Estudo da associação entre diabetes mellitus e a infecção pelo Strongyloides stercoralis

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the frequency of Strongyloides stercoralis infection in diabetic patients and in a control group. A total 78 diabetic patients with a mean age of 54.1± 11.9 years and 42 Controls (mean age 53,9± 10.9 years) from the endocrinology ambulatory of the Federal University of Uberlândia were evaluated. For strongyloidiasis diagnosis, Baermann-Moraes and Hoffman methods were used ín three fecal samples from each subject. For immunological diagnosis, the indirect immunofluorescence, ELISA and Western Blotting methods were used, with saline extracts from S. stercoralis to IgG dosage. The frequency of S. stercoralis infection in diabetics was 23% and 7.1% in the control group (p<0.05). The odds-ratio for diabetics was 3.9 (Cl, 3,2-11,6, p<0,05). There was an agreement between the immunological methods used for the diagnosis in up to 70% of cases in both groups. Diabetic patients with good metabolic control were at a small risk for S. stercoralis infection (OR.O.5, P>0.05). The frequency of S. stercoralis infection is higher in diabetic patients than it is in the Controls and stool examination alone is poorly sensitive in diagnosing cronic assintomatic patients. Once there are related cases of disseminated strongyloidiasis in diabetics and there is a higher frequency of assintomatic presentation of the infection in this group, the immunological screening of these patients at risk, could be an important clue for therapeutic decision.