Culicoides paraensis (Goeldi) (Diptera: Ceratoponidae) is considered the primary vector of Oropouche virus (Orthobunyavirus, Peribunyaviridae) in the American Tropics. Here, we report the first record of C. paraensis in Cuba, during the first known outbreak of Oropouche fever outside its endemic range in the Amazon region. Using human landing catches, we collected 98 specimens of C. paraensis in three Cuban provinces (Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos, and Havana), where Oropouche fever had been documented in humans. This species was not captured using various traps deployed at the sampling sites (BG-Sentinel, New Jersey traps, and CDC light traps), which may explain why C. paraensis had not been previously reported in Cuba. In North America, C. paraensis develops in wet treeholes, while in tropical regions, it uses cacao husks and banana stumps as larval habitats. However, the specific larval development sites for this species in Cuba are unknown. The capture of adult female C. paraensis in areas of active Oropouche virus circulation suggests their involvement in virus transmission in Cuba.
{"title":"First report of Culicoides paraensis (Goeldi, 1905) (Diptera: Ceratoponidae) in Cuba: A new challenge for public health","authors":"Yanet Martínez Pérez , Ariamys Companioni Ibáñez , Zulema Menéndez Díaz , Eric Camacho Acosta , Mónica Sánchez González , Nell Cox García , Quenia del Rosario Casanova Drake , Gladys Gutierrez-Bugallo","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00423","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00423","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Culicoides paraensis</em> (Goeldi) (Diptera: Ceratoponidae) is considered the primary vector of Oropouche virus (Orthobunyavirus, Peribunyaviridae) in the American Tropics. Here, we report the first record of <em>C. paraensis</em> in Cuba, during the first known outbreak of Oropouche fever outside its endemic range in the Amazon region. Using human landing catches, we collected 98 specimens of <em>C. paraensis</em> in three Cuban provinces (Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos, and Havana), where Oropouche fever had been documented in humans. This species was not captured using various traps deployed at the sampling sites (BG-Sentinel, New Jersey traps, and CDC light traps), which may explain why <em>C. paraensis</em> had not been previously reported in Cuba. In North America, <em>C. paraensis</em> develops in wet treeholes, while in tropical regions, it uses cacao husks and banana stumps as larval habitats. However, the specific larval development sites for this species in Cuba are unknown. The capture of adult female <em>C. paraensis</em> in areas of active Oropouche virus circulation suggests their involvement in virus transmission in Cuba.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article e00423"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143724044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Malaria and schistosomiasis are two parasite illnesses that share transmission sites in distinct tropical climates. Malaria-schistosomiasis coinfection is widespread in Africa. Also, malaria and Schistosoma mansoni coinfection cause exacerbation of health consequences and co-morbidities. However, there is limited pooled data on the prevalence of malaria and Schistosoma mansoni coinfection in sub-Saharan Africa.
Objective
This systemic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence of malaria and Schistosoma mansoni coinfection in sub-Saharan Africa.
Method
Systematic search on PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Science Direct was used to identify relevant studies following reviews and meta-analysis guidelines. A total of eighteen relevant articles on the prevalence of malaria and Schistosoma mansoni coinfection were identified for final systematic review and meta-analysis. Extracted data was analyzed using STATA software version 17.0. The absence or presence of publication bias was assessed using Egger's test. Heterogeneity across studies was checked by I2 statistics; if the I2 value was ≥50 %, significant heterogeneity was considered and subgroup analysis was done.
Results
A total of 18 studies were included for this systematic review and meta-analysis. From this meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence of malaria and Schistosoma mansoni coinfection was 17.39 % (95 % CI: 5.94–28.84). There was significant heterogeneity in prevalence of coinfection, with I2 values greater than or equal to 99.97 % at P = 0.00. The subgroup analysis based on year of publication showed that the pooled prevalence of malaria and Schistosoma mansoni coinfection in studies conducted 2014–2018 was 20.73 % (95 % CI: 0.66–40.80), while it was 14.68 % (95 % CI: 1.02–28.34) in studies conducted 2019–2024. On the other hand, subgroup analysis on diagnostic techniques showed significant differences in the pooled prevalence of malaria and Schistosoma mansoni coinfection.
Conclusions
This systematic review and meta-analysis showed that malaria and Schistosoma mansoni coinfection are prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa.This highlights the region's major challenges in controlling malaria and Schistosoma mansoni coinfections.To ensure the efficiency of coinfections control and treatment, regular monitoring, identification, and reduction of the prevalence of malaria and Schistosoma mansoni coinfection must be maintained. Furthermore, cooperative efforts at local, countrywide, and global levels are necessary to address the multifaceted factors causal to malaria-S.mansoni coinfection.
