The intestinal parasite infection status of inhabitants in the Roxas city, the Philippines

Abstract

We carried out a small-scale survey to investigate the status of intestinal protozoa and helminthesinfection of inhabitants in Roxas city, Mindoro, the Philippines. Total 301 stool samples were subjected to theformalin-ether concentration method for the detection of helminth ova and protozoan cysts. The overall positive ratewas 64.5%, and that of male and female were 56.6% and 72.5%, respectively. The highest infected helminth wasAscaris lumbricoudes(51.2%), followed by Trichuris trichiura(27.6%), hookworm (8.0%) and Enterobius vermicularis(0.3%). The protozoa infection status revealed that Entamoeba coli was the most frequent (15.0%). Iodoamoebabuetschlii and E. histolyticawere found but few. The multiple infection more than two parasites was 29.6%, anddouble infection with A. lumbricoidesand T. trichiurawas most common. The intestinal helminth infections werehighly prevalent in this area, according to this result, and we concluded that anthelminthic drugs should be given toinhabitants, especially to children of 1 to 15 years-old.