Intestinal Parasitic Infections and Associated Risk Factors Among Sudanese Psychiatric Patients.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are considered to be a major health problem, particularly in the tropical countries, such as Sudan. Due to poor hygiene practices, the psychiatric patients may pick up parasitic infections. Until now, there exists no published data or available information regarding the prevalence rate of intestinal parasitic infections among Sudanese psychiatric patients. Therefore, our present study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and the potential associated risk factors among Sudanese psychiatric patients. METHODS: A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2021 to March 2022. A total of 422 stool samples were randomly collected from psychiatric patients attending the psychiatric section at Kosti Teaching Hospital in the White Nile State of Sudan. Socio-demographic data were gathered using structured questionnaires. All stool samples were examined using different parasitological techniques. RESULTS: The overall prevalence rate of intestinal parasitic infection among psychiatric patients was 120/211 (56.8%) and among non-psychiatric patients 66/211 (31.3%) The prevalence rate of intestinal parasites (IPs) among psychiatric patients were as follows: Entamoeba histolytica (29.9%), Giardia lamblia (19.4%), Entamoeba coli (5.2%), Ascaris lumbricoides (0.9%), Hymenolepis nana (0.9%), and Enterobius vermicularis (0.5%). There was no relationship between intestinal parasitic infection and age, sociodemographic features, sources of drinking water, contact with domestic animals, washing of hands, eating of raw vegetables/meats, or having psychiatric disorders (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Studying the prevalence rate of intestinal parasitic infections among psychiatric patients may help to assess their health condition or status, leading to better psychiatric healthcare services, diagnoses, and treatments.

Toxoplasma gondii Infection and ABO Blood Group Association Among Pregnant Sudanese Women: A Case Study.

Purpose: ABO blood group glycol-conjugate expression may influence human susceptibility to infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii. This study aimed to assess the relationship between blood group phenotypes as risk factors for toxoplasmosis and to correlate the prevalence of the disease with other risk factors. Materials and Methods: A total of two-hundred serum samples were collected from pregnant women referred for routine rotary examination in Rabak Teaching Hospital, White Nile State, Sudan, and examined for the parasite Toxoplasma gondii using the latex agglutination test. Results: The overall prevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women (IgG positivity for T. gondii in the absence of IgM) was 41% (82/200). A higher prevalence of the infection was detected in women with blood group type AB 5 (55.6%) among the females in the AB blood group and the lowest in those with blood group type B 11 (35.5%). Those with a history of direct contact with cats reported the possibility of eating undercooked meat and soil-related potential risk factors (working in a garden with bare hands, eating unwashed vegetables and fresh fruits, poor handling of food) recorded 70 (82.4%), 59 (65.6%), 58 (77.3%), 73 (55.7%) and 70 (73.7%) of positive cases, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between Toxoplasma gondii infection and these risk factors. Conclusion: The study concluded that the ABO blood group system was not related to the absence or presence of anti-T. gondii antibodies in pregnant women in the study area. Contact with cat feces, raw meat consumption, and farming were identified as possible important risk factors for T. gondii infection within the study area.

Malaria infection and associated risk factors in pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics in Al Jabalian Locality, White Nile state, Sudan.

Pregnant women are more susceptible to malaria which is associated with adverse effects on pregnancy. It is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in Sudan. The main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rate of malaria in pregnant women. This cross sectional descriptive study was carried out in Al Jabalian and Kenana hospitals, White Nile State, Sudan. The data of the present study has been collected from 400 Sudanese pregnant women, during a period extending from 16th July 2018 to 25th October 2018. The overall the prevalence of malaria was 38.5% (154), Plasmodium falciparum was only malaria parasite observed in all samples. From 154 pregnant women infected with malaria, the third trimester had higher prevalence 53.9% (83), followed by the second trimester 31.8% (49) and the first trimester was 14.3% (22), P<0.0001. The multigravida had high infection with prevalence of 54.5% (84), secondgravida was 24.7% (38) and primigravida was 20.8% (32), P<0.0001. Significant association was noticed between the malaria parasite infection and occupation, ANC attendance and utility of mosquito net, P-value 0.05, 0.0024, 0.0010, respectively. However, no significant association was observed with education level and malaria infection. The study was recommended to promote diagnosis during pregnancy, take anti-malarial medicine as routine care to pregnant women and improve environmental sanitation.

Cryptosporidium infection among hemodialysis patients attending to the dialysis center at Kosti Teaching Hospital, Sudan.

Cryptosporidiosis is an illness caused by a protozooan parasite Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium species are an opportunistic pathogens cause a diarrheal disease worldwide, and can be more severe in immunocompromized patients. Until now, a little data have been available on its prevalence rate among haemodialysis patients in Sudan. Therefore, this article was designed to examine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium among hemodialysis Sudanese patients attending hemodialysis center at Kosti Teaching Hospital. A case-control study including one-hundred and twelve hemodialysis patients between November 2016 and January 2017 have been conducted. For the control group, we include one-hundred and twelve normal population. A total of two-hundred and twenty-four stool samples were collected. The stool samples were processed and examined using the modified Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining method. High Cryptosporidium prevalence of 14/112 (12.5%) was detected in hemodialysis patients compare to the normal individuals 3/112 (2.7%). There was no correlation between the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection with the age, sex, and the duration of dialysis (P>0.05). Therefore, an early detection and prompt treatment of Cryptosporidium infected hemodialysis patients is crucial.