{"title":"Prevalence of malaria and Schistosoma mansoni coinfection in sub Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Wagaw Abebe , Birhanu Kassanew , Tadesse Misganaw , Agenagnew Ashagre , Getinet Kumie , Marye Nigatie , Yalewayker Gashaw , Ephrem Tamrat , Dagmawi Woldesenbet , Alembante Bazezew","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00422","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00422","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Malaria and schistosomiasis are two parasite illnesses that share transmission sites in distinct tropical climates. Malaria-schistosomiasis coinfection is widespread in Africa. Also, malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection cause exacerbation of health consequences and co-morbidities. However, there is limited pooled data on the prevalence of malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection in sub-Saharan Africa.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This systemic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence of malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection in sub-Saharan Africa.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Systematic search on PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Science Direct was used to identify relevant studies following reviews and meta-analysis guidelines. A total of eighteen relevant articles on the prevalence of malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection were identified for final systematic review and meta-analysis. Extracted data was analyzed using STATA software version 17.0. The absence or presence of publication bias was assessed using Egger's test. Heterogeneity across studies was checked by I<sup>2</sup> statistics; if the I<sup>2</sup> value was ≥50 %, significant heterogeneity was considered and subgroup analysis was done.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 18 studies were included for this systematic review and meta-analysis. From this meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence of malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection was 17.39 % (95 % CI: 5.94–28.84). There was significant heterogeneity in prevalence of coinfection, with I<sup>2</sup> values greater than or equal to 99.97 % at <em>P</em> = 0.00. The subgroup analysis based on year of publication showed that the pooled prevalence of malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection in studies conducted 2014–2018 was 20.73 % (95 % CI: 0.66–40.80), while it was 14.68 % (95 % CI: 1.02–28.34) in studies conducted 2019–2024. On the other hand, subgroup analysis on diagnostic techniques showed significant differences in the pooled prevalence of malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This systematic review and meta-analysis showed that malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection are prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa.This highlights the region's major challenges in controlling malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfections.To ensure the efficiency of coinfections control and treatment, regular monitoring, identification, and reduction of the prevalence of malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection must be maintained. Furthermore, cooperative efforts at local, countrywide, and global levels are necessary to address the multifaceted factors causal to malaria-<em>S.mansoni</em> coinfection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article e00422"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143628963","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-07DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00421
Mina Mamizadeh , Farajolah Maleki , Mohammad Reza Mohammadi , Laya Shamsi , Ali Asghari , Ali Pouryousef
This study aimed to assess the global seroprevalence of IgG and IgM antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients (kidney, liver, heart) through a literature review of studies published until October 24, 2024. Selected studies reported data on anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM seroprevalence in the post-transplant stage of SOT recipients. A random-effects model estimated pooled seroprevalence rates, and heterogeneity was evaluated using the I2 statistic. Sensitivity analysis examined prevalence changes after excluding studies, while subgroup analysis of IgG seroprevalence accounted for publication years, countries, continents, WHO regions, sample sizes, and types of transplanted organs. Out of 26 articles and 29 datasets analyzed, 21 articles and 24 datasets involving 19,391 transplant recipients and 880 controls were used to assess anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM seroprevalence and odds ratios (ORs). Additionally, 8 articles reported the anti-T. gondii IgG serostatus of donors and recipients. The pooled IgG seropositivity for T. gondii in SOT recipients was 9.8 % (95 % CI, 4.7–19.4 %), showing significant variation by region and organ type. The anti-T. gondii IgM seroprevalence in SOT recipients was 6.4 % (95 % CI, 3.3–12 %). Renal transplant recipients exhibited higher IgG seroprevalence compared to liver and heart transplant recipients. The pooled OR for T. gondii infections in SOT recipients vs. controls was 1.39 (95 % CI, 0.95–2.04, P = 0.08). The highest pooled anti-T. gondii IgG serostatus was 50.7 % in the undetermined group, followed by 38 % in the D−/R- group, 15.4 % in the D−/R+ group, 10.6 % in the D+/R- group, and 9.9 % in the D+/R+ group. Overall, T. gondii active infections and its increased risk trend in SOT recipients should not be overlooked.
