Saraiva da Cunha

Schistosomiasis remains one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases worldwide and the infection is frequently found in travelers and migrants. The European Network for Tropical Medicine and Travel Health conducted a sentinel surveillance study on imported schistosomiasis between 1997 and 2010. This report summarizes epidemiological and clinical data from 1,465 cases of imported schistosomiasis. Direct pathogen detection and serology were the main diagnostic tools applied. Of these, 486 (33%) cases were identified among European travelers, 231 (16%) among long-term expatriates, and 748 (51%) among non-European immigrants. Overall, only 18.6% of travelers had received pretravel advice; 95% of infections were acquired in the African region. On species level, Schistosoma mansoni was identified in 570 (39%) and Schistosoma haematobium in 318 (22%) cases; 57.5% of patients were symptomatic. Acute symptoms were reported in 27% of patients leading to earlier presentation within 3 months. Praziquantel was used in all patients to treat schistosomiasis. Many infections were detected in asymptomatic patients. In 47.4% of asymptomatic patients infection was detected by microscopy and in 39% by serology or antigen testing. Schistosomiasis remains a frequent infection in travelers and migrants to Europe. Travelers should be made aware of the risk of schistosomiasis infection when traveling to sub-Saharan Africa. Posttravel consultations particularly for returning expatriates are useful given the high potential for detecting asymptomatic infections.

Malaria remains one of the most serious infections for travellers to tropical countries. Due to the lack of harmonized guidelines a large variety of treatment regimens is used in Europe to treat severe malaria. The European Network for Tropical Medicine and Travel Health (TropNet) conducted an 8-year, multicentre, observational study to analyse epidemiology, treatment practices and outcomes of severe malaria in its member sites across Europe. Physicians at participating TropNet centres were asked to report pseudonymized retrospective data from all patients treated at their centre for microscopically confirmed severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria according to the 2006 WHO criteria. From 2006 to 2014 a total of 185 patients with severe malaria treated in 12 European countries were included. Three patients died, resulting in a 28-day survival rate of 98.4%. The majority of infections were acquired in West Africa (109/185, 59%). The proportion of patients treated with intravenous artesunate increased from 27% in 2006 to 60% in 2013. Altogether, 56 different combinations of intravenous and oral drugs were used across 28 study centres. The risk of acute renal failure (36 vs 17% p = 0.04) or cerebral malaria (54 vs 20%, p = 0.001) was significantly higher in patients ≥60 years than in younger patients. Respiratory distress with the need for mechanical ventilation was significantly associated with the risk of death in the study population (13 vs 0%, p = 0.001). Post-artemisinin delayed haemolysis was reported in 19/70 (27%) patients treated with intravenous artesunate. The majority of patients with severe malaria in this study were tourists or migrants acquiring the infection in West Africa. Intravenous artesunate is increasingly used for treatment of severe malaria in many European treatment centres and can be given safely to European patients with severe malaria. Patients treated with intravenous artesunate should be followed up to detect and manage late haemolytic events.

Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is the most prevalent zoonosis in Portugal. To characterize it’s evolution between 1989 and 2012, the authors reviewed the cases diagnosed at their unit during this period. Review of clinical records of patients with MSF diagnosis, between 1989 and 2012. Data from 250 patients was included, 54% male. Mean age at diagnosis was 58 years (11–92). Mean annual incidence was 10 cases, with clear summer predominance. Most patients, 78% lived in rural areas, 34% had contact with dogs and 10% noticed the tick bite. Most common symptoms were: fever (98%), myo-arthralgia (64%) and headache (48%). Maculopapular rash was noticed in 87%, affecting palms in 77% and soles in 69%. Inoculation eschar was found in 60%, mostly located on the trunk. Treatment included doxycycline in 86% and chloramphenicol in 12%, with a mean duration of 8 days. Most frequent blood test abnormalities were C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine transaminase elevations and thrombocytopenia. First serologic evaluation was positive in 37% (78/212), having seroconversion been documented in 85% (72/85). Most frequent complication was acute renal injury. ICU admission occurred in 5%. Average length of hospital stay was 11.2 days (1–106), with a mortality of 3.6%. In our series, there was clear summer predominance of MSF, which had rural origin in 78%. Most common symptoms were fever, myo-arthralgia and headache. Maculopapular rash was noticed in 87% of cases and inoculation eschar in 60%. Most cases had favourable outcome, having 5% been admitted to ICU. Mortality was 3.6%.

