Contribution of socio-demographic factors in prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections among newly arrived laborers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

PeerJ. 2024 Oct 8:12:e18216. doi: 10.7717/peerj.18216. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Background: Soil-transmitted diseases are caused by intestinal worms transmitted via various routes into the human body resulting in various clinical manifestations. This study aimed to investigate the socio-demographic factors contributing mainly to the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) among newly arrived laborers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A total of 188 stool specimens were collected and examined macroscopically and microscopically using different techniques. In addition, real-time PCR was used as a molecular tool to detect several STHs. The descriptive analysis was used to evaluate demographic data and categorical variables in association with STHs infection.

Results: Of all participants, the mean age was 26.08 ± 2.67 years, including 103 females and 85 males. A total of 86 (45.70%) were illiterate, followed by 60 (31.90%) of participants belonging to elementary level. STHs and other intestinal parasites were detected among 35 newly arrived laborers (18.61%). Nineteen cases (10.11%) were infected with STHs, including 15 cases with one STHs (four A. lumbricoides, four N. americanus, four T. trichiura, two S. stercoralis, one A. duodenale) and four cases with two STHs (two T. trichiura and N. americanus; one S. stercoralis and A. duodenale; one T. trichiura and S. stercoralis). High rates of STHs infection were detected among drivers (11.70%) followed by housemaids (11.20%), but with no significant association to occupation. Higher rates of STHs infection were detected among those used to walk on soil barefoot in their home countries before arriving in Jeddah.

Conclusion: This study found that none of the newly arrived expatriate laborers in Jeddah was aware of STHs. About 10% of them had infection with one or two STHs, mainly among newly arrived laborers from Asian countries. There is a need for awareness programs and regular screening for STHs and other intestinal parasites among newly arrived expatriate laborers.

Keywords: Expatriate laborers; Infection; Jeddah; Prevalence; Saudi Arabia; Socio-demographic; Soil-transmitted helminths.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Ascaris lumbricoides / isolation & purification
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Feces* / parasitology
  • Female
  • Helminthiasis* / epidemiology
  • Helminthiasis* / parasitology
  • Helminthiasis* / transmission
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic* / epidemiology
  • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic* / parasitology
  • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic* / transmission
  • Male
  • Necator americanus / genetics
  • Necator americanus / isolation & purification
  • Prevalence
  • Saudi Arabia / epidemiology
  • Sociodemographic Factors
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Soil* / parasitology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Soil

Grants and funding

The authors received funding from the Deputyship for Research & Innovation, Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia through the project number (IFPRC-045-142-2020) and King Abdulaziz University, DSR, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.