Seeking Medical Treatment Research Articles

Health Use Cases of AI Chatbots: Identification and Analysis of ChatGPT Prompts in Social Media Discourses

The popularity of ChatGPT has raised questions surrounding AI’s potential for health use cases. Since the release of ChatGPT in 2022, social media users have shared their prompts and ChatGPT responses on different topics such as health. Despite editorials and opinion articles discussing the potential uses of ChatGPT, there is a lack of a systematic approach to identify and analyze the use cases of ChatGPT in health. This study establishes a framework for gathering and identifying tweets (i.e., posts on social media site “X”, formerly known as Twitter) that discuss health use cases of ChatGPT, integrating topic modeling with constructivist grounded theory (CGT) to organize these topics into common categories. Using this framework, nine topics were identified, which were further grouped into four categories: (1) Clinical Workflow, (2) Wellness, (3), Diseases, and (4) Gender Identity. The Clinical Workflow category was the most popular category, and included four topics: (1) Seeking Advice, (2) Clinical Documentation, (3) Medical Diagnosis, and (4) Medical Treatment. Among the identified topics, “Diet and Workout Plans” was the most popular topic. This research highlights the potential of social media to identify the health use cases and potential health applications of an AI-based chatbot such as ChatGPT. The identified topics and categories can be beneficial for researchers, professionals, companies, and policymakers working on health use cases of AI chatbots.

Physical injuries related to the practice of physical and sports activities in France: initial results from the 2020 National Survey on Physical and Sports Practices

ABSTRACT The main aims of this study are: 1) to estimate the prevalence of sports-related physical injuries in France, as well as the frequency of seeking medical treatment (by a doctor) and of stopping work or school following an accident, and 2) to identify the associated risk factors. Data from the 2020 National Survey on Physical and Sports Practices are used for these purposes. Results show that the significantly associated factors are of a sociodemographic, sporting and motivational nature. In addition to the traditional factors (gender, age, frequency of practice, multi-practice, commitment to sport), this contribution reveals the importance of the state of health as a potential risk factor in the likelihood of experiencing injury. In the same way, the authors show that supervised practice is a factor that increases the risk of accidents as much as the risk of seeking medical treatment. Finally, social class seems to influence the use of time off work.

Child health tourism for surgical care

What are the risks of seeking medical treatment for children outside of the UK?

Effects of Walnut Septum on The Enzyme Pathways Associated with Plasma Cholesterol Level

Objective: Cholesterol is crucial compound that plays pivotal role in cellular function in living organisms. Its excess or deficiency in plasma can lead to destruction and disintegration of cell membrane structure. Maintaining balanced intake of cholesterol in diet and seeking medical treatment, if necessary, can help prevent these negative effects. Furthermore, people often resort to natural and herbal remedies, such as walnut septum. Due to dearth of scientific data regarding effects of walnut septum on cholesterol metabolism, this research was undertaken to explore its potential effects. Method: Analysis was begun by extracting septum using various solvents. Resulting extracts were then analyzed using GC-MS, and compounds were identified by using an integrated library database. To detect effects of extracts on cholesterol esterase and HMG-CoA reductase, a colorimetric method was employed. Result: Monophenol, 2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol, 2,6-Di-tert-butylphenol, ethyl linoleate, and butyl linoleate were some of compounds detected by GC-MS scanning. The highest inhibitions were observed in the enzymatic analysis, with a rate of 3.2% (acetone) in the HMG-CoA reductase analysis and 13.6% (water) in the cholesterol esterase analysis. Conclusion: Although the walnut septum extract contains various chemical compounds, our in vitro analysis data suggest that there is no inhibitory effect at therapeutic level on enzyme pathways that regulate plasma cholesterol levels, namely HMG-CoA reductase and cholesterol esterase. We believe that further research is necessary to comprehensively evaluate its effects on other pathways.

