Malaria and Enterobiasis among Karen Long-Neck Tribe in Mae Hong Son Province

Abstract

In Thailand, Mae Hong Son Province is highly endemic for malaria. Knowing this, the local Health Department has introduced a program to educate local residents about the risk factors, in particular the dangers and symptoms of malaria. This study was conducted to evaluate these efforts, by determining the number of malaria infections in a segment of the population, and also by testing for enterobiasis among a group of its children. Two villages in Mae Hong Son Province were chosen for this purpose with a combined population of about 300. Of these, 195 were screened for malaria. Two subjects were diagnosed positive for malaria by microscopy. One of these two villages was chosen to screen for Enterobius vermicularis infection in children as well. Out of 69 stool samples, five (7%) showed infection with E. vermicularis: three with a low number of eggs (1-50), and two with a high number of eggs (>100). Compared with infection rates in similar studies, the results of this study indicate that the Health Department's efforts are meeting with relative success. The low prevalence of infection indicates that the villagers are using the information they have received to help combat infection.