{"title":"Seroprevalence and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in solid organ transplant patients: A global systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Mina Mamizadeh , Farajolah Maleki , Mohammad Reza Mohammadi , Laya Shamsi , Ali Asghari , Ali Pouryousef","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00421","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00421","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to assess the global seroprevalence of IgG and IgM antibodies against <em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> (<em>T. gondii</em>) in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients (kidney, liver, heart) through a literature review of studies published until October 24, 2024. Selected studies reported data on anti-<em>T. gondii</em> IgG and IgM seroprevalence in the post-transplant stage of SOT recipients. A random-effects model estimated pooled seroprevalence rates, and heterogeneity was evaluated using the I<sup>2</sup> statistic. Sensitivity analysis examined prevalence changes after excluding studies, while subgroup analysis of IgG seroprevalence accounted for publication years, countries, continents, WHO regions, sample sizes, and types of transplanted organs. Out of 26 articles and 29 datasets analyzed, 21 articles and 24 datasets involving 19,391 transplant recipients and 880 controls were used to assess anti-<em>T. gondii</em> IgG and IgM seroprevalence and odds ratios (ORs). Additionally, 8 articles reported the anti-<em>T. gondii</em> IgG serostatus of donors and recipients. The pooled IgG seropositivity for <em>T. gondii</em> in SOT recipients was 9.8 % (95 % CI, 4.7–19.4 %), showing significant variation by region and organ type. The anti-<em>T. gondii</em> IgM seroprevalence in SOT recipients was 6.4 % (95 % CI, 3.3–12 %). Renal transplant recipients exhibited higher IgG seroprevalence compared to liver and heart transplant recipients. The pooled OR for <em>T. gondii</em> infections in SOT recipients vs. controls was 1.39 (95 % CI, 0.95–2.04, <em>P</em> = 0.08). The highest pooled anti-<em>T. gondii</em> IgG serostatus was 50.7 % in the undetermined group, followed by 38 % in the D−/R- group, 15.4 % in the D−/R+ group, 10.6 % in the D+/R- group, and 9.9 % in the D+/R+ group. Overall, <em>T. gondii</em> active infections and its increased risk trend in SOT recipients should not be overlooked.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article e00421"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143591541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-17DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00420
Yan Huo , Jing Tang , MiXue Guo , SiYu Hou , Wei Zhao
In recent years, the rapid development of animal husbandry in rural China has brought about the problem of zoonosis. In 2023, a cross-sectional study was carried out to gain an in-depth understanding of the infection status and influencing factors of three common zoonoses (echinococcosis, brucellosis and tuberculosis) among rural residents in three counties/districts of Wuzhong City, Ningxia. For the selection of the study participants, a cluster sampling approach was adopted. We recruited permanent rural residents from the three counties, without imposing any age limitations, to ensure a broad and representative sample. A field survey was then meticulously carried out among these individuals, and blood samples were collected simultaneously. The collected blood was processed to obtain serum, which was subsequently utilized to detect pathogen-specific IgG antibodies using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Through a comprehensive questionnaire survey administered to the same group of participants, a detailed analysis was performed to assess the current situation of the infections and to identify the various factors that might be influencing the occurrence and spread of these diseases within this specific population. A total of 1847 people participated in the survey, with their ages ranging from 8 to 94 years old. Subsequently, the corresponding blood samples were tested strictly in accordance with the number of valid questionnaires. The detection rates for these diseases were 4.93 % (91/1844) for echinococcosis, 20.52 % (378/1842) for brucellosis, and 7.26 % (134/1847) for tuberculosis. Univariate analysis revealed no significant variation in the positive detection rate of echinococcosis across different demographic groups. However, factors such as sex, age, educational level, occupation, living environment, and breeding conditions and slaughtering situation significantly influenced the positive detection rate of serum antibodies against brucellosis (P < 0.05). The positive rate of serum antibodies for tuberculosis varied under different breeding and protection conditions (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis identified risk factors for brucellosis, including male (OR = 1.944, P < 0.001), living with a large number of sheep (OR = 1.640, P = 0.001), and home slaughter (OR = 1.427, P = 0.007), while non-agricultural workers were found to be protective (OR = 0.493, P = 0.003). For tuberculosis, risk factors included raising cattle and sheep at home (OR = 1.877, P = 0.002) and lacking protective contact with these animals (OR = 2.138, P = 0.001). To achieve effective and precise prevention and control of zoonoses, comprehensive measures should be implemented.
{"title":"Epidemic status of echinococcosis, brucellosis, and tuberculosis among rural residents in three counties of Wuzhong City, Ningxia, China in 2023","authors":"Yan Huo , Jing Tang , MiXue Guo , SiYu Hou , Wei Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00420","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00420","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, the rapid development of animal husbandry in rural China has brought about the problem of zoonosis. In 2023, a cross-sectional study was carried out to gain an in-depth understanding of the infection status and influencing factors of three common zoonoses (echinococcosis, brucellosis and tuberculosis) among rural residents in three counties/districts of Wuzhong City, Ningxia. For the selection of the study participants, a cluster sampling approach was adopted. We recruited permanent rural residents from the three counties, without imposing any age limitations, to ensure a broad and representative sample. A field survey was then meticulously carried out among these individuals, and blood samples were collected simultaneously. The collected blood was processed to obtain serum, which was subsequently utilized to detect pathogen-specific IgG antibodies using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Through a comprehensive questionnaire survey administered to the same group of participants, a detailed analysis was performed to assess the current situation of the infections and to identify the various factors that might be influencing the occurrence and spread of these diseases within this specific population. A total of 1847 people participated in the survey, with their ages ranging from 8 to 94 years old. Subsequently, the corresponding blood