Soil-transmitted helminth infections and nutritional status in school-age children from rural communities in Honduras.
BACKGROUND
Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are endemic in Honduras and efforts are underway to decrease their transmission. However, current evidence is lacking in regards to their prevalence, intensity and their impact on children's health.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prevalence and intensity of STH infections and their association with nutritional status in a sample of Honduran children.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was done among school-age children residing in rural communities in Honduras, in 2011. Demographic data was obtained, hemoglobin and protein concentrations were determined in blood samples and STH infections investigated in single-stool samples by Kato-Katz. Anthropometric measurements were taken to calculate height-for-age (HAZ), BMI-for-age (BAZ) and weight-for-age (WAZ) to determine stunting, thinness and underweight, respectively.


RESULTS
Among 320 children studied (48% girls, aged 7-14 years, mean 9.76 ± 1.4) an overall STH prevalence of 72.5% was found. Children >10 years of age were generally more infected than 7-10 year-olds (p = 0.015). Prevalence was 30%, 67% and 16% for Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworms, respectively. Moderate-to-heavy infections as well as polyparasitism were common among the infected children (36% and 44%, respectively). Polyparasitism was four times more likely to occur in children attending schools with absent or annual deworming schedules than in pupils attending schools deworming twice a year (p<0.001). Stunting was observed in 5.6% of children and it was associated with increasing age. Also, 2.2% of studied children were thin, 1.3% underweight and 2.2% had anemia. Moderate-to-heavy infections and polyparasitism were significantly associated with decreased values in WAZ and marginally associated with decreased values in HAZ.


CONCLUSIONS
STH infections remain a public health concern in Honduras and despite current efforts were highly prevalent in the studied community. The role of multiparasite STH infections in undermining children's nutritional status warrants more research.
Department of Community Health Sciences, Brock University, St Catharines, Ontario, Canada. ana.sanchez@brocku.ca
Ana Lourdes
AL
Sanchez
Jose Antonio
JA
Gabrie
Mary-Theresa
MT
Usuanlele
Maria Mercedes
MM
Rueda
Maritza
M
Canales
Theresa W
TW
Gyorkos
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000886:Anthropometry; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D006376:Helminths / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006721:Honduras / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population
D001798:Blood Proteins; D006454:Hemoglobins