Epidemiology and Infection
Volume 128, Issue 3, 2002, Pages 439-444

Chronic Strongloides stercoralis infection in Laotian immigrants and refugees 7-20 years after resettlement in Australia (Article)

De Silva S. , Saykao P. , Kelly H. , Macintyre C.R. , Ryan N. , Leydon J. , Biggs B.-A.*
  • a University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Vic. 3050, Australia
  • b Medical Clinic, 25 Princes St., Flemington 3031, Australia
  • c Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, 10 Wreckyn St., North Melbourne, Vic. 3051, Australia
  • d Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Vic. 3050, Australia
  • e Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, 10 Wreckyn St., North Melbourne, Vic. 3051, Australia
  • f Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, 10 Wreckyn St., North Melbourne, Vic. 3051, Australia
  • g University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Vic. 3050, Australia, Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, 10 Wreckyn St., North Melbourne, Vic. 3051, Australia

Abstract

During the period 1974-91 large numbers of Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees were resettled in Western countries, including Australia. Health screening during this period demonstrated that intestinal parasite infections were common. A cross-sectional survey of 95 Laotian settlers who arrived in Australia on average 12 years prior to the study was conducted to determine if chronic intestinal parasite infections were prevalent in this group. Twenty-three participants had positive Strongyloides stercoralis test results (22 with positive serology, including 1 with S. stercoralis larvae detected in faeces and another with larvae and equivocal serology). Of these 23 participants, 18 (78%) had an elevated eosinophil count. Two patients had eggs of Opisthorchis spp. identified by faecal microscopy. The detection of chronic strongyloidiasis in Laotian settlers is a concern because of the potential serious morbidity associated with this pathogen.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

parasitology Strongyloidiasis Strongyloides stercoralis Antibodies, Helminth Eosinophilia immigrant parasite serodiagnosis parasitosis refugee Australia Laos human Refugees middle aged feces analysis controlled study Opisthorchis Larva pathology Aged parasite virulence morbidity Animals screening test Health Surveys chronic disease ethnology animal Cross-Sectional Studies cross-sectional study Humans Adolescent male female Aged, 80 and over enzyme linked immunosorbent assay prevalence helminth antibody Article major clinical study adult parasite prevalence Feces migration microscopy intestine infection nematodiasis Emigration and Immigration pathogenicity Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0035983433&doi=10.1017%2fS0950268801006677&partnerID=40&md5=0862a8f74ede1447b80a726ee6198754
DOI: 10.1017/S0950268801006677
ISSN: 09502688
Cited by: 40
Original Language: English