Imported Opisthorchis viverrini and parasite infections from Thai labourers in Taiwan

Abstract

In order to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites among labourers from Thailand in Taiwan, the stool samples from 1364 Thai labourers were examined by the formalin-ether concentration method and 18·0% were found to be infected with one or more parasites. The infection rates of hookworm, Opisthorchis viverrini, Strongyloides stercoralis, Enterobius vermicularis, Ascaris lumbricoides, Hymenolepis nana, Capillaria philippinensis, Schistosoma japonicum, Echinostoma sp., Entamoeba coli, Giardia lamblia, and Entamoeba histolytica, were 7·6%, 7·0%, 3·2%, 0·5%, 0·3%, 0·1%, 0·1%, 0·l%,0·l%, 0·4%, 0·2%, and 0·1% respectively. The prevalence was highest among the 21–25 age group (24·8%). Among the 245 infected persons, 91% were infected with one parasite, 8% with two parasites and 1% with three parasites. The finding that parasitic infections are prevalent among Thai labourers demonstrates the need for control measures in foreign labourers in Taiwan and further studies to determine the susceptibility of O. viverrini to the snail hosts of Clonorchis sinensis.

Changing patterns in intestinal parasitic infections among Southeast Asian laborers in Taiwan

“…However, this method is usually not employed in large-scale epidemiological studies or screening examinations. The negative findings obtained in the previous studies (Peng et al 1993;Wang 1998;Fan et al 1999) may be due to this technical problem. Although the formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation technique is not very suitable for the detection of this parasite, we found a high prevalence of 3.4% among laborers.…”

“…In the early 1990s, 18% of Thai laborers in North Taiwan were reported to harbor one or more species of intestinal parasite (Peng et al 1993). However, the prevalence among Southeast Asian laborers in North Taiwan decreased from 33.3% in 1992-1993 to 4.6% in 1995-1996.…”

Rapid Molecular Detection of Opisthorchis viverrini in Human Fecal Samples by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

“…2,3 In developed countries, the disease has become more prevalent with the influx of immigrants from Asia. [4][5][6] Humans are infected by eating raw or semi-cooked cyprinoid fishes harboring the O. viverrini infective stage called metacercariae. General symptoms include dyspepsia, fatigue, and upper quadrant abdominal pain.…”

Opisthorchiasis in Thailand: Review and current status

“…The population was divided according to the presence and intensity of infection as follows, 33% were uninfected, 59% had light infections (less than 1000 eggs per g of faeces; EPG), 7% had moderate infections (1000-10 000 EPG), and 1% had heavy (greater than 10 000 EPG) [28] . Therafter, Peng et al [29] have been reported that all 1364 Thai labourers in Taiwan were examined for stool samples and 18.0% were found to be infected, with O. viverrini at 7.0%. The prevalence was highest among the 21-25 age group (24.8%).…”