Nasr, Nabil A. and Al-Mekhlafi, Hesham M. and Lim, Yvonne Ai Lian and Elyana, Fatin Nur and Sady, Hany and Atroosh, Wahib M. and Dawaki, Salwa and Al-Delaimy, Ahmed K. and Al-Areeqi, Mona A. and Wehaish, Abkar A. and Anuar, Tengku Shahrul and Mahmud, Rohela (2020) A holistic approach is needed to control the perpetual burden of soil-transmitted helminth infections among indigenous schoolchildren in Malaysia. Pathogens and Global Health, 114 (3). pp. 145-159. ISSN 2047-7724, DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/20477724.2020.1747855.
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,142 Orang Ali schoolchildren in six states of Peninsular Malaysia to investigate the current prevalence and risk factors of STH infections. Faecal samples were examined using direct smear, formalin-ether sedimentation, Kato-Katz, and Harada-Mori methods. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect information on the demographic, socioeconomic, personal hygiene, and health status of the participants. Overall, 70.1% (95% CI = 67.4, 72.7) of the participants were infected with at least one of the STH species. The prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and hookworm infections was 63.1%, 61.8% and 11.5%, respectively. Moderate-to-heavy STH infections accounted for 61.3% of the total infections. Univariate and logistic regression analyses revealed different sets of risk factors, with age (> 10 years) being the significant risk factor of all three STH species. Moreover, other species-specific risk factors were identified including being a member of the Senoi tribe, family size (>= 7 members), school size (150-250 pupils), maternal unemployment, unimproved source of drinking water, lacking improved toilet in the house, inadequate WASH facilities at school, not washing hands before eating, and not washing fruits before eating; presence of domestic animals, and not wearing shoes when outside. The high prevalence of STH infections found in the study population exceeds the WHO policy intervention threshold (20% prevalence). Thus, an innovative holistic approach should be adopted to control STH infections among these children as part of the efforts to improve the quality of life of the entire Orang Asli population. .
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Funders: | Department of Orang Asli Development, JAKOA, Universiti Malaya, H-20001-00-E00051, Majlis Amanah Rakyat |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Soil-transmitted helminth; Neglected tropical diseases; Infectious diseases; Indigenous; Orang Asli; Schoolchildren; Malaysia |
| Subjects: | G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology R Medicine > RB Pathology R Medicine > RC Internal medicine |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Medicine > Parasitology Deparment |
| Depositing User: | Ms Zaharah Ramly |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Dec 2023 05:14 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Dec 2023 05:14 |
| URI: | http://eprints.um.edu.my/id/eprint/36763 |
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