Determining intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) in inmates from Kajang Prison, Selangor, Malaysia for improved prison management.
BACKGROUND
The prison management in Malaysia is proactively seeking to improve the health status of the prison inmates. Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are widely distributed throughout the world and are still gaining great concern due to their significant morbidity and mortality among infected humans. In Malaysia, there is a paucity of information on IPIs among prison inmates. In order to further enhance the current health strategies employed, the present study aims to establish firm data on the prevalence and diversity of IPIs among HIV-infected and non-HIV-infected individuals in a prison, an area in which informed knowledge is still very limited.


METHODS
Samples were subjected to microscopy examination and serological test (only for Strongyloides). Speciation for parasites on microscopy-positive samples and seropositive samples for Strongyloides were further determined via polymerase chain reaction. SPSS was used for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
A total of 294 stool and blood samples each were successfully collected, involving 131 HIV positive and 163 HIV negative adult male inmates whose age ranged from 21 to 69-years-old. Overall prevalence showed 26.5% was positive for various IPIs. The IPIs detected included Blastocystis sp., Strongyloides stercoralis, Entamoeba spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia spp., and Trichuris trichiura. Comparatively, the rate of IPIs was slightly higher among the HIV positive inmates (27.5%) than HIV negative inmates (25.8%). Interestingly, seropositivity for S. stercoralis was more predominant in HIV negative inmates (10.4%) compared to HIV-infected inmates (6.9%), however these findings were not statistically significant. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed the presence of Blastocystis, Strongyloides, Entamoeba histolytica and E. dispar.


CONCLUSIONS
These data will enable the health care providers and prison management staff to understand the trend and epidemiological situations in HIV/parasitic co-infections in a prison. This information will further assist in providing evidence-based guidance to improve prevention, control and management strategies of IPIs co-infections among both HIV positive and HIV negative inmates in a prison environment.
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. laura89anne@gmail.com.
Lorainne
L
Angal
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. rohela@um.edu.my.
Rohela
R
Mahmud
Penjara Utama Kajang, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia. sajideh@prison.gov.my.
Sajideh
S
Samin
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ynj1203@gmail.com.
Nan-Jiun
NJ
Yap
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. romano@um.edu.my.
Romano
R
Ngui
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. amirahamir@um.edu.my.
Amirah
A
Amir
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. init@um.edu.my.
Init
I
Ithoi
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. adeeba@um.edu.my.
Adeeba
A
Kamarulzaman
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. limailian@um.edu.my.
Yvonne A L
YA
Lim
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D016844:Blastocystis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology*; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011329:Prisoners; D011330:Prisons; D017171:Strongyloides stercoralis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D055815:Young Adult