Intestinal parasites of children and adults in a remote Aboriginal community of the Northern Territory, Australia, 1994–1996

Abstract

Methods: Seven surveys for intestinal parasites were conducted by a quantitative formol-ether method on faecal samples. Serological testing was conducted for Strongyloides stercoralis and Toxocara canis IgG by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.Results: Of the 314 participants, infections were as follows: Trichuris trichiura (86%); hookworm, predominantly Ancylostoma duodenale (36%); Entamoeba spp. (E. histolytica complex [E. histolytica, E. dispar and E. moskovski], E. coli and E. hartmanni) (25%); S. stercoralis (19%); Rodentolepis nana (16%); and Giardia duodenalis (10%). Serological diagnosis for 29 individuals showed that 28% were positive for S. stercoralis and 21% for T. canis. There was a decrease in the proportion positive for hookworm over the two-year period but not for the other parasite species. The presence of hookworm, T. trichiura and Entamoeba spp. was significantly greater in 5-14 year olds (n = 87) than in 0-4 year olds (n = 41), while the presence of S. stercoralis, R. nana, G. duodenalis and Entamoeba spp. in 5-14 year olds was significantly greater than 15-69 year olds (n = 91).Discussion: Faecal testing indicated a very high prevalence of intestinal parasites, especially in schoolchildren. The decrease in percentage positive for hookworm over the two years was likely due to the albendazole deworming programme, and recent evidence indicates that the prevalence of hookworm is now low. However there was no sustained decrease in percentage positive for the other parasite species.

More bark than bite: Comparative studies are needed to determine the importance of canine zoonoses in Aboriginal communities. A critical review of published research

“…The majority were in medical journals; however, after 2000, this shifted to parasitology. Four papers determined the prevalence of a wide range of parasites (Jenkins & Andrew, ; Meloni, Thompson, Hopkins, Reynoldson, & Gracey, ; Shield et al., ; Thompson, Meloni, et al., ). The remaining 15 papers targeted 12 zoonotic organisms (Table ).…”

“…The sample sizes for five papers (Meloni et al., ; Shield et al., ; Thompson, Meloni, et al., ; Welch & Dobson, ; Welch, Dobson, & Freeman, ) were considerable, providing precise estimates of prevalence in dogs in the Kimberley region (Meloni et al., ; Thompson, Meloni, et al., ), various locations around Queensland (Welch & Dobson, ), Central Australia (Welch et al., ) and Arnhem Land (Shield et al., ). Two papers were from the same study, although considered different organisms (Meloni et al., ; Thompson, Meloni, et al., ).…”

“…Shield et al. () found 21% of people seropositive for T. canis in their studies in Arnhem Land in the mid 1990s. Toxocariasis is now being heralded as the most common human parasitic worm infection in the United States, and with its high prevalence in developing countries, it is considered that its global importance may be greatly underestimated (Hotez & Wilkins, ).…”

Anaemia and parasitic infections in riverside community of the Brazilian Amazon

“…(7)(8)(9) Em uma comunidade aborígene no norte da Austrália, a prevalência de parasitose foi de 89%, sendo 86% positivos para T. trichiura e 29% para Entamoeba spp.…”

“…(11) As infecções por parasitas, geralmente, estão relacionadas com a falta de condições higiênicas, tais como: a não lavagem das mãos, falta de tratamento da água e de saneamento básico, o hábito de andar descalço e roer as unhas, a não alimentação de alimentos frescos e bem cozidos, entre outros. (7,9,12,13) Esses costumes considerados como fatores de riscos são amplamente encontrados entre as famílias ribeirinhas.…”