Abstract
Strongyloidiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by the roundworm Strongyloides stercoralis affecting 30-100 million people worldwide. Many Southeast-Asian countries report a high prevalence of S. stercoralis infection, but there are little data from Vietnam. Here, we evaluated the seroprevalence of S. stercoralis related to geography, sex and age in Vietnam through serological testing of anonymized sera. Sera (n = 1710, 1340 adults and 270 children) from an anonymized age-stratified serum bank from four regions in Vietnam between 2012 and 2013 were tested using a commercial Strongyloides ratti immunoglobulin G ELISA. Seroreactivity was found in 29·1% (390/1340) of adults and 5·5% (15/270) of children. Male adults were more frequently seroreactive than females (33·3% vs. 24·9%, P = 0·001). The rural central highlands had the highest seroprevalence (42·4% of adults). Seroreactivity in the other regions was 29·9% (Hue) and 26·0% and 18·2% in the large urban centres of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, respectively. We conclude that seroprevalence of S. stercoralis was high in the Vietnamese adult population, especially in rural areas.
Highlights
Strongyloides stercoralis is a soil-transmitted intestinal million people infected [1]
Sera from Dak Lak showed the highest proportion of positives (142/335, 42·4%), followed by Hue (100/335, 29·9%), Hanoi (87/335, 26%) and Ho Chi Minh City (61/335, 18·2%)
The seroprevalence was higher among males than females (223/670, 33·3% vs. 167/670, 24·9%, χ2 P = 0·001)
Summary
Strongyloides stercoralis is a soil-transmitted intestinal million people infected [1]. We used a commercial ELISA to test anonymized serum samples to estimate the prevalence of Strongyloides infection in the Vietnamese population and compare this between sexes, four regions in Vietnam, and between adults over 40 years and children aged between 13 and 15 years. Sera from Dak Lak showed the highest proportion of positives (142/335, 42·4%), followed by Hue (100/335, 29·9%), Hanoi (87/335, 26%) and Ho Chi Minh City (61/335, 18·2%).
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