Status of Intestinal Helminth Infections among Thai Troops Working along Thai-Myanmar Border, Suanphung, Ratchaburi, Thailand

Abstract A survey was performed to investigate the status of intestinal helminth infection among Thaitroops working along the Thai-Myanmar border, in Suanphung, Ratchaburi, Thailand, betweenJuly and September 2004. A total of 286 stool samples from three military units, ie, Pack Platoon,Thai Rangers Force, and the 9th Infantry Regiment Task-Force, were examined by formalin-etherconcentration method for the detection of helminth eggs. The overall positive rate for one or moreintestinal helminths was 29.7%. The helminth with the highest prevalence was Opisthorchis viverrini(19.2%), followed by hookworm (7.7%), Taenia spp (2.8%), Strongyloides stercoralis and Echinostomaspp (1.7%), and Trichuris trichiura and Hymenolepis nana (0.3%). The distribution of the Thai troopsaccording to their domicile region (northern, northeastern, and central) was statistically significant(p < 0.05). The differences in prevalence between Pack Platoon, Thai Rangers Force, and the 9thInfantry Regiment Task-Force were also statistically significant (p < 0.05). The highest prevalencewas found in the age group 45-54 years. Keywords: intestinal helminths, Thai troops, Thai-Myanmar border, Suanphung, Ratchaburi, Thailand