Epidemiological studies deal with the study of prevalence, causing agents, possible control strategies of any disease and health status of a defined population.
By Dr.Mehvish Aslam
Parasitology is a biological discipline that deals not only with the study of various parasites and parasitism but also with the relationship of parasites and their various hosts. Many parasitic diseases having great importance in veterinary as well as medical side and cause heavy losses and damages in perspective of animals and human point of view throughout the world. In Pakistan parasitic diseases are also a major problem and causes significant decrease in dairy and meat production and from ecto-parasitic damages wool production also. The scope of this field is not only the determination of the organism in environment but their way of life is also concern of parasitological studies, and to study the complete information about the infectious diseases and their causing agents at the population level. Parasitologists conduct various type of epidemiological studies and these type of studies plays a great role to highlight a parasitic infection within a community.
Over a billion people globally blights their lives because of parasitic tropical diseases and to overcome and fight against these debilitating infections the key of success are various applications of epidemiological studies. The main purpose of epidemiological studies are to collection of information about certain disease surveillance, laboratory and field statistical analyses, clinical and public health information, and to understand the distribution and disease incidence with in communities and regions including
those factors which are responsible for disease prevalence and in the last possible strategies and measurement to overcome on various diseases. To understand the epidemiology of parasitic disease it is most important to know the mode of transmission and the parasitic movement from one host to another is the key factor. As we all know that now a days the world is a global village therefore globalization of human beings, their tourism, trade, education, technology and its development; parasitic diseases are increasing day by day through out the world, because of no restriction by geographically barriers. Many parasitic diseases are epidemics and capable to cause huge losses among animals as well as human beings. The transmission of these diseases may be water or food borne and also blood borne, among these disease most important are giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis, toxoplasmosis, trichinelliasis, African trypanosomiasis, bebasiosis, Chagas disease and Lyme disease and so on. Therefore all over the world parasitic diseases are considered a serious issue of public health, and the poor or rural areas of less economical countries are with more severe consequences from parasitic problems are major concentrate regions of world. The increasing rate of incidence and prevalence of parasitic disease among animals and human beings indicates the health status of a population in a region and population. Therefore epidemiological studies are most important to know all about the parasitic disease and it can be very helpful to overcome on damages caused by various diseases in a certain population of either animals or humans. Along-with we can improve global long term health and save the lives on earth. Most importantly in the communities with a lot of instability and poverty epidemiological studies can play a great role towards achievement of saving the lives.
With five basic questions including in epidemiological studies a parasitologist can achieve its research objectives, and those simple five questions are ” Who, What, When, Where, and Why.
Who: First of all a researcher should determine who is the disease affected population? The disease spread in whole country? Who is affected in neighbourhood? Is it inside or outside the country?
What: What are the damages caused by the disease to a certain exactly community? What is the nature of disease infectious or other? The disease is non infectious like diabetes? The disease is at high risk of terrorism? The main objective of
epidemiological studies is to identification of problem and possible cure from disease and the way to stop that disease. Although epidemiology have different functions, but these questions must be included in all epidemiological studies.
When: After addressed the disease next objective of epidemiology is to when exactly the disease occurred. When symptoms started to reveal in a community? By figure out the start point of problem, a researcher or parasitologist can highlight possible causes of problem and correlate the study. Along this they can find many aspects of disease propagation.
Where: The main thing to overcome the causes of disease spread in a community is to know that from where the problem arised? In-fact it is the major scope of epidemiological studies is to know how far the disease spread?
Why: And in the last but not least is to find why the problem took place this is the key point and the backbone of every epidemiological study by which the researcher or parasitologist can prevent a community in future to be re infect with that particular disease. This question having central importance in any epidemiological study. In epidemiological study definition it is the featured point.In every epidemiological study these questions must be included no matter which type of epidemiology you are going to carried out.
Epidemiological studies are very important in any field as far as concern of parasitological diseases, these type of studies can play a vital role to overcome the most prevalent parasitic infections among both communities as far as veterinary or medical point of view. Through collection of epidemiological data from various populations a parasitologist can be able to know the possible causes, mode of transmission, origin, outcomes and damages and to develop the possible strategies to overcome on that particular disease. Although in past too many valuable studies has been done on parasitic infections through out the world but there is lack of information on many aspects of parasitic diseases from various parts of earth and there is a need of interpretation in data which is already published in various highly cited journals. Therefore, it is a suggestion vast epidemiological studies should be done on parasitic diseases to eradicate parasitic infections among communities.
Authors:
1. Mahvish Rajput, PhD. Parasitology from University of Agriculture Faisalabad
2. Dr. Muhammad Sohail Sajid, Chairman Dept. of Parasitology at University of Agriculture Faisalabad
3. Dr. Rao Zahid Abbas, Associate Professor, Dept. of Parasitology at University of Agriculture Faisalabad
4. Dr. Muhammad Usman Naseer, PhD. Parasitology from University of Agriculture Faisalabad