PREVALENCE, CLINICAL AND SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS OF INTESTINAL PARASITOSIS IN SUSPECTED EGYPTIAN CHILDRENIN BENHA CITY, EGYPT

Abstract

Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are a public health problem worldwide. This study included300 children of both sexes, from 4-16 years old. All were subjected to a structuredquestionnaire sheet, stool examination using: Direct smear and con- centration technique aswell as perianal swab. The IPIs prevalence was 12.7%, with 7.9% double infections. The protozoaninfections 47.4% was higher than the helminthic ones 44.7%. Giardia duodenalis wasthe commonest protozoan, and Entrobius vermicularis was the commonest worm. The childrensuffered from abdominal pain (11.1%), diarrhea (3.8%), perianal itching (71.4%) andthrive failure (17.4%). Male positivity was 11.9% and female positivity was 13.2%. Intestinalparasites were detected in 25.5% of population drinking tap water, followed by 6.1% amongthose drinking filtrated water. Moreover, IPIs prevalence was 8.1% in children having a familysize equal or less than 5 members, whereas 18.9% of children having a family size more than5 members. Moreover the frequency was higher among rural 15.3% compared to urban inhabitants7.3%, also in farming family was 16.5% followed by 7.7% among other job holders andamong children to illiterate mothers 13% followed by children to educated mothers 12.3%.