scholarly journals A Cross-Sectional Study of Intestinal Parasitic Infections in a Rural District of West China

2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Tang ◽  
Nian Ji Luo

BACKGROUND: Parasitic infections are widespread in rural areas of West China. The remote and humid environment, traditional ways of life, contaminated potable water and limited health services all contribute to the transmission and persistence of fecal parasites.OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in an area of West China, including its associations with demographic variables.METHODS: Single fecal specimens were collected using a previously validated kit. Parasites were detected microscopically by iodine-stained smear, modified Kato-Katz thick smear, simple saline smear, test tube filter paper culture and adhesive cellophane tape anal swab.RESULTS: The prevalence of enteric parasites in the population was 51.7%. The proportion of individuals infected with one parasite was 36.5%, two parasites 12.7%, three parasites 3.0% and four parasites 0.08%. Parasites identified includedAscaris lumbricoidesin 41.4% of all individuals tested,Ancylostoma duodenalein 17.7%,Trichurias trichuriain 8.25%,Enterobius vermicularisin 0.43%,Blastocystis hominisin 1.37%,Entamoeba coliin 0.47%,Entamoeba histolyticain 0.16%,Giardia lambliain 0.04%,Strongyloides stercoralisin 0.04% andClonorchis sinensisin 0.04%. The prevalence was significantly increased in women, people aged 15 to 19 years and over 80 years, the rural farm population, farmers, preschool and primary school groups, residents of a hilly rather than mountainous or plains terrain, and in intermediate income groups. The prevalence was significantly negatively associated with educational level, but not with age or income.CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the use of simple fecal examinations to monitor the parasite burden in rural areas of developing countries. Enteric parasites remain common in this population in rural China.

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 284-287
Author(s):  
S. Viesy ◽  
J. Abdi ◽  
Z. Rezaei

