First report of human intestinal sarcocystosis in Cambodia

Parasitol Int. 2017 Oct;66(5):560-562. doi: 10.1016/j.parint.2017.04.010. Epub 2017 May 3.

Abstract

Human intestinal sarcocystosis (HIS), caused by Sarcocystis species, is acquired by eating undercooked meat from sarcocyst-containing cattle (S. hominis, S. heydorni) and pigs (S. suihominis). We report on the detection of human intestinal Sarcocystis infections in a cross-sectional survey of Strongyloides stercoralis in early 2014, in Rovieng District, Preah Vihear Province, northern Cambodia. Among 1081 participants, 108 (10.0%) were diagnosed with Sarcocystis spp. oocysts in stool samples. Males had a significantly higher risk of infection than females (OR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.3-2.9, p=0.001). None of the reported symptoms (abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, muscle pain and itching skin) occurring in the two weeks preceding the examinations were associated with a Sarcocystis infection. Many Sarcocystis cases were found among those who had participated in a wedding celebration and Chinese New Year festivities, where they had consumed raw or insufficiently cooked beef (83.3%) and pork (38.9%) based dishes. This report documents the first HIS cases in Cambodia.

Keywords: Cambodia; Human; Intestinal sarcocystosis; Outbreak.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Cambodia / epidemiology
  • Cattle
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / diagnosis
  • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / epidemiology*
  • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / parasitology
  • Intestines / parasitology*
  • Male
  • Meat / parasitology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Sarcocystis / isolation & purification*
  • Sarcocystosis / diagnosis
  • Sarcocystosis / epidemiology*
  • Sarcocystosis / parasitology
  • Sex Factors
  • Swine
  • Young Adult