Seroprevalence of Cystic Echinococcosis and related risk factors for infection among children in a rural community in Fars Province, Southern Iran

Aim. The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) as a serious public health problem is growing in the elderly. This study aimed to assess CKD prevalence and its related risk factors in elderly population of Fars province. Methods. In this cross sectional study a total of 1190 elderly people are enrolled, and demographic and medical data were obtained. Data were analyzed by SPSS, and P of less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results. Prevalence of CKD stages III–V was 27.5% in the 60–69 years age group, 36.5% in the 70–79 years age group, and 40% in the ≥80 years age group. The prevalence of CKD increased with ageing in both men and women. Female gender was the strongest risk factor for CKD. Conclusions. Prevalence of CKD in elderly is high in Southern Iran, which has become an important health problem while it can be prevented or delayed in progression.

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Serum levels of anti-hepatitis B surface antibodies among vaccinated children aged 1 to 12 years in a rural community in Fars Province, southern Iran

Journal of Immunoassay and Immunochemistry ◽

10.1080/15321819.2019.1675696 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 20-27

Author(s):

Nasir Arefkhah ◽

Sina Vafazadeh ◽

Sepehr Shahriarirad ◽

Fariba Ghorbani ◽

Sina Zoghi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis B ◽

Rural Community ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Fars Province ◽

Southern Iran ◽

Surface Antibodies

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Environmental, climatic and host population risk factors of human cystic echinococcosis in southwest of Iran

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-020-09638-w ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mohammad Amin Ghatee ◽

Koorosh Nikaein ◽

Walter Robert Taylor ◽

Mehdi Karamian ◽

Hasan Alidadi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Cystic Echinococcosis ◽

Geographical Information Systems ◽

Urban Setting ◽

Geographical Information ◽

Annual Rainfall ◽

Fars Province ◽

Susceptible Population ◽

Close Proximity

Abstract Background Cystic echinococcosis (CE), a worldwide zoonotic disease, is affected by various biological and environmental factors. We investigated dog/livestock populations, climatic and environmental factors influencing the distribution of human CE cases in Fars province, southwest Iran. Methods We mapped the addresses of 266 hospitalised CE patients (2004–2014) and studied the effects of different temperature models, mean annual rainfall and humidity, number of frosty days, slope, latitude, land covers, close proximity to nomads travel routes, livestock and dog densities on the occurrence of CE using geographical information systems approach. Data were analyzed by logistic regression. Results In the multivariate model predicting CE, living in an urban setting and densities of cattle and dogs were the most important CE predictors, sequentially. Dry (rained) farm, density of camel and sheep, close proximity to nomads travel routes, humidity, and slope also were considered as the determinants of CE distribution, when analyzed independently. Slope had a negative correlation with CE while temperature, frost days and latitude were not associated with CE. Conclusions In our study, an urban setting was the most important risk factor and likely due to a combination of the high density of key life cycle hosts, dogs and livestock, a large human susceptible population and the high number of abattoirs. Farmland and humidity were highly suggestive risk factors and these conditions support the increased survival of Echinococcus granulosus eggs in the soil. These findings support the development of strategies for control of disease. More research is needed test optimal interventions.

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Cystic Echinococcosis: Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) among Surgically Operated Cases in Fars Province, Southern Iran

Journal of Parasitology Research ◽

10.1155/2021/9976548 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Zahra Hosseini ◽

Reza Shahriarirad ◽

Bahador Sarkari

Keyword(s):

Hydatid Cyst ◽

Cystic Echinococcosis ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Positive Attitude ◽

