Vol 27 No 2 December - The Indian Society for Parasitology

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80 Parasitic infections in travelers JPD : Vol. 27 (2), 2003 southern Italy were registered in the Czech Republic, responsible for considerable morbidity among The diagnosis in these cases was confirmed by the travelers to the tropics (Parija, 1996). microscopic finding of amastigotes in bone marrow, A study was carried out to assess helminth infestations liver, spleen and, also, by serology. All these patients in non-European travelers coming from tropical were successfully treated with amphotericin B. countries to Leipzig (East Germany), in 1985. In the (Sundar S, 2002). Such cases of imported VL have also study, 52% of the individuals were found to be infected been documented in travelers from Austria (Stoiser et with a variety of helminthes. Infestation rate was 38% at, 1998). for T. trichiura, 21% for "Ancylostomatidae" and 17% Compromised travelers represent a diverse and for A. lumbricoides. Travelers from South Asia and challenging group of individuals. They include HIV- Southeast Asia showed the highest rate of infestation, infected patients, functionally or anatomically 93% on average (Vietnamese: 98%). The smallest rate asplenic and patients who are iatrogenically of infestation (12%) was found with persons from immunosuppressed from medications utilized for Central and East Asia (Mongolians: 0.4%). Multisolid organ transplantation, chemotherapy, or infestations were frequent (Laos 67.4%, Vietnam treatment of malignancies. These patients during 65.3% of the examined persons) (Krause, 1985). In travel may encounter leishmaniasis and other another study, the majority of intestinal parasites unfamiliar opportunistic and classical tropical isolated in Switzerland were found to be imported by infections, whose pathogenesis can be enhanced by refugees and travelers. Nematodes were more the presence of prior HIV infection (Mileno and Bia, frequently isolated among refugees, whereas 1998). Leishmaniasis and HIV co-infection has G.lamblia and S. stercoralis predominated in resulted in the spread of leishmaniasis from rural to travelers. Hypereosinophilia occurred frequently with urban areas and the spread of HIV outward from cities some parasites (Landry and van Saanen, 1997). (Martinez, 2000). In addition to these, intravenous Nine species of parasites were found in 64.9% of Thai drug uses have compounded the problem of laborers working in Taiwan. These induced leishmaniasis. Leishmania species have been detected Opisthorchis viverrini, hookworm, S. stercoralis, G. in 52% of the discarded syringes of the drug users in lamblia, T. trichiura, Fasciolopsis buski, Taenia sp, Madrid, Spain (Cruz et al, 2002). Echinostoma sp, Entamoeba coli. These findings Geohelminthic infections suggest that the migration of foreign workers from developing regions to developed countries may Geohelminthic infections are acquired by humans as a potentially lead to transmission of intestinal parasitic result of his contact with soil. The infective form of the infections (Cheng and Shieh, 2000). A retrospective parasites are present in the soil, and man acquires the study of clinical features in expatriates returning to infection from the soil, during ingestion of food Britain from the tropics with diagnosis of ascariasis, contaminated with infective forms, walking bare foot, trichuriasis, hookworm, and strongyloidiasis showed gardening activities, and other activities which entails that one half of all patients with intestinal contact with the soil. Ascariasis, ancytostomiasis, helminthiasis were asymptomatic. The presence of trichiuriasis, and strongyloidiasis are the principal eosinophilia was not a reliable indicator of infection. geohelminthic infections to affect man. Roundworm This study suggests that it may be worthwhile infestation occurs in 70-90% people in tropical performing stool microscopy in expatriates returning regions due to Ascaris lumbricoides. It affects 1.4 from the tropics even if they are asymptomatic (Fryatt billion people in the world. Hookworm affects 1.3 et al, 1990). billion people worldwide. Trichuriasis affects 800 million people globally, and is widespread in South Cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) is a condition caused East Asia, including India. Strongyloides stercoralis by skin-penetrating larvae of nematodes, mainly of the affect 200 million people world wide and prevalent in hookworm Ancylostoma braziliense and other tropics with hot and humid climate. It is also common nematodes of the family Ancylostomatoideae. in travelers', immigrants and military personnel who Travelers to tropical and subtropical countries are live in the endemic area. Many of these diseases are mainly affected. Jelinek et al, 1994, in their study on
