Masoumeh Bagheri; Hamzeh Alipour; Ali Keshawarz
Abstract
Background: Scorpion sting is one of the serious and major medical problems in the world. Shiraz is a tourist city and one of the high-risk areas where a number of scorpion sting occurs annually.
Objectives: The present research aimed to conduct an epidemiological study of scorpion sting in Shiraz County.
Methods: ...
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Background: Scorpion sting is one of the serious and major medical problems in the world. Shiraz is a tourist city and one of the high-risk areas where a number of scorpion sting occurs annually.
Objectives: The present research aimed to conduct an epidemiological study of scorpion sting in Shiraz County.
Methods: The is a cross-sectional study performed using a checklists to collect data about scorpionism in Shiraz health center during 2014-2018.
Results: The results of the study showed that the total number of scorpion stings was 844 cases. generally, 336 cases (39.8%) were female and 508 s (59.3%) male. The results from the residential area revealed that 817 cases (96.8%) were urban and 27 (3.1%) were rural. The highest frequency of scorpionism happened in the 25-34 years old group (286,33.8%) and after that 15-24 year old (165,19.4%), 35-44 year old (157, 18.6%), 45-54 year old (108, 12.7%) groups, and the least frequency awas seen in the 0-4 year old group. The time periods between the sting and injection of anti-venom were less than 6 hours for 822, (85.5%) of cases, 6–12 hours for 101, (11.9%) of cases and, more than 12 hours for 21 (2.4%) cases. A total of 844 cases were recovered; 690 (81.7%) of them recovered with anti-venom and 154 (18.2%) injured individuals recovered without any anti-venom, the sting site was 27.6% in the foot, 57% in the hand, and 20% in the head and trunk.
Conclusion: Shiraz is a major tourist city, and most cases of scorpion-sting occur in summer and spring, when the tourist population is high, so health care providers must carry out an integrated program in those months.
Mohammad Ali Baghapour; Zohre Moeini; Yousef Kamali; Mohammad reza Shooshtarian; Mohammad Reza Zare
Volume 5, Issue 3 , July 2017, , Pages 107-115
Abstract
Background: Monitoring the water quality and analyzing its changes over time is an important aspect of sustainable management and development of water resources. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the trend of temporal variations in the quality of drinking water supplied from groundwater ...
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Background: Monitoring the water quality and analyzing its changes over time is an important aspect of sustainable management and development of water resources. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the trend of temporal variations in the quality of drinking water supplied from groundwater sources in Shiraz, using IRWQI (Iran Water Quality Index) as well as statistical analysis.Methodology: This study was conducted on groundwater resources in Shiraz, Iran from 2011 to 2015. 10 water quality parameters were used in this index including NO3, Fecal Coliform, EC, TH, SAR, BOD5, PO4, COD, pH, and DO, with their own weights. Repeated measure test was used in order to analyze the differences between IRWQI values between the study years.Results: The results showed that IRWQI varied between 89/96 (very good quality) and 49/51 (average quality) in the study years. The main causes of water quality decline were average to relatively high levels of hardness and nitrate. The general pattern of the changes in water quality has been accompanied by an increase and decrease, so that the water quality has improved from 2011 to 2013 but then declined until the end of the study.Conclusion: Regarding the necessity of clarifying the water quality condition and its changes and the importance of using IRWQI as an emerging national indicator, water quality analysis in different parts of the country, taking advantage of this indicator and statistical analyses will help the country promote and accelerate the integrated management of water resources quality.
Behnam Mohammadi- Ghalehbin; Gholam Reza Hatam; Iraj Mohammad-Pour; Nafise Ghobakhloo; Faeze Foroughi- Parvar
Volume 2, Issue 4 , October 2014, , Pages 164-167
Abstract
Background: There are many genera of free-living amoeba in the environment, but members of only four genera (Naegleria, Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia and Sappinia) have an association with human infection. Water, soil and air are main sources of infective types of these pathogenic organisms for human.Methods: ...
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Background: There are many genera of free-living amoeba in the environment, but members of only four genera (Naegleria, Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia and Sappinia) have an association with human infection. Water, soil and air are main sources of infective types of these pathogenic organisms for human.Methods: Totally, 30 samples were collected from the surface water sources of Shiraz city, the capital of Fars province, during July and August 2009. The samples were filtered and their sediments were cultured on non-nutrient agar medium and seeded with non-pathogen Escherichia coli. Then, they were incubated at three different temperatures, 22˚C, 37˚C, and 44˚C. The media were checked with invert microscopy and amoebae were recognized by phase–contrast microscopy and observed by light microscopy after Trichrome staining. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for molecular detection.Results: Of the 30 samples, 29 were recognized morphologically as Acanthamoeba, the characteristics of 20 of which were confirmed by PCR. The growth rate of amoeba in 22˚C was more than 37˚C. Eight of the samples grew at 44˚C, but flagellate forming test and PCR were negative for Naegleria fowleri. Two of them were identified morphologically as Balamuthia and Sappinia.Conclusion: Since Fars province is located in the subtropical region where there are a lot of parks and green areas with surface water, the potential risk of diseases caused by free-living amoebae should be considered. Further investigations about various aspects of these important opportunistic protozoa are recommended especially for establishment of appropriate prevention tools.
