Parasite Epidemiology and Control最新文献

{"title":"Empowering rural communities for effective larval source management: A small-scale field evaluation of a community-led larviciding approach to control malaria in south-eastern Tanzania","authors":"Salum A. Mapua ,&nbsp;Alex J. Limwagu ,&nbsp;Dmitry Kishkinev ,&nbsp;Khamis Kifungo ,&nbsp;Ismail H. Nambunga ,&nbsp;Samuel Mziray ,&nbsp;Gwakisa John ,&nbsp;Wahida Mtiro ,&nbsp;Kusirye Ukio ,&nbsp;Javier Lezaun ,&nbsp;Frederic Tripet ,&nbsp;Fredros O. Okumu","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00382","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00382","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Larval source management, particularly larviciding, is mainly implemented in urban settings to control malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases. In Tanzania, the government has recently expanded larviciding to rural settings across the country, but implementation faces multiple challenges, notably inadequate resources and limited know-how by technical staff. This study evaluated the potential of training community members to identify, characterize and target larval habitats of <em>Anopheles funestus</em> mosquitoes, the dominant vector of malaria transmission in south-eastern Tanzania.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A mixed-methods study was used. First, interviewer-administered questionnaires were employed to assess knowledge, awareness, and perceptions of community members towards larviciding (<em>N</em> = 300). Secondly community-based volunteers were trained to identify and characterize aquatic habitats of dominant malaria vector species, after which they treated the most productive habitats with a locally-manufactured formulation of the biolarvicide, <em>Bacillus thuringiensis</em> var. <em>israelensis</em>. Longitudinal surveys of mosquito adults and larvae were used to assess impacts of the community-led larviciding programme in two villages in rural south-eastern Tanzania.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>At the beginning of the program, the majority of village residents were unaware of larviciding as a potential malaria prevention method, and about 20 % thought that larvicides could be harmful to the environment and other insects. The trained community volunteers identified and characterized 360 aquatic habitats, of which 45.6 % had <em>Anopheles funestus</em>, the dominant malaria vector in the area. The preferred larval habitats for <em>An. funestus</em> were deep and had either slow- or fast-moving waters. Application of biolarvicides reduced the abundance of adult <em>An. funestus</em> and <em>Culex</em> spp. species inside human houses in the same villages, by 46.3 % and 35.4 % respectively. Abundance of late-stage instar larvae of the same taxa was also reduced by 74 % and 42 %, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study demonstrates that training community members to identify, characterize, and target larval habitats of the dominant malaria vectors can be effective for larval source management in rural Tanzania. Community-led larviciding reduced the densities of adult and late-stage instar larvae of <em>An. funestus</em> and <em>Culex</em> spp. inside houses, suggesting that this approach may have potential for malaria control in rural settings. However, efforts are still needed to increase awareness of larviciding in the relevant communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article e00382"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142425216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vivo anti-schistosomal activity of the methanol extracts from Searsia longipes and Lannea schimperi","authors":"Nicolaus Omari Mbugi ,&nbsp;Geoffrey Maina ,&nbsp;Musa Chacha ,&nbsp;Ernest Mbega","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00383","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00383","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Schistosomiasis is a disease caused by the flat worms under the genus <em>Schistosoma</em>. The disease is prominent in tropical and sub tropical countries and it is manifested in two forms; the acute and the chronic form. Treatment and control of the schistosomiasis is constrained with various factors including immerging worm resistance and selective efficacy of the current recommended drug of choice. This therefore calls for the search of new approaches to offset the problems. