scholarly journals A systematic review and meta-analysis of the genetic characterization of human echinococcosis in Iran, an endemic country

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. e2019024 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abolghasem Siyadatpanah ◽  
Davood Anvari ◽  
Amir Emami Zeydi ◽  
Seyed Abdollah Hosseini ◽  
Ahmad Daryani ◽  
...  

Human echinococcosis is an infectious disease caused by tapeworms belonging to the species Echinococcus. This parasite has a worldwide distribution and is considered a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization. Due to the diversity of Echinococcus spp. hosts, as well as variation in geographical, climatic, and socio-ethnic conditions, the question of the strains or genotypes of Echinococcus spp. that are involved in human infections is important. The aim of this study was to provide a summary of the available data on genotypes of Echinococcus obtained from the Iranian population. Four international databases (PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science) and 4 Persian databases (Magiran, Scientific Information Database, Iran Medex, and IranDoc) were searched for cross-sectional studies that reported the genotypes of Echinococcus spp. in human echinococcosis cases using molecular methods in Iran through July 2018. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the selected studies. A total of 559 cases of human cystic echinococcosis were reported in the 21 included articles. The majority of cases belonged to genotype G1 (89.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 80.1 to 95.8), genotype G6 (8.2%; 95% CI, 2.8 to 15.9), and genotype G3 (2.3%; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.9). Since genotype G1 of Echinococcus appears to be the most prevalent genotype affecting humans in Iran, disease control initiatives aimed at sheep intermediate hosts may be the most beneficial. In addition, educational programs and serological screening in individuals may help reduce the national impact of the disease.

Author(s):  
Muhammad Mujahid Khan, MD, PhD ◽  
Sadia Wazir Khan, MD, M.Phil ◽  
Mohammed Moizuddin Khan, MD, PhD ◽  
Tahani Nasser Altamimi, MD, PhD ◽  
Shifa Khan, MD ◽  
...  

This epidemiological cross-sectional data-based study aimed to explore the morbidity and mortality patterns of novel coronavirus infections (COVID-19) among the worst affected regions of the world. The data on the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19 were obtained from World Health Organization (WHO), John Hopkin’s University research center, Worldometer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), since its outbreak until August 5, 2020. The evidences were also recorded from research papers published in international scientific journals indexed in Pub Med and Institute of Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Science. The findings show that the average of COVID-19 cases in Europe is 154754 cases per million of the population, in America (both north and south) is 47982 cases per million of the population and in Asia is 13280 cases per million of the population. The mean value of mortality rate in Europe, America (both north and south) and Asia is 2436 deaths per million of population, 2158 deaths per million of population, and 181 deaths per million people, respectively. The study broadly concludes that the infection rate and mortality are higher in developed countries than in developing or underdeveloped countries. The perceptible causes of increase in infection rate and mortality in developed European and American countries may be the difference in individual and herd immunity in the population due to less exposure to similar viruses. The lack of exposure may be attributed to better economic conditions leading to relatively good hygienic practices as compared to the developing and underdeveloped countries of the Asian region.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 211-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Rezaei ◽  
Mohammad Reza Maracy ◽  
Mohammad H Yarmohammadian ◽  
Hojat Sheikhbardsiri

Background: Hospitals play a critical role in providing communities with essential medical care during disasters. Objectives: In this article, the key components and recommended actions of WHO (World Health Organization) Hospital emergency response checklist have been considered to identify current practices in disaster/emergency hospital preparedness in actual or potential incidents. Methods: Articles were obtained through bibliographic databases, including ISI Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, and SID: Scientific information database. Keywords were “Disaster,” “Preparedness,” “Emergency Preparedness,” “Disaster Planning,” “Mass Casualty Incidents,” “Hospital Emergency Preparedness,” “Health Emergency Preparedness,” “Preparedness Response,” and “Emergency Readiness.” Independent reviewers (F.R. and M.H.Y.) screened abstracts and titles for eligibility. STROBE (STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology) checklist was used to qualifying the studies for this review. Results: Of 1545 identified studies, 26 articles were implied inclusion criteria. They accounted for nine key components and 92 recommended actions. The majority of principles that had been rigorously recommended at any level of the hospital emergency preparedness were command and control and post-disaster recovery. Surge capacity was considered less frequently. Conclusion: We recommend considering the proposed disaster categories by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). In this framework, different weights for nine components can be considered based on disaster categories. Thus, a more valid and reliable preparedness checklist could be developed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asaad Moradi ◽  
Mohammad Zamani ◽  
Emadoddin Moudi

