Intestinal parasites in a migrant farmworker population.
Three hundred thirty-nine migrant worker women and children were screened by single stool examination for intestinal parasites. Infection occurred in 34.2%. Giardia lamblia and Trichuris trichiura were the most common pathogens; Entamoeba coli and Endolimax nana were the most common commensals. Infants under 1 year of age were free of infection. Children between 2 and 5 years old and women between 25 and 35 years old had the highest prevalence. Significantly more Haitians were infected than Mexican-Americans or American blacks. Of ten symptoms, only abdominal pain and gas correlated significantly with infection. This migrant population has a greater prevalence of intestinal parasites than the general American public. Screening by stool examination may be beneficial to diminish the reservoir of infection.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003691:Delaware; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D006205:Haiti; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008396:Maryland; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D044469:Racial Groups; D012737:Sex Factors; D014171:Transients and Migrants