Background: Inhalant allergic
conditions such as seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis is becoming quite common. The effect of allergy on an individual’s quality of life and the extent to
which it may restrict daily activities is often overlooked. Controlling allergies
can significantly decrease health care costs.
The purpose of this study is to estimate
the prevalence of allergic rhinitis among young adults in Palestine represented
by An-Najah University students.
Methods: The study sample consisted of around 1,000 (52% females, & 48% males)
randomly selected stu- dents from all colleges of
the Uni-
versity.
Data were collected through structured interview including questionnaire filling. All data were analysed using SPSS program applying Chi-square test,
with 95 % level of significant (P value = 0.05).
Results: Allergic rhinitis prevalence rate was 3.1 and the percentage of
patients who reported to have allergic rhinitis
was 38.1%; there was no statistically significant association between allergic
rhinitis and gender, smoking, place of living, and other housing conditions. On
the other hand the relationship between allergic rhinitis and weight loss, deep sleeping,
chronic respiratory infections, nasal
polyps, anxiety, and sleep apnea was a statistically significant relationship (p value < 0.05). The
triggers that have large effects on the health of the population sample for allergic rhinitis were respiratory infections, tyre burning and war gases, house
dust, strong odours, auto exhaust, smoke and weather changes (49.7%, 49 .1 %,
46.7%, 40.6 %, 33.9%, 33.8%, 34.2%), respectively.
Conclusion:
Results
show relatively lower allergic rhinitis prevalence in Palestine compared to
some neighbouring countries, but were
consistent with studies done in Turkey.
The results confirmed the strong relationship
of Allergic Rhinitis and respiratory infections and Asthma.
Background
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common gynecological
endocrinopathy in women of reproductive age. Despite its heavy burden on female
reproduction and general health, there is no study regarding PCOS prevalence in
Palestine. This study aims to establish prevalence of PCOS among female
university students at An-Najah National University-Palestine and to explore
its possible risk factors.
Methods
A cross sectional study was conducted on 137 female students using
convenience sampling method for age group (18–24) years. PCOS cases were
identified according to the National Institute of health (NIH) criteria through
clinical interview and assessment for participants at the University clinics.
Menstrual irregularities regarding cycle and flow were identified and clinical
hyperandrogenism was assessed as the self-reported degree of hirsutism using
the modified Ferriman Gallwey (mF-G) scoring method of more than 8 score.
Biochemical hyperandrogenism for girls with menstrual irregularities was
assessed by measuring free testosterone level. Data were analyzed using SPSS
version 17 applying descriptive methods; different risk factor relationships
were estimated using bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression.
Results :
The estimated prevalence of PCOS was 7.3% , acne was the only studied
risk factor among others to be statistically significantly related to PCOS
patients (OR=
8.430, P-value
=
0.015). Clinical Hirsutism
was found in 27% of participants, 70% of whom had idiopathic hirsutism.
Conclusions
Prevalence of PCOS in Palestine seems to be relatively high but similar
to other Mediterranean statistics. We recommend further studies using wider age
group and larger sample for all parts of Palestine in order to generalize
results.
This study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites (GIP) in goats and sheep kept under extensive and intensive management systems in the district of Jenin, Palestine, during the period from January to December 2010. Factors affecting diversity, distribution and intensity of infection by GIP were investigated. Data about farm history and breeding management were collected by means of a questionnaire. A total of 810 faecal samples from small ruminants composed of 285 and 525 samples from intensive and extensive rearing systems, respectively, were collected from eight villages (Yamoun, Bet qad, Merkah, Talfeet, Kfaret, Tarem, Jab`a and Aneen). A total of thirteen genera of the GIPs, included (eleven nematodes, one cestode (Moniezia) and one protozoan (Eimeria) were recovered. The results showed fewer diversity of GIP in intensive rearing system. The prevalence of GIPs in animals reared under extensive system (26.5%) was significantly higher (P<0.01) than those reared under intensive system (7.9%). The prevalence values of GIPs differed significantly (P<0.01) between some villages. The highest prevalence of infection (30.8%) was in Tarem with a proportion of (21.1 %) and the lowest (7.7%) in Betqad with a proportion of (5.3%). The dominant parasite was Eimeria spp (81.1% prevalence and 34.2% proportion) of total parasites in the area. This was followed by Dictyocaulus spp (49.1% prevalence, 20.7% proportion) and Haemonchus spp (23.1% prevalence and 9.7% proportion). Results showed that, animals kept under intensive grazing system had lower prevalence of GIP with low diversity (Eimeria spp, Dictyocaulus spp, Trichostrongylus spp, Neoscaris spp, and Ascaris spp than animals kept under extensive grazing system (Eimeria spp, Dictyocaulus spp, Haemonchus spp, Moniezia spp, Trichostrongylus spp, Strongylus spp, Neoscaris spp, Nematodirus spp, Strongyloides spp, Ascaris spp, Cooperia spp, Chabertia spp and Trichuris spp). The occurrence of parasites with zoonotic significance (Eimeria spp, Dictyocaulus spp and Haemonchus spp) is discussed.
