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PubMed2026

Frequency of Human Brucellosis Complications in West Asia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis is a multi-systemic zoonotic infection. The West Asia/Middle East region is an important global hotspot for brucellosis. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to aggregate and synthesize all the available evidence regarding the complications of brucellosis in West Asia/Middle East region. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Proquest were searched. Selection of studies, data extraction, and the risk of bias assessment were performed in duplicate. Data extraction was performed for 254 complications. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model with Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation. Where applicable small-study effects was assessed using funnel plots and Egger's test. Separate by-country, by-age, and by-publication-decade subgroup analyses were performed if feasible. RESULTS: Out of 9518 results, 240 studies (260 references) were included. The majority of the included studies were conducted in Turkey (n = 177). The reported complications varied and different complication categorization systems were detected. The highest pooled estimate was observed for musculoskeletal involvement (50%, 95%CI: 39%-61%, I2 = 96.63%). The evidences is up-to-date until March 4, 2024. CONCLUSIONS: Some complications such as the complications of the eye were not reported in all the countries. Therefore, it's recommended to determine the relative frequency of those complications in regions without such reports. The pooled estimates of different complications of brucellosis were different. There's a need for the standardization of the reporting of the complications of brucellosis to achieve comparability between studies and across different regions.

Brucellosis↗

PubMed2025

Evolutionary legacy of the "living fossil" genus Parrotia (Hamamelidaceae): genomic insights into species divergence and polygenic adaptation.

Despite their long evolutionary history, the genomic basis of adaptation and speciation in "living fossil" plants remain largely unexplored. Parrotia, a Tertiary relict tree genus with two extant species, P. subaequalis and P. persica, exhibits a disjunct distribution between East Asia and West Asia. Here, we present the first chromosome-level assemblies for both species, confirmed their sibling relationship, and dated the speciation event to the early Miocene. The recent proliferation of long-terminal repeat retrotransposons has driven the genome expansion in P. subaequalis. We detected widespread heterogeneous genomic differentiation between species. Extensive signals of divergent selection, local adaptation, and elevated Ka/Ks ratios in Parrotia indicate that this genus has undergone adaptive evolution in distinct refugia, challenging the notion of it as an "evolutionary dead end". Our findings provide new insights into the genomic evolution, environmental adaptation, and speciation of this "living fossil" tree genus.

Genome, Plant↗

PubMed1992

[Bacteriological study of traveller's diarrhoea. 4) Isolation of enteropathogenic bacteria from patients with traveller's diarrhoea at Osaka Airport Quarantine Station during 1984-1991].

During the last 8 years (1984 to 1991), 16,639,233 overseas travellers were quarantined at Osaka Airport Quarantine Station and 38,326 travellers reported that they were (or had been) suffering from diarrhoea. Bacteriological examination of stools from 12,573 persons revealed the following results. 1) Various enteropathogenic bacteria were isolated from 3,669 cases (29.2%) examined. The predominant species of bacteria isolated were as follows: Salmonella, 1049 cases; Plesiomonas shigelloides, 1030 cases; Vibrio parahaemolyticus, 789 cases; Shigella, 607 cases; enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, 422 cases; Vibrio cholerae non-O1, 212 cases. 2) There were no apparent seasonal variations in the isolation rate of these pathogens. 3) The suspected regions for infection with these pathogens were as follows: a) Salmonella, Enterotoxigenic E. coli and Plesiomonas, mainly South-East and South-West Asia. b) Shigella, South-West Asia, especially India (59.8%). c) V. parahaemolyticus and V. fluvialis, mainly South-East and East Asia. d) V. cholerae non-O1, V. mimicus, almost restricted to Asia, mainly South-East Asia. 4) 22 strains of V. cholerae O1 were isolated and 19 were Ogawa, E1 Tor. Of these strains, 13 were cholera toxin-producing strains and 9 were non-toxigenic strains. 5) Several pathogens (mixed infection) were isolated simultaneously from 670 cases. 6) The 1247 Salmonella strains were identified into 98 serovars. 7) Of 624 Shigella strains isolated, 57.9% were S. sonnei, 29.2% were S. flexneri, 8.6% were S. boydii, 4.3% were S. dysenteriae. 8) The most predominant serovar of V. parahaemolyticus was O4:K8. Of 1,247 strains isolated, 9.8% were not producing thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH). 9) 570 (91.3%) of 624 Shigella strains and 409 (32.8%) of 1,247 Salmonella strains isolated were resistant to any one of the drugs tested (SM. CP. TC. KM. ABPC. NA. OFLX). The resistance rate and the number of multiple drug-resistance strains increased year by year. 10) Enterotoxigenic E. coli was isolated from 422 cases (10.7%) of 3,939 cases. Cases with enterotoxigenic E. coli strains producing ST (heat-stable), LT (heat-labile) or both ST and LT were 53.8%, 24.2% and 14.2% respectively. The others were cases with mixed types of enterotoxin production.

