MANILA, Philippines – Four out of 10 Filipino children are infected with intestinal worms and 67 percent of all school-age children have soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH), commonly known as intestinal parasitism, according to the Department of Health.
The high incidence of parasitism prompted the University of the Philippines (UP) Press to launch a third edition of its best-selling book entitled Medical Parasitology in the Philippines.
Edited by UP Manila College of Public Health professors Dr. Vicente Belizario Jr. and Dr. Winifreda de Leon, the book was first published in 1998 and has since sold 16,470 copies.
“This disease does not only affect Filipino children. Worldwide, there are more than one billion diagnosed cases and approximately 165,000 die every year mostly coming from the one- to five-year age group. Through the years, this condition has become a growing public health problem,” said Belizario, a parasitologist and currently an undersecretary of the Department of Health.
Usec Belizario said the book aims to serve as an invaluable tool for graduate and undergraduate students as well as medical and paramedical professionals in the public health sector.
The publication of the latest edition was made possible by a grant from Johnson & Johnson (Philippines), Inc., which also supported the development of the first two editions of the book.
“This undertaking is aligned with our strategic mission to make life-changing, long-term differences in human health,” said Sean Zantua, human resource and contributions director, JJPI, said.