Background: Intestinal parasitic infections are the one of the most common health problems in developing countries. Objective: A number of patients die annually due to complications caused by these parasites.Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the rate and type of parasitic infections, determine the factors affecting them in Ilam city and also provide strategies to prevent them.In this descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in one of the Ilam labs in 2016, 417 stool specimens were randomly collected. All specimens were examined using direct and ethanol formaldehyde.Suspect specimens were examined using Trichrom staining. Demographic information was also recorded in a questionnaire, and finally the results were analyzed using statistical software SPSS 20.The data were then compared with Chi-square test. Results: Out of the 417 patients examined, 59 (14.1%) were infected with intestinal parasites. The type of parasitic infection in 9.4% was Blastocystis hominis, 3.6% Entamoeba coli, 0.5% Entamoeba histolytica, 0.5% Giardia and 0.2% Trichomonas hominis. Conclusion: Despite the improvement of public health, parasitic infections are still considered as one of the health problems in the city of Ilam. Therefore, proper planning, public health education, raising the level of health in the area and the provision of safe drinking water are some of the ways to reduce parasitic infections in the region.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viviane Ongbassomben ◽  
Cyrille Ndo ◽  
Ericka A. Lebon ◽  
Hugues C. Nana Djeunga ◽  
Albert L. Same Ekobo ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundIntestinal parasitic infections remain of public health concern worldwide, especially among rural and poorest populations as a consequence of precariousness, lack of sanitation, non-availability of potable water and poor hygiene conditions. The present study aimed to better understand the epidemiology of intestinal parasitic infections in rural areas of forested Cameroon.MethodologyA cross-sectional survey was conducted in three Health Areas (Ndelele, Kentzou and Lolo) of the Ndelele Health District (East Region, Cameroon). Information on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding intestinal parasitic infections were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Stool samples were collected and analyzed by the Kato-Katz and formalin-ether concentration techniques to complement simple direct examination.Principal FindingsA total of 406 individuals belonging to three main groups (Kako or Bantu, Baka or Pygmies and Central African Republic refugees) were enrolled in the study. The overall intestinal parasitic infection rate was 74.9%, including 57.2% cases of polyparasitism. Fourteen parasite species were identified, 89.1% being intestinal protozoa and 41.8% belonging to helminths. Infections with helminths were associated with Baka (P < 0.0001). Spring water consumption was associated with hookworm infection (OR = 3.87; P = 0.008). Garbage deposited near houses was positively associated with infection with Giardia lamblia (OR = 3.41; P = 0.003). Polyparasitism was positively linked to washing hand without soap before meal (OR= 11.64; p= 0.002).Conclusion/SignificanceIntestinal parasitic infections exhibited high rates in the Ndelele Health District, especially among indigenous and hard-to-reach populations (Pygmies). Hygiene measures appear as the main drivers sustaining transmission, and targeted strategies should be developed to efficiently fight against these debilitating diseases.Author summaryIntestinal parasitic infections such as soil transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis, remain a public health concern in Cameroon. To better understand the epidemiology of these infections in hard-to-reach populations in rural areas, a cross-sectional study was carried out in three health areas of Ndelele health District in the Eastern-Cameroon. The rate of intestinal parasitic infections was high (74.9%) especially in indigenous populations (Baka-Pygmies) which exhibited high prevalence of soil transmitted helminth infections (83.3%). The study confirmed that the lack of sanitation and poor hygiene largely contribute to the endemicity of intestinal parasitic infections, particularly among indigenous populations. Targeted control strategies seem mandatory to reach these populations and offer them appropriate care to interrupt or reduce the transmission of these diseases.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yafet Kesete ◽  
Huruy Tesfahiwet ◽  
Ghimja Fessehaye ◽  
Yohana Kidane ◽  
Yafet Tekle ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundIntestinal parasitic infections, anemia, and malnutrition are very endemic in resource-limited regions. School-aged children are at greater risk for the disease than any other age group as they are more susceptible to parasitosis, associated undergrowth and anemia. This study is aimed at evaluating the risk factors of intestinal parasitosis, malnutrition and anemia amongst elementary and junior school students in Ghindae area, Eritrea.MethodsA cross sectional study was conducted in 6 schools around Ghindae from February to April 2018. 450 children were randomly selected for analysis and consent was taken from guardians. The pertinent sociodemographic data was collected and anthropometric measurements were carried out to determine the proportion of students with malnutrition, stunting and thinness. Fecal samples were examined by formal concentration technique and blood specimen was collected for the assessment of hemoglobin using hemocue analyzer.ResultsThe overall prevalence of intestinal parasitosis was 45.3%. Protozoa infections (38.2%) were more prevalent than soil-transmitted helminthes infections (10.4%). The presence of different intestinal parasitic infections has statistically significant association with the residence area, washing habits, source of water, types of schools and type of latrine used with (p < 0.05). The prevalence of malnutrition was 37.1% with 18.5% stunting and 21.2% thinness. Malnutrition was in higher prevalence in semi-urban areas outside Ghindae. Students from Embatkala and Dongolo had 4.77 and 2.86 times higher odds of having low BMI for age than their counterpart respectively. The current prevalence of anemia was 12.4%, out of which, 7.6 % had mild while 4.4% of them had moderate anemia and 0.4% were severely anemic.ConclusionThe prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections, especially, protozoan infection was very high in the school children. Stunting was increased rate in rural areas around Ghindae. The prevalence of anemia was regarded as mild health burden. The high prevalence of parasitic infections in these children indicates that the protozoa and helminthes concerned are very common in the environment of these area and results of the risk factors analysis suggest that the transmission is from several routes. Access to clean water and latrines, with some hygiene and sanitation communication activities, in addition to introduction of micronutrient programs could improve health of children in that area.


2008 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 145-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abolfath Shojaei Arani ◽  
Reza Alaghehbandan ◽  
Lame Akhlaghi ◽  
Maryam Shahi ◽  
Abdolaziz Rastegar Lari

The aim of this study was to describe epidemiologic characteristics of intestinal parasites in a population in south of Tehran, Iran. A retrospective cross-sectional study of patients with suspicious intestinal parasitic infections referred to the Zakaria Razi Laboratory in Shahre-Ray, southern Tehran, Iran, was conducted from April 21, 2004 to October 20, 2005. All stool samples were examined and socio-demographic informations were retrieved. Of 4,371 referred patients, 466 (239 males and 227 females) were laboratory diagnosed with intestinal parasites, with a period prevalence of 10.7%. Blastocystis hominis (B. hominis) and Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia) were the most frequent intestinal parasites. More than half of patients aged ³ 18 years had a low level of educational attainment (e.g. illiterate, primary school, high school) (170/331, 54.1%). Further, majority of patients were homemakers (42.3%, 140/331) or workers (28.1%, 93/331) employed in various business settings such as food industry and construction. Findings of this study showed that intestinal parasitic infections are still a major public health challenge in Iran that needs to be addressed. We believe that public education, improving sanitation conditions of underdeveloped areas/communities, community involvement, and supporting evidence-based practice/programs are the major keys to success in preventing the spread of intestinal parasitic infections in Iran.


