Skip to main content

Herbert Auer

Followers

52

Following

44

Co-authors

8

Mentions

1

Public Views

Interests

Uploads

Papers by Herbert Auer

Seroepidemiologische untersuchung von jägern auf zoonosen in Südostösterreich - Prävalenzen, risikopotentiale und vorbeugemaßnahmen

Berliner Und Munchener Tierarztliche Wochenschrift, Jul 1, 2003

Seroepidemiologische untersuchungen von jägern auf zoonosen - Vergleich mit untersuchungen bei tierärzten, landwirten und schlachthofarbeitern

Seroepidemiologische Untersuchungen disponierter Personen auf ausgewählte Kontaktzoonosen: Zoonosen, Seroprävalenzen, Risikofaktoren und Präventivmassnahmen

Fleischwirtschaft, 2002

Seroprevalences, risk factors and preventive measures are discussed on the basis of three seroepi... more Seroprevalences, risk factors and preventive measures are discussed on the basis of three seroepidemiological studies on the prevalence of antibodies against zoonoses of different persons (in farmers, veterinarians, slaughterhouse staff and hunters). A total of 635 volunteers (including a control group of 50 persons) from the above occupational groups were examined for the presence of antibodies to 25 zoonotic pathogens. Examples of zoonoses transmitted through animal handling are presented in the present work. Seroprevalences in the occupational groups examined were clearly higher than those obtained for the control group. Farmers, veterinarians, slaughterhouse staff and hunters must thus be considered as occupational groups that are predisposed to zoonoses.

Exploring the limits of hepatic surgery for alveolar echinococcosis—10-years’ experience in an endemic area of Austria

European Surgery, 2019

Background Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis is a slow-growing, destructive parasitosis for which r... more Background Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis is a slow-growing, destructive parasitosis for which radical surgical resection is currently the only curative treatment. In case of complications by infiltrated vascular or biliary structures, interventional techniques are used. Pharmacotherapy is recommended postoperatively and for inoperability. The rare zoonotic occurs in the northern hemisphere and still poses a challenge in diagnostic and therapeutic management. Based in an endemic area in Austria, we evaluated a decade of surgical treatment for alveolar echinococcosis (AE) at our department. Methods Clinical data of patients undergoing hepatic resection for AE at our department between 2005 and 2014 were collected. Every diagnosis was again verified by histology and PCR. The PNM staging of preoperative imaging was done in six-eye principle. This study was approved by the local Ethics Committee of The authors Stefanie Kuscher and Irmgard Elisabeth Kronberger contributed equally to the manuscript.

Enzymimmuntest mit ganzen trophozoiten von toxoplasma gondii

Zentralblatt für Bakteriologie, Mikrobiologie und Hygiene. 1. Abt. Originale. A, Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Infektionskrankheiten und Parasitologie, 1982

Abstract In a comparative study 151 human sera were tested for IgG and IgM antibodies against Tox... more Abstract In a comparative study 151 human sera were tested for IgG and IgM antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in the Fluorescent-Antibody-Test (FAT) as well as in the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) using the same antigen (whole trophozoites of Toxoplasma gondii ). A positive correlation was found between the results obtained in FAT and ELISA. The detection of specific IgG antibodies revealed a correlation of 100% and 97.5% in positive and negative sera, respectively. Only 8 out of 111 positive sera showed deviations of more than ± 1 step within the titre ranges. While detecting specific IgM antibodies a highly significant correlation (99.3%) between FAT and ELISA was obtained for negative sera. 5 positive IgM sera showed titre end-points of 1:64 and 1 serum an end-point titre of 1:256 in FAT as well as in ELISA; however, a comparison was not done because of the small amount of positive IgM sera having been available.

