Farzaneh Afkhaminia, Dr Jamshid Yazdani Charati, Elaheh Rahimi, Dr Nourodin Mousavi Nasab,
Volume 6, Issue 1 (3-2018)
Abstract
Background and objectives: Road accidents are one of the most important causes of mortality and severe physical and psychological damage which may lead to adverse social, cultural and economic consequences in the human community. Frequency and severity of road accidents in developing countries are noticeably higher in comparison to developed countries. In Iran, 25% of casualties are due to the abnormal deaths caused by road accidents. It is estimated that more than 22,000 people die due to road accidents every year. The present study aimed to epidemiologically investigate the mortality rate of suburban accidents in Golestan province, Iran.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using a descriptive approach. Required data were obtained from the traffic police of Golestan province. In total, 2,922 cases of road accidents were investigated in Golestan province in 2015. The analyzed data included the demographic characteristics of the deceased and the environmental and geographical conditions of the accident. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 20.
Results: Among 2,922 road accidents in Golestan province, 251 cases led to the death of 317 individuals. Most of the accidents leading to death were by automobiles (69.7%) and due to distraction from the road (33.1%), which occurred on main roads (47.8%). Moreover, 29.7% of guilty drivers had not fastened seatbelts. Motorcycle riders and car passengers accounted for the highest percentage of accident victims (30.6% and 25.5%, respectively).
Conclusion: Education and emphasis on the use of seatbelts and motorcycle helmets while driving seem essential to reducing the injuries caused by road traffic accidents. Considering that most road accidents occur due to the distraction of the driver from the road, changing traffic behaviors to improve discipline is of paramount importance.
Aioub Sofizadeh , Berdi Eftekhari , Ali Reza Pesaraklo, Ali Mohammadnia , Farhad Ajam , Morteza Farrokhi Balajadeh, Mahmoud Yapang Gharavi , Nader Sanad Gol ,
Volume 6, Issue 3 (9-2018)
Abstract
Background & Objectives: Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are medically considered as one of the most important species of insects in terms of disease transmission to human beings; hence, they can be vectors of remarkable diseases such as malaria, West Nile, dengue fever, yellow fever, and filariasis. This study aimed to determine the species diversity and larval habitat characteristics of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Golestan Province in 2016.
Materials & Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, larval habitats of mosquitoes were investigated in 14 counties of Golestan Province. Samples were collected by a standard ladle used for entomology. The collected larvae in lactophenol solution were transferred to a medical entomology laboratory in Gonbad-e Qabus County, and then microscopic slides were prepared. Mosquitoes species were identified based on their morphologic attributes and authentic identification keys. Larval habitat characteristics were studied in terms of the habitat type (permanent or temporary), water conditions (clear or turbid, stagnant or running), vegetation (with or without vegetation), sunlight exposure (full or partial exposure), and others. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS software version 18.
Results: On the basis of analysis, 2891 third and fourth instars larvae, 4 genera (Anopheles, Culex, Culiseta, and Ochlerotatus), and 9 species (Anopheles superpictus, Culex mimiticus, Culex perexiguus, Culex pipiens, Culex pusillus, Culex theileri, Culex tritaeniohynchus, Culiseta longiareolata, Ochlerotatus caspius) of mosquitoes were detected, with the Culex pipiens being recognized as the dominant species of this family in Golestan Province.
Conclusion: Due to the high species diversity of Culicidae in Golestan Province, further studies are of essence to investigate the ecology of medically important species such as Culex pipiens, Culex tritaeniorhynchus, and Anopheles superpicts, which are the vectors of many diseases in Golestan province.
Omid Mozafari, Aioub Sofizadeh, Hamid Reza Shoraka, Javad Namrodi, Ehsan Allah Kalteh,
Volume 8, Issue 1 (3-2020)
Abstract
Background and objective: zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) is one of the most important health problems in Golestan Province, northeastern Iran. Several studies have investigated various aspects of the disease in this province. Herein, we provide a detailed review of the results of all studies related to leishmaniasis to give a reliable insight into the state of the disease in this province.
