IBN AL- HAITHAM J. FO R PURE & APPL. SC I VO L.22 (3) 2009 The Dwelling OF Two Previous Cases OF Kala Azar S. A. Salman Department of Biology , College of Sciences ,University of Baghdad Abstract This is a contribution to study the dwelling of two previous cases of kala azar in the endemic area. In order to assess the possible ecological causes of the incidence and the prevalence of visceral leishmaniasis in central Iraq. Introduction The high number of the reported cases of kala- azar was in December, January, February and March (1,2,3,4,5,6,7) .The majority of the patients were infants of two years old( 6,7,8,9). The central region of Iraq is the main traditional endemic area with this pest disease (1,2,4,8,9,10,11,12). Also the incidences was reported in north and south of Iraq 6,7,10,13,14,15. Mahmodiya, Youssifiya Latifiya, Sowera, Aziziya, Madien, Faloja and Abougreb are well known as traditional foci of visceral leishmaniasis in central Iraq (1,2,5,7,8,14,15). The endemic area is a wide alluvial plain, cultivated with many kinds of plants. The human dwellings are cement or mud made and these of animal shelters are usually mud made. The villagers used the cattle’s manure as a source of energy. The man activities that affected the prevalence of visceral leishmaniasis in the endemic area were changed in the last decade (13). The breeding of the livestock makes a suitable condition for both the vector and the reservoir (3,4,8,9,10,11,12,13,14). Also the cultivated area was increased in Iraq during the last decade. Method and materials The dwelling of two previous cases is in Al-Mahmodiya about 50 km in the south of Baghdad. The focus was visited biweekly during 1999. Two visits of a physician were performed during 1999 for checking all the children of the focus with blood smears of about 15% of them. The entomological studies were achieved by using four CDC light traps. . The meteorological data were reported from Iraqi meteorological service, and with small portable Thermo –hygrograph. The map of the human dwellings, animal shelters, wind direction and the expositions were designed. Also the resting and sleeping places of the family in the nights and the places of the dogs were carefully noted during the study. IBN AL- HAITHAM J. FO R PURE & APPL. SC I VO L.22 (3) 2009 Result and Discussion The two cases were reported in 1989 and 1998 respectively from the same dwelling. The previous cases were a girl of 14 years old and her brother of 4 years old. Both cases had been infected in two years old (6,13,14,15) . The animal shelters are in the west of the dwelling (Fig.), where are very suitable breeding and feeding places for the sandflies (dark place, animals, manure, straw, deep soil cracks and humidity) (1,2,3,5,9,10.13). Also the main directions of the wind during the summer nights in Iraq are northwest with slow breezes. The previous cases which were reported in this focus during the three last decades were mainly in a few meters in the west of the dwelling. Unfortunately the resting-places of the two mothers were a few meters in the east of the animal shelters (3, 4) (Fig). Also in the hot nights of July and August the density of sandflies was the highest 2,3,4,9 . It was noted that the resting-places of the dogs were a few meters from the beds of the children and this fact increased the probability of the infections rate in biting times (4, 7,10,14,15). This study proved that The ecological factors and man made factors increased the probability of infections in the study focus (6,8,10). It seems also that the exposition of human dwellings and animal shelters play an important role in the prevalence of the disease(6, 9,13) (fig.) References 1.Abul-hab, J. and Ahmed, S.A. (1984)Revision of the Family Phlepotaminae (Diptera) in Iraq. J.Biol. Scie.Resce. 7:1-64. 2.Abul-hab, J. and Al-Baghdadi, R. (1972 a)Seasonal occurrence of man biting Phlebotomus (Diptera, Psychodidae) in the Baghdad Area. Iraqi. Anal. Trop. Med. Paras. 66: 165- 166. 3.Aul-hab, J. and Al-Baghdadi, R. (1972b) Seasonal occurrence of five species, Phlebotomus (Diptera Psychodidae) sand fly in Baghdad area. Iraq, Bull. End. Dies. Baghd. 13 (4): 55-75. 4.Abul-hab J and Al-Hashimi, W. (1988)Night –biting activities, Phlebotomus papatasi Scolpi. (Diptera Phlibotamidae) In Suwira Iraq. Bull. End. Dies. Baghd. 29:5-16. 5.Adler, S. and Theodor.O. (1929 a)The distribution of sand fly and Leishmaniasis in Palestine, Syria and Mesopotamia. Ann. Trop. Med. Paras. 23: 269-303. 6.Nouri L&AL Jeboori T: Kala azar in Iraq: An epidemiological and Clinical studies J. Face. Med. Baghdad 15:72-85. (1973) 7.Pringel G: Kala-azer in Iraq: Preliminary epidemiological Consideration. Bull.End.Dis.Bagh. 275-294. (1956) 8.Sukker, F. (1972) Visceral Leishmaniaes in Iraq. Bull.End.Dis.Bagh. 13 (4): 77-83. 9.Sukker .F (1974)Study on sand flies as vectors Kala-azar in Iraq Bull.End.Dis.Bagh. 15(2): 85-104. 10.Sukker. F.(1982) A study on sand flies in a focus of infantile kala-azar inIraq during 1978. Bull.End.Dis.Bagh. 20 (4):67-73. 11.Sukker, F. (1983) Epidemiology of Leishmaniasis in IraqBull.End.Dis.Bagh. 22(4) 35-41. 12.Sukker F. (1985)The possible vectors infantile of VL in Iraq.Bull.End.Dis.Bagh. 26: 27- 36 13.AL-ALAK, S.S. (1996)Study in the epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) in Magger district MISSAN province. Ms. thesis .Vet. College. Bagh. Pp .77. 14-Jawdat S .Z, Ali N .A, Rifaat L. Kh, Ruth K. Y and Al Mahdawi S. K. (1985). Serio- epidemiological studies of Leishmaniasis in central Iraq. J.B. S.R. 16(1): 185-202 15-Jawdat S. Z, Ali N .A, Rifaat L. Kh. and Rutha KY(1983)The incidence of kala –azar in an endemic focus in central Iraq.J.B.S.R, 148:81-87 IBN AL- HAITHAM J. FO R PURE & APPL. SC I VO L.22 (3) 2009 Fig.(1) showing the dwelling of the two cases of kala azar. THE NEIGHBOR (A CASE OF A CHILD OF TWO YEARS OLD IN 1998) W N E FARM S Trees Trees Animal shelter Grass Space Grass 2 nd wife with her children (night) Well Visitors resting place in Dogs resting place Trees The night The common dwelling of the family Vegetable Animal shelter Trees T rees Manure Dogs resting place 1st wife with her children (night) Trees Straw Poultry Grass Farm Vegetable Manure Trees Straw Trees Hill (Babylon’s vestige) New case in January 2000 Space New case in Feberuary2000 2009) 3( 22مجلة ابن الهیثم للعلوم الصرفة والتطبیقیة المجلد رلمرض الكاالازا دراسة مسكن لحالتین سابقتین شهاب احمد سلمان جامعة بغداد.كلیة العلوم . قسم علوم الحیاة خالصةال ـاالازار فــي المنطقـــة الموبــؤة بــالمرض مــن اجــل تحدیــد العوامــل البیئیـــة دراســة مســكن لحــالتین ســابقتین لمــرض الكـ .المنطقة المحتملة لإلصابة و مدى عالقتها بالعوامل البیئیة و وبائیة هذا المرض في هذه