Risk factors associated with soil transmitted helminth (STH) infection in two indigenous communities in Malaysia

@#Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) could possibly cause mild to severe health effects such as diarrhea, weakness, intestinal blood loss, and impaired cognitive development and growth. In Malaysia, previous studies depicted a high prevalence rate of STH was due to poor hygiene practice and low efficacies of anthelminthic drugs. This study was conducted to investigate hand hygiene practice and WASH criteria’s (Water, sanitation and hygiene) related to STH infection among two indigenous tribes in Peninsular Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was carried out to study the relationship among STH infection compared to water quality, sanitation, and hygiene conditions. A total of 190 individuals from two indigenous villages participated in the study, with ages ranging from 5 to 60 years old. In addition, Pearson’s Chisquare (X2) test was utilized to test the relationship among STH with demographic socioeconomic and behavioral factors. The confidence interval (CI) of 95% is used to estimate the precision of the odds ratio (OR). Multivariate logistic regression models were also used to identify the risk factors associated with STH infections. The overall findings indicated a prevalence rate of 72% for STH, and distributed mainly among children aged < 12 years. Furthermore, multivariate analyses using logistic regression revealed chronic health problems, incorrect hand washing, and walking bare footed were associated with STH infection. Overall results indicated high prevalence of STH among the indigenous villagers, which aligns with the published literature and proves to be a problem need to be addressed as neglected disease. Interestingly, there was a significant relationship between the presences of chronic diseases and STH infection, which prompted other questions the awareness needs to be educated and the simple and low-cost intervention on the proper way of hand washing may help to reduce STH infection in these indigenous communities.

Detection of Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura in various soil types from from an indigenous village in Malaysia

@#Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) have been a great concern throughout the world among the poorest and the most deprived communities. Orang Asli (indigenous) community in Malaysia is highly prone to STHs infection due to their living environment where soil contamination can serve as the main reservoir. This study was aimed to investigate the presence of Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides eggs in the soil samples in and around the Orang Asli villages located in Sungai Lalang Baru, Ulu Semenyih, Selangor. The soil samples were collected from June to November 2017 over a period of six months. Approximately 200-250 gram of soil samples were collected in a plastic bag from a depth of about 4-6 inches. The sedimentation and microscopic techniques was used to recover and estimate the Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides eggs from the soil samples. A total of 40 samples soil samples were collected, in which 36 (90%) were positive for A. lumbricoides and 6 (15%) were positive T. trichiura. Various soil textures like sandy, loamy and clay harbored the helminth eggs. The contaminated soil could potentially lead to transmission of the helminth eggs by natural process like rain and water movement to their sounding environments, hence screening of soil sample in the environment serves as in indication for presence of STHs.

Psychosocial Characteristics as Perceived by Families in North Indian Community.

National or Caste group characteristics typify psycho-social characteristics of that group. These typifying psycho-social characteristics, whether of individuals or of families or of small or big groups, have tremendous predictive value in determining interventional outcomes. Systematic studies to discern distinguishing features of population subgroups vis-à-vis domicile, socio economic status (SES), gender etc. practically non-existent. . Psycho-social characteristics determine behavioural expressions in day to day living. In a separate large scale study entitled “A Study of the Impact of Behavioural Interventions on Illness Breeding Behaviors” funded by World Bank through Uttar Pradesh Health System Development Project; Lucknow, 1134 families drawn on stratified random basis from rural and urban areas of Barabanki, Mujaffarnagar and Gorakhpur districts of Uttar Pradesh (Northern India) were studied along various psycho-social characteristics to study the differences, if any, between the population subgroups. The data revealed significant differences between the population sub-groups along several psychosocial characteristics. The findings are discussed.