High Prevalence of Echinostoma mekongi Infection in Schoolchildren and Adults, Kandal Province, Cambodia

Abstract

A high prevalence of Echinostoma mekongi infection (13.9%; 260/1,876) was found among schoolchildren and adults in Kandal Province, Cambodia, by fecal examination, worm expulsion, and molecular analysis of cox1 and nd1 genes. The source of infection was consumption of Pila sp. snails, a finding confirmed morphologically and molecularly.

Keywords

• Echinostoma mekongi
• Cambodia
• helminths
• vector-borne infections
• food safety
• snails