Changing patterns of gastrointestinal parasite infections in Cambodian children: 2006-2011

J Trop Pediatr. 2012 Dec;58(6):509-12. doi: 10.1093/tropej/fms024. Epub 2012 Jun 21.

Abstract

We studied gastrointestinal parasites in symptomatic Cambodian children attending a provincial hospital in Siem Reap, Cambodia between 2006 and 2011. A total of 16 372 faecal samples were examined by direct microscopy. Parasites were detected in 3121 (19.1%) samples and most common were Giardia lamblia (8.0% of samples; 47.6% disease episodes), hookworm (5.1%; 30.3%) and Strongyloides stercoralis (2.6%; 15.6%). The proportion of infected children increased, and the number of disease episodes effectively treated with a single dose of mebendazole decreased, over the 5-year period.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ancylostomatoidea / isolation & purification*
  • Animals
  • Antinematodal Agents / therapeutic use
  • Asian People / statistics & numerical data
  • Cambodia / epidemiology
  • Child, Preschool
  • Feces / parasitology*
  • Female
  • Giardia lamblia / isolation & purification*
  • Giardiasis / epidemiology
  • Giardiasis / parasitology
  • Hookworm Infections / epidemiology
  • Hookworm Infections / parasitology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / diagnosis*
  • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / drug therapy
  • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / epidemiology
  • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / parasitology
  • Male
  • Mebendazole / therapeutic use
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Strongyloides stercoralis / isolation & purification*
  • Strongyloidiasis / epidemiology
  • Strongyloidiasis / parasitology
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antinematodal Agents
  • Mebendazole