Prevalence of intestinal parasites in Afghan community on the example of patients treated in Ghazni Provincial Hospital

Background: This study concerns parasitological investigations estimating the prevalence of intestinal parasites in the Afghan community based on the example of patients, both children and adults, treated inthe Ghazni Provincial Hospital, in the eastern part of the country.Materials and methods: In total, 201 admitted patients with internal health problems were examined in the Afghan hospital in March 2012, including 164 children (1–17 years old) and 37 adults aged 18–80. Stool samples were tested in the Department of Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine at the Military Institute of Medicinein Gdynia, Poland using 3 parasitological methods: direct smear, decantation, flotation (light microscopy).Results: Intestinal parasitic infections caused mainly by Ascaris lumbricoides, Giardia intestinalis and Hymenolepis nana were confirmed in 81/164 (49.4%) children examined. Among adults, 9/37 (24.3%) patients were infected with intestinal parasites including Ascaris lumbricoides and Giardia intestinalis.Conclusions: The Afghan community, living in poor sanitary conditions with limited access to health services, is one of the most infected populations in the world. The parasitological investigation focused on intestinal parasites performed by the Polish health service among the eastern Afghan inhabitants is still one of the few screening studies in this country

Selected epidemiological aspects of fresh whole blood application in the Polish Field Hospital in Afghanistan

Minimisation of blood transmitted diseases is a basic element of all blood transfusion strategies. Civilian health service standards used in peacetime may be difficult to implement in a battlefield. The risk of blood-borne diseases depends on the applied donor qualification procedures and the epidemiological situation in the areas of military operations. The authors discuss various epidemiological aspects considered when selecting potential donors of fresh whole blood for a Walking Blood Bank at the Polish Field Hospital in Afghanistan

Intestinal parasites in Polish community on the example of military environment

Background: The epidemiological situation concerning the prevalence of the majority of intestinal parasites in Poland has not been investigated in recent years and therefore is not known. Information on the prevalence of nematodes and most of cestodes is acquired from the studies carried out in Polish research centres. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of intestinal parasites among Polish soldiers who served in harsh environmental conditions in Afghanistan and their families living in Poland. The relation between the rates of infections in military personnel and in their families in the context of the risk of importing intestinal parasites from Afghanistan to Poland was also analysed in this article. Materials and methods: 264 families consisting of 803 persons took part in the study which was conducted in the period May 2011 – December 2012. Stool samples were subjected to parasitological examination in the Military Institute of Medicine, Poland. The tests were performed by means of three diagnostic methods (direct smear, decantation, flotation). The study population comprised 264 married soldiers and 539 civilians (soldiers’ wives and children) living permanently in urban areas in Poland. Results: Intestinal parasites were diagnosed in 4/264 studied soldiers (1.5% infected with Ascaris lumbricoides, Giardia intestinalis), in 9/253 studied women (3.6% infected with A. lumbricoides, Hymenolepis nana, Taenia spp.) and in 5/286 children (1.7% infected with A. lumbricoides, G. intestinalis). There was no more than one infection per one household. Conclusions: The occurrence of intestinal parasites among Polish soldiers shows the possibility of importing pathogens from the Third World countries. It also indicates, in the context of infected women and children, that the source of infection of parasites of the digestive tract can be present in Poland

Deworming Campaign in Eastern Afghanistan – Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites and Adoption of Treatment Strategy

