title: Transmission of helminth eggs through hands in a high-risk community.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role that hands play in the transmission of Ascaris is not well understood.
  
  
  METHODS
  A newly developed method to quantify the presence helminth eggs on hands was tested among a group of farmers in Vietnam. High turbidity in hand rinse samples meant that the adopted sugar solution had to be replaced by zinc sulphate as a flotation solution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey found 34% (31/90) of study participant hands' were positive for helminth eggs, though concentrations were low and ranged from 0-10 eggs/2 hands. The use of fresh excreta in agriculture was the only variable that showed an association with the concentrations of eggs found on hands.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results highlight the need to promote handwashing with soap to prevent the transmission of soil-transmitted helminth infections.
authors: Environmental Health Group, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Gulliver
authors: Environmental Health Group, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors: Aurelie
authors: A
authors: Jeandron
authors: Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, 55 Giai Phong Road, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors: Viet Anh
authors: VA
authors: Nguyen
authors: Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, 55 Giai Phong Road, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors: Hong Anh
authors: HA
authors: Do
authors: Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, 55 Giai Phong Road, Hanoi, Vietnam Jeroen.ensink@lshtm.ac.uk.
authors: Jeroen H J
authors: JH
authors: Ensink
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000469:parasitology*; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000635:transmission*; D006376:Helminths / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010063:Ovum; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D014744:Vietnam
keywords: Hand hygiene; Helminths; Transmission; Vietnam