The role of climate on prevalence or eradication of vesical schistosomiasis in Khuzestan Province of Iran.

ABSTRACT

Climate is defined as the combination of climate and air elements of a given region which is usually measured for a period of decades. De-marton climate classification has been established based on many factors, including elements such as temperature and rainfall. Vesicle schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by Schistosoma haematobium. This parasite lives in the blood vessels of the bladder. The parasite can cause hematuria in human and if not treated properly can lead to vesicale carcinoma. The parasite is distributed only in certain parts of the province and it is highly dispersed along the rivers of Dez, Karkheh and Karun with high emissions. In 1970, the prevalence of infection in infected foci was 23.8 %. Campaign against the parasite began in 1958 but it did not encompass all centers of infection. Preventive measures include diagnosis and treatment of patients, public health promotion, health education, drying swamps and ponds, improving the environment, cementing the irrigation canals, and the use of moluscocide eventually leads to changing the ecological and conditions of parasite and snail inhabits. Application of preventive measures resulted in the reduction of infection level to 0.7 % in 1979. By continuing struggle and intensifying preventive measures and changing ecological and climatic environment, in 2008, the examination of 3400 urine samples of students in Andimeshk district revealed no cases of the vesical schistosomiasis. It is concluded that S. haematobium and vesical schistosomiasis is eliminated from Khuzestan province southwest Iran, but the disease is still prevalent in neighboring Iran's western border country (Iraq) and due to the special conditions of its facilities and the traffic between the two countries, it is necessary to control and eradicate the disease in Iraq by using the experiences of Iran in eliminating the disease.