02146nas a2200253 4500000000100000008004100001260004500042653003900087653003800126653001200164653002200176100002200198700001700220700002300237700001700260700001500277700001400292700001400306245014300320856008500463300001200548490000600560520132600566 2017 d bBritish Medical Journal Publishing Group10aNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs)10aSoil-Transmitted Helminths (STHs)10aEcuador10aRural communities1 aRomero-Sandoval N1 aOrtiz-Rico C1 aSánchez-Pérez HJ1 aValdivieso D1 aSandoval C1 aPástor J1 aMartín M00aSoil transmitted helminthiasis in indigenous groups. A community cross sectional study in the Amazonian southern border region of Ecuador. uhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5353281/pdf/bmjopen-2016-013626.pdf ae0136260 v73 a

BACKGROUND:
Rural communities in the Amazonian southern border of Ecuador have benefited from governmental social programmes over the past 9 years, which have addressed, among other things, diseases associated with poverty, such as soil transmitted helminth infections. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of geohelminth infection and several factors associated with it in these communities.

METHODS:
This was a cross sectional study in two indigenous communities of the Amazonian southern border of Ecuador. The data were analysed at both the household and individual levels.

RESULTS:
At the individual level, the prevalence of geohelminth infection reached 46.9% (95% CI 39.5% to 54.2%), with no differences in terms of gender, age, temporary migration movements or previous chemoprophylaxis. In 72.9% of households, one or more members were infected. Receiving subsidies and overcrowding were associated with the presence of helminths.

CONCLUSIONS:
The prevalence of geohelminth infection was high. Our study suggests that it is necessary to conduct studies focusing on communities, and not simply on captive groups, such as schoolchildren, with the object of proposing more suitable and effective strategies to control this problem.