vitamin-b-12 and Schistosomiasis

In summary, it appears that giardiasis, coccidiosis, cryptosporidiosis, strongyloidiasis, capillariasis and perhaps P. falciparum malaria are the only parasitic diseases which cause malabsorption of many nutrients. D. latum and A. lumbricoides interfere with vitamin B12 and vitamin A absorption, respectively. In view of the increasing use of immunosuppressive therapy, it is likely that malabsorption caused by intestinal parasites may become even more evident in the future.

Topics: Ancylostomiasis; Apicomplexa; Ascariasis; Capillaria; Coccidiosis; Diphyllobothriasis; Giardiasis; Humans; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Malabsorption Syndromes; Malaria; Nematode Infections; Plasmodium falciparum; Protozoan Infections; Schistosomiasis; Strongyloidiasis; Vitamin A; Vitamin B 12

Topics: Anemia; Anemia, Hypochromic; Anemia, Macrocytic; Anemia, Sickle Cell; Child; Child, Preschool; Feces; Female; Fever; Folic Acid; Hemoglobinopathies; Hookworm Infections; Humans; Infant; Leishmaniasis, Visceral; Malaria; Male; Pregnancy; Protozoan Infections; Schistosomiasis; Vitamin B 12

Haematological and parasitological investigations were carried out on apparently healthy subjects in a rural area of Natal. Anaemia was highly prevalent and of a moderate to severe degree (haemoglobin value less than 11,0 g/dl) in 42% of males and 52,5% of females. In 50% of subjects the anaemia was hypochromic and iron deficiency appeared to be the major contributing factor. However, failure to utilize iron, giving rise to hypochromia, was not excluded as a complicating factor. Subnormal serum vitamin B12 levels were found in some subjects, and this frequently coexisted with iron deficiency. The presence of parasites was not considered to have contributed to the production of anaemia. It was concluded that the anaemia was to a large extent nutritional in origin.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anemia; Black or African American; Black People; Child; Female; Ferritins; Hemoglobins; Hookworm Infections; Humans; Iron; Male; Middle Aged; Parasitic Diseases; Rural Population; Schistosomiasis; Sex Factors; South Africa; Vitamin B 12

Topics: Humans; Intestinal Absorption; Schilling Test; Schistosomiasis; Vitamin B 12

Topics: Cobalt Isotopes; Heart; Humans; Liver Diseases; Liver Diseases, Parasitic; Metabolism; Radioisotopes; Radionuclide Imaging; Schistosomiasis; Spleen; Vitamin B 12