Table 5.
Abundance of helminth and protozoan parasites by region of origin of the subjects in the study
| Mean (Eggs/oocyst/cysts per gm of faeces) ± S.E.M. (Maximum Egg/Oocyst/cyst count) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| western Asia | eastern Asia | northern & Saharan Africa | sub-Saharan Africa | Overall | |
| Helminths | |||||
| Ascaris lumbricoides | 3.88 ± 1.512 (1,433) | 5.28 ± 1.886 (1,373) | 1.69 ± 1.596 (220) | 4.50 ± 3.472 (400) | 4.32 ± 1.075 (1,433) |
| Hookworms | 3.64 ± 0.851 (660) | 1.11 ± 0.373 (200) | 0.96 ± 0.587 (66) | 0.64 ± 0.478 (53) | 2.39 ± 0.466 (660) |
| Trichuris trichiura | 1.05 ± 0.442 (440) | 1.04 ± 0.325 (166) | 0.19 ± 0.188 (26) | 0.21 ± 0.211 (26) | 0.96 ± 0.260 (440) |
| Strongyloides stercoralis | 0.08 ± 0.038 (33) | 0.15 ± 0.082 (66) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0.10 ± 0.037 (66) |
| Hymenolepis nana | 0.97 ± 0.672 (833) | 0.05 ± 0.043 (40) | 2.85 ± 2.848 (393) | 0.76 ± 0.756 (93) | 0.72 ± 0.385 (833) |
| All helminths combined | 9.93 ± 1.955 (1,499) | 7.64 ± 1.964 (1,373) | 8.04 ± 4.034 (393) | 6.11 ± 3.574 (400) | 8.77 ± 1.287 (1,499) |
| Protozoa | |||||
| Blastocystis hominis | 36.98 ± 6.279 (4,333) | 17.99 ± 4.314 (2,533) | 35.82 ± 12.099 (1,353) | 22.64 ± 12.350 (1,033) | 29.06 ± 3.753 (4,333) |
| Endolimax nana | 32.53 ± 8.409 (7,333) | 6.83 ± 2.106 (1,100) | 36.89 ± 20.743 (1,986) | 102.15 ± 45.399 (4,293) | 26.54 ± 5.113 (7,333) |
| Entamoeba coli | 11.00 ± 3.169 (3,133) | 4.42 ± 1.431 (720) | 16.22 ± 7.095 (820) | 1.14 ± 0.873 (100) | 8.32 ± 1.775 (3,133) |
| Entamoeba histolytica/dispar | 5.81 ± 2.267 (1,800) | 1.37 ± 0.657 (420) | 3.57 ± 2.799 (366) | 0.65 ± 0.65 (80) | 3.76 ± 1.212 (1,800) |
| Giardia duodenalis | 46.40 ± 9.714 (5,000) | 8.04 ± 3.244 (1,800) | 1.97 ± 1.928 (266) | 0 (0) | 27.19 ± 5.199 (5,000) |
| All protozoa combined | 134.83 ± 16.458 (9,786) | 39.44 ± 6.510 (2,533) | 119.82 ± 36.045 (3,392)3 | 127.01 ± 47.319 (4,293) | 97.69 ± 9.436 (9,786) |
| Helminths and protozoa combined | 144.76 ± 16.537 (9,786) | 47.08 ± 6.815 (2,533) | 127.86 ± 36.079 (3,392) | 133.11 ± 47.331 (4293) | 106.47 ± 9.506 (9,786) |
The highest regional prevalence for each species is in bold
Values are given for those taxa that showed an overall prevalence equal to or greater than 0.4%