Association of geohelminths infection and asthma in elementary school children in Kalibaru, North Jakarta

Jaya A Effendi; Mardjanis Said; Partini P Trihono

doi:10.14238/pi50.2.2010.80-5

Jaya A Effendi Department of Child Health, Medical school, University of Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital
Mardjanis Said Department of Child Health, Medical school, University of Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital
Partini P Trihono Department of Child Health, Medical school, University of Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14238/pi50.2.2010.80-5

Keywords: Asthma, geohelminth infection, ISAAC

Abstract

Background Asthma inflammation process and geohelminth
infection have the same immune response. Epidemiological studies
in developed countries show the increased asthma prevalence
and decreased geohelminth infection, while developing countries
usually have low asthma prevalence but high geohelminth
infection.
Objectives To determine asthma proportion in children with
geohelminth infection and relationship between asthma and
geohelminth prevalence of elementary school students in North
Jakarta.
Method A cross sectional study was done in February 2009 at an
Elementary School in North Jakarta. Asthma was diagnosed using
ISAAC questionnaire which was answered by parents. We did
fecal analysis using ether formaline test to establish geohelminth
infection.
Results The proportion of students with asthma was 11.5%
(33 of 286 children). Most of them were male, aged 6-10 years
old, and well nourished. Geohelminth infection was found
in 71.9%of the students. Most of children with geohelminth
infection were male (55%), aged 6-10 years old (63%), and well
nourished (64%). Proportion of asthma in children with and
without geohelminth infection is 12.6% and 8.8%, respectively.
Geohelminth infection consisted of ascariasis (80%), trichuriasis
(39%), and ankylostomiasis (9%). There was no significant
relationship between asthma and geohelminth infection
(P=0.357), nor between asthma and ascariasis (P=0.202), asthma
and trichiuriasis (P=0.133).
Conclusions The occurrence of asthma in children with
geohelminth infection is 12.6% and there is no difference of
asthma incidence among children with or without geohelminth
infection.

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