Public Health Reports
Volume 108, Issue 6, 1993, Pages 736-741

The seroprevalence of cysticercosis, malaria, and Trypanosoma cruzi among North Carolina migrant farmworkers (Article)

Ciesielski S.* , Seed J.R. , Estrada J. , Wrenn E.
  • a Department of Family Practice, Valley Medical Center, 445 South Cedar Ave., Fresno, CA 93702, United States
  • b Department of Family Practice, Valley Medical Center, 445 South Cedar Ave., Fresno, CA 93702, United States
  • c Department of Family Practice, Valley Medical Center, 445 South Cedar Ave., Fresno, CA 93702, United States
  • d Department of Family Practice, Valley Medical Center, 445 South Cedar Ave., Fresno, CA 93702, United States

Abstract

A seroprevalence study of cysticercosis, Trypanosoma cruzi, and plasmodia species and screening for active malaria was conducted among a randomly selected group of 138 Hispanic and Haitian migrant farmworkers. A random sample of labor camps in eastern North Carolina was selected. Blood samples were tested by Indirect Fluorescent Antibody techniques for plasmodial antibody and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for cysticerci and T. cruzi antibodies. Questionnaires collected demographic data and medical history of the workers and family. Blood films stained with Leukostat stain were examined for plasmodia species. The seroprevalence of cysticercosis was 10 percent, T. cruzi 2 percent, and plasmodia species 4.4 percent. One case of active malaria (Plasmodium vivax) was demonstrated. The clinical significance of seropositivity was not determined, but these results suggest that a small but significant number of farmworkers are infected with cysticercosis, T. cruzi, and malaria. Migrant health clinicians should be aware of the possible presence of these infections. Greater observance and enforcement of sanitation regulations in farmwork is needed to prevent transmission of cysticercosis.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

parasitosis Random Allocation agricultural worker human North Carolina Agriculture priority journal Malaria Central America Mexico United States Haiti migrant worker sanitation human cell serodiagnosis prevalence Article disease transmission Support, Non-U.S. Gov't major clinical study Cysticercosis Fluorescent Antibody Technique Transients and Migrants Chagas Disease Seroepidemiologic Studies Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay trypanosomiasis
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0027716513&partnerID=40&md5=937dd3f606d854a5ad6958f840141dab
ISSN: 00333549
Cited by: 10
Original Language: English