A solid-phase indirect haemadsorption assay (SPIHA) for detection of immunoglobulin M antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii: Application to diagnosis of acute acquired toxoplasmosis

Zentralblatt für Bakteriologie, Mikrobiologie und Hygiene. 1. Abt. Originale. A, Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Infektionskrankheiten und Parasitologie, 1983

A solid-phase indirect haemadsorption assay (SPIHA) for the detection of immunoglobulin M (IgM) a... more A solid-phase indirect haemadsorption assay (SPIHA) for the detection of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii is described. Polystyrol microtiter plates are coated with anti-human IgM (mu-chain-specific) antibodies and then sequentially allowed to react with patient&#39;s serum and sheep erythrocytes sensitized with soluble antigen of Toxoplasma gondii. A total of 111 sera were tested in fluorescent antibody test (FAT and IgM-FAT), complement fixation test (CFT), indirect haemagglutination assay (IHA), and in SPIHA. 47 sera were from individuals with a suspected or verified acute Toxoplasma infection. In most of these cases the SPIHA allowed a clear interpretation with respect to the status of the infection, even when the IgM-FAT was not conclusive. In contrast to IgM-FAT, rheumatoid factor or exceedingly high specific IgG antibodies did not interfere with results in SPIHA. A laboratory-acquired infection enabled us to demonstrate the course of immune response measured by SPIHA as well as by IgM-FAT, FAT, CFT, and IHA. The method proposed here is well appropriated to IgM detection, simple to perform, inexpensive, and thus representing an alternative to IgM-FAT, convenient for the routine laboratory.

Empfehlungen für medizinische Maßnahmen bei immigrierenden Kindern und Jugendlichen

Pädiatrie & Pädologie, 2016

Albendazole and pregnancy

Applied parasitology, 1994

[Wound myiasis. Facultative myiasis]

Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift für Dermatologie, Venerologie, und verwandte Gebiete, 1990

Two cases of traumatic myiasis, one in Bowen carcinoma and one in chronic leg ulcer, are describe... more Two cases of traumatic myiasis, one in Bowen carcinoma and one in chronic leg ulcer, are described. The maggots isolated were reared to the adult stage; they proved to be Calliphoridae of the genus Lucilia (presumably L. sericata). The various forms of myiasis and the species involved in such parasitism are described, and the therapeutic efficiency of proteolytic enzymes and the necrolytic potency of maggots are briefly discussed.

Bed bugs can cause severe anaemia in adults

Parasitology Research, 2011

A 60-year-old woman and her 67-year-old male partner, admitted for pneumonia and non-ST elevation... more A 60-year-old woman and her 67-year-old male partner, admitted for pneumonia and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, respectively, had severe anaemia (Hb 5.3 and 5.2 g/dL, respectively), as a result from massive infestation with Cimex lectularius. After two erythrocyte transfusions and thorough decontamination, their clinical course was unremarkable. A 67-year-old man was admitted to our intermediate care unit because of dyspnoea and somnolence due to non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. His medical history was remarkable for diabetes mellitus, angiopathy and belowknee amputation 3 years prior to admission. His daily therapy was furosemide, tramal hydrochloride, mirtazapine, gabapentin, as well as insulin. On physical examination, the blood pressure was 100/60 mmHg, the heart rate was 100/min and the respiratory rate was 20/min. Multiple tiny insects (Fig. 1) identified as Cimex lectularius were noticed

Evaluation of Eosinophilic Cationic Protein as a Marker of Alveolar and Cystic Echinococcosis

Pathogens, Feb 18, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more

Effect of glucan immunomodulator on the immune response and larval burdens in mice with experimental toxocarosis

Applied parasitology, 1996

Glucan immunomodulator, combined with immunoglobulin and zinc (GI), was tested in mice infected w... more Glucan immunomodulator, combined with immunoglobulin and zinc (GI), was tested in mice infected with Toxocara canis for its effects on the immune response and parasite recovery. Infection with 2 500 T. canis eggs per mouse induced a short-term depression of the proliferative response of T cells to phytohemaglutinin from Day 35 to a Day 49 post infection (p.i.). GI given in two doses at the start of the experiment markedly stimulated and restored cell proliferation at Days 21-63 p.i. Infection resulted in significant increase in specific circulating antibody level at Days 21 and 35 p.i. A striking reduction in the number of T. canis larvae, after GI administration was observed in the muscles of the GI-treated mice, compared with the untreated animals.

