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Screening for Intestinal Parasitic Infections Among Myanmar Migrant Workers in Thai Food Industry: A High-Risk Transmission

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Abstract

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.

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Acknowledgements

We are thankful to the supervisors and officers at the Food Industry in Samut Sakhon Province. We would like to thank Ms. Sutin Yenthakam, Ms. Jarurat Prownebon, Ms. Alisa Junpee, Mr. Job Boonpunya, Mr. Parkpoom Dejhutsadin, Ms. Pasakorn Jaipradubpetch, Ms. Achara Jongjareonkumchok, Ms. Mattaneeya Pattarateerachat for their technical help. V. Sanprasert is supported by the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) through the Royal Golden Jubilee (RGJ) Ph.D. Program (Grant No. PHD/0169/2543).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lymphatic Filariasis Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Surang Nuchprayoon & Vivornpun Sanprasert

  2. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Surang Nuchprayoon, Sakchai Kaewzaithim & Wilai Saksirisampant

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  1. Surang Nuchprayoon
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  2. Vivornpun Sanprasert
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Correspondence to Surang Nuchprayoon.

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Nuchprayoon, S., Sanprasert, V., Kaewzaithim, S. et al. Screening for Intestinal Parasitic Infections Among Myanmar Migrant Workers in Thai Food Industry: A High-Risk Transmission. J Immigrant Minority Health 11, 115–121 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-008-9169-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-008-9169-8

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