samples were tested strictly in accordance with the number of valid questionnaires. The detection rates for these diseases were 4.93 % (91/1844) for echinococcosis, 20.52 % (378/1842) for brucellosis, and 7.26 % (134/1847) for tuberculosis. Univariate analysis revealed no significant variation in the positive detection rate of echinococcosis across different demographic groups. However, factors such as sex, age, educational level, occupation, living environment, and breeding conditions and slaughtering situation significantly influenced the positive detection rate of serum antibodies against brucellosis (<em>P</em> < 0.05). The positive rate of serum antibodies for tuberculosis varied under different breeding and protection conditions (<em>P</em> < 0.05). Multivariate analysis identified risk factors for brucellosis, including male (OR = 1.944, <em>P</em> < 0.001), living with a large number of sheep (OR = 1.640, <em>P</em> = 0.001), and home slaughter (OR = 1.427, <em>P</em> = 0.007), while non-agricultural workers were found to be protective (OR = 0.493, <em>P</em> = 0.003). For tuberculosis, risk factors included raising cattle and sheep at home (OR = 1.877, <em>P</em> = 0.002) and lacking protective contact with these animals (OR = 2.138, <em>P</em> = 0.001). To achieve effective and precise prevention and control of zoonoses, comprehensive measures should be implemented.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article e00420"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143445352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00406
Giovanni Sgroi , Ranju Ravindran Santhakumar Manoj , Ettore Napoli , Nicola D'Alessio , Maria Gabriella Lucibelli , Claudio de Martinis , Esterina De Carlo , Peyman Khademi , Alireza Sazmand , Vincenzo Veneziano
The beech marten (Martes foina) is a small-size mustelid endangered according to the IUCN Red List. Despite the plethora of parasites potentially affecting its population decline, subcutaneous filarioids are occasionally reported in martens and their competent arthropod vectors are to date unknown. Therefore, from January 2023 to August 2024, this study investigated the presence of subcutaneous filarioids and ectoparasites of road-killed beech martens (n = 7) from southwestern Italy. One marten (14.3 %, 95 % CI: 2.6–51.3) was massively infected with subcutaneous filarioids, i.e., 18 specimens (11 males and 7 females) in the dorso-posterior region, where mild redness and sloughing of skin were found. All the filarioids were identified as Filaria martis via morphology and Sanger sequencing of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene that revealed a single sequence type (GenBank accession number PQ034642) having 100 % nucleotide identity with those available in the literature. The phylogenetic analysis displayed a bootstrap value of 100 % between the cox1 sequences of F. martis of this study and those of beech martens from Italy and European minks from Spain. Haemolymph, gut, and salivary glands of the Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from the infected marten scored negative for F. martis larvae and DNA by dissection and PCR, respectively. This study reported for the first time F. martis subcutaneous filariosis in southwestern Italy, previously outlined only in northern and southeastern areas, indicating the circulation of this poorly investigated filarioid. Knowledge of the competent vectors involved in the biological cycle of F. martis requires further experimental studies.
{"title":"Massive subcutaneous filariosis by Filaria martis in beech marten (Martes foina) in Italy","authors":"Giovanni Sgroi , Ranju Ravindran Santhakumar Manoj , Ettore Napoli , Nicola D'Alessio , Maria Gabriella Lucibelli , Claudio de Martinis , Esterina De Carlo , Peyman Khademi , Alireza Sazmand , Vincenzo Veneziano","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00406","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00406","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The beech marten (<em>Martes foina</em>) is a small-size mustelid endangered according to the IUCN Red List. Despite the plethora of parasites potentially affecting its population decline, subcutaneous filarioids are occasionally reported in martens and their competent arthropod vectors are to date unknown. Therefore, from January 2023 to August 2024, this study investigated the presence of subcutaneous filarioids and ectoparasites of road-killed beech martens (<em>n</em> = 7) from southwestern Italy. One marten (14.3 %, 95 % CI: 2.6–51.3) was massively infected with subcutaneous filarioids, i.e., 18 specimens (11 males and 7 females) in the dorso-posterior region, where mild redness and sloughing of skin were found. All the filarioids were identified as <em>Filaria martis</em> via morphology and Sanger sequencing of the <em>cytochrome c oxidase</em> subunit I (<em>cox</em>1) gene that revealed a single sequence type (GenBank accession number PQ034642) having 100 % nucleotide identity with those available in the literature. The phylogenetic analysis displayed a bootstrap value of 100 % between the <em>cox</em>1 sequences of <em>F. martis</em> of this study and those of beech martens from Italy and European minks from Spain. Haemolymph, gut, and salivary glands of the <em>Ixodes ricinus</em> ticks collected from the infected marten scored negative for <em>F. martis</em> larvae and DNA by dissection and PCR, respectively. This study reported for the first time <em>F. martis</em> subcutaneous filariosis in southwestern Italy, previously outlined only in northern and southeastern areas, indicating the circulation of this poorly investigated filarioid. Knowledge of the competent vectors involved in the biological cycle of <em>F. martis</em> requires further experimental studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article e00406"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11757790/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143047336","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00404
Noura Efietngab Atembeh , Jean Patrick Molu , Jeanne Valerie Emvoutou Maboulou , Boris Fominyam , Rodrigue Nanfack Dongmo , Gabriel Bertrand Zambo , Emilie Tchinda Tiecheu , Jeannette Tombi , Lucia Nkengazong , Serge Hubert Zebaze Togouet , Jean Louis Essame Oyono
Background
Urbanization coupled with poverty has promoted the exploitation of risk zones like flood-prone areas in the city of Yaoundé. The overcrowding and poor hygiene observed in these areas are responsible for the unsmiling variations in environmental cleanliness, exploitation of river water for domestic purposes thus putting them at risk for parasitic disease transmissions. This study was conducted in order to assess the risks of human helminthiases outbreaks in relation to water physico-chemical factors in the city of Yaoundé.
Method
Water samples were collected monthly from January to June 2022 in 12 stations from 4 rivers (Biyeme, Ebogo, Olezoa and Tongolo) situated in flood plains in the town of Yaoundé. Intestinal parasite resistant forms were identified using the basic sedimentation technique, while water parameters were assessed using standard procedures.
