Prevalence of Giardia and Amoebia Infections Among Diarrhoeal Patients Attending Nebelet Health Center in Tigray ,Ethiopia
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Date
2019-09-09
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Parasitic infections including intestinal parasites are considered as the most common communicable diseases Worldwide, especially in developing countries Ethiopia, like other developing countries, intestinal parasitic infections are the major public health problems affecting millions annually. With this in mind, this study was designed with the objective of identifying the prevalence of protozoan infections among diarrheal patients attending Nebelet Health Center in Tigray Regional State, northern Ethiopia. Retrospective analysis was conducted to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic protozoan infection in patients attending Nebelet Health center from September 2013 to August 2018 from records of stool examination. Stool samples collected from the patients were examined using direct wet mount and formal Ether concentration techniques by experienced laboratory technologists of the health center. All cases intestinal protozoan parasitic infection reported between 2013 and 2018 were reviewed and analyzed. In the past five years, a total 2,928 stools sample was examined for various intestinal parasitic infections. Out of these, 489 (16.7%) were positive to intestinal protozoan parasitic infections. The only protozoan parasites detected in the examined stool samples in the health center were Entamoeba histolytica/-dispar and Giardia lamblia. In particular, G lamblia was the most prevalent parasite (56.4%) followed by E. histolytica with an infection of (43.6%). The result also showed that there was difference in the overall prevalence rate of the parasitic infection in different age groups: <5yr 172 (35.17%), 5-14yr 127 (25.97%), 15-29yr 91 (18.60%), 30-44yr, 68 (13.90%),>44yr, 31 (6.36%). Higher infection was observed among males (55.2%) than females (44.8%). In overall, the study revealed that protozoan parasitic infections represent a major public health problem amongst patients attending the health center in Nebelet Town. Therefore, in order to minimize the risk and exposure of the community to these intestinal parasites all the concerned government and non- government sectors should design appropriate and cost-effective control methods that improve the quality of personal hygiene and environmental sanitation in the study area.
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Prevalence of Giardia, Amoebia Infections, Among Diarrhoeal Patients, Attending Nebelet, Health Center, Tigray, Ethiopia