Major study shows impact of parasitic worms in Rwanda

These findings highlights the value of regular deworming for children, says the study done by Imperial College London and Columbia University, in collaboration with the Rwanda Access Project. The findings appear in the open-access journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

Parasitic worm infections – often with more than two different worms – are some of the most common afflictions of people living in developing countries, primarily in rural areas, where they often have no access to health services.

Available data from the National Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) programme show that at least 65 per cent of all Rwandans suffer from intestinal worms. The parasites are said to be the second-highest cause of all health clinic visits in Rwanda.

Parasitic infections generally receive less attention than other diseases in developing countries, and very few studies have examined the implications for human health of multiple infections.

The researchers of the latest study say it was to determine the burden of such infections on the health of people in Rwanda.

The results show that Rwandans infected with more than one species of parasitic worm are more likely to be underweight. However, infection did not have as significant an effect on growth stunting or anemia, as has been observed in previous studies in other countries.

The research team analyzed data from some 1,605 children and adolescents from six schools in two districts of the Northern Province of Rwanda before treating them with safe and effective anti-worm drugs.

Another result showed that those who were badly nourished or underweight were more likely to be anemic, whether or not they had a parasitic infection.

"Parasitic worm infections are very common in low-income countries such as Rwanda," said Dr. Artemis Koukounari, corresponding author of the paper from the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College London.

He said in Rwanda, people infected with worms are more likely to be underweight than uninfected people.

"We believe that sustainable efforts to deworm the young people in Rwanda must continue in order to offer a worm-free generation whose physical and cognitive development can be strong so that economic development of the country can continue."

This new research comes following the first-ever deworming campaign in August last year throughout the country which saw 5million school-aged children, 1.5 million pre-school children and 50,000 expectant mothers given necessary doses.  

Despite the danger which these parasites case, Action Against Hunger says the disease has not received as much attention as malaria, HIV/AIDS or Tuberculosis.