Prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis among Aetas in Brgy. Villa Maria, Porac, Pampanga

• Main Authors: De Guia, Jessica Joyce R., Flores, Mary Jane C.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2019
• Subjects: Helminthiasis—Philippines—Pampanga; Aeta (Philippine people)—Diseases; Public Health
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/11190
• Institution: De La Salle University

Soil·transmitted helminth (STH) infections remains a major public health issue in the Philippines. Majority of the infected individuals are resided in impoverished regions such as indigenous peoples. World Health Organization (WHO) reported indigenous peoples including Aetas to be highly vulnerable to parasitic infections, particularly STH. Despite of this report, there are insufficient data about soil-transmitted helmintbiasis among Aetas. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of soil-transmitted belminths and its infection rates among Aetas in Brgy. Villa Maria, Porac, Pampanga. Fecal samples of 223 Aetas were processed by Formalin Tween Concentration Technique and examined microscopically. The overall prevalence of STH infections among Aetas is 71.3% (159/223). ln terms of infection rates, 49.7% (79/159) bad single infection while 50.3% (80/159) had mixed infections. Asc,1ris spp. is the most prevalent STH by single infection while Ascaris spp. + Trichuris spp. are the most common STH by mixed infections. The occurrence of STH in a comm unity suggests continued practice of open defecation or improper disposal of human and animal wastes that continually contaminate the soil. It also indicates the poor practices of sanitation and hygiene that bad effectively transmitted STH infection within the community.