of Human Ocular Filariosis after Travel to India

Malaria in Austria

Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift, Apr 17, 2023

Background Although malaria is not endemic to Austria, each year infections are imported by trave... more Background Although malaria is not endemic to Austria, each year infections are imported by travellers, migrants and refugees. This study aims to provide an overview of malaria cases diagnosed at an Austrian institute for tropical medicine between 2010 and 2020. Methods A retrospective, descriptive study was conducted based on the data of malaria cases confirmed at the Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine of the Medical University of Vienna. Laboratory diagnostics included microscopy, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time quantitative PCR. Results Overall, 122 cases were identified. Annual case numbers were consistently higher from 2016 to 2020 than during the first half of the decade. Most malaria cases were diagnosed during summer and early autumn. This seasonal trend was not observed during the year 2020. With 55.1% (65/118) Plasmodium falciparum was the most common species, followed by Plasmodium vivax (19.5%, 23/118). The majority of patients were male (71.1%, 86/121) and the median age was 34.5 years (interquartile range, IQR 22.5-47.0 years). With a median age of 20.0 years (IQR 14.0-32.0 years), patients with P. vivax infections were younger than those infected with other Plasmodium species. Moreover, they were mostly male (82.6%, 19/23). Conclusion From 2010 to 2020, the number of malaria cases diagnosed at the center increased. Growing international mobility and changing travel behavior could at least partly be responsible for this trend Availability of data and materials Data are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

A Rapid FRET Real-Time PCR Protocol for Simultaneous Quantitative Detection and Discrimination of Human Plasmodium Parasites

Bio-protocol, 2022

Malaria is the most important parasitic disease worldwide, and accurate diagnosis and treatment w... more Malaria is the most important parasitic disease worldwide, and accurate diagnosis and treatment without delay are essential for reducing morbidity and mortality, especially in P. falciparum malaria. Real-time PCR is highly sensitive and highly specific, therefore an excellent diagnostic tool for laboratory detection and species-specific diagnosis of malaria, especially in non-endemic regions where experience in microscopic malaria diagnostics is limited. In contrast to many other real-time PCR protocols, our new fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based real-time PCR (FRET-qPCR) allows the quantitative and species-specific detection of all human Plasmodium spp. in one run. Species identification is based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the MalFL probe, detectable by melting curve analysis. A significant advantage of our FRET-qPCR is the short turn-around time of less than two hours, including DNA extraction, which qualifies it for routine diagnostics. Rapid and reliable species-specific malaria diagnosis is important, because treatment is species-dependent. Apart from first-line diagnosis, the quantitative results of our new FRET-qPCR can be helpful in therapy control, to detect early treatment failure. Graphic abstract:

Autochthonous Human Dirofilaria repens Infection in Austria

Acta Parasitologica, 2022

Purpose This report describes a rare autochthonous case of human D. repens infection in Austria. ... more Purpose This report describes a rare autochthonous case of human D. repens infection in Austria. Dirofilariosis is a mosquito-borne parasitic infection that predominantly affects dogs. Human D. repens infections have primarily been reported in Mediterranean countries, but are emerging throughout Central and Northern Europe. Methods The worm was removed surgically and identified using PCR and DNA sequencing. The consensus sequences were compared against reference sequences of Dirofilaria repens from GenBank. Results The 56-year-old woman acquired the infection, which presented as a subcutaneous nodule, in Vienna, Austria. This is the second autochthonous case of human D. repens infection in Austria. Conclusion The reasons for the emergence of D. repens and other parasitic infections in Central and Northern Europe are manifold, including climate change and globalization. This case demonstrates that with the growing number of D. repens infections, health care professionals must place f...

Toxocariasis and the clinical spectrum

Advances in Parasitology, 2020

Toxocara canis and T. cati are among the most widely distributed helminthic species in the world ... more Toxocara canis and T. cati are among the most widely distributed helminthic species in the world with a high zoonotic impact. Millions of people are infecteda and hundreds of thousands are suffering from toxocarosis, a disease encompassing four different entities: larva migrans visceralis (VLM) syndrome, ocular larva migrans (OLM) syndrome, covert toxocarosis (covT), common toxocarosis (comT) and neurotoxocarosis (NT). Toxocara infections in humans may remain clinically inapparent but may also induce severe diseases. This contribution gives a synoptic overview of the most important historical, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutical aspects of toxocarosis in humans.

