Schistosoma mansoni and soil-transmitted helminths among schoolchildren in An-Nadirah District, Ibb Governorate, Yemen after a decade of preventive chemotherapy.

The Ministry of Public Health in Yemen continues the implementation of school and community-based preventive chemotherapy with praziquantel and albendazole for the control and elimination of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths (STH). The latest remapping to update the distribution of schistosomiasis and STH was conducted seven years ago. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, intensity and associated risk factors of Schistosoma mansoni and STH among schoolchildren in An-Nadirah District, Ibb Governorate, Yemen.

National mapping of schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis and anaemia in Yemen: Towards better national control and elimination.

Background: Schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) are known to be endemic in Yemen. However, the distribution of both diseases had not previously been assessed by a well-structured national mapping study covering all governorates. The main aim of this study was, therefore, to map the prevalence of SCH and STH in Yemen in order to better inform implementation of effective national control and elimination interventions.

Toxoplasma gondii Infection Among Institutionalized Children with Down syndrome in Sana'a city, Yemen: Implications of Low IgG Seroprevalence.

Purpose: To assess the IgG seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii as an indicator of past exposure and immunity against infection among children with Down syndrome (DS) in Sana'a city, Yemen. This preliminary study is justified by the primary immunodeficiency of children with DS and the opportunistic nature of the parasite, considering the vague situation of anti-Toxoplasma IgG seroprevalence among children with DS because of neglecting its study on local and global scales.

Methods: This descriptive, facility-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 107 children with DS hosted in six randomly selected rehabilitation centers for children with special needs in Sana'a city.

Intestinal schistosomiasis among schoolchildren in Sana'a Governorate, Yemen: Prevalence, associated factors and its effect on nutritional status and anemia.

Intestinal schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease, causing morbidity and mortality in tropical and subtropical countries. Despite the frequent implementation of mass drug administration with praziquantel, the reinfection with Schistosoma mansoni is still common in Yemen. In addition, there is a scarcity of information on the impact of S.

Onchocerca volvulus infection in Tihama region - west of Yemen: Continuing transmission in ivermectin-targeted endemic foci and unveiled endemicity in districts with previously unknown status.

Background: Onchocerciasis in Yemen is one of the most neglected diseases, where baseline estimates of onchocerciasis and monitoring of the impact of ivermectin regularly administered to the affected individuals on its transmission are lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the anti-Ov16 IgG4 seroprevalence among local communities of Hodeidah and Al-Mahwit governorates of Tihama region. The factors possibly associated with previous exposure to infection were also studied.

Access to and use of long-lasting insecticidal nets and factors associated with non-use among communities in malaria-endemic areas of Al Hudaydah governorate in the Tihama region, west of Yemen.

Background: Universal coverage of the targeted malaria-endemic areas with long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) is implemented as one of the key interventions for malaria control and elimination in Yemen. In 2013, through a mass campaign, LLINs were distributed to the targeted communities in Al Hudaydah governorate. This study aimed to assess the ownership of, access to, and use of LLINs.

A community-based survey of Toxoplasma gondii infection among pregnant women in rural areas of Taiz governorate, Yemen: the risk of waterborne transmission.

Background: Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic coccidian parasite causing morbidity and mortality. In Yemen, T. gondii infection has been reported among pregnant women seeking healthcare in the main cities.

A household-based survey of knowledge, attitudes and practices towards dengue fever among local urban communities in Taiz Governorate, Yemen.

Background: Yemen has witnessed several dengue fever outbreaks coincident with the social unrest and war in the country. The aim of the present study was to describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) of at-risk urban populations residing in Taiz, southwest of Yemen. In addition, factors possibly associated with poor preventive practices were investigated.

School-based prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and associated risk factors in rural communities of Sana'a, Yemen.

Yemen is a developing country overwhelmed with a triad of poverty, diseases and social conflicts. Moreover, the majority of its population live in rural communities and suffer from intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs). Therefore, the present school-based, cross-sectional survey aimed to detect the prevalence of such infections and associated risk factors among schoolchildren in the rural communities of Bani Alharith, Hamdan and Bani Hushaysh districts of Sana'a, north of Yemen.

Toxoplasma gondii infection among pregnant women in Yemen: Factors associated with high seroprevalence.

Introduction: Although toxoplasmosis is an important public health problem, there is scarcity of data on the disease available from Yemen. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in health facilities to determine seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and associated risk factors among pregnant women in Sana'a, the capital city of Yemen.

Methodology: A total of 593 pregnant women were included and examined for anti-T.

First Molecular Characterization of Leishmania Species Causing Visceral Leishmaniasis among Children in Yemen.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a debilitating, often fatal disease caused by Leishmania donovani complex; however, it is a neglected tropical disease. L. donovani complex comprises two closely related species, L.

The prospect of malaria elimination in the Arabian Peninsula: a population genetic approach.

Background: In the Arabian Peninsula malaria control is progressing steadily, backed by adequate logistic and political support. As a result, transmission has been interrupted throughout the region, with exception of limited sites in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Here we examined Plasmodium falciparum parasites in these sites to assess if the above success has limited diversity and gene flow.

Subtype distribution of Blastocystis isolates in Sebha, Libya.

