title: Intestinal sarcocystosis in Thai laborers.
abstract: To determine the prevalence of Sarcocystis and other intestinal parasites in Thai laborers who were going abroad for work, stool examinations of 362 asymptomatic laborers were studied. The four most frequently parasites found in stool were Sarcocystis sp (23.2%), Opisthorchis viverini (40.3%), hookworm (21.5%), and Strongyloides stercoralis (14.1%). Giardia intestinalis (5.2%), Entamoeba coli (1.7%), Endolimax nana (2.5%), Blastocystis hominis (4.1%), Echinostoma sp (3.6%), Trichuris trichiura (0.3%), Taenia sp (1.7%), Hymenolepis nana (0.6%), and Enterobius vermicularis (0.3%) were present at low rates. Sarcocystis were frequently found in male laborers (83.3%) (p < .01). The laborers from northeastern Thailand (n = 278) had a higher prevalence (26.6%) of Sarcocystis infection (p < .01). This study shows that Thai laborers, particularly from northeastern Thailand, are commonly infected with intestinal parasites. The high prevalence rates of Sarcocystis and other intestinal parasites in this study were indicative of the local habit of eating raw beef and pork, poor living conditions, and low levels of hygiene in Thai laborers. Sarcocystosis could be a significant food-borne zoonotic infection in Thailand.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilairatana
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Radomyos
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Radomyos
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Phraevanich
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Plooksawasdi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chanthavanich
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Viravan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Looareesuwan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012523:Sarcocystosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology