Jennifer Shield1,2, Sabine Braat1,3, Matthew Watts4, Gemma Robertson5, Miles Beaman6, James McLeod7, Robert W Baird8, Julie Hart6, Jennifer Robson9, Rogan Lee4, Stuart McKessar10, Suellen Nicholson11, Johanna Mayer-Coverdale12, Beverley-Ann Biggs1,13. 1. Departments of Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 2. Department of Pharmacy and Applied Science, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. 3. Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. 4. Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Pathology West-ICPMR and Marie Bashir Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia. 5. Melbourne Pathology, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia. 6. PathWest Laboratory Medicine, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia. 7. Territory Pathology, Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia. 8. Territory Pathology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Tiwi, Northern Territory, Australia. 9. Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, Bowen Hills, Queensland, Australia. 10. SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. 11. Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Doherty Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 12. Pathology Queensland, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia. 13. Victorian Infectious Disease Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There are no national prevalence studies of Strongyloides stercoralis infection in Australia, although it is known to be endemic in northern Australia and is reported in high risk groups such as immigrants and returned travellers. We aimed to determine the seropositivity (number positive per 100,000 of population and percent positive of those tested) and geographical distribution of S. stercoralis by using data from pathology laboratories. METHODOLOGY: We contacted all seven Australian laboratories that undertake Strongyloides serological (ELISA antibody) testing to request de-identified data from 2012-2016 inclusive. Six responded. One provided positive data only. The number of people positive, number negative and number tested per 100,000 of population (Australian Bureau of Statistics data) were calculated including for each state/territory, each Australian Bureau of Statistics Statistical Area Level 3 (region), and each suburb/town/community/locality. The data was summarized and expressed as maps of Australia and Greater Capital Cities. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We obtained data for 81,777 people who underwent serological testing for Strongyloides infection, 631 of whom were from a laboratory that provided positive data only. Overall, 32 (95% CI: 31, 33) people per 100,000 of population were seropositive, ranging between 23/100,000 (95% CI: 19, 29) (Tasmania) and 489/100,000 population (95%CI: 462, 517) (Northern Territory). Positive cases were detected across all states and territories, with the highest (260-996/100,000 and 17-40% of those tested) in regions across northern Australia, north-east New South Wales and north-west South Australia. Some regions in Greater Capital Cities also had a high seropositivity (112-188/100,000 and 17-20% of those tested). Relatively more males than females tested positive. Relatively more adults than children tested positive. Children were under-represented in the data. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The study confirms that substantial numbers of S. stercoralis infections occur in Australia and provides data to inform public health planning.
BACKGROUND: There are no national prevalence studies of Strongyloides stercoralisinfection in Australia, although it is known to be endemic in northern Australia and is reported in high risk groups such as immigrants and returned travellers. We aimed to determine the seropositivity (number positive per 100,000 of population and percent positive of those tested) and geographical distribution of S. stercoralis by using data from pathology laboratories. METHODOLOGY: We contacted all seven Australian laboratories that undertake Strongyloides serological (ELISA antibody) testing to request de-identified data from 2012-2016 inclusive. Six responded. One provided positive data only. The number of people positive, number negative and number tested per 100,000 of population (Australian Bureau of Statistics data) were calculated including for each state/territory, each Australian Bureau of Statistics Statistical Area Level 3 (region), and each suburb/town/community/locality. The data was summarized and expressed as maps of Australia and Greater Capital Cities. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We obtained data for 81,777 people who underwent serological testing for Strongyloidesinfection, 631 of whom were from a laboratory that provided positive data only. Overall, 32 (95% CI: 31, 33) people per 100,000 of population were seropositive, ranging between 23/100,000 (95% CI: 19, 29) (Tasmania) and 489/100,000 population (95%CI: 462, 517) (Northern Territory). Positive cases were detected across all states and territories, with the highest (260-996/100,000 and 17-40% of those tested) in regions across northern Australia, north-east New South Wales and north-west South Australia. Some regions in Greater Capital Cities also had a high seropositivity (112-188/100,000 and 17-20% of those tested). Relatively more males than females tested positive. Relatively more adults than children tested positive. Children were under-represented in the data. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The study confirms that substantial numbers of S. stercoralisinfections occur in Australia and provides data to inform public health planning.
Authors: Abdallah S Daar; Peter A Singer; Deepa Leah Persad; Stig K Pramming; David R Matthews; Robert Beaglehole; Alan Bernstein; Leszek K Borysiewicz; Stephen Colagiuri; Nirmal Ganguly; Roger I Glass; Diane T Finegood; Jeffrey Koplan; Elizabeth G Nabel; George Sarna; Nizal Sarrafzadegan; Richard Smith; Derek Yach; John Bell Journal: Nature Date: 2007-11-22 Impact factor: 49.962
Authors: Ashwin Swaminathan; Joseph Torresi; Patricia Schlagenhauf; Karin Thursky; Annelies Wilder-Smith; Bradley A Connor; Eli Schwartz; Frank Vonsonnenberg; Jay Keystone; Daniel P O'Brien Journal: J Infect Date: 2009-05-31 Impact factor: 6.072
Authors: Meruyert Beknazarova; Joel L N Barratt; Richard S Bradbury; Meredith Lane; Harriet Whiley; Kirstin Ross Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2019-08-20