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of the methanolic extract from <em>Searsia longipes</em> and <em>Lannea schimperi</em> against <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> by using animal model. Swiss albino mice were used for the efficacy testing, whereby, for each extract, 5 groups of mice were used, and each contained 5 mice. Three different doses were administered to three groups, whereas the remaining two groups were used as negative and positive control arms. Efficacies were assessed based on the reduction of the worm eggs in the faeces and organs, body weight gain, loss of liver weight, as well as reduction of worm burden. Both extracts demonstrated significant egg and worm reduction, which was directly proportional to the dose increment. At the highest dose used, <em>Searsia longipes</em> expressed the higher percentage egg reduction (73.33 %), whereas <em>Lannea schimperi</em> demonstrated the higher worm burden reduction (68.53 %). The present study provides strong evidence of the anti-schistosomal activity of the extracts from both <em>S. longipes</em> and <em>L</em>. <em>schimperi</em>. These findings are a significant step forward, suggesting that these plants could be a promising alternative medicine for the treatment of schistosomiasis. However, further investigations are warranted to isolate the compound responsible for this activity and to assess the sub-acute toxicity of the plant extracts. This next phase of research is crucial for advancing our understanding and potential use of these plant extracts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article e00383"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142425218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A randomized controlled trial of Tickoff® (Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 7) for control of tick infestations and transmission of tick-borne infections in extensively grazed zebu cattle in coastal Kenya","authors":"Joseph Wang’ang’a Oundo ,&nbsp;Shewit Kalayou ,&nbsp;Gerrit Gort ,&nbsp;Gebbiena M. Bron ,&nbsp;Constantianus J.M. Koenraadt ,&nbsp;Quirine ten Bosch ,&nbsp;Daniel Masiga","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00384","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00384","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The entomopathogenic fungus <em>Metarhizium anisopliae</em> isolate ICIPE 7 is being developed as an eco-friendly alternative to chemical acaricides in managing natural tick infestation on livestock. Its impact on tick infestation and tick-borne infections in cattle under natural conditions are yet unclear. We conducted a randomized controlled field trial to assess the safety and effects of Tickoff® (a formulation of <em>M. anisopliae</em> isolate ICIPE 7) and the chemical acaricide Triatix® on tick infestation and incidence of <em>Anaplasma marginale</em> and <em>Theileria parva</em> in extensively grazed zebu cattle in coastal Kenya. A total of 217 eligible herds comprising 1459 intent-to-treat zebu cattle were enrolled from 12 villages. The herds were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to Tickoff®, Triatix®, or Tickoff® excipients. Tick counts, treatment administrations, and adverse events were registered every two weeks for seven months. The mortality of ticks collected from treated cattle was monitored in vitro. Infections with <em>A. marginale</em> and <em>T. parva</em> were monitored every two months. No adverse events were reported in either treatment group. Tickoff® did not significantly affect tick infestation (<em>p</em> = 0.869) or infection incidence (<em>p</em> &gt; 0.05) compared to excipients. Triatix® significantly reduced tick infestation (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001) and incidence of <em>T. parva</em> (<em>p</em> = 0.042), but not <em>A. marginale</em> (<em>p</em> = 0.509) compared to the reference Tickoff®. In ticks that were removed from cattle, Tickoff® demonstrated significant pathogenicity in vitro relative to excipients (hazard ratio: 8.50, 95 % CI: 4.67–15.47). Fungus growth and sporulation were also observed on tick cadavers from Tickoff®, but not from excipients. While Tickoff® did not impact tick counts, its delayed, but significant effect on tick mortality may hinder onward pathogen transmission and give rise to indirect (i.e., to untreated animals) epidemiological effects, that were not picked up with this study design. Additionally, adverse environmental conditions resulted in low tick abundance and pathogen circulation towards the end of the study period, reducing the power of the study. This work re-emphasizes the challenges of randomized controlled field trials and the complexity of assessing the impact of vector control products on both direct and indirect impacts on pathogen transmission.