Background: Prostate cancer is a global health concern. In Iran, its epidemiology is not precisely recognized. We aimed to evaluate incidence of prostate cancer among Iranian populations. Methods: In this systematic review, we searched the databases PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus and Google Scholar for English studies and the databases Magiran, Scientific information Database, IranMedex and IranDoc for Persian studies, using related keywords. The cross sectional articles published from inception to 31 December 2018 were included. Meta-analysis was conducted on the collected data with STATA software using random effects model. Results: Out of 763 articles initially obtained, 9 articles were finally included after applying the predefined exclusion criteria. Analysis of 9 studies on the incidence of prostate cancer showed a crude rate of 7.1 per 100000 population (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.6-8.6). Also, the pooled age-standardized incidence rate was 8.7 per 100000 (95% CI: 6.7-10.4). Studies performed in the period 2004-2012 had significantly a higher pooled estimate of the crude incidence rate (9.2 per 100000 [95% CI: 7.9-10.4]) compared with those conducted in the period 1996-2003 (4.5 per 100000 [95% CI: 2.8-6.2]). This trend was also observed based on the age-standardized incidence rate (11 per 100000 [95% CI: 9.4-12.5] versus 6.3 per 100000[95% CI: 4-8.5]).Conclusion: Despite low rate of prostate cancer occurrence in Iran, it is recommended that preventive measures be taken against this disease by health policymakers. Also, more epidemiological studies are needed to better find out the pattern of prostate cancer among Iranian populations.


Author(s):  
Samaneh Shahrokh ◽  
Tabatabaee Aliye ◽  
Maryam Yazdi ◽  
Mansour Siavash ◽  
Ashraf Aminorroaya

Since infectious foot ulcers represent one of the major causes of lower-limb amputation, it calls for an appropriate action for early detection and sufficient treatment of diabetic foot infection (DFI). The present study aimed at investigating the bacterial epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns of DFIs in Iran. We have conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Scientific Information Database to identify all articles reporting the proportion of different kinds of bacteria isolated from Iranian DFI samples. Quality was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute tool. A pooled estimate of proportion with a corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was calculated using the random effect method. Fifteen studies were eligible, of which 1970 bacterial isolates were obtained from 1316 patients. The most predominant isolates recovered from DFIs was Staphylococcus aureus with a pooled proportion of 24.29% (95% CI: 20.25%, 28.57%) from which 55% (95% CI: 38%, 72%) were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Among Gram-negative strains, Escherichia coli had the highest proportion (17.19%; 95% CI: 13.96%, 20.68%) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 7.54% (95% CI: 4.56%, 11.14%). The highest pooled estimates of resistance against cotrimoxazole and ciprofloxacin were found in S. aureus 66% (95% CI: 48%, 82%) and E coli isolates 68% (95% CI: 51%, 84%), respectively. Our study revealed that AMR is at a high level in Iran and clinicians should be aware of bacterial resistance patterns to prescribe appropriate antibiotic regimens.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 1649
Author(s):  
Khadijeh Sharifi ◽  
Zahra Tagharrobi ◽  
Zahra Sooki

Menopause can cause mental, physical, vasomotor, and sexual symptoms and problems, which negatively affect the quality of life (QOL). The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate QOL among Iranian postmenopausal women. This systematic review was conducted on cross-sectional studies that were published between 2000 and 2018. An online search to find studies published in English or Persian was conducted in the databases of Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Google Scholar, Scientific Information Database, Magiran, and IranMedex. Search key terms were “quality of life”, “menopause”, and “Iran”. Fourteen studies were eligible for this study. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist was used for quality appraisal. The mean and standard deviation of QOL and its domains were extracted from the selected studies. Study data were analyzed using the Review Manager (v. 5.0) and the STATA (v. 12.0) software. The mean of total QOL among 3413 postmenopausal women was 57.89±12.8 (in the possible range of 0–174). The means of its vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual domains were 7.86±2.14, 19.43±2.05, 40.58±3.33, and 6.71±1.77, respectively. The QOL among Iranian postmenopausal women is nearly higher than the moderate level. The lowest and the highest levels of QOL are related to the physical and sexual domains, respectively. Health authorities need to develop educational interventions to promote postmenopausal women’s QOL, particularly in the physical domain. [GMJ.2020;9:e1649]


