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Diagnosis of human fascioliasis in Arusha region, northern Tanzania by microscopy and clinical manifestations in patients

Overview of attention for article published in BMC Infectious Diseases, December 2015
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  • Above-average Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age (51st percentile)
  • Above-average Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age and source (53rd percentile)

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Title
Diagnosis of human fascioliasis in Arusha region, northern Tanzania by microscopy and clinical manifestations in patients
Published in
BMC Infectious Diseases, December 2015
DOI 10.1186/s12879-015-1326-9
Pubmed ID
Authors

Abdul-Hamid Settenda Lukambagire, Deborah N. Mchaile, Mramba Nyindo

Abstract

Human fascioliasis (HF) is a zoonotic disease that has been identified in many countries worldwide. This report concerns the identification and clinical management of cases of human fascioliasis in the suburbs of Arusha city, northern Tanzania in 2013. Fascioliasis is included among the WHO's Neglected Tropical Diseases as a plant transmitted trematode infection. Human fascioliasis has not been described before in the East Africa region, including Tanzania. Patients presenting at a primary healthcare centre in Arusha Region, northern Tanzania provided fresh stool samples for routine ova and parasite screening (saline and iodine preparations). Subsequent stool samples were preserved in 5 % formalin in saline and subjected to ether sedimentation for examination. Out of 1460 patients, 305 (21 %) were diagnosed positive for fascioliasis based on the demonstration of brownish, oval eggs with inconspicuous opercula in stool. Two distinct egg sizes were identified; large 170-212.5 by 115-150 μm (mean 194.5 by 130.5 μm) and smaller eggs 120-150 by 87.5 - 112.5 μm (mean 138.8 by 101 μm). Clinically, patients presented with fever (39 - 40 °C) and abdominal pain. Some patients had pruritis around the mouth and their lips were swollen. 3 patients were treated and cured with single dose Triclabendazole. The remaining 302 patients were treated with Nitazoxanide and 122 (40 %) were cleared of infection with a single course. Snails of the genus Lymnaea were found in the surroundings. This report serves to remind medical professionals in East Africa that HF is a probable differential diagnosis in patients presenting with similar symptoms. It is possible to diagnose fascioliasis by light microscopy although specific antigen tests are required for confirmation. Human fascioliasis however, has not been described or reported in Tanzania before and begs further investigation.

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The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 4 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 45 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 45 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Master 9 20%
Student > Bachelor 8 18%
Student > Doctoral Student 4 9%
Professor > Associate Professor 4 9%
Researcher 3 7%
Other 7 16%
Unknown 10 22%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Medicine and Dentistry 10 22%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences 8 18%
Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine 5 11%
Nursing and Health Professions 4 9%
Immunology and Microbiology 4 9%
Other 4 9%
Unknown 10 22%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 06 January 2016.
All research outputs
#13,377,574
of 22,836,570 outputs
Outputs from BMC Infectious Diseases
#3,292
of 7,682 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#186,305
of 390,595 outputs
Outputs of similar age from BMC Infectious Diseases
#51
of 113 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 22,836,570 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 41st percentile – i.e., 41% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 7,682 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 9.6. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 56% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 390,595 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 51% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 113 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 53% of its contemporaries.