Molecular evidence for relapse of an imported Plasmodium ovale wallikeri infection

Malaria Journal, 2018

Background: Malaria caused by Plasmodium ovale spp. has been neglected by and large from research... more Background: Malaria caused by Plasmodium ovale spp. has been neglected by and large from research and has received only little scientific attention during the past decades. Ovale malaria is considered to feature relapses by liver hypnozoites although scientific evidence for this paradigm is scarce. Case presentation: Here, the case of a 16-year-old male, who presented with fevers to the outpatient department in Vienna, Austria, after travelling to Uganda and Papua New Guinea is described. Infection with Plasmodium malariae was diagnosed by microscopy and the patient was treated accordingly with a full course of supervised artemetherlumefantrine. He was discharged in good clinical condition with a negative blood smear. One month after initial diagnosis, he returned complaining of fever. Thick blood smear was positive again for malaria parasites, which were confirmed as P. ovale wallikeri by PCR. Retrospective analysis revealed the identical Plasmodium spp. in the initial blood samples. Molecular analysis of various gene loci (nuclear porbp2, 18S rRNA and potra genes) gave identical results providing further evidence for relapse by an identical parasite genotype. Consecutively, the patient was retreated with artemether-lumefantrine and received a regimen of primaquine according to WHO guidelines. Conclusion: Conclusive evidence for relapses with P. ovale spp. is rare. The presented case provides convincing confirmation for the relapse paradigm based on reappearing parasitaemia following supervised treatment in a nonendemic region with a parasite strain of identical genotype.

Successful extraction and PCR amplification of Giardia DNA from formalin-fixed stool samples

Experimental Parasitology, 2019

Extracting genomic DNA of pathogenic agents from formalin-fixed specimens is inherently difficult... more Extracting genomic DNA of pathogenic agents from formalin-fixed specimens is inherently difficult. Storage of samples in formalin results in nucleic acid cross-linking and DNA fragmentation. In this study, DNA was extracted from 45 Giardia-positive stool samples stored in formalin and subjected to PCR amplification targeting the triose phosphate isomerase (tpi), beta gardin (bg) and glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) genes. Samples were rehydrated by using a descending alcohol series before DNA extraction using a commercial kit. This was followed by EDTA-mediated inhibition of DNase activity and prolonged treatment with proteinase K to digest contaminating proteins. DNA was amplified at rates of 64.4% (29/45) at the tpi, 40% (18/45) at the bg and 20% (9/ 45) at the gdh loci as seen on nested PCR. DNA quality was subsequently tested in a genotyping experiment which produced high-quality sequences at the tpi (41.2%; 12/29) bg (50%; 9/18), and gdh (22.2%; 2/9) loci and enabled differentiation of Giardia strains at the subtype level. The modified extraction protocol was effective at removing inhibitors and reversing cross-linking of DNA. However, PCR amplification was limited to short fragments of DNA which resulted in highest success rate on amplification of the shortest (334 bp) gene fragment tested.

Preliminary Evidence for the Absence of Cystic Echinococcosis in Gabon: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Survey in Humans and Definitive Hosts

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2018

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a globally endemic zoonosis caused by the larval stage of the Echin... more Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a globally endemic zoonosis caused by the larval stage of the Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) complex. Although the disease is known to be highly prevalent in certain parts of North and East Africa, data on CE, both in humans and definitive hosts, are extremely scarce for Central Africa. The present study assessed the epidemiology of CE in humans and dogs in rural Gabon. An ultrasound and serologic survey was conducted in volunteers from rural villages in Gabon. A two-step approach was used for serological testing with an indirect hemagglutination assay as a screening test and Western Blot as a confirmatory test. Fecal dog samples were analyzed microscopically, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of nad1 and cox1 genes was performed when taeniid eggs were visible. Regional hospitals and the national reference center for parasitology in Gabon were contacted for information about previous cases of CE. Randomly selected communities were invited to participate. Three hundred and forty-eight human volunteers from these communities were screened. No suspected cases of CE were detected. Definitive host screening was performed from 128 fecal samples from representative subregions, but no eggs from E. granulosus s.l. were found. No documented cases of echinococcosis were reported from the local health-care institutions and the national diagnostic reference center in Gabon. Cystic echinococcosis seems to be very rare or absent in Gabon. The reason for this lack of evidence for echinococcosis is unknown, but the absence of livestock may play a major role.

