scholarly journals Mapping, cluster detection and evaluation of risk factors of ovine toxoplasmosis in Southern Italy

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Condoleo ◽  
Vincenzo Musella ◽  
Maria Paola Maurelli ◽  
Antonio Bosco ◽  
Giuseppe Cringoli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Common Source ◽  
High Exposure ◽  
Campania Region ◽  
Source Of Infection ◽  
Serological Data

Toxoplasmosis, an important cause of reproductive failure in sheep, is responsible for significant economic losses to the ovine industry worldwide. Moreover, ovine meat contaminated by the parasite <em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> is considered as a common source of infection for humans. The aim of this study was to develop point and risk profiling maps of <em>T. gondii</em> seroprevalence in sheep bred in Campania Region (Southern Italy) and analyse risk factors associated at the flock-level. We used serological data from a previous survey of 117 sheep flocks, while environmental and farm management information were obtained from an analysis based on geographical information systems and a questionnaire purveyance, respectively. An univariate Poisson regression model revealed that the type of farm production (milk and meat vs only meat) was the only independent variable associated with <em>T. gondii</em> positivity (P&lt;0.02); the higher within-flock seroprevalence in milking herds suggests that milking practices might influence the spread of the infection on the farm. Neither environmental nor other management variables were significant. Since a majority of flocks were seasonally or permanently on pasture, the animals have a high exposure to infectious <em>T. gondii</em> oocysts, so the high within-flock seroprevalence might derive from this management factor. However, further studies are needed to better assess the actual epidemiological situation of toxoplasmosis in sheep and to clarify the factors that influence its presence and distribution.

scholarly journals A Geospatial database of gastric cancer patients and associated potential risk factors including lifestyle and air pollution

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Hashemi Amin ◽  
Mahtab Ghaemi ◽  
Sayyed Mostafa Mostafavi ◽  
Ladan Goshayeshi ◽  
Khadijeh Rezaei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Gastric Cancer ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Point Feature

Abstract Objectives Gastric cancer (GC) is a multifactorial disease and the fifth most frequent diagnosed cancer worldwide. It accounts for one third of cancer-related mortalities. Geospatial analysis using geographical information systems (GIS) can provide an efficient solution to identify spatial disparities associated with GC. As such, GIS enables policymakers to control cancer in a better way and identify the regions where interventions are needed. This study aims to publish a comprehensive dataset, which was applied to conduct a spatial analysis of GC patients in the city of Mashhad, Iran. Data description We provide a personal geodatabase, a Microsoft Access database that can store, query, and manage both spatial and non-spatial data, which contains four feature classes. “Male_Stomach_Cancer_Patients” and “Female_Stomach_Cancer_Patients” are point feature classes, which show the age and geographical location of 1156 GC cancer patients diagnosed between 2014 and 2017. “Air_Polution_Mashhad” is another point feature class that reveals the amount of six air pollutants, which was taken from Mashhad Environmental Pollutants Monitoring Center between 2017 and 2018. Finally, “Stomach_Cancer_and_Risk_Factors” is a polygon feature class of neighborhood division of Mashhad, consisting of contributor risk factors including dietary habits, smoking, alcohol use, body mass index and population by age groups for all 165 city neighborhoods.

scholarly journals Impacts of Urban Floods on Road Connectivity - A Review and Systematic Bibliometric Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 575-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok Kadaverugu ◽  
Kasi Viswanadh Gorthi ◽  
Nageshwar Rao Chintala
Keyword(s):  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Flood Inundation ◽  
Risk Modeling ◽  
Urban Centers ◽  
Urban Floods ◽  
Remote Sensing Methods

Urban floods are paralyzing surface transportation and inflicting heavy economic losses. Climate-induced increase in frequency and intensity of rainfalls and excessive urbanization makes urban centers even more vulnerable to floods. It is necessary to quantify all dimensions of losses caused to road connectivity to improve flood mitigation policy. There is a need to consolidate the existing body of peer-reviewed contemporary literature on flood inundation modeling and its impacts on road connectivity. This will improve the awareness of policymakers and researchers and help in science-based decision making. Articles archived in the Web of Science database having the keywords floods and road in their title published between 1977 and 2020 were analyzed using the blibliometrix library of R. Analysis shows that the flood inundation and flood extent modeling has evolved from the conventional hydrological models to the near real-time crowd-sourced modeling methods. Applications of geographical information systems and advanced remote sensing methods have been growing in identifying road network vulnerabilities. We observed a gap in harmonized data availability, due to the unstructured data formats at several scales, which hinders a generalized approach for flood risk modeling studies for urban planning. Concentrated efforts have to be made to fill the gaps in data availability and research methodologies, especially using crowd-sourced data. Further, efforts have to be made to increase awareness, early warning systems, and alternate transport networks, to make the cities less vulnerable to floods.

