Screening for intestinal parasitic infections among Myanmar migrant workers in Thai food industry: a high-risk transmission.
The impact of intestinal parasitic infections on public health has been neglected. Millions of Myanmar natives have migrated to work in Thailand. We performed a study of intestinal parasitic infections in Myanmar-migrants working in the Thai food industry. A total of 338 Myanmar migrant workers in a food plant at Samut Sakhon Province, Thailand, were recruited for this study. 284 (84%) returned requested stool samples. Samples were examined for intestinal parasites by means of simple smear, formalin-ether concentration, Locke-Egg-Serum medium, and Harada-Mori culture methods. We found parasites in 177 (62.3%) migrants (29 of 46 males; 148 of 238 females). The majority (89.3%) were infected with parasites transmitted by fecal-oral route, including Blastocystis hominis (41.5%), Trichuris trichiura (22.2%), Giardia lamblia (14.1%), and Ascaris lumbricoides (1.8%). Mixed infections were common (40.7%). The highest prevalence (73.3%) was found among migrants from Kohsong city, Myanmar. This high parasite infection rate in Myanmar migrant workers is an obvious public health hazard.
Nuchprayoon
Surang
S
Lymphatic Filariasis Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. fmedstt@md2.md.chula.ac.th
Sanprasert
Vivornpun
V
Kaewzaithim
Sakchai
S
Saksirisampant
Wilai
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D019649:Food Industry; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D055815:Young Adult