Relationship between Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and HookwormInfections among School Children in Mbita, Kenya

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a serious threat for human health. The majority of TB cases arise from latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Therefore, latent M. tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is a major reservoir of the pathogen, and every effort thus should be made to diagnose LTBI to ensure completion of the treatment of it. TB is endemic throughout most of the tropics, in which parasitic infections are prevalent as well. It was reported that Helminth infection, including hookworm, is a risk of active TB, but its effect on the establishment of LTBI is unknown. In this study, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of LTBI and parasitic infections among 240 children from schools situated along the shores of Lake Victoria in Mbita district, Kenya. Blood samples were analyzed for LTBI and enteric parasite infections. Among the 240 children examined, 75 (31.3 %) were found to have LTBI. Of the 75 children with LTBI, 10 children (13.3%) were found to be positive for hookworm eggs (odds ratio: 3.02; 95% confidence interval: 1.14-7.99). Our study suggests for the first time that hookworm infection is associated with not only active TB but also LTBI.