Asia, Southeastern↗

PubMed1990

[Genetics of Caucasian population: distribution of various immunological and biochemical markers in western Georgia].

The distribution of genetic markers of blood groups (ABO, Rhesus, MNSs, P, Duffy, Kell-Cellano), plasma proteins (Hp, Gc, Tf, C'3) and red-cell enzymes (AcP, EstD, GLO-1), and also ABH secretion among 10 populations of Western Georgia has been studied. The common characteristic of distribution of gene frequencies for the markers studied was obtained as a whole in Georgia. The Georgians were compared for these markers with some populations of the Caucasus, Europe and West Asia. Among Caucasian populations, Georgians are most similar to Abkhasians. According to some systems, Georgians are close to European groups (ABO, Dubby, GLO-1, EstD), while they are similar to West-Asian groups, as judged by other systems (ABH secretion, AcP). According to Rhesus and MNSs systems, Georgians differ both from populations of Europe and from populations of West Asia.

Blood Group Antigens↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Malaria: overview of the global situation and problems in Asia.

The overall world malaria situation has remained static in recent years, but the disease continues to be a major public health problem in endemic countries. Of a total world population of 4,818 million in 1985, about 2,316 million (48%) live in areas where antimalarial measures are carried out. About 405 million people inhabit areas where no specific measures are undertaken to control malaria transmission, and the prevalence of malaria remains virtually unchanged. In Asia west of India, 186 out of 222 million people live in originally malarious areas. Fifteen million people live in areas which have been freed from the disease, and 35 million in areas with limited risk. About 4 million people are not protected by specific antimalarial measures. In Middle South Asia, with a total population of about 884 million, 850 million (96%) are exposed to malaria risk of varying degrees. With the exception of a small area in Nepal, all originally malarious areas are included under malaria control operations. Of a total population of 1,670 million in the East Asia and Oceania region, 1,324 million live in originally malarious areas. Malaria has been eradicated from areas where 244 million live, and the risk is considered to be limited in areas with a population of 531 million. In view of the goal of health for all by the year 2000, malaria control programs must be an important part of the overall health program in malarious countries. These programs would require participation of many different disciplines, including some not specifically related to health care. This must be done with an understanding of malaria epidemiology and the local ecological situation, and tailored to economic reality in the malarious region being considered.

Asia↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Collection of Hordeum spontaneum C. Koch emend. Bacht. from Southwest Asia studied in the neighborhood of Moscow.

Wild barley Hordeum spontaneum C. emend. is of interest from several aspects (Bakhteev, 1974). It is not only a very near relative of cultivated barley H. sativum Jessen, but also a potentially very promising donor for use in hybridization. With these facts in mind and, in particular, recalling N. I. Vavilov's remarks [on the occasion of publication of R. E. Regel's article "on the origin of cultivated barleys" (1917)], appropriate investigations were started. In the present case 77 specimens of H. spontaneum, collected by S. Sakamoto (Japan) in the countries of South West Asia, were studied with reference to several morphological and biological features including winter hardiness.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed1992

International variations in the incidence of neuroblastoma.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has coordinated a worldwide study of childhood cancer incidence, with data from over 50 countries. We present here the results for neuroblastoma. In predominantly white Caucasian populations the age-standardized rate was 7-12 per million, and 6-10% of all childhood cancers were neuroblastomas. Rates were highest in the first year of life (25-50 per million, 30% of total neuroblastoma incidence), and decreased with age to 15-20 per million (50% of the total) at age 1-4, 2-4 per million (15%) at 5-9 and 1-1.5 per million (5%) at 10-14. In the United States, black children had an incidence of 8.5 per million compared with 11.5 among Whites; Blacks tended to be older than Whites at diagnosis. The highest rate in Africa was in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe (8.0 per million) and the lowest in West Nile, Uganda, with no cases registered. Incidence in Israel was similar to that in many white populations, with Jews having a particularly high rate. In other parts of West Asia neuroblastoma had a low relative frequency, suggesting that incidence is low. Rates were also low throughout much of southern and eastern Asia, including India and China. Incidence in Japan was somewhat higher, though less than in Western countries, with the deficit most pronounced in the first year of life; these data relate to the period before mass screening of infants for neuroblastoma in the regions concerned. Incidence was generally higher in regions and among ethnic groups enjoying a higher standard of living, though previous studies within single countries had suggested that neuroblastoma is more common among less affluent groups. Blacks in Africa and the United States may have a weaker genetic predisposition to neuroblastoma, but some of the deficit in many developing countries is likely to be due to under-diagnosis.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

