the skin".
When eosinophilic pneumonia is related to an illness such as cancer or parasitic infection, treatment of the underlying cause is effective in resolving the lung disease. When due to AEP or CEP, however, treatment with corticosteroids results in a rapid, dramatic resolution of symptoms over the course of one or two days. Either intravenous methylprednisolone or oral prednisone are most commonly used. In AEP, treatment is usually continued for a month after symptoms disappear and the x-ray returns to normal (usually four weeks total). In CEP, treatment is usually continued for three months after symptoms disappear and the x-ray returns to normal (usually four months total). Inhaled steroids such as fluticasone have been used effectively when discontinuation of oral prednisone has resulted in relapse.
Because EP affects the lungs, individuals with EP have difficulty breathing. If enough of the lung is involved, it may not be possible for a person to breathe without support. Non-invasive machines such as a bilevel positive airway pressure machine may be used. Otherwise, placement of a breathing tube into the mouth may be necessary and a ventilator may be used to help the person breathe.
If the nematode can be seen by an ophthalmologist, which occurs in less than half of cases, it should be treated with photocoagulation for extramacular location and surgical removal in case the larva is lying in the macula. After the worm is killed, visual acuity loss usually does not progress. Alternatively, Antihelminthic treatment such as high dose oral Albendazole and prednisolone may be used.
When treating iron-deficiency anemia, considerations of the proper treatment methods are done in light of the "cause and severity" of the condition. If the iron-deficiency anemia is a downstream effect of blood loss or another underlying cause, treatment is geared toward addressing the underlying cause when possible. In severe acute cases, treatment measures are taken for immediate management in the interim, such as blood transfusions or even intravenous iron.
Iron-deficiency anemia treatment for less severe cases includes dietary changes to incorporate iron-rich foods into regular oral intake. Foods rich in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) can also be beneficial, since ascorbic acid enhances iron absorption. Other oral options are iron supplements in the form of pills or drops for children.
As iron-deficiency anemia becomes more severe, or if the anemia does not respond to oral treatments, other measures may become necessary. In addition to the previously mentioned indication for intravenous iron or blood transfusions, intravenous iron may also be used when oral intake is not tolerated, as well as for other indications. Specifically, for those on dialysis, parenteral iron is commonly used. Individuals on dialysis who are taking forms of erythropoietin or some "erythropoiesis-stimulating agent" are given parenteral iron, which helps the body respond to the erythropoietin agents and produce red blood cells.
The various forms of treatment are not without possible adverse effects. Iron supplementation by mouth commonly causes negative gastrointestinal effects, including constipation. Intravenous iron can induce an allergic response that can be as serious as anaphylaxis, although different formulations have decreased the likelihood of this adverse effect.
Nematode dermatitis is a cutaneous condition characterized by widespread folliculitis caused by "Ancylostoma caninum".
Eosinophilic pneumonia due to cancer or parasitic infection carries a prognosis related to the underlying illness. AEP and CEP, however, have very little associated mortality as long as intensive care is available and treatment with corticosteroids is given. CEP often relapses when prednisone is discontinued; therefore, some people with CEP require lifelong therapy. Chronic prednisone is associated with many side effects, including increased infections, weakened bones, stomach ulcers, and changes in appearance.
Löffler's syndrome or Loeffler's syndrome is a disease in which eosinophils accumulate in the lung in response to a parasitic infection.
It was first described in 1932 by Wilhelm Löffler in cases of eosinophilic pneumonia caused by the parasites "Ascaris lumbricoides", "Strongyloides stercoralis" and the hookworms "Ancylostoma duodenale" and "Necator americanus".
Although Löffler only described eosinophilic pneumonia in the context of infection, many authors give the term "Löffler's syndrome" to any form of acute onset pulmonary eosinophilia no matter what the underlying cause. If the cause is unknown, it is specified and called "simple pulmonary eosinophilia". Cardiac damage caused by the damaging effects of eosinophil granule proteins (ex. major basic protein) is known as Loeffler endocarditis and can be caused by idiopathic eosinophilia or eosinophilia in response to parasitic infection.