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Zohre Foroozanfar,1 Maryam Zamanian,2 Rahmatollah Moradzadeh,2 Fatemeh Hajiabadi,1 Jamal Ahmadzadeh,3 Zahra Hosseinkhani4,5 1Children Growth Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran; 2Department of Epidemiology, School of Health, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran; 3Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran; 4Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran. School of Health, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran; 5School of Health, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, IranCorrespondence: Zahra HosseinkhaniMetabolic Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, IranTel +98-9127801064Fax +98- 2833355162Email zhosseinkhani122@gmail.comIntroduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has now turned into a public health emergency. Isolation of patients is a possible solution for controlling epidemic infectious diseases. We assessed the compliance of isolation and associated factors among patients with COVID-19.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 320 COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals of Qazvin province. Patients’ isolation, self-care health behaviors, reference to public health services and possible related factors were assessed. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression.Results: In this study, 320 patients were enrolled, including 175 men (54.7%). Two hundred and eighty-six patients (89.4%) had complete isolation. Factors such as phone tracking by health center (OR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.75) and dry cough (OR = 2.36; 95% CI: 1.09 to 5.09) increased odds of complete isolation in COVID-19 patients, but having a COVID-19 patient in the family (OR = 0

Maryam Salamatbakhsh, 1 Kazhal Mobaraki, 2 Jamal Ahmadzadeh 2 1Critical Care Nursing, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran; 2Epidemiologist in Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, IranCorrespondence: Jamal AhmadzadehEpidemiologist in Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Resalat Street, Urmia, IranTel +98-9143444924Fax +98-4432240642Email ahmadzadeh.j@umsu.ac.irAbstract: This commentary presents a novel outlook for public health authorities in the affected countries to detect and respond quickly to the emerging public health threats such as Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Implementing an innovative electronic surveillance system called syndromic surveillance system is essential for global health security.Keywords: syndromic surveillance system, traditional surveillance system, Middle East respiratory syndromeCorrigendum for this paper has been published

Jamal Ahmadzadeh, Kazhal MobarakiSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, IranCorrespondence: Kazhal MobarakiEpidemiologist in Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Resalat Street, Urmia, IranTel +98 918 173 2869Fax +98 443 224 0642Email Mobaraki.k@umsu.ac.irPurpose: This study represents the current epidemiological status of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) worldwide in the first three months of 2019.Patients and methods: Full details of the MERS-CoV cases available and published in the disease outbreak news on the WHO website were retrieved. Related details of laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV were extracted and analyzed by standard statistical methods.Results: A total of 107 cases of MERS-CoV, including 18 deaths (overall case fatality rate (CFR), 16.8%; male-specific CFR was 17.5% [14/80] and female-specific CFR was 14.8% [4/27]) were reported to WHO from the National International Health Regulation Focal Points of Saudi Arabia and Oman. The overall mean age was 50±17 years and 80 patients (74.8%) were male. The average time from the onset of the symptoms to the first hospitalization was 3±3.3 days; from the first hospitalization to laboratory confirmation was 3.6±6.5 days; from the onset of symptom to death was 17.5±11.7 days; and the mean length of hospitalization for patients with MERS-CoV was 3.5±3.9 days. Males in comparison to females had a 1.5-fold increased chance (adjusted OR =1.5 [95% CI: 1.3–1.8]) of death related to MERS-CoV infection; 1.05 [95% CI: 1.1–3.3], 1.05 [95% CI: 1.2–2.8] and 1.06 [95% CI: 1.2–2.0] for those who had exposure to camels, camel milk consumption, and close contact with MERS-CoV cases, respectively. Health care workers had 2.4 fold [95% CI: 1.2–3.1] greater odds of death compared to other people.Conclu

Javad Aghazadeh-Attari,1 Iraj Mohebbi,2 Behnam Mansorian,2 Jamal Ahmadzadeh,1 Mohammad Mirza-Aghazadeh-Attari,3 Kazhal Mobaraki,1 Sima Oshnouei1 1Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran; 2Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Occupational Medicine Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran; 3Medical Philosophy and History Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Background: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an emerging threat to global health security with high intensity and lethality. This study was conducted to investigate epidemiological factors and patterns related to this disease.Methods: Full details of MERS-CoV cases available on the disease outbreak news section of the World Health Organization official website from January 2013 to November 2016 were retrieved; demographic and clinical information, global distribution status, potential contacts, and probable risk factors for the mortality of laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV cases were extracted and analyzed by following standard statistical methods.Results: Details of 1,094 laboratory-confirmed cases were recorded, including 421 related deaths. Significant differences were observed in the presentation of the disease from year to year, and all studied parameters differed during the years under study (all P-values <0.05). Evaluation of the effects of various potential risk factors of the final outcome (dead/survived) revealed that two factors, namely, the morbid case being native and travel history, are significant based on a unifactorial analysis (P <0.05). From 2013 to 2016, these factors remained important. However, factors that were significant in predicting mortality varied in different years.Conclusion: These findings point to interesting potential dimensions in the dynamic of this disease. Furthermore, effective national and international preparedness plans and

Javad Aghazadeh-Attari,1 Behnam Mansorian,2 Mohammad Mirza-Aghazadeh-Attari,3 Jamal Ahmadzadeh,2 Iraj Mohebbi2 1Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, 2Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Occupational Medicine Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, 3Medical Philosophy and History Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Background/objectives: Hearing loss (HL) is associated with certain diseases and affects health, resulting in a low quality of life. Some components of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) coincide with the risk factors for sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). To date, very few studies have examined the link between MetS and HL. The aim of the current study was to try to understand the potential association between MetS and HL.Methods: Using Iranian health surveys of professional drivers, we enrolled 11,114 individuals aged 20–60 years, whose main job is to operate a motor vehicle. We examined participants for the presence and absence of SNHL and the components of the MetS. Additionally, we investigated the relationship between MetS and the pure tone air conduction hearing thresholds of participants with SNHL, including low-frequency and high-frequency thresholds.Results: This cross-sectional study consisted of 11,114 participants: 3202 (28.81%) diagnosed with MetS and 7911 (71.18%) without and 2772 (24.94%) with SNHL and 8432 (75.86%) without. Participants with SNHL had a higher number of components of MetS (P<0.001 for all components).Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that an association possibly exists between different components of MetS (obesity, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, high fasting glucose levels, and waist circumference) and SNHL in a population of West Azerbaijan drivers. Therefore, it is important to schedule periodic checkups for drivers to detect and avoid the increase in MetS components at an early stage in this populat