title: Four clusters of Trichostrongylus infection diagnosed in a single center, in Italy.
abstract: Trichostrongylus spp. are parasites that are seldom recognized as a cause of eosinophilia and gastroenteric symptoms in industrialized countries. The index of suspicion raises when several members of a same household present eosinophilia. We report four clusters of Trichostrongylus infection diagnosed in a single center, in northern Italy. Patients came from four different provinces of three Italian Regions. Some patients presented symptoms (abdominal pain and diarrhea were the most frequent ones, reported by 67 and 42% of our patients, respectively), while other were asymptomatic. All of them presented eosinophilia, that was severe (>5000 eosinophils/mmc) in 58% cases. Obtaining an accurate history from patients, investigating possible ingestion of vegetables contaminated by organic manure or sheep dejections, is particularly important to achieve diagnosis, also in light of the low sensitivity of parasitological tests.
authors: Centre for Tropical Diseases, Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, Via Don Sempreboni 5, 37024, Negrar, Verona, Italy. dora.buonfrate@sacrocuore.it.
authors: Dora
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0108-6822
authors: D
authors: Buonfrate
authors: Centre for Tropical Diseases, Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, Via Don Sempreboni 5, 37024, Negrar, Verona, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Angheben
authors: Centre for Tropical Diseases, Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, Via Don Sempreboni 5, 37024, Negrar, Verona, Italy.
authors: Federico
authors: F
authors: Gobbi
authors: Centre for Tropical Diseases, Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, Via Don Sempreboni 5, 37024, Negrar, Verona, Italy.
authors: Manuela
authors: M
authors: Mistretta
authors: Centre for Tropical Diseases, Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, Via Don Sempreboni 5, 37024, Negrar, Verona, Italy.
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: Degani
authors: Centre for Tropical Diseases, Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, Via Don Sempreboni 5, 37024, Negrar, Verona, Italy.
authors: Zeno
authors: Z
authors: Bisoffi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D014253:Trichostrongylosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D014254:Trichostrongylus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Eosinophilia; Helminth infection; Italy; Trichostrongylus