Parasitic Infection and Associated Factors among the Primary School Children in Motta Town, Western Amhara, Ethiopia

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Globally, about 3.5 billion and 45 million people, particularly children are affected and ill with parasitic infection respectively. Intestinal parasitic infection constitutes one of the ten top major public health problems in resource-limited countries. <b>Methods: </b>An institutional based cross sectional study was conducted among 364 randomly selected students from the Motta primary School, November 2014. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic and associated risk factors. The stool specimens were examined using a direct wet mount and formal-ether concentration techniques. Epi-Info version 3.5.4 and SPSS version16 were used to enter and analyze data respectively. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used to describe study objectives and indentify associated factors respectively. The strength of association between the study and outcome variables was described using Odds ratio at a 95% CI. <b>Results:</b> The majority (98.3%) of the students gave sample in the study. About 245 (68.4%) of the respondents were infected with one or more species of intestinal parasites. Six types of intestinal parasites were identified and the most prevalent parasite was <i>Hookworm</i> 81(33.1%) followed by <i>Entamoeba histolytica</i> 42(17.1%), <i>Ascaris lumbricoides</i> 38 (15.5%), and <i>Giardia lamblia</i> 29 (11.8%). Double parasitic infection was found among 45(18.4%) students. Residence, health education access, family education, shoe wearing habits, hand washing practices, toilet availability and use, family income, availability of safe water, and open defecation practices were significant factors (p < 0.05) for intestinal parasitic infection. <b>Conclusion:</b> Intestinal parasitic infection is an important major health problem among Motta primary school students. Improving environmental/personal hygiene, availing water supply, providing health education to students and families, and availing toilet services are some of the important interventions to solve the problem.