Gawish, F., Bayoumy, A., Abd El Raheem, M., Abo Hashim, A., El Badry, A. (2021). Circulating Schistosoma DNA in seropositive patients: A twostep diagnostic approach to rule-out acute and active chronic schistosomiasis in low transmission settings. test, 14(1), 72-76. doi: 10.21608/puj.2021.66431.1109
Farouk Gawish; Ahmed Bayoumy; Mohamed Abd El Raheem; Anwar Abo Hashim; Ayman El Badry. "Circulating Schistosoma DNA in seropositive patients: A twostep diagnostic approach to rule-out acute and active chronic schistosomiasis in low transmission settings". test, 14, 1, 2021, 72-76. doi: 10.21608/puj.2021.66431.1109
Gawish, F., Bayoumy, A., Abd El Raheem, M., Abo Hashim, A., El Badry, A. (2021). 'Circulating Schistosoma DNA in seropositive patients: A twostep diagnostic approach to rule-out acute and active chronic schistosomiasis in low transmission settings', test, 14(1), pp. 72-76. doi: 10.21608/puj.2021.66431.1109
Gawish, F., Bayoumy, A., Abd El Raheem, M., Abo Hashim, A., El Badry, A. Circulating Schistosoma DNA in seropositive patients: A twostep diagnostic approach to rule-out acute and active chronic schistosomiasis in low transmission settings. test, 2021; 14(1): 72-76. doi: 10.21608/puj.2021.66431.1109

Circulating Schistosoma DNA in seropositive patients: A twostep diagnostic approach to rule-out acute and active chronic schistosomiasis in low transmission settings

Parasitologists United Journal
Article 11, Volume 14, Issue 1, April 2021, Pages 72-76    PDF (316.8 K)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/puj.2021.66431.1109
Authors
Farouk Gawish1; Ahmed Bayoumy2; Mohamed Abd El Raheem1; Anwar Abo Hashim3; Ayman El Badry* 4
1Departments of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar Universities, Assiut
2Departments of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine , Assiut
3Departments of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine ,Cairo
4Department of Clinical Microbiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Background: Since its discovery in 1850 by Theodor Bilharz at Kasr Al-Ainy hospital, Cairo, Egypt,
schistosomiasis continues to be a significant health challenge with a wide spectrum of chronic sequelae.
There is no reliable single gold standard conventional method (microscopy or serology) for communities
with low intensity and low transmission settings.
Objectives: To evaluate a two-step immunomolecular diagnostic approach to rule-out recent Schistosoma
re-infection in patients with characteristic pathological radiological features of chronic schistosomiasis.
Subjects and Methods: Single serum samples were collected from patients from Kafr El Sheikh, Egypt.
Selection of patients was based on microscopic absence of Schistosoma spp. eggs in either stool or urine
samples; abstinence from treatment by Praziquantel in the last 2 months; and clinical and radiological
diagnosis of pathological features of chronic schistosomiasis. All serum samples were serologically
examined using indirect hemagglutination test (IHAT) for identification of anti-Schistosoma antibodies.
Serum samples from 100 seropositive patients using IHAT were tested by multiplex PCR (mPCR) for
detection of species-specific cell-free circulating Schistosoma DNA.
Results: None of the seropositive serum samples were positive by PCR targeting Schistosoma speciesspecific
gene. Patients who were farmers and/or who had received Praziquantel treatment were associated
with Schistosoma seropositivity with statistical significance.
Conclusion: A two-step immunomolecular diagnostic approach, using a single serum sample, can rule-out
acute or active chronic schistosomiasis in patients that have characteristic pathological and radiological
features of chronic schistosomiasis. Also, the two-step approach avoids over-treatment and development
of drug resistance to Praziquantel, the only effective broad anti-Schistosoma medicine.
Keywords
circulating Schistosoma-DNA; Egypt; IHAT; PCR; praziquantel; schistosomiasis; seropositive
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