Socioenvironmental Factors Influencing Distribution and Intensity of Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis in the Brazilian Amazon: Challenges for the 2030 Agenda

J Trop Med. 2021 Feb 4;2021:6610181. doi: 10.1155/2021/6610181. eCollection 2021.ABSTRACTSoil-transmitted helminthiasis (STHs) are poverty-related diseases with high prevalence rates in developing countries. The present study aims to describe the epidemiological scenario of STHs in an urban population in the Brazilian Amazon. A cross-sectional survey (n = 349 children aged 1-15 years) was carried out to obtain faecal samples and sociodemographic and sanitation data. Among the children, 143 (41%) were positive for at least one STH. Prevalence rates of infections by A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura, and hookworms were 24.4%, 42.6%, and 9%, respectively. A logistic regression multivariate model showed that infection with A. lumbricoides is significantly more frequent in children aged 11-15 years (odds ratio [OR] = 2.38; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.15-4.94; p=0.018) and the presence of latrines inside houses is a protection factor against ascariasis (OR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.17-0.85; p=0.019). Positivity for T. trichiura is higher in the 5-10 (OR = 3.31; 95% IC = 1.85-5.89; p=0.001) and 11-15 age groups (OR = 3.16; 95% IC = 1.66-6.00; p=0.001), in children living in poor families (OR = 1.78; 95% IC = 1.01-3.14; p=0.045) and practicing open evacuation (OR = 2.07; 95% IC = 1.07-3.99; p=0.029). Hookworm infection is more frequent in children aged 11-15 years (OR = 6.70; 95% IC = 1.91-23.43; p=0.002), males (OR = 6.35; 95% IC = 2.00-20.14; p=0.002), and those living in stilt houses (O...
Source: Journal of Tropical Medicine - Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Source Type: research