Background: Parasitic neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) or 'infectious diseases of poverty' continue to affect the poorest communities in the world, including in the Philippines. Socio-economic conditions contribute to persisting endemicity of these infectious diseases. As such, examining these underlying factors may help identify gaps in implementation of control programs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFand G are recognized as significant etiological agents of diarrheal outbreaks in humans as these parasites may be transmitted through the ingestion of water and food contaminated with feces of human or animal origin. However, surveillance studies on the role of animal reservoirs in the transmission of and are deemed insufficient and the complete dimension of the problem contributing to contamination in an agricultural setting is unknown. This study aimed to assess the presence of and in domesticated animals from selected farms in the agricultural provinces of Laguna and Quezon in Southern Luzon, Philippines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBats are often associated with several zoonotic diseases, including helminth infections. Despite their potential detrimental effects on both human and bat populations, information on helminth parasites of Philippine bats remains scarce. Here, we identify gastrointestinal helminths parasitizing bats collected from a cave complex in Cavinti, Laguna Province, Philippines, determine their prevalence (P) and mean intensity (MI), and investigate relationship of helminth prevalence and intensity with bat host characteristics including sex, diet, age, and roosting habit.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The giant roundworm Ascaris is an intestinal nematode, causing ascariasis by infecting humans and pigs worldwide. Recent estimates suggest that Ascaris infects over half a billion people, with chronic infections leading to reduced growth and cognitive ability. Ascariasis affects innumerable pigs worldwide and is known to reduce production yields via decreased growth and condemnation of livers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe continuous challenges of land use change have brought potential threats to biodiversity and the spread of zoonotic diseases. In this study, synanthropic rodents and their helminth parasites were used as sentinels to assess the potential impact of land use on zoonosis. Rats were collected in different ecosystems, namely agricultural, agroforest, and residential areas in the northeastern sub-watersheds of Mount Makiling, Laguna, Philippines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF