THE USE OF HUMAN FECES FOR FERTILIZER IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED INTENSITY OF HOOKWORM INFECTION IN VIETNAMESE WOMEN

To investigate different factors associated with hookworm infections w e conducted 2 studies in a commune in northern Viet Nam. The first was part of a larger study on anaemia and covered 213 women (15-49 years of age) and their 92 children (6 months to 5 years of age) in one comm une; 90% of the families reported using human faeces for fertilizer. W omen who reported using fresh human faeces as fertilizer had significa ntly higher hookworm egg counts than women who either used treated hum an faeces or who did not use human faeces as fertilizer. The second st udy examined how human faeces were used for fertilizer in 30 selected families. Women participated in preparation and application of human f aeces to crops in 81% of the families using human faeces for fertilize r. Two methods of preparing the faeces were described: 48% of the fami lies mixed the faeces with ash before applying them to the field; 18% mixed the faeces with water; 33% used both methods.