[Investigation of Leishmania infantum Seroprevalance and Leishmaniasis Knowledge Level in Northern Cyprus]. 2022

Mehmet Özdoğaç, and Emrah Güler, and Meryem Güvenir, and Ulaş Hürdoğanoğlu, and Aşkın Kiraz, and Kaya Süer
Near East University Graduate School of Education Science, Department of Environmental Education and Management, Nicosia, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease caused by Leishmania parasites, transmitted by sand flies and common in the Mediterranean region. Cyprus is located in the east of Mediterranean Sea and is considered endemic for Leishmaniasis. In our study, it was aimed to investigate Leishmania infantum IgG seropositivity in healthy volunteers living in different regions of Northern Cyprus and to determine the risk factors for Leishmaniasis and measure the level of public knowledge about the disease. A total of 300 healthy volunteers (farmer/livestock: 100, hunter: 100, control group: 100) from five different regions of Northern Cyprus were included in the study, including Nicosia, Kyrenia, Famagusta, Morphou/Lefka, and Trikomo/Karpasia. The participants' blood was drawn and prepared questionnaire forms were filled out. Collected blood was centrifuged and the serum samples were separated and stored at -80ºC until the day of the test. All serum samples were tested for L.infantum IgG specific antibodies using the ELISA method (NovaTec, Immundiagnostica GmbH, Germany) in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. L.infantum IgG positivity was found to be 4.7% (14/300). The mean ages of L.infantum IgG positive and negative participants were 43.64 ± 11.74 and 42.17 ± 14.32 respectively. There was no statistically significant relationship between seropositivity and age (p= 0.706). The positivity rate was found to be significantly higher in hunters and farmers/livestocks compared with the control group (p= 0.020). In addition, it was determined that having a dog and the number of dogs owned were significantly associated with Leishmaniasis (p= 0.017, p= 0.020, respectively). On the other hand, 77% (231/300) of the volunteers included in our study had no prior knowledge about the disease. When compared to the other study groups, it was determined that hunters had the most knowledge of the Leishmaniasis infection (p= 0.001). Moreover, it was observed that as the education level of the participants increased, the level of knowledge about the disease also increased in parallel (p≤ 0.001). According to the results in our study, L.infantum IgG seropositivity was undeniably high in the healthy population living in Northern Cyprus. It is clear that outdoor activities such as hunting or dealing with farming/livestock are risk factors for the disease. In this context, it is apparent that more clear results will be obtained about the prevalence of the disease with the conduction of large-scale epidemiological studies. As a result, we concluded that especially risk groups should be informed about the current status of Leishmaniasis infection and necessary precautions should be taken.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007074 Immunoglobulin G The major immunoglobulin isotype class in normal human serum. There are several isotype subclasses of IgG, for example, IgG1, IgG2A, and IgG2B. Gamma Globulin, 7S,IgG,IgG Antibody,Allerglobuline,IgG(T),IgG1,IgG2,IgG2A,IgG2B,IgG3,IgG4,Immunoglobulin GT,Polyglobin,7S Gamma Globulin,Antibody, IgG,GT, Immunoglobulin
D007896 Leishmaniasis A disease caused by any of a number of species of protozoa in the genus LEISHMANIA. There are four major clinical types of this infection: cutaneous (Old and New World) (LEISHMANIASIS, CUTANEOUS), diffuse cutaneous (LEISHMANIASIS, DIFFUSE CUTANEOUS), mucocutaneous (LEISHMANIASIS, MUCOCUTANEOUS), and visceral (LEISHMANIASIS, VISCERAL). Leishmania Infection,Infection, Leishmania,Infections, Leishmania,Leishmania Infections,Leishmaniases
D007898 Leishmaniasis, Visceral A chronic disease caused by LEISHMANIA DONOVANI and transmitted by the bite of several sandflies of the genera Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia. It is commonly characterized by fever, chills, vomiting, anemia, hepatosplenomegaly, leukopenia, hypergammaglobulinemia, emaciation, and an earth-gray color of the skin. The disease is classified into three main types according to geographic distribution: Indian, Mediterranean (or infantile), and African. Black Fever,Kala-Azar,Fever, Black,Kala Azar,Visceral Leishmaniasis
D011576 Psychodidae Small, hairy, moth-like flies which are of considerable public health importance as vectors of certain pathogenic organisms. Important disease-related genera are PHLEBOTOMUS, Lutzomyia, and Sergentomyia. Lutzomyia,Moth Flies,Phlebotominae,Psychodinae,Sandflies,Sergentomyia,Sand Flies,Flies, Moth,Flies, Sand,Fly, Moth,Fly, Sand,Lutzomyias,Moth Fly,Sand Fly,Sandfly,Sergentomyias
D003535 Cyprus An island republic in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its capital is Nicosia. It was colonized by the Phoenicians and ancient Greeks and ruled successively by the Assyrian, Persian, Ptolemaic, Roman, and Byzantine Empires. It was under various countries from the 12th to the 20th century but became independent in 1960. The name comes from the Greek Kupros, probably representing the Sumerian kabar or gabar, copper, famous in historic times for its copper mines. The cypress tree is also named after the island. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p308 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p134)
D004285 Dogs The domestic dog, Canis familiaris, comprising about 400 breeds, of the carnivore family CANIDAE. They are worldwide in distribution and live in association with people. (Walker's Mammals of the World, 5th ed, p1065) Canis familiaris,Dog
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D018314 Leishmania infantum A parasitic hemoflagellate of the subgenus Leishmania leishmania that infects man and animals and causes visceral leishmaniasis (LEISHMANIASIS, VISCERAL). Human infections are confined almost entirely to children. This parasite is commonly seen in dogs, other Canidae, and porcupines with humans considered only an accidental host. Transmission is by Phlebotomus sandflies. Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum,Leishmania donovani chagasi,Leishmania donovani infantum,Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi,Leishmania chagasi,Leishmania chagasi chagasi,Leishmania chagasi subsp. Chagasi,Leishmania infantum chagasi,Leishmania leishmania infantum,chagasi chagasi, Leishmania,chagasi, Leishmania,chagasi, Leishmania chagasi,chagasi, Leishmania infantum,donovani chagasi, Leishmania,donovani infantum, Leishmania,infantum chagasi, Leishmania,infantum, Leishmania donovani,infantum, Leishmania leishmania,leishmania infantum, Leishmania

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