INTRODUCTIONStrongyloidiasis is one of the most commonly neglected but clinically important parasitic infections worldwide, especially among immunocompromised patients. Evidence of infection among immunocompromised patients in Malaysia is, however, lacking. In this study, microscopy, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were used to detect Strongyloides stercoralis (S. stercoralis) infection among cancer patients in a Malaysian hospital.

METHODSA total of 192 stool and serum samples were collected from cancer patients who were receiving chemotherapy with or without steroid treatment at a hospital in northeastern Malaysia. Stool samples were examined for S. stercoralis using parasitological methods and real-time PCR. Serology by ELISA was performed to detect parasite-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgG4 and immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. For comparison, IgG4- and IgG-ELISAs were also performed on the sera of 150 healthy individuals from the same area.

RESULTSOf the 192 samples examined, 1 (0.5%) sample was positive for S. stercoralis by microscopy, 3 (1.6%) by real-time PCR, 8 (4.2%) by IgG-ELISA, 6 (3.1%) by IgG4-ELISA, and none was positive by IgE-ELISA. In comparison, healthy blood donors had significantly lower prevalence of parasite-specific IgG (2.67%, p < 0.05) and IgG4 (2.67%, p < 0.05) responses.

CONCLUSIONThis study showed that laboratory testing may be considered as a diagnostic investigation for S. stercoralis among immunocompromised cancer patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Animals ; Antibodies, Helminth ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Malaysia ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms ; complications ; parasitology ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Strongyloides stercoralis ; Strongyloidiasis ; blood ; complications ; diagnosis ; Young Adult

Sickle cell disease in Malay ethnicity is uncommon, with few cases been reported only in Malaysian Indians. Detecting sickle haemoglobin in patients with osteoarticular manifestation is not as simple as those with haemolysis crisis, due to its extremely low incidence in this country. We hereby report a case of a 19-year-old Malay female who presented with a long-standing history of disabling movement of both hip joints, intermittent painful swollen right elbow, and chronic back pain. Imaging investigations revealed features of chronic osteomyelitis and avascular necrosis while blood investigations demonstrated features of mild normochromic normocytic anaemia and extravascular haemolysis. Further blood smear and haemoglobin analysis eventually confirmed the presence of homozygous sickle haemoglobin manifesting as sickle cell anaemia. Our case has highlighted the importance of prompt identification and thorough evaluation of the cause of anaemia in a patient with disabling chronic osteoarticular problem.