Sanyang Abdoulie M, Joof Ebrima, Sey Alhagie Papa, Sambou Sana, Mohamed Zeehaida, Sanneh Bakary
National Public Health Laboratories, Ministry of Health, Bertil Herding High way, Kotu, the Gambia.
School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
Parasite Epidemiol Control. 2021 Oct 21;15:e00228. doi: 10.1016/j.parepi.2021.e00228. eCollection 2021 Nov.
Strongyloidiasis is a parasitic disease that mainly affects humans and is caused by a roundworm called . It is endemic in humid tropical regions that include Africa, Latin America and Southern Asia. Among the public health important soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) classified as neglected tropical diseases, is the most neglected. A study of schistosomiasis and STHs mapping was conducted and larvae were detected using the utilized diagnostic method; thus, this current study described the prevalence and risk factors of infection in districts of Sabach Sanjal and Upper Badibou in The Gambia.
The cross-sectional study enrolled 851 schoolchildren, ages 7 to 14 years old. The participants were enrolled from 17 schools in Sabach Sanjal and Upper Badibou Districts. The WHO random sampling technique n/50 (25 boys and 25 girls) was used. Stool samples were collected from each participant and Kato-Katz smear method was used to screen for infection.
Out of the total 851 pupils, 76 pupils (8.9%) were positive for infection. The mean age of infected persons was 10.1 years (±2.2). The prevalence of infection was higher among females (9.2%) than males (8.7%). Rates of infection for age categories 7-10 years and 11-14 years were 12.4% and 4.2%, respectively. Rates of infection by districts were 12.3% for Sabach Sanjal and 7.1% for Upper Badibou. Schoolchildren from Sabach Sanjal were 1.6 times more likely to have strongyloidiasis compared to those from Upper Badibou (aOR = 1.64, -value = 0.058). Schoolchildren aged 7-10 years were 3.2 times more likely to have strongyloidiasis infection compared to the 11-14-year-olds (aOR = 3.20, -value <0.001). Schoolchildren who 'sometimes' have water or tissue after defaecation have more infection rate compared to those who 'always' have water or tissue after defaecation. However, this difference was not statistically significant (aOR = 1.36, p-value = 0.308).
The study revealed the prevalence of strongyloidiasis in Sabach Sanjal and Upper Badibou districts of The Gambia. Kato-Katz technique might be inadequate for detecting ; thus, more studies are needed to determine the true prevalence of the disease in these two districts through the combined use of highly sensitive techniques such as Baermann, Koga Agar Culture and polymerase chain reaction.
类圆线虫病是一种主要影响人类的寄生虫病，由一种名为[此处原文缺失寄生虫名称]的蛔虫引起。该病在包括非洲、拉丁美洲和南亚在内的潮湿热带地区流行。在被列为被忽视热带病的对公共卫生具有重要意义的土壤传播蠕虫（STH）中，[此处原文缺失寄生虫名称]是最被忽视的。开展了一项血吸虫病和土壤传播蠕虫病绘图研究，并使用所采用的诊断方法检测到了[此处原文缺失寄生虫名称]幼虫；因此，本研究描述了冈比亚萨巴赫·桑贾尔和上巴迪布地区[此处原文缺失寄生虫名称]感染的患病率及危险因素。
这项横断面研究纳入了851名7至14岁的学童。参与者来自萨巴赫·桑贾尔和上巴迪布地区的17所学校。采用世界卫生组织n/50随机抽样技术（25名男孩和25名女孩）。从每位参与者收集粪便样本，并使用加藤厚涂片法筛查[此处原文缺失寄生虫名称]感染。
在851名学生中，76名学生（8.9%）[此处原文缺失寄生虫名称]感染呈阳性。感染者的平均年龄为10.1岁（±2.2）。女性感染率（9.2%）高于男性（8.7%）。7至10岁和11至14岁年龄组的感染率分别为12.4%和4.2%。萨巴赫·桑贾尔地区的感染率为12.3%，上巴迪布地区为7.1%。与来自上巴迪布的学童相比，来自萨巴赫·桑贾尔的学童感染类圆线虫病的可能性高1.6倍（调整后比值比 = 1.64，P值 = 0.058）。7至10岁的学童感染类圆线虫病的可能性是11至14岁学童的3.2倍（调整后比值比 = 3.20，P值<0.001）。排便后“有时”有水或卫生纸的学童感染率高于排便后“总是”有水或卫生纸的学童。然而，这种差异无统计学意义（调整后比值比 = 1.36，P值 = 0.308）。
该研究揭示了冈比亚萨巴赫·桑贾尔和上巴迪布地区类圆线虫病的患病率。加藤厚涂片技术可能不足以检测[此处原文缺失寄生虫名称]；因此，需要开展更多研究，通过联合使用诸如贝尔曼法、古贺琼脂培养法和聚合酶链反应等高灵敏度技术来确定这两个地区该病的真实患病率。
