Seroepidemiological study to assess visceral leishmaniasis in Armenia, 2015

Abstract

determine associations between the preferred feeding choices and the factors affecting the decisions.Results: The findings revealed good knowledge (60%) of the infant feeding options among the respondents. About 42.9% of the women felt the counsellors were not convinced to certain limit which method was best, hence they not confidently guide them on the correct options. The adoption of infant feeding options as recommended by WHO was not optimal. Reasons included deterrents like financial limitations in 36.9% of respondents which was statistically significant at the bivariate (p= <0.001) and multivariate (p=0.013, odds ratio = 32.779) levels. This showed that respondents with financial constraints were 32 times less likely to practice the ideal feeding options than women who are not financially constrained. Also, sociocultural norms and beliefs in 40%, and the knowledge of risks associated with some feeding practices (38.5%) statistically significant (p=0.022 and 0.023 at bivariate and multivariate levels respectively). In the course of feeding their children, the respondents had challenges of insufficient breast milk, stigma and discrimination, among others.Conclusion: High proportions of respondents know the recommended infant feeding options, though the adoption of, and adherence to the ideal methods is not practiced. Sociocultural norms, fear of stigma, discrimination, and financial constraints affect their ability to do so. It is recommended that effective counselling services should be made available to HIV positive women in the hospital by trained hospital personnel to guide such women on making correct choices.

Re-Emerging foci of visceral leishmaniasis in Armenia – first molecular diagnosis of clinical samples

“…First seroepidemiological studies conducted 2015 and 2016 in active Armenian VL foci (Yerevan, Armavir, Ararat, Lori, Tavush, Syunik) indicated that the seroprevalence in the ~1200 tested children under 10 years was rather low (0.3%). In addition, seroprevalence in dogs was between 3 and 16%, with the highest percentages in Tavush (16.1%), Syunik (9.3%) and Lori (6.5%), stressing the potential of dogs as reservoir in these VL foci (Paronyan et al ., 2017). Concerning bordering countries, such as Georgia, natural Leishmania foci are restricted mainly to the Eastern part of the country, some of them bordering to the north of Armenia (Lori and Tavush districts).…”

“…In 1999, after a long period without any notification, a VL case was diagnosed in a 4-years-old child from the village Shnogh in the Lori district. Between 1999 and 2016, 116 indigenous and 99 imported cases of VL were recorded in the country mainly in the districts Syunik, Tavush, Lori and Yerevan (Paronyan et al ., 2015; Sukiasyan et al ., 2017) (Fig. 1), some of them were included in the present study.…”

A Severe Form of Pediatric Visceral Leishmaniasis - A Case Report

“…The first sero-epidemiological studies performed in active Armenian VL foci (Yerevan, Armavir, Ararat, Lori, Tavush, and Syunik) in 2015 and 2016 revealed that the seroprevalence in the ∼1200 studied children under the age of ten years was relatively low (0.3 percent). Furthermore, seroprevalence in dogs ranged from 3 to 16 percent, with the highest percentages in Tavush (16.1 percent), Syunik (9.3%), and Lori (6.5 percent), highlighting the importance of dogs as a reservoir in these VL foci [9].…”

A Case Series of Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis: An Atypical Presentation of Visceral Leishmaniasis

“…The incidence rate of VL in Armenia is 0.03-0.6 per 100,000 people, the highest among children up to 3 years old [ 5 ]. The signs and symptoms of VL are fever, weight loss, failure to thrive, and hepatosplenomegaly.…”