مقالات پذیرفته شده در هشتمین کنگره بین المللی زیست پزشکی
Investigating the co-infection of lophomoniasis and tuberculosis
Investigating the co-infection of lophomoniasis and tuberculosis
Farshid Fathabadi,1,*
1. Laboratory Science Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Science, Iran, Gorgan
Introduction: Respiratory tract infections are seen worldwide both in the immune-compromised and immune-competent people. However, they can also have different causes, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. Meanwhile, we examine two of the most important microorganisms that cause this infection. Among the parasites, Lophomonas Blattarum is a relatively new pathogen involving both the upper and lower human respiratory tract. The first infection with L. Blattarum was reported in China in 1993. This pear-shaped multi-flagellate protozoan lives commensally in the intestines of insects such as cockroaches. It is transmitted by aerosols released from their feces in the air in which humans breathe. The symptoms of the disease are very similar to other respiratory infections, such as tuberculosis, and include fever, shortness of breath, chronic cough, chest pain, and sputum secretion. Conversely, Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a well-known bacterium that causes tuberculosis. It affects more than 10 million people every year. Although the main site of this bacterium is the human respiratory system, it can also involve other body organs.
Methods: The current study is a review, and its documents were collected by searching the keywords "Lophomonas," "Tuberculosis," and "Respiratory" in "PubMed," "Scopus," and "Google Scholar" databases. The search period was set between 2015 and 2024. From 25 articles obtained in the search results and after studying them, 15 articles with the slightest relevance to the research topic were eliminated. Among the remaining articles, ten articles with a detailed relationship with the topic were scrutinized, and their results were extracted.
Results: Some studies stated that despite confirming Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in the initial phase of diagnosing, with further investigations, the involvement of the patients with L. Blattarum with relevant laboratory methods, including observing unstained smear of respiratory secretions (bronchoalveolar, sputum, bronchial aspirates) was confirmed by light microscopy and PCR technique. The final diagnosis was announced as a co-infection of tuberculosis and lophomoniasis [3, 4]. A study reported lophomonas infection in people with normal immunity more than those with immunodeficiency. According to a recent study, most patients showed no change in blood eosinophil levels, making eosinophilia an unreliable criterion for diagnosing lophomonas. However, antibiotic resistance in patients with tuberculosis can lead physicians to investigate the presence of lophomonas infection in these patients. In several studies, a significant percentage of suspected tuberculosis patients were diagnosed with Lophomoniasis, and their laboratory results were negative for TB.
Conclusion: Lophomonas is not a saprophyte pathogen and has shown a high infection rate in healthy individuals. Considering the common symptoms of tuberculosis and lophomoniasis, it is recommended that besides examining patients for bacterial infections, including TB, the possibility of lophomonas is also considered, and relevant laboratory tests should be performed on patients to detect this parasite and ensure accurate diagnosis and better treatment outcomes.