International variations in the incidence of childhood lymphomas.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has coordinated a worldwide study of childhood cancer incidence, with data provided by contributors from over 50 countries. We present here the results on lymphomas from this study and other sources. Hodgkin's disease had a relatively high incidence in North Africa and West Asia and a low incidence throughout East Asia. In populations of predominantly European origin, the highest rates tended to be in warmer countries of lower latitude. In industrialised Western countries, the incidence increased steeply with age and was low in childhood compared with that in young adults whereas elsewhere the increase in incidence between childhood and adults aged 20-34 was much less marked. The age-distribution of Hodgkin's disease in childhood appears to be related to levels of socio-economic development but the total incidence seems to be determined more by ethnic and environmental factors. The highest incidence of Burkitt's lymphoma occurred in tropical Africa and Papua New Guinea. Elsewhere, Burkitt's lymphoma was rare, though the incidence was higher in Spain, North Africa and the Middle East than in other areas. In most Western countries, a third of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas may be Burkitt's. There was no consistent pattern in the incidence of other non-Hodgkin lymphomas except for a tendency towards higher rates around the Mediterranean and in some Latin American registries.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1979

Guinea worm disease: epidemiology, control, and treatment.

Guinea worm infection is one of the most easily prevented parasitic diseases, but it is nevertheless a common cause of disability in rural areas of Africa, south-west Asia, and India. Infection occurs when drinking water is infested with infected Cyclops, a microcrustacean. Worms up to 70-80 cm in length develop in the subcutaneous tissues of the feet or legs and larvae are liberated to renew the cycle when an infected individual steps into a well or pond from which others draw drinking water. Infection is markedly seasonal because of (a) the influence of the climate on the types of water source used and (b) the developmental cycle of the parasite. The disability may be economically very important if the period of infection coincides with busy periods in the agricultural year. Sieving water through a cloth is sufficient to remove the Cyclops, but on a public health scale improved water supplies are required for control. Once the cycle of reinfection can be broken in any district the disease disappears. Chemical treatment of water bodies with temephos is also an effective and safe way of controlling transmission. Treatment consists of rolling out each emerging worm onto a small stick, a few centimetres each day, and certain drugs reduce the pain and pruritus and enable the worm to be removed more quickly.

Africa↗

PubMed1991

Organ donation--world experience; the Middle East.

Many countries in the Middle East began renal transplantation in the late 1970s and the 1980s. In many countries transplantation has evolved through distinct stages of development, and at present living-related donors continue to be the main source of kidneys. Islamic opinion has been strongly in favour of transplantation of organs from both living and cadaveric donors. Brain death as a criterion of death was accepted by Islamic Jurists in 1986, and in Saudi Arabia about 35% of all transplants are from cadaveric donors. Some patients continue to go to neighbouring countries to buy kidneys for transplantation; there is evidence that this practice has resulted in unacceptable morbidity and mortality, and is currently associated with a risk of at least 1:18 of acquiring HIV infection. Extrarenal solid organ transplantation is very new, with heart transplants being performed in Turkey, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Liver transplants have been initiated in Turkey and Kuwait. The favourable religious rulings and the resources available should enable transplantation to develop rapidly in the next few years in the Middle East and West Asia.

Brain Death↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Characteristics of the transmission of hepatitis B virus infection to infants from their mothers--chronic HBsAg carriers with anti-HBe present].

