Prevention Of Parasitic Diseases Research Articles

Risk factors of foodborne parasitic diseases still remain in China: a WeChat-based knowledge, attitudes, and practices study

ObjectiveWith the progress of economic globalization and food diversification, foodborne parasitic diseases pose a significant public health challenge in China. This study aimed to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding foodborne parasitic diseases among the Chinese population via WeChat, which is a promising tool for disease surveillance and health education.MethodsUsing a questionnaire, this cross-sectional study was conducted on September 25, 2023. Participants completed a structured questionnaire by scanning a QR code provided in a tweet from the WeChat official account of the Jiangsu Institute of Parasite Disease. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to explore potential independent determinants of adequate knowledge of foodborne parasitic diseases, and the positive attitude and good practice rates of the participants were calculated.ResultsIn total, 5,675 valid questionnaires were collected via the WeChat official account. Most participants (79.91%) fell within the age range of 20–40 years, with a higher representation of males (53.18%), and 89.80% were of Han Chinese ethnicity. It was found that 76.65% of the participants had adequate level of knowledge. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that individuals of Hui nationality (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.40–0.81, p = 0.002), clinicians (OR = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.09–0.19, p < 0.001), teachers (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.34–0.69, p < 0.001), and government staff (OR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.30–0.53, p < 0.001) had significantly higher levels of knowledge. Among the participants, 33.9% reported consuming raw fish or drunken shrimp, 10.6% would still try to consume raw fish despite the risk of parasitic infection, and 84.1% did not use separate cutting boards for raw and cooked foods in their kitchens.ConclusionsAlthough majority of the Chinese public (76.65%) demonstrates adequate level of knowledge on foodborne parasitic diseases, there is a need to enhance personal hygiene practices and dietary habits, particularly the utilization of distinct cutting boards and the consumption of raw fish. A WeChat official account is an accessible tool for spreading foodborne parasitic diseases related health information to the public. WeChat-based health education should be implemented to enhance public awareness regarding the prevention and control of foodborne parasitic diseases.

Development and evaluation of a health literacy scale for parasitic diseases

BackgroundParasitic diseases remain a serious public health problem in China. Health education aimed at disseminating health-related knowledge and promoting healthy behaviours, plays a crucial role in the prevention and control of parasitic diseases. This study aims to develop a tool to measure the parasitic disease health literacy of residents in China.MethodsScale development was based on qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative method included focus group discussions and Delphi consultations. A methodological design with multistage sampling and a pilot study was used to evaluate the questionnaire. The scale’s reliability was tested using Cronbach’s α and split-half reliability, while its construct validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis. The scale’s passing score was determined using the receiver operating characteristic curve. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in six districts of the prefecture of Jiangsu and residents aged 14–69 years in the participating townships were randomly selected based on their location.ResultsThe health literacy indicator system for parasitic diseases included 3 first-level, 9 s-level and 23 third-level indicators. The 23-item questionnaire demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.774) and split-half reliability (Spearman-Brown coefficient = 0.778). The questionnaire’s passing score was 60. A total of 990 valid questionnaires were collected from participants in three cities. The percentage of participants with health literacy regarding parasitic diseases was 15.8%. Their scores were influenced by age, income, employment, and educational level.ConclusionsHealth literacy of parasitic diseases is an integrated indicator rather than just knowledge or behavior information. The correlation between knowledge and behavior is weak. The capacity for healthy behavior of parasitic disease is associated with the location and culture of the city. For neglected diseases, it is important for people to talk positively about their behaviors with a doctor.

