Parasitic Infection Surveillance in Mississippi Delta Children

Authors

Richard S. Bradbury, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Irene Arguello, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases
Meredith Lane, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Gretchen Cooley, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sukwan Handali, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Silvia D. Dimitrova, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Fernanda S. Nascimento, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sam Jameson, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases
Kathryn Hellmann, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases
Michelle Tharp, University of Mississippi Medical Center
Paul Byers, Mississippi Department of Health
Susan P. Montgomery, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Lisa Haynie, University of Mississippi Medical Center
Brian Kirmse, University of Mississippi Medical Center
Nils Pilotte, Smith College
Steven A. Williams, Smith CollegeFollow
Charlotte V. Hobbs, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-1-2020

Publication Title

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Abstract

Some recent studies suggest ongoing transmission of parasitic diseases in the American South; however, surveys in Mississippi children are lacking. We enrolled 166 children (median age 8 years, range 4–13 years) from the Mississippi Delta region and carried out multi-parallel real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Necator americanus, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Strongyloides stercoralis on their stool samples. Dried blood spots were obtained for multiplex serology antibody detection. Of 166 children, all reported having flushable toilets, 11% had soil exposure, and 34% had a pet dog or cat. None had prior diagnosis or treatment of parasitic disease. Multi-parallel real-time PCRs were negative on the 89 stool DNA extracts available for testing. Dried blood spot testing of all 166 children determined the seroprevalence of IgG antibodies to Toxocara spp. (3.6%), Cryptosporidium (2.4%), S. stercoralis, Fasciola hepatica, and Giardia duodenalis (all 0%). In conclusion, parasitic infections and exposure were scarce in this population. Larger studies of at-risk populations are needed.

Volume

103

Issue

3

First Page

1150

Last Page

1153

DOI

10.4269/ajtmh.20-0026

ISSN

00029637

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Rights

Copyright © 2020 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Comments

Archived as published. Open access paper.

Recommended Citation

Bradbury, Richard S.; Arguello, Irene; Lane, Meredith; Cooley, Gretchen; Handali, Sukwan; Dimitrova, Silvia D.; Nascimento, Fernanda S.; Jameson, Sam; Hellmann, Kathryn; Tharp, Michelle; Byers, Paul; Montgomery, Susan P.; Haynie, Lisa; Kirmse, Brian; Pilotte, Nils; Williams, Steven A.; and Hobbs, Charlotte V., "Parasitic Infection Surveillance in Mississippi Delta Children" (2020). Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/bio_facpubs/150