After reading the post below, write a response addressing the following:
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Parasitic Diseases
Around the world, 3.5 billion individuals suffer from intestinal parasite infections, with low socioeconomic groups suffering the most (Feleke et al.). When a parasite infects the gastro-intestinal system of people or other animals, it is known as an intestinal parasite infection. These parasites can live everywhere in the body; however, the majority favor the intestinal wall.
There are several different ways that parasitic infections can spread. For instance, contaminated food, water, waste, soil, and blood can spread helminths and protozoa. Some are contagious through sexual activity. Insects that act as a disease's vector or carrier can transmit certain parasites.
Each person will experience parasitic infection differently. However, the symptoms of intestinal parasites that the majority encounter include abdominal cramps, nausea, diarrhea, excessive bowl noise, loss of appetite, malabsorption, and skin itching (Feleke et al.).
Following my research, the informative article I found was Intestinal parasitic infection among household contacts of primary cases, a comparative cross-sectional study. This study was conducted in Ethiopia, more specifically in the Mecha district. This study provided results that emphasize the importance of hygiene, and proper means of sanitation to limit the parasitic spread of infection within the home.
The premise of this study is that all family members who reside with patients who have intestinal parasitic infections are more likely to contract the infection. The findings reveal that persons residing in the same household are in fact more likely to contract the parasite that a family member has contracted, proving the theory to be correct.
In the Mecha district's urban and rural contexts, a comparative cross-sectional study design was used. It was projected that there were 4531 households represented (Feleke et al.). The cross-sectional study in this instance gave the researchers the opportunity to concentrate on one independent variable and analyze how it affected one or more dependent variables. This produced accurate results that were effective.
The researchers used the process of locating people who may have interacted with a parasitic infected person and then gathered more information about these contacts to further study them and use stool samples for the research portion. The approach used to get the data required asking each member of the household of intestinal parasite sufferers for a sample of their stool, as well as conducting interviews.
The microbiological techniques that were used involved direct microscopic stool examination and concentration techniques. In addition, around 7 ML (Milliliter) of normal saline and 3 ml of ether were added, mixed well, and then centrifuged for 5 minutes at 2000 RPM. Finally, the supernatant was discarded, and the sediment was examined for parasites under the microscope (Feleke et al.).
Using descriptive statistics, the prevalence of intestinal parasites among known contacts of people with intestinal parasites and their families was calculated. The findings were that the odds of intestinal parasitic infections among female household members were 24% higher during childhood and 96% higher during adulthood. Environmental sanitation decreases the odds of intestinal parasitic infection by 96% during childhood, and by 82% during adulthood. Lastly, personal hygiene decreases the odds of intestinal parasitic infection by 74% among children, and by 96% lower in adults (Feleke et al.).
This research is significant to the field of microbiology because it gives reliable data that helps our understanding of the parasitic infection rate. More specifically, in the home of a family member that is affected with a parasitic disease. While parasites, like bacteria, can develop medication resistance, it is essential to understand their DNA, proteins, life cycle, and development to manage infections and predict future outbreaks.
Millions of people throughout the world are affected by parasitic infections, which can result in death, blindness, infertility, seizures, and heart failure. Although they are more frequent than most people realize, there is still a lot we don't know about them. Studies like the one mentioned are a positive step toward ensuring that we are learning more about the transmission, infection, and contact tracing that are involved with a better understanding of parasitic infections.
The experimental design involved a hypothesis that was proven to be accurate when compared to the results of this study. The design was a cross-sectional study that involves a kind of observational study, also known as descriptive research. This design examines data on a population at a certain moment. In this kind of study, researchers will not change any variables or interfere with the environment; instead, they merely look at a group of participants and show what already exists in the community. It is also a kind of descriptive research that uses observational studies to examine data about a population at a certain moment. Cross-sectional studies are distinctive because they allow for the simultaneous examination of a variety of traits.
The data supports the author’s conclusion and the original hypothesis that was being tested. The results determined that sexual activity, poor housekeeping, crowded living conditions, poor personal cleanliness, household role, inadequate lighting, clipped fingernails, family size, and frequent handwashing practices were all linked to intestinal parasitic infection. In addition, the consumption of raw vegetables regularly, contact with domestic animals while playing, the source of the water and the existence of household water filtering equipment were all linked to protozoa infection (Feleke et al.).
References:
Feleke, B. E., Beyene, M. B., Feleke, T. E., Jember, T. H., Abera, B., & Fan, C. K. (2019). Intestinal parasitic infection among household contacts of primary cases, a comparative cross-sectional study. PLoS ONE, 14(10), e0221190. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A601956191/AONE?u=esc&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=b8e011f8.