It has long been acknowledged that certain regions within Queensland experience a higher rate of infection with helminths than others, with the majority presumed to occur in Far North Queensland. However, no attempt has been made within the past 50 years to determine precisely where helminth diseases occur in Queensland, and what organisms are implicated.
Our team undertook a retrospective review of data contained within Queensland Health’s AUSLAB laboratory information system for the years 2003 to 2013, inclusive. All occurrences of infection with helminths were recorded, along with data including age, gender, and geographic location. All attempts were made to remove duplicate samples.
As expected, communities in Far North Queensland experience the highest burden of helminth infections. A significant outlier is present in the community of Woorabinda, in Central Queensland, following a targeted Strongyloides eradication campaign in 1995. Interestingly, there has been a steady increase in helminth disease in the South-East Queensland corner, which is likely the result of refugee resettlement programs.
A significant limitation of this study is that it is restricted to results from the public health system only. However, the majority of regions with a high burden of disease have little to no access to private pathology services, so it is likely that estimates from these areas reflect the true burden.
This study demonstrates that helminth disease is still present in significant numbers within several Far North Queensland communities. Understanding the epidemiology of these diseases is crucial in any attempt to eradicate them.