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article e00384"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142425219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the performance of a virtual platform ‘T-BOM’ for mentorship in tropical diseases research among early career scientists: Insights from a pilot in Nigeria and other resource-limited settings","authors":"Hammed Oladeji Mogaji ,&nbsp;Akan Itinah ,&nbsp;Oyinkansola Suliat Fadiji ,&nbsp;Olamide Olaitan Omitola ,&nbsp;Tawkalitu Eniola Mogaji ,&nbsp;Olajide Murtala Keshinro ,&nbsp;Falilat Eniola Mogaji ,&nbsp;Mahmud Umar Ali ,&nbsp;Moses Aikins ,&nbsp;Franklin N. Glozah ,&nbsp;Dako-Gyeke Phyllis ,&nbsp;Uwem Friday Ekpo","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00393","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00393","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Research mentorship plays a crucial role in advancing science. However, there are limited virtual platforms for cultivating mentorship among early career infectious diseases researchers in resource challenged settings. This study reports the findings from the utilization of a recently developed virtual mentorship platform, including its achievements, challenges and needs.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We developed a web-based application called Top-Bottom Open Mentorship (TBOM) freely accessible at <span><span>www.tbommodel.com</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>. The platform hosts mentors and allows mentees to send connection requests. In this paper, we present the utilization of this platform, including the opportunities and challenges encountered during the first year of implementation. Utilization data was generated monthly, while opportunities and challenges were captured using a users' perception survey. Data were analyzed in R software and summarized thematically as appropriate.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Between October 2022 and November 2023, the platform registered 81 users, comprising 63 mentees [54.3 % males, 75 % graduate students] from five countries [Nigeria, Cameroon, Brazil, Sudan, and Ghana], and 18 mentors [78 % males] from six countries [Nigeria, USA, Cameroon, Kenya, Brazil, and Tanzania]. Platform engagement increased from 19.4 % (7 users out of 36 who registered) to 51 % (41 users out of 81 who registered) over the year. Also, a total of 16 mentorship cycles were completed, with 9 currently running. Mentees reported having access to job opportunities, enhanced skills in writing, time management, and grant sourcing, and improved research prospects. However, challenges identified include time zone differences, limited number of mentors, mentee's readiness, and associated internet connection issues.</div></div><div><h3>Interpretation</h3><div>The achievements of T-BOM over a period of one-year are challenged by intrinsic factors from both mentees and mentors, as well as erratic internet services in resource-limited settings. While the platform offers significant opportunities for improving research mentorship, these challenges need to be carefully addressed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article e00393"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142706951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Time to change implementation units for mass drug administration against schistosomiasis in Uganda: Evidence from Communities levels data validation and its implication in planning","authors":"Moses Adriko ,&nbsp;Benjamin Tinkitina ,&nbsp;Moses Arinaitwe ,&nbsp;Edridah M. Tukahebwa ,&nbsp;Alfred Mubangizi ,&nbsp;Jorge Cano Ortega ,&nbsp;Honorat Zoure ,&nbsp;Pauline N. Mwinzi ,&nbsp;Boniface Kinvi ,&nbsp;Amadou Garba Djirmay ,&nbsp;Sammy Njenga ,&nbsp;Humphrey D. Mazigo","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00394","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00394","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Uganda started implementing mass drug administration against schistosomiasis in 2003, with district used as an implementation unit. This resulted into misclassification of communities into wrong risk levels, under-or-over treatment and over request of praziquantel (PZQ) drugs. The objective of the current study was to reviewing the community data available at World Health Organization/ESPEN database to understand the status of schistosomiasis and identify pockets with infection. The decision tree assessment tool was used to analyzed schistosomiasis epidemiological data of 7501 communities. Before validation, the schistosomiasis endemicity status of 79 % of communities was not known. After validation, 58.6 %, 22.6 % and 16.3 % of communities were not endemic, had low and moderate endemicity status. Of 2362 communities classified having high endemicity using a district as implementation unit, 41.6 %, 12.7 % and 17.3 % of them were not endemic, had low and moderate endemicity, while only 22.7 % had high endemicity. Using the new treatment guidelines, 2,875,006 school aged children were adequately treated, 18,235 were under-treated and 2,250,013 were over treated. The results show a considerable change in endemicity status when communities were used as an implementation unit compared to district. Thus, the country control programme is recommended to use communities as implementation unit.