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Prevalence of Intestinal Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis among Primary School Children in Umolante District, South Ethiopia

Received: 10 November 2014    Accepted: 21 November 2014    Published: 24 November 2014
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Abstract

Introduction: Intestinal Schistosomiasis and Soil transmitted helminthic infections (STIs) are among the major public health problems in the world, especially in Subsaharan Africa. Objective: To determine the prevalence of intestinal schistosomiais and soil transmitted helminthic infections and associated factors among Umolante primary school children, South Ethiopia. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among Primary School Children in Umolante Destrict, South Ethiopia. A total of 405 school children were selected at random. For each selected subject interview and stool examination was done. Interviews were used to identify the risk factors. Stool specimens were examined using the Kato-Katz technique. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 statistical packages software. Results: The overall prevalence of intestinal helminthic infection was 26.9%. The predominant parasites were hookworm 59(14.6%) and S.mansoni 51(12.6%). Prevalence of S.mansoni infection was significantly higher in males (p=0.006) whereas hookworm infection was significantly higher in females (P=0.015). Other helminthes found were E.vermicularis (1%), whipworm (1.5%), tapeworm (1.5%) and A.lumbricoides (0.5%). The highest prevalence of S.mansoni was reported in the age group of 10-14 years (17.8%) followed by the age group 15 and above (11.6%) and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.02). Geometric mean intensity was also highest in the same age group (245 eggs per gram). The overall prevalence of infection was 7.7% for girls and 17.1% for boys and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.006). Bathing practice in the nearby stream was significantly associated with S.mansoni infection (OR, 3.4, 95.0% C.I., 1.5-5.3, P=0.03). Conclusion and recommendation: On the basis of these results, it can be concluded that intestinal helminthic infections are important health problems among school children. Hence, integrated control programme including periodic deworming, shoes wearing, improving sanitation, provision of safe water supply are needed to have a lasting impact on transmission these diseases.

Published in Clinical Medicine Research (Volume 3, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.cmr.20140306.14
Page(s) 174-180
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Prevalence, S.mansoni, Soil Transmitted Helminthes, Children, Umolante

References
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[3] . Bethony J, Brooker S, Albonico M, Geiger SM, Loukas A, Diemert D, Hotez PJ. Soil transmitted helminth infections: ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm. Lancet. 2006; 367: 1521-1532.
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[7] Davis A, Cook C, Zumla A. Schistosomiasis: Manson’s Tropical Diseases. London: Elsevier Science. 2003; 21: 1431-1469.
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    Megbaru Alemu, Asrat Hailu, Gessessew Bugssa. (2014). Prevalence of Intestinal Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis among Primary School Children in Umolante District, South Ethiopia. Clinical Medicine Research, 3(6), 174-180. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cmr.20140306.14

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    ACS Style

    Megbaru Alemu; Asrat Hailu; Gessessew Bugssa. Prevalence of Intestinal Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis among Primary School Children in Umolante District, South Ethiopia. Clin. Med. Res. 2014, 3(6), 174-180. doi: 10.11648/j.cmr.20140306.14

