Strongyloidiasis in Latin American immigrants: a pilot study

The United States of America (USA) has the largest international population of any nation in the world. Immigrants from Latin American countries, where intestinal parasites are endemic, comprise more than half of this population. This study aims to determine the prevalence of strongyloidiasis, a potentially deadly parasitic infection, in foreign-born individuals. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Washington, DC, to determine the seroprevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis infection using an NIE-ELISA IgG antibody assay. Multi-parallel quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed in stool samples of NIE-ELISA-positive patients to investigate possible polyparasitism. The NIE-ELISA assay detected an S. stercoralis prevalence of 4.2% in a group of 119 volunteers. Combining NIE-ELISA and qPCR detected a parasite prevalence of 5.0%. Our results underscore the relevance of systematic testing for gastrointestinal parasites in individuals from endemic regions. It also makes a case for a survey in the USA to identify immigrants' risk for strongyloidiasis and other gastrointestinal parasitic infections.