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence and species of intestinal parasites in an Afghan community as well as to establish appropriate treatment method for each of the detected pathogens.Methods: Parasitological examination of stool samples collected from 777 children aged 1-17 years, treated in Ghazni Provincial Hospital (eastern Afghanistan) conducted in the period 2012 - 2013 made it possible to implement dedicated antiparasitic treatment.Results: Of 312 children (40.2 % of the examined group; p < 0.05) infected with nematodes (n = 154, 19.7 %), cestodes (n = 90, 11.6 %), trematodes (n = 16, 2.1 %), and protozoa (n = 135, 17.4 %), 67 were diagnosed with co-infections (mainly ascariasis + giardiasis, ascariasis + hymenolepiasis, giardiasis + hymenolepiasis, ascariasis + giardiasis + hymenolepiasis) and received complex therapy (albendazole + metronidazole, albendazole + praziquantel, metronidazole + praziquantel, and albendazole + metronidazole + praziquantel).Conclusion: Owing to high prevalence of multiple co-infections among inhabitants of the Afghan community, it seems that a mass deworming campaign with a single-dose chemotherapy (albendazole 400 mg or mebendazole 500 mg) may prove ineffective in eradicating intestinal parasites in the local population.Keywords: Afghanistan, Intestinal parasites, Hymenolepiasis, Ascariasis, Giardiasis, Metronidazole, Albendazole, Praziquantel, Mebendazole, Dewormin

Occurrence of Chlamydia trachomatis in military environment on the example of professional soldiers in the Polish Armed Forces

This article presents the results of a preliminary study concerning cases of Chlamydia trachomatis infections among professional soldiers in the Polish Armed Forces. Soldiers who declared casual sexual contact with women were investigated in this study regarding the transmission of chlamydial infections by sexual activity. In total, 66 healthy, sexually active professional Polish soldiers, aged between 27 and 44, who didn’t report any symptoms of urogenital infection were investigated. Urine samples taken from these patients were investigated using molecular methods (Cobas TaqMan, real-time PCR) in March–April 2012 in the Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland. In the investigated group of 66 Polish soldiers, two 33–34 year old men were asymptomatic carriers of Chlamydia trachomatis (3.0%). They confirmed having casual sexual activity without prevention with many women. In the examined group of Polish soldiers the relatively low level of chlamydial infections found may result from the use of preventive measures during sexual activity. According to the examined men, the common use of condoms is mainly connected with the fear of HIV infection. Screening tests for Chlamydia trachomatis in the Polish Armed Forces are not performed, therefore incidence rates of chlamydial infections remain unknown. The authors plan further investigations with a larger group of professional soldiers

Spectral Asymmetry and Higuchi’s Fractal Dimension Measures of Depression Electroencephalogram

This study was aimed to compare two electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis methods, spectral asymmetry index (SASI) and Higuchi’s fractal dimension (HFD), for detection of depression. Linear SASI method is based on evaluation of the balance of powers in two EEG frequency bands in one channel selected higher and lower than the alpha band spectrum maximum. Nonlinear HFD method calculates fractal dimension directly in the time domain. The resting EEG signals of 17 depressive patients and 17 control subjects were used as a database for calculations. SASI values were positive for depressive and negative for control group (P0.05). The results indicated that the linear EEG analysis method SASI and the nonlinear HFD method both demonstrated a good sensitivity for detection of characteristic features of depression in a single-channel EEG

Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, and Mushrooms as Transmission Vehicles for \u3ci\u3eEchinococcus multilocularis\u3c/i\u3e in Highly Endemic Areas of Poland: Reply to Concerns

Echinococcus multilocularis is a tapeworm that may cause alveolar echinococcosis (AE), one of the most dangerous parasitic zoonoses. As in the case of other foodborne diseases, unwashed fruits and vegetables, contaminated with dispersed forms of E. multilocularis, may serve as an important transmission route for this parasite. In this article, we reply to the incorrect interpretation of results of our study concerning the detection of E. multilocularis DNA in fresh fruit, vegetable and mushroom samples collected from the highly endemic areas of the Warmia-Masuria Province, Poland, to dispel any doubts. The accusations formulated by the commentators concerning our paper are unfounded; moreover, these commentators demand information which was beyond the purview of our study. Making generalisations and drawing far-reaching conclusions from our work is also unjustified. The majority of positive samples were found in only a few hyperendemic communities; this information corresponds with the highest number of both infected foxes and AE cases in humans recorded in this area. Our findings indicate that E. multilocularis is present in the environment and may create a potential risk for the inhabitants. These people should simply be informed to wash fruits and vegetables before eating. No additional far-reaching conclusions should be drawn from our data. We believe these commentators needlessly misinterpreted our results and disseminated misleading information. Nevertheless, we would like to encourage any readers simply to contact us if any aspects of our study are unclear