Author(s):  
Roya ALASVAND JAVADI ◽  
Forough KAZEMI ◽  
Somayeh FALLAHIZADEH ◽  
Reza ARJMAND

Background: Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are frequently considered one of the public health problems worldwide. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of IPIs among patients. Methods: In this Retrospective cross-sectional study, 50000 stool samples (24551 males) were collected among males and females referred to Naft Hospital of Ahvaz, southern Iran during 2007-2017. At first, the collected specimens were macroscopically observed for the presence of trophozoites, eggs, cysts using the procedure of direct as well as the method of formalin-ether concentration. Results: Of 50000 samples, 2878 (5.75%) cases were positive for IPIs that 1426 and 1452 cases were observed in the males and females, respectively. Giardia lamblia with 887 (1.774%) cases, Blastocystis hominis with 784 (1.568%) cases, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar with 685 (1.37%) cases, E. coli with 357 (0.714%) cases, Trichomonas hominis with 43 (0.086%) cases, Chilomastix mesnili with 40 (0.08%) cases, Hymenolepis nana with 38 (0.076%) cases, Lodamoeba butschlii with 25 (0.05%) cases, Endolimax nana with 18 (0.036%) cases, Taenia saginata proglottid with one (0.002%) case were found. Conclusion: Our finding showed a relatively high prevalence of IPIs among people referred to Naft Hospital of Ahvaz, southern Iran during 2007-2017.


Author(s):  
Saina Karami ◽  
Molouk Beiromvand ◽  
Kobra Kohansal

Background:: Intestinal parasitic infections are one of the most common infections in humans, particularly in re-source-poor communities. Gastrointestinal parasites, specially protozoa can lead to diarrhea, malabsorption, and anemia. The majority of parasitic diarrhea is caused by Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia duodenalis, and Cryptosporidium spp.. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasites among diarrheic patients referred to the Shahid Rajaee Polyclinic, Ahvaz, southwestern Iran. Methods:: A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites among 250 diarrheic pa-tients using direct smear, formalin-ether concentration, ziehl- neelsen, and trichrome staining. Results:: The results indicated that 34.4% (86/250) of the patients were infected with pathogenic parasites. Giardia duode-nalis with an occurrence of 18.8% (47/250) and Cryptosporidium spp. with a frequency of 2.8% (7/250) had the highest and lowest infection rates, respectively. Blastocystis hominis with a frequency of 15.2% (38/250) showed the highest prevalence rate after G. duodenalis. Entamoeba histolytica/dispar was observed in 3 (1.2%) of diarrheic patients. The age group 1−10 years old was the most frequently infected group (27.9%). We could not find a significant association between the source of drinking water and intestinal parasitic infections (p= 0.912). Conclusions:: This study demonstrated that G. duodenalis was the predominant parasite found among the patients. The re-sults revealed that intestinal parasites were one of the main health problems in the region.


2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 236-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
A A Escobedo ◽  
Roberto Cañete ◽  
F A Núñez

A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and the intensity of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) among children who attend the educational centres of San Juan y Martinez, Cuba. Ascaris lumbricoides, Blastocystis hominis and Giardia lamblia were the most common parasites found, with prevalence rates of 40.5%, 38.5% and 25%, respectively. In total, 91% of children harboured at least one type of intestinal parasite. The rates and intensity of intestinal parasitic infections found permit us to speculate that the conditions that predispose to acquire intestinal protozoan and STH infections persist in this municipality.


Author(s):  
Shahrzad Soltani ◽  
Shokrollah Salmanzadeh ◽  
Sheyda Soltani ◽  
Mehdi Sagha Kahvaz ◽  
Sara Mobarak ◽  
...  

Background: The current study was aimed to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) in persons who were referred to selected hospitals of Abadan and Khorramshahr cities, in southwest of Iran. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 43200 and 28821 stool specimens were gathered from Abadan and Khorramshahr cities, respectively, during four consecutive years (2014-2017). Results: A decreasing trend was seen in the prevalence rate of IPIs in Abadan and Khorramshahr cities. The overall prevalence of IPIs were estimated 5.82% and 6.11% in Abadan and Khorramshahr cities, respectively. In Abadan city, the proportion of IPIs in male persons with 56% was higher than females 44%, while in Khorramshahr city, the more prevalence was observed in females (54% vs. 46%). Moreover, according to the season, the highest prevalence were recorded in the Spiring (30.4%) and Summer (31.1%) in Abadan and Khorramshahr cities, respectively. We found Giardia lamblia, as the most frequent parasite in studied individuals of both cities (Abadan: 2.92%; 1261/43200 and Khorramshahr: 3.15%; 908/28821). Other parasites were as follows: Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, E. coli, E. hartmanni, Blastocystis hominis, Hymenolepis nana, Enterobius vermicularis, Strongyloides stercoralis, and Taenia spp. Conclusion: This was the first study on the prevalence of IPIs in Abadan and Khorramshahr cities, southwest of Iran. Intestinal parasites are still the main public health concern in these regions. Health education, improving sanitary conditions, screening and treatment of infected people, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas can be helpful.


