Association between intestinal helminthic infections and anaemia status in preschool children in the district Skardu of Pakistan

Author(s):  
Muhammad Faisal Afridi ◽  
Kulsoom Farhat ◽  
Zaheer Ahmed ◽  
Hajra Ahmed ◽  
Shabana Ali ◽  
...  

Objective:  This study has been aimed to evaluate the prevalence of parasitic infections and evaluate the correlation between intestinal helminth infection and the anemia status of pre-school children in the District Skardu of Pakistan. Methodology: A community-based, descriptive, cross-sectional analysis was carried out on 300 pre-school children of the district of Skardu. Demographical data was obtained through the structured questionnaire. The stool sample was collected and examined for intestinal parasites at pathology department of healthcare facility in Skardu. Blood Hemoglobin (Hb) was measured from blood sample and anemia was defined as blood Hb <11 g/dL. The data was analyzed using SPSS. Results: Out of a total of 300 children, 161 (i.e. 53.67%) were found infected and 139 (i.e. 46.33%) were found to be infection free. The overall parasite prevalence was: Ascaris Lumbricoides (22.33%), Cryptosporidium (14%) and Hymenolepis Nana and Giardia (9.3% and 8%) respectively. The 20% preschool children infested with Ascaris Lumbricoides, 13.7% infested with Cryptosporidium, 8.0% and 7.7% infested with Giardia and Hymenolepis Nana were mostly anemic. 15.3% preschool children with no parasite infestation were also found anemic. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of these parasitic infections in the pre-school children in Skardu, where they also present with anemia. If there is a realization that these infections effect the Hb levels, then intervention programs be conducted, bringing more awareness about their control and advocating iron supplementation. Continuous....

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (10) ◽  
pp. 1464-1468
Author(s):  
Imdad Ali Ansari ◽  
Jawed Akhtar Samo ◽  
Mohammad Aslam Soomro

Background: Worldwide, intestinal parasitic infections are major causeof human mortality and morbidity especially among developing countries wherein publichealth standards are not much better like developed countries. Intestinal parasiticinfections are linked with poor sanitation, lack of safe drinking water, inadequate dietaryand cultural habits and climate conditions. Objective: To assess the frequency, riskfactors and clinical manifestations related to intestinal parasite infections in patients withgastrointestinal disorders. Study Design: Cross-sectional multi-centre study. Setting:Department of Medicines, Chandka Medical College Larkana and Civil Hospital, KhairpurMirs. Period: 1st January 2017 to 31st December 2017. Method: 260 patients, the patientswith gastrointestinal disorders presenting one or more symptoms (e.g. diarrhea, dysentery,abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, cramping and constipation) were included.Results: Frequency of intestinal parasites was 32.3%. The most common parasites wereEntamoeba histolytica (10.4%), Giardia lamblia (8.5%) and Hymenolepis nana (6.9%). Age,education, monthly income and contact with animal were significantly associated withintestinal parasite infections. Concerning symptoms, the presence of intestinal parasitesinfection was significantly associated with diarrhea and dysentery. Conclusion: Studyconcluded that most prevalent parasites were Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lambliaand Hymenolepis nana. Significant association was found in age, education and monthlyincome.


2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 293-305
Author(s):  
H. M. Al-Mekhlafi

SummaryHymenolepis nana is the most common cestode reported in humans worldwide. It is prevalent among children in the tropics and subtropics, particularly in rural poor communities where sanitation is inadequate or lacking. This cross-sectional study aims to determine the prevalence and significant risk factors of H. nana infection among children in rural Yemen. Faecal samples were collected from 498 children and screened for intestinal parasites by using wet mount, formalin-ether concentration and Kato–Katz techniques. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect demographic, socioeconomic, housing condition, and personal hygiene information. Overall, 77.5 % (386/498) of the children were found to be infected by at least one intestinal parasite species. The overall prevalence of H. nana was 17.5 % (87/498). Multivariate analysis confirmed that an age of < 6 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.28; 95 % (confidence interval [CI] = 2.04, 8.98), presence of other family members infected with H. nana (AOR = 2.48; 95 % CI = 1.45, 4.24), living in the highlands (AOR = 2.87; 95 % CI = 1.56, 5.26), living in a house without improved toilet facilities (AOR = 2.19; 95 % CI = 1.23, 3.88), not washing vegetables before consumption (AOR = 2.11; 95 % CI = 1.06, 4.19), and not washing hands after defecation (AOR = 1.88; 95 % CI = 1.08, 3.27) were the key factors significantly associated with H. nana infection among the studied children. In conclusion, H. nana is prevalent among children in rural Yemen, particularly among preschool-aged children. Thus, an integrated and effective programme to control intestinal parasitic infections should include preschool-aged children. Such a programme should focus on providing health education on hygienic practices, providing adequate sanitation and improved sources of drinking water, and screening and treating other infected family members.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-152
Author(s):  
Kpurkpur Tyoalumun, MSc ◽  
Sani Sani Abubakar, MSc ◽  
Nongu Christopher, MLT

