Prevalence and associated risk factors of gastrointestinal helminth infection among primary schoolchildren in Dembi district, southwest Ethiopia
Abstract Background: Gastrointestinal helminths (GIH) are widespread in developing countries including Ethiopia. The prevalence and distribution of GIH infection in Ethiopia varies from place to place due to different exposing risk factors. This study aimed to identify the prevalence and associated factors of GIH infection among primary school children in Dembi district, southwest Ethiopia, where data for helminths infections are previously unpublished. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 291 school children in Dembi district were included. Fresh stool samples were collected from each student and examined by direct wet mount using both normal saline and Lugol's iodine preparation and concentration techniques using salt and formol-ether solutions. Questioners and observation were also used to identify socio-demographic and associated risk factors. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 statistical software. p-value <0.05 were considered significant.Results: Six parasite species of gastrointestinal helminth with an overall prevalence of 30.9% were identified. The predominant parasites were found soil transmitted helminth (STH) type including Ascaris lumbricoides (43.3%), hookworm (26.7%), Ttrichuris trichiura (8.9%) and Strongliodes stercoralis (3.3%). Teania species (6.7%) and Hymanolepis nana (3.3%) were also the gastrointestinal parasites detected from the stool samples. The highest prevalence of GIH infection has been observed in the age of 5 8 years children (36.7%) followed by 9 12 (33.3%) and ≥13 (30.0%) years. Sex, age, source of water supply and latrine usage has a significant association with GIH infection. Male (37.9%) students were two times more likely to have parasite infection (COR= 2.0, 95% CI= 1.17 3.22, p=0.011) than female (24%) students. Comparing age groups, 5 8 years were more likely to have higher parasite infection (COR=1.23, 95% CI=0.233 0.797, p=0.007) than older age groups ( 13 years). Those students used stream as a source of water supply and latrine sometimes were also 1.4 (p=001) and 2.7 (p=0.001) times more likely to have helminthic infection than students used pipe water and latrine, respectively. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that GIH infection are important public health problem among primary school children in Dembi district which needs an integrated health control program including periodic de-worming, improving sanitation and safe water provision.