The impact of intestinal parasitic infections on public health has been neglected. Millions of Myanmar natives have migrated to work in Thailand. We performed a study of intestinal parasitic infections in Myanmar-migrants working in the Thai food industry. A total of 338 Myanmar migrant workers in a food plant at Samut Sakhon Province, Thailand, were recruited for this study. 284 (84%) returned requested stool samples. Samples were examined for intestinal parasites by means of simple smear, formalin-ether concentration, Locke-Egg-Serum medium, and Harada-Mori culture methods. We found parasites in 177 (62.3%) migrants (29 of 46 males; 148 of 238 females). The majority (89.3%) were infected with parasites transmitted by fecal-oral route, including Blastocystis hominis (41.5%), Trichuris trichiura (22.2%), Giardia lamblia (14.1%), and Ascaris lumbricoides (1.8%). Mixed infections were common (40.7%). The highest prevalence (73.3%) was found among migrants from Kohsong city, Myanmar. This high parasite infection rate in Myanmar migrant workers is an obvious public health hazard. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2008.

Thailand Food industry Myanmar-migrant workers Intestinal parasites

food contamination parasitosis food industry mass screening Blastocystis hominis parasite identification Thailand human infection rate feces analysis controlled study priority journal intermethod comparison Locke egg serum culture method Cross-Sectional Studies Young Adult migrant worker feces culture Ascaris lumbricoides Humans Adolescent giardia lamblia male female Myanmar prevalence Article major clinical study adult Feces Trichuris Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic parasite transmission Transients and Migrants trichomoniasis smear intestine parasite Harada Mori culture method mixed infection formalin ether concentration hookworm food handling