Results
Results indicated that rivers in flood-prone areas are highly contaminated with a 75 % prevalence rate. In all, resistant forms of nine parasite species were recorded with the genus Toxocara being the most diversified with two species. Strongyloides stercoralis was the most prevalent (33.3 %) and most abundant (1269) species followed by Toxocara canis (26.4 %), Ascaris lumbricoides (25 %), Toxocara leonina (20.8 %), Hookworm (15.3 %), Trichostrongylus sp. (11.1 %), Diphyllobothrium latum (8.3 %), Trichuris trichiura (2.8 %) and Schistosoma intercalatum (1.4 %). The least abundant species was Trichuris trichiura (33). Higher densities of parasite resistant forms were observed during the dry season. River Tongolo was the most contaminated with pathogenic forms. Water pH, orthophosphate, organic matter and alkalinity revealed negative corelations with the occurrence of Diphyllobotrium latum (r = −0.375, −0.253, −462, −0.448 respectively) while organic matter and pH showed positive correlations with the occurrence of Strongyloides stercoralis (r = 0.378) and Trichostrongylus sp. (r = 0.238) respectively.
Conclusion
Flood areas constitute a potential risk zone for the maintenance and spread of human helminthiases. Maintaining proper personal cleanliness, environmental sanitation through the building of functional and accessible faecal disposal facilities and drainages and abstaining from using the rivers as waste dumps are essential in this area to prevent parasitic helminth disease outbreaks.
{"title":"Risks of parasitic helminth disease outbreaks and influence of physico-chemical factors in flood prone areas of Yaoundé, Cameroon","authors":"Noura Efietngab Atembeh , Jean Patrick Molu , Jeanne Valerie Emvoutou Maboulou , Boris Fominyam , Rodrigue Nanfack Dongmo , Gabriel Bertrand Zambo , Emilie Tchinda Tiecheu , Jeannette Tombi , Lucia Nkengazong , Serge Hubert Zebaze Togouet , Jean Louis Essame Oyono","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00404","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00404","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Urbanization coupled with poverty has promoted the exploitation of risk zones like flood-prone areas in the city of Yaoundé. The overcrowding and poor hygiene observed in these areas are responsible for the unsmiling variations in environmental cleanliness, exploitation of river water for domestic purposes thus putting them at risk for parasitic disease transmissions. This study was conducted in order to assess the risks of human helminthiases outbreaks in relation to water physico-chemical factors in the city of Yaoundé.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Water samples were collected monthly from January to June 2022 in 12 stations from 4 rivers (Biyeme, Ebogo, Olezoa and Tongolo) situated in flood plains in the town of Yaoundé. Intestinal parasite resistant forms were identified using the basic sedimentation technique, while water parameters were assessed using standard procedures.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Results indicated that rivers in flood-prone areas are highly contaminated with a 75 % prevalence rate. In all, resistant forms of nine parasite species were recorded with the genus <em>Toxocara</em> being the most diversified with two species. <em>Strongyloides stercoralis</em> was the most prevalent (33.3 %) and most abundant (1269) species followed by <em>Toxocara canis</em> (26.4 %), <em>Ascaris lumbricoides</em> (25 %), <em>Toxocara leonina</em> (20.8 %), Hookworm (15.3 %), <em>Trichostrongylus</em> sp. (11.1 %), <em>Diphyllobothrium latum</em> (8.3 %), <em>Trichuris trichiura</em> (2.8 %) and <em>Schistosoma intercalatum</em> (1.4 %). The least abundant species was <em>Trichuris trichiura</em> (33). Higher densities of parasite resistant forms were observed during the dry season. River Tongolo was the most contaminated with pathogenic forms. Water pH, orthophosphate, organic matter and alkalinity revealed negative corelations with the occurrence of <em>Diphyllobotrium latum</em> (<em>r</em> = −0.375, −0.253, −462, −0.448 respectively) while organic matter and pH showed positive correlations with the occurrence of <em>Strongyloides stercoralis</em> (<em>r</em> = 0.378) and <em>Trichostrongylus</em> sp. (<em>r</em> = 0.238) respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Flood areas constitute a potential risk zone for the maintenance and spread of human helminthiases. Maintaining proper personal cleanliness, environmental sanitation through the building of functional and accessible faecal disposal facilities and drainages and abstaining from using the rivers as waste dumps are essential in this area to prevent parasitic helminth disease outbreaks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article e00404"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11729010/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142985078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00407
Carla Muñoz-Antoli , Jacklyn Comas , María José Irisarri-Gutiérrez , Lucrecia Acosta , José Guillermo Esteban , Rafael Toledo
Background
General conditions in a prison may facilitate water- or food-borne infections.
Methods
Detection of intestinal parasites was achieved in 471 male prison inmates by standard microscopic procedures on their stool samples. Positive samples were processed by PCR amplification of a 600-bp fragment of the Blastocystis SSU rRNA gene and partial sequences of the Giardia duodenalis bg genes. Identification of subtypes/genotypes was based on Sanger sequencing methods.
