ABSTRACT
Background: Toxocarosis is a zoonotic disease with worldwide distribution. Humans' infection occurred by incidental ingestion of eggs shed in feces of dogs or cats. Studies on general population are rare in Iran. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated seroprevalence, and risk factors associated with toxocariasis among the healthy individuals in Tehran, capital if Iran
Materials and Methods: In total, 374 sera samples were investigated for the presence of anti-Toxocara IgG. We applied ELISA as screening test using available commercial kit. In addition, demographic data were obtained from participant's questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using SPSS16
Results: The overall seroprevalence of toxocariasis was found 5.6% [21/374]. Regarding the socio-demographic variables, age [P<0.001] and eating unwashed vegetables [P=0.049] were significantly associated to toxocariasis in univariate analysis. In the logistic regression analysis, only age [P<0.001] was identified as potential risk factor associated with Toxocara infection
Conclusion: This study revealed that seroprevalence of toxocariasis is relatively low in the healthy individuals in Tehran. We suggest carrying out further studies in the different part of Iran and investigate on the prevalence of toxocariasis in high-risk groups such as asthma, hyper-eosinophilic, epilepsy, rheumatism and schizophrenia patients
ABSTRACT
Background: Intestinal parasitic infection is one of the most prevalent health problems in developing countries. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection and its correlation with socio-demographic parameters in Haji-abad, 2015
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 635 samples. After completing questionnaires, stool samples were assessed macroscopically, and microscopically using direct slide smear with saline and lugol, formalin-ether concentration, Ziehl-Neelsen staining to track Cryptosporidium species and Trichrome staining for the samples suspected to amoeba and other indeterminate cases. PCR using specific primers was conducted for Entamoebahistolytica/E. dispar suspected samples. The results were analyzed using SPSS[ver.16] software
Results: Of total 635 samples, 198 cases [31.2%] were infected by at least one intestinal parasite. The most common parasites in this area were: Blastocystis sp. [105, 16.5%], Endolimax nana [43, 6.8%], Entamoeba coli [32, 5.0%], Giardia lamblia [31, 4.9%], and Iodamoeba butschlii [11, 1.7%]. Enterobius vermicularis [1, 0.2%] was the only detected helminthic infection. Regarding socio-demographic variables, age, residence, sampling month, and job showed a significant correlation with IPIs [p-value=0.031, 0.019, 0.014, 0.012; respectively]. None of nine microscopically suspected E. histolytica/E. dispar cases were confirmed by molecular investigations [PCR method] and were considered as E. coli
Conclusion: In agreement with previous studies, helminthes infections show a dramatic decline compare to protozoa in this study. The relatively high incidence of intestinal protozoan infections in studies performed in Iran supports strategies for preventing the transmission and expansion of these parasites as a priority
ABSTRACT
Background: Visceral leishmaniasis [VL] or kala-azar is a parasitic disease caused by the species of Leishmania donovani complex. Mediterranean type of the disease is endemic in some parts of Iran and more than 95% of cases were reported in children up to 12 years of age. This study was performed to determine the seroprevalence of VL in the rural areas of the Dashti district from Bushehr province
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a randomized cluster sampling method was used for the collection of blood samples from children up to 12 years old from rural areas of Dashti district. Before sampling; a questionnaire was filled out for each case. All the collected blood samples were examined after the serum separating by Direct Agglutination Test [DAT] for detection of anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies. The cutoff titers of >/=1: 3200 with specific clinical features were supposed to be considered as VL
Results: Altogether, 24 out of 1221 [1.96%] blood samples showed titers between 1:800 and 1:1600 which considered as suspicious cases. None of the suspicious cases had a history of kala-azar. None of 1221 collected blood samples showed anti Leishmania infantum [L. infantum] at titer >/=1:3200
Conclusion: This study confirms the circulation of L. infantum in Dashti district and highlights the sporadic pattern of VL in the studied areas which necessitates the surveillance system to be monitored by health authorities
ABSTRACT
Background: Visceral leishmaniasis [VL], caused by Leishmania infantum [L. infantum], is a life-threatening vector-borne parasitic disease is distributed in some parts of the world. The disease is endemic in some parts of Iran. This study was aimed to determine the seroprevalence of VL among children and domestic dogs [as a reservoir of the parasite] in Dehloran, west of Iran
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in Dehloran County. The blood samples of 872 children up to 12 years old and 52 dogs were collected from 10 villages of Dehloran using randomly-clustered sampling method. Sera were separated from all peripheral blood samples and tested by direct agglutination test [DAT]. Anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies at titers of >/=1:800 and >/=1:80 were considered as Leishmania infantum infection in human and dog, respectively
Results: In general, among 872 human samples, 1.03% of samples had anti-Leishmania antibody with 1:1600 titers and 1.26% had 1:800 titers. In addition, from 52 dog samples, 21.15% of dogs had a titer of >/=1:320 and 25% had 1:80 and 1:160 titers
Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the seropositive dogs in the studied areas are considerable and L. infantum may be circulated between human and domestic dog in the studied area. Further study of isolation and molecular identification of Leishmania spp. is recommended
ABSTRACT
Background: The genus Fasciola parasite causes fascioliasis infection. Fascioliasis is widespread all around the world and it is finding in abundance in the northern provinces of Iran. Cattle and sheep are the main hosts of the Fasciola parasite and intermediate hosts are lymnaeid snails such as Galba and Fossaria. Two main species of this genus are F. hepatica and F. gigantica. One of the most important methods of diagnosing this worm is morphological method. The aim of this study is to identify Fasciola through the morphological method in Golestan province
Materials and Methods: Fasciola worms taken from infected livestock livers were washed three times with PBS and were stained with carmine alum. After staining using Valero and Periago methods, the worms were measured morphologically by calibrated microscope, stereomicroscope, and True Chrome II camera. SPSS version 19 was used for analysis of the data
Results: A total of 45 livers from infected sheep and cattle with Fasciola worms were taken out of 228 samples, including 84 Fasciola hepatica [36.18%], 117 Fasciola gigantica [51.31%] and 27 Fasciola sp.[11.84%]
Conclusion: This study showed that the two main species of worms that is F.hepatica and F. gigantica were found in abundance in Golestan province. The current study was unable to identify 11.84% genus Fasciola showed as Fasciola sp