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Chronic Strongyloides stercoralis infection in Laotian immigrants and refugees 7–20 years after resettlement in Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2002

S. DE SILVA ,
P. SAYKAO ,
H. KELLY ,
C. R. MACINTYRE ,
N. RYAN ,
J. LEYDON  and
B-A. BIGGS
S. DE SILVA
Affiliation:
The University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville 3050, Australia
P. SAYKAO
Affiliation:
Medical Clinic, 25 Princes St., Flemington 3031, Australia
H. KELLY
Affiliation:
Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, 10 Wreckyn St., North Melbourne 3051, Australia
C. R. MACINTYRE
Affiliation:
Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville 3050, Australia
N. RYAN
Affiliation:
Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, 10 Wreckyn St., North Melbourne 3051, Australia
J. LEYDON
Affiliation:
Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, 10 Wreckyn St., North Melbourne 3051, Australia
B-A. BIGGS
Affiliation:
The University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville 3050, Australia Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, 10 Wreckyn St., North Melbourne 3051, Australia
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Abstract

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During the period 1974–91 large numbers of Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees were resettled in Western countries, including Australia. Health screening during this period demonstrated that intestinal parasite infections were common. A cross-sectional survey of 95 Laotian settlers who arrived in Australia on average 12 years prior to the study was conducted to determine if chronic intestinal parasite infections were prevalent in this group. Twenty-three participants had positive Strongyloides stercoralis test results (22 with positive serology, including 1 with S. stercoralis larvae detected in faeces and another with larvae and equivocal serology). Of these 23 participants, 18 (78%) had an elevated eosinophil count. Two patients had eggs of Opisthorchis spp. identified by faecal microscopy. The detection of chronic strongyloidiasis in Laotian settlers is a concern because of the potential serious morbidity associated with this pathogen.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 128 , Issue 3 , June 2002 , pp. 439 - 444
Copyright
2002 Cambridge University Press