Communicable Disease: Intestinal Parasites

As mentioned, resettling refugees > 1 years of age receive 400 mg of albendazole 48 hours prior to departure for the United States as a presumptive treatment for helminthiasis. Approximately 20% of new arrivals into Texas between June 2009 and May 2011 had positive ova and parasite stool samples during post-arrival screening exams. ¹⁵ Of 295 records that specified a parasite, more than 50% were positive for Giardia, 36% for Dientamoeba, 20% for Entamoeba, and 2% or less for Ascaris, Clonorchis, hookworm, Schistosoma, Strongyloides, and Trichuris. On serological tests, a more sensitive means of detecting Schistosoma and Strongyloides infection, of 272 refugees tested, 20% were positive for Strongyloides while only 2% of 64 tested were positive for Schistosoma. ¹⁵

For children under 5 years old there were approximately 2 cases of intestinal parasites per 1000 population per month. For all ages there were approximately 0.6 cases of intestinal parasites per 1000 population per month.

References

15. Texas Department of State Health Services (2009-2011), Electronic System for Health Assesment of Refugees (eShare Database).