Helminth Infections in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Khon Kaen Provinces

Abstract

Abstract

The prevalence of intestinal helminth infections was studied in ten primary schools in BangSaphan District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, in four primary schools in Lang Suan District,Chumphon Province, and in rural populations in Muang, Phrayun and Ubonrat districts, KhonKaen Province, using Katz’s modified thick smear technique. In Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, atotal of 826 fecal samples was collected in July 2003. It was found that 8.0% (66/826) were infected:7.0% with hookworm, 0.1% with Ascaris lumbricoides, 0.6% with Trichuris trichiura, 0.4% with Enterobiusvermicularis, and 0.2% with Hymenolepis nana. In Chumphon Province, 436 fecal samples werecollected in July 2003. The overall infection rate was 9.9% (43/436): 7.1% with hookworm, 0.7%with A. lumbricoides, and 2.8% with T. trichiura. In Khon Kaen Province, 1,222 fecal samples werecollected in November 2003; 10.5% (128/1,222) were infected, 1.9% with hookworm, 0.2% with T.trichiura, 0.2% with Strongyloides stercoralis, 0.8% with Taenia sp, 7.1% with Opisthorchis viverrini, and0.6% with Echinostoma sp. All positive samples revealed low infection intensity, except for only fourhookworm cases, two each from Prachuap Khiri Khan and Chumphon provinces, having moderateinfection intensity.

Keywords: prevalence, helminth, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Khon Kaen, Thailand