Molecular prevalence and subtype characteristics of Blastocystis among school children in Hainan, the tropical island province of China

Blastocystis is one of the most common zoonotic intestinal protozoa with global distribution and can cause gastrointestinal syndrome mainly characterized by diarrhea. School children are the main susceptible population. No epidemiological data on Blastocystis among school children in Hainan, the only tropical island province in China. Between March 2021 and June 2023, 1973 fecal samples were collected from school children across three regions in Hainan province. Blastocystis was examined by amplifying the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and subtypes were identified through DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The overall prevalence of Blastocystis was 7.3 % (144/1973). The differences in infection rates across different regions, nationalities, and educational stages are statistically significant (P < 0.001). Five subtypes were identified, of which ST3 was the dominant subtype (60.4 %; 87/144), followed by ST1 (27.8 %; 40/144), ST7 (10.4 %; 15/144), ST6 (0.7 %; 1/144), and ST2 (0.7 %; 1/144). 42 known sequences and 15 novel sequences were identified including eight new variations of the ST1 (ST1–16∼ST1–23) with similarities ranging from 98.3 % to 99.78 % and seven new variations of the ST7 (ST7–7∼ST7–13) with similarities ranging from 97.7 % to 99.79 % by intra-subtype genetic polymorphisms analysis. The results evaluate the public health risks of Blastocystis among school children in Hainan and the sources of infection were discussed, providing important basic data for the effective prevention and control of intestinal parasitic diseases in Hainan.

Progress on the Regulation of the Host Immune Response by Parasite-Derived Exosomes.

Exosomes are membrane-bound structures released by cells into the external environment that carry a significant amount of important cargo, such as proteins, DNA, RNA, and lipids. They play a crucial role in intercellular communication. Parasites have complex life cycles and can release exosomes at different stages. Exosomes released by parasitic pathogens or infected cells contain parasitic nucleic acids, antigenic molecules, virulence factors, drug-resistant proteins, proteases, lipids, etc. These components can regulate host gene expression across species or modulate signaling pathways, thereby dampening or activating host immune responses, causing pathological damage, and participating in disease progression. This review focuses on the means by which parasitic exosomes modulate host immune responses, elaborates on the pathogenic mechanisms of parasites, clarifies the interactions between parasites and hosts, and provides a theoretical basis and research directions for the prevention and treatment of parasitic diseases.

Novel insights into the glucose metabolic alterations of freshwater snails: a pathway to molluscicide innovation and snail control strategies.

As ecosystem disruptors and intermediate hosts for various parasites, freshwater snails have significant socioeconomic impacts on human health, livestock production, and aquaculture. Although traditional molluscicides have been widely used to mitigate these effects, their environmental impact has encouraged research into alternative, biologically based strategies to create safer, more effective molluscicides and diminish the susceptibility of snails to parasites. This review focuses on alterations in glucose metabolism in snails under the multifaceted stressors of parasitic infections, drug exposure, and environmental changes and proposes a novel approach for snail management. Key enzymes within the glycolytic pathway, such as hexokinase and pyruvate kinase; tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle; and electron transport chains, such as succinate dehydrogenase and cytochrome c oxidase, are innovative targets for molluscicide development. These targets can affect both snails and parasites and provide an important direction for parasitic disease prevention research. For the first time, this review summarises the reverse TCA cycle and alternative oxidase pathway, which are unique metabolic bypasses in invertebrates that have emerged as suitable targets for the formulation of low-toxicity molluscicides. Additionally, it highlights the importance of other metabolic pathways, including lactate, alanine, glycogenolysis, and pentose phosphate pathways, in snail energy supply, antioxidant stress responses, and drug evasion mechanisms. By analysing the alterations in key metabolic enzymes and their products in stressed snails, this review deepens our understanding of glucose metabolic alterations in snails and provides valuable insights for identifying new pharmacological targets.

