Prevalence and risk factors of louse- borne relapsing fever in high risk populations in Bahir Dar city Northwest, Ethiopia

BMC Research Notes

Jemal Mohammed³  Belay Bezabih¹  Wondemagegn Mulu²  Bayeh Abera²  Mulat Yimer² 

[1] Amhara National Regional State Health Bureau, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia;Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, College of Medicine and Health Science, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia;College of Health Science, Haramaya University, Haramaya, Ethiopia

关键词: Louse- borne relapsing fever;    Prevalence;    Ethiopia;   

Others  :  1129745
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-0500-7-615

 received in 2014-03-27, accepted in 2014-09-04,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Louse- borne relapsing fever (LBRF) is a vector borne acute febrile illness caused by Borrelia recurrentis and the disease is more prevalent in the high risk groups like prisoners, yekoloremaries and street children. However, prevalence and risk factors of LBRF in these populations about the disease are not known. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of LBRF in high risk populations.

Methods

A cross- sectional survey on prevalence and risk factors of LBRF in high risk populations in Bahir Dar city was conducted in December, 2012. For the study, blood was taken from the tip of the left ring finger of the participants by laboratory technicians and thick blood film was prepared from each participant and stained with 3% Giemsa for 30 min. The slides were examined and the result was reported as positive or negative using light microscopy and finally, data was also collected using a pre- tested questionnaire by face to face interviews.

Results

Of the 407 study participants, 383 (94.1%) were males with the mean age of 31 years and 243 (59.7%) had no formal education. The prevalence of LBRF was 2.5% and the positivity rate of LBRF was highest in yekolotemaries (6.1%) followed by street children (4.9%). However, prisoners had nil and statistically significance association was observed between high risk populations and LBRF prevalence (p < 0.001). Those study participants who lived in mud houses had the highest positivity rate (2.2%), followed by those in wood houses (0.3%). However, those who lived in brick houses had nil. Study participants who had low levels of knowledge had the highest prevalence rate of LBRF.

Conclusion

The overall prevalence of LBRF was 2.5% and the rate of positivity was highest in yekolotemaries, followed by street children. Therefore, health education should be given for these high risk populations.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Yimer et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

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