Results
Blastocystis was found in 7.9 % (37/471) and G. duodenalis was found in 2.1 % (10/471). Out of the 37 Blastocystis positive samples, 54 % (20/37) were successfully subtyped, allowing the identification of the subtypes ST3 (50 %), ST1 (25 %), ST2 (15 %), ST4 (5 %) and ST6 (5 %). Out of 10 G. duodenalis positive samples, 50 % (5/10) were successfully genotyped, allowing the identification of genotypes A (80 %) and B (20 %).
Conclusions
The predominance of ST3 within the prison inmates, together with its low intra-ST genetic variability, reflected inter-human transmission with spatial stability. The G. duodenalis distribution is not wide enough to consider the possibility of a generalized transmission via contaminated water or food. Personal hygiene practices among male prison inmates may be an important measure to prevent the transmission.
{"title":"Blastocystis and Giardia duodenalis infection in a male prison in Spain","authors":"Carla Muñoz-Antoli , Jacklyn Comas , María José Irisarri-Gutiérrez , Lucrecia Acosta , José Guillermo Esteban , Rafael Toledo","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00407","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00407","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>General conditions in a prison may facilitate water- or food-borne infections.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Detection of intestinal parasites was achieved in 471 male prison inmates by standard microscopic procedures on their stool samples. Positive samples were processed by PCR amplification of a 600-bp fragment of the <em>Blastocystis</em> SSU rRNA gene and partial sequences of the <em>Giardia duodenalis bg</em> genes. Identification of subtypes/genotypes was based on Sanger sequencing methods.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div><em>Blastocystis</em> was found in 7.9 % (37/471) and <em>G. duodenalis</em> was found in 2.1 % (10/471). Out of the 37 <em>Blastocystis</em> positive samples, 54 % (20/37) were successfully subtyped, allowing the identification of the subtypes ST3 (50 %), ST1 (25 %), ST2 (15 %), ST4 (5 %) and ST6 (5 %). Out of 10 <em>G. duodenalis</em> positive samples, 50 % (5/10) were successfully genotyped, allowing the identification of genotypes A (80 %) and B (20 %).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The predominance of ST3 within the prison inmates, together with its low intra-ST genetic variability, reflected inter-human transmission with spatial stability. The <em>G. duodenalis</em> distribution is not wide enough to consider the possibility of a generalized transmission via contaminated water or food. Personal hygiene practices among male prison inmates may be an important measure to prevent the transmission.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article e00407"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11780165/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143068284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
As Sub-Saharan African country urban malaria is potential catastrophe in Ethiopia, particularly in relation to rapidly growing small towns, which requires updating the epidemiology of malaria. There was lack of information regarding the study area, hence this study was designed to determine the prevalence of malaria and associated risk factors in Damboya town.
Methods
A Community-based cross-sectional study was carried from March 7 to May 29, 2023 among 422 randomly selected participants. Prevalence of malaria was determined using microscopic examination of thick and thin smear and rapid diagnostic test using kits to standard of the manufacturer. Pretested structured questionnaire was employed to collect socio-demographic data and associated risk factors. Data were entered in Epi data 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 25 software. Factors associated with malaria was analyzed using bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression. The strength of the association was determined by computing Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) at Malaria is one of the most vital leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries particularly in Sub Saharan Africa (Bugssa and Tedla, 2020). About 95 % of all malaria cases and 96 % of all malaria deaths in 2021 occurred in Africa (Bugssa and Tedla, 2020). Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 60 % of global cases and 90 % of global fatalities (WHO, 2022). Over the two peak years of the pandemic (2020–2021), COVID-related setbacks increased malaria cases by around 13 million and fatalities by 63,000 (WHO, 2022). Malaria is thought to directly cost Africa $12 billion annually and reduce GDP growth by 3 %. In addition, it is thought to cause cognitive disorders and school absences, which are barriers to the development of human capital (Monroe et al., 2022). 95 % confidence interval (CI) and p-value of < 0.05.
Result
The prevalence of malaria was 5 % (20, 95 % CI: 3–7), Plasmodium vivix account for 14 (61.9 %) of the infection. Presence of stagnant water (AOR = 3.630, 95 % CI: 1–13, P < 0.049), unavailability of Insecticide-treated bed net (AOR = 3.89, 95 % CI: 1.08–14.01, P < 0.038), living in a house with eaves (AOR = 5.06, 95 %CI: 1.25–20.58, p < 0.023), travel history (AOR = 3.58, 95 %CI: 1–12.79, p < 0.049), low-income (AOR = 5.3, 95 %CI: 1.09–25.2, P < 0.038), were significantly associated with malaria occurrence.
Conclusion
Malaria is still a public health concern in Damboya town. Thus, implementing intervention strategies properly and evaluate the access and utilization status of the suburb community and improve accordingly was required to interrupt the transmission in the community of this town.