Abstract PO4-10-03: Relationship Between Insurance Status and Breast Cancer Care in Young Mexican Women

Abstract BACKGROUND In Mexico, 71% of the population is covered by public health insurance, while 2% are privately insured and 27% are uninsured. Previous studies have demonstrated differences in breast cancer (BC) care according to type of healthcare coverage in the United States and Latin America. Most studies have observed that privately insured patients are diagnosed at earlier stages, have less symptom-to-diagnosis and treatment delays, and have better overall outcomes. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate whether differences in BC care exist among young women with breast cancer (YWBC), ≤40 years at diagnosis, depending on their insurance status in Mexico. METHODS Data was collected from the Mexican prospective cohort of YWBC Joven & Fuerte. Patient surveys and researcher follow-ups were used to collect data related to clinicopathologic features, time from symptom onset to seeking medical assistance and treatment, and perceived quality of information received and medical staff support. Results were analyzed using SPSS. RESULTS Information about health insurance status was available for 608 patients: 565 (93%) had public coverage and 43 (7%) had private coverage. Table 1 describes the clinicopathologic characteristics of both groups. Patients with private insurance were diagnosed at earlier stages, 0-II vs. III-IV (81% vs. 16%), than those with public insurance (50% vs. 45%) (p< 0.001). No difference was found on the distribution of BC subtypes among both groups. A total of 573 (94%) patients had registered information regarding the time from symptom onset to contacting a medical professional. Only 18 (3%) were diagnosed with imaging studies (5% and 3% with private and public coverage, respectively). More privately insured patients (95%) contacted a healthcare professional during the first 3 months since symptom onset than publicly insured patients (74%) (p=0.003). Information regarding the time from contacting a healthcare professional to treatment start was available for 472 (78%) patients. There was no difference in the proportion of patients who started treatment ≤3 months after arriving with a healthcare professional according to type of health insurance (76% private vs. 67% public coverage; p=0.2). The majority of patients (96%) considered having adequate support from the medical staff (100% private vs. 94% public). Compared to those with public coverage, more privately insured patients perceived receiving adequate information about their treatment (79% private vs. 50% public; p< 0.001). There were no differences between groups regarding the perceived quality of information regarding their diagnosis (p=0.06) and continuous BC care (p=0.6). CONCLUSION Patients with private coverage were diagnosed at earlier stages, reported contacting a healthcare professional earlier, and perceived receiving adequate information regarding their treatment more often than patients with public coverage. These results coincide with previously reported differences between patients with private and public health insurance. Interestingly, there were no differences between the delays from the first visit to treatment initiation and perceived support from the medical staff depending on type of healthcare coverage. Given the observed differences between privately and publicly insured patients, population-based interventions to increase awareness of alarm signs for BC and widespread access to quality patient education resources could help decrease the disparities between these groups. Table 1. Clinicopathologic features of BC depending on insurance status Citation Format: David G Gonzalez-Sanchez, Arantxa Ramirez-Cisneros, Alejandra Platas, Alejandra Platas, Daniela Vazquez-Juarez, Fernanda Mesa-Chavez, Ana Ferrigno, Alejandro Mohar, Alan Fonseca, Cynthia Villarreal-Garza. Relationship Between Insurance Status and Breast Cancer Care in Young Mexican Women [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO4-10-03.

Awareness and understanding of concussion among Aboriginal Australians with high health literacy

Aim: Indigenous Australians have higher rates of traumatic brain injury, with 74–90% of such injuries being concussion. This study explores concussion awareness and knowledge in Aboriginal Western Australians with high health literacy. Materials & methods: Participants, aged 18–65 years, engaged in research topic yarning, and thematic analysis of the qualitative data then undertaken. Results: There was awareness that direct head trauma can result in concussion, but a lack of differentiation between concussion and other head injuries. Knowledge was gained from sport, media or lived-experience. Symptom minimization and diversity of concussion symptoms prevented participants from seeking medical treatment. This was exacerbated by a mistrust of the medical system. Conclusion: Research findings highlight knowledge and service gaps where co-designed strategies can be targeted.

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Hope in Medicine Scale.

