Abstract
We provide an update on diagnostic methods for the detection of urogenital schistosomiasis (UGS) in men and highlight that satisfactory urine-antigen diagnostics for UGS lag much behind that for intestinal schistosomiasis, where application of a urine-based point-of-care strip assay, the circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) test, is now advocated. Making specific reference to male genital schistosomiasis (MGS), we place greater emphasis on parasitological detection methods and clinical assessment of internal genitalia with ultrasonography. Unlike the advances made in defining a clinical standard protocol for female genital schistosomiasis, MGS remains inadequately defined. Whilst urine filtration with microscopic examination for ova of Schistosoma haematobium is a convenient but error-prone proxy of MGS, we describe a novel low-cost sampling and direct visualization method for the enumeration of ova in semen. Using exemplar clinical cases of MGS from our longitudinal cohort study among fishermen along the shoreline of Lake Malawi, the portfolio of diagnostic needs is appraised including: the use of symptomatology questionnaires, urine analysis (egg count and CCA measurement), semen analysis (egg count, circulating anodic antigen measurement and real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis) alongside clinical assessment with portable ultrasonography.
Highlights
Schistosomiasis remains a prevalent neglected tropical disease (NTD) in low and middle-income countries of tropical and sub-tropical regions (Colley et al, 2014; McManus et al, 2018)
Genital tissue biopsy and ultrasonography can be applied as diagnostic tools relevant in diagnosing male genital schistosomiasis (MGS) through observation of pathologies associated with the disease in the absence of other genital diseases, which have successfully been studied and reported (Leutscher et al, 2008b)
With no information about the burden of MGS on the south shoreline of Lake Malawi in Mangochi District, our research study set out to determine the current prevalence and morbidity of MGS among local fishermen on the shoreline and the potential risk of raised HIV transmission through viral load shedding in semen
Summary
Cite this article: Kayuni S A et al (2019). How can schistosome circulating antigen assays be best applied for diagnosing male genital schistosomiasis (MGS): an appraisal using exemplar MGS cases from a longitudinal cohort study among fishermen on the south shoreline of Lake Malawi.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
