Parasite Epidemiology and Control最新文献

Among the potential animal reservoirs of the zoonotic parasite T. gondii, birds have received relatively little attention. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the global status and to provide an overview of the epidemiology of T. gondii infection in birds. The standard protocol of preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, ProQuest, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant publications from January 1990, to March 2024. All peer-reviewed original research articles describing the prevalence of T. gondii in birds were included. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, and both direct and indirect detection were considered. The point estimates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using the meta-package in R (version 3.6.1). The variance between studies (heterogeneity) was quantified by the I² index. Finally, 258 articles (including 380 datasets) were eligible for inclusion in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The global pooled prevalence was 24% (21 - 26%). The highest prevalence of T. gondii was observed in buzzards (52%, 34 - 70%), turkeys (31%, 17 - 46%), and chickens (30%, 26 - 34%). The present study provides a comprehensive view of the global prevalence of T. gondii in birds.

Ticks and tick-borne pathogens are the main challenge to livestock production and productivity in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Ethiopia, where favorable conditions exist for the activity of various parasites due to its geographical location, climate, and biological and cultural characteristics. This study was to provide pooled estimates for individually available data on ixodid ticks, their trend comparisons, and ixodid tick grouping among cattle in Ethiopia. Cochrane's Q, I², sensitivity analysis, funnel plot, Begg, and Egger regression tests were used to check heterogeneity and publication bias. A random effect model was used to calculate the pooled magnitude of ixodid ticks among cattle. A total of 17,161 cattle from 41 studies were included. The pooled prevalence of ixodid ticks among cattle was 64.42% (95% CI = 57.13–71.71). A total of 82,804 adult ticks belonging to three different genera of ixodid ticks, namely Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) (47.53%), Amblyomma (46.10%), and Hyalomma (6.37%), were recorded from the included studies. The general trend for the prevalence of ixodid tick infestation among cattle has decreased, from 68.65% in 2010–2015 to 60.13% in 2021–2023. In the present scenario, ixodid tick infestation range from 59.21 to 89.58% and are higher in Gambella region.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a major medical and veterinary concern in the world. It is one of the significant diseases in livestock farming communities managed under extensive grazing system like Ethiopia. Domestic intermediate hosts are an important reservoir for the disease spread. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the occurrence and economic losses associated with CE in cattle slaughtered at Mekaneyesuse Municipality abattoir, South Gondor zone of Amhara Region, North West Ethiopia. Ante-mortem inspection, postmortem examinations of organs, hydatid cyst characterization and financial loss estimations were conducted. The study was conducted on 384 cattle. The involvement of different organs was as follows: lungs (46.09%), liver (45.22%), heart (6.09%), and kidneys (2.6%). Out of the total of 115 cysts observed, small cysts constituted 57.39%, medium-sized were 34.78%, and large cysts accounted for 7.83%. Of these 115 cysts, 53.9% were fertile which included both viable (29%) and non-viable (71%) cysts. Furthermore, 46.1% cysts were non fertile, 62.3% were sterile and 37.7% were calcified. Based on the origin of animal, the prevalence of hydatid cysts was recorded to be 31.25%, 24%, 22.05% and 14.25% in Tachgayent, Semada, Andabet and Estie district, respectively. Higher cyst occurrence was observed in animals with poor body condition (51.56%) followed by medium (13.7%) and good body condition scores (8.25%). The total annual economic loss due to the direct condemnation of organs and indirect losses were estimated to be 851,252.68 ETB ($16,061.06). This study revealed that CE is economically important disease at Mekaneyesuse, South Gondar Zone, Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia. A more comprehensive investigation is required on prevalence and genotyping of Echinococcus granulosus s.l. cysts is important also to identify and estimate the relative contribution of each species or genotype to the disease in this area. Moreover, efforts to enhance public awareness in the area should also be pursued.