Good Practice ◽

Fars Province ◽

Control Plan ◽

Southern Iran ◽

Dog Owners ◽

And Control

Introduction. Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a neglected zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus with major health and economic burden. The information on how the community members perceive the disease is crucial in order to recommend an effective preventive and control plan. The current study is aimed at finding out knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of surgically operated cases of hydatid cyst in educational hospitals of Shiraz in Fars Province, southern Iran, toward the CE. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 180 CE patients who underwent surgery due to CE. Using a well-designed questionnaire, a telephone-based survey was carried out to collect the data. The contents of the questionnaire included basic personal information and questions related to the participants’ knowledge, attitude, and behavioral patterns toward CE. Univariate and then multivariate linear regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with the KAP. Unstandardized regression coefficients (β) and odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to quantify the associations between variables and KAP. Results. A total of 180 CE patients with a mean age of 35.64 (±17.59) years were recruited. The mean score of participant’s knowledge was 8.7 ( SD = 2.8 , range: 0-17), whereas these scores were 1.3 ( SD = 0.7 , range 0-2) for attitude and 1.2 ( SD = 1.0 , range 0-4) for practice. Findings of the study demonstrated that 20 of the participants (11.1%) had good knowledge towards CE, 82 (45.6%) demonstrated a positive attitude, and 57 (47.5%) without having dogs demonstrated a good practice towards CE ( score = 2 / 2 ), while from 60 dog owners, only 7 (11.6%) participants demonstrated good practice (score 3 and 4/4). Factors that were associated with knowledge were age ( OR = − 0.49 , P value = 0.001) and educational level ( OR = 0.668 , P value = 0.001), where higher age was associated with lower knowledge and also higher educational levels were associated with higher knowledge regarding hydatid cyst. Regarding attitude, only living location had a significant association with participants’ attitude where those who were living in urban areas demonstrating a more positive attitude towards CE ( OR = 0.261 , P value = 0.022). The practice of the participants was grouped into dog owners and participants with no dogs, in which among participants who did not own a dog, those living in urban areas demonstrating weaker practice towards CE ( OR = − 0.491 , P value>0.001). Moreover, a lack of counseling of patients after the surgery on how to prevent reinfection was noticed. Conclusion. Findings of the study revealed that the CE patients in southern Iran had poor knowledge and attitude toward the disease, and their practice may help in maintaining the disease in the community. Health education is highly needed to increase community awareness and to prevent and control this neglected parasitic infection in the area.

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Uncommon Locations of Cystic Echinococcosis: A Report of 46 Cases from Southern Iran

Surgery Research and Practice ◽

10.1155/2020/2061045 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Reza Shahriarirad ◽

Amirhossein Erfani ◽

Mehrdad Eskandarisani ◽

Mohammad Rastegarian ◽

Bahador Sarkari

Keyword(s):

Hydatid Cyst ◽

Hydatid Disease ◽

Cystic Echinococcosis ◽

The Body ◽

Pelvic Cavity ◽

Fars Province ◽

Hydatid Cysts ◽

Unusual Location ◽

Southern Iran ◽

Demographical Data

Background. Most cases of hydatid cysts form in the liver and lung and other tissues are considered as unusual locations in hydatid cysts. The current study aimed to find out the rate and features of hydatid cysts in uncommon locations in Fars Province, Southern Iran, over a 15-year period. Methods. The hospital records of patients who underwent surgery for hydatid cysts in university-affiliated hospitals in Fars Province, Southern Iran, from 2004 to 2018, were retrospectively reviewed. For each patient, clinical and demographical data were recorded. Results. During a 15-year period, a total of 501 patients were surgically treated for hydatid cysts, and out of these, 46 (9.2%) were presented with the unusual locations of hydatid disease. Males constituted 28 (60.9%) of these patients while 18 (39.1%) of the patients were females. The patients’ age ranged from 5 to 80 years (mean = 40.49; SD = 20.37). The size of the cysts ranged from 2 to 20 cm (mean = 8.69, SD = 4.59). The most common unusual location for the hydatid cyst was the spleen with 30.4% of cases, followed by the pelvic cavity (15.2%). Out of 46 cases with unusual location of the hydatid cyst, 10 (21.7%) cases had lung, 22 (47.8%) cases had liver, and 5 (10.9%) cases had both liver and lung hydatid cysts, simultaneously with cysts in unusual locations. Conclusion. In cystic echinococcosis- (CE) endemic areas, hydatid disease can affect any organ, from head to toe, in humans. The disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any cystic entities anywhere in the body.

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