Hope is an integral, multi-dimensional part of seeking medical treatment. The aim of this study was to develop a self-report scale, the Hope in Medicine (HIM) scale, to measure different modes of hoping in relation to the course of symptoms, the effects of treatment, and supporting medical research. We examined the psychometric properties of the scale in a sample of 74 allergic rhinitis patients participating in a 2-week randomized-controlled trial comparing open-label placebos (OLP) with treatment as usual (TAU). The HIM scale had a Cronbach's α of .78. An exploratory factor analysis revealed four factors: realistic hope (i.e., hoping for specific positive outcomes such as improvement in symptoms), transcendent hope (i.e., non-directed hoping that things will turn out positively), utopian hope (i.e., hoping to contribute to greater knowledge), and technoscience hope (i.e., hoping for scientific breakthroughs). Speaking to the convergent validity of the scale, realistic hope was moderately related to treatment expectancies (r = .54); transcendent hope was related to optimism (r = .50), treatment expectancies (r = .37), self-efficacy (r = .36), and inversely correlated with pessimism (r = -.43). Hope subscales predicted neither course of symptoms nor impairment. The HIM scale is a questionnaire with adequate internal consistency allowing to assess four modes of hoping. Preliminary results for its convergent validity are promising. Yet, further validation is needed.

Perimenopausal Stage: Perception, Benefit and Opinion of Husbands and Wives

Perimenopause or "menopause transition": Can begin eight to 10 years before menopause, when the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen. Females are not expected to discuss about this topic as it is considered taboo in society. The current study is based on the perception of husband’s (47-58 years) and wives (40-55 years) regarding perimenopausal stage, regarding perimenopause, signs and symptoms, challenges or difficulties, benefits, experiences and treatments. Aims of the study were: [1] To ascertain perception of Husband’s (47-58 years) and Wives (40-55 years) regarding: a) meaning b) physical symptoms c) discussion among couples. [2] To identify benefits of perimenopausal stage as observed by Husband’s (47-58 years) and Wives (40-55 years): a) finding sex more physically comfortable. b) feeling relief about not being pregnant and not taking contraceptives c) seeking medical treatment d) remedies for reducing the symptoms. [3] To develop or design a brochure/pamphlet for better understanding and knowledge regarding perimenopausal stage. Research design was exploratory and snowball sampling was implemented with a total sample of 200 participants (100 Husbands and 100 Wives) using a self-constructed tool (5 open and 15 closed ended items). Results revealed, (61%) discuss the changes faced during perimenopausal stage with their spouse while (39%) do not discuss. (42%) Neither agree nor disagree while (3%) Strongly agree finding sex more physically comfortable after perimenopause.

Sustainable Health Tourism in the Plastic Surgery Sector in Turkey

Health tourism refers to the practice of seeking medical treatment, undergoing surgical operations, or receiving medical care in nations or regions other than one's own. Plastic surgery is a crucial component of health tourism, as it is a popular medical specialty for both aesthetic and reconstructive objectives. This contributes to the sustained expansion of health tourism in this field. The health tourism and plastic surgery industries are experiencing steady growth in both Turkey and globally. The expansion of these industries is linked to highly skilled healthcare practitioners, technological progress, and rising patient expectations. Ensuring the maintenance of quality standards and ethical practices is crucial for the future viability of these industries. Effective management of health tourism and plastic surgery is crucial to maintain long-term growth and the safety of patients. The global health tourism and plastic surgery sectors have experienced significant growth. Turkey has become a prominent participant in this aspect. This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of the existing conditions and potential developments in the health tourism and plastic surgery industries in Turkey and globally, by reviewing relevant literature.

Access to quality care after injury in Northern Malawi: results of a household survey

BackgroundMost injury care research in low-income contexts such as Malawi is facility centric. Community-derived data is needed to better understand actual injury incidence, health system utilisation and barriers to seeking care following injury.MethodsWe administered a household survey to 2200 households in Karonga, Malawi. The primary outcome was injury incidence, with non-fatal injuries classified as major or minor (> 30 or 1–29 disability days respectively). Those seeking medical treatment were asked about time delays to seeking, reaching and receiving care at a facility, where they sought care, and whether they attended a second facility. We performed analysis for associations between injury severity and whether the patient sought care, stayed overnight in a facility, attended a second facility, or received care within 1 or 2 h. The reason for those not seeking care was asked.ResultsMost households (82.7%) completed the survey, with 29.2% reporting an injury. Overall, 611 non-fatal and four fatal injuries were reported from 531 households: an incidence of 6900 per 100,000. Major injuries accounted for 26.6%. Three quarters, 76.1% (465/611), sought medical attention. Almost all, 96.3% (448/465), seeking care attended a primary facility first. Only 29.7% (138/465), attended a second place of care. Only 32.0% (142/444), received care within one hour. A further 19.1% (85/444) received care within 2 h. Major injury was associated with being more likely to have; sought care (94.4% vs 69.8% p < 0.001), stayed overnight at a facility (22.9% vs 15.4% P = 0.047), attended a second place of care (50.3% vs 19.9%, P < 0.001). For those not seeking care the most important reason was the injury not being serious enough for 52.1% (74/142), followed by transport difficulties 13.4% (19/142) and financial costs 5.6% (8/142).ConclusionInjuries in Northern Malawi are substantial. Community-derived details are necessary to fully understand injury burden and barriers to seeking and reaching care.