Skin biopsies (Skin snips) have historically been the gold standard for the diagnosis of onchocerciasis. However, in low prevalence areas and in areas with successful ivermectin mass drug administration (MDA) programs, skin snips are not sensitive enough to decide when to stop MDA; thus, serological diagnostic tools have been recommended for this purpose. This study assessed the sensitivity and specificity of the Ov16 Rapid Diagnostic Test (SD BIOLINE Onchocerciasis RDT) compared to skin snip in endemic areas undergoing ivermectin mass distribution using Community Directed Treatment with Ivermectin (CDTI) strategy. A cross-sectional study was conducted between September and November 2016 in five endemic villages in the Cascades region in Burkina Faso. Children aged 2 to 9-years were examined during the impact epidemiological survey using both the skin snip and Ov16 Rapid Diagnostic Test. The Ov16 Rapid Diagnostic Test sensitivity and specificity were determined with reference to the skin biopsy. Skin snip positivity was 1.25% in this population, while seroprevalence was 6.5%. When compared to the skin snip as the gold standard, the sensitivity of the Ov16 Rapid Diagnostic Test was 60% and the specificity 94%. When the Ov16 Rapid Diagnostic Test was considered as the gold standard, the skin snip exhibited a sensitivity of 11.5% and a specificity of 99.5%. These results are similar to other studies comparing the performance of the Ov16 ELISA to skin snips, suggesting that the Ov16 RDT may be a useful tool for ivermectin STOP MDA and post transmission surveys, assuming that the prevalence of infection is low or close to zero, and the Ov16 RDT detected also pre patent infections.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a significant health problem in both human and veterinary medicine. It is caused by the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus). The objective of this study was to investigate molecular diversity of E. granulosus from the paraffin-embedded human (FFPE) tissue samples using sequencing of mitochondrial genes. Thirty-five FFPE tissue samples were collected from different regions of Guilan province, north of Iran. Demographic data were recorded using a questionnaire. Five sections (1 mm) of the tissue were prepared and deparaffined using xylene and ethanol methods. Molecular analysis was performed using the Nad1 and Cox1 genes using PCR and DNA sequencing. Totally, 25 cases (71.43%) were women and 10 cases (28.57%) were men. The most affected age group was 21–30 yr old. The most of cysts were isolated from the liver (n = 19; 54.29%) and others in the lung (n = 16; 45.71%). The Cox1 and Nad1 genes were successfully amplified in 16 (45.71%) and 12 (34.28%) DNA samples from FFPE tissue. Sequencing analysis revealed that all samples were E. granulosus sensu stricto complex (G1 and G3). In this study, E. granulosus sensu stricto complex G1 and G3 were identified in human hydatid cysts and showed the presence of sheep/dog cycle in human infection. This finding confirmed and completed previous studies on the geospatial distribution of E. granulosus sensu stricto complex G1 and G3 in the southern and coastal areas of the Caspian Sea region.

Human toxocariasis (HT) is a widespread zoonotic infection globally, notably prevalent in tropical areas. Enhancing our understanding of toxocariasis can lead to increased attention towards the socioeconomic impact and control of this neglected zoonosis. We conducted a comprehensive review of all available articles and official documents on toxocariasis in Iran to identify research gaps and critical needs for its control. This review highlights that despite numerous studies exploring various aspects of toxocariasis in definitive and paratenic hosts, as well as humans and environmental contamination, significant data deficiencies and gaps persist across different regions in the country. These gaps involve investigating the worm burden and reinfection rates in definitive hosts, developing more sensitive methods to detect and differentiate of Toxocara species, and understanding the behavior of definitive host animals. Additionally, identifying potential paratenic hosts for HT and exploring the organ-specific affinity and survival duration of Toxocara larvae within these hosts are essential areas for exploration. It's also imperative to comprehend the sylvatic and domestic cycles of the parasite in paratenic hosts. Furthermore, assessing egg density in the environment, exploring potential new sources such as water, and identifying regions with optimal climatic conditions for the survival and development of Toxocara eggs are crucial for the formulation of effective prevention and control strategies. Identifying at-risk groups, developing early diagnosis techniques, employing imaging methods, and identifying long-term complications in humans are also crucial. Community health organizations should prioritize health education for the public and professionals. Furthermore, accurately estimating definitive host populations, monitoring and preventing their movements in public places, implementing regular deworming practices for pets and stray hosts, and recognizing the infection's significance as a health priority are critical. This comprehensive understanding advocates for a holistic “one health” approach to control of HT.

