The 2013-2015 Nationwide Prevalence Survey of Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH) and Schistosomiasis among School-Age Children in Public Schools in the Philippines

Objectives: The Department of Health (DOH) aims to reduce the prevalence of intestinal parasitism and proportion of heavy intensity of infection in the country by 2022. Among the interventions is school-based mass drug administration (MDA). Regular assessment of MDA gives guidance to the DOH. The aim of this survey was to determine the prevalence of soil transmitted helminthiasis and histosomiasis among public school children ages 5 to 16 years old. Methodology: A cross-sectional, school-based study using multi-stage stratified cluster sampling was conducted from 2013 to 2015, covering the National Capital Region (NCR), and all provinces, except Maguindanao and Sulu. Stool samples were examined using the duplicate Kato Katz (KK). Results: Of the 26,171 school children with stool samples examined, 7,440 (28.4%) were infected with at least one soil-transmitted helminth (STH). Infections among male students were significantly higher than female students (31.0% versus 26.0%). Heavy, moderate, and light intensity of infections were 3.2%, 29.0% and 67.7%, respectively. STH cumulative prevalence per province ranged between 0.5% and 89.5%. Schistosomiasis infections were detected in known non-endemic provinces: Ilocos Norte, Biliran, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, and Dinagat Islands. Majority (68%) of the infections were with single parasites but as many as five parasites were detected in one child. Infections with heterophyids were also observed. Conclusion: While the national prevalence of schistosomiasis was less than 1.0%, the cumulative prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis among school-aged children was higher than the global figure of 24.0%.