Functional role of TrIL-1β in Takifugu rubripes defense against Cryptocaryon irritans infection

The Japanese puffer, Takifugu rubripes, is a commercially important fish species in China that is under serious threat from white spot disease (cyptocaryoniasis), which leads to heavy economic losses. We previously found that interleukin-1β (IL-1β), an important cytokine with a potential role in resistance against pathogens, was one of the most significantly differentially up-regulated proteins in the gills and spleen of T. rubripes infected by the protozoan parasite Cryptocaryon irritans. In this study, we assessed the potential function of T. rubripes IL-1β (TrIL-1β) in fish infected with C. irritans. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the TrIL-1β protein sequence was most closely related to that of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) (67.2 %). The incubation experiments revealed that TrIL-1β may reduce trophont activity by destroying membranes. Immunofluorescence experiments showed that recombinant TrIL-1β promoted the expression of endogenous IL-1β, which penetrated and disrupted the cell membranes of trophonts. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the IL-1β group had less tissue damage compared with control groups of fish. IL-1β-small interfering RNA and IL-1β overexpression experiments were performed in head kidney primary cells, and challenge experiments were performed in vitro. Quantitative RT-PCR results showed that TrIL-1β regulated and activated MyD88/NF-κB and MyD88/MAPK/p38 signaling pathways during C. irritans infection. TrIL-1β also promoted the differential expression of IgM, showing that it was involved in humoral immunity of T. rubripes. The cumulative mortality experiment show that TrIL-1β could protect fish against C. irritans infection. These results enrich current knowledge about the molecular structure of TrIL-1β. They also suggested that recombinant TrIL-1β could be used as an adjuvant in a subunit vaccine against C. irritans infection, which is of profound importance for the prevention and control of parasitic diseases in T. rubripes.

Blood Parasitic Diseases of Cattle in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan

The result of a study on the distribution of parasitosis in cattle in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan is presented. In a study of 422 heads of cattle, parasite carriage reached 73%. Increased infestation is observed in lowland and foothill areas. The most common species are Theileria annulata(65.6%) and Anaplasma marginale(14.9%). To combat blood-parasitic diseases in the Republic, it is necessary to determine the type of blood-parasitic diseases, study the species composition of ixodid ticks and seasonal periods of parasitism, the reasons for the spread of ticks. In conclusion, a number of practical measures for the prevention of blood parasitic diseases are proposed.

Prevention and treatment of parasitic diseases of herd horses at the beginning of the cold period in Yakutia

Prevention and treatment of parasitic diseases of herd horses at the beginning of the cold period in Yakutia

Investigation of the population diversity of intermediate host snails and crabs of Paragonimus along Jiulong River, Zhangjiang River and Dongxi River basins in southern Fujian Province

To investigate the population distribution of intermediate host snails and crabs of Paragonimus along the Jiulongjiang River, Zhangjiang River, and Dongxi River basins in Bopingling Mountain, southern Fujian Province, so as to provide baseline data for researches on parasitic disease prevention and control and enlargement of samples in the parasitic resource bank. A total of 23 villages in 8 counties (districts) along the Jiulong River, Zhangjiang River, and Dongxi River basins in Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province were selected as survey sites during the period from November 2020 through March 2023, and snail and freshwater crabs were sampled from 1 to 3 streams and ditches neighboring residential areas in each village. Morphological identification of snails was performed according to the external morphological characteristics of collected snail shells, and the unidentified snail species sampled from the natural foci of paragonimiasis in Yunxiao County were subjected to se-quence analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1) gene. The crab species was identified by observing the morphological characteristics of the terminal segment of the first pleopod of male crabs, and Paragonimus cercariae and metacercariae were detected in collected snails. The shells of the unidentified snails sampled from the natural foci of paragonimiasis in Yunxiao County were approximately 50 mm in height and 18 mm in width, thick and solid, long tower cone-shaped, and had 8 to 10 whorls. CO1 gene sequence analysis identified the snail species as Sulcospira hainanensis. A total of 6 freshwater snail species belonging to 5 genera within 3 families, identified 23 survey sites, including Semisulcospira libertina, Paludomus zhangchouensis and S. hainanensis that belonged to the Family Pleurceridae, Tricula fujianensis and T. huaanensis that belonged to the subfamily Triculinae, Family Pomatiopsidae, and Melanoides tuberculata (Family Thiaridae), and 11 species of freshwater crabs belonging to 5 genera within 2 families were identified, including Sinopotamon genus of S. jianglense, S. pinheense, and S. zhangzhouense, Huananpotamon genus of H. planopodum and H. zhangzhouense, Nanhaipotamon genus of N. huaanense and N. longhaiense, and Minpotamon genus of M. nasicum and M. auritum that belonged to the Family Potamidae, and Somanniathelphusa genus of S. huaanensis and S. zhangpuensis (Family Parathelphusidae). In addition, the prevalence of P. westermani cercariae infections was 0.08% (2/2 317) in P. zhangchouensis from Danyan Village in Changtai District and 0.09% (1/1 039) in S. hainanensis from Jinkeng Village in Yunxiao County, and the prevalence of P. westermani metacercariae infections was 25.81% (8/31) in S. jianglense from Danyan Village in Changtai District, and 26.31% (5/19) in S. zhangzhouense from Jinkeng Village in Yunxiao County, respectively. There is a population diversity in the intermediate host snails and crabs along the Jiulongjiang River, Zhangjiang River, and Dongxi River basins in Bopingling Mountain, southern Fujian Province, and P. zhangzhouensis and S. hainanensis are, for the first time, confirmed as the first intermediate hosts of P. westermani.