2019 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. e2019001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samira Dodangeh ◽  
Ahmad Daryani ◽  
Mehdi Sharif ◽  
Shirzad Gholami ◽  
Elham Kialashaki ◽  
...  

Freshwater snails, as the first intermediate hosts of trematodes, can cause health hazards in animals and humans. Recently, the World Health Organization has included Iran in a list of 6 countries known to have serious problems with fascioliasis. In addition, cercarial dermatitis is a job-related disease that is seen often in paddy workers, agricultural labourers, and fishermen in Iran, particularly in Mazandaran Province. Many studies have been conducted in Iran to survey larval trematodes in freshwater snails. However, to the best of our knowledge, no comprehensive data exist regarding infections in gastropods. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to estimate the types and prevalence of cercarial infections in snails in Iran. Electronic English-language and Persian-language databases were searched to identify 24 published articles reporting the prevalence of trematode infections in snails (9 species from 6 families) in various provinces of Iran. In total, 4.4% of gastropods were infected with the larval stages of trematodes. According to the studies reviewed in this meta-analysis‚ the highest infection prevalence was found in Radix auricularia (9.9%). Twelve larval species of trematodes were identified, and the highest prevalence of cercariae was found for Echinostomatidae cercariae (4.3%). Among the provinces explored, West Azerbaijan had the highest prevalence of infected snails (16.9%). The presence of trematodes in snails could pose a serious health problem in Iran. Thus, further studies are necessary to characterize these infections in other provinces.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Neda Rahimian ◽  
Mohammad Aghajanpour ◽  
Leila Jouybari ◽  
Pedram Ataee ◽  
Asadollah Fathollahpour ◽  
...  

Background. Asthma is an important reason for hospitalization in children aged under five years. Information about the current status of asthma in Iranian children can help the Iranian health sector plan carefully and prevent asthma incidence by educating the families. The present systematic review and meta-analysis is aimed at estimating asthma prevalence in Iranian children and adolescents. Method. Data were found using keywords such as prevalence, epidemiology, asthma, adolescent, children, pediatrics, Iran in Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases. Three national databases, including Magiran, Barakat Pharmed Co (Iran medex), and Scientific Information Databank (SID) were searched until 1 October 2020. Cross-sectional and original studies were included in the study, and then, quality assessment was done using the National Institutes of Health’s Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. A pooled estimated prevalence of asthma was calculated using Der Simonian-Laird random model. Egger’s test was used to evaluate publication bias. The data were analyzed using the STATA software version 16. Results. 30 studies were selected and investigated. The prevalence of asthma in children and adolescents was 6% and 8%, and the prevalence in boys and girls was 9% and 8%, respectively. Among the asthma symptoms, wheezing had the most prevalence (17% in children and 19% in adolescents) and sleep disturbance had the lowest prevalence (6% in children and 6% in adolescents). Conclusion. The prevalence of asthma in Iranian children and adolescents is lower than in the world. Existing strategies should be pursued followed. Also, guidelines for asthma control and prevention should be considered in the future.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Birhanie Mekuriaw ◽  
Zelalem Belayneh ◽  
Alemayehu Molla ◽  
Tsegaye Mehare

