Seroepidemiology of human fascioliasis in rural and nomad areas of Lorestan Province, western Iran, in 2016 and 2017

According to previous studies in Lorestan Province, western Iran on human fascioliasis, we aimed to understand the epidemiology of the disease and to identify the cases in rural and nomad regions of this province. The studied population was a rural and nomadic population of nine districts of Lorestan province, of which 1053 were selected according to the population of each studied county based on random sampling in 2016–2017. Initially, a questionnaire was completed for each person, including age, gender, education, occupation, use of local native aquatic plants and history of travel to the northern provinces of the country where fasciolosis has been reported mostly. Then, 5 ml blood samples were taken and the samples were evaluated as for anti-Fasciola specific antibodies using ELISA technique. Overall, 1053 individuals were participated, of which 28 (2.66%) were infected with fasciolosis and 18 positive cases were female. The highest infection rate was in the age group of 20–29 years (23%) followed by 30–39 years of age (22%). There was no significant difference between the rate of infection in terms of gender (P = 0.89), age (P = 0.15), travel history to the northern provinces of the country (P = 0.089), history of aquatic plant consumption called Balmak natively (P = 0.48), history of surface water consumption (springs, streams) (P = 0.18), and occupation (P = 0.43). Considering the results of current and previous studies it seems that the disease in the Lorestan province is expanding and new foci in different parts of the province are formed or are being formed. Therefore, the preventive measures, control and treatment should be taken in areas with parasites transmission. © 2020, Indian Society for Parasitology.