Effectiveness of modern antiparasitic animal collars

Despite the successes achieved in the prevention and control of parasitic diseases in companion animals, the issue of developing and implementing innovative, highly effective antiparasitic agents in veterinary practice is still relevant today. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of modern antiparasitic collars for dogs and cats in the prevention and treatment of ectoparasitic infections. The antiparasitic agents used in the experiments were ‘Flea and tick collar Comfort for cats’, ‘Antiparasitic collar TM Healthy Pet, Oberig’, ‘Flea and tick collar Comfort for dogs’, and ‘Antiparasitic collar TM Compliment, Oberig’. The active ingredient in the collars tested is diazinon. The experimental studies were conducted under current methodological recommendations and practical guidelines. The study of shelter pets and stray animals revealed their infestation with lice, fleas, and parasitic ticks of varying intensity. Experimentally, a high insecticidal effect of the products ‘Flea and tick collar Comfort for cats’ and ‘Antiparasitic collar TM Healthy Pet, Oberig’ was established, ‘Flea and tick collar Comfort for dogs’, ‘Antiparasitic collar TM Compliment, Oberig’ against fleas (Ctenocephalides felis, Ctenocephalides canis), chewing lice (Felicola subrostratus), sucking lice (Linognathus setosus), ticks (Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor spp., Rhipicephalus spp.) The effectiveness of the drugs is 100%. It has been experimentally proven that the studied collars with the active ingredient diazinon can be used for preventive and therapeutic purposes for companion animals in case of infestation with fleas, chewing lice, sucking lice, and ticks

Exploring interactions between parasites and their hosts in the Pantanal floodplain using an ecological network approach.

The study of host-parasite interactions is essential to understand the role of each host species in the parasitic transmission cycles in a given community. The use of ecological network highlights the patterns of interactions between hosts and parasites, allowing us to evaluate the underlying structural features and epidemiological roles of different species within this context. Through network analysis, we aimed to understand the epidemiological roles of mammalian hosts species (n = 67) and their parasites (n = 257) in the Pantanal biome. Our analysis revealed a modular pattern within the network, characterized by 14 distinct modules, as well as nestedness patterns within these modules. Some key nodes, such as the multi-host parasites Trypanosoma cruzi and T. evansi, connect different modules and species. These central nodes showed us that various hosts species, including those with high local abundances, contribute to parasite maintenance. Ectoparasites, such as ticks and fleas, exhibit connections that reflect their roles as vectors of certain parasites. Overall, our findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the structure of host-parasite interactions in the Pantanal ecosystem, highlighting the importance of network analysis as a tool to identifying the main transmission routes and maintenance of parasites pathways. Such insights are valuable for parasitic disease control and prevention strategies and shed light on the broader complexities of ecological communities.

