Trichuriasis and low-iron status in schoolchildren from Northwest Mexico

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between trichuriasis and iron status in rural schoolchildren from Northwest Mexico. Subjects/Methods: A total of 73 schoolchildren (37 boys, 36 girls) between the ages of 6 and 10 years were voluntarily recruited from the public primary school of the rural community of El Higueral in Culiacan, Sinaloa (Northwest Mexico) for a cross-sectional study with a longitudinal follow-up of 5 weeks. Data were collected on socioeconomic status, anthropometry, haematological and biochemical indices of iron status, daily iron intake, and prevalence and intensity of trichuriasis. Multiple regression models, independent t-test and paired t-test were used to analyse the association between trichuriasis and iron status in cross-sectional and longitudinal samples, respectively. Adjusted models were tested for linear regression assumptions using residual plots. Results: The mean age of the Trichuris-free and Trichuris-infected groups was 7.7±1.3 and 7.7±1.5 years respectively (P ¼ 0.92). The height for age was significantly higher in the Trichuris-free group than the Trichuris-infected group (P ¼ 0.02). No differences were found in the socioeconomic variables between the two groups. At baseline, significantly higher concentrations of haemoglobin, haematocrit, blood cell count (RBC) and serum iron were measured in the Trichuris-free group compared with the Trichuris-infected children (Po0.05). An association was found between trichuriasis and haemoglobin adjusted for socioeconomic variables, age and sex. Haemoglobin, RBC and serum ferritin concentrations were significantly increased in the infected children 5 weeks after treatment (Po0.05). Conclusions: Trichuriasis could be a risk factor for low-iron status in the schoolchildren of Northwest Mexico.

Effect of single-dose albendazole and vitamin A supplementation on the iron status of pre-school children in Sichuan, China

“…This increase in SF and Hb levels and decrease in the proportion of anaemia and ID at 3 months after fortification could be attributed to the inflammatory process induced by alberdazole's anthelmintic effect, as well as increased intestinal absorption of Fe from lack of parasites. The result was consistent with several other studies (34,35) ; however, other studies showed no significant effect of albendazole on SF (24,36) . We have no definite explanation for these varied findings, but methodological artefacts such as the mode of production of albendazole or the heterogeneity of the subjects could be the reason for these conflicting results.…”

Trichuris and hookworm infections associated with anaemia during pregnancy

“…1992; Ramdath et al. 1995; Quihui‐Cota et al. 2010) but contrasts with findings of no association in three studies of pregnant women (Nurdiati et al.…”

Complexities and Perplexities: A Critical Appraisal of the Evidence for Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infection-Related Morbidity

“…T . trichiura -associated blood loss has been previously inferred to only become significant in heavy infections [ 48 ]; newer evidence [ 59 ] is in agreement with this. Interestingly, in one recent study undertaken in a high T .…”