ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the risk of Anisakis infections among high-risk populations along the coastal areas of Jiangsu Province, so as to develop the strategy for the prevention and control of anisakiasis in the province. Methods Three counties along the coastal areas of Jiangsu Province were selected as the study sites in 2018, including Rudong County in Nantong City, Haizhou District in Lianyungang City and Dongtai City in Yancheng City. The knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of anisakiasis prevention and control, and the prevalence of serum specific IgG antibody against Anisakis were investigated among high-risk populations among these three study sites, including fishermen, fish seller and people who liked eating fresh and live marine fish. Factors affecting the prevalence of the specific IgG antibody against Anisakis were identified using a multiple logistic regression model. In addition, Anisakis larvae infections were detected in fresh and live marine fish samples collected from local markets, and the prevalence and intensity of Anisakis infections were estimated. Results A total of 625 high-risk populations were investigated, including 349 men (55.8%). Only 13.0% of the subjects heard about anisakiasis, and a low awareness rate of anisakiasis prevention and control knowledge was seen among these three types of high-risk populations. There were 21.6% of the subjects eating raw or half-cooked marine fish, 5.8% eating undercooked marine fish, 3.2% presenting vomiting, nausea and diarrhea after eating marine fish, 5.1% developing systemic allergic symptoms, and 65.6% using the same chopping board for raw and cooked food. The sero-prevalence of the anti-Anisakis IgG antibody was 7.0% among the study subjects. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified education level [OR = 0.687, 95% CI (0.478, 0.987)] and development of systemic allergic symptoms [OR = 4.641, 95% CI(1.411, 15.268)]as factors affecting the positive anti-Anisakis IgG antibody among the study subjects. Among 494 fresh and live marine fish detected, the prevalence and intensity of Anisakis larvae infection was 64.0% and 8.1 larvae per fish, with high prevalence seen in Trichiurus haumela and Pneumatophorus japonicas. Conclusions The awareness of anisakiasis prevention and control knowledge is low among the high-risk populations living along the coastal areas of Jiangsu Province, and there are high-risk behaviors, such as eating raw or half-cooked food, using the same chopping board for raw and cooked food. In addition, the prevalence of Anisakis infections is high in the marine fish in these areas. Therefore, the health education and health promotion for anisakiasis prevention and control should be intensified.
ABSTRACT
We investigated the intraspecific partitioning of food resources of the Brazilian silverside Atherinella brasiliensis in a tropical estuary. A total of 1,099 stomachs were analyzed, and the diet consisted mainly of Gastropoda, Ceratopogonidae larvae, Decapoda larvae, Calanoida, Cyclopoida, Hymenoptera and Brachyura. Ordination of the mean volumetric percentage contribution of preys indicated differences in the dietary compositions between sites and size classes. By SIMPER analysis, we detected high dissimilarity between size classes, suggesting ontogenetic niche shifts: the diet of the early juveniles was based in zooplankton, whereas adults consumed mainly benthic macroinvertebrates. These shifts were related to changes in feeding structures and foraging abilities that show a strong relationship with body size, and showed functional trade-offs in swimming capacity, and feeding strategies used to capture prey. Differences in the diet between size classes and habitat selection by Brazilian silverside are likely strategies to avoid intraspecific competition, clearly related to the abundance and accessibility of resources along the estuarine habitats.(AU)
Nós investigamos a partição intraespecífica de recursos alimentares do peixe-rei Atherinella brasiliensis em um estuário tropical. Um total de 1.099 estômagos foi analisado, e a dieta foi constituída principalmente de Gastropoda, Larva de Ceratopogonidae, Larva de Decapoda, Calanoida, Cyclopoida, Hymenoptera e Brachyura. A análise de ordenação da contribuição do volume das presas indicou diferenças na composição da dieta entre locais e classes de tamanho. Pela análise do SIMPER, nós detectamos alta dissimilaridade entre as classes de tamanho, sugerindo mudanças ontogenéticas: a dieta dos indivíduos menores foi baseada em zooplâncton, enquanto os maiores indivíduos consumiram principalmente macroinvertebrados bentônicos. Essas variações foram relacionadas com mudanças nas estruturas para captura do alimento e na habilidade de forrageamento que evidenciaram uma forte relação com o tamanho do corpo, e mostraram trade-offs funcionais na capacidade de natação e no modo de captura das presas. Diferenças na dieta entre as classes e a seleção de habitat pelo peixe-rei são estratégias para evitar a competição intraespecífica, claramente relacionada com a abundância e a acessibilidade dos recursos alimentares ao longo dos habitats estuarinos.(AU)
Subject(s)
Animals , Genetic Heterogeneity , Food Resources , Fishes/metabolism , Coasts/analysisABSTRACT
Background: Despite the tremendous efforts made to reduce the burden of HIV/AIDS in many countries, there are still gaps in the control of spread of HIV-infection in Nigeria, especially in the coastal areas due to inappropriate life style and preference for traditional care of people living with the disease. Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess the sexual attitudes and HIV/AIDS-healthcare seeking behaviours of people living in the fishing community of Okposo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of 600 people living in the fishing community, who were assessed for perceived sexual attitudes and HIV/AID-health care seeking behaviours, using Attitude and Sexual Behaviour Questionnaire. Results: Of the 600 participants, 339 (56.5%) were males and 261 (43.5%) females. Inspite of the increasing awareness of the existence of HIV/AIDS, sexual attitudes were variable and inimical to the fight against the disease; sexual urge was high; 27.7% males and 15.3% females had at least two or more sexual partners; 13.8% males and 10.8% females hardly used condom during sexual intercourse, while 15.5% males and 18.8% females would not undergo HIV testing. Perception on the cause and mode of transmission of HIV/AIDS were poor. Perceived efficacy, confidentiality, affordability and accessibility were reasons for choice of traditional care; about 61.0% of the participants would not attend to infected individuals because of fear of being infected with the virus. Conclusion: This study has shown that a lot still need to be done in Nigeria, especially in areas with difficult terrain to reverse the trend of HIV/AIDS. Massive enlightenment campaigns are necessary to serve as continuous efforts to increase and maintain high levels of motivation for lifestyle modification.
ABSTRACT
A survey of intestinal worm infection was conducted in the island-commune of Minh Chau (Van Don district) and the coastal commune of Phuong Nam (Dong Bi district) of the north-eastern province of Quang Ninh. Stool samples of 900 local people were examined using Willis method. A high prevalence of intestinal worm infection with a cumulative infection rate of 94.9% (854/900), of which Ascaris is most common: 94.8% (853/900), followed by Trichuris: 32% and hookwonn: 12.8% was found. Single infection was 58.3% (498/854), co-infection with three species was 5.4% (46/854), with two species, (mainly with Ascaris and Trichuris) was 36.1% (308/854). The infection rate of Ascaris and Trichuris was not different between male and female but increased with ages above 15 years old (97.7% vs 37.7%). However, hookworm infection was found higher (16.9%) in females compared to males (7.9%) (P<0.05) and most increased at the ages of 10 - 15 years old