Background and Objectives: Intestinal parasitic infections are highly prevalent in developing countries, contributing to high incidence of malnutrition and morbidity. This study aimed to fi nd the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and their association with nutritional status of children in Benue State, Nigeria. Methods: A cross sectional study conducted from January-June 2016, among 418 school children under-5 years of age. Anthropometric data, height-for-age, weight-for-height, and weight-for-age Z-scores from each child and fecal samples were collected and screened for intestinal parasites using standard laboratory methods. Results: Among the intestinal parasitic infections detected, the prevalence of E. histolytica was higher (51.0% and 29.0%) than all other parasites encountered in rural and urban pupils (P<0.05). Other parasites were Hookworm (46.2% and 24.8%); G. lamblia (11.5% and 8.6%); and T. trichiura (2.4% and 5.2%). The prevalence of stunting (HAZ<-2), in rural and urban pupils were 43.8% and 32.9%; 64.4% and 39.0% rural and urban pupils were underweight (WAZ<-2), while 30.3% and 24.3% were wasted (WHZ<-2). Infected children had signifi cantly (P<0.05) higher z-scores than the uninfected children. Conclusion and Global Health Implications: Benue State is among the Nigerian states with the highest burden of tropical diseases with a current plan of elimination implemented through mass drug administration. This study identify/evaluate some essential information that will support the planning and implementation of the State’s ongoing efforts.   Copyright © 2016 Tyoalumun et al. Published by Global Health and Education Projects, Inc. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (30) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Sandra Noemí Escobar Arrieta ◽  
Verónica Mercedes Cando Brito ◽  
Carlos Eduardo Espinoza Chavez ◽  
Luis Elias Guevara Iñiguez

The purpose of the current research was to determine the prevalence and risk factors linked to intestinal parasites in a population aged from 5 to 14 years who attend to public schools and high schools from Riobamba city, Riobamba-Chambo district. The prospection was carried out between October and November 2015. The population studied was identified and classified according to their age, gender, and educational institution they belong to. In addition, the relation of risk factors linked to the identified parasites was estimated. For this, it was necessary to apply a coprology examination to 2020 boys, girls and teenagers. The fecal samples collected were analyzed using the fresco technique with lugol and saline solution at 0.85%. The total intestine parasite prevalence found was 35.1%. The highest parasite prevalence was detected in groups aged 5 (12.84%), in groups aged 8 (11.71%) and in groups aged 11 (11.56%), while Combatientes de Tapi Educational Unit registered a 34% in both genders. Any significant parasite difference was found among p<0.05 ages. Nine parasite types were identified with Entamoeba coli prevalence (26%) Entamoeba histolytic (9.3%), Iodamoeba bütschlii (0.8%), Giardia lambia (4.3%), Chilomastix mesnilii (0.9%), Hymenolepis nana (1.4%), Ascaris lumbricoides (0.3%) Trichuris trichiura (0.5%), Endolimax nana (1.6%), from which protozoan were the predominant, some poly parasite samples were also found, it was determined that the sample studied reflects a high prevalence of intestinal parasites.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Adane Derso ◽  
Gizachew Yenealem ◽  
Ayenew Addisu

