Language

English

Publication Date

4-2-2025

Journal

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

DOI

10.4269/ajtmh.24-0364

PMID

39874595

PMCID

PMC11965730

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

1-28-2025

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Abstract

The burden of pathogenic enteric protozoa and soil-transmitted helminths among impoverished populations living on the Texas-Mexico border is unclear. We conducted a cross-sectional study on an ongoing longitudinal cohort of 616 adults residing in Starr County, Texas. A total of 359 adults were screened for four protozoa and five soil-transmitted helminths by using real-time polymerase chain reaction. This analysis identified 48 (13.4%) participants who tested positive for Blastocystis sp., three (0.8%) who tested positive for Giardia intestinalis, and one (0.3%) who tested positive for Strongyloides stercoralis and was also coinfected with Blastocystis sp. Infection was significantly associated with age, a lack of health insurance, and living outside of a colonia. We recommend additional epidemiologic investigations to examine risk factors contributing to protozoa and soil-transmitted helminth disease transmission in border counties.

Keywords

Humans, Male, Female, Middle Aged, Protozoan Infections, Helminthiasis, Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic, Blastocystis, Cross-Sectional Studies, Prevalence, Poverty Areas, Strongyloides stercoralis, Texas

Published Open-Access

yes

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