背景：作为撒哈拉以南非洲国家，城市疟疾在埃塞俄比亚是潜在的灾难，特别是与快速发展的小城镇有关，这需要更新疟疾流行病学。由于缺乏有关研究地区的信息，因此本研究旨在确定Damboya镇的疟疾流行情况和相关危险因素。方法：于2023年3月7日至5月29日，对随机抽取的422名参与者进行以社区为基础的横断面研究。采用厚薄涂片镜检和快速诊断试验确定疟疾流行情况，使用生产厂家标准的试剂盒。采用预先测试的结构化问卷收集社会人口统计数据及相关危险因素。数据在Epi数据3.1中录入，使用SPSS 25版软件进行分析。采用双变量和多变量二元logistic回归分析与疟疾相关的因素。这种关联的强度是通过计算调整优势比（AOR）来确定的，因为疟疾是发展中国家，特别是撒哈拉以南非洲地区发病和死亡的最重要的主要原因之一（Bugssa和Tedla， 2020）。2021年，约95%的疟疾病例和96%的疟疾死亡发生在非洲（Bugssa和Tedla， 2020年）。撒哈拉以南非洲占全球病例的60%和全球死亡人数的90%（世卫组织，2022年）。在大流行的两个高峰年份（2020-2021年），与covid相关的挫折使疟疾病例增加了约1300万例，死亡人数增加了6.3万例（世卫组织，2022年）。据认为，疟疾每年给非洲造成120亿美元的直接损失，并使GDP增长减少3%。此外，它被认为会导致认知障碍和缺课，这是人力资本发展的障碍（Monroe et al., 2022）。结果95%置信区间（CI）和p值：疟疾患病率为5%（20例，95% CI: 3 ~ 7例），其中14例（61.9%）为恶性疟原虫感染。存在死水（AOR = 3.630, 95% CI: 1-13, P P P P）结论：疟疾仍然是丹博亚镇的一个公共卫生问题。因此，需要正确实施干预策略，评估郊区社区的接入和利用状况，并进行相应的改善，以中断该镇社区的传播。
{"title":"Magnitude of urban malaria and its associated risk factors in Damboya town, Kambata zone, Central Ethiopia","authors":"Biruk Mulachew , Temesgen Bezuayehu , Solomon Asnake","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00398","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00398","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>As Sub-Saharan African country urban malaria is potential catastrophe in Ethiopia, particularly in relation to rapidly growing small towns, which requires updating the epidemiology of malaria. There was lack of information regarding the study area, hence this study was designed to determine the prevalence of malaria and associated risk factors in Damboya town.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A Community-based cross-sectional study was carried from March 7 to May 29, 2023 among 422 randomly selected participants. Prevalence of malaria was determined using microscopic examination of thick and thin smear and rapid diagnostic test using kits to standard of the manufacturer. Pretested structured questionnaire was employed to collect socio-demographic data and associated risk factors. Data were entered in Epi data 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 25 software. Factors associated with malaria was analyzed using bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression. The strength of the association was determined by computing Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) at Malaria is one of the most vital leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries particularly in Sub Saharan Africa (Bugssa and Tedla, 2020). About 95 % of all malaria cases and 96 % of all malaria deaths in 2021 occurred in Africa (Bugssa and Tedla, 2020). Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 60 % of global cases and 90 % of global fatalities (WHO, 2022). Over the two peak years of the pandemic (2020–2021), COVID-related setbacks increased malaria cases by around 13 million and fatalities by 63,000 (WHO, 2022). Malaria is thought to directly cost Africa $12 billion annually and reduce GDP growth by 3 %. In addition, it is thought to cause cognitive disorders and school absences, which are barriers to the development of human capital (Monroe et al., 2022). 95 % confidence interval (CI) and <em>p</em>-value of <<!--> <!-->0.05.</div></div><div><h3>Result</h3><div>The prevalence of malaria was 5 % (20, 95 % CI: 3–7), <em>Plasmodium vivix</em> account for 14 (61.9 %) of the infection. Presence of stagnant water (AOR = 3.630, 95 % CI: 1–13, <em>P</em> < 0.049), unavailability of Insecticide-treated bed net (AOR = 3.89, 95 % CI: 1.08–14.01, <em>P</em> < 0.038), living in a house with eaves (AOR = 5.06, 95 %CI: 1.25–20.58, <em>p</em> < 0.023), travel history (AOR = 3.58, 95 %CI: 1–12.79, <em>p</em> < 0.049), low-income (AOR = 5.3, 95 %CI: 1.09–25.2, P < 0.038), were significantly associated with malaria occurrence.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Malaria is still a public health concern in Damboya town. Thus, implementing intervention strategies properly and evaluate the access and utilization status of the suburb community and improve accordingly was required to interrupt the transmission in the community of this town.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article e00398"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11729009/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142985034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00399
Caroline Kioko, Justine Blanford
Malaria remains a public health concern in Kenya where children and pregnant women are vulnerable groups. The common interventions in place to fight malaria include using insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), knowledge and awareness about malaria, and intake of malaria anti-malaria drugs. Despite the availability of these interventions, Kenya still records more than 10,000 clinical cases annually. In this study, we examined how malaria and interventions varied across Kenya for 2015 and 2020. We analyzed the Kenya Malaria Indicator Survey (N = 10,072) for 2015 and, (N = 11,549) for 2020, and climate data with Fuzzy overlay method to examine how malaria and its interventions relate to environmental conditions required for malaria. The study found that 79 % of malaria cases were distributed in lake endemic, 11 % in coastal endemic, 7 % in highland epidemic, and 3 % in seasonal zone. Use of Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) was 77 % in lake endemic, 13 % in coastal endemic, 9 % in highland epidemic, and 1 % in seasonal zone. Knowledge about malaria was 82 % in lake endemic, 9 % in highland epidemic, 6 % in coastal endemic, and 3 % in seasonal zone. Additionally, based on climate data, lake endemic zone was 94 % suitable for malaria transmission compared to other zones. Despite the use of ITNs and awareness about malaria, malaria transmission continues to be a threat especially in counties in the lake endemic zone. Furthermore, place of residence, climate factors, ownership of ITNs may be associated with malaria in the region.
