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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Characterisation of inflammatory response, coagulation, and radiological findings in Katayama fever: A report of three cases at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria
BMC Infectious Diseases, Volume 14, No. 1, Article 357, Year 2014
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Description
Background: Katayama fever is an acute clinical condition characterised by high fever, dry cough and general malaise occurring during early Schistosoma spp. infection. It is predominantly reported in travellers from non-endemic regions. Whereas the immunological response to Schistosoma infection is well characterised, alterations in inflammatory markers and coagulation in response to acute infection are poorly understood.Methods: Here we report the clinical, laboratory and radiological characteristics of three returning travellers with Katayama fever. Inflammatory markers and coagulation status were assessed repeatedly during follow-up to characterise the host response to infection. Radiographic findings were correlated with clinical and laboratory markers.Results: Clinical symptoms were suggestive of a significant inflammatory response in all patients including high fever (>39°C), cough, and general malaise. Classical inflammatory markers including blood sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and serum amyloid A were only moderately elevated. Marked eosinophilia (33-42% of white blood cells) was observed and persisted despite anti-inflammatory and anthelminthic treatment for up to 32 weeks. Analysis of blood coagulation markers indicated increased coagulability reflected by elevated D-dimer values (0.57-1.17 μg/ml) and high thrombin generating potentials (peak thrombin activity: 311-384 nM). One patient showed particularly high levels of microparticle-associated tissue factor activity at initial presentation (1.64 pg/ml). Multiple pulmonary and hepatic opacities demonstrated by computed tomography (CT) scanning were associated with raised inflammatory markers in one patient.Conclusions: The characterisation of the inflammatory response, blood coagulation parameters and radiological findings in three patients adds to our current understanding of Katayama fever and serves as a starting point for further systematic investigations of the pathophysiology of this acute helminthic infection. © 2014 Lagler et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Authors & Co-Authors
Lagler, Heimo
Austria, Vienna
Medizinische Universität Wien
Ay, Cihan
Austria, Vienna
Medizinische Universität Wien
Waneck, Fredrik
Austria, Vienna
Medizinische Universität Wien
Gattringer, Rainer
Unknown Affiliation
Graninger, Wolfgang
Austria, Vienna
Medizinische Universität Wien
Ramharter, Michael
Austria, Vienna
Medizinische Universität Wien
Germany, Tubingen
Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
Statistics
Citations: 4
Authors: 6
Affiliations: 2
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1186/1471-2334-14-357
ISSN:
14712334
Research Areas
Health System And Policy
Study Design
Cohort Study