Background. Intestinal parasitic infections are the cause of the highest worldwide infectious disease and the major public health problems in developing countries. Among the cases, children and younger age are at high risk and the major victims. The aim of this study was to assess the five-year trend of intestinal parasite prevalence among University of Gondar students. Method. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the trend of intestinal parasite prevalence among students at the University of Gondar. The data was collected from students who have studied at the University of Gondar from 2014 to 2018 and who visited the student’s clinic and had recorded results of stool sample diagnosis on the laboratory logbook. Stool specimens were examined using direct saline wet mount methods. The data was analyzed by using SPSS version 20 software, and P value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Moreover, chi-square was used to assess the association of different variables. Result. During the study period, a total of 6244 stool samples were requested for intestinal parasite diagnosis and it was found that 2850 specimens were positive for intestinal parasites, representing an overall prevalence of 45.6% with a fluctuating trend. Ten different parasites were reported with Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (20.3%) and Giardia lamblia (8.2%), the most frequently detected intestinal parasites. The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was higher in males (35.4%) than females (10.2%) ( P = 0.02 ). Conclusions. Intestinal parasitic infection was highly prevalent, and there were fluctuations in the prevalence of intestinal parasites from 2014 to 2018. Environmental sanitation improvement and health education schemes at the University of Gondar can be considered quite indispensable for the prevention and control of parasitic infections in the area.


Author(s):  
Yordanos Gizachew Yeshitila ◽  
Hagos Zewde ◽  
Tesfahun Mekene ◽  
Aseer Manilal ◽  
Serawit Lakew ◽  
...  

Introduction. Worldwide, about 3.5 billion people are affected by intestinal parasitic infections, and the majority of them are children. A perusal of the literature indicates that in Ethiopia, nearly one-third of schoolchildren are found to be infected by some sort of intestinal parasites. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites among schoolchildren in Rama town in Northern Ethiopia. Methods. A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted among primary school children from two schools in Rama town during June 2017. A structured questionnaire was used to identify environmental, sociodemographic, and behavioral factors while stool specimens were collected and examined for parasites using direct wet smear with saline preparation. Data analysis was completed using the Statistical Program for Social Sciences version 24 statistical software. Results. A total of 312 school children with a mean age of 11.3 years were included. Among them, 24.4% (76) were found to be positive for at least one of the parasites. The overall infection rate was the highest among the 10–14 age groups (26.7%). Females were predominantly infected (26.7%). Altogether, eight species of intestinal parasites were identified. The most predominant protozoan and helminths were E. histolytica/dispar (10.9%) and Schistosoma mansoni (7.4%), respectively, and infections were mostly mono-parasitic. Coinfections with two and three intestinal parasites were identified among 13 (4.2%, [13/302]) and 2 (0.6%, [2/302]) cases, respectively. Prevalence of intestinal parasites was higher among children who did not wash their hands regularly before meals (AOR: 2.30, CI: 1.32, 4.0, p < 0.001) and those who frequently swam in streams (AOR: 3.12, CI: 1.07, 9.08, p < 0.021). Conclusions. The study revealed a high prevalence of parasitic infection and inadequate personal hygiene practices like poor handwashing and also the habit of swimming by schoolchildren in contaminated water bodies, especially the study area. To minimize the burden caused by parasitic infection, periodic deworming programs and health education should be provided to enhance the awareness of concerned participants are also warranted.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 90
Author(s):  
Martin Gael Oyono ◽  
Leopold Gustave Lehman ◽  
Samuel Fosso ◽  
Charles Félix Bilong Bilong

In general, school-age children are the most vulnerable to parasitic infections and are particularly exposed to multi-parasitism and its potential consequences. This study aimed at determining the intensity of multi-parasitism in Nyong et Mfoumou Division. A cross-sectional study took place from September 2017 to July 2018 among pupils of five (05) government schools from the Nyong et Mfoumou Division. Stool samples were collected from each child and examined for protozoan cysts, helminth eggs and larva while blood samples were collected for detection of Plasmodium sp. and filarial blood stages. In addition, socio-demographic information were documented. In total, 416 schoolchildren were recruited; out of which 309 (74.28%) were infected by at least one parasite species. 13 parasite species were found: 03 blood parasites and 10 intestinal parasites. Plasmodium falciparum was the main blood parasite (37.26%). Amongst intestinal parasites, Entamoeba coli were the most common among protozoa (29.33%) and Ascaris lumbricoides among helminths (21.39%). The frequency of multi-parasitism was 44.47% and the average species reach was 1.43 ± 0.01 per individual. Four types of multi-parasitism were found (bi-parasitism, tri-parasitism, quadri-parasitism and penta-parasitism); the bi-parasitism (26.68%) was the most common. Significantly statistic associations were found between parasite species such as: Entamoeba coli, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura can be explained by the same means of transmission. Association between Ascaris lumbricoides and Mansonella perstans could be a synergic interaction between these parasites. We conclude that the intensity of multiparasitism among schoolchildren in Nyong et Mfoumou Division is high with predominance in rural areas.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-15
Author(s):  
Muhammad Faisal Afridi ◽  
Arshad Khushdil ◽  
Kulsoom Farhat ◽  
Zaheer Ahmed ◽  
Hajra Ahmed ◽  
...  