Material and Methods: The search for articles was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science without language restriction until the beginning of 2019. Articles in Persian were retrieved from the Magiran, Scientific Information Database, and IranMedex. Overall, 41 articles were subjected to content analysis under the different themes.
Results: Counties of Gonbad-e-Kavus and Maraveh Tappeh are endemic areas of ZCL with an incidence rate 99.4-379.1 in 100000 population and has mesoendemic situation in these counties. Leishmania major is the dominant (99.1%) agent of leishmaniasis. Among 18 sandflies species detected in the province, Phlebotomus papatasi was the main vector of the disease with a mean infection rate of 9.2%. Peak of sandflies activity was recorded in the mid-July and mid-September. Rhombomys opimus and Meriones libycus were the main reservoirs of this disease with a mean infection rate of 25.3 and 31.8%. The density of sandflies and wild rodents were highest in the endemic areas for ZCL.
Conclusion: In Golestan Province, ZCL has been in a hypoendemic situation and in some areas in a mesoendemic situation and has increased significantly in recent years, so it is recommended to investigate the reasons for this increase.
Mohammad Nejadhosseini, Abdolhussein Shakurnia , Abdolkarim Sheikhi , Farhad Abolnezhadian ,
Volume 12, Issue 2 (10-2024)
Abstract
Background: Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease and a major public health problem globally. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of asthma and related symptoms in schoolchildren in Dezful city, southwest Iran.
Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive analytical study, the prevalence of asthma symptoms was measured using a randomized cluster sampling method among 2,978 schoolchildren aged 6-14 years. A validated questionnaire from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) was used from January to February 2020. The chi-square test was used to determine the relationship between variables, which were expressed as percentages, with a p‐value <0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: The overall prevalence of asthma was 4.7% (CI=3.98 - 5.54), significantly higher among 13-14-year-olds compared to the 6-7-year-old age group (6.4% vs. 3.1%, p<0.001) and in males versus females (6.9% vs. 2.5%, p<0.001). The total prevalence of wheezing in the last year, the main symptom of asthma, was 7.2% (CI=6.31 - 8.20), significantly higher among 13-14-year-olds (8.4% vs. 6.1%, p<0.009) and male schoolchildren (9.6% vs. 4.7%, p<0.001).
Conclusion: According to our findings, and compared to the previous ISAAC study in Iran, the prevalence of asthma symptoms was relatively low among Dezful schoolchildren. Further epidemiological studies are needed to investigate factors affecting this disease, such as indoor and outdoor environments, as well as their effects on gene expression over time.
Ali Khademi , Zeinolabedin Mohammadi , Farideh Tohidi ,
Volume 12, Issue 3 (12-2024)
Abstract
Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic infection that causes significant health problems. This study aimed to survey the prevalence of Leishmania and Crithidia spp. co-infection in the wounds of patients with suspected Leishmaniasis in Golestan Province, northern Iran.
Methods: This retrospective descriptive study included 140 smears of patients suspected of CL who were referred to the Leishmaniasis Diagnostic Laboratory in Aq-Qala Health Center, Golestan Province, northern Iran, in 2019–2020. The sore smears, along with demographic and epidemiological data of patients, were obtained from the laboratory archives. DNA was extracted from Giemsa-stained smears, and PCR was performed on the ITS1 and GPDH genes for Leishmania and Crithidia spp., respectively.
Results: In our research, 140 patients suspected of CL were studied. PCR results showed that 117 patients (83.5%) were positive for L. major, three patients (2.1%) were positive for L. tropica, and 20 patients (14.2%) were negative for the Leishmania parasite. One patient’s smear was positive for Crithidia species. Five patients (3.5%) had a history of treated leishmaniasis. The results indicated that 74.7% of the patients with one wound, 89.5% of the patients with two wounds, 96.4% of the patients with three wounds, 90.9% of the patients with four wounds, and 100% of the patients with five or more wounds were positive for L. major.
Conclusion: More studies should be conducted in the field of simultaneous infection of Leishmania and Crithidia in humans. In addition, research on the effect of leishmaniasis treatments on Crithidia spp. can be useful.