Technical Specifications for the Prevention and Control of Parasitic Diseases in Cattle and Sheep in Dongkou County

Technical Specifications for the Prevention and Control of Parasitic Diseases in Cattle and Sheep in Dongkou County

Phyto and mineral complex and Glucolux F enzyme in feeding of calves during preweaning period

One of the main tasks of animal husbandry is the proper rearing of replacement young animals on diets that meet feeding standards for all elements of a detailed nutrition system. However, the nutritional value of animal feeding does not always correspond to the required norms. Having a high antibacterial, immunostimulating, immunomodulating eff ect, extracts of various vegetative organs of plants are used to treat many diseases of contagious and non-contagious etiology, for the prevention of parasitic diseases, and the healing of wound surfaces. Containing biofl avonoids and other biologically active components, they increase feed intake by animals, its digestibility, and nutrient conversion, improve product quality, and reduce feed costs for its production. The purpose of the research was to establish the infl uence of the phyto and mineral complex and the enzyme Glucolux F in the diets of calves during the preweaning period on metabolic processes in their bodies and productivity when used separately and together. When rearing calves on the basic diet were consumed per unit of live weight gain 4,15 energy feed units and 506 g of digestible protein, with the addition of the phyto and mineral complex feed consumption decreased by 1,2–1,8 %, with the Glucolux F enzyme by 1,9–3,1 %, and when they were used together by 0,5–4,6 %. At the same time, in the 4th experimental group there was the highest total live weight gain by 25,29 kg, which exceeded the 1st control group by 4,8 %, the 2nd experimental group by 3,0 and the 3rd experimental group by 1,6 %. The level of profi tability of live weight production of calves was higher in the 2nd experimental group by 2,3 abs.%, in the 3rd experimental group by 3,8 abs.% and in the 4th experimental group by 5,3 abs.% than in the 1st control group. The use of a phyto and mineral complex of biogenic microelements 100 ml/animal/day and the enzyme Glucolux F at a dose of 0,50 kg/t of compound feed in the diet of calves during the preweaning period, both separately and together, made it possible to increase the productivity of animals and the level of profi tability of production. The best results were obtained when using them together.

Monitoring breed diversity and incidence of diseases in the dog population of the shelter ANO “Help to Homeless Dogs”

Large industrial centers and cities are faced with the need to regulate the number of domestic animals, including the reduction of stray dogs. Monitoring the reasons for dogs entering shelters, studying their breed; balance of the most significant diseases as possible sources of replenishment of shelters. The return of lost dogs is an integral part of the task of finding them in a shelter and at the same time it is a complete comprehensive examination and prevention of the spread of diseases in urban areas. Husky dogs are quite difficult to keep in apartments; when deciding to have such a pet, the choice must be objectively responsible. Treatment of the premises of the quarantine zone showed the high effectiveness of the drugs Monclavit-1 and Creolin for the prevention of infectious and parasitic diseases of dogs.

The Role of Metallic Nanoparticles in the Prevention and Treatment of Parasitic Diseases in Poultry

The development of nanotechnology for the treatment of parasitic diseases is still in its infancy. However, it is expected that this new field can provide a solution to parasitic diseases and compensate for the lack of vaccines to prevent them. It can also provide new treatment options for parasitic diseases resistant to current treatments. Nanomaterials have been developed for antibacterial and anticancer therapies. However, it is important to determine their antiparasitic potential due to the wide variety of their physicochemical properties. When designing metallic nanoparticles (MeNPs) and specialized nanosystems like MeNPs encapsulated within a drug shell, it is essential to consider several key physicochemical properties. Shape, size, surface charge, and type of surfactant control are some of these physicochemical properties. In addition to interacting with parasite cells’ target molecules, shell molecules are also important. By developing antiparasitic drugs using nanotechnology and nanomaterials for diagnostics, new and effective methods of treatment and diagnostic tools for poultry diseases are expected to be available in the future to enhance poultry disease prevention and reduce morbidity and mortality rates.

