title: Soil transmitted helminthiasis in indigenous groups. A community cross sectional study in the Amazonian southern border region of Ecuador.
abstract: Rural communities in the Amazonian southern border of Ecuador have benefited from governmental social programmes over the past 9 years, which have addressed, among other things, diseases associated with poverty, such as soil transmitted helminth infections. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of geohelminth infection and several factors associated with it in these communities.
  
  
  
  This was a cross sectional study in two indigenous communities of the Amazonian southern border of Ecuador. The data were analysed at both the household and individual levels.
  
  
  
  At the individual level, the prevalence of geohelminth infection reached 46.9% (95% CI 39.5% to 54.2%), with no differences in terms of gender, age, temporary migration movements or previous chemoprophylaxis. In 72.9% of households, one or more members were infected. Receiving subsidies and overcrowding were associated with the presence of helminths.
  
  
  
  The prevalence of geohelminth infection was high. Our study suggests that it is necessary to conduct studies focusing on communities, and not simply on captive groups, such as schoolchildren, with the object of proposing more suitable and effective strategies to control this problem.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, de la Salud y la Vida, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.|Grups de Recerca d'Amèrica i Àfrica Llatines-GRAAL, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Romero-Sandoval
authors.affiliation: Grups de Recerca d'Amèrica i Àfrica Llatines-GRAAL, Barcelona, España.|Unidad de Bioestadística y Epidemiología, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Rico
authors.affiliation: Grups de Recerca d'Amèrica i Àfrica Llatines-GRAAL, Barcelona, España.|El Colegio de la Frontera Sur-ECOSUR, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, México.
authors.forename: Héctor Javier
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, de la Salud y la Vida, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Valdivieso
authors.affiliation: Fundación Ecuatoriana para la Investigación en Salud-FEPIS, Quinindé, Ecuador.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sandoval
authors.affiliation: Instituto Geográfico Militar, Quito, Ecuador.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pástor
authors.affiliation: Grups de Recerca d'Amèrica i Àfrica Llatines-GRAAL, Barcelona, España.|Unidad de Bioestadística y Epidemiología, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martín
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004484:Ecuador / Q000453:epidemiology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006376:Helminths; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American; D008297:Male; D011156:Population Density; D011203:Poverty; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012987:Soil; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012987:Soil
keywords: Ecuador; chemoprophylaxis; helminths; indigenous population