Toxoplasmosis — facts and myths

Na temat toksoplazmozy wciąż funkcjonuje wiele mitów. Przez wiele lat winą za występowanie zakażeń u ludzi obarczano koty, a toksoplazmozę traktowano jako klasyczną zoonozę. Tymczasem wyniki prowadzonych badań jednoznacznie wskazują, że koty trzymane w domu praktycznie nie stanowią dla człowieka żadnego zagrożenia. Strach przed tą chorobą ma swoje uzasadnienie, gdyż inwazja T. gondii może prowadzić do wystąpienia ciężkich wad rozwojowych u płodu. Natomiast patomechanizm tego procesu oraz faktyczna rola kotów w przenoszeniu tej choroby często pozostają niezrozumiane.There are still many myths about toxoplasmosis. For many years the house cats were blamed for the infections and toxoplasmosis was treated as classical z oonosis. In the meantime researches have clearly shown that home-held pet cats are of no danger to people. Fear caused by this sickness has its justification, since the T. gondii invasion may cause severe malformations during fetal development. Still, the pathomechanism of this process and actual role of cats in transferring of the disease remains not fully elucidated

Detection of Giardia intestinalis infections in Polish soldiers deployed to Afghanistan

Background: Members of the Polish Military Contingent (PMC) have been stationed in Afghanistan since 2002. They typically serve in areas characterised by low standards of sanitation which often leads to the development of food- and waterborne diseases. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of Giardia intestinalis infections among Polish soldiers deployed to Afghanistan. The research study was conducted as part of a programme for prevention of parasitic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract run by the Polish Armed Forces. Materials and methods: The study was carried out in August 2011; it involved 630 asymptomatic Polish soldiers serving in the Forward Operational Base (FOB) Ghazni in eastern Afghanistan. Stool specimens obtained from members of the PMC were first tested in FOB Ghazni (detection of Giardia intestinalis by Rida Quick Giardia immunochromatographic tests and Ridascreen Giardia immunoenzymatic tests — single samples). Next, the same biological material and two other faecal specimens fixed in 10% formalin were transported to the Military Institute of Medicine in Poland, where they were tested for Giardia intestinalis under light microscopy (direct smear, decantation in distilled water). Results: Parasitological tests performed under light microscopy showed that 2.7% (17/630) of the study group were infected with Giardia intestinalis. Some of these results were confirmed by immunochromatographic tests (6/630). In contrast, immunoenzymatic tests (ELISA) demonstrated a significantly higher detection rate reaching 18.1% (114/630). Immunoenzymatic tests confirmed all the positive results given by light microscopy and by immunochromatographic tests. Conclusions: The prevalence rate of Giardia intestinalis infections in Polish soldiers deployed to Afghanistan was found to be high. Microscopic methods exhibit low sensitivity and therefore may result in the underestimation of the true parasite prevalence. Immunoenzymatic tests (ELISA) showing a much higher sensitivity in comparison to light microscopy and immunochromatographic tests ought to be applied in screening for intestinal protozoan infections in areas characterised by harsh environmental conditions.

Investigations on the occurrence of Plasmodium knowlesi in travellers returning from the endemic areas of simian malaria

Malaria remains an important public health issue all over the world. Among 5 Plasmodium species invasive to humans, Plasmodium knowlesi has been identified most recently. It is sometimes difficult to differentiate this species from P. malariae with the use of microscopic examination. However, P. knowlesi infection may be associated with rapidly increasing parasitaemia and severe clinical course with the risk of death. Samples from Polish travellers returning from areas where simian malaria is endemic were examined with the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The small subunit of ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) genes was subjected to analysis using nested PCR reaction. No positive results of P. knowlesi were obtained. Due to morphological similarities to P. malariae, potentially severe clinical course of infection and P. knowlesi endemic regions being a common tourist destination, diagnostic and clinical vigilance is necessary, including molecular methods use for precise parasite identification