Transcript BSP 2015 Migrant worker

INTESTINAL PARASITIC INFECTIONS
FROM MIGRANT WORKERS IN MALAYSIA
Email: [email protected]
Sahimin, N. 1, Mohd Zain, S.N.1, Yvonne, A. L. Lim 2, Ariffin, F. 3, Behnke, J.M.4 and Lewis, J.W.5
1 Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Lembah Pantai, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
2Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Lembah Pantai, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
3Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UiTM Sungai Buloh Campus, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia.
4 School of Biology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
5 School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 OEX, United Kingdom.
Introduction
Malaysia imports a high number of migrant workers from several neighbouring countries to cope with the expanding
workforce especially in the low skill category. Migrant workers entering the country are screened for communicable diseases
such as HIV, STD and TB. However, screening for parasitic infections are often neglected and this may pose a high risk of
transmission due to poor hygiene and sanitation. Therefore, this preliminary study was undertaken to identify those parasitic
infections that might occur in migrant workers entering Malaysia.
Methodology and Results
Workers were recruited from the manufacturing,
construction, plantation, domestic and services sectors.
Faecal samples, fixed in formalin ether followed by iodine
staining, were examined microscopically for helminth eggs
(x10) and protozoan cysts (x40).
219 faecal samples were examined from 297 volunteers,
originated from Indonesia (n=146, 49.2%), Nepal (n=84,
28.3%), Myanmar (n=26, 8.8%), India (n=21, 7.1%),
Ascaris lumbricoides
Bangladesh (n=19, 6.4%) and Vietnam (n=1, 0.3%).
A high proportion of the workers (n=147, 67.1%) were
positive for at least one parasite species .
Up to six parasite species were recorded from the 219
volunteers with the ascarid nematode Ascaris lumbricoides
(70.7%) being the most prevalent, followed by Entamoeba
sp. (27.2%), hookworm (24.5%), Giardia sp.
(18.4%),Trichuris trichiura (12.9%) and Hymenolepis nana
(1.4%).
Hymenolepis nana
Hookworm
Trichuris trichiura
Entamoeba spp.
Giardia spp.
 Workers from India and Bangladesh showed the highest infections with prevalence above 80% and according to host gender,
male workers (73.1%) were more heavily infected than females (55.4%).
Relative to sector, services recorded the highest prevalence (80.3%), followed by manufacturing (76.1%), domestic (54.9%),
and construction (50%).
Summary
The increase in parasitic infections amongst foreign workers compared to a decade ago (36%, 173 stool samples)(Anuar Zaini
et al., 2002) is likely to be due to higher populations of workers inhabiting crowded quarters with inadequate sanitation and
poor personal hygiene.
High prevalence of Ascaris coincides with values of up to 93.3% in soil sampled from playgrounds in Peninsular Malaysia (
Mohd Zain et al, 2014).
These preliminary results suggest that the authorities should without delay evaluate methods of prevention, control and
treatment with the view to implementing a more effective public health policy for migrant workers entering and residing in
Malaysia.
References
1.
2.
Anuar Zaini, M.Z., KhairulAnuar, A. & Nooriah M.S. (2002). Health Problems of Foreign Workers. Eds. Journal of the University of Malaya Medical Centre 7(1).
Mohd Zain, S.N., Rahman, R., and Lewis, J.W. (2014). The role of stray cats and dogs in contaminating soil with geohelminth eggs in playgrounds from Peninsular
Malaysia. Journal of Helminthology.(DOI.10.1017/S0022149X14000716)