ABSTRACT
This study aimed to determine an appropriate technique for isolating helminthic objects from the exteriors of the bodies of lies, and to investigate helminth transmission rates among lies in an unsanitary community. The study area was Ban Nam Khem Village, Takua Pa District, Phang-nga Province, Thailand. In 2006, the prevalence of soil-transmitted-helminth (STH) infections in the community was 34.9%. Soil contamination in the swamp areas, where human feces were observed, ranged between 41.2-100% in the period February 2005-May 2006. Flies were abundant in defecation areas and around houses. One year after treatment and health education, the prevalence decreased to 22.5%. While the infection rate among the schoolchildren decreased, the rate among the villagers increased to 50.0%. In June 2007, the soil contamination rate was 13.3%. The 567 houselies in the study were all Chrysomya megacephala. Hookworm and Trichuris trichiura eggs on the body surfaces of the lies were isolated using an ultrasonic cleaner. The helminth transmission rate for lies in the defecation area was 25.9%, and in the household surroundings 11.8%. The average number of eggs on the body surfaces of lies in the defecation area was 0.4. After feeding on human excreta, 508 resting lies left 0.5 g of feces with pathogens in the surroundings. Anthelminthic treatment and health education were repeated to improve the helminth infection situation in the community. Manual shaking and ultrasonic-cleaner techniques provided equal detection rates (80%), but ultrasonic cleaning retrieved more eggs.
ABSTRACT
Trichinellosis (trichinosis), a helminthic zoonotic disease caused by parasitic nematodes of thegenus Trichinella, can be transmitted from animals to humans. The disease is distributedworld-wide and has been the source of major public-health problems in many countries, includingArgentina, Mexico, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and some European countries. Human infectionoccurs by ingesting the raw, or inadequately cooked, meat of animals harboring infective larvae. Themain sources of human infection are pork and pork products, game meat, and horse meat. Since1962, trichinellosis outbreaks have occurred almost every year in Thailand, with more than 6,000infected cases. The causative agents of the Thai outbreaks have mostly been encapsulated T. spiralislarvae. However, in 1994, there was an outbreak due to T. pseudospiralis in Chumphon Province,southern Thailand. This was the first report of an outbreak in Thailand due to infection with nonencapsulatedTrichinella larvae. Subsequently, in 2006 and 2007, two outbreaks due to T. papuae, alsoknown to have non-encapsulated larvae, were reported in Uthai Thani Province. Health education forvillagers in rural communities is important, to prevent and control trichinellosis and other parasiticinfections.
ABSTRACT
Sixty-four samples of fermented shrimp (kung chom) from Buri Ram Province, lower northeasternThailand, were investigated for microbiological quality and chemical properties. The effectsof gamma radiation, at doses of 2 to 8 kGy, on microbiological and sensory quality of kung chomwere evaluated. Fifty-five samples (85.9%) did not meet the Thai Community Product Standard forkung chom (TCPS147/2546). About 69% of the samples were contaminated with Bacillus cereus and6% with Clostridium perfringens. Irradiation at 8 kGy resulted in upgrading the quality of kung chomto satisfy the TCPS criteria. Detectable levels of B. cereus and C. perfringens were eliminated at thisdose. The sensory evaluation showed significant changes in color and odor with irradiation at 6 and8 kGy; however, these changes were still within the acceptable range. It may be concluded that the8-kGy dosage was sufficient to improve the microbiological quality of kung chom. Irradiated kungchom could be kept for 35 days at ambient temperature.