In hookworm endemic areas where sanitation is often wanting, reinfection of treated children is a problem. This study was conducted to enumerate the prevalence and the reinfection rate of hookworm in 193 Orang Asli children following treatment with stat dose of 400mg of albendazole at 2 and 4 months post-treatment. All samples were examined using the Kato-Katz and Harada Mori techniques. The overall initial prevalence was 31.0%, with 27.0% in males and 34.0% in females although there was no statistical difference. Only 7.0% of the children had moderate intensity of infection. The overall infection rate at 2 and 4 months post-treatment was 11.0% and 8.0%. New cases were detected at 1.0% and 5.0% at 2 and 4 months post-treatment period. Reinfection rate 2 months post-treatment was 24.0%, and it was 30.0%, 4 months after treatment. All infection at 2 and 4 months post-treatment were light. Long-term strategies incorporating health education on personal hygiene, provision of toilets and safe water supply need to be adopted in these Orang Asli villages to control rapid reinfection.
A cross-sectional study of the nutritional status of schoolchildren aged 7-10 years from the Kuala Betis Resettlement Scheme in Gua Musang, Kelantan was done. A total of 291 schoolchildren were examined but only 183 (62.9%) fecal samples were returned for geo-helminth infection analysis. The prevalence of stunting was 40.4% and underweight was 28.4%. A total of 127 schoolchildren (69.4%) were positive for at least one of the 3 geo-helminth infections. The most common geo-helminth was Ascaris lumbricoides (62.8%), followed by Trichuris trichiura (38.9%), and hookworm infection was relatively low (12.6%). All the anthropometric indices measured were lower in the geo-helminth infected children compared to the uninfected childen, except for the weight-for-height z-score. However the differences were insignificant Geo-helminth infections may not be a significant factor in malnutrition of these schoolchildren. However, with the availability of safe, efficacious and cheap broad spectrum anthelmintics, regular mass treatment should be given in selected areas where the prevalence of geo-helminth infections is still high, so that these schoolchildren will be able to achieve their growth potential during their school years.
A survey of malnutrition and helminth infections among 268 pre-school children living in the Kuala Betis Orang Asli resttlement villages in Kelantan. The prevalence of helminth infections was 47.4% with Ascaris lumbricoides being the most common helminth (43.9%), followed by Trichuris trichiura (29.7%) and hookworm (6.3%). The prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections increased with age, with the highest prevalence found in the 6-7 years age group. The overall prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting were 61.7%, 60.4% and 17.5% respectively. Both stunting and underweight were significantly higher among the infected children. Factors associated with helminth infections in the pre-school children were older age group, poor water supply and households with more than 5 members. Rountine regular deworming is recommended based on the World Health Organisation recommendations for school children.
With the establishment of the International Health Commission in 1913, the Rockefeller Foundation sought governmental partnerships overseas to combat hookworm disease and improve feces disposal practices. In the Madras Presidency in British India, the India Research Fund Association carried out hookworm surveys but failed in its educational efforts to improve feces disposal practices. In British Malaya, the Uncinariasis [Hookworm] Commission to the Orient discovered a syndemic of anemia among Tamil plantation laborers from the Madras Presidency and Chinese laborers from southern China who suffered from hookworm and malarial co-infections. Confronted with the apparent infeasibility of improving feces disposal practices and the obdurate fact of re-infection with hookworm after purgative treatment, the Rockefeller Foundation ended its hookworm initiative in British Malaya without advocating for programmatic intervention against syndemic anemia. The essay concludes with a reflection on the engagement of historians with the syndemic paradigm.
A cross-sectional study on helminthiasis among rural primary schoolchildren aged 9 to 10 years Bachok, Kelaritan was perfumed. A total of 680 schoolchildren participated in the study. Stool specimens were examined for the presence of the ova of Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hoolcwonn. The worm load was then measured using the modified Stoll`s volumetric dilution
technique. The overall prevalence of helminthiasis was 77 .2%. Trichuris trichiura were the commonest type of heminth noted - 66.8%, compared with Ascaris lumlrricoides (49.7%) and hookworm (1.8%). Mixed infections with Ascaris lumlyricoides and Trichuris trichiura was the commonest type of infection 249(41 .5%) . For Ascaris lumbncoides, 34.6% had mild and 5 I .3% had moderate worm load while for Trichurb trichiura, 66.5% had mild and 30.8 % had moderate worm load. Only 14.1% and 2.7% 4 of the schoolchildren had a heavy load of Ascaris lumlwicoides and Trichuris trichiura respectively. All the schookhildren with hookworm were only mildly infected. Targeted mass treatment for rural Mahysian schoolchildren is still essential, especially in areas where poverty and malnutrition are still prevalent.
Soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH), among the most common neglected tropical diseases, is a major public health problem in Malaysia with a possible impact on the nutritional status and school participation of rural children. This study was carried out among Aboriginal schoolchildren, living in an endemic area for STH in Malaysia, to determine the possible relationship between intestinal helminthiasis and school absenteeism. We also evaluated whether successful treatment of the infection will affect school attendance among the subjects. Stool analysis revealed that more than 90% of the subjects were infected with at least 1 helminth species, with Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections being most prevalent. Infection of moderate-to-heavy worm burdens, low level of fathers' education and anaemia were identified as the significant predictors of high absenteeism among the subjects (P<0·05). Following treatment of the infected children, it was found that school absenteeism was reduced significantly (P<0·01). In conclusion, STH continues to have significant impacts on public health, particularly in rural communities with a negatively significant effect on the school participation of Aboriginal children. A school-based de-worming programme should be introduced and incorporated in the current educational assistance targeted towards the Aboriginal communities, under the auspices of the government.
Canine hookworm infection is endemic in Southeast Asian countries with a prevalence ranging from 70% to 100%, with zoonotic transmission representing a potentially significant public health concern. However, there are limited data available on the prevalence of canine hookworms in Malaysia. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of hookworm and Ancylostoma species among dogs in Malaysia.
BACKGROUND: Hookworm infection is one of the important Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) in the world. It was previously more prevalent in the northern and southern parts of Iran with a prevalence rate higher than 40% in some endemic regions; nevertheless, the infection rate has decreased to less than 1%. This study aimed to determine prevalence and molecular aspects of hookworm infections in rural inhabitants of Fouman County, Guilan Province, northern Iran.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed in 31 villages of Fouman district in Guilan Province, northern Iran during 2015-2016. Stool samples were collected from 1500 rural inhabitants and examined by formalin ethyl-acetate concentration as well as agar plate culture techniques. After treatment with albendazole, adult hookworms were isolated. Following DNA extraction, PCR amplification of ITS2-rDNA region was performed and the product was sequenced, followed by genetic variation analysis.
RESULTS: Of 1500 samples, one case was morphologically diagnosed as N. americanus. In addition, molecular characterization verified the presence of N. americanus, showing more than 95% similarity with sequences of N. americanus present in GenBank. The patient showed no clinical symptoms and a mild hypereosinophilia was the only laboratory finding observed.
CONCLUSION: A reduced prevalence of human hookworms was demonstrated within Guilan Province located in north of Iran. The N. americanus originated from Guilan had a high homology with the isolates found in Japan, Laos, Malaysia, and Australia.
The gastrointestinal helminth infection status of 1574 children living in a slum area of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was assessed by quantitative coprology. Almost two-thirds were infected with Trichuris trichiura, 49.6% with Ascaris lumbricoides, and 5.3% with hookworm. Infection prevalence rose rapidly to a stable asymptote at 7 years of age, and the age-intensity profile was convex with maximal values in the 5-10 year age classes. This pattern was the same for males and females, but differed markedly between different ethnic groups. The frequency distributions of A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura were highly overdispersed (k values were 0.21 and 0.27, respectively), and age-dependent over the 0-8 year age classes. This suggests that the force of infection with these nematodes is lower in infants than in older children.
One hundred seventy three stool samples were obtained from workers from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan and others. The stool samples were examined for Ascaris, Trichuris, Hookworm, Schistosomes, trematodes and cestodes. The protozaon parasites included Bnlantidiirrir coli, Blastocystis honlinis, Cyclospora cryptosporidium, Microsporidiirin, Entamoeeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, lodamoeba butschilli. Of these 21.9%, 17% and 1% of the population studied had hookworm, Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides infections respectively. There was only one Indonesian reported to have Hymenolepis nana infections. The most common protozoan seen in the faecal sample is Blastocystis hominis (36%) followed by Giardia lamblia (4%). Most of the stools positive with these faecal pathogens were semisolid especially the ones positive for the protozoan. We have also shown Blastocystis from the Indonesian workers show very small forms almost 3-5 in size compared to the normal size of 10-15 pm in the other nationalities. These forms show a distinct growth profile in cultures and appears to be more resistant to temperature changes than Blastocystis seen in the other two nationalities. The high incidence of Hookworm and Trichuris infections is suggestive that if these workers are left unheated their productivity will be hampered by other possible serious complications such as anaemia, weight loss, abdominal pain with diarrhoea1 stools and nausea. There are increasing reports that Blastocystis hominis is pathogenic. Flatulence, abdominal discomfort and the increase in the frequency of the passing watery stool has been noted in patients infected with the parasite. Since most of the workers are generally housed in crowded rooms it is highly likely that this will facilitate transmission through the faecal-oral route of both Giardia and Blastocystis possibly increasing the incidences of these infections among workers.
