Parasitic infections common in kids in low-resource US communities

Most Americans view parasitic infections as a problem of the past or one that only impacts low-income countries. However, new research from Washington University in St. Louis finds evidence that the problem is likely widespread in low-resource communities throughout southern United States.

In a small, preliminary study published in American Journal of Human Biology, 38% of children sampled from a rural Mississippi Delta community were found to have either parasitic worms or protist infections - a single-cell parasitic organisms that can negatively impact intestinal health.

Parasitic infections are a neglected health issue in low-resource communities. School-age children are especially at risk for these infections due to increased exposure through play, poor hand hygiene and their still-developing immune systems.

Left untreated, the infections can lead to nutritional deficiencies and lifelong health consequences. The authors mentioned that many of the community members they worked with during this project expressed frustration with state and federal governments that do not listen to their concerns related to these issues.

Reference:

Parasitic infections common in kids in low-resource US communities, study finds; JOURNAL American Journal of Human Biology, DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23889.