Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Parasitology. 2012 May;139(6):802-8. doi: 10.1017/S003118201100237X. Epub 2012 Feb 6.
Soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH), among the most common neglected tropical diseases, is a major public health problem in Malaysia with a possible impact on the nutritional status and school participation of rural children. This study was carried out among Aboriginal schoolchildren, living in an endemic area for STH in Malaysia, to determine the possible relationship between intestinal helminthiasis and school absenteeism. We also evaluated whether successful treatment of the infection will affect school attendance among the subjects. Stool analysis revealed that more than 90% of the subjects were infected with at least 1 helminth species, with Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections being most prevalent. Infection of moderate-to-heavy worm burdens, low level of fathers' education and anaemia were identified as the significant predictors of high absenteeism among the subjects (P<0·05). Following treatment of the infected children, it was found that school absenteeism was reduced significantly (P<0·01). In conclusion, STH continues to have significant impacts on public health, particularly in rural communities with a negatively significant effect on the school participation of Aboriginal children. A school-based de-worming programme should be introduced and incorporated in the current educational assistance targeted towards the Aboriginal communities, under the auspices of the government.
土壤传播的蠕虫病（STH）是最常见的被忽视的热带病之一，在马来西亚是一个主要的公共卫生问题，可能会影响农村儿童的营养状况和学校参与度。本研究在马来西亚 STH 流行地区的原住民学童中进行，旨在确定肠道蠕虫感染与学校缺课之间的可能关系。我们还评估了成功治疗感染是否会影响研究对象的出勤率。粪便分析显示，超过 90%的研究对象至少感染了 1 种蠕虫，其中蛔虫和鞭虫感染最为普遍。中度至重度虫体负荷感染、父亲教育程度低和贫血被确定为研究对象高缺勤率的显著预测因素（P<0·05）。在对感染儿童进行治疗后，发现他们的缺课率显著降低（P<0·01）。总之，STH 继续对公共卫生产生重大影响，特别是在农村社区，对原住民儿童的学校参与率产生负面影响。政府应在当前针对原住民社区的教育援助计划下，引入并实施以学校为基础的驱虫计划。
