Ultrasonography in a Senegalese Community Recently Exposed to Schistosoma mansoni Infection

Schistosoma mansoni infection in a recently exposed community in Senegal: lack of correlation between liver morphology in ultrasound and connective tissue metabolites in serum

“…A previous study conducted about 3 years earlier in the same village had found no severe hepatosplenic pathology at all and only mild to moderate periportal thickening (Kardorff et al 1996;Yazdanpanah et al 1997), which indicates that a proportion of patients developed severe hepatosplenic pathology in the three year-period between the two studies. The prevalence of HBsAg, antiHBc-and HCV-serum antibodies was similar in patients with and without fibrosis as detected by ultrasound, indicating that chronic hepatitis is not responsible for fibrosis in this population.…”

“…Two publications on the 1993 findings in Ndombo (Kardorff et al 1996;Yazdanpanah et al 1997) give no data on ultrasound findings according to the Managil classification, although both studies were performed by the authors of this classification system. Cairo classification data can be drawn from a table in Kardorff et al (1996) which shows the interobserver variance in measurements.…”

“…Cairo classification data can be drawn from a table in Kardorff et al (1996) which shows the interobserver variance in measurements. According to this table, in 190 persons one observer saw no grade 0 case at all, while another found 8.…”

“…This system is based on measurements of the diameters of peripheral portal branches, without clearly defining where to measure the peripheral portal branches and without taking into consideration age or height of the patients. As could be expected, interobserver variation for the distinction of low level periportal fibrosis seems to be rather high (Doehring-Schwerdtfeger et al 1992;Kardorff et al 1996) and suggestions for a modification of the Cairo classification were made (Nooman et al 1995;Boisier et al 1995;Lanuit et al 1996;Kardorff et al 1997;Yazdanpanah et al 1997;Gerspacher-Lara et al 1997).…”

“…Most of the inhabitants are ethnic Wolofs. A previous ultrasonographical study had been performed in Ndombo in September-October 1993 (Kardorff et al 1996;Yazdanpanah et al 1997).…”