Background: World Health Organization (WHO) reports that around 270 million pre-school children and over six hundred million school children are likely to be infested with one or more types of the intestinal worms. The helminthic infestations are indicators of the low socioeconomic status, lack of education, lack of good hygienic conditions and inaccessibility to potable water. Our study aimed to estimate prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among 1 to 5 years old children residing in the district Skardu of Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out on pre-school children of the district Skardu from August 2016 to January 2017. A sample of 300 children was obtained using non-probability convenience sampling technique. Demographical data was obtained through the structured questionnaire. The stool sample was collected and examined for intestinal parasites. The data was analysed using SPSS. Results: The prevalent intestinal helminths were found to be Ascaris Lumbricoides, Cryptosporidium , Hymenolepis Nana and Giardia with proportion of 22.33% , 14.0% , 9.3% and 8.0% respectively in our study population. 85% children of the sample belonged to low or lower middle socio-economic (SE) groups; correspondingly, increased prevalence of intestinal helminthic infestation was noted in the same SE groups. Conclusion: A high prevalence of these parasitic infections have been found in the children in Sakardu, which increases with age as the children start eating by themselves.


2016 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 262-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Ostera ◽  
J. Blum ◽  
C. Cornejo ◽  
S. Burgula ◽  
R. Jeun ◽  
...  

AbstractThe United States of America (USA) has the largest international population of any nation in the world. Immigrants from Latin American countries, where intestinal parasites are endemic, comprise more than half of this population. This study aims to determine the prevalence of strongyloidiasis, a potentially deadly parasitic infection, in foreign-born individuals. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Washington, DC, to determine the seroprevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis infection using an NIE-ELISA IgG antibody assay. Multi-parallel quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed in stool samples of NIE-ELISA-positive patients to investigate possible polyparasitism. The NIE-ELISA assay detected an S. stercoralis prevalence of 4.2% in a group of 119 volunteers. Combining NIE-ELISA and qPCR detected a parasite prevalence of 5.0%. Our results underscore the relevance of systematic testing for gastrointestinal parasites in individuals from endemic regions. It also makes a case for a survey in the USA to identify immigrants' risk for strongyloidiasis and other gastrointestinal parasitic infections.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 284-287
Author(s):  
S. Viesy ◽  
J. Abdi ◽  
Z. Rezaei

Background: Intestinal parasitic infections are the one of the most common health problems in developing countries. Objective: A number of patients die annually due to complications caused by these parasites.Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the rate and type of parasitic infections, determine the factors affecting them in Ilam city and also provide strategies to prevent them.In this descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in one of the Ilam labs in 2016, 417 stool specimens were randomly collected. All specimens were examined using direct and ethanol formaldehyde.Suspect specimens were examined using Trichrom staining. Demographic information was also recorded in a questionnaire, and finally the results were analyzed using statistical software SPSS 20.The data were then compared with Chi-square test. Results: Out of the 417 patients examined, 59 (14.1%) were infected with intestinal parasites. The type of parasitic infection in 9.4% was Blastocystis hominis, 3.6% Entamoeba coli, 0.5% Entamoeba histolytica, 0.5% Giardia and 0.2% Trichomonas hominis. Conclusion: Despite the improvement of public health, parasitic infections are still considered as one of the health problems in the city of Ilam. Therefore, proper planning, public health education, raising the level of health in the area and the provision of safe drinking water are some of the ways to reduce parasitic infections in the region.


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