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article e00394"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11697246/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142932926","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic diversity of the PvMSP-3α gene in Plasmodium vivax isolates circulating in the National Capital Region (NCR) of India","authors":"Ram Das,&nbsp;Kapil Vashisht,&nbsp;Deepali Savargaonkar,&nbsp;L.L. Mercy Aparna,&nbsp;Ajay Nayak,&nbsp;Kailash C. Pandey","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00362","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00362","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Malaria is still a public health problem in tropical countries like India; major malaria parasite species are <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> and <em>P. vivax</em>. Of which, <em>P. vivax</em> is responsible for ∼40% of the malaria burden at least in the Indian scenario. Unfortunately, there is limited data on the population structure and genetic diversity of <em>P. vivax</em> parasites in India. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity of <em>P. vivax</em> strains in the South-west district, Delhi and, Nuh district, Haryana [National Capital Region (NCR)], using a polymorphic marker- <em>P. vivax</em> merozoite surface protein-3α (<em>Pv</em>MSP-3α) gene. Dried blood spots from microscopically confirmed <em>P. vivax</em> patients were used for investigation of the <em>Pv</em>MSP-3α gene. PCR-RFLP was performed on the <em>Pv</em>MSP-3α gene to investigate the genotypes and allelic variability with <em>Hha</em>I and <em>Alu</em>I restriction enzymes. In total, 40 successfully PCR amplified <em>Pv</em>MSP-3α gene segments were subjected to RFLP analysis. Amplified products showed three different base pair size variations <em>viz.</em> genotype A in 31(77.5%), genotype B in 4(10%) and genotype C in 5(12.5%) <em>P. vivax</em> specimens. RFLP with <em>Hha</em>I and <em>Alu</em>I revealed 17 (H1-H17) and 25 (A1-A25) allelic variants, respectively. Interestingly, two similar sub-allelic variants, <em>ie.</em> H8 (with <em>Hha</em>I), and A4 (with <em>Alu</em>I) clustered within the rural area of Nuh district, Haryana in two samples. With this study, we propose to commission such type of genetic diversity analysis of <em>P. vivax</em> to investigate the circulating genotypes of the parasites from distinct geographical locations across India, that can have significant implications in understanding the population structures of <em>P. vivax</em>.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article e00362"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405673124000266/pdfft?md5=18d826e84ec243fa38e6d30f7689f377&pid=1-s2.0-S2405673124000266-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141323748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A systematic review and meta-analysis on prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis in East Africa","authors":"Getie Mulat ,&nbsp;Moges Maru ,&nbsp;Zewdu Seyoum Tarekegn ,&nbsp;Haileyesus Dejene","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00371","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00371","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Bovine trypanosomosis is an incapacitating and lethal ailment brought about by protozoan parasites of the genus Trypanosoma. The disease leads to losses in livestock and agricultural productivity, resulting in significant socio-economic repercussions. In East Africa, trypanosomosis has been endemic for an extensive period due to ecological factors and vector biology that facilitate the persistent circulation of trypanosomes. This investigation outlines the occurrence of bovine trypanosomosis in East Africa through a meta-analysis. A thorough search was conducted on PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science and AJOL. Suitable studies were chosen using inclusion and exclusion criteria. The prevalence was estimated through a random effect model. Publication bias and the variation in prevalence estimates due to heterogeneity were also evaluated. The analysis was performed on 115 studies that contained relevant prevalence data. The collective estimate of bovine trypanosomosis prevalence across the studies stood at 12% (95% CI: 11, 13), ranging from 1% (95% CI: 0, 2) to 51% (95% CI: 45, 58). The subgroup analysis by country revealed considerable disparities in prevalence. The highest estimated prevalence was 24% (95% CI: 18, 30) in Somalia, whereas