The global epidemiology of Microsporidia infection in birds: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aimed to assess the global status and genetic diversity of Microsporidia infection in different birds. An online search was conducted in international databases from 1 January 1990 to 30 June 2022. A total of 34 articles (including 37 datasets) were included for the final meta-analysis. The pooled global prevalence of Microsporidia infection in birds was 14.6% (95% CI: 11.6-18.1). The highest prevalence of Microsporidia was found in wild waterfowl which was 54.5% (28.1-78.6). In terms of detection methods, the pooled prevalence was estimated to be 21.2% (95% CI: 12.1-34.4) and 13.4% (95% CI: 10.3-17.3) for using microscopic and molecular detection methods, respectively. Enterocytozoon bieneusi was the most common pathogen (24/31; 77.42% of the studies) according to PCR-based methods, and genotype D was the highest reported genotype (nine studies). In conclusion, designing strategies for the control and prevention of Microsporidia infection in birds should be recommended.

A Modified Mean Stress Criterion for Considering Size Effects on Mode I Fracture Estimation of Rounded-Tip V-Notched Polymeric Specimens.

The aim of this paper is to assess the size and geometry effects on the mode I notch fracture toughness of polymeric samples containing rounded-tip V-shaped (RV) notches (V-notch with a finite radius at the notch tip). First, using a large number of fracture tests on an RV-notched Brazilian disk and semi-circular bending polymeric samples with four different sizes, the size-dependent values of the notch fracture toughness are obtained. Then, the mean stress criterion is modified for characterizing the size-dependency of notch fracture toughness in polymeric samples. The resulting modified mean stress criterion considers higher order terms of the stress field when calculating the fracture process zone length around the tip of the defect. Additionally, the critical distance rc is assumed to be associated with the specimen size and a formula containing fitting parameters is utilized for considering this trend of rc. The comparison between the values of notch fracture toughness obtained from experiments and those predicted by the modified mean stress criterion shows that the suggested approach can provide accurate estimations of size-dependent values of notch fracture toughness in polymeric specimens containing RV notches.

Salivirus infection: Systematic review and meta-analysis of association with gastrointestinal symptoms in children.

Salivirus (SaV) is a newly described member of the family Picornaviridae that has been associated with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, particularly in children. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of SaV in symptomatic children and its potential association with GI complications. A systematic search was conducted from 01 December 2009 to 10 December 2020, in three major English databases, including Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science as well as Google scholar search engine. Random effect model-based overall prevalence and odds ratio (OR) were assessed in cross-sectional and case-control studies by STATA 14.1. The random effect model-based pooled prevalence of SaV was 1.6% (95% CI, 0.010-0.022%) and overall OR for all eight case-control studies indicated an association (3.19 with 95% confidence interval 1.35-7.57) that was not statistically significant, due to the small number of studies available. More comprehensive case-control studies in multiple geographies should be conducted on the prevalence of SaV in children.

Global prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and associated risk factors in pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) during pregnancy, if left untreated, can cause adverse effects for the mothers, foetuses and newborns. However, limited information is available about the global status of IPIs in pregnant women. Here we undertook a meta-analysis to estimate the global prevalence of IPIs and associated risk factors in pregnant women. METHODS: We searched the PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases for relevant studies that were published between 1 January 1987 and 30 December 2019. A random effects meta-analysis model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: A total of 114 studies comprising 98 342 pregnant women across 35 countries were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Among IPIs identified from pregnant women, three helminth infections (hookworm 19% [95% CI 15 to 23], Ascaris lumbricoides 17% [95% CI 13 to 21] and Trichuris trichiura 11% [95% CI 7 to 16]) and three protozoan infections (Blastocystis sp. 21% [95% CI 4 to 46], Entamoeba histolytica/dispar 9% [95% CI 3 to 19] and Giardia sp. 8% [95% CI 4 to 13]) were identified as the most prevalent intestinal parasites. Moreover, we found that there was a significant association between IPIs with increased risk of anaemia in pregnant women (OR 2.65 [95% CI 2.08 to 3.37]). The prevalence of IPIs was slightly higher in geophagic pregnant women compared with controls, but this was not significant (OR 1.22 [95% CI 0.87 to 1.71]). According to species, the pooled OR of A. lumbricoides infection had a significantly higher risk in geophagic pregnant women compared with controls (OR 2.66 [95% CI 1.37 to 5.16]). There was a positive relationship between the high prevalence of IPIs in pregnant women living in rural areas compared with urban residents (OR 3.36 [95% CI 1.57 to 7.19]). CONCLUSIONS: The current review revealed a relatively high prevalence of IPIs in pregnant women, especially in some low- and middle-income countries. These results suggest a need for improved prevention and control efforts to reduce the health risks to pregnant women.