Rosacea pathogenesis and therapeutics: current treatments and a look at future targets.

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition associated with a significant health and economic burden from costs and loss of productivity due to seeking medical treatment. The disease encompasses multiple phenotypic manifestations involving a complex and multi-variate pathogenesis. Although the pathophysiology of rosacea is not completely understood, ongoing research is continually elucidating its mechanisms. In this review, current concepts of rosacea pathogenesis will be addressed which involve skin barrier and permeability dysfunction, the innate and adaptive immune systems, and the neurovascular system. More specifically, the cathelicidin pathway, transient potential receptor channels, mast cells, and the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway are various targets of current pharmacologic regimens. Future therapies may seek different mechanisms to act on current treatment targets, like the potential use of JAK/STAT inhibitors in ameliorating skin barrier dysfunction or TLR antagonists in alleviating cathelicidin mediated inflammation. Other potential treatments aim for entirely different molecular targets such as microvesicle particle mediated local and systemic inflammation. Ultimately rosacea is associated with a significant health and economic burden which warrants deeper research into its pathogenesis and resultant new treatment discovery.

“Low-age, low-frequency” lung cancer screening strategies maybe adaptable to the situation in China

BackgroundThe object was to compare changes in patients undergoing lung surgery before and after COVID-19 outbreak, and to explore the impact of COVID-19 on lung surgery and its coping strategies.MethodA retrospective review of patients undergoing thoracic surgery at a single institution was conducted. Group A included patients treated between January 23, 2019, and January 23, 2020, while Group B included patients treated between June 1, 2020, and June 1, 2021, at our center. We compared the reasons of seeking medical treatment, the general characteristics of patients, imaging features, pathological features, surgical methods and postoperative recovery.ResultCompared to Group A, the number of patients with pulmonary nodules screened by routine check-up increased in Group B (57.6% vs 46.9%, p < 0.05). Female patient increased (55.2%vs 44.7%). Patient without smoking history or with family history of lung cancer increased (70.7% vs 60.7%) (10.1%vs 7.8%). Early stage lung cancer increased. Lobectomy decreased (53.4% vs 64.1%). Segmental resection increased (33.3% vs 12.7%). Patients without postoperative comorbidities increased (96.1%vs 85.7%).In the case of patients with Ground Glass Opacity(GGO), their age was comparatively lower (52 ± 9.9 vs. 55 ± 10.7), the female patients increased, patient without smoking history, tumor history, family history of tumor increased, small GGO increased. Lobectomy decreased (35.2% vs 49.7%). Segmental resection increased (49.6% vs 21.2%). Patients without postoperative comorbidities increased (96.5% vs 87.4%).ConclusionSince COVID-19 outbreak, more young, non-smoking, female lung cancers, more Ground Glass Opacity, none high risk patients have been detected through screening, suggesting that our current screening criteria for lung cancer may need to be revised. Higher requirements, including the selection of the timing of nodular surgery, surgical methods were put forward for thoracic surgeons’ skills.

Сучасні уявлення про вплив гормонів щитоподібної залози на розвиток і перебіг гастроезофагеальної рефлюксної хвороби

