Background Parasitic infections, particularly intestinal nematodes, affect a significant portion of the global population. This study aims to investigate the factors and outcomes associated with intestinal nematode infection and offer empirical support for clinical decision-making.

Methods Data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2019 were analyzed to assess the burden of intestinal nematode infections, including ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm disease. Age-standardized disease burden indicators were examined using decomposition and regression models to track trends from 1990 to 2019.

Results From 1990 to 2019, the global disease burden of intestinal nematode infections including ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm disease declined significantly, except for a brief increase in trichuriasis cases from 1994 to 2000. The prevalence decreased from 23,993 per 100,000 individuals in 1990 to 12,095 in 2019, with an average annual percent change (AAPC) of -2.33%. Furthermore, the mortality declined from 0.128 per 100,000 individuals in 1990 to 0.030 in 2019, with an AAPC of -4.85%. The burden of intestinal nematodiasis is stratified with Ascariasis imposing the highest burden, followed by Trichuriasis and Hookworm disease, with prevalence rates of 5,945, 4,781, and 2,322 per 100,000 populations in 2019, respectively. Global epidemiological analysis highlights that the disease burden is most intense in African, South American, and Asian regions, with Bangladesh exhibiting the highest prevalence at 37,373 per 100,000 individuals in 2019. This is a significant shift from the situation in 1990, when Nepal was the nation most severely, whereas Bangladesh was merely 18th. The disease burden of intestinal nematode infections was most severe among individuals aged 5-9 years, with a prevalence rate of 21,828 per 100,000 individuals in 2019. Furthermore, with the increase in the socio-demographic index (SDI), the disease burden index of intestinal nematode infection decreased significantly. When the SDI attains a level of 0.8, the prevalence of the disease approaches zero, subsequently experiencing a modest uptick.

Conclusions Global disease burden of intestinal nematode infections has markedly decreased; however, these infections persist as a significant burden in certain geographical regions and among specific age groups, particularly in Africa, South America, and Asia, as well as among the 5-9 year age cohort.