Polyparasitism with soil transmitted helminthes and Schistosoma haematobium among school-aged children in Igede land, Benue state, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Polyparasitism is widespread in rural communities of the developing world, and it is a serious problem for public health. The aim of this study is to investigate the co-infection of intestinal parasites and urinary schistosomiasis among school-aged children in two local government areas of Benue State. Methods: This study collected 452 stool and urine samples from randomly selected participants and examined them using three techniques - direct wet mount, formol ether concentration, and urine sedimentation. The researchers also utilized questionnaires to assess risk factors associated with the samples. The data was then analyzed using the Chi-square statistical test to identify any significant relationships between the various factors examined. Results: The study found that 29.0% of the 452 randomly selected participants were infected with at least one parasite. 17.3% of the infected were male, while 11.7% were female. 11.7% had multiple infections, with 13.1% in males and 10.2% in females. 15.0% were infected with single parasites, 9.1% had double infections, and 2.7% had triple infections. Schistosoma haematobium was found in 1.8% of participants, with 1.1% in males and 0.7% in females. The most common parasite was Ascaris lumbricoides (6.0%), followed by hookworm (5.8%). The hookworm-Ascaris combination was the most common double infection (4.2%). While males were generally more infected, there was no statistically significant difference between males and females. Similarly, the higher infection rate in Obi (16.2%) compared to Oju (12.8%) was not statistically significant. The 11-15 age group had the highest prevalence of multiple infections (14.2%), but this was not statistically significant across age groups. Conclusion: Aggressive health education and mass drug administration are recommended in the study area. Kewwords: Polyparasitism, Igede, Oju, Obi, Parasites, Soil Transmitted Helminthes (STH), Schistosomiasis, Nigeria