The problem of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains one of the most relevant in modern gastroenterology. In recent decades, there has been a tendency to increase in the incidence of GERD especially among young people. Symptoms of GERD occur in almost half of the adult population. The main symptom of GERD — intermittent heartburn, which significantly reduces the quality of life, noted in up to 40% of residents of industrialized countries. However, the real prevalence of GERD in the population has not been studied enough due to the low rate of medical treatment seeking, frequent asymptomatic course as well as the course of the disease under masks, the so-called «esophageal» manifestations. At the same time, the number of patients with GERD with combined pathology is growing. One such disease is autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT). AIT — is one of the most common diseases of the thyroid gland. Autoimmune inflammatory process in the thyroid gland leads to the constant production of autoantibodies to thyroperoxidase or thyroglobulin and further leads to permanent destruction of the thyroid gland with the subsequent development of hypothyroidism. Early diagnosis of AIT allows to timely treatment and maintains thyroid function. Both of these diseases have several common pathogenetic mechanisms, the main of which are thyroid hormones that regulate motility and secretion of the gastrointestinal tract. The comorbid course of these pathologies aggravates and modifies the clinical picture each other. For today, the role of thyroid hormones in the mechanism of formation of motor-secretory disorders in patients with GERD with concomitant AIT, their impact on the peculiarities of the formation of psychosomatic status, as well as gender features of GERD and AIT remains unexplored.

COVID-19 impacts on cross-border mobility of senior population between Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

The onset of the COVID-19 outbreak led to widespread adoption of mobility intervention policies, which were widely regarded as effective measures to control the spread of the virus. The initial pandemic wave, accompanied by the enforcement of mobility intervention policies, greatly changed human mobility patterns, especially cross-border mobility (CBM). This study investigates the impact of the first wave of the pandemic and related mobility intervention policies on the CBM of the senior population between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Based on anonymous mobile phone trajectory data from 17 million devices active in Shenzhen spanning December 2019 to May 2020, we consider the implementation of mobility intervention policies during different stages of pandemic in both cities. We adopt interrupted time series (ITS) analysis to explore the causal effects of different mobility intervention policies on the CBM of older people between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. We find that most mobility intervention policies have a significant abrupt or gradual effect on the CBM of older people, especially in the 60-64 age group. As these policies neglect the mobility needs and characteristics among the senior groups, such as visiting relatives or friends and seeking medical treatment across borders, we suggest that more coordinated and integrated policies and measures are required to address the CBM needs of older people in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, especially in the post-pandemic era.

The need for neonatal jaundice screening awareness in the Pakistani population: short communication.

Neonatal jaundice is a common illness that affects around 80% of preterm and 50-60% of full-term newborn infants. It is one of the most common causes of neonatal death. Neonatal jaundice may be physiological or pathological. Physiologic jaundice is far more common than pathologic jaundice and accounts for most hyperbilirubinemia. Physiologic jaundice in neonates is due to greater hemoglobin breakdown compared to bilirubin clearance. While pathological jaundice occurs due to various infections, drug toxicity, inborn enzyme deficiencies, Rhesus fetal-maternal incompatibility, hypothyroidism, and congenital biliary duct obstruction diseases. In many parts of the world, midwives, and nurses perform spontaneous vaginal deliveries and they only rely on visual screening for neonatal jaundice. However, this is not reliable, especially for newborns having darker skin. Educating the mothers on screening for early detection of neonatal jaundice and seeking medical treatment in a country like Pakistan, which is considered a high-risk population, is crucial. Also, as most females give birth at home, hence, midwives' knowledge about neonatal jaundice also needs to be improved.

A qualitative study of the reasons for delayed medical treatment in adolescents with depression based on the health ecology model.

Depression is a prevalent mental health issue among adolescents, and timely treatment can prevent it from worsening. However, many adolescent depressed patients delay seeking medical treatment. To clarify the reasons for delayed medical treatment in adolescent depressed patients and to provide reference to help adolescent depressed patients to seek medical treatment on time. From July 2022 to March 2023, a semi-structured interview was conducted using a purposive sampling method with adolescent depressed patients attending the Mental Health Center of the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 22 adolescent depression inpatients with delayed access to medical care were finally included as the study population. This study applied the phenomenological research method in qualitative research and used the Colaizzi seven-step data analysis method to analyze and refine the interview data. The study found that 22 adolescents with depression delayed medical care for 1-6 years, with a mean of 2.86 years. Six themes were identified as the reasons for delayed medical treatment: (1) inadequate levels of mental health literacy; (2) lack of disease-related knowledge and information; (3) negative emotional experiences; (4) negative attitudes toward health care; (5) inadequate medical insurance policy for psychotherapy; (6) unequal distribution of resources for mental health medical services. The phenomenon of delayed medical treatment for adolescent depression patients should not be ignored. Efforts should be made to explore the trajectory of delayed illness in adolescents with depression, improve patient symptom assessment, improve poor patient experience, promote positive patient behavior, and improve the current situation of delayed medical treatment for adolescent depression patients through the joint efforts of individuals, families, schools, and society.

