<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Intestinal parasites may cause symptoms similar to acute appendicitis. Moreover, the diagnosis of parasitic infections is only done by post-operative histopathological examination of the appendices. Therefore, our aims are to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among patients who were be appendectomized at Tanta Hospitals, Egypt and to investigate the possible association between these parasitic infections and appendicitis. To achieve these objectives, we performed a cross-sectional study including 65 patients chosen randomly who had undergone appendectomy over a period of one year from Oct 2015 to Oct 2016. Demographic data were retrieved. Complete blood picture was done. Moreover, appendiceal faecolith were examined macroscopically then by direct smear examination, formol-ether concentration technique, modified Ziehl-Nelseen stain and rapid immunochromatographic test. Histopathological examination of resected appendices was done. We found that parasitic infections were detected in 24.6 % of examined cases. Most of parasitic infections were prevalent in patients belonging to the school age group. Different parasitic infections were detected in the faecolith specimens. Moreover, <italic>Enterobious vermicularis</italic> adult female and <italic>Schistosoma mansoni</italic> granuloma were detected in histopathological sections. Also, a spectrum of pathological changes in the appendices was found ranging from lymphoid hyperplasia to acute inflammation with peritonitis. In conclusion, intestinal parasites may cause clinical picture similar to that of acute appendicitis. Therefore, careful attention to clinical history, stool examination and high eosinophilia may aid diagnosis and avoid unnecessary appendectomy. Moreover, the presence of different parasitic stages in the narrow lumen of the appendix may have a role in the development of appendicitis and this needs further studies.</p></abstract>

Intestinal parasites may cause symptoms similar to acute appendicitis. Moreover, the diagnosis of parasitic infections is only done by post-operative histopathological examination of the appendices. Therefore, our aims are to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among patients who were be appendectomized at Tanta Hospitals, Egypt and to investigate the possible association between these parasitic infections and appendicitis. To achieve these objectives, we performed a cross-sectional study including 65 patients chosen randomly who had undergone appendectomy over a period of one year from Oct 2015 to Oct 2016. Demographic data were retrieved. Complete blood picture was done. Moreover, appendiceal faecolith were examined macroscopically then by direct smear examination, formol-ether concentration technique, modified Ziehl-Nelseen stain and rapid immunochromatographic test. Histopathological examination of resected appendices was done. We found that parasitic infections were detected in 24.6 % of examined cases. Most of parasitic infections were prevalent in patients belonging to the school age group. Different parasitic infections were detected in the faecolith specimens. Moreover, Enterobious vermicularis adult female and Schistosoma mansoni granuloma were detected in histopathological sections. Also, a spectrum of pathological changes in the appendices was found ranging from lymphoid hyperplasia to acute inflammation with peritonitis. In conclusion, intestinal parasites may cause clinical picture similar to that of acute appendicitis. Therefore, careful attention to clinical history, stool examination and high eosinophilia may aid diagnosis and avoid unnecessary appendectomy. Moreover, the presence of different parasitic stages in the narrow lumen of the appendix may have a role in the development of appendicitis and this needs further studies.

Prevalence of parasitic infections in surgically removed appendices: parasitological and histopathological studies

Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine

Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Intestinal parasites may cause symptoms similar to acute appendicitis. Moreover, the diagnosis of parasitic infections is only done by post-operative...

Prevalence of parasitic infections in surgically removed appendices: parasitological and histopathological studies

Published Online: Jan 27, 2018

Page range: 33 - 44

Received: Jun 26, 2017

Accepted: Nov 15, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/helm-2017-0056

Keywords
appendicitis, immunochromatographic test, intestinal parasites, appendiceal faecolith

© 2018 A. S. Amer et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Prevalence of parasitic infections in surgically removed appendices: parasitological and histopathological studies

Published Online: Jan 27, 2018

Page range: 33 - 44

Received: Jun 26, 2017

Accepted: Nov 15, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/helm-2017-0056

Keywordsappendicitis, immunochromatographic test, intestinal parasites, appendiceal faecolith

© 2018 A. S. Amer et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
appendicitis, immunochromatographic test, intestinal parasites, appendiceal faecolith