Intestinal parasitic infections and associated factors among street dwellers and prison inmates: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Daniel Getacher Feleke,Nebiyou Yemanebrhane,Habtye Bisetegn,Melat Mekonnen,Yonas Alemu,Iddya Karunasagar

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0255641

Daniel Getacher Feleke, Nebiyou Yemanebrhane + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255641

Copy DOI

Abstract

Intestinal parasitic infections are closely associated with low household income, poor personal and environmental sanitation, and overcrowding, limited access to clean water, tropical climate and low altitude. Street dwellers and prisoners are forced to live in deprived situations characterized by inadequate facilities. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence and associated factors of intestinal parasitic infections among street dwellers and prison inmates. Study searches were carried out in Electronic data bases such as PubMed/Medline, HINARI, EMBASE, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar and Cochrane Library. Studies published only in English and have high quality Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) scores were included for analysis using Stata version 14 software. Random-effects meta-analysis model was used for analysis. Heterogeneity was assessed using the Cochrane's Q test and I2 test statistics with its corresponding p-values. Moreover, subgroup, sensitivity analyses and publication bias were computed. Seventeen eligible studies consist of 4,544 study participants were included. Majority of the study participants were males (83.5%) and the mean age of the study participants was 25.7 years old. The pooled prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among street dwellers and prison inmates was 43.68% (95% CI 30.56, 56.79). Sub-group analysis showed that the overall pooled prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among prison inmates and street dwellers was 30.12% (95%CI: 19.61, 40.62) and 68.39% (95%CI: 57.30, 79.49), respectively. There was statistically significant association between untrimmed fingernail and intestinal parasitic infections (AOR: 1.09 (95%CI: 0.53, 2.23). In this study, the pooled prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among street dwellers and prison inmates was relatively high. Fingernail status had statistically significant association with intestinal parasitic infection. The prevention and control strategy of intestinal parasitic infection should also target socially deprived segment of the population such as street dwellers and prison inmates.

Highlights

Intestinal parasitic infections (IPI) are caused by intestinal helminths and protozoan parasites which still pose one of the major public health problems in developing countries where adequate water and sanitation facilities are lacking [1, 2]
Intestinal parasitic infection prevalence among street dwellers and prison inmates The pooled prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among street dwellers and prison inmates was 43.68%
There was no statistically significant association between intestinal parasitic infection prevalence and hand washing habit, the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among street dwellers and prison inmates who didn’t have hand washing habit was 2.73 times higher than those who had hand washing habit (AOR: 2.73,)

Summary

Introduction

Intestinal parasitic infections (IPI) are caused by intestinal helminths and protozoan parasites which still pose one of the major public health problems in developing countries where adequate water and sanitation facilities are lacking [1, 2]. It is estimated that more than 10.5 million new cases are reported annually and Trichuris trichiura, hookworms, Ascaris lumbricoides, Schistosoma species, Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica are the most common intestinal parasites [4] These infections may lead to malnutrition, malabsorption, anemia, intestinal obstruction, mental and physical growth retardation, diarrhea, impaired work capacity, and reduced growth rate constituting important health and social problems [5, 6]. Intestinal parasitic infections are more prevalent among the poor segment of the population and closely associated with low household income, poor personal and environmental sanitation, and overcrowding, limited access to clean water, tropical climate and low altitude [7, 8]. Intestinal parasitic infections are closely associated with low household income, poor personal and environmental sanitation, and overcrowding, limited access to clean water, tropical climate and low altitude. This study aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence and associated factors of intestinal parasitic infections among street dwellers and prison inmates

Objectives

Methods

Results