BACKGROUNDCystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonosis caused by the cestodes of the Echinococcus species. Its life cycle involves dogs and other canids as definitive hosts for the intestinal tapeworm, as well as domestic and wild ungulates as intermediate hosts for the tissue-invading metacestode (larval) stage. The disease has a special impact on disadvantaged pastoralist communities and is listed now among the three top priority neglected tropical disease (NTD). Therefore, CE is a neglected disease even in high endemicity regions. This study aimed at investigation of the prevalence of CE in different animals slaughtered for food consumption in Sinnar area, Blue Nile states in Sudan.

METHODSA survey of CE in livestock was conducted from April 2009 to March 2011 in Sinnar area, Blue Nile state in Sudan. Location, parasitological status and fertility conditions were determined. In addition, 120 hydatid cysts (30 from camels, 62 from cattle and 28 from sheep) were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and mitochondrial gene sequencing for the genetic allocation of Echinococcus strains or species

RESULTSThe prevalence of CE was 29.7% (30/101) in camels, 2.7% (62/2310) in cattle and 0.6% (26/4378) in sheep. It was shown that infection rates increased with age in camels, cattle and sheep. In camels, 67% (20/30) of the infected animals were aged between 2 - 5 years whereas 58% (36/62) of the infected cattle were > 5 years. In sheep, the prevalence rate was distributed equally between animals ranging 2 - 5 years and > 5 years. Even though multiple cysts were found in some animals, the average number of cysts per animal was close to 1 in all examined species. Lungs were found to be the predilection sites for the parasite in both camels and cattle, while most of the cysts found in sheep were located in the liver. About 63.4% of cysts encountered in camels were considered as large (5 - 7 cm), whereas those in cattle and sheep were medium (2 - 4 cm) and small (< 2 cm) respectively. The highest fertility rate was found in camel cysts with 85.4% (35/41) followed by cattle (50.0%, 32/64) and sheep (39.0%, 11/28). All examined cysts belonged to Echinococcus canadensis G6, which was confirmed to be the overwhelmingly predominant species in that area.

CONCLUSIONThe epidemiological situation in Sinnar area, Blue Nile state is characterized by intense transmission of Echinococcus canadensis G6, thereby closely resembling the situation in most other regions of Sudan.

Animals ; Camelus ; parasitology ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases ; epidemiology ; Echinococcosis ; epidemiology ; Echinococcus ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Geography ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sheep ; parasitology ; Sheep Diseases ; epidemiology ; Sudan ; epidemiology

Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite that causes watery diarrhea, is found worldwide and is common in areas with low water hygiene. In February 2014, 866 stool samples were collected from the inhabitants of 2 rural areas in White Nile State, Sudan. These stool samples were assessed by performing modified acid-fast staining, followed by examination under a light microscope. The overall positive rate of Cryptosporidium oocysts was 13.3%. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in 8.6% stool samples obtained from inhabitants living in the area having water purification systems and in 14.6% stool samples obtained from inhabitants living in the area not having water purification systems. No significant difference was observed in the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection between men and women (14.7% and 14.1%, respectively). The positive rate of oocysts by age was the highest among inhabitants in their 60s (40.0%). These findings suggest that the use of water purification systems is important for preventing Cryptosporidium infection among inhabitants of these rural areas in Sudan.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cryptosporidiosis/epidemiology/*parasitology ; Cryptosporidium/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Rural Population ; Sudan/epidemiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the epidemiological factors of tuberculosis (TB) in eastern Sudan.

METHODSThe socio-demographic and clinical data was retrieved from the database at Kassala hospital during the year of 2011. The medical file of consequent patients who was discharged from the same ward in the hospital was reviewed to act as control for the TB patients.

RESULTSA total of 670 patients were registered at Kassala hospital with clinical, laboratory and radiological evidence proven TB. Pulmonary TB accounted for 73.4% while extra-pulmonary TB was reported in 26.6% of all TB patients. The mean age (SD) was not significantly different between the cases and controls (670 in each arm). TB patients were those who had less education, and the infection more likely common among male patients.

CONCLUSIONSIntervention from outside the health field in particular awareness of associated risk factors and improvement of the educational level potentially will strengthen TB control.

Analysis of Variance ; Educational Status ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Health Services Accessibility ; Humans ; Medical Records ; statistics & numerical data ; Public Health ; Sex Distribution ; Sudan ; epidemiology ; Tuberculosis ; epidemiology ; prevention & control

The genetic diversity of Schistosoma haematobium remains largely unstudied in comparison to that of Schistosoma mansoni. To characterize the extent of genetic diversity in S. haematobium among its definitive host (humans), we collected S. haematobium eggs from the urine of 73 infected schoolchildren at 5 primary schools in White Nile State, Sudan, and then performed a randomly amplified polymorphic DNA marker ITS2 by PCR-RFLP analysis. Among 73 S. haematobium egg-positive cases, 13 were selected based on the presence of the S. haematobium satellite markers A4 and B2 in their genomic DNA, and used for RFLP analysis. The 13 samples were subjected to an RFLP analysis of the S. haematobium ITS2 region; however, there was no variation in size among the fragments. Compared to the ITS2 sequences obtained for S. haematobium from Kenya, the nucleotide sequences of the ITS2 regions of S. haematobium from 4 areas in Sudan were consistent with those from Kenya (> 99%). In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that most of the S. haematobium population in Sudan consists of a pan-African S. haematobium genotype; however, we also report the discovery of Kenyan strain inflow into White Nile, Sudan.
Adolescent ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Child ; DNA, Helminth/genetics ; Female ; *Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Ovum/classification/cytology ; Parasite Egg Count ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Schistosoma haematobium/*genetics/*isolation & purification/physiology ; Schistosomiasis haematobia/diagnosis/epidemiology/*parasitology/urine ; Students ; Sudan/epidemiology ; Urine/*parasitology