the lowest prevalence was observed in Ethiopia at 10% (95% CI: 9, 11). A significant level of heterogeneity was noted in most pooled estimates, even after conducting subgroup analysis. The visual examination of the funnel plot and the Egger's regression asymmetry coefficient (b = −5.13, 95% CI: −7.49, −2.76, <em>p</em> = 0.00) and Begg's plot (<em>p</em> = 0.00) indicate the presence of publication bias. In conclusion, bovine trypanosomosis is a pervasive and noteworthy malady affecting livestock. The findings of this investigation imply a high prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis in the majority of the countries under scrutiny. Despite the well-known hindrance that livestock trypanosomosis poses to livestock production in Africa, little attention has been devoted to the trypanosomosis situation, particularly in East African nations.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article e00371"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405673124000357/pdfft?md5=46a02fcc91aa0f63f77929f55c083b13&pid=1-s2.0-S2405673124000357-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141951538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Babesiosis in the immunocompromised population: Results from a multicentric cohort study conducted in Italy","authors":"Anna Barbiero ,&nbsp;Simona Gabrielli ,&nbsp;Lapo Dani ,&nbsp;Michele Spinicci ,&nbsp;Filippo Lagi ,&nbsp;Gregorio Basile ,&nbsp;Francesca Nacci ,&nbsp;Antonia Mantella ,&nbsp;Seble Tekle Kiros ,&nbsp;Angela Pieri ,&nbsp;Andrea Delama ,&nbsp;Chiara Piubelli ,&nbsp;Salvatore Scarso ,&nbsp;Andrea Angheben ,&nbsp;Marcello Feasi ,&nbsp;Bianca Granozzi ,&nbsp;Giorgia Comai ,&nbsp;Stefania Varani ,&nbsp;Lorenzo Zammarchi ,&nbsp;Alessandro Bartoloni","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00372","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00372","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Human babesiosis is an emerging zoonotic disease; diffused especially in some regions of the United States, it has been less frequently observed in other continents, including Europe. Serological surveys suggest that babesiosis could be more frequent than expected in European countries, representing an emerging health-issue and a possible harm, especially in immunocompromised populations. Only one case of human babesiosis has been reported in Italy and data about the diffusion of the pathogen in this country are scant. We conducted a multicentric serological survey in 5 centers of North-Eastern Italy, aimed to detect the seroprevalence of <em>Babesia</em> spp. antibodies in 3 groups of immunocompromised patients: people living with HIV (PLHIV), rheumatologic patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapies and patients undergoing renal transplant. Among the 433 enrolled patients, 3 (0.7%) tested positive for <em>Babesia</em> spp. serology. All positive patients belonged to the PLHIV group, with a seroprevalence of 1.7% (3/180) in this population; the three serologically positive patients were all asymptomatic. They were all enrolled in the provinces of Bolzano and Trento, where seroprevalences of 3.1% and 3.6% were recorded, respectively. Our results suggest that further research is needed on this field, awareness should be raised toward the human disease in Europe, especially in immunocompromised patients, and this emerging health issue should be analyzed in a One-Health perspective to be fully understood.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article e00372"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405673124000369/pdfft?md5=097c2d442c015de6cf99e8e2aac2530a&pid=1-s2.0-S2405673124000369-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141952466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors influencing stunted growth in children: A study in Bandung regency focusing on a deworming program","authors":"Riyadi Adrizain ,&nbsp;Lia Faridah ,&nbsp;Nisa Fauziah ,&nbsp;Afiat Berbudi ,&nbsp;Deviyanthi Nur Afifah ,&nbsp;Djatnika Setiabudi ,&nbsp;Budi Setiabudiawan","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00361","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00361","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The prevalence of neglected tropical diseases, specifically those caused by soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) and other parasites that infest the intestine as part of their life cycle, remains a problem in Indonesia. We assessed the effects of deworming programs and socioeconomic and ecological factors on the incidence rate of infections with STHs and other parasites in an urban area of the Bandung Regency. We recruited 361 children with stunted growth who met the inclusion criteria, and 48 of those children were at high risk of STH infection. The