Parasitic diseases of rabbits (distribution, diagnosis and treatment)

This review presents data on the most common causative agents of protozooses, helminthiases, and ectoparasitic diseases of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus, Linnaeus, 1758), which are of interest to veterinarians. Modern methods of diagnosing parasitic diseases in rabbits have been determined. Chemotherapeutic drugs available on the world pharmaceutical market for therapeutic and preventive treatments in rabbits are listed. The main causative agents of protozoan, helminthic, and ectoparasitic diseases of rabbits are considered, considering the modern systematic position of parasites. The features of the distribution of parasitic diseases in Ukraine and the world, according to the data of well-known scientists in the field of veterinary parasitology, are briefly given. Information on the specifics of the use of antiparasitic drugs in the case of animals affected by protozooses, helminths, and ticks is summarized. The work briefly provides information on the most common medicines and chemical combinations that are the active ingredients of these drugs (their chemical names existing in different countries, synonyms, and main pharmacological properties). Information on the dosage and features of the use of antiparasitic agents in the case of rabbit diseases is given following the data of modern scientific literature and the relevant recommendations for their industrial use. During the inspection, it was established that rabbits are most often affected by eimeriosis (coccidiosis). Currently, 15 species of Eimeria spp. have been identified. Young animals (2–6 months) are most susceptible to eimeriosis. The peak of infestation in the territory of Ukraine falls in the spring-summer period. It was found that P. ambiguus is most often detected among helminthiases in rabbits in our country. Rabbits aged 1 to 2 years are most susceptible to these helminths, and the peak of infestation occurs in January. In rabbits, psoroptosis is one of the most common acaroses, the causative agent of which is ticks of the P. cuniculi species. The purpose of this work was to show the current state of rabbits' most common parasitic diseases on the territory of Ukraine and in the world in general, highlight the existing antiparasitic drugs, and summarize information on their use. It has been established that animals with encephalitozoonosis are the most difficult to diagnose and treat. At the same time, there is a wide range of coccidiostats and coccidiolytics for treating rabbits affected by eimeries. For the infestation of animals with helminths, it is appropriate to use benzimidazoles and ivermectins. In the case of acaroses, ivermectin and fungicidal-acaricidal ointments remain effective drugs. The analysis of literary sources will allow for the expansion of the already available data on the spread, prevention, and treatment of parasitic diseases in rabbits. The given information will help ensure the rabbits' veterinary well-being on Ukraine's territory.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Wellcomia compar (Spirurina: Oxyuridae) and its genome characterization and phylogenetic analysis

Wellcomia compar (Spirurina: Oxyuridae) is a pinworm that infects wild and captive porcupines. Despite clear records of its morphological structure, its genetics, systematics, and biology are poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of W. compar and reconstruct its phylogenetic relationship with other nematodes. We sequenced the complete mt genome of W. comparand conducted phylogenetic analyses using concatenated coding sequences of 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs) by maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. The complete mt genome is 14,373 bp in size and comprises 36 genes, including 12 protein-coding, two rRNA and 22 tRNA genes. Apart from 28 intergenic regions, one non-coding region and one overlapping region also occur. A comparison of the gene arrangements of Oxyuridomorpha revealed relatively similar features in W. compar and Wellcomia siamensis. Phylogenetic analysis also showed that W. compar and W. siamensis formed a sister group. In Oxyuridomorpha the genetic distance between W. compar and W. siamensis was 0.0805. This study reports, for the first time, the complete W. compar mt genome sequence obtained from Chinese porcupines. It provides genetic markers for investigating the taxonomy, population genetics, and phylogenetics of pinworms from different hosts and has implications for the diagnosis, prevention, and control of parasitic diseases in porcupines and other animals.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Iron Deficiency Anemia among Children under Five and Women of Reproductive Age in Pakistan: Findings from the National Nutrition Survey 2018.

