1/11. An outbreak of acute eosinophilic myositis attributed to human sarcocystis parasitism. Seven members of a 15-man U.S. military team that had operated in rural malaysia developed an acute illness consisting of fever, myalgias, bronchospasm, fleeting pruritic rashes, transient lymphadenopathy, and subcutaneous nodules associated with eosinophilia, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and elevated levels of muscle creatinine kinase. Sarcocysts of an unidentified sarcocystis species were found in skeletal muscle biopsies of the index case. albendazole ameliorated symptoms in the index case; however, his symptoms persisted for more than 5 years. Symptoms in 5 other men were mild to moderate and self-limited, and 1 team member with laboratory abnormalities was asymptomatic. Of 8 team members tested for antibody to sarcocystis, 6 were positive; of 4 with the eosinophilic myositis syndrome who were tested, all were positive. We attribute this outbreak of eosinophilic myositis to accidental tissue parasitism by sarcocystis. ( info) |
| Intramural masses were resected from jejunum and ileocecal portion of a 49-year-old, female patient with partial gut obstruction. Histopathological examination indicated the masses to be tumorous eosinophilic enterocolitis. Recent and late development phases of sarcocystis in relation to bradyzoite infection have been observed and considered to be responsible for eosinophilic inflammation. Concomitant intestinal actinomycosis, known to produce tumorous lesion without eosinophilia, appears as an attractive natural model in producing tumorous eosinophilic enterocolitis. Pertaining to parasitic development, it is suggested that persisting sporulated oocyst may undergo spontaneous excystation in the host's intestinal wall, along with complex sporogony. ( info) |
| Three cases of muscular sarcocystosis from West malaysia are reported. The morphological features of the parasites from these three cases are similar to the eight cases previously reported from this country. A review of this total of eleven cases of muscular sarcocystosis showed that they were all incidental findings, where man acted as intermediate hosts of as yet unknown sarcocystis spp. These cases of muscular sarcocystosis were probably zoonotic in origin and associated with close contact with definitive hosts (both domestic and wild animals) thus permitting the contamination of food and drink with sporocysts shed by these definitive hosts. These infections were probably acquired locally as most of the subjects were born in malaysia and none had ever left the country to stay elsewhere. Eight of the eleven cases reported were associated with malignancies, especially of the tongue and nasopharynx. ( info) |
| A 31-year-old man with fatigue and muscle aches was found to have protozoan cysts within the most painful muscle upon microscopic examination of biopsy material. Electron microscopic studies revealed the ultrastructural characteristics of the cysts to conform to those of the genus sarcocystis. This report represents the first ultrastructural study of human tissue infection with sarcocystis, which may be a rare cause of muscle aching in humans. ( info) |
5/11. sarcocystosis in man: a report of two cases. Two cases of sarcocystis infestation in living humans are reported. Both presented with discharging sinuses; one on the lower extremity, the other gluteal. Microscopical examination of excised sinus tissue revealed characteristic cysts of the parasite. In none of the cases was the parasite's presence previously suspected. The significance of this parasite is discussed in relationship to these and previously reported cases. ( info) |
6/11. Necrotizing vasculitis and sarcocystis: a cause-and-effect relationship? We have described a patient with an unusual infection with sarcocystis and a necrotizing vasculitis with subcutaneous nodules, and have discussed the possibility of a cause-and-effect relationship between these two entities and the available diagnostic methods and therapeutic measures. ( info) |
7/11. Human intestinal sarcosporidiosis: report of six cases. Specimens of resected small intestine from six patients aged 3 to 70 years with acute enteritis contained sexual forms of sarcosporidia. Histopathologically, the diagnoses were either segmental eosinophilic enteritis or segmental necrotizing enteritis. The presence of sarcosporidia in market beef (Bos indicus), and the patients' habit of eating the beef uncooked in the form of chili-hot dishes, suggest that the species is an ox-man parasite similar to sarcocystis hominis (Railliet and Lucet, 1891) Dubey, 1976. Presence of numerous Gram-positive bacilli in segmental necrotizing enteritis suggests an interplay between two etiological agents in producing the hosts' inflammatory responses. Five patients recovered after resection, but one died due to extensive necrosis of the intestinal wall and leakage at the site of anastomosis. Only conventional antibiotics were given after the operations. None of the five surviving patients has had recurrent enteritis for at least 1 year. ( info) |
| Muscle sarcocystosis is a parasitic infection acquired by ingestion of sporocysts of sarcocystis species. A case is described where symptoms of fever, chronic myositis and eosinophilia were present. diagnosis was made via muscle biopsy. Improvement and cure coincided with treatment with cotrimoxazole. A limited review of human muscle sarcocystosis and an outline of the gaps in the knowledge of this infection is presented. ( info) |
| The second case of sarcocystis infection in man is reported from an aborigine girl. It was an incidental finding at autopsy and two cysts were seen in the muscle of the oropharyngeal region. The cysts and zoites were similar to those in the previous case reported from malaysia. ( info) |
| The first case of sarcocystis infection is reported from West malaysia. A cyst was seen as an incidental finding in a biopsy specimen from the larynx of the patient. The cyst and the cystozoites were of the small size with no evidence of cytophaneres or compartments. ( info) |