Comparison of Prevalence and Intensity of Opisthorchiasis between Tambon Rae and Tambon Tonphung, Phang Khon District, Sakhon Nakhon Province, Thailand

Abstract

Abstract This study compared the prevalence rates and intensity levels of opisthorchiasis among the human populations of Tambon Rae and Tambon Tonphung, Phang Khon District, in Sakhon Nakhon Province, and revealed similar prevalence rates and intensity levels. The study also indicated no significant difference in opisthorchiasis associated with sex, aged-group, educational level, or occupation. The study of health risk behaviors also showed that the two tambon samples’ knowledge of hygienic consumption behaviors was rather low with poor attitudes towards opisthorchiasis. It was also found that their consumption behaviors for liver-fluke-risk foods were similar. Considering the wide spread of the disease caused by unhygienic defecation, it was noted that there was no difference in behavior, since they were mostly agriculturists working on their farms. Besides, interviews indicated that, in the last three years, the people in these areas had not had stool examinations and had never taken anthelminthic drugs.

Keywords: Opisthorchis viverrini; opisthorchiasis; prevalence rate; intensity level; health risk behavior