Abstract Background Alcohol use is a challenging problem which attributes to more than 5% of the overall global burden of disease. It is more common among persons with HIV infection than the general population. Although there are separate studies regarding people with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia, their results are highly variable and discrepant. The objectives of this study will be to evaluate the prevalence of alcohol use and to identify its associated factors among people with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. Methods A systematic search of electronic databases (from inception onwards) of PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library will be conducted. Moreover, grey literatures will be searched from different sources (such as Google Scholar, OpenGrey, and World Health Organization websites). Reference lists of the selected articles will also be searched manually. Observational studies (cross-sectional, case-control, cohort) reporting the prevalence of alcohol use and/or its associated factors among adults with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia will be included. The primary outcomes will be the prevalence of alcohol use among HIV/AIDS population. Secondary outcomes will be the determinants of alcohol use described in the included studies. Two reviewers will independently screen all citations and full-text articles and extract data. The studies’ methodological quality (or bias) will be appraised using an appropriate tool. If feasible, we will conduct a random effects meta-analysis of observational data. Heterogeneity of primary studies will be assessed using the I2 test. Prevalence estimates will be stratified according to gender, age, and geographical location. Small-study effects (publication bias) also will be examined. Discussion Our systematic review and meta-analysis will prevail the pooled prevalence of alcohol use and its determinants among people with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. The finding of this study will be helpful to design appropriate preventive and interventional strategies for alcohol use among people with HIV/AIDS. This can have direct or indirect policy responses and clinical implications. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42019132524


Author(s):  
Angel M. Dzhambov ◽  
Peter Lercher

Unlike other World Health Organization evidence reviews, the systematic review on mental disorders could not provide a quantitative estimate of the effect of environmental noise. With that in mind, we aimed to update it with additional studies published through to 18 August 2019 in order to allow for a formal meta-analysis of the association of residential road traffic noise with anxiety and depression. The quality effects and random effects estimators were used for meta-analysis and the robustness of findings was tested in several sensitivity analyses. Ten studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, from which we extracted 15 estimates for depression (n = 1,201,168) and five for anxiety (n = 372,079). Almost all studies were cross-sectional and the risk of bias in them was generally high. We found 4% (95% CI: −3%, 11%) higher odds of depression and 12% (95% CI: −4%, 30%) of anxiety associated with a 10 dB(A) increase in day–evening–night noise level (Lden). Both models suffered from moderate heterogeneity (55% and 54%), but there was evidence of publication bias only in the depression model. These findings were robust with no evidence of study-level moderators. A sensitivity analysis on an alternative set of categorically-reported estimates supported a linear relationship between Lden and depression. Taking into account an overall quality assessment for the included studies, we conclude that there is evidence of “very low” quality that increasing exposure to road traffic noise may be associated with depression and anxiety.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-87
Author(s):  
Saeedeh Derhami ◽  
Ehsan Bolvardi ◽  
Reza Akhavan ◽  
Mahdi Foroughian ◽  
Behzad Shahi ◽  
...  

Objective: Acute poisoning is a major health problem and one of the most common causes of emergency visits worldwide. Since most poisoning subjects present with a decreased level of consciousness and due to unreliable disease history, recognizing the etiological cause of the poisoning represents a critical part in arranging the treatment strategy. This study aimed at examining the prevalence of etiological causes of poisoning in Iran in a systematic review and meta-analysis. Method: This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the cross-sectional studies published from 1990 to 2020, reporting specific poisoning agents among acute poisoning cases in Iran. Persian and English articles on this subject were collected by searching the Scientific Information Database (SID), ScienceDirect, PubMed, Medlib, IranMedex, Scopus, Magiran, and Google Scholar databases. The heterogeneity of the studies was investigated using the I2 index and the probability of bias in the publication was assessed by the Begg and Mazumdar test with a significance level of 0.1. Data analysis was performed by Comprehensive Meta-analysis software version 3 (Biostat, Englewood, NJ, USA). Results: In our review, 19 studies appraising 143,251 cases of poisoning were included. The ranking of the OR of each agent was done; Opium poisoning was the most prevalent poisoning case followed by benzodiazepine, acetaminophen, antipsychotic medications, organophosphates, aluminum phosphide, amphetamine, pesticide, tricyclic antidepressant (TCA), alcohol, chemicals, carbon monoxide (CO), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Conclusion: While proper judgment on the cause of poisoning and selection of suitable treatment manners could be followed by a very good prognosis in patients with acute poisoning; this demands an epidemiological perception of the prevalence of the etiological poisoning agents. Our study ranked the most likely agents leading to the poisoning, to be at the top of the list of differential diagnoses of physicians.


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