Willcocks, Briony; McAuliffe, Gary; Baird, Robert

Author(s)

Willcocks, Briony

McAuliffe, Gary

Baird, Robert

Publication Date

2015-10-01

Abstract

Review of dwarf tapeworm (Hymenolepis nana) presentations to Northern Territory (NT) Government health-care facilities over 12 years. We postulated H. nana infections would remain unchanged despite the introduction of deworming programmes as H. nana is not eradicated with albendazole treatment. A retrospective observational analysis of consecutive microbiologically confirmed cases of H. nana identified by NT Government health-care facilities between 2002 and 2013. Four hundred sixty-one episodes of H. nana infection were identified over the 12-year period from 68 387 faecal samples. Infections were overwhelmingly in young children with a median age of patients being 3.0 years (interquartile range 2.25-4.67). Patients were predominantly Indigenous (98.9%, P = 0.001) and infections occurred across the entire NT. Infections were associated with anaemia (18.2%) and eosinophilia (39.6%). The annual prevalence of NT Government health-care facility diagnosed H. nana infection remains relatively constant from 6.9 {4.8-9.0 (confidence interval (CI))} cases per 10 000 Indigenous population in 2002, compared with 6.6 (4.7-8.4 CI) cases per 10 000 Indigenous population in 2013. Infection rates in Indigenous children <5 years of age were: 46.1 (16.4-75.8 CI) cases/10 000 in 2002, compared with 44.3 (15.3-73.3 CI) cases/10 000 Indigenous population in 2013. H. nana is the most frequently identified cestode (tapeworm) in NT Government health-care facilities. H. nana remains endemic throughout the NT, predominantly infecting Indigenous children less than 5 years of age.

Affiliation

Microbiology Department, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia..

Citation

J Paediatr Child Health . 2015 Oct;51(10):982-7. doi: 10.1111/jpc.12885. Epub 2015 May 4.

Pubmed ID

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25940598/?otool=iaurydwlib

Link

https://hdl.handle.net/10137/5484

Subject

Indigenous

Northern Territory

hymenolepis

MESH subject

Adolescent

Animals

Child

Child, Preschool

Female

Humans

Hymenolepiasis

Infant

Male

Northern Territory

Oceanic Ancestry Group

Prevalence

Retrospective Studies

Hymenolepis nana

Title

Dwarf tapeworm (Hymenolepis nana): Characteristics in the Northern Territory 2002-2013.

Type of document

Journal Article

Entity Type

Publication

Author(s)	Willcocks, Briony McAuliffe, Gary Baird, Robert
Publication Date	2015-10-01
Abstract	Review of dwarf tapeworm (Hymenolepis nana) presentations to Northern Territory (NT) Government health-care facilities over 12 years. We postulated H. nana infections would remain unchanged despite the introduction of deworming programmes as H. nana is not eradicated with albendazole treatment. A retrospective observational analysis of consecutive microbiologically confirmed cases of H. nana identified by NT Government health-care facilities between 2002 and 2013. Four hundred sixty-one episodes of H. nana infection were identified over the 12-year period from 68 387 faecal samples. Infections were overwhelmingly in young children with a median age of patients being 3.0 years (interquartile range 2.25-4.67). Patients were predominantly Indigenous (98.9%, P = 0.001) and infections occurred across the entire NT. Infections were associated with anaemia (18.2%) and eosinophilia (39.6%). The annual prevalence of NT Government health-care facility diagnosed H. nana infection remains relatively constant from 6.9 {4.8-9.0 (confidence interval (CI))} cases per 10 000 Indigenous population in 2002, compared with 6.6 (4.7-8.4 CI) cases per 10 000 Indigenous population in 2013. Infection rates in Indigenous children <5 years of age were: 46.1 (16.4-75.8 CI) cases/10 000 in 2002, compared with 44.3 (15.3-73.3 CI) cases/10 000 Indigenous population in 2013. H. nana is the most frequently identified cestode (tapeworm) in NT Government health-care facilities. H. nana remains endemic throughout the NT, predominantly infecting Indigenous children less than 5 years of age.
Affiliation	Microbiology Department, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.. Microbiology Department, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.. Microbiology Department, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia..
Citation	J Paediatr Child Health . 2015 Oct;51(10):982-7. doi: 10.1111/jpc.12885. Epub 2015 May 4.
Pubmed ID	https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25940598/?otool=iaurydwlib
Link	https://hdl.handle.net/10137/5484
Subject	Indigenous Northern Territory hymenolepis
MESH subject	Adolescent Animals Child Child, Preschool Female Humans Hymenolepiasis Infant Male Northern Territory Oceanic Ancestry Group Prevalence Retrospective Studies Hymenolepis nana
Title	Dwarf tapeworm (Hymenolepis nana): Characteristics in the Northern Territory 2002-2013.
Type of document	Journal Article
Entity Type	Publication

Dwarf tapeworm (Hymenolepis nana): Characteristics in the Northern Territory 2002-2013.

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