Chatree Muennoo, Wanna Maipanich, Surapol Sanguankiat, Malinee T Anantaphruti 
Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand 

Abstract 
Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) are abundant in the southern part of Thailand due to the suitable climate for egg development, and the eating habits and unsanitary conditions of the inhabitants. The occupations of the villagers in the particular community may play an important role in the prevalence rate of these helminthic infections. This study aimed to study the prevalence rate of STH in primary school children living in the community of fishermen, farmers, gardeners and those who live in the town (townspeople). Examination of 1,930 fecal samples of school children (in the occupational groups: fishermen, 593; farmers, 554; gardeners, 326; and townspeople, 457) by Kato-Katz’s modified thick smear technique showed that in the group of fishermen 72.8% had STH infection, while in farmers and gardeners the infection rates were lower, being 33.8% and 31.9%, respectively. Townspeople comprised only 11.5% of STH cases. More moderately and heavily infected cases were also found among the group of fishermen, and more than 50% of the fishermen had 2-3 kinds of STH in their bodies. There was no difference in the prevalence rate between males and females.