Seroepidemiologische untersuchung von jägern auf zoonosen in Südostösterreich - Prävalenzen, risikopotentiale und vorbeugemaßnahmen

Berliner Und Munchener Tierarztliche Wochenschrift, Jul 1, 2003

Seroepidemiologische untersuchungen von jägern auf zoonosen - Vergleich mit untersuchungen bei tierärzten, landwirten und schlachthofarbeitern

Seroepidemiologische Untersuchungen disponierter Personen auf ausgewählte Kontaktzoonosen: Zoonosen, Seroprävalenzen, Risikofaktoren und Präventivmassnahmen

Fleischwirtschaft, 2002

Seroprevalences, risk factors and preventive measures are discussed on the basis of three seroepi... more Seroprevalences, risk factors and preventive measures are discussed on the basis of three seroepidemiological studies on the prevalence of antibodies against zoonoses of different persons (in farmers, veterinarians, slaughterhouse staff and hunters). A total of 635 volunteers (including a control group of 50 persons) from the above occupational groups were examined for the presence of antibodies to 25 zoonotic pathogens. Examples of zoonoses transmitted through animal handling are presented in the present work. Seroprevalences in the occupational groups examined were clearly higher than those obtained for the control group. Farmers, veterinarians, slaughterhouse staff and hunters must thus be considered as occupational groups that are predisposed to zoonoses.

Exploring the limits of hepatic surgery for alveolar echinococcosis—10-years’ experience in an endemic area of Austria

European Surgery, 2019

Background Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis is a slow-growing, destructive parasitosis for which r... more Background Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis is a slow-growing, destructive parasitosis for which radical surgical resection is currently the only curative treatment. In case of complications by infiltrated vascular or biliary structures, interventional techniques are used. Pharmacotherapy is recommended postoperatively and for inoperability. The rare zoonotic occurs in the northern hemisphere and still poses a challenge in diagnostic and therapeutic management. Based in an endemic area in Austria, we evaluated a decade of surgical treatment for alveolar echinococcosis (AE) at our department. Methods Clinical data of patients undergoing hepatic resection for AE at our department between 2005 and 2014 were collected. Every diagnosis was again verified by histology and PCR. The PNM staging of preoperative imaging was done in six-eye principle. This study was approved by the local Ethics Committee of The authors Stefanie Kuscher and Irmgard Elisabeth Kronberger contributed equally to the manuscript.

Enzymimmuntest mit ganzen trophozoiten von toxoplasma gondii

Zentralblatt für Bakteriologie, Mikrobiologie und Hygiene. 1. Abt. Originale. A, Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Infektionskrankheiten und Parasitologie, 1982

Abstract In a comparative study 151 human sera were tested for IgG and IgM antibodies against Tox... more Abstract In a comparative study 151 human sera were tested for IgG and IgM antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in the Fluorescent-Antibody-Test (FAT) as well as in the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) using the same antigen (whole trophozoites of Toxoplasma gondii ). A positive correlation was found between the results obtained in FAT and ELISA. The detection of specific IgG antibodies revealed a correlation of 100% and 97.5% in positive and negative sera, respectively. Only 8 out of 111 positive sera showed deviations of more than ± 1 step within the titre ranges. While detecting specific IgM antibodies a highly significant correlation (99.3%) between FAT and ELISA was obtained for negative sera. 5 positive IgM sera showed titre end-points of 1:64 and 1 serum an end-point titre of 1:256 in FAT as well as in ELISA; however, a comparison was not done because of the small amount of positive IgM sera having been available.

