Mara Ipa , Tri Isnani , Vierto Irennius Girsang , Amila , Ester Saripati Harianja , Yunita Purba , Toni Wandra , Christine M. Budke , Ivan Elisabeth Purba
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Worldwide, >654 million children live in regions where soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are endemic. These parasites cause a variety of symptoms, including anemia.
Methods
In May 2023, fecal and blood samples were collected from children aged 6 to 11 years attending government run (public) elementary schools in the Simanindo and Ronggur Nihuta sub-districts of Samosir Island, Indonesia where a twice a year mass drug administration (MDA) program is currently in place. A questionnaire was administered to students' parents or adult family members on possible risk factors for STH infections. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.
Results
In total, 187 and 221 children in Simanindo and Ronggur Nihuta provided samples, respectively. The STH infection prevalence in Simanindo was 4.8% (9/187) and the infection prevalence in Ronggur Nihuta was 5.9% (13/221). In Simanindo, all infections were caused by Trichuris trichiura (n = 9), and in Ronggur Nihuta infections were caused by Ascaris lumbricoides (n = 6), Trichuris trichiura (n = 5), and A. lumbricoides + T. trichiura (n = 2). Three children had anemia but were negative for STH infections. While the results of the parent/adult questionnaires indicated access to a generally safe water supply and septic system, information from the in-depth interviews and focus groups revealed that the local water supply becomes greatly diminished during the dry season.
Conclusions
While MDA has been shown to effectively control roundworms and hookworms, additional measures to control trichuriasis are needed. There is also a need for the government to invest in improving the public water supply infrastructure.
期刊介绍:
Parasite Epidemiology and Control is an Open Access journal. There is an increasing amount of research in the parasitology area that analyses the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in defined populations. This epidemiology of parasite infectious diseases is predominantly studied in human populations but also spans other major hosts of parasitic infections and as such this journal will have a broad remit. We will focus on the major areas of epidemiological study including disease etiology, disease surveillance, drug resistance and geographical spread and screening, biomonitoring, and comparisons of treatment effects in clinical trials for both human and other animals. We will also look at the epidemiology and control of vector insects. The journal will also cover the use of geographic information systems (Epi-GIS) for epidemiological surveillance which is a rapidly growing area of research in infectious diseases. Molecular epidemiological approaches are also particularly encouraged.