Anexperiment was conducted to investigate the prevalence of the red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) in layer farmsin four districts of Northern West Bank, Palestine. The four districts were: Nablus, Tulkarm, Tubas, and Jenin. A total of 225 layer farms were investigated for infection with the parasite during the period from September 2009 to August 2010. The highest prevalence of the red mite was observed in the district of Tulkarm (18.3, 25.5, 32.7, and 47.3%, for the districts of Nablus, Jenin, Tubas, and Tulkarm, respectively) which can be explained by the hot humid climate in the district and insufficient cleaning. Infection with the red mite was highest in summer (43.8%) and lowest in winter (12%). The high infection rates observed in this study reflect the poor management and housing conditions, characteristic of layer farms in the study region.
This study was done to investigate the prevalence of Oestrus ovis of Awassi sheep herds in the northern region of West Bank (Palestine). A slaughterhouse survey was performed from March 2006 to February 2007; a total of 335 Awassi heads were examined. Oestrus ovis were found in 181 sheep out of 335 (53. %). The highest rates (P<.05) of infection were in the months of June, July, August and October (77, 80, 82, and 73%, for these months, respectively). The mean percent of larvae (L) in infected sheep heads was 46 with L1, 30 with L2 and 23 with L3. O.Ovis infestation is wide spread in the studied area. Measures must be applied continuously in order to decrease the incidence of the infestation on local herds.
Background: Inhalant allergic
conditions such as seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis are becoming quite
common. The effect of allergy on an
individual’s quality of life and the extent to which it may restrict daily
activities is often overlooked. Controlling
allergies can significantly decrease health care cost. The purpose of this
study is to estimate the prevalence of allergic rhinitis among young adults in Palestine represented by
An- Najah University students.
Methods: The
study sample consisted of around 1000 (52% females, & 48% males) randomly
selected students from all colleges of the University. Data were collected through structured
interview including questionnaire filling. All data were analysed using SPSS
program applying Chi-square test, with
95 % level of significant (P value = 0.05).
Results: Allergic rhinitis prevalence rate was 3.1 and
the percentage of patients who reported to have allergic rhinitis was 38.1%;
there was no statistically significant
association between allergic rhinitis and gender, smoking, place of living, and
other housing conditions. On the other
hand the relationship between allergic rhinitis and weight loss, deep sleeping,
chronic respiratory infections, nasal polyps, anxiety, and sleep apnoea was a statistically significant
relationship (p value < 0.05). The triggers that have a large effect on the
health of the population sample for
allergic rhinitis were respiratory infections, tyre burning and war gases,
house dust, strong odours, auto exhaust, smoke and weather changes (49.7%, 49 .1 %, 46.7%, 40.6
%, 33.9%, 33.8%, 34.2%), respectively.
Conclusion: Results show relatively lower allergic rhinitis
prevalence in Palestine compared to some neighbouring countries, but were consistent with studies done in Turkey. The
results confirmed the strong relationship of Allergic Rhinitis and respiratory
infections and Asthma
Patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension are at high risk of vascular complications, particularly, renal deterioration. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and the risk factors of reduced renal function corresponding to chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3 – 5 among diabetic hypertensive patients. This is a retrospective cohort study of diabetic hypertensive patients attending A-Watani governmental medical center from August 2006 until August 2007. Creatinine clearance (CrCl) was estimated using the Cockcroft–Gault equation. Those with CrCl< 60 ml/ min, corresponding to CDK stages 3 – 5, were considered to have reduced renal function. The prevalence of reduced renal function was calculated, and the risk factors associated with it were evaluated using multiple logistic regression. The following were the results found in this study: (a) the prevalence of reduced renal function among the study patients was 35.5% distributed as follows: (63.5%) had stage 3 CKD, 21.7% had stage 4 and 13% had stage 5 CKD. (b) Patients with reduced renal function were elderly, had a higher number of chronic diseases and had a longer duration of diabetes and hypertension than those with CrCl≥ 60ml/ min. (c) Men had a higher prevalence of reduced renal function than women. (d) Significant predictors of reduced renal function were older age, duration of diabetes and the number of chronic diseases based on logistic regression analysis. Early and continuous screening of renal function among diabetic hypertensive patients is required to implement preventable strategies of end stage renal disease (ESRD). Better control of blood pressure and diabetes mellitus are important.