Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-5xszh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-29T10:27:27.398Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Opisthorchis viverrini: relationships between egg counts, worms recovered and antibody levels within an endemic community in Northeast Thailand

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

D. B. Elkins
Affiliation:
Departments of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand The Tropical Health Program, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Bramston Terrace, Brisbane, Australia
P. Sithithaworn
Affiliation:
Departments of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
M. Haswell-Elkins
Affiliation:
Departments of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand The Tropical Health Program, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Bramston Terrace, Brisbane, Australia
S. Kaewkes
Affiliation:
Departments of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand The Tropical Health Program, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Bramston Terrace, Brisbane, Australia
P. Awacharagan
Affiliation:
The Tropical Health Program, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Bramston Terrace, Brisbane, Australia
S. Wongratanacheewin
Affiliation:
Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand

Summary

Three techniques for estimating the intensity of Opisthorchis viverrini infection in individuals from a Northeast That community are compared. Egg counts were determined using a quantitative formalin/ethyl acetate technique, worm burdens were estimated by expulsion chemotherapy and antibody levels were measured by ELISA. Log-transformed worm and egg counts were closely correlated (r = 0·80), suggesting that both measurements provide good assessments of relative intensity of infection. However, no Opisthorchis worms were recovered from 34 people with high egg counts; probably due to problems with the expulsion technique in some individuals. Examination of egg production per fluke indicated that each fluke contributed an average of 180 eggs per gram (epg) of faeces and fecundity was negatively associated with total worm burden. Serum IgG levels correlated significantly with Opisthorchis egg count (r = 0·61) at two independent assessments. Although significant associations were observed between antibody levels and echinostome infection, analysis suggested that these reflected independent associations between these two variables and Opisthorchis infection and age. We conclude that all three measurements are useful for epidemiological studies.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bunnag, D. & Harinasuta, T. (1981). Studies on the chemotherapy of human opisthorchiasis – III. Minimum effective dose of praziquantel South east Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health 12, 413–17.Google ScholarPubMed
Elkins, D. B., Haswell-ELKINS, M. & Anderson, R. M. (1986). The epidemiology and control of intestinal helminths in the Pulicat Lake region of Southern India. I. Study design and pre- and post-treatment observations on Ascaris lumbricoides infection. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 80, 774–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elkins, D. B., Haswell-ELKINS, M. R., Mairiang, E., Mairiang, P., Sithithaworn, P., Kaewkes, S., Bhuddhisawasdi, V. & Uttaravichien, T. (1990). A high frequency of hepatobiliary disease and suspected cholangiocarcinoma associated with heavy Opisthorchis viverrini infection in a small community in Northeast Thailand. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 84, 715–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Feldheim, W. & Knoblock, J. (1982). Serodiagnosis of Opisthorchis viverrini infestation by an enzyme immunoassay. Tropenmedizin und Parasitologie 33, 810.Google Scholar
Flavell, D. J., Flavell, S. U. & Field, G. F. (1983). Opisthorchis viverrini: the relationship between egg production, worm size and intensity of infection. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 77, 538–45.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Flavell, D. J., Pattanapanyasat, K. & Flavell, S. U. (1980). Opisthorchis viverrini: partial success in adoptively transferring immunity with spleen cells and serum in the hamster. Journal of Helminthology 54, 191–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hall, A. (1981). Aspects of parasitic infection and host nutrition. Ph.D. thesis, University of Cambridge.Google Scholar
Harinasuta, T., Riganti, M. & Bunnag, D. (1984). Opisthorchis viverrini infection: pathogenesis and clinical features. Drug Research 34, 1167–9.Google ScholarPubMed
Hou, P. C. (1956). The relationship between primary carcinoma of the liver and infestation with Clonorchis sinensis. Journal of Pathology and Bacteriology 72, 239–46.Google ScholarPubMed
Kurathong, S., Brockelman, W. Y., Lerdverasirikul, P., Wongpaitoon, V., Kanjanapitak, A., Varavithya, W., Upatham, E. S. & Viyanant, V. (1984). Consistency of fecal egg output in patients with opisthorchiasis viverrini. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 33, 73–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Preuksaraj, S. (1984). Public health aspects of opisthorchiasis in Thailand. Drug Research 34, 1119–20.Google ScholarPubMed
Radomyos, P., Bunnag, D. & Harinasuta, T. (1984). Worms recovered in stools following praziquantel treatment. Drug Research 34, 1215.Google Scholar
Ramsey, R. J., Sithithaworn, P., Prociv, P., Moorhouse, D. E. & Methaphat, C. (1989). Density dependent fecundity of Opisthorchis viverrini in humans, based on faecal recovery of flukes. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 83, 241–2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sithithaworn, P., Tesana, S., Pipitgool, V., Kaewkes, S., Pairojkul, C., Sripa, B., Paupairoj, A. & Thaiklar, K. (1991). Relationship between faecal egg count and worm burden of Opisthorchis viverrini in human autopsy cases. Parasitology 102, 277–81.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sonakul, D., Koompirochana, C., Chinda, K. & Stitnimakarn, T. (1978). Hepatic carcinoma with opisthorchiasis. Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health 9, 215–19.Google ScholarPubMed
Srivatanakul, P., Viyanant, V., Kurathong, S. & Tiwawech, D. (1985). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of Opisthorchis viverrini infection. Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health 16, 234–9.Google ScholarPubMed
Upatham, E. S., Viyanant, V., Kurathong, S., Rojborwonwitaya, J., Brockelman, W. Y., Ardsungnoen, S., Lee, P. & Vajrasthira, S. (1984). Relationship between prevalence and intensity of Opisthorchis viverrini infection, and clinical symptoms and signs in a rural community in northeast Thailand. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 62, 451–61.Google Scholar
Wongratanacheewin, S., Bunnag, D., Vaeusorn, N. & Sirisinha, S. (1988). Characterization of humoral immune response in the serum and bile of patients with opisthorchiasis and its application in immunodiagnosis. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 38, 356–62.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed