TY - JOUR
T1 - Can haematological changes constitute a surrogate diagnostic parameter to detect schistosomiasis in migrants and travellers? - A retrospective analysis
AU - Schnyder, Jenny L.
AU - Gobbi, Federico
AU - Schunk, Mirjam
AU - Lindner, Andreas
AU - Salvador, Fernando
AU - Duvignaud, Alexandre
AU - Arsuaga Vicente, Marta
AU - Dejon Agobé, Jean Claude
AU - Cattaneo, Paolo
AU - Bertoli, Giulia
AU - Rothe, Camilla
AU - Wintel, Mia
AU - Pou, Diana
AU - Malvy, Denis
AU - Adegnika, Ayola Akim
AU - de Jong, Hanna K.
AU - Grobusch, Martin P.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors
PY - 2023/6/1
Y1 - 2023/6/1
N2 - Background: Earlier studies found characteristic haematological changes in African patients with active schistosomiasis. If consistently present, full blood counts (FBC) may be helpful to diagnose schistosomiasis also in migrants and returning travellers. Methods: A retrospective patient record review was conducted on data from seven European travel clinics, comparing FBC of Schistosoma egg-positive travellers and migrants to reference values. Sub-analyses were performed for children, returned travellers, migrants and different Schistosoma species. Results: Data analysis included 382 subjects (median age 21.0 years [range 2–73]). In returned travellers, decreases in means of haemoglobin particularly in females (β = −0.82 g/dL, p = 0.005), MCV (β = −1.6 fL, p = 0.009), basophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes (β = −0.07, p < 0.001; −0.57, p = 0.012; −0.57, p < 0.001 and −0.13 103/μL, p < 0.001, respectively) were observed. As expected, eosinophils were increased (β = +0.45 103/μL, p < 0.001). In migrants, a similar FBC profile was observed, yet thrombocytes and leukocytes were significantly lower in migrants (β = −48 103/μL p < 0.001 and β = −2.35 103/μL, p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Active egg-producing Schistosoma infections are associated with haematological alterations in returned travellers and migrants. However, these differences are discrete and seem to vary among disease stage and Schistosoma species. Therefore, the FBC is unsuitable as a surrogate diagnostic parameter to detect schistosomiasis.
AB - Background: Earlier studies found characteristic haematological changes in African patients with active schistosomiasis. If consistently present, full blood counts (FBC) may be helpful to diagnose schistosomiasis also in migrants and returning travellers. Methods: A retrospective patient record review was conducted on data from seven European travel clinics, comparing FBC of Schistosoma egg-positive travellers and migrants to reference values. Sub-analyses were performed for children, returned travellers, migrants and different Schistosoma species. Results: Data analysis included 382 subjects (median age 21.0 years [range 2–73]). In returned travellers, decreases in means of haemoglobin particularly in females (β = −0.82 g/dL, p = 0.005), MCV (β = −1.6 fL, p = 0.009), basophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes (β = −0.07, p < 0.001; −0.57, p = 0.012; −0.57, p < 0.001 and −0.13 103/μL, p < 0.001, respectively) were observed. As expected, eosinophils were increased (β = +0.45 103/μL, p < 0.001). In migrants, a similar FBC profile was observed, yet thrombocytes and leukocytes were significantly lower in migrants (β = −48 103/μL p < 0.001 and β = −2.35 103/μL, p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Active egg-producing Schistosoma infections are associated with haematological alterations in returned travellers and migrants. However, these differences are discrete and seem to vary among disease stage and Schistosoma species. Therefore, the FBC is unsuitable as a surrogate diagnostic parameter to detect schistosomiasis.
KW - Full blood count
KW - Haematology
KW - Migrants
KW - Returned travellers
KW - S. haematobium
KW - S. mansoni
KW - Schistosomiasis
KW - Travel
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85153798488&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nmni.2023.101136
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nmni.2023.101136
M3 - Article
C2 - 37187799
SN - 2052-2975
VL - 53
JO - New Microbes and New Infections
JF - New Microbes and New Infections
M1 - 101136
ER -