2020 ◽  
Vol 114 (8) ◽  
pp. 618-626
Author(s):  
R Moutongo Mouandza ◽  
N P M'bondoukwe ◽  
G P Obiang Ndong ◽  
A Nzaou Nziengui ◽  
F B Batchy Ognagosso ◽  
...  

Abstract Background This cross-sectional study was carried out in different settlements of Gabon to determine the influence of single or multiple parasite carriage on haemoglobin (Hb) levels. Methods Between April 2015 and June 2016, healthy volunteers from urban, peri-urban and rural areas were screened for malaria, blood filariasis and intestinal parasitic infections using microscopic methods. Hb concentration was measured with a Hemocue analyser. The association between parasite carriage and anaemia was assessed. Results Among the 775 volunteers examined, 319 (41.2%) were from rural villages and 76.0% were adults. Filariasis, intestinal parasitic infections, Plasmodium falciparum and polyparasitism were detected in 15.6, 14.6, 9.5 and 6.8% of participants, respectively. Anaemia prevalence was 72.6%, with rates of mild, moderate and severe anaemia being 30.9, 61.1 and 8.0%, respectively. The median Hb level was lowest in the presence of hookworms (7.1 g/dl [interquartile range {IQR} 6.8–7.5]), Schistosoma intercalatum (6.9 g/dl), Trichuris trichiura (10.1 g/dl [IQR 8.9–11.5]) and Plasmodium falciparum (10.0 g/dl [IQR 9.1–11.2]) compared with filariaemia (12.1 g/dl [IQR 10.5–13.2]) (p=0.03). Moderate to severe anaemia predominated among those single-infected with P. falciparum (69.5%) or co-infected with intestinal parasitic infections and P. falciparum (76.2%), while it was found in only 23.2% of individuals with filariasis. All participants with soil-transmitted helminths and more than half with a Blastocystis sp. (68.8%) infection had moderate anaemia. Conclusions The prevalence of anaemia is high. Asymptomatic parasite carriage is associated with anaemia in this surveyed population in Gabon.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amer Al-Jawabreh ◽  
Suheir Ereqat ◽  
Kamal Dumaidi ◽  
Hanan Al-Jawabreh ◽  
Ziad Abdeen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Intestinal parasitic infections are common in rural areas with poor infrastructure and low socioeconomic status. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of selected parasitic infections in marginalized rural areas in the Palestinian West Bank Region, using conventional and PCR-based methods, and also to assess risk predictors of infection.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 104 individuals from three rural villages in the Jordan Valley. Stool samples were collected and examined by a battery of tests that included microscopy of wet fecal samples in normal saline with iodine, concentration by ethyl acetate sedimentation and also by zinc sulfate floatation, a conventional PCR and a real-time PCR (qPCR). Risk factors were assessed that included demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral characteristics. Data on method performance was analyzed by kappa-statistic, Cochrane’s Q, and McNemar post hoc test. Mid-P exact test and odds ratio were used to discern association between outcome and risk predictors.Results The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 48% (49/102). The predominant parasites were Giardia lamblia at 37% (37/102) and Hymenolepis nana at 9% (9/102). To concentrate cysts and eggs, sedimentation can be used as an alternative to floatation with a loss of 1% of positive cases. The methods employing PCRs proved crucial as it increased the detected infection rate of G. lamblia approximately three-fold from 13% by the conventional methods to 37% by the qPCR. Multiple infections were present in 13% (13/102) of the study group, which included double (10%) and triple (3%) infections. Regarding the genus Entamoeba , E. dispar and E. coli were detected at rates of 2% and 8%, respectively. While none of the individuals were infected with the pathogenic E. histolytica , E. nana (4%) was detected for the first time in the area. Age was a risk predictor for infection (OR=2.61, CI 95% 1.05-6.45, P= 0.038).Conclusions The increased prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in children in marginalized rural areas in Palestine is worrying. The addition of PCR-based methods is important for the diagnosis of such infections as, with cautious interpretation, it increases proficiency and overcomes underestimation and misdiagnosis of cases.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document