Prevalence of intestinal parasite infections on a national scale among primary schoolchildren in Laos (original) (raw)

Abstract

In order to investigate the epidemiological situation of intestinal parasite infections in Laos, parasitological surveys were carried out on a national scale including 17 provinces and the Vientiane Municipality. A total of 29,846 stool specimens were collected from primary schoolchildren from May 2000 to June 2002 and examined once with the cellophane thick smear technique. The cumulative egg positive rate for intestinal helminths was 61.9%. By species, the rate for Ascaris lumbricoides was 34.9%, hookworm 19.1%, Trichuris trichiura 25.8%, Opisthorchis viverrini 10.9%, Taenia spp. 0.6% and Hymenolepis spp. 0.2%. The northern mountainous regions such as Phongsaly, Huaphan or Saysomboune Province showed a higher prevalence (over 70%) of soil- transmitted helminths. The regions along the Mekong River such as Khammuane, Saravane or Savannakhet Province showed a higher prevalence (over 20%) of fish-borne parasites. On the other hand, Schistosoma mansoni eggs were detected in 1.7% of schoolchildren only in Champassak Province, a previously endemic area. The highest prevalence was noted in Phongsaly Province (96.0%) and the lowest in Bolikhamxay Province (27.5%). An additional small-scale survey by cellophane anal swab detected Enterobius vermicularis eggs in 35.7% of 451 schoolchildren aged 6–8 years in Khammuane, Vientiane, Champassak Province and the Vientiane Municipality. Meanwhile, the mean blood haemoglobin level of hookworm-infected children was not lower than that of children not infected with hookworm, suggesting that nutritional factors are more important than parasite infection per se. Nevertheless, the above results indicate that a nationwide parasite control project is necessary to reduce possible morbidity due to parasitic diseases in the country.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Kwang-Seon Hong, Sun-Woong Kim, Sang-Cheol Choi, Moo-Sang Jang, Kuk-Hyun Han and Min-Ho Seo, KAHP, Korea, Jongweon Lee, Department of Parasitology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, and Lay Sisavath, Khampheng Chomlasak, Khampheuy Munnalath and Bounnaloth Insisiengmay, National Centre for Laboratory and Epidemiology, Ministry of Health, Vientiane, Laos for their technical and administrative assistance in the survey.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Parasitology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seodaemungu Shinchondong 134, Seoul 120–752, South Korea
   Tai-Soon Yong
2. Korea Association of Health Promotion, Seoul 157–704, Korea
   Han-Jong Rim, Cheong-Ha Yun & Eui-Hyug Hoang
3. Department of Parasitology, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Centre, Seoul 110–799, Korea
   Jong-Yil Chai
4. Department of Parasitology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul 133–791, Korea
   Duk-Young Min
5. Section of Molecular Parasitology, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon 440–746, Korea
   Seung-Yull Cho
6. Department of Parasitology and Medical Research Institute, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Chongju, Chungbuk 360–763, Korea
   Keeseon S. Eom
7. Department of Parasitology, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul 156–756, Korea
   Sung-Jong Hong
8. Department of Parasitology and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Chinju 660–751, Korea
   Woon-Mok Sohn
9. Office of the WHO/WPR Representative in the Laos PDR, Vientiane, Laos
   Giovanni Deodato & Hanne Standgaard
10. Department of Hygiene and Disease Prevention, Ministry of Health, Vientiane, Laos
    Bounlay Phommasack

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1. Han-Jong Rim
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2. Jong-Yil Chai
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3. Duk-Young Min
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4. Seung-Yull Cho
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5. Keeseon S. Eom
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6. Sung-Jong Hong
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7. Woon-Mok Sohn
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8. Tai-Soon Yong
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9. Giovanni Deodato
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10. Hanne Standgaard
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11. Bounlay Phommasack
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12. Cheong-Ha Yun
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13. Eui-Hyug Hoang
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Correspondence toTai-Soon Yong.

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Rim, HJ., Chai, JY., Min, DY. et al. Prevalence of intestinal parasite infections on a national scale among primary schoolchildren in Laos.Parasitol Res 91, 267–272 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-003-0963-x

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• Received: 11 April 2003
• Accepted: 04 July 2003
• Published: 22 August 2003
• Issue Date: October 2003
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-003-0963-x

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