The need for tetanus toxoid decennial booster doses has been questioned by some experts. Several counter arguments have been presented, supporting the maintenance of decennial adult booster doses with tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (adult formulation of the vaccine: Td). This study aimed to evaluate the use of Td in Portuguese adult women under routine conditions. For that purpose we selected a group of women 30+ years of age to which vaccination was recommended. We intended to know if pre-vaccination antibody concentrations were associated with factors as age at first and last vaccination, number of doses and time since last revaccination. We also intended to assess the serological efficacy of Td booster.

O principal objetivo desta investigação foi identificar e comparar os conhecimentos, atitudes e comportamentos preventivos sobre a Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida (SIDA) dos adolescentes que freqüentam escola secundária inserida em meio urbano com os adolescentes que freqüentam escola secundária inserida em meio não urbano. Para o efeito procedeu-se a um estudo descritivo numa amostra populacional de 826 adolescentes (455 do meio urbano e 371 do meio não-urbano). O instrumento de coleta de dados adotado foi efetuado com base no modelo conceptual Health Belief Model. Constatou-se haver relação entre o meio de inserção dos adolescentes e o conhecimento da SIDA enquanto ameaça grave; o conhecimento sobre os riscos de contágio da SIDA e as atitudes diante da SIDA.

Plasmodium vivax is the second most common species among malaria patients diagnosed in Europe, but epidemiological and clinical data on imported P. vivax malaria are limited. The TropNetEurop surveillance network has monitored the importation of vivax malaria into Europe since 1999. To present epidemiological and clinical data on imported P. vivax malaria collected at European level. Data of primary cases of P. vivax malaria reported between January 1999 and September 2003 were analysed, focusing on disease frequency, patient characteristics, place of infection, course of disease, treatment and differences between network-member countries. Within the surveillance period 4,801 cases of imported malaria were reported. 618 (12.9%) were attributed to P. vivax. European travellers and immigrants were the largest patient groups, but their proportion varied among the reporting countries. The main regions of infection in descending order were the Indian subcontinent, Indonesia, South America and Western and Eastern Africa, as a group accounting for more than 60% of the cases. Regular use of malaria chemoprophylaxis was reported by 118 patients. With 86 (inter-quartile range 41–158) versus 31 days (inter-quartile range 4–133) the median symptom onset was significantly delayed in patients with chemoprophylaxis (p < 0.0001). Common complaints were fever, headache, fatigue, and musculo-skeletal symptoms. All patients survived and severe clinical complications were rare. Hospitalization was provided for 60% and primaquine treatment administered to 83.8% of the patients, but frequencies varied strongly among reporting countries. TropNetEurop data can contribute to the harmonization of European treatment policies.

Malaria parasites that carry the DHFR-mutation I164L are not only highly resistant to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine but also to the new antimalarial drug chlorproguanil-dapsone. The spread of this mutation in Africa would result in a public health disaster since there is a lack of effective alternatives that are both affordable and safe. Up to now, this mutation has only been described in Asian and Latin-American countries. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of this mutation in African isolates of Plasmodium falciparum that have been imported into Europe through travellers.

Results from numerous studies point convincingly to correlations between mutations at selected genes and phenotypic resistance to antimalarials in Plasmodium falciparum isolates. In order to move molecular assays for point mutations on resistance-related genes into the realm of applied tools for surveillance, we investigated a selection of P. falciparum isolates that were imported during the year 2001 into Europe to study the prevalence of resistance-associated point mutations at relevant codons. In particular, we tested for parasites which were developing resistance to antifolates and chloroquine. The screening results were used to map the prevalence of mutations and, thus, levels of potential drug resistance in endemic areas world-wide. 337 isolates have been tested so far. Prevalence of mutations that are associated with resistance to chloroquine on the pfcrt and pfmdr genes of P. falciparum was demonstrated at high levels. However, the prevalence of mutations associated with resistance to antifolates at the DHFR and DHPS genes was unexpectedly low, rarely exceeding 60% in endemic areas. Constant screening of imported isolates will enable TropNetEurop to establish a screening tool for emerging resistance in endemic areas.