Back to Search Start Over

Environmental Detection of Parasites in the Marginalized Paiute Reservations Compared to a Nearby Area.

Authors :
McKim S
Kopystynsky K
Wolf N
Akbar FA
Bottazzi ME
Hotez PJ
Mejia R
Source :
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene [Am J Trop Med Hyg] 2024 Feb 13; Vol. 110 (3), pp. 457-459. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Feb 13 (Print Publication: 2024).
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

The amounts of parasite DNA in soil samples from different playgrounds and other public areas can help identify areas of possible microbe transmission and give indications of the possible occurrence of parasite infection in nearby communities. We collected 207 soil samples from parks in Paiute indigenous tribal areas in southwestern Utah and from the higher income city of St. George, Utah, and tested them for 11 parasites that can cause human disease. Molecular tests revealed an elevated odds ratio (OR) of 3.072 (range, 1.114-8.065) for detecting the helminth Trichuris trichiura and an elevated OR of 3.036 (range, 1.101-7.966) for any protozoa (not including Acanthamoeba) in the tribal land playgrounds compared with St. George parks. These findings support previous studies showing that areas in lower socioeconomic communities, especially marginalized communities, tend to have more parasites in the soil, which may lead to higher disease prevalence rates.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1476-1645
Volume :
110
Issue :
3
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
38350146
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.23-0712