Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39325355›Full record

ArticleInfection2025

A new human opisthorchiasis outbreak in central Italy: a never-ending story.

Chiara Papalini, Maria Angeles Gómez-Morales, Alessandra Mercuri, Elisa Stolaj, Maria Grazia Brancaleoni, Igino Fusco Moffa, Giovanni Lo Vaglio, Alessandra Ludovisi, Gianluca Marucci, Daniela Francisci

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Infection, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. New Findings on the Hosts and Distribution ofPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Chiara Papalini *Infectious Diseases Clinic, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, University of Perugia, Piazzale Gambuli 1, Perugia, 06100, Italy. chiara.papalini@ospedale.perugia.it.
Maria Angeles Gómez-Morales *Department of Infectious Diseases, European Union Reference Laboratory for Parasites, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.
Alessandra MercuriInfectious Diseases Clinic, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, University of Perugia, Piazzale Gambuli 1, Perugia, 06100, Italy.
Elisa StolajInfectious Diseases Clinic, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, University of Perugia, Piazzale Gambuli 1, Perugia, 06100, Italy.
Maria Grazia BrancaleoniDepartment of Prevention, Travel Medicine Unit, Local Health Unit Umbria 1, Perugia, Italy.
Igino Fusco MoffaDepartment of Prevention, Travel Medicine Unit, Local Health Unit Umbria 1, Perugia, Italy.
Giovanni Lo VaglioDepartment of Prevention, Hygiene of food of animal origin, Local Health Unit Umbria 1, Trasimeno area, Panicale, Perugia, Italy.
Alessandra LudovisiDepartment of Infectious Diseases, European Union Reference Laboratory for Parasites, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.
Gianluca MarucciDepartment of Infectious Diseases, European Union Reference Laboratory for Parasites, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.
Daniela FrancisciInfectious Diseases Clinic, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, University of Perugia, Piazzale Gambuli 1, Perugia, 06100, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeOpisthorchis felineus is a trematode causing a foodborne infection transmitted by raw freshwater fish belonging to Cyprinidae family. Human outbreaks in Italy dated back to 2003-2011 and involved lakes of Central Italy. The aim of this study is to report epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the human opisthorchiasis outbreak occurred in Central Italy in 2022 comparing it with previous events.

methodsWe report cases diagnosed from June to December 2022 in Perugia hospital thanks to serological and molecular tests and direct examination of feces.

resultsSixty-seven individuals were traced back by epidemiological investigation. Forty-seven received a diagnosis of opisthorchiasis, of which 45 were confirmed cases and two were considered as probable cases. These 47 individuals attended a Trasimeno lakeshore restaurant in May 2022. All but 20 presented symptoms, mostly fever. Sixteen (15 confirmed and 1 probable) cases required hospitalization. Feces examination revealed Opisthorchis spp. eggs in 35/45 (78%) confirmed cases. Thirty individuals underwent to serology and molecular stool test: 5 (16.7%) results positive to the former, 1 (3.3%) to the latter while 4 (13.3%) to both. Laboratory tests, available in 28 patients, showed eosinophilia in 82.1%, increase of alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase and alkaline phosphatase in 64.3%, 75% and 67.9%, respectively. Because of pharmacy shortage of praziquantel, 22 patients were treated with albendazole, of which 13 failed clearing the parasite.

conclusionOpisthorchiasis still represents a challenging diagnosis, in particular for asymptomatic patients. Albendazole may lead to treatment failure. Control measures in known endemic areas should be implemented.

trial registrationnumber 27,498/23/ON, approved by Ethical Committee of Umbrian Region in 09.13.2023.

Indexed as

Disease OutbreaksOpisthorchiasisOpisthorchisAdolescentAdultAgedAnimalsAnthelminticsChildFecesFemaleHumansItalyMaleMiddle AgedPraziquantelAnthelminticsPraziquantelCholestasisEosinophiliaOpisthorchisPraziquantelTrematodeZoonosis

Identifiers

PMID39325355
PMCPMC11825536

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.