Prevalence of Gastrointestinal and Urinary Tract Parasites Among Students of Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education Sagbama, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

The prevalence of gastrointestinal and urinary tract parasites among students of Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education (IJBCOE), Bayelsa State was investiagted. Faecal and urine samples were collected from 273 presumably healthy students of the college. The samples were analyzed in the laboratory using sedimentation method for urine and formol-ether concentration method for the stool samples. A self-structured questionnaire was used to obtain some risk factors associated with the transmission of the parasites. Out of the 273 students investigated, 60 (22.0%), 31(11.4%) and 12(4.4%) were positive for gastrointestinal parasites, urinary tract parasites and coinfection of gastrointestinal and urinary tract parasites respectively. Entamoeba histolytica recorded the highest prevalence among the gastrointestinal parasites identified (62%), followed by Entamoeba coli (18.3%), Giardia lamblia (11.7%), Blastccytis homonis (5%), and Enterobius vermicularis (3.3%). Among the two urinary tract parasites identified, Trichomonas vaginalis was more prevalent (90.3%) while Schistosoma haematobium had 9.7%. More Female students (37.8%) were infected than males (25.7%) by gastrointestinal parasites. The age range prevalence for gastrointestinal parasites recorded 45%, 37.3%, 28.3% and 25% for 26 – 30 years, 16 – 20 years, 21 – 25 years, and 31 – 35 years respectively. Lack of awareness, consumption of faecal matter-contaminated food and water, poor sanitation, defaecation into drinking water sources were identified as risk factors for gastrointestinal parasites while engagement in unprotected sex and multiple sexual partners were recorded as risk factors for the transmission of Trichomonas vaginalis. Increased personal hygiene and sanitation, provision of toilet facilities and health education will mitigate the prevalence of the parasites in the study area.