Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://dora.health.qld.gov.au/qldresearchjspui/handle/1/5204
Title: Rapid Progress toward Elimination of Strongyloidiasis in North Queensland, Tropical Australia, 2000-2018
Authors: Paltridge, Matthew
Smith, Simon 
Traves, Aileen
McDermott, Robyn
Fang, Xin
Blake, Chris 
Milligan, Brad 
D'Addona, Andrew 
Hanson, Josh 
Issue Date: 2020
Publisher: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Source: Paltridge, M., Smith, S., Traves, A., McDermott, R., Fang, X., Blake, C., Milligan, B., D'Addona, A., & Hanson, J. (2020). Rapid Progress toward Elimination of Strongyloidiasis in North Queensland, Tropical Australia, 2000-2018. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 102(2), 339–345. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.19-0490
Journal: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene
Abstract: Infection with Strongyloides stercoralis can cause life-threatening disease in immunocompromised patients. Strongyloidiasis is thought to be hyper-endemic in tropical Australia, but there are limited contemporary seroprevalence data to inform local elimination strategies. To define the temporospatial epidemiology of strongyloidiasis in Far North Queensland, tropical Australia, the serology results of 2,429 individuals tested for the infection between 2000 and 2018 were examined. The proportion of positive tests fell from 36/69 (52.2%) in 2000 to 18/222 (8.1%) in 2018 (P < 0.001). Indigenous patients were more likely to have a positive result (Odds Ratio [OR]: 3.9, 95% CI: 3.0-5.0); however, by the end of the study period, residence in a rural or remote location (OR 3.9 (95% CI: 1.2-13.0), P = 0.03) was a more important risk factor for seropositivity than Indigenous status (OR 1.1 (95% CI: 0.4-3.1) P = 0.91). Ivermectin prescription data were available for the period 2004-2018, with annual prescriptions increasing from 100 to 185 boxes (P = 0.01). The volume of ivermectin dispensed correlated negatively with seropositivity (Spearman's rho = -0.62, P = 0.02). An expanded environmental health program was implemented during the study period and likely contributed to the declining seroprevalence; however, the relative contributions of the individual components of this program are difficult to quantify. The seroprevalence of strongyloidiasis has declined markedly in this region of tropical Australia despite there being no targeted campaign to address the disease. Expanded prescription of ivermectin and public health interventions targeting the few remaining high-prevalence communities would be expected to expedite disease elimination.
Description: Cairns & Hinterland Hospital and Health Service (CHHHS) affiliated authors: Simon Smith, Xin Fang, Chris Blake, Brad Milligan, Andrew D'Addona, Josh Hanson
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0490
Type: Article
Appears in Sites:Cairns & Hinterland HHS Publications

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat 
Rapid progress toward elimination of Strongyloidiasis in North Queensland.pdf475.65 kBAdobe PDFThumbnail
View/Open
Show full item record

Page view(s)

126
checked on Dec 24, 2024

Download(s)

120
checked on Dec 24, 2024

Google ScholarTM

Check

Altmetric


Items in DORA are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.