{"title":"Malaria survey data and geospatial suitability mapping for understanding spatial and temporal variations of risk across Kenya","authors":"Caroline Kioko, Justine Blanford","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00399","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00399","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Malaria remains a public health concern in Kenya where children and pregnant women are vulnerable groups. The common interventions in place to fight malaria include using insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), knowledge and awareness about malaria, and intake of malaria anti-malaria drugs. Despite the availability of these interventions, Kenya still records more than 10,000 clinical cases annually. In this study, we examined how malaria and interventions varied across Kenya for 2015 and 2020. We analyzed the Kenya Malaria Indicator Survey (<em>N</em> = 10,072) for 2015 and, (<em>N</em> = 11,549) for 2020, and climate data with Fuzzy overlay method to examine how malaria and its interventions relate to environmental conditions required for malaria. The study found that 79 % of malaria cases were distributed in lake endemic, 11 % in coastal endemic, 7 % in highland epidemic, and 3 % in seasonal zone. Use of Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) was 77 % in lake endemic, 13 % in coastal endemic, 9 % in highland epidemic, and 1 % in seasonal zone. Knowledge about malaria was 82 % in lake endemic, 9 % in highland epidemic, 6 % in coastal endemic, and 3 % in seasonal zone. Additionally, based on climate data, lake endemic zone was 94 % suitable for malaria transmission compared to other zones. Despite the use of ITNs and awareness about malaria, malaria transmission continues to be a threat especially in counties in the lake endemic zone. Furthermore, place of residence, climate factors, ownership of ITNs may be associated with malaria in the region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article e00399"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11727841/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142985075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00412
Lana Kourieh , Mohammad Y. Abajy , Mahasen Alkebajy , Silva Ishkhanian , Ream Nayal
For many decades, Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) has been endemic in Aleppo, Syria. The situation has worsened due to the ongoing war. Currently, CL diagnosis in Syria relies mainly on conventional methods, such as clinical symptoms and microscopic examination. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) in diagnosing suspected CL cases. Two PCR protocols were applied: kDNA PCR for CL diagnosis and ITS2 PCR to identify the Leishmania parasite species. The results were compared with conventional methods, and correlations between CL prevalence and demographic factors were explored.
Between January 2021 and October 2022, 105 suspected CL patients were screened at the Leishmania Center in Aleppo. kDNA PCR showed a sensitivity of 100 %, detecting positive results in 92 samples. Microscopic examination had a sensitivity of 76.1 %, identifying Leishmania amastigotes in 70 out of 92 samples. ITS2 PCR revealed that L. tropica was the dominant species (96.0 %) in Aleppo. Prevalence of CL was higher among men (54.3 %), the 13–25 years age group (39.1 %), and those with poor to moderate living conditions (87.0 %). Patients typically had an average of 3 lesions, with the upper extremities (55.4 %) and face (35.9 %) being the most affected areas. The study recommends using kDNA PCR for CL diagnosis due to its high sensitivity. Furthermore, the reported demographic and epidemiological data can inform public health authorities in their efforts to treat and prevent leishmaniasis in the country.
{"title":"Molecular diagnosis and epidemiological aspects of cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Aleppo: Current status","authors":"Lana Kourieh , Mohammad Y. Abajy , Mahasen Alkebajy , Silva Ishkhanian , Ream Nayal","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00412","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00412","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>For many decades, Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) has been endemic in Aleppo, Syria. The situation has worsened due to the ongoing war. Currently, CL diagnosis in Syria relies mainly on conventional methods, such as clinical symptoms and microscopic examination. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) in diagnosing suspected CL cases. Two PCR protocols were applied: kDNA PCR for CL diagnosis and ITS2 PCR to identify the <em>Leishmania</em> parasite species. The results were compared with conventional methods, and correlations between CL prevalence and demographic factors were explored.</div><div>Between January 2021 and October 2022, 105 suspected CL patients were screened at the Leishmania Center in Aleppo. kDNA PCR showed a sensitivity of 100 %, detecting positive results in 92 samples. Microscopic examination had a sensitivity of 76.1 %, identifying Leishmania amastigotes in 70 out of 92 samples. ITS2 PCR revealed that <em>L. tropica</em> was the dominant species (96.0 %) in Aleppo. Prevalence of CL was higher among men (54.3 %), the 13–25 years age group (39.1 %), and those with poor to moderate living conditions (87.0 %). Patients typically had an average of 3 lesions, with the upper extremities (55.4 %) and face (35.9 %) being the most affected areas. The study recommends using kDNA PCR for CL diagnosis due to its high sensitivity. Furthermore, the reported demographic and epidemiological data can inform public health authorities in their efforts to treat and prevent leishmaniasis in the country.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article e00412"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143158415","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号