Anemia remains a global public health problem, especially in developing countries. It affects primarily children under five (CU5), women of reproductive age (WRA), and pregnant women due to their higher need for iron. The most common form of anemia is iron-deficiency anemia (IDA). IDA is estimated to cause half of all anemia cases and one million deaths per year worldwide. However, there remains a lack of well-documented and biochemically assessed prevalence of IDA based on the representative population-based samples globally and regionally. In this study, we aimed to assess the National Nutrition Survey (NNS) 2018 to identify the prevalence and risk factors of IDA in Pakistani CU5 and WRA. Secondary analysis was conducted on the NNS 2018, a cross-sectional survey, which collected data on dietary practices, malnutrition, and food insecurity. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin levels < 11.0 g/dL in children and 12.0 g/dL in women. IDA was defined as low hemoglobin and low ferritin (<12 ng/mL) levels, adjusted for inflammation using AGP and CRP biomarkers in CU5 and WRA. Univariate and multivariable logistic regressions were conducted using Stata statistical software (version 16). We also compared the IDA rates of NNS 2018 and 2011. A total of 17,814 CU5 and 22,114 WRA were included in the analysis. Of the CU5, 28.9% had IDA, while 18.4% of WRA reported to experience IDA. Among the CU5, IDA was most prevalent among male children aged 6-23 months living in rural areas and with the presence of diarrhea and fevers in the last 2 weeks. Children whose mothers had no education, were aged 20-34 years, and employed, had a higher prevalence of IDA. Married WRA, who are employed, living in rural areas, and with no education, had a higher prevalence of IDA. In the multivariable logistic regression, children aged 6-23 months (AOR = 1.19, 95% CI [1.08-1.33], p < 0.001) and with the presence of diarrhea in the last 2 weeks (AOR = 1.32, 95% CI [1.13-1.54], p < 0.001) or fever (AOR = 1.16, 95% CI [1.02-1.32], p = 0.02) had higher odds of IDA. At the household level, the odds of IDA among CU5 were higher in the poorest households (AOR = 1.27, 95% CI [1.08-1.50], p = 0.005), with ≥5 CU5 (AOR = 1.99, 95% CI [1.28-3.11], p = 0.002), and with no access to improved sanitation facilities (AOR = 1.17, 95% CI [1.02-1.34], p = 0.026). For WRA, the multivariable logistic regression found that the odds of IDA were higher among women with vitamin A deficiency (Severe: AOR = 1.26, 95% CI [1.05-1.52], p = 0.013; Mild: AOR = 1.36, 95% CI [1.23-1.51], p < 0.001), zinc deficiency (AOR = 1.42, 95% CI [1.28-1.57], p < 0.001), no education (AOR = 1.53, 95% CI [1.30-1.81], p < 0.001), and from severely food insecure households (AOR = 1.20, 95% CI [1.07-1.34], p = 0.001). The odds of IDA were lower among women whose body mass index was overweight (AOR = 0.77, 95% CI [0.69-0.86], p < 0.001) or obese (AOR = 0.71, 95% CI [0.62-0.81], p < 0.001). The child's age, presence of diarrhea or fever, place of residence, household size, wealth status, and access to sanitation facilities were significantly associated with IDA among CU5 in Pakistan. For WRA, education, body mass index, vitamin A and zinc status, household food security status, wealth status, and access to sanitation facilities were significantly associated with IDA. Large, well-established, government-funded programmes focused on micronutrient supplementation, food fortification, the diversification of food supplies, and the treatment and prevention of infectious and parasitic diseases are needed to prevent IDA and all forms of anemia among children and women in Pakistan.

