Effect of Intestinal Helminth Infections and Deworming on Anaemia Among School Children in Tikur Wuha Elementary School, Jiga, Northwestern Ethiopia
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Date
2011-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) and schistosomes are the major public health problems in the
vast majority of developing countries including Ethiopia. Both helminthic groups are known to
significantly contribute to anaemia. This study was aimed to assess the effect of intestinal
helminth infections and deworming to anaemia among school children. A cross-sectional study
was carried out and 403 school children were selected using systematic random sampling
technique from Tikur Wuha Elementary School, Jiga, Northwestern Ethiopia from February -
March, 2011. Stool samples were processed for microscopic examinations using double Kato-
Katz and average fecal egg counts were used. Hemoglobin was determined using Hemocue HB
201 analyzer. Data was analyzed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS). The
overall prevalence of STHs and schistosome infections among the school children was 58. 31%.
Single, double, triple and quadruple infections were 41.19%, 15.38%, 1.49 and 0.25%,
respectively. The prevalence of hookworm, Schistosoma mansoni, Ascaris lumbricoides,
Trichuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis, and Hymenolepis nana infections were 46.90%,
24.57%, 4.22%, 1.74%, 0.5% and 1.24%, respectively. The current study showed that intestinal
helminth infections particularly hookworm and S. mansoni were positively associated with
anaemia (P < 0.05). The overall pre-treatment prevalence of anaemia was 14.64%, while
anaemia associated with intestinal helminth infections was found to be 11.91%. After
deworming, there was a rise in the mean hemoglobin of school children from 12.73±1.18
pretreatment level to 13.96±1.21 g/dl post-treatment level (P= 0.000). The result revealed that
following deworming, prevalence of both intestinal helminth infections and anaemia associated
with intestinal helminth infections were reduced from 58.31% to 12.41% and 11.91% to 8.44%,
respectively. The present study showed that deworming as part of helminth control decreases
intestinal helminth infections and improves hemoglobin concentration among school children.
Deworming program should be included as a strategy for the control of anaemia in school
children where there is high prevalence of intestinal helminth infections.
Key words/ phrases: Anaemia, deworming, school children, STHs, schistosomiasis
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Keywords
Anaemia, deworming, school children, STHs, schistosomiasis