A series of long-term prospective studies was carried out to investigate the possibilities and manifestations of perinatal infection in Moscow. The observations included 45 mothers, chronic carriers of HBsAg, and their 48 babies. In most of the mothers (31 out of 41), HBs antigenemia was accompanied by the presence of anti-HBe. No persisting HBsAg carrier state was ever detected in the newborns, although in 9 out of 48 babies transitory ephemeral infection was recorded with minimal clinico-biochemical disorders in 6 and complete lack of any such disorders in 3. The above results are compared with the observations in the countries of South-East Asia, West Africa, Europe and the USA. The causes of significant differences in the epidemiological role of perinatal infection in different world regions are discussed. The primary role of anti-HBe formation, ecological, and genetic factors is emphasized.

Carrier State↗

PubMed1972

A consideration of economic impact of schistosomiasis.

An attempt is made to estimate the economic effects of schistosomiasis, a disease known to be endemic in 71 countries or islands with a total population of about 1 362 million persons, of whom approximately 124 905 800 are infected. These data are based on prevalence rates representing, for the most part, single stool or urine examinations; the actual number of cases is undoubtedly much greater. This analysis refers only to resource loss attributable to reduced productivity. The annual loss from complete and partial disability is estimated to be US $445 866 945 in Africa, US $755 480 in Mauritius, US $16 527 275 in South-West Asia, US $118 143 675 in South-East Asia, and US $60 496 755 for the Americas. The total estimated annual world loss amounts to US $641 790 130 but this sum does not include the cost of public health programmes, medical care, or compensation for illness.

Africa↗

PubMed1976

Alpha-chain disease and related small-intestinal lymphoma: a memorandum.

Primary intestinal lymphomas are remarkably frequent in the Mediterranean region and South-West Asia. They are usually found in young persons from the lower socio-economic strata of the population. These conditions sometimes present a premalignant phase characterized by plasmacytic infiltration of the small intestine. It has been reported that early treatment of cases with antibiotics is followed by complete remission, suggesting that some environmental factors may be responsible for the disease. Some patients have an abnormal alpha-chain protein in their serum. This Memorandum reviews the present knowledge of the clinical, immunological, epidemiological, and therapeutic aspects of this condition.

Asia↗

PubMed1992

African and Asian perspectives on the origins of modern humans.

The ways in which the cultural evidence - in its chronological context - can be used to imply behavioural patterning and to identify possible causes of change are discussed. Improved reliability in dating methods, suites of dates from different regional localities, and new, firmly dated fossil hominids from crucial regions such as northeast Africa, the Levant, India and China, are essential for clarification of the origin and spread of the modern genepool. Hominid ancestry in Africa is reviewed, as well as the claims for an independent origin in Asia. The cultural differences and changes within Africa, West and South Asia and the Far East in the later Middle and early Upper Pleistocene are examined and compared, and some behavioural implications are suggested, taking account of the evolutionary frameworks suggested by the 'multiregional evolution' and 'Noah's Ark' hypotheses of human evolution. A possible explanation is proposed for the cultural differences between Africa, West Asia and India on the one hand, and southeast Asia and the Far East on the other. The apparent hiatus between the appearance of the first anatomically modern humans, ca. 100 ka ago, and the appearance of the Upper Palaeolithic and other contemporaneous technological and behavioural changes around 40 ka ago, is discussed. It is suggested that the anatomical changes occurred first, and that neurological changes permitted the development of fully syntactic language some 50 ka later. The intellectual and behavioural revolution, best demonstrated by the 'Upper Palaeolithic' of Eurasia, seems to have been dependent on this linguistic development - within the modern genepool - and triggered the rapid migration of human populations throughout the Old World.

Africa↗

PubMed2025

Sex-Biased Admixture Followed by Isolation and Adaptive Evolution Shaped the Genomic and Blood Pressure Diversity of the LopNur People.

The LopNur people are an ethnic group living on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, and they are believed to demonstrate a unique genetic makeup due to their isolation and limited contact with neighboring populations. However, a lack of genetic studies on the LopNur people has resulted in limited knowledge about their ancestral origins and demographic history. Here, we conducted the first whole-genome sequencing study of 164 LopNur individuals (LOP) to gain insight into their genetic history and adaptive evolution in an isolated desert area. Our analysis revealed that the present-day LOP have experienced a complex history of admixture followed by long-term isolation, with their ancestry derived from East Asia (∼41.46%), West Eurasia (∼26.43%), Siberia (∼24.27%), and South Asia (∼7.82%). Notably, a remarkable sex-biased admixture occurred between Western males and Eastern females. In addition to complex admixture followed by long-term geographic isolation and further recent migrations, adaptive evolution jointly formed the gene pool and phenotypic diversity of the present-day LOP. Intriguingly, our analysis suggests that the USP35-GAB2 region may be correlated with blood pressure in LOP, based on a joint analysis of genomics and blood pressure data. Moreover, we identified two variants, rs7387065, and rs2229437, located on CSMD1 and PRCP, respectively. These variants exhibited frequency differences between Asian and European populations and were reported to be associated with antihypertensive drug absorption. Our results provide new insight into the complex history of the LOP, an admixed and isolated ethnic group residing at the crossroads of East and West, a case with ancient admixture, long-term isolation, adaptive evolution, and sex-biased gene flow.

