title: Prevalence and risk factors of Strongyloides stercoralis in Takeo Province, Cambodia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The threadworm Strongyloides stercoralis, the most neglected helminth, affects an estimated 30-100 million people worldwide. Information on S. stercoralis infection is scarce in tropical and sub-tropical resource poor countries, including Cambodia. We determined S. stercoralis infection prevalence and risk factors for infection in the general population in Southern Cambodia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out between January and April 2011 among 2,861 participants living in 60 villages of Takeo province, using Koga-agar plate culture, the Baermann technique and the Kato-Katz technique on a single stool sample.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight intestinal helminth species were diagnosed. Hookworm (31.4%) and S. stercoralis (21.0%) occurred most frequently. Prevalence of S. stercoralis infection increased with age. In all age groups a higher prevalence was found among males than among females (OR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.4 - 2.0; P < 0.001). Participants who had a latrine at home were significantly less frequently infected with S. stercoralis than those who did not (OR: 0.7; 95% CI: 0.4 - 0.8; P = 0.003). Muscle pain (OR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.0 - 1.6; P = 0.028) and urticaria (OR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1 - 1.8; P = 0.001) were significantly associated with S. stercoralis infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  S. stercoralis is highly prevalent among the general Cambodian population and should no longer be neglected. Access to adequate diagnosis and treatment is urgently needed.
authors.forename: Virak
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Khieu
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schär
authors.forename: Hanspeter
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Marti
authors.forename: Philipp J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bless
authors.forename: Meng Chuor
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Char
authors.forename: Sinuon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muth
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. peter.odermatt@unibas.ch.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Odermatt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002160:Cambodia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017171:Strongyloides stercoralis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D055815:Young Adult