The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday warned that floodwater poses more health risks to children than just leptospirosis, including a range of intestinal worm infections.
These infections, medically known as Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH), include Ascariasis, Trichuriasis, and Ancylostomiasis. STH infections can lead to a variety of symptoms, including abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, rectal prolapse, and stunted physical and cognitive development.
“Children who do not undergo deworming are often the ones affected by STH infections,” the DOH said.
According to 2024 Health Department data, only 57 percent of children aged 1 to 4 received deworming treatments despite the availability of free deworming tablets in local health centers.
The DOH assured that these parasitic infections are preventable and urged parents to keep children from playing in floodwaters.
The Health Department also issued a warning about lymphatic filariasis, another rainy season disease caused by mosquito-borne parasites.
Unlike dengue, which is transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, filariasis is spread by several mosquito species, including Aedes, Anopheles, and Mansonia.
Lymphatic filariasis is caused by microscopic parasitic worms transmitted through mosquito bites, which can lead to lifelong disability if left untreated. In severe cases, the disease causes permanent swelling in parts of the body, particularly the limbs and genitals.
To prevent mosquito breeding, the DOH advised the public to follow the 4S strategy: search and destroy breeding sites, secure self-protection, seek early consultation, and support fogging when necessary.
The agency also recommends wearing long-sleeved clothing, using mosquito repellents, and sleeping under bed nets, especially in endemic areas.
