Prevalence and Public Health Risks of Intestinal Parasites in Duhok Governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq: A Contemporary Review

A detailed evaluation of the prevalence of intestinal parasites and the associated public health risks was performed in Duhok Governorate, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, by performing a narrative and quantitative synthesis of the peer-reviewed literature available from PubMed and Google Scholar. Evidence from this study suggests that high prevalence rates of intestinal parasitic infections continue to occur, especially within the child and rural populations, and that Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia are the major protzoan parasites that cause infection. Ongoing transmission of intestinal parasites is facilitated by several factors including environmental conditions, socioeconomic status, and behaviours. The high burden of disease caused by intestinal parasites leads to significant health impact, such as malnutrition or impaired cognitive development. Further control measures are recommended to reduce the burden of disease caused by intestinal parasitic infections, including health education, sanitation, and molecular diagnostic techniques.