The Association between Diabetes and Human T-Cell Leukaemia Virus Type-1 (HTLV-1) with Strongyloides stercoralis: Results of a Community-Based, Cross-Sectional Survey in Central Australia

Mohammad Radwanur Talukder, Hai Pham, Richard Woodman, Kim Wilson, Kerry Taylor, John Kaldor and Lloyd Einsiedel
Additional contact information
Mohammad Radwanur Talukder: Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, NT 0870, Australia
Hai Pham: Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, NT 0870, Australia
Richard Woodman: Flinders Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
Kim Wilson: National Serology Reference Laboratory, Melbourne, VIC 3065, Australia
Kerry Taylor: Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and Wellbeing, Alice Springs, NT 0870, Australia
John Kaldor: Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Lloyd Einsiedel: Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, NT 0870, Australia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: In central Australia, an area that is endemic for the human T-cell leukaemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1), the prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis and its association with other health conditions are unknown. A cross-sectional community-based survey was conducted in seven remote Aboriginal communities in central Australia, from 2014 to 2018. All residents aged ≥10 years were invited to complete a health survey and to provide blood for Strongyloides serology, HTLV-1 serology and HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL). Risk factors for Strongyloides seropositivity and associations with specific health conditions including diabetes and HTLV-1 were determined using logistic regression. Overall Strongyloides seroprevalence was 27% (156/576) (children, 22% (9/40); adults (≥15 years), 27% (147/536), varied widely between communities (5–42%) and was not associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal, respiratory or dermatological symptoms. Increasing age, lower HTLV-1 PVL (<1000 copies per 10 5 peripheral blood leucocytes) compared to the HTLV-1 uninfected group and community of residence were significant risk factors for Strongyloides seropositivity in an adjusted model. A modest reduction in the odds of diabetes among Strongyloides seropositive participants was found (aOR 0.58, 95% CI 0.35, 1.00; p = 0.049); however, this was lost when body mass index was included in the adjusted model (aOR 0.48, 95% CI 0.48, 1.47; p = 0.542). Strongyloides seropositivity had no relationship with anaemia. Exploring social and environmental practices in communities with low Strongyloides seroprevalence may provide useful lessons for similar settings.

Keywords: Strongyloides; HTLV-1; diabetes; anaemia; Australia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/4/2084/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/4/2084/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:4:p:2084-:d:748213

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().