scholarly journals Diagnostic approaches to malaria in Zambia, 2009-2014

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor M. Mukonka ◽  
Emmanuel Chanda ◽  
Mulakwa Kamuliwo ◽  
Maha A. Elbadry ◽  
Pauline K. Wamulume ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Spatial Regression ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Control Center ◽  
Spatio Temporal

Malaria is an important health burden in Zambia with proper diagnosis remaining as one of the biggest challenges. The need for reliable diagnostics is being addressed through the introduction of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). However, without sufficient laboratory amenities in many parts of the country, diagnosis often still relies on non-specific, clinical symptoms. In this study, geographical information systems were used to both visualize and analyze the spatial distribution and the risk factors related to the diagnosis of malaria. The monthly reported, district-level number of malaria cases from January 2009 to December 2014 were collected from the National Malaria Control Center (NMCC). Spatial statistics were used to reveal cluster tendencies that were subsequently linked to possible risk factors, using a non-spatial regression model. Significant, spatio-temporal clusters of malaria were spotted while the introduction of RDTs made the number of clinically diagnosed malaria cases decrease by 33% from 2009 to 2014. The limited access to road network(s) was found to be associated with higher levels of malaria, which can be traced by the expansion of health promotion interventions by the NMCC, indicating enhanced diagnostic capability. The capacity of health facilities has been strengthened with the increased availability of proper diagnostic tools and through retraining of community health workers. To further enhance spatial decision support systems, a multifaceted approach is required to ensure mobilization and availability of human, infrastructural and technological resources. Surveillance based on standardized geospatial or other analytical methods should be used by program managers to design, target, monitor and assess the spatio-temporal dynamics of malaria diagnostic resources country-wide.

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

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.

scholarly journals Geotourism Perspectives for Transhumance Routes. Analysis, Requalification and Virtual Tools for the Geoconservation Management of the Drove Roads in Southern Italy

Geosciences ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Meini ◽  
Giuseppe Di Felice ◽  
Marco Petrella
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Cultural Landscapes ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Historical Sources ◽  
Territorial Identity ◽  
Mediterranean Regions

The article illustrates the interest in transhumance routes, the ancient paths connecting high and lowland pastures in Southern Italy and other Mediterranean regions, as elements of particular importance for sustainable geotourism management. As a contribution to the needs of requalification of the drove roads, we propose a method of analysis for their preservation and their reuse for geotourism purposes, showing the steps and instruments necessary to organize, enhance and communicate transhumance routes as integrated cultural landscapes. Results are presented as applied to a specific case study (Molise, IT) of a geoconservation management proposal for the assessment of the state of conservation of the drove roads, of their cultural heritage and of their potential reuse for geotourism. This methodological proposal uses geographical information systems, historical sources, cartography and remote sensing techniques and includes 3D virtual reconstructions of the transhumance landscape. The article is meant to contribute to a non-stereotyped image of transhumance geoheritage, reflecting on communication and learning strategies supported by geo-historical analyses, in order to promote a greater awareness of landscapes genesis and evolution for visitors and local communities. It is argued that future challenges of geotourism relate to the ability to recompose nature and culture to an interpretive unity, both from a theoretical and operative point of view, and that the goal is to reach an integrated tourist offer focused on the relationship between man and environment with the signs of territorialisation processes expressed through economic vocations, traditional production chains, cultural values and territorial identity. To this purpose, the valorisation of the transhumance routes—for their historical-economic, ecological, landscape, patrimonial and identity meanings—seems to respond perfectly.

scholarly journals Association between environmental risk factors and campylobacter infections in Sweden

2004 ◽  
Vol 132 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. NYGÅRD ◽  
Y. ANDERSSON ◽  
J. A. RØTTINGEN ◽  
Å. SVENSSON ◽  
J. LINDBÄCK ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Environmental Risk ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Disease Incidence ◽  
Environmental Risk Factors ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Pipe Length ◽  
Campylobacter Infections

