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<Articles JournalTitle="Iranian Journal of Public Health">
  <Article>
    <Journal>
      <PublisherName>Tehran University of Medical Sciences</PublisherName>
      <JournalTitle>Iranian Journal of Public Health</JournalTitle>
      <Issn>2251-6085</Issn>
      <Volume>44</Volume>
      <Issue>4</Issue>
      <PubDate PubStatus="epublish">
        <Year>2015</Year>
        <Month>04</Month>
        <Day>15</Day>
      </PubDate>
    </Journal>
    <title locale="en_US">The Endemicity of Human Fascioliasis in Guilan Province, Northern Iran: the Baseline for Implementation of Control Strategies</title>
    <FirstPage>501</FirstPage>
    <LastPage>11</LastPage>
    <AuthorList>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>Keyhan</FirstName>
        <LastName>Ashrafi</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">Dept. of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.</affiliation>
      </Author>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>Farshid</FirstName>
        <LastName>Saadat</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">Dept. of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.</affiliation>
      </Author>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>Sandra</FirstName>
        <LastName>O'Neill</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Health, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin, Ireland.</affiliation>
      </Author>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>Behnaz</FirstName>
        <LastName>Rahmati</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">Dept. of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.</affiliation>
      </Author>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>Hadid</FirstName>
        <LastName>Amin Tahmasbi</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">Dept. of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Azad University of Lahijan, Iran.</affiliation>
      </Author>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>John</FirstName>
        <LastName>Pius Dalton</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, Belfast, Northern Irland.</affiliation>
      </Author>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>Abolhassan</FirstName>
        <LastName>Nadim</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Iran.</affiliation>
      </Author>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>Mohsen</FirstName>
        <LastName>Asadinezhad</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">Dept. of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.</affiliation>
      </Author>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>Sayed Mahmood</FirstName>
        <LastName>Rezvani</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">Dept. of Communicable Diseases Control, Guilan province Health Center, Rasht, Iran.</affiliation>
      </Author>
    </AuthorList>
    <History>
      <PubDate PubStatus="received">
        <Year>2015</Year>
        <Month>10</Month>
        <Day>14</Day>
      </PubDate>
    </History>
    <abstract locale="en_US">Background: The largest global outbreaks of liver fluke disease (Fascioliasis) in humans, caused by species of the genus Fasciola, have occurred in Guilan Province of Iran, affecting more than 15000 people. Although, different aspects&#xA0;of fascioliasis have been the subject of various researches during last two decades, nevertheless no community-based&#xA0;study has been performed in endemic regions of Guilan. The aim of present study was to obtain the basic information&#xA0;needed to develop future control strategies.

Methods: Fecal and blood samples were collected from 1,984 volunteers in the Bandar-Anzali district, the region&#xA0;where previous epidemics occurred. Fecal samples were examined by Kato-Katz and formalin-ether methods for the&#xA0;presence of Fasciola eggs. Sera samples were analyzed by ELISA to detect anti-cathepsin L antibodies.

Results: Twenty-seven (1.36%) individuals were seropositive, 9 (0.45%) individuals were egg positive (mean egg count&#xA0; 50.7 (&#xB1;30.36) eggs per gram of faeces) and 30 individuals (1.51%) were positive using both methods. No statistical&#xA0;association was observed between infection and age, gender, location, occupation, educational status and dietary habits. The prevalence of intestinal parasites is also included.

Conclusion: Human fascioliasis is hypoendemic in this region and recommends a passive case-finding approach, effective primary prevention measures, health education through mass media and effective veterinary public health&#xA0;measures for control of human disease.</abstract>
    <web_url>https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/3596</web_url>
    <pdf_url>https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/download/3596/3271</pdf_url>
  </Article>
</Articles>