A solid-phase indirect haemadsorption assay (SPIHA) for detection of immunoglobulin M antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii: Application to diagnosis of acute acquired toxoplasmosis

Zentralblatt für Bakteriologie, Mikrobiologie und Hygiene. 1. Abt. Originale. A, Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Infektionskrankheiten und Parasitologie, 1983

A solid-phase indirect haemadsorption assay (SPIHA) for the detection of immunoglobulin M (IgM) a... more A solid-phase indirect haemadsorption assay (SPIHA) for the detection of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii is described. Polystyrol microtiter plates are coated with anti-human IgM (mu-chain-specific) antibodies and then sequentially allowed to react with patient&#39;s serum and sheep erythrocytes sensitized with soluble antigen of Toxoplasma gondii. A total of 111 sera were tested in fluorescent antibody test (FAT and IgM-FAT), complement fixation test (CFT), indirect haemagglutination assay (IHA), and in SPIHA. 47 sera were from individuals with a suspected or verified acute Toxoplasma infection. In most of these cases the SPIHA allowed a clear interpretation with respect to the status of the infection, even when the IgM-FAT was not conclusive. In contrast to IgM-FAT, rheumatoid factor or exceedingly high specific IgG antibodies did not interfere with results in SPIHA. A laboratory-acquired infection enabled us to demonstrate the course of immune response measured by SPIHA as well as by IgM-FAT, FAT, CFT, and IHA. The method proposed here is well appropriated to IgM detection, simple to perform, inexpensive, and thus representing an alternative to IgM-FAT, convenient for the routine laboratory.

Empfehlungen für medizinische Maßnahmen bei immigrierenden Kindern und Jugendlichen

Pädiatrie & Pädologie, 2016

Albendazole and pregnancy

Applied parasitology, 1994

[Wound myiasis. Facultative myiasis]

Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift für Dermatologie, Venerologie, und verwandte Gebiete, 1990

Two cases of traumatic myiasis, one in Bowen carcinoma and one in chronic leg ulcer, are describe... more Two cases of traumatic myiasis, one in Bowen carcinoma and one in chronic leg ulcer, are described. The maggots isolated were reared to the adult stage; they proved to be Calliphoridae of the genus Lucilia (presumably L. sericata). The various forms of myiasis and the species involved in such parasitism are described, and the therapeutic efficiency of proteolytic enzymes and the necrolytic potency of maggots are briefly discussed.

Bed bugs can cause severe anaemia in adults

Parasitology Research, 2011

A 60-year-old woman and her 67-year-old male partner, admitted for pneumonia and non-ST elevation... more A 60-year-old woman and her 67-year-old male partner, admitted for pneumonia and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, respectively, had severe anaemia (Hb 5.3 and 5.2 g/dL, respectively), as a result from massive infestation with Cimex lectularius. After two erythrocyte transfusions and thorough decontamination, their clinical course was unremarkable. A 67-year-old man was admitted to our intermediate care unit because of dyspnoea and somnolence due to non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. His medical history was remarkable for diabetes mellitus, angiopathy and belowknee amputation 3 years prior to admission. His daily therapy was furosemide, tramal hydrochloride, mirtazapine, gabapentin, as well as insulin. On physical examination, the blood pressure was 100/60 mmHg, the heart rate was 100/min and the respiratory rate was 20/min. Multiple tiny insects (Fig. 1) identified as Cimex lectularius were noticed

Evaluation of Eosinophilic Cationic Protein as a Marker of Alveolar and Cystic Echinococcosis

Pathogens, Feb 18, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more

Effect of glucan immunomodulator on the immune response and larval burdens in mice with experimental toxocarosis

Applied parasitology, 1996

Glucan immunomodulator, combined with immunoglobulin and zinc (GI), was tested in mice infected w... more Glucan immunomodulator, combined with immunoglobulin and zinc (GI), was tested in mice infected with Toxocara canis for its effects on the immune response and parasite recovery. Infection with 2 500 T. canis eggs per mouse induced a short-term depression of the proliferative response of T cells to phytohemaglutinin from Day 35 to a Day 49 post infection (p.i.). GI given in two doses at the start of the experiment markedly stimulated and restored cell proliferation at Days 21-63 p.i. Infection resulted in significant increase in specific circulating antibody level at Days 21 and 35 p.i. A striking reduction in the number of T. canis larvae, after GI administration was observed in the muscles of the GI-treated mice, compared with the untreated animals.

