This study analyzed the prevalence of intestinal parasitoses diagnosed shortly after arrival in the United States among African refugees before and after implementation of an overseas program of empirical treatment with albendazole. Variables included results of microscopy of a single stool specimen, age, sex, ethnicity, departure origin, and receipt of albendazole. Of 1,254 refugees, 56% had intestinal parasites. Fourteen percent had helminths, and 2% had multiple helminths. In addition, 52% had protozoans with 25% having multiple protozoans. The most common pathogens were Giardia lamblia (14%) and Trichuris trichiura (9%). Overall, refugees who arrived in Massachusetts after implementation of the treatment program were less likely to have any parasites (odds ratio [OR] = 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.47-0.78) and helminths (OR = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.09-0.24) than refugees who arrived previously. These more recently arrived refugees were also less likely to have hookworm (OR = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.00-0.29), Trichuris (OR = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.02-0.13), Ascaris (OR = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.01-0.58), and Entamoeba histolytica (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.26-0.86). Empirically treating refugees prior to departure for the United States appears to have resulted in decreases in intestinal helminths and possibly some protozoans among African refugees tested shortly after arrival in this country.

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Nigeria parasitology Giardia intestinalis protozoon Trichuris trichiura Negro helminth parasitosis refugee Africa south of the Sahara Algeria Eritrea methodology Rwanda Massachusetts Entamoeba histolytica human Refugees middle aged Sudan feces analysis Ghana Aged Congo Sierra Leone Mauritania ethnology Burkina Faso United States health program Humans Burundi ethnic difference Senegal giardia lamblia Adolescent Infant, Newborn male Ascaris female Aged, 80 and over Infant Child, Preschool Albendazole preschool child communicable disease control Africa newborn Ancylostomatoidea Liberia prevalence Protozoa Article Vermes infection control Ethiopia Chad major clinical study adult Feces Trichuris Togo intestine infection Somalia Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic Child treatment planning intestine parasite mixed infection hookworm Cote d'Ivoire