Female↗

PubMed1991

Population genetics of the Malmö polymorphism of coagulation factor IX.

The distribution of 1,198 Malmö alleles was examined in 822 men from 16 indigenous populations and 188 women from 7 of the ethnic groups. Subjects were from several European countries, the Mediterranean, East Asia, and the USA (Anglo- and African-Americans). The frequencies of the rarer (Malmö B) allele were approximately equal across Europe, the highest frequencies (0.36) being in the French and Anglo-Americans; no population was observed with clearly the highest frequency. They diminished slightly at moderate distances from Europe (Tunisia, Ethiopia) and greatly at longer distances (East Asia and West Africa). In Orientals, the frequencies ranged from 0.07 (East Indians) to 0.03 (the Chinese) and from 0.0 to 0.15 in African-Americans. Assuming selective neutrality, the data are consistent with the European origin of the 'B' allele when the population was small and outward spread.

Africa, Northern↗

PubMed1977

Prevalence of hepatitis B surface antibodies in ethnic groups of a Canadian hospital staff population.

Hospital staff members were analyzed with respect to ethnic origin and prevalence of anti-hepatitis B surface antibodies (Anti-HBs). The staff members were categorized into four "risk groups" according to frequency of exposure to blood, patients' speciments, and patient care. Of the total 526 staff members studied, one-half (51.5%) were of North American origin, one-quarter came from Europe (25.9%), and the rest came from Asia, the West Indies, Africa, and Australia. The prevalence of Anti-HBs was lowest among North American staff members (8.1%) and highest among Asians (42.3%) (P less than or equal to 0.05). Low-risk administrative staff had the significantly lowest number of Anti-HBs-positive members (6.1%), whereas low-risk dietary staff (29.6%) and hospital assistants (30.6%) had the significantly highest prevalence of Anti-HBs staff members. In contrast, the high-risk group of laboratory workers and special nurses had only 16.1% of staff members with Anti-HBs. Our results show that ethnic background and socioeconomic conditions have to be considered when various risk groups are compared for the presence of Anti-HBs. The frequency of exposure to blood and patients' specimens or patient care is not the only determining factor in the prevalence of Anti-HBs in health workers.

Antibodies↗

PubMed1979

Gonococcal urethritis--diagnosis and treatment.

For men with urethral discharge, a simple gram stained smear is 98% sensitive and over 99% specific in detecting gonococcal infection when compared to a single Thayer-Martin culture. The smear is less than 50% sensitive in asymptomatic urethritis. Neither Fluorescent antibody nor various serologic tests offer any diagnostic advantages over smears and/or cultures and they are not cost-effective. Treatment of gonococcal urethritis may be successfully accomplished with a variety of antibiotic regimens. Tetracycline hydrochloride (500 mg four times a day for 5 days) is highly effective, inexpensive, and is active against Chlamydia trachomatis; post gonococcal urethritis (PGU) is therefore uncommon. Aqueous Procaine Penicillin G (4.8 million units IM with 1 g of probenecid) has become the standard in the United States but suffers from higher cost, the need for refrigeration, occasional alarming toxic procaine reactions, and a high incidence of PGU. Spectinomycin 2 g IM remains expensive but is the regimen of choice for treatment failures and for Neisseria gonorrhoeae that produce penicillinase (PPNG). Other antibiotics active against PPNG are cotrimoxozole, cefoxitin, and cefuroxime. PNNG have now been reported from 27 countries throughout the world, but have attained significant prevalence in only a few areas of East Asia and West Africa. Because gonococcal patterns of antibiotic resistance are constantly changing, each region of the world needs to monitor treatment results and maintain some surveillance over sensitivity to antibiotics.

Gonorrhea↗