Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection and its correlation with eosinophil counts among elementary school children within the Medan Belawan District, North Sumatera Province, Indonesia. Methods: Ninety-nine subjects participated in this study (ascariasis, n = 40; trichuriasis, n = 9; mixed infection, n = 50). Stool samples were examined by using the Kato-Katz method, and blood samples were examined by using peripheral blood smears. Results: The prevalence of STH infection in children from two elementary schools was 65.4%; the baseline prevalences of ascariasis, trichuriasis, and mixed infection were 37.1%, 21.9%, and 40.8%, respectively. The respective mean eosinophil counts among children with ascariasis, trichuriasis, and mixed infection were 7.18%, 8.11%, and 8.64% (P = 0.32), and the respective prevalences of eosinophilia were 47.5%, 77.8%, and 70% (P = 0.05). The eosinophil counts correlated significantly with the number of eggs per gram of feces; ascariasis correlated strongly (P < 0.001; r = 0.62), and trichuriasis showed correlated weakly (P = 0.04; r = 0.21) with this parameter. The mean eosinophil count correlated significantly with STH infection intensity (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Eosinophil counts correlated strongly with ascariasis while weakly with trichuriasis. We determined that eosinophil count may be used as a marker of STH infection.

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