Intestinal parasites of importance to man are Enterobius vermicularis, the soil-transmitted helminthes (STH)--Ascaris lumbricoides Tricburis trichiura, bookworms (Necator americans/Ancylostoma duodenale) and Strongyloides stercoralis and the protozoa Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia duodenalis. Other protozoa such as Cryptosporidium sp. and Isopora sp. are becoming important in causing prolonged diarrhea in immunocompromised patients. It is estimated that almost 1 billion, 500 million and 900 million people worldwide are infected by the major nematode species--A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura and hookworms respectively. Most of the infections are endemic and widely distributed throughout poor and socio-economically deprived communities in the tropics and subtropics. Environmental, socio-economic, demographic and health-related behavior is known to influence the transmission and distribution of these infections. In giardiasis, one study indicates that age < or = 12 years and the presence of family members infected with Giardia were risk factors for infection. Most of the infections occur in children and both genders are equally affected. Epidemiological studies of STH infections have shown that the prevalence and intensity of infection are highest among children 4-15 years of age. The frequency of distribution of STH infections is over-dispersed and highly aggregated. areas reinfection can occur as early as 2 months post-treatment, and by 4 months, almost half of the population treated become reinfected. By 6 months the intensity of infection was similar to pretreatment level.
Incomplete intestinal fixation or malrotation of gut with midgut volvulus is one of the important causes of bilious vomiting in neonates. The incidence of malrotation of gut in population is 4% and that of duplication cyst is 1:4500. Patients with malrotation are prone to develop midgut volvulus due to their narrow mesenteric base demanding urgent surgical intervention. Common associated anomalies are intrinsic duodenal obstruction, internal hernias, caecal volvulus, anorectal malformations and Hirschsprung's disease. The present case refers to a 4-day-old neonate who presented with malrotation of gut with reverse volvulus and an associated gastrointestinal duplication cyst, which is a rare association with only few reported case reports. After imaging with ultrasound and contrast radiograph, the baby underwent prompt surgical intervention in the form of Ladd's procedure with resection and anastomosis of jejunal duplication cyst.
A case of true enteric myiasis in a 7-year-old girl is reported. Two larvae were obtained from the vomitus of the patient. After processing and identification, the larvae were found to be those of Hermetia illucens (Soldier Fly). This is the first case of true enteric myiasis due to these larvae in Malaysia.
A study conducted in. all the government schools in Wilayah to find the prevalence rate of worm infection in. urban schools revealed that 50 percent of the 7,682 school children. examined suffered from helminthiasis. More than 50 percent had mixed infections, worm infection was more prevalent among Malays and Indians. Both males and females had an equal prevalence of worm infection. Schools near the squatter areas had high infection rates. This was attributed to poverty, cultural factors, and environmental sanitation in the squatter areas.
In the past year, stool specimens of 1,732 alien laborers were examined for intestinal parasites. There was no significant difference in the positive rate between males and females. All alien laborers were examined in 3 hospitals and the positive rates were 24.8% (191/769), 13.6% (109/804) and 12.6% (20/159). Broken down by nationality, the positive rates in laborers from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia were 23.9% (192/803), 20.3% (62/305), 12.1% (60/498) and 4.8% (6/126) respectively. Of all alien laborers, 17.2% (297/1,732) had single infections of parasites and 1.3% (23/1,732) had multiple infections. Opisthorchis viverrinii was the most prevalent parasite found in infected alien laborers. 91.5% of alien laborers were aged from 21 to 40-years-old and had positive rates of parasites reaching 91.0%. The time of arrival in Taiwan had an effect in all alien laborers examined for parasites. The positive rate in laborers arriving during April to June was 22.7% which was significantly higher than the 16.3% for laborers arriving in other months.
A prevalence study for intestinal parasites among 305 infants and young children was conducted at the Paediatric wards of the General Hospital Kuala Lum.pur, Malaysia. 40.8 percent of children were infected with at least one type of intestinal parasites: 39 percent were found to be infected with intestinal helminths and 4.26 percent with intestinal protozoa. Ascaris formed 17.38 percent of the infestation followed by Trichuris (14.75 percent) and hookworm (2.95 percent); 0.3 percent of the cases had Strongyloides stercoralis; 2.30 percent and 2.62 percent of the children had Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia respectively. Indian children were the predominant group found infected, followed by the Chinese and Ma lays. A significant drop in infestation rate of soil-transmitted helminths was detected among the Malays. The significance of the changing pattern in the epidemiology of soil-transmitted helminths is
discussed. A brief review of literature is also presented.
We reviewed the epidemiology of STH in Malaysia from the 1970s to 2009. High prevalence rates persist among the rural Aborigines, estate workers and in urban slums and squatter areas. Trichuris trichiura is the most prevalent helminth in Malaysia ranging from 2.1% to 98.2%. Ascaris lumbricoides follows closely with a prevalence rate of 4.6-86.7%, while hookworm is the least prevalent (0-37.0%). A countrywide control program with special emphasis on school-based intervention is highly recommended among aboriginal people.
Parasitic intestinal infections are still among socioeconomic problems in the world, especially in developing countries like Iran. Food-handlers that directly deal with production and distribution of foods between societies are one of the most important sources to transmit parasitic infections to humans. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among food-handlers in Shiraz, Iran.
Intestinal parasitic infection among five interior communities at Bakun Valley, upper Rejang River, Sarawak, Malaysia, was investigated as part of a public health impact assessment of the proposed US$ 3 billion Bakun Hydroelectric Project. Coproparasitological examination of 355 stool samples from 7 of 16 villages representing 5 of 7 tribes in the area revealed infection rate of 41%. A higher infection rate was found among the settled Kayans (56%) than the seminomadic Penans (29%). Infection rate was high (68%) among children less than 14 years old. Trichuris trichiura accounted for more than 90% of all infections; less common were Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworms and Strongyloides stercoralis. Polyparasitism was found in 8% of the individuals surveyed with dual infection due to T. trichiura and A. lumbricoides being more common than dual infection with T. trichiura and hookworm. Women had higher infection rates (57%) than men (33%).