The intestinal parasites of schoolchildren from an urban and a rural area on Penang island, Malaysia were compared. Examination of stool samples for helminth eggs showed that helminths found were Trichuris, Ascaris and hookworms. The results indicate that there is no significant difference (p<0.05) between rural and urban schoolchildren as regards to the prevalence of the three species of helminths. An extensive control program targetted at schoolchildren to monitor the helminth problem on the island is suggested.
Matched MeSH terms: Hookworm Infections/epidemiology*; Hookworm Infections/prevention & control
Trials using albendazole and mebendazole, as single 400 mg dose treatments, against soil-transmitted helminths, were carried out in 7-9 and 10-12 years-old schoolchildren living in urban and rural environments in Penang, Malaysia. Both drugs were equally effective in treating trichuriasis and ascariasis in both age groups and environments. However, mebendazole is not so effective in the treatment for hookworms when compared to albendazole. It is suggested that albendazole should be considered the drug of choice for mass chemotherapy for Penang.
A survey of workers and families resident in an oil palm estate in Malaysia revealed high incidence of parasitic infections. The commonest parasites are T. trichiura (56%), A. lumbricoides (52%), hookworm (28%), Entamoeba coli (11.3%) and Giardia lamblia (11.3%). Mixed infections by two or more parasites was seen in 46% of the subjects. Anaemia was present in 70% of children with hookworm infection. Eosinophilia was observed in 69% of subjects. One each of Hymenolepis nana and Hymenolepis diminuta infection was detected. This is the first report of Hymenolepis diminuta infection in man in Malaysia.
The Orang Asli of Malaysia continue to experience poor health. There appears to be stagnation of certain aspect of their health status. Underweight (low weight-for-age) and stunting (low height-for-age) are significant amongst Orang Asli children. Worm infestation such as Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworm continue to afflict Orang Asli communities in Malaysia. Orang Asli communities can also be afflicted by other kinds of parasites, e.g. malaria parasites, microsporida parasites and Cryptosporidium parasites. Thus, primary care doctors who treat Orang Asli patients should be on the lookout for malnutrition and its effects (including anaemia, iodine deficiency, Vitamin A deficiency) as well as worm and parasite infestations. Such patients may need to undergo de-worming at regular intervals because of the tendency to get re-infected. Primary care doctors also need to be aware of possible interactions between infestations and nutritional deficiencies.
This study aims to determine the prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition and its association with soil-transmitted helminthiases in Orang Asli (Aborigine) children in Selangor, Malaysia. The results obtained from 368 children aged 2-15 years showed that the overall prevalence of mild and significant underweight was 32.1% and 56.5% respectively. The prevalence of mild stunting was 25.6% while another 61.3% had significant stunting. The overall prevalence of mild and significant wasting was 39.0% and 19.5% respectively. The overall prevalence of ascariasis, trichuriasis and hookworm infection were 61.9%, 98.2% and 37.0% respectively and of these 18.9%, 23.5% and 2.5% of the children had severe infection of the respective helminthes. The overall prevalence of giardiasis was 24.9%. The present study vividly shows that stunting and underweight are highly prevalent among Orang Asli children and therefore of concern in this community. In this population intestinal parasitic infections, especially severe trichuriasis and giardiasis, were identified as the main predictors of stunting and wasting respectively, in addition to age between 2 to 6 years.
Soil-transmitted helminthiases are a public health problem in rural communities. A cross-sectional study of the prevalence and distribution of Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm was conducted in 281 Orang Asli children (aborigines) aged between 2 and 15 years, from 8 Orang Asli villages in Selangor, Malaysia. All the children were infected with soil-transmitted helminthes, with 26.3% of the children infected either with A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura or hookworm and 72.6% having mixed infection. The overall prevalences of A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura and hookworm were 61.9, 98.2 and 37.0%, respectively. Approximately 19.0, 26.0 and 3.0% of the children had severe infection of ascariasis, trichuriasis and hookworm infection, respectively. The prevalences and mean egg per gram (epg) counts for A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura were not significantly dependent on age, therefore age-dependent convexity was not seen in this study. However, the results of this study reveal an age-dependent prevalence and mean epg count in children with hookworm infection. We conclude that ascariasis, trichuriasis and hookworm infection are still prevalent and therefore a public health concern in Orang Asli communities. Severe ascariasis and trichuriasis may lead to other health and medical problems.