Effect of intestinal helminth infection on retinol and beta-carotene status among rural Nepalese

Intestinal helminth infection and its effect on vitamin A, retinol and beta -carocene, was studied in 224 [145 children (aged less than 15 years) of Ok harpauwa Village Development Committee (VDC) (Nuwakot district) and 79 inha bitants (mainly adults) of Boya VDC (Bhojpur district)] subjects living at an altitude of 2000 m. Direct smear technique in duplicate was applied to d etect helminth eggs. Most common helminth detected was Ascaris lumbricoides followed by Trichuris trichiura in Okharpauwa VDC and by hookworm in Boya VDC, respectively. Mixed helminth infections were relatively low (7.3% in O kharpauwa VDC and 11.1% in Boya VDC). The retinol and beta-carotene were es timated by highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The helminth eggs positive children of both sexes in Okharpauwa VDC had significantly lower s erum retinol concentration compared with their helminth eggs negative count erparts (P <0.05). The retinol concentration in helminth eggs positive chil dren significantly increased after one month of anti-helminthic (albendazol e) treatment (P <0.05). No significant difference in serum retinol concentr ation was observed among helminth eggs positive and negative inhabitants of Boya VDC (P >0.05) but in beta-carotene level (P <0.05). Results suggest t hat deworming contribute significantly in the prevention of vitamin A defic iency associated morbidity and mortality among children in these intestinal helminth prevalent rural communities in Nepal. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science I nc.