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. 2020 Sep;103(3):1150-1153.
doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0026.

Parasitic Infection Surveillance in Mississippi Delta Children

Richard S Bradbury  1   2 , Irene Arguello  3 , Meredith Lane  1 , Gretchen Cooley  1 , Sukwan Handali  1 , Silvia D Dimitrova  1 , Fernanda S Nascimento  1 , Sam Jameson  3 , Kathryn Hellmann  3 , Michelle Tharp  4   5 , Paul Byers  6 , Susan P Montgomery  1 , Lisa Haynie  5 , Brian Kirmse  4 , Nils Pilotte  7   8 , Steven A Williams  7   8 , Charlotte V Hobbs  3   9
Affiliations

Parasitic Infection Surveillance in Mississippi Delta Children

Richard S Bradbury et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2020 Sep.

Abstract

Some recent studies suggest ongoing transmission of parasitic diseases in the American South; however, surveys in Mississippi children are lacking. We enrolled 166 children (median age 8 years, range 4-13 years) from the Mississippi Delta region and carried out multi-parallel real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Necator americanus, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Strongyloides stercoralis on their stool samples. Dried blood spots were obtained for multiplex serology antibody detection. Of 166 children, all reported having flushable toilets, 11% had soil exposure, and 34% had a pet dog or cat. None had prior diagnosis or treatment of parasitic disease. Multi-parallel real-time PCRs were negative on the 89 stool DNA extracts available for testing. Dried blood spot testing of all 166 children determined the seroprevalence of IgG antibodies to Toxocara spp. (3.6%), Cryptosporidium (2.4%), S. stercoralis, Fasciola hepatica, and Giardia duodenalis (all 0%). In conclusion, parasitic infections and exposure were scarce in this population. Larger studies of at-risk populations are needed.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: This work was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (RSB), the Blakeslee Fund for Genetics Research at Smith College (N. P. and S. A. W.), and the University of Mississippi Medical Center (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, the University of Mississippi Medical Center). R. B. reports a patent WO2019060840 “Removing Interfering Host NucleicAcids for Molecular Parasite Detection” with royalties paid to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This trial was observational and is exempt from registration at clinicaltrials.gov

Disclaimer: The findings and conclusions of this work are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. This work was presented at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Conference: Poster 522, October 28–November 1, New Orleans, LA.

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