Development of a novel instrument for assessing intentional non-adherence to official medical recommendations (iNAR-12): a sequential mixed-methods study in Serbia

ObjectivesWe aimed to (1) develop a novel instrument, suitable for the general population, capturing intentional non-adherence (iNAR), consisting of non-adherence to prescribed therapy, self-medication and avoidance of seeking medical treatment;...

Regional and temporal trends of falls and injurious falls among Chinese older adults: results from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, 2011–2018

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate temporal trends and regional differences of both falls and injurious falls among Chinese older adults and identify the associated risk factors.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis...

PO-04-108 THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF ETRIPAMIL NASAL SPRAY FOR THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE PAROXYSMAL SUPRAVENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA: A META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS

Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia (PSVT) treatment requires medically supervised intervention. This is derived from the lack of effective and safe self-administrated treatment for PSVT. Etripamil is a novel short-acting calcium channel blocker with a rapid intranasal spray and shows promising potential for the unsupervised treatment of PSVT, especially in the dosage of 70 mg. We aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Etripamil for the acute conversion of PSVT. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizing randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which were retrieved by systematically searching: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Cochrane through December 1st, 2022. RevMan version 5.4 software was used to pool dichotomous outcomes using risk ratio (RR) presented with the corresponding confidence interval (CI) while using the fixed-effects model. Three RCTs with a total of 496 patients (296 in the etripamil group and 200 in the placebo group) were included in our analysis. Etripamil was effective for PSVT conversion at 15 minutes (RR: 1.84 with 95% CI [1.37, 2.48]), 30 minutes (RR: 1.86 with 95% CI [1.42, 2.44]), and at 60 minutes after the drug administration (RR: 1.25 with 95% CI [1.05, 1.50]); decreasing medical intervention seeking (RR: 0.58 with 95% CI [0.37, 0.90]); and decreasing emergency (ER) visits (RR: 0.61 with 95% CI [0.38, 0.97]). However, there was no difference at 300 minutes (RR: 1.10 with 95% CI [0.97, 1.25]). Also, Etripamil was associated with higher rates of the incidence of any adverse events (AEs) (RR: 3.17 with 95% CI [2.15, 4.69]), nasal discomfort (RR: 3.82 with 95% CI [2.01, 7.24]), nasal congestion (RR: 5.89 with 95% CI [1.93, 17.97]), epistaxis (RR: 4.74 with 95% CI [1.21, 18.50]), and rhinorrhea (RR: 3.53 with 95% CI [1.22, 10.26]) with no difference regarding any serious adverse events (SAEs) incidence (RR: 0.30 with 95% CI [0.01, 7.21]). Etripamil was effective in inducing PSVT termination for up to 60 minutes and reduced medical treatment seeking and ER visits. Also, Etripamil was associated with higher rates of AEs, including epistaxis, nasal congestion, and rhinorrhea; however, it was not associated with SAEs. Therefore, Etripamil constitutes a promising strategy for PSVT self-termination without medical supervision; however, further RCTs are required before endorsement in clinical practice.

Antiparasitic Properties of Allium sativum: Can it be Used as a Complementary Treatment for Echinococcosis?

Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) is a parasitic tapeworm that can infect humans and various animal species, causing echinococcosis or hydatid disease. The larval stage of E. granulosus causes this infection and can have serious consequences if left untreated. The larvae hatch in the intermediate host's small intestine and then migrate to the liver or lungs, forming cysts that can grow to several centimeters. Garlic, a plant species scientifically known as Allium Sativum, is used for medicinal purposes due to its various sulfur compounds. This review article aims to critically evaluate the potential of garlic as a natural treatment for echinococcosis, a parasitic disease caused by E. granulosus, based on the available scientific evidence. Garlic have been demonstrated to have antiparasitic effects and can enhance the immune response against E. granulosus. Garlic may inhibit the growth and development of cysts in infected animals and have immunomodulatory effects. Garlic treatment could significantly reduce the number and size of cysts in infected mice. The present review aimed to highlight the potential of garlic as a natural treatment for echinococcosis but emphasized the importance of seeking medical treatment under the guidance of a healthcare professional.