Extremely low prevalence in soil-transmitted helminth infections among a multi-ethnic community in Segamat, Malaysia
Date
2021-01-01Author
Wong, Li Wen
Ong, Kuan Shion
Goh, Calvin Bok Sun
Dwiyanto, Jacky
Reidpath, Daniel
Lee, Shaun Wen Huey
Ayub, Qasim
Rahman, Sadequr
Lee, Sui Mae
Metadata
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Wong, L.W., Ong, K.S., Goh, C.B.S., Dwiyanto, J., Reidpath, D.D., Lee, S.W.H., Ayub, Q., Rahman, S. and Lee, S.M. (2021) ‘Extremely low prevalence in soil-transmitted helminth infections among a multi-ethnic community in Segamat, Malaysia’, Journal of Parasitic Diseases, 45(2), pp. 313–318. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-020-01334-1.
Abstract
Soil-transmitted helminth infections (STHs) are recognized as a major health issue among socio-economically deprived communities. However, information is still lacking regarding the prevalence rates of STHs in the broader community across different countries in the tropics. This community study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors for STHs in semi-rural communities in Segamat of Johor, Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted with information collected from the study population through questionnaire. A total of 224 stool samples were examined for intestinal parasites through formalin-ether concentration and Kato–Katz techniques. Overall, only 1.8% (n = 4/224) of participants were infected with soil-transmitted helminths, the extremely low prevalence may be explained by the proper housing conditions with basic amenities and the practices of hygienic habits in daily life, highlighting the importance of adopting good hygienic practices.