title: Intestinal parasitic infections in suburban government schools, Lak Hok subdistrict, Muang Pathum Thani, Thailand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide baseline information of parasitic infections in 3 suburban government schools, Lakhok subdistrict of Muang Pathum Thani, Thailand.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted between May-June 2010 using simple direct smear and modified formalin ether and from a population of 1 253 in 3 suburban government schools.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total samples of 202 registered and participated. The average of prevalence of infection from 3 schools was 13.9%, there were 13.7%, 14.3% and 13.9% in N, S and R school, respectively with no significant difference between schools (P>0.05). The infection rates did not show significant difference between genders (P>0.05). The highest rate of infection was 20.4% in Pathom 2 (8 years) students and the lowest was 4% in Pathom 1 (7 years) with statistically difference between age groups (P<0.05). The highest prevalence of pathogenic protozoa was Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia) which was found in 50% of infected cases, followed by 25% of Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica) and Blastocystis hominis (B. hominis). The highest prevalence of non-pathogenic protozoa was Endolimax nana (E. nana) which was found in 88.9%, followed by 11.1% of Entamoeba coli (E. coli). Mixed infections between Blastocystis hominis (B. hominis) and Endolimax nana (E. nana) were reported at 7.1%. The only helminthic infection found in this study area was hookworm, found in 1 student (3.8%). The formalin ether concentration technique showed a higher efficacy of detection (78%-100%) than the simple direct smear method (0%-50%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surveillance of Protozoan infections may need to be focused on suburban areas.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Technology, Rangsit University, Pathum Thani, 12000, Thailand. sirima@rsu.ac.th
authors.forename: Sirima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitvatanachai
authors.forename: Pochong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rhongbutsri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D006376:Helminths / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012574:Schools / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Government school; Intestinal parasitic infections; Suburban area