Prevalence of Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis and Intestinal Schistosomiasis and Associated Riskfactors among Primary School Children in Guder and Ambo Town West showa Zone/Ethiopia
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2019-02
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Soil transmitted helminthes (STHs) and intestinal Schistosomiasis are amongthe most common cause of human infections and neglected tropical diseases which aredistributed throughout the world and cause thousands of avoidable outpatient morbidity andmortality, especially in school-age children. They are also the leading cause of gastrointestinalpain, malnutrition, malabsorption, anemia, mental retardation and other diseases. Theprevalence and associated risk factors among primary school children was lacking in the studyarea.
Objective: The aim of this study was therefore to determine the prevalence of soiltransmitted helminthiasis and intestinal schistosomiasis and associated risk factors amongprimary school children in Guder and Ambo town.
Materials and Methods: Institution based cross-sectional study was carried out from April2018 to May 2018 among primary school children in Guder and Ambo town. A total of 320primary school students were selected by simple random sampling technique. The prevalenceof STH and intestinal Schistosomiasis was determined by formol-ether concentrationtechnique. Assessment of Socio demographic characteristics of students and associated riskfactors was also conducted by well-developed questionnaire. Data analysis was done by usingthe SPSS version 16 software.
Result: Out of 320 study subjects 57 students (18%) had one or more soil transmittedhelminthes and 15 students (4.68%) had Schistosoma mansoni infection. From soil transmittedhelminths, A.lumbricoides was the predominant isolate (13%) followed by T. trichiura (3.7%)and hookworms (2.2%).
Conclusion: In this study large Family size, not nail trimming and unavailability of improvedlatrine were identified as predisposing factor for soil transmitted helminthes infections. Allschool children enrolled and not enrolled in this study should be treated according to WHOguideline to control the transmission of these parasitic diseases. Access to improved latrinecould also help for reduction of soil transmitted helminthes and intestinal schistosomiasisprevalence below the percentage found in this study
Description
Keywords
S.mansoni, soil transmitted helminthes, Ambo, Guder, Prymary school children, Ethiopia