Background: Blastocystis is a genetically diverse and a common intestinal parasite of humans with a controversial pathogenic potential. This study was carried out to identify the Blastocystis subtypes and their association with demographic and socioeconomic factors among outpatients living in Sebha city, Libya.

Methods/findings: Blastocystis in stool samples were cultured followed by isolation, PCR amplification of a partial SSU rDNA gene, cloning, and sequencing.

Mutant Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter in Hodeidah, Yemen: association with parasitologic indices and treatment-seeking behaviors.

Malaria still represents a major health problem in Yemen, particularly in Hodeidah, despite continuing efforts to eliminate it. With the absence of clinically proven vaccines, chemotherapy with antimalarials is still greatly needed. Chloroquine (CQ) has been popular as the drug of choice for malaria control.

The suitability of P. falciparum merozoite surface proteins 1 and 2 as genetic markers for in vivo drug trials in Yemen.

Background: The accuracy of the conclusions from in vivo efficacy anti-malarial drug trials depends on distinguishing between recrudescences and re-infections which is accomplished by genotyping genes coding P. falciparum merozoite surface 1 (MSP1) and MSP2. However, the reliability of the PCR analysis depends on the genetic markers' allelic diversity and variant frequency.

Genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum and distribution of drug resistance haplotypes in Yemen.

Background: Despite evident success of malaria control in many sites in the Arabian Peninsula, malaria remains endemic in a few spots, in Yemen and south-west of Saudi Arabia. In addition to local transmission, imported malaria sustains an extra source of parasites that can challenge the strengths of local control strategies. This study examined the genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum in Yemen and mutations of drug resistant genes, to elucidate parasite structure and distribution of drug resistance genotypes in the region.

Cases of hydatidosis in patients referred to Governmental hospitals for cyst removal in Sana'a City, Republic of Yemen.

Hydatidosis is a parasitic infestation caused by Echinococcus granulosus. This disease is endemic in many countries including Yemen. The present review article aims to have a glimpse at the present status of hydatidosis in Yemen.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for malarial parasites of humans: would it come to clinical reality as a point-of-care test?

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a novel molecular method that accelerates and facilitates DNA amplification and detection under isothermal conditions. It represents a revolution in molecular biology by reducing the high cost, turnaround time and technicality of polymerase chain reaction and other amplification methods. It has been applied for the diagnosis of a variety of viral, bacterial, parasitic and other diseases in the biomedical field.

KCNQ1 variants associate with type 2 diabetes in Malaysian Malay subjects.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) candidate gene: potassium voltage-gated channel, KQT-like subfamily, member 1 (KCNQ1) was suggested by conducting a genome wide association study (GWAS) in Japanese population. Association studies have been replicated among East Asian populations; however, the association between this gene and T2D in Southeast Asian populations still needs to be studied. This study aimed to investigate the association of KCNQ1 common variants with type 2 diabetes in Malaysian Malay subjects.

Genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Pahang, Malaysia based on MSP-1 and MSP-2 genes.

Background: Malaria is still a public health problem in Malaysia especially in the interior parts of Peninsular Malaysia and the states of Sabah and Sarawak (East Malaysia). This is the first study on the genetic diversity and genotype multiplicity of Plasmodium falciparum in Malaysia.

Methods: Seventy-five P.

Microbial control of malaria: biological warfare against the parasite and its vector.

Microbial applications in malaria transmission control have drawn global attention. Mosquito midgut microbiota can modulate vector immunity and block Plasmodium development. Paratransgenic manipulation of bacterial symbionts and Wolbachia can affect reproductive characteristics of mosquitoes.

Sequence analysis on the mitochondrial COXI gene of recent clinical isolates of Plasmodium knowlesi in Klang Valley, peninsular Malaysia.

The cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COXI) gene sequences of three recent (2007-2008) clinical Plasmodium knowlesi isolates from Klang Valley, peninsular Malaysia, were determined and compared with those of older (1960's) peninsular Malaysia, recent isolates from Sarawak (on Borneo Island), and an isolate from Thailand. Multiple alignment of the sequences showed that the three clinical isolates were more similar to the older peninsular Malaysia isolates than to those from Sarawak and Thailand. Phylogenetic tree based on the COXI sequences revealed three distinct clusters of P.

Specific, sensitive and rapid detection of human plasmodium knowlesi infection by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) in blood samples.

Background: The emergence of Plasmodium knowlesi in humans, which is in many cases misdiagnosed by microscopy as Plasmodium malariae due to the morphological similarity has contributed to the needs of detection and differentiation of malaria parasites. At present, nested PCR targeted on Plasmodium ssrRNA genes has been described as the most sensitive and specific method for Plasmodium detection. However, this method is costly and requires trained personnel for its implementation.

High frequency of Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance marker (pfcrt T76 mutation) in Yemen: an urgent need to re-examine malaria drug policy.

Background: Malaria remains a significant health problem in Yemen with Plasmodium falciparum being the predominant species which is responsible for 90% of the malaria cases. Despite serious concerns regarding increasing drug resistance, chloroquine is still used for the prevention and treatment of malaria in Yemen. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of choloroquine resistance (CQR) of P.