Dataset Information

Evolution of waterborne diseases: A case study of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

In Pakistan, the degradation of drinking water quality is exacerbated by the increasing population size and rapid industrialization. Contaminated water serves as the predominant source of numerous diseases, including diarrhea, gastroenteritis, and typhoid. This article explores the evolution of waterborne diseases across 21 districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan by monitoring changes in the clustering solutions.

Methods

The data employed in this study were sourced from 21 districts of KP by the Director-General Health Services. Cluster analysis was utilized to uncover patterns in waterborne disease incidence, while principal component analysis was employed to reveal underlying patterns and reduce dimensionality. Additionally, the MONItoring Clusters (MONIC) framework was applied for change detection, facilitating the identification of significant shifts in disease patterns over time and aiding in the understanding of temporal dynamics.

Results

Our analysis indicates that two clusters survived consistently over time, while other clusters exhibited inconsistency. Profiling of the surviving clusters (C₁₂ → C₂₄ → C₃₂ → C₄₃) suggests a gradual increase in cases of bloody diarrhea in the Swat Valley, Hangu, Karak, and Lakki Marwat regions. Similarly, profiling of the surviving clusters (⊙→ C₂₂ → C₃₄ → C₄₄) suggests an increase in the acute watery diarrhea (non-cholera) and typhoid fever in the regions of Peshawar, Nowshera, and Swabi.

Conclusion

The findings of this study hold significant importance as they pinpoint the most vulnerable regions for various waterborne diseases. These insights offer valuable guidance to policymakers and health officials, empowering them to implement effective measures for controlling waterborne diseases in the respective regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

SUBMITTER: Atif M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11292715 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Evolution of waterborne diseases: A case study of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Atif Muhammad M Ayub Gohar G Shakoor Fazal F Farooq Muhammad M Iqbal Muhammad M Zaman Qamruz Q Ilyas Muhammad M

SAGE open medicine 20240731

<h4>Objectives</h4>In Pakistan, the degradation of drinking water quality is exacerbated by the increasing population size and rapid industrialization. Contaminated water serves as the predominant source of numerous diseases, including diarrhea, gastroenteritis, and typhoid. This article explores the evolution of waterborne diseases across 21 districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan by monitoring changes in the clustering solutions.<h4>Methods</h4>The data employed in this study ...[more]

PMID: 39092162

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Project description:Ticks and tick-borne diseases are considered a major challenge for human and animal health in tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate regions of the world. However, only scarce information is available on the characterization of tick species infesting dogs in Pakistan. In this study, we present a comprehensive report on the epidemiological and phylogenetic aspects of ticks infesting dogs in Pakistan using the mitochondrial markers i.e. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) nucleotide sequences. A total of 300 dogs were examined and 1150 ixodid ticks were collected across central Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The morpho-molecular characterization of hard ticks revealed the presence of two ixodid tick genera on dogs, i.e., Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus, including six tick species viz. Hyalomma dromedarii (15.9%), Hyalomma excavatum (3%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. (41.3%), Rhipicephalus turanicus s.s. (28.7%), Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides (10.2%), and Rhipicephalus microplus (2%). The total prevalence of tick infestation in dogs was 61%. The district with the highest tick prevalence rate in dogs was Mardan (14.7%), followed by Peshawar (13%), Swabi (12%), Charsadda (11%), and Malakand (10.3%), respectively. Risk factors analysis indicated that some demographic and host management-associated factors such as host age, breed, exposure to acaricides treatment, and previous tick infestation history were associated with a higher risk of tick infestation on dogs. This is the first molecular report confirming the infestation of Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus tick species in the dog population from the study area. The present study also reported a new tick-host association between Hy. excavatum, Hy. dromedarii, and dogs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that cox1 partial nucleotide sequences of Hy. excavatum in our dataset were 100% identical to similar tick specimens identified in Turkey, and those of Hy. dromedarii were identical to tick specimens from Iran. Whereas, Rh. haemaphysaloides and Rh. microplus'&nbsp;cox1 partial nucleotide sequences were identical to sequences previously published from Pakistan. Rhipicephalus turanicus s.s. 's cox1 isolates from the present study were 99.8-100% identical to Pakistani-reported isolates, and those of Rh. sanguineus s.l. were 100% identical to Chinese specimens. Results on the genetic characterization of ticks were further confirmed by 16S rRNA partial nucleotide sequences analysis, which revealed 100% identity between the tick isolates of this study and those of Hy. excavatum reported from Turkey; Hy. dromedarii specimens reported from Senegal; Rh. haemaphysaloides, Rh. microplus, and Rh. turanicus s.s., previously published from Pakistan, and Rh. sanguineus&nbsp;s.l., published from China. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis showed that the Rh. sanguineus s.l. isolates of this study clustered with specimens of the tropical lineage with 7.7-10% nucleotide divergence from the specimens of the temperate lineage. Further molecular works need to be performed throughout Pakistan to present a more detailed map of tick distribution with information about dog host associations, biological characteristics, and pathogen competence.

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Dataset Information

Evolution of waterborne diseases: A case study of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Evolution of waterborne diseases: A case study of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Similar Datasets

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