OBJECTIVES This study investigated whether the novel St. Thomas' Hospital polarizing cardioplegic solution (STH-POL) with esmolol/adenosine/magnesium offers improved myocardial protection by reducing demands for high-energy phosphates during cardiac arrest compared to the depolarizing St. Thomas' Hospital cardioplegic solution No 2 (STH-2). METHODS Twenty anaesthetised pigs on tepid cardiopu...

BACKGROUND Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infect more than 2 billion humans worldwide, causing significant morbidity in children. There are few data on the epidemiology and risk factors for infection in pre-school children. To investigate risk factors for infection in early childhood, we analysed data prospectively collected in the ECUAVIDA birth cohort in Ecuador. METHODS AND FINDINGS Chil...

BACKGROUND Mass drug administration (MDA) for lymphatic filariasis (LF) programs has delivered more than 2 billion treatments of albendazole, in combination with either ivermectin or diethylcarbamazine, to communities co-endemic for soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH), reducing the prevalence of both diseases. A transmission assessment survey (TAS) is recommended to determine if MDA for LF can...

Somatotropic hormone (STH) administration accelerated the rate of gain of body weight in normal rats, and effectively neutralized the inhibitory effect of hypoxia on gain in body weight. STH administration caused a nonsignificant reduction in the incidence of bacterial endocarditis. STH had no detectable effect upon the usual hypertrophy of the adrenal glands and cardiac ventricles resulting fr...

BACKGROUND In order to increase the efficient allocation of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) disease control resources in the Philippines, we aimed to describe for the first time the spatial variation in the prevalence of A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura and hookworm across the country, quantify the association between the physical environment and spatial variation of STH infection and develop pred...

BACKGROUND Chronic soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are associated with effects on systemic immune responses that could be caused by alterations in immune homeostasis. To investigate this, we measured the impact in children of STH infections on cytokine responses and gene expression in unstimulated blood. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Sixty children were classified as having chroni...

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections affect persons living in areas with poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Preschool-aged children (PSAC) and school-aged children (SAC) are disproportionately affected by STH infections. We aimed to identify WASH factors associated with STH infection among PSAC and SAC in Kibera, Kenya. In 2012, households containing a PSAC or SAC were randomly s...

BACKGROUND Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are a public health problem in resource-limited settings worldwide. Chronic STH infection impairs optimum learning and productivity, contributing to the perpetuation of the poverty-disease cycle. Regular massive drug administration (MDA) is the cardinal recommendation for its control; along with water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) intervent...

Almost one-quarter of the world's population is infected with soil-transmitted helminths (STH). We conducted a study to determine the prevalence and location of STH-Ascaris, Trichuris, and hookworm spp.-egg contamination in soil within rural household plots in Kenya. Field staff collected soil samples from July to September 2014 from the house entrance and the latrine entrance of households in ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW With the London Declaration on neglected tropical disease (NTD), we are entering a new era of combating NTDs. However, the worldwide prospects of increased mass drug administration (MDA) treatments warrant caution on the development of anthelmintic resistance. In this review, we discuss the practical implications of MDA programs on the development of anthelmintic resistance in...