Epidemiological situation of taeniasis in Mongolia was assessed based on mitochondrial DNA identification of the parasite species. Multiplex PCR was used on a total of 194 proglottid specimens of Taenia species and copro-PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays were utilized for detection of copro-DNA of 37 fecal samples from taeniasis patients submitted to the Mongolian National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) from 2002 to 2012. In addition, 4 out of 44 calcified cysts in beef kept in formalin since 2003 were evaluated for histopathological confirmation of cattle cysticercosis. All proglottid specimens and stool samples were confirmed to be Taenia saginata by multiplex PCR and by copro-PCR and LAMP, respectively. Cysts collected from cattle were morphologically confirmed to be metacestodes of Taenia species. T. saginata taeniasis was identified from almost all ages from a 2-year-old boy up to a 88-year-old woman and most prominently in 15-29 age group (37%, 74/198) followed by 30-44 age group (34.8%, 69/198 ) from 15 of Mongolia's 21 provinces, while cattle cysticerci were found from 12 provinces. The highest proportion of taeniasis patients was in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Animals ; Cattle/parasitology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cysticercosis/*epidemiology/parasitology ; DNA, Helminth/*genetics ; DNA, Mitochondrial/*genetics ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; Geography ; Humans ; Male ; Meat/parasitology ; Middle Aged ; Mitochondria/genetics ; Mongolia/epidemiology ; Neglected Diseases/epidemiology ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques/veterinary ; Questionnaires ; Taenia saginata/*genetics ; Taenia solium/genetics ; Taeniasis/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Young Adult

Babesiosis is an emerging tick-borne disease in humans worldwide; however, little is known about the frequency of infection or prevalence of this disease in other parts of the world, excluding North America. In this study, we aimed to investigate Babesia microti infection frequency in a human population in Mongolia. One hundred blood samples were collected from stock farmers living in Khutul city of Selenge province, Mongolia. The sera and DNA from blood samples were evaluated for the presence of B. microti infection by using indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) tests and PCR. The positive detection rates obtained using the IFA tests and PCR assays were 7% and 3%, respectively. This study is the first to detect of B. microti infections based on antibody seroprevalence or PCR assays for the presence of B. microti DNA in a Mongolian population.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Animal Husbandry ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; Babesia microti/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Babesiosis/diagnosis/*epidemiology/immunology/pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA, Protozoan/*blood ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mongolia/epidemiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Young Adult