The Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infections in Labor Children in Karaj, Alborz Province, Iran

Child labor (CL) is the exploitation of children through any work or activity that interferes with their ability to attend school or is harmful to their mental, physical, social, or moral well-being. Unfortunately, child laborers are a shadow population for which specific information on the prevalence of intestinal parasites is not available; we aimed to estimate the prevalence of intestinal parasites among child laborers in Karaj-Alborz, Iran.

The present study was conducted with a cross-sectional design between 2020 and 2022 in Karaj-Alborz, Central Iran. Two hundred and three stool samples were collected from working children in Karaj and its suburbs. The samples were examined for the presence of intestinal parasites at Alborz University of Medical Sciences using parasitological techniques (e.g., t smear, Formalin-Ether concentration, modified tri-chrome staining, and Ziehl-Neelsen staining).

The prevalence of intestinal parasites in CLs was estimated at 76% (156/203), of which 76.4% (155/156) were associated with protozoa and 1/203 (0.5%) with helminths. The highest prevalence was related to the protozoan Blastocystis hominis (89 cases (43.8%)), and among the pathogens, 11 cases (5.4%) of Giardia duodenalis were isolated.

The significant and alarming prevalence of intestinal parasites in CLs requires preventive, supportive, and therapeutic measures for this vulnerable population. Further attention should focus on the health status of child laborers in future studies.