Risk predictive models of healthcare-seeking delay among imported malaria patients in Jiangsu Province based on the machine learning

To create risk predictive models of healthcare-seeking delay among imported malaria patients in Jiangsu Province based on machine learning algorithms, so as to provide insights into early identification of imported malaria cases in Jiangsu Province. Case investigation, first symptoms and time of initial diagnosis of imported malaria patients in Jiangsu Province in 2019 were captured from Infectious Disease Report Information Management System and Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control Information Management System of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The risk predictive models of healthcare-seeking delay among imported malaria patients were created with the back propagation (BP) neural network model, logistic regression model, random forest model and Bayesian model using thirteen factors as independent variables, including occupation, species of malaria parasite, main clinical manifestations, presence of complications, severity of disease, age, duration of residing abroad, frequency of malaria parasite infections abroad, incubation period, level of institution at initial diagnosis, country of origin, number of individuals travelling with patients and way to go abroad, and time of healthcare-seeking delay as a dependent variable. Logistic regression model was visualized using a nomogram, and the nomogram was evaluated using calibration curves. In addition, the efficiency of the four models for prediction of risk of healthcare-seeking delay among imported malaria patients was evaluated using the area under curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). The importance of each characteristic was quantified and attributed by using SHAP to examine the positive and negative effects of the value of each characteristic on the predictive efficiency. A total of 244 imported malaria patients were enrolled, including 100 cases (40.98%) with the duration from onset of first symptoms to time of initial diagnosis that exceeded 24 hours. Logistic regression analysis identified a history of malaria parasite infection [odds ratio (OR) = 3.075, 95% confidential interval (CI): (1.597, 5.923)], long incubation period [OR = 1.010, 95% CI: (1.001, 1.018)] and seeking healthcare in provincial or municipal medical facilities [OR = 12.550, 95% CI: (1.158, 135.963)] as risk factors for delay in seeking healthcare among imported malaria cases. BP neural network modeling showed that duration of residing abroad, incubation period and age posed great impacts on delay in healthcare-seek among imported malaria patients. Random forest modeling showed that the top five factors with the greatest impact on healthcare-seeking delay included main clinical manifestations, the way to go abroad, incubation period, duration of residing abroad and age among imported malaria patients, and Bayesian modeling revealed that the top five factors affecting healthcare-seeking delay among imported malaria patients included level of institutions at initial diagnosis, age, country of origin, history of malaria parasite infection and individuals travelling with imported malaria patients. ROC curve analysis showed higher overall performance of the BP neural network model and the logistic regression model for prediction of the risk of healthcare-seeking delay among imported malaria patients (Z = 2.700 to 4.641, all P values < 0.01), with no statistically significant difference in the AUC among four models (Z = 1.209, P > 0.05). The sensitivity (71.00%) and Youden index (43.92%) of the logistic regression model was higher than those of the BP neural network (63.00% and 36.61%, respectively), and the specificity of the BP neural network model (73.61%) was higher than that of the logistic regression model (72.92%). Imported malaria cases with long duration of residing abroad, a history of malaria parasite infection, long incubation period, advanced age and seeking healthcare in provincial or municipal medical institutions have a high likelihood of delay in healthcare-seeking in Jiangsu Province. The models created based on the logistic regression and BP neural network show a high efficiency for prediction of the risk of healthcare-seeking among imported malaria patients in Jiangsu Province, which may provide insights into health management of imported malaria patients.

Application of Silver Nanoparticles in Parasite Treatment.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are ultra-small silver particles with a size from 1 to 100 nanometers. Unlike bulk silver, they have unique physical and chemical properties. Numerous studies have shown that AgNPs have beneficial biological effects on various diseases, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiparasitic, and antiviruses. One of the most well-known applications is in the field of antibacterial applications, where AgNPs have strong abilities to kill multi-drug resistant bacteria, making them a potential candidate as an antibacterial drug. Recently, AgNPs synthesized from plant extracts have exhibited outstanding antiparasitic effects, with a shorter duration of use and enhanced ability to inhibit parasite multiplication compared to traditional antiparasitic drugs. This review summarizes the types, characteristics, and the mechanism of action of AgNPs in anti-parasitism, mainly focusing on their effects in leishmaniasis, flukes, cryptosporidiosis, toxoplasmosis, Haemonchus, Blastocystis hominis, and Strongylides. The aim is to provide a reference for the application of AgNPs in the prevention and control of parasitic diseases.