of Human Ocular Filariosis after Travel to India

Malaria in Austria

Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift, Apr 17, 2023

Background Although malaria is not endemic to Austria, each year infections are imported by trave... more Background Although malaria is not endemic to Austria, each year infections are imported by travellers, migrants and refugees. This study aims to provide an overview of malaria cases diagnosed at an Austrian institute for tropical medicine between 2010 and 2020. Methods A retrospective, descriptive study was conducted based on the data of malaria cases confirmed at the Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine of the Medical University of Vienna. Laboratory diagnostics included microscopy, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time quantitative PCR. Results Overall, 122 cases were identified. Annual case numbers were consistently higher from 2016 to 2020 than during the first half of the decade. Most malaria cases were diagnosed during summer and early autumn. This seasonal trend was not observed during the year 2020. With 55.1% (65/118) Plasmodium falciparum was the most common species, followed by Plasmodium vivax (19.5%, 23/118). The majority of patients were male (71.1%, 86/121) and the median age was 34.5 years (interquartile range, IQR 22.5-47.0 years). With a median age of 20.0 years (IQR 14.0-32.0 years), patients with P. vivax infections were younger than those infected with other Plasmodium species. Moreover, they were mostly male (82.6%, 19/23). Conclusion From 2010 to 2020, the number of malaria cases diagnosed at the center increased. Growing international mobility and changing travel behavior could at least partly be responsible for this trend Availability of data and materials Data are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

A Rapid FRET Real-Time PCR Protocol for Simultaneous Quantitative Detection and Discrimination of Human Plasmodium Parasites

Bio-protocol, 2022

Malaria is the most important parasitic disease worldwide, and accurate diagnosis and treatment w... more Malaria is the most important parasitic disease worldwide, and accurate diagnosis and treatment without delay are essential for reducing morbidity and mortality, especially in P. falciparum malaria. Real-time PCR is highly sensitive and highly specific, therefore an excellent diagnostic tool for laboratory detection and species-specific diagnosis of malaria, especially in non-endemic regions where experience in microscopic malaria diagnostics is limited. In contrast to many other real-time PCR protocols, our new fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based real-time PCR (FRET-qPCR) allows the quantitative and species-specific detection of all human Plasmodium spp. in one run. Species identification is based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the MalFL probe, detectable by melting curve analysis. A significant advantage of our FRET-qPCR is the short turn-around time of less than two hours, including DNA extraction, which qualifies it for routine diagnostics. Rapid and reliable species-specific malaria diagnosis is important, because treatment is species-dependent. Apart from first-line diagnosis, the quantitative results of our new FRET-qPCR can be helpful in therapy control, to detect early treatment failure. Graphic abstract:

Autochthonous Human Dirofilaria repens Infection in Austria

Acta Parasitologica, 2022

Purpose This report describes a rare autochthonous case of human D. repens infection in Austria. ... more Purpose This report describes a rare autochthonous case of human D. repens infection in Austria. Dirofilariosis is a mosquito-borne parasitic infection that predominantly affects dogs. Human D. repens infections have primarily been reported in Mediterranean countries, but are emerging throughout Central and Northern Europe. Methods The worm was removed surgically and identified using PCR and DNA sequencing. The consensus sequences were compared against reference sequences of Dirofilaria repens from GenBank. Results The 56-year-old woman acquired the infection, which presented as a subcutaneous nodule, in Vienna, Austria. This is the second autochthonous case of human D. repens infection in Austria. Conclusion The reasons for the emergence of D. repens and other parasitic infections in Central and Northern Europe are manifold, including climate change and globalization. This case demonstrates that with the growing number of D. repens infections, health care professionals must place f...

Toxocariasis and the clinical spectrum

Advances in Parasitology, 2020

Toxocara canis and T. cati are among the most widely distributed helminthic species in the world ... more Toxocara canis and T. cati are among the most widely distributed helminthic species in the world with a high zoonotic impact. Millions of people are infecteda and hundreds of thousands are suffering from toxocarosis, a disease encompassing four different entities: larva migrans visceralis (VLM) syndrome, ocular larva migrans (OLM) syndrome, covert toxocarosis (covT), common toxocarosis (comT) and neurotoxocarosis (NT). Toxocara infections in humans may remain clinically inapparent but may also induce severe diseases. This contribution gives a synoptic overview of the most important historical, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutical aspects of toxocarosis in humans.