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    AMA Style

    Megbaru Alemu, Asrat Hailu, Gessessew Bugssa. Prevalence of Intestinal Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis among Primary School Children in Umolante District, South Ethiopia. Clin Med Res. 2014;3(6):174-180. doi: 10.11648/j.cmr.20140306.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.cmr.20140306.14,
      author = {Megbaru Alemu and Asrat Hailu and Gessessew Bugssa},
      title = {Prevalence of Intestinal Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis among Primary School Children in Umolante District, South Ethiopia},
      journal = {Clinical Medicine Research},
      volume = {3},
      number = {6},
      pages = {174-180},
      doi = {10.11648/j.cmr.20140306.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cmr.20140306.14},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.cmr.20140306.14},
      abstract = {Introduction: Intestinal Schistosomiasis and Soil transmitted helminthic infections (STIs) are among the major public health problems in the world, especially in Subsaharan Africa. Objective: To determine the prevalence of intestinal schistosomiais and soil transmitted helminthic infections and associated factors among Umolante primary school children, South Ethiopia. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among Primary School Children in Umolante Destrict, South Ethiopia. A total of 405 school children were selected at random. For each selected subject interview and stool examination was done. Interviews were used to identify the risk factors. Stool specimens were examined using the Kato-Katz technique. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 statistical packages software.  Results: The overall prevalence of intestinal helminthic infection was 26.9%. The predominant parasites were hookworm 59(14.6%) and S.mansoni 51(12.6%). Prevalence of S.mansoni infection was significantly higher in males (p=0.006) whereas hookworm infection was significantly higher in females (P=0.015). Other helminthes found were E.vermicularis (1%), whipworm (1.5%), tapeworm (1.5%) and A.lumbricoides (0.5%). The highest prevalence of S.mansoni was reported in the age group of 10-14 years (17.8%) followed by the age  group 15 and above (11.6%) and the difference was statistically  significant  (P=0.02). Geometric mean intensity was also highest in the same age group (245 eggs per gram). The overall prevalence of infection was 7.7% for girls and 17.1% for boys and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.006). Bathing practice in the nearby stream was significantly associated with S.mansoni infection (OR, 3.4, 95.0% C.I., 1.5-5.3, P=0.03). Conclusion and recommendation: On the basis of these results, it can be concluded that intestinal helminthic infections are important health problems among school children. Hence, integrated control programme including periodic deworming, shoes wearing, improving sanitation, provision of safe water supply are needed to have a lasting impact on transmission these diseases.},
     year = {2014}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Prevalence of Intestinal Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis among Primary School Children in Umolante District, South Ethiopia
    AU  - Megbaru Alemu
    AU  - Asrat Hailu
    AU  - Gessessew Bugssa
    Y1  - 2014/11/24
    PY  - 2014
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cmr.20140306.14
    DO  - 10.11648/j.cmr.20140306.14
    T2  - Clinical Medicine Research
    JF  - Clinical Medicine Research
    JO  - Clinical Medicine Research
    SP  - 174
    EP  - 180
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2326-9057
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cmr.20140306.14
    AB  - Introduction: Intestinal Schistosomiasis and Soil transmitted helminthic infections (STIs) are among the major public health problems in the world, especially in Subsaharan Africa. Objective: To determine the prevalence of intestinal schistosomiais and soil transmitted helminthic infections and associated factors among Umolante primary school children, South Ethiopia. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among Primary School Children in Umolante Destrict, South Ethiopia. A total of 405 school children were selected at random. For each selected subject interview and stool examination was done. Interviews were used to identify the risk factors. Stool specimens were examined using the Kato-Katz technique. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 statistical packages software.  Results: The overall prevalence of intestinal helminthic infection was 26.9%. The predominant parasites were hookworm 59(14.6%) and S.mansoni 51(12.6%). Prevalence of S.mansoni infection was significantly higher in males (p=0.006) whereas hookworm infection was significantly higher in females (P=0.015). Other helminthes found were E.vermicularis (1%), whipworm (1.5%), tapeworm (1.5%) and A.lumbricoides (0.5%). The highest prevalence of S.mansoni was reported in the age group of 10-14 years (17.8%) followed by the age  group 15 and above (11.6%) and the difference was statistically  significant  (P=0.02). Geometric mean intensity was also highest in the same age group (245 eggs per gram). The overall prevalence of infection was 7.7% for girls and 17.1% for boys and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.006). Bathing practice in the nearby stream was significantly associated with S.mansoni infection (OR, 3.4, 95.0% C.I., 1.5-5.3, P=0.03). Conclusion and recommendation: On the basis of these results, it can be concluded that intestinal helminthic infections are important health problems among school children. Hence, integrated control programme including periodic deworming, shoes wearing, improving sanitation, provision of safe water supply are needed to have a lasting impact on transmission these diseases.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia

  • Department of Micrbiology, Immunology and Parasitoloogy, Medical faculty, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  • Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia

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