ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To find importance of morphometric criterion of larval rostellar hook of Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) and the easy and reliable method for distinguish sheep and camel strains in epidemiologic studies.@*METHODS@#Larval rostellar hooks (n=1860) of 31 camel and sheep isolates in Iran, which already had been characterized by PCR, were carefully processed by computerized imagime analysis system (CIAS) and acquired data about rostellar hooks were analyzed using software SPSS.@*RESULTS@#Measurement analysis of rostellar hooks [mean length (24.23±3.12) μ m] indicated that length of the large hook was a remarkable parameter for strain differentiation. Data analysis demonstrated that CIAS could be used as a reliable tool to distinguish camel from sheep strains with high sensitivity (95.2%) and specificity (91.5%).@*CONCLUSIONS@#CIAS as a specific, sensitive, economic, fast, and reliable means might be used for differentiation of E. granulosus strains. Although perimeter and area were measured by digital technology, they were not shown as discriminative criterion as total hook length did.
Subject(s)
Animals , Camelus , Parasitology , Echinococcosis , Diagnosis , Echinococcus granulosus , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Iran , Larva , Observer Variation , Sheep , Parasitology , Sheep Diseases , Diagnosis , Species SpecificityABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To conduct for modeling spatial distribution of malaria transmission in Iran.@*METHODS@#Records of all malaria cases from the period 2008-2010 in Iran were retrieved for malaria control department, MOH&ME. Metrological data including annual rainfall, maximum and minimum temperature, relative humidity, altitude, demographic, districts border shapefiles, and NDVI images received from Iranian Climatologic Research Center. Data arranged in ArcGIS.@*RESULTS@#99.65% of malaria transmission cases were focused in southeast part of Iran. These transmissions had statistically correlation with altitude (650 m), maximum (30 °C), minimum (20 °C) and average temperature (25.3 °C). Statistical correlation and overall relationship between NDVI (118.81), relative humidity (⩾45%) and rainfall in southeast area was defined and explained in this study.@*CONCLUSIONS@#According to ecological condition and mentioned cut-off points, predictive map was generated using cokriging method.
Subject(s)
Humans , Altitude , Climate , Disease Outbreaks , Ecology , Humidity , Incidence , Iran , Epidemiology , Likelihood Functions , Linear Models , Malaria , Epidemiology , Models, Statistical , Rain , Spatial AnalysisABSTRACT
Although Toxoplasma gondii infection generally shows subclinical courses in adults, it may have severe pathologic effects on the fetus. For a survey of toxoplasmosis in Shahr-e-Rey area, south of Tehran, Iran, we conducted a serological study on 1,187 general populations using indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test. In this cross sectional study, cases were selected randomly by a local primary health care (PHC) system. Blood samples were collected in microcapillary tubes and sera were examined by IFA after centrifugation. It has been shown that 68.3% of cases in all age groups had IFA titer of 1 : 10 and higher, which we consider as positive cases, and the rate for 1 : 400 or over was 30.2%. There was meaningful correlation between anti-Toxoplasma antibody titers and age, sex, and occupation of subjected people (P < 0.05%). The incidence was higher in females and highest in the children age group (10-14 years old). The present study demonstrates high prevalence of Toxoplasma infection among the people in south of Tehran, Iran.