study was conducted between September 2020 and September 2021. We collected possible socioeconomic factors influencing the incidence rate of infections. We found the incidence rate of STH infections among the children with stunted growth to be 3.6%. We confirmed infections with <em>Cyclospora</em> and <em>Cryptosporidium</em> after a Ziehl-Nieelsen stool smear examination in two of the 48 children at risk of infection. We found 43.75% of the children had short stature and weight below the normal limits, while stunting and severe stunting were associated with <em>Ascaris lumbricoides</em> infection (44.70%, <em>p</em> = 0.035). Parents of children with stunted and severely stunted growth were more likely to have a low education level, lack knowledge about deworming program, and to be earning a low income. The mother's occupation had a particularly strong influence on the severity of the stunting (89.58%, <em>p</em> = 0.012). Our results show that deworming programs can affect the growth and development of children and that socioeconomic and ecological factors also play a role.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article e00361"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405673124000254/pdfft?md5=e95471cd7ad587ee21159a2628f1ff5e&pid=1-s2.0-S2405673124000254-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141279589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of parasitological methods for the identification of soil-transmitted helminths, including Strongyloides stercoralis, in a regional reference laboratory in northwestern Argentina: An observational study","authors":"Elvia Nieves ,&nbsp;Pedro Fleitas ,&nbsp;Marisa Juárez ,&nbsp;Cristina Almazán ,&nbsp;Gabriela Flores ,&nbsp;Jimena Alani ,&nbsp;Ramón Diaz ,&nbsp;Jorge Martos ,&nbsp;Pamela Cajal ,&nbsp;Rubén Cimino ,&nbsp;Alejandro Krolewiecki","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00370","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00370","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) are a significant public health problem in impoverished communities of tropical and subtropical areas. Improved diagnostic methods are crucial for Neglected Tropical Diseases programs, particularly for <em>S. stercoralis</em>, as traditional methods are inadequate. Thus, it is important to identify the most accurate and efficient methods for the diagnosis of STH. We performed a retrospective study analyzing laboratory data at the Instituto de Investigaciones de Enfermedades Tropicales from 2010 to 2019. The study included data from outpatients referred for stool analysis and public health interventions from urban and rural communities in northern Salta province, Argentina. Samples were included in this analysis if processed through sedimentation/concentration, Baermann, Harada-Mori and McMaster's, with a subgroup that also included Agar plate culture method (APC). Sensitivity was calculated against a composite reference standard. Of the 5625 samples collected, 944 qualified for this analysis, with a prevalence of 11.14% for <em>A. lumbricoides</em>, 8.16% for hookworm, 1.38% for <em>T. trichiura</em>, and 6.36% for <em>S. stercoralis</em>. The sedimentation/concentration method was the most sensitive for <em>A. lumbricoides</em> (96%), compared to the McMaster method, with a sensitivity of 62%. Similarly, for hookworms, sedimentation/concentration was more sensitive than McMaster's, Harada-Mori, and Baermann with sensitivities of 87%, 70%, 43%, and 13%, respectively. Most of these infections were of light intensity. For <em>S. stercoralis</em>, Baermann and sedimentation/concentration methods were the most sensitive, with 70% and 62% respectively, while Harada-Mori was the least sensitive. In a subset of 389 samples also analyzed by the APC, Baermann was more sensitive than APC for detecting <em>S. stercoralis</em>, and both methods were superior to Harada-Mori. Parasitological methods, mostly when used combined, offer adequate opportunities for the diagnosis of STH in clinical and public health laboratories. The incorporation of <em>S. stercoralis</em> into the control strategies of the World Health Organization requires rethinking the current diagnostic approach used for surveys. With sedimentation/concentration and Baermann appearing as the most sensitive methods for this species. Further studies, including implementation assessments, should help in identifying the most adequate and feasible all-STH diagnostic approach.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article e00370"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405673124000345/pdfft?md5=d2c1c78cece77c327ec8f65cec82f308&pid=1-s2.0-S2405673124000345-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141949899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}