Background

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a public health issue in endemic countries with poor sanitation facilities. In this study, the seroprevalence rate and associated risk factors of VL were investigated during September 2020 to February 2021 in pregnant women referred to Ostad Mottahari and Peymanieh hospitals in Jahrom county, Fars province, southern Iran.

Material and methods

A total of 220 serum samples of pregnant women were assessed for the presence of Anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies by direct agglutination antigen (DAT). The associated risk factors were obtained using questionnaires.

Results

The overall seroprevalence of VL in pregnant women was 12.72% (28/220). Considering the antibody titer, titer 1:1600 was detected in 23 samples, titer 1:3200 in 4 samples, and titer 1:6400 in one sample. All 5 women with titer >3200 had mild fever. As such, there was a statistically significant difference regarding the age (≥39 years old with p-value: 0.01).

Conclusions

We recommend an appropriate health education program for pregnant women and serological screening of VL before pregnancy in endemic cities. Moreover, we believed a need for more epidemiological studies for better understand the status of VL in pregnant women.

Cyprinid fishes are commonly acted as second intermediate hosts of Opisthorchis viverrini and Haplorchis spp. This research investigated the prevalence and intensity of both parasites in cyprinid species. This process is regularly used as a guideline for disease surveillance and as a preventive measure in the Upper Northeastern region of Thailand. Fish samples were collected from both lentic and lotic water sources between November 2020 and October 2021, and classified them by their species. Acid pepsin-HCL solution was used to digest the individual samples and create a build-up of precipitate in order to view metacercariae using a stereomicroscope. A total of 3583 fish were caught and classified into 23 species. Out of these fish, 5.49% of them were found O. viverrini, 26.54% Haplorchis taichui, 10.04% Haplorchis pumilio, and 9.29% Haplorchoides sp. Ten species of fish were observed to have been infected with O. viverrini. Amongst the collected fish, M. obtusirostris had the highest prevalence of infection at 52.94%, while B. gonionotus had only 1.71%. The prevalence of O. viverrini infection was highest at 27.41% in Udon Thani Province. No prevalence of O. viverrini infection was observed in Bueng Kan Province. High prevalence of O. viverrini infection in cyprinid fishes was found in both lentic and lotic water sources in almost all provinces in the region. The prevalence of infection and intensity depended on the fish species and fish habitats.

In the present research, ginger extracted compounds, namely; Gingerol {(1-[4′-hydroxy-3′-methoxyphenyl]-5-hydroxy-3-decanone} (1), Zingerone {(4-(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-butanone)} (2), and Shogoals {(E)-1-(4-Hydroxy-3- methoxyphenyl) dec-4-en-3-one)} (3) have been investigated as SARS-Cov-2 inhibitors. The interaction of extracted compounds with the virus's spikes may restrict the virus's reproduction or give time to the body's immune system to detect viruses, consequently producing appropriate antibodies. Gaussian 09 with a 6-311G (d, p) basis set, UCA FUKUI, MGL implement, DSV, and LigPlus software were utilized. The active sites for adsorption were identified using the total electron density (TED), FUKUI function, and Millikan charges. Furthermore, docking analysis clearly showed that the inhibition of viral replication depends on binding energy (Eb) and ligand efficiency (LE). A docking study revealed that the inhibition ability of the studied compounds on SARS-CoV-2 was in the order of 2 > 3 > 1.

Objectives

This study intends to evaluate the prevalence of active Schistosomiasis in school children, as well as their awareness, attitude, and behavior towards the illness in El-Rahad province.

Methods

This facility-based analytical cross-sectional study among 495 primary school children aged seven to 13 in five villages; Structured and pre-tested questionnaires were used to collect the data in face-to-face interviews, in addition, urine samples were collected from each pupil and then assessed microscopically for S. Haematobium eggs Presence. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25.0.

Results

A total of 424 primary school students participated in the study. Almost all the students (96%) had poor knowledge about urinary schistosomiasis. In general, 100% of the students had poor practices. Attitude revealed that females have lower chance of having the infection than their male counterparts. About 27% (n = 115) of them had active urinary schistosomiasis infection at the time of the study.

Conclusion

The study revealed poor level of awareness and knowledge, positive attitude, and poor practices among primary school students. There was also high level of active infection among participants.