JPD : Vol. 27 (2), 2003 Parasitic infections in travelers 81 CLM, has shown that the efflorescences typically must to prevent morbidity and mortality from travel were found on the lower extremities (73.4% of all related infections (Weise, 1976). locations). The buttocks and anogenital region were The parasitic diseases pose two major problems. The affected in 12.6% of all locations, and the trunk and first is the problem of the disease itself. The other is upper extremities each were affected in 7.1%. Only a associated with the development of drug resistance minority of patients presented with eosinophilia or an (Sundar, 2001) treatment failures (El Hassan and elevated serum level of IgE. Therapy with topical Khalil, 2001) co-existence of other diseases or thiabendazole was successful for 98% of the patients. interacting drugs which cause immune suppression Systemic antihelmintic therapy was necessary in two (corticosteroid therapy, HIV infection) (Martinez, cases because of disseminated, extensive infection 2000). Chemotherapy is the most efficient strategy. (Jelinek et al, 1997). Nakamura-Uchiyam have Improvement in sanitation, vector and reservoir suggested that A. braziliense and A. caninum be control, and development of suitable vaccines are considered as possible causative agents for creeping other alternative approaches. The spectrum of drug eruption, especially when the patients have a history of resistance mandates search for new drugs, traveling overseas (Nakamura-Uchiyama et al, 2002). combination of existing drugs, and understanding the Occasional reports regarding the occurrence of rare biology of parasitic infection like ivermectin intestinal parasitic diseases in travelers include modulated chloride channel receptors (Tracy and visceral larva migrans due to Toxocara species (Lund- Webster, 2001). Tonnesen, 1996) and syndrome pulmonary infiltration The traveler returning from the tropics in clinical with eosinophilia (PIE) caused by Ascaris suum practice poses a definitive problem before the (Matsuyama et al, 1998). An imported human case of clinicians. Sometimes travelers returning from the rectal hookworm infection with worms in the rectum tropics consult a physician even if they have no actual has been reported in South Korea in a patient returning symptoms. However, physical check-ups in after a travel to South -East Asia (Yong et al, 1992). asymptomatic travelers rarely detect any specific Future prospects with parasitic diseases due to parasitic infection. If no diagnostically suggestive international travel symptoms are apparent a systematic, step-by-step workup based on the laboratory investigations are Tropical countries have a favourable warm and humid essential. Laboratory investigations may include stool climate, which flourishes the parasitic diseases, and is microscopy for intestinal parasites, serology, and transmitted by various ways to travelers. International special methods to demonstrate parasites in blood or travel exposes the travelers in tropics to infectious tissues (like Millipore filtration of blood to detect diseases, insect vectors, and contaminated food and microfilaria, and bone marrow aspiration to detect LD water. bodies in cases of PUO). The diagnostic approach of The risk of infection is an intrinsic part of tourism, the clinician should be to consider first all those especially tropical tourism. Reasons are many which systemic parasitic infections, which are potentially increase susceptibility of travelers in tropical life threatening and can be cured by specific therapy countries to many parasitic infections (Box I). The such as falciparum malaria, extra intestinal alteration of the mode of living caused by the holiday, amoebiasis, and African trypanosomiasis and the frequent development of a false sense of (Markwalder et al, 1995). confidence and safety in the hygienic conditions in An increased awareness of family physicians for tourist resorts in tropical countries favor the infection. recognition of unusual diseases in patients who have Factors which are less dependent on the behavior of returned from foreign travel is crucial in proper the tourists, are the infections produced by insect bites, diagnosis and management of the parasitic diseases such as malaria, filariasis, or leishmaniases, many of acquired by patients during travel. For example, an which may end fatally for lack of recognition. Hence, a increased awareness is essential about the possibility better enlightenment of the travelers, the use of of intestinal coccidian parasitic infections in patients prophylactic agents and improvement of diagnosis is a with prolonged diarrhea who have traveled to endemic
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Vol 27 No 2 December - The Indian Society for Parasitology

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