Microbial risk assessment of dairy products from retail marketplaces in Basrah province, Iraq.

Background: Milk-borne bacteria cause degradation of milk products and constitute a significant risk to public health.

Aim: The objectives of the present study are to determine the microbiological quality of dairy products and to investigate pathogenic microorganisms.

Methods: A total of 60 samples of raw milk, homemade cheese, and yogurt were randomly selected from different retail marketplaces in Basrah.

Cystic echinococcosis in the Eastern Mediterranean region: Neglected and prevailing!

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is distributed worldwide, extending from China to the Middle East and from Mediterranean countries to the sub-Saharan Africa and South America. According to WHO, one million people around the world are suffering from CE with an estimated burden of 183,573 DALYs. The annual monetary burden of the disease due to treatment costs and CE-related livestock losses has been estimated at US$ 3 billion.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of 50 Patients with Surgically Treated Cystic Echinococcosis from Basrah Province, Iraq.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is recognised worldwide as a neglected disease of public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The objectives of this study were to describe, using a questionnaire survey, the characteristics, attitudes, knowledge, and practices of patients with CE from Basrah Province, Iraq. We interviewed 50 patients, 31 female and 19 male, of whom, 74% originated from rural areas.