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Ascaris and hookworm transmission in preschool children from rural Panama: role of yard environment, soil eggs/larvae and hygiene and play behaviours

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 August 2015

RACHEL J. KRAUSE ,
KRISTINE G. KOSKI ,
EMÉRITA PONS ,
NIDIA SANDOVAL ,
ODALIS SINISTERRA  and
MARILYN E. SCOTT
RACHEL J. KRAUSE
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology and Centre for Host-Parasite Interactions, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Phone: 514-398-7996; Fax: 514-398-7857
KRISTINE G. KOSKI
Affiliation:
School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition and Centre for Host-Parasite Interactions, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
EMÉRITA PONS
Affiliation:
Department of Nutritional Health, Ministry of Health, Panama City, Republic of Panama
NIDIA SANDOVAL
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Panama, Panama City, Republic of Panama
ODALIS SINISTERRA
Affiliation:
Department of Nutritional Health, Ministry of Health, Panama City, Republic of Panama
MARILYN E. SCOTT*
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology and Centre for Host-Parasite Interactions, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Phone: 514-398-7996; Fax: 514-398-7857
*
*Corresponding author. Institute of Parasitology and Centre for Host-Parasite Interactions, McGill University (Macdonald Campus), Ste-Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, CanadaH9X 3V9. E-mail: marilyn.scott@mcgill.ca
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Summary

This study explored whether the yard environment and child hygiene and play behaviours were associated with presence and intensity of Ascaris and hookworm in preschool children and with eggs and larvae in soil. Data were collected using questionnaires, a visual survey of the yard, soil samples and fecal samples collected at baseline and following re-infection. The presence of eggs/larvae in soil was associated negatively with water storage (eggs) but positively with dogs (eggs) and distance from home to latrine (larvae). Baseline and re-infection prevalences were: hookworm (28·0%, 3·4%); Ascaris (16·9%, 9·5%); Trichuris (0·9%, 0·7%). Zero-inflated negative binomial regression models revealed a higher baseline hookworm infection if yards had eggs or larvae, more vegetation or garbage, and if the child played with soil. Baseline Ascaris was associated with dirt floor, dogs, exposed soil in yard, open defecation and with less time playing outdoors, whereas Ascaris re-infection was associated with water storage, vegetation cover and garbage near the home and not playing with animals. Our results show complex interactions between infection, the yard environment and child behaviours, and indicate that transmission would be reduced if latrines were closer to the home, and if open defecation and water spillage were reduced.

Keywords

soil-transmitted helminthsAscarishookwormsoil eggs and larvaevegetation coverwater storagelatrinesopen defecationsoil contactlandscape of yard
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 142 , Issue 12 , October 2015 , pp. 1543 - 1554
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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