Socio-economic risk factors for intestinal helminthiases in selected endemic communities in Mindanao, the Philippines: a cross-sectional study.

Autor: Paller VGV; Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, The Philippines. vvpaller@up.edu.ph., Belizario VY Jr; Department of Parasitology, College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, The Philippines., Ancog RC; School of Environmental Science and Management, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, The Philippines., Alonte AJI; Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, The Philippines., Jimenez JRD; Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, The Philippines., Corales CG; School of Environmental Science and Management, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, The Philippines., Divina BP; Department of Veterinary Paraclinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, The Philippines., Prada JM; Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK., Betson M; Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK. m.betson@surrey.ac.uk.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: BMC infectious diseases [BMC Infect Dis] 2024 Sep 19; Vol. 24 (1), pp. 1012. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Sep 19.
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09780-5
Abstrakt: Background: Parasitic neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) or 'infectious diseases of poverty' continue to affect the poorest communities in the world, including in the Philippines. Socio-economic conditions contribute to persisting endemicity of these infectious diseases. As such, examining these underlying factors may help identify gaps in implementation of control programs. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and investigate the role of socio-economic and risk factors in the persistence of these diseases in endemic communities in the Philippines.
Methods: This cross-sectional study involving a total of 1,152 individuals from 386 randomly-selected households was conducted in eight municipalities in Mindanao, the Philippines. Participants were asked to submit fecal samples which were processed using the Kato-Katz technique to check for intestinal helminthiases. Moreover, each household head participated in a questionnaire survey investigating household conditions and knowledge, attitude, and practices related to intestinal helminthiases. Associations between questionnaire responses and intestinal helminth infection were assessed.
Results: Results demonstrated an overall schistosomiasis prevalence of 5.7% and soil-transmitted helminthiasis prevalence of 18.8% in the study population. Further, the household questionnaire revealed high awareness of intestinal helminthiases, but lower understanding of routes of transmission. Potentially risky behaviors such as walking outside barefoot and bathing in rivers were common. There was a strong association between municipality and prevalence of helminth infection. Educational attainment and higher "practice" scores (relating to practices which are effective in controlling intestinal helminths) were inversely associated with soil-transmitted helminth infection.
Conclusion: Results of the study showed remaining high endemicity of intestinal helminthiases in the area despite ongoing control programs. Poor socio-economic conditions and low awareness about how intestinal helminthiases are transmitted may be among the factors hindering success of intestinal helminth control programs in the provinces of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Norte. Addressing these sustainability gaps could contribute to the success of alleviating the burden of intestinal helminthiases in endemic areas.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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