Campylobacter sp. is the most common cause of acute bacterial gastroenteritis in Sweden and the incidence has been increasing. Case-control studies to identify risk factors have been conducted in several countries, but much remains unexplained. The geographical distribution of campylobacter infections varies substantially, and many environmental factors may influence the observed pattern. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) offer an opportunity to use routinely available surveillance data to explore associations between potential environmental risk factors showing a geographical pattern and disease incidence, complementing traditional approaches for investigating risk factors for disease. We investigated associations between campylobacter incidence and environmental factors related to water and livestock in Sweden. Poisson regression was used to estimate the strength of the associations. Positive associations were found between campylobacter incidence and average water-pipe length per person, ruminant density, and a negative association with the percentage of the population receiving water from a public water supply. This indicates that drinking water and contamination from livestock may be important factors in explaining sporadic human campylobacteriosis in Sweden, and that contamination occurring in the water distribution system might be more important than previously considered.

scholarly journals Identifying Areas Sensitive to Wind Erosion—A Case Study of the AP Vojvodina (Serbia)

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (23) ◽  
pp. 5106
Author(s):  
Aleksandar Baumgertel ◽  
Sara Lukić ◽  
Snežana Belanović Simić ◽  
Ratko Kadović
Keyword(s):  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Wind Erosion ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Area At Risk ◽  
Entire Area

Wind erosion is one of the most significant forms of land degradation which occurs in arid and semi-arid regions. Agricultural land is significantly affected by wind erosion, which leads to soil quality reduction, and consequently to economic losses. This research was conducted in the autonomous province (AP) of Vojvodina (a region dominated by agriculture), which represents one of the most important economic regions in the Republic of Serbia. The aim of this research was to identify areas sensitive to wind erosion (in the month of March) in the AP Vojvodina by using fuzzy logic, remote sensing data, and geographical information systems (GIS). The data of prior research on erosion sediment were used for results validation. The results show that the hazardous sensitivity category covers approximately 60.41% of the research area, while the medium sensitive category accounts for 36% of the area. These findings are primarily a result of the lack of vegetation in almost the entire area, particularly in wind-exposed agricultural areas with no vegetation, which are being prepared for sowing. Another factor putting such a large area at risk is the unfavorable climate (especially in southeastern parts of the area), and slightly less favorable soil properties in the north. The results of this research could be used in decision-making at the regional level, along with the development and implementation of programs aimed at mitigating the effects of wind erosion.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence and risk factors of infections with Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in hunting dogs from Campania region, southern Italy

2016 ◽  
Vol 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tereza Machacova ◽  
Eva Bartova ◽  
Kamil Sedlak ◽  
Radka Slezakova ◽  
Marie Budikova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Neospora Caninum ◽  
Campania Region ◽  
Hunting Dogs

scholarly journals Spatial modeling of the spread of scabies and environmental sanitation as a risk factor among schoolchildren: a case-control study

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Yudhi Wibowo ◽  
Nendyah Roestijawati ◽  
Dyah Krisnansari ◽  
Agoes Y Purnomo
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Spatial Modeling ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
World Health ◽  
Environmental Sanitation ◽  
Skin Contact

BACKGROUND <br />Scabies is a World Health Organization neglected tropical disease common in children in low-and middle-income countries. The prevalence of scabies, especially in tropical countries, is still quite high at more than 200 million cases per year. Transmission of scabies is predominantly via skin-to-skin contact. The purpose of the study was to determine the epidemiology of clinical scabies among schoolchildren and spatial modeling using geographic information systems (GIS).<br /><br />METHODS<br />A study of unmatched case-control design with a ratio of 1: 1 was performed to identify specific risk factors of scabies. Cases were patients with clinical scabies and controls were healthy people in the area. A total of 100 students were involved in the study. Simple and multiple logistic regression was used to test any association between the variables. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) modeling was used to determine the spatial distribution of clinical scabies based on 69 cases.<br /><br />RESULT<br />There was a significant association between the level of environmental sanitation and the prevalence of clinical scabies (OR = 2.53;95% C.I. 1.11-5.74). Multivariate analysis showed that the level of environmental sanitation was significant (AOR = 3.05;95% C.I. 1.19-7.81). Risk factors for developing clinical scabies increased to 3 times after considering other risk factors, namely gender, age group and respondent education level. Analysis of average nearest neighbor distance showed that the spatial distribution of clinical scabies was clustered. <br /><br />CONCLUSIONS<br />The distribution of clinical scabies was spatial clustering, and prediction of transmission in a clockwise direction with Southeast and Northwest ellipses.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document