Research and Reports in Tropical Medicine (Sep 2021)
A Review on Strongyloidiasis in Pregnant Women
Abstract
Philip Wikman-Jorgensen,1 Ana Requena-Méndez,2,3 Jara Llenas-García4,5 1Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitario San Juan de Alicante-FISABIO, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain; 2Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clinic-Universitat de Barcelona), Barcelona, Spain; 3Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 4Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Vega Baja-FISABIO, Alicante, Spain; 5Clinical Medicine Department, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Elche, SpainCorrespondence: Philip Wikman-JorgensenHospital Universitario San Juan de Alicante-FISABIO, Internal Medicine Department, Ctra N-332 s/n, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, SpainEmail [email protected]: Strongyloidiasis is a parasitic infection distributed worldwide, with an estimated 614 million people infected. Strongyloidiasis usually presents asymptomatically or with aspecific and mild clinical symptoms, mainly cutaneous, respiratory, or gastrointestinal. Disseminated disease and hyperinfection syndrome are the most serious complications, have a high mortality rate, usually occur in immunosuppressed patients, and are particularly associated with the use of corticosteroids. Strongyloidiasis is the most neglected of the neglected diseases, and its occurrence in pregnancy has been neglected and understudied. In this review, we focus on the effects of strongyloidiasis during pregnancy and highlight the knowledge shortage and the need for more research on the subject. There are few studies addressing strongyloidiasis prevalence during pregnancy and hyperinfection incidence during pregnancy is practically unknown, with only isolated case reports published. Although data are scarce, the infection has been associated with developmental disabilities and anemia during pregnancy, while hyperinfection may cause both maternal and neonatal death. Data on the best screening and diagnostic strategies during pregnancy are lacking. There is insufficient evidence on ivermectin safety in pregnancy, complicating treatment recommendations.Keywords: strongyloides, pregnancy, hyperinfection, anemia, stillbirth
