Prevalence of intestinal parasites among expatriate workers in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Background and Objective: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is considered to be one of the countries with a high number of expatriates. The importance of this study lays in its approach to tackle a significant issue, which is the health of expatriate unskilled laborers who are serving the society in very vital activities such as baby-sitting, cooking and cleaning. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of intestinal parasites among expatriate workers in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among expatriate workers in Al-Khobar, a major city in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Using systematic sampling (1 in 10 files), a sample of 1,019 medical files was studied. Results: The results showed that the prevalence of parasitic infection is 31.4%. 22.3% are single infection and 9.1% with multiple infections (double and triple and quadruple). Hookworm, Trichuris trichiura, and Ascaris lumbricoides were the most common infections in all nationalities. Parasites were found to be more prevalent among Indians followed by Indonesians, Filipinos then Sri Lankans. Conclusion: The prevalence rate found in this study was high enough to merit a spotlight on it as a problem. Health education should be increased to raise awareness of the society about such a health problem.