Molecular evidence for relapse of an imported Plasmodium ovale wallikeri infection

Malaria Journal, 2018

Background: Malaria caused by Plasmodium ovale spp. has been neglected by and large from research... more Background: Malaria caused by Plasmodium ovale spp. has been neglected by and large from research and has received only little scientific attention during the past decades. Ovale malaria is considered to feature relapses by liver hypnozoites although scientific evidence for this paradigm is scarce. Case presentation: Here, the case of a 16-year-old male, who presented with fevers to the outpatient department in Vienna, Austria, after travelling to Uganda and Papua New Guinea is described. Infection with Plasmodium malariae was diagnosed by microscopy and the patient was treated accordingly with a full course of supervised artemetherlumefantrine. He was discharged in good clinical condition with a negative blood smear. One month after initial diagnosis, he returned complaining of fever. Thick blood smear was positive again for malaria parasites, which were confirmed as P. ovale wallikeri by PCR. Retrospective analysis revealed the identical Plasmodium spp. in the initial blood samples. Molecular analysis of various gene loci (nuclear porbp2, 18S rRNA and potra genes) gave identical results providing further evidence for relapse by an identical parasite genotype. Consecutively, the patient was retreated with artemether-lumefantrine and received a regimen of primaquine according to WHO guidelines. Conclusion: Conclusive evidence for relapses with P. ovale spp. is rare. The presented case provides convincing confirmation for the relapse paradigm based on reappearing parasitaemia following supervised treatment in a nonendemic region with a parasite strain of identical genotype.

Successful extraction and PCR amplification of Giardia DNA from formalin-fixed stool samples

Experimental Parasitology, 2019

Extracting genomic DNA of pathogenic agents from formalin-fixed specimens is inherently difficult... more Extracting genomic DNA of pathogenic agents from formalin-fixed specimens is inherently difficult. Storage of samples in formalin results in nucleic acid cross-linking and DNA fragmentation. In this study, DNA was extracted from 45 Giardia-positive stool samples stored in formalin and subjected to PCR amplification targeting the triose phosphate isomerase (tpi), beta gardin (bg) and glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) genes. Samples were rehydrated by using a descending alcohol series before DNA extraction using a commercial kit. This was followed by EDTA-mediated inhibition of DNase activity and prolonged treatment with proteinase K to digest contaminating proteins. DNA was amplified at rates of 64.4% (29/45) at the tpi, 40% (18/45) at the bg and 20% (9/ 45) at the gdh loci as seen on nested PCR. DNA quality was subsequently tested in a genotyping experiment which produced high-quality sequences at the tpi (41.2%; 12/29) bg (50%; 9/18), and gdh (22.2%; 2/9) loci and enabled differentiation of Giardia strains at the subtype level. The modified extraction protocol was effective at removing inhibitors and reversing cross-linking of DNA. However, PCR amplification was limited to short fragments of DNA which resulted in highest success rate on amplification of the shortest (334 bp) gene fragment tested.

Preliminary Evidence for the Absence of Cystic Echinococcosis in Gabon: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Survey in Humans and Definitive Hosts

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2018

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a globally endemic zoonosis caused by the larval stage of the Echin... more Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a globally endemic zoonosis caused by the larval stage of the Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) complex. Although the disease is known to be highly prevalent in certain parts of North and East Africa, data on CE, both in humans and definitive hosts, are extremely scarce for Central Africa. The present study assessed the epidemiology of CE in humans and dogs in rural Gabon. An ultrasound and serologic survey was conducted in volunteers from rural villages in Gabon. A two-step approach was used for serological testing with an indirect hemagglutination assay as a screening test and Western Blot as a confirmatory test. Fecal dog samples were analyzed microscopically, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of nad1 and cox1 genes was performed when taeniid eggs were visible. Regional hospitals and the national reference center for parasitology in Gabon were contacted for information about previous cases of CE. Randomly selected communities were invited to participate. Three hundred and forty-eight human volunteers from these communities were screened. No suspected cases of CE were detected. Definitive host screening was performed from 128 fecal samples from representative subregions, but no eggs from E. granulosus s.l. were found. No documented cases of echinococcosis were reported from the local health-care institutions and the national diagnostic reference center in Gabon. Cystic echinococcosis seems to be very rare or absent in Gabon. The reason for this lack of evidence for echinococcosis is unknown, but the absence of livestock may play a major role.