Helminthiasis among the Lam Nam Chi Reservoir Project, Chaiyaphum Province

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the situation of helminthiasis in people, animal reservoirs, and intermediate hosts around the dam areas with geographic coordinate surveys. The total of 333 stool samples were randomized to examine for eggs and larvae of helminths using formalin–ether concentration technique (FECT) while floating and sedimentation technique together with FECT were applied to examine parasite infection in their reservoir stool samples. The cercariae in fresh water snails were detected by shedding and crushing technique while the metacercariae in fresh water fishes were detected by pepsin digestion methods.

The research results showed that helminth infection rate among the studied people was 10.5 percent. The infection rate of zoonotic helminths in dogs, cats, cows and buffaloes were 66.7, 75.0, 42.0, and 63.3 percents, respectively. The cercarial or metacercarial infection rate in fresh water snails was 1.1 percent while in fresh water fishes was 1.28 percent. In this study, Opisthorchis viverrini eggs were detected in stool human samples and their metacercariae were detected in fish. Liver fluke is one of the recent etiological factors of cholangiocarcinoma in Thai people. Strongyle was found in cows while rumen fluke and coccidia protozoa were found in buffaloes and dogs and cats have high hookworm infestations. According to the results, public health agencies, provincial and local livestock offices, and local authorities should educate people to consume only cooked shellfish and fish foods.