Abstract
Intestinal parasite infections are major public health problems of children in developing countries causing undernutrition, anemia, intestinal obstruction and mental and physical growth retardation. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of intestinal helminthic infections among children under five years of age with emphasis on Schistosoma mansoni in Wonji Shoa Sugar Estate, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional parasitological survey was conducted in under-five children living in Wonji Shoa Sugar Estate Ethiopia, April, 2013. Stool samples were collected and examined for intestinal parasites using single Kato-Katz and single Sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin (SAF) solution concentration methods. Out of 374 children examined using single Kato-Katz and single SAF-concentration methods, 24.3% were infected with at least one intestinal parasite species. About 10.4%, 8.8%, 4.6%, 2.9%, 1.6% and 0.8% of the children were infected with Hymenolepis nana, Schistosoma mansoni, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis and hookworm, respectively. Prevalence of double, triple and quadruple intestinal helminthic infection was 6.4%, 0.54% and 1.1%, respectively. A significant increase in prevalence of S. mansoni (8.3% versus 3.2%) and T. trichiura (2.7% versus 0.5%) infection was observed when determined via the single Kato-Katz method compared to the prevalence of the parasites determined via the single SAF-concentration method. On the other hand, the single SAF-concentration method (9.1%) revealed a significantly higher prevalence of H. nana infection than the single Kato-Katz (1.6%) does. In conclusion, intestinal helminths infections particularly S. mansoni and H. nana were prevalent in under-five children of Wonji Shoa Sugar Estate. Including praziquantel treatment in the deworming program as per the World Health Organization guidelines would be vital to reduce the burden of these diseases in areas where S. mansoni and H. nana infections are prevalent among under-fives. Kato-Katz can be used in estimating the prevalence of S. mansoni and other helminth infections.
Highlights
Parasitic infections caused by helminths and protozoa are the major causes of human diseases in most countries of the tropical region
About 2 gm of the specimen was put in plastic vial containing 10 ml sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin (SAF) solution and was processed at Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University for examination using sodium acetate-acetic acid concentration method [17]
The present study assessed the prevalence of intestinal helminth infections among under-fives children in Wonji Sugar Estate
Summary
Parasitic infections caused by helminths and protozoa are the major causes of human diseases in most countries of the tropical region. It is estimated that about 3.5 billion people in the world are infected with intestinal parasites, of whom 450 million are ill [1,2]. Majority of these cases are children [2]. About 1.45 billion people in the world were infected with Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STHs) and 5.19 million show associated morbidity in 2010 [3,4]. It is estimated that more than a billion people in the world are infected with schistosomes and STHs, most of whom suffer from associated severe morbidity [6]. The current study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of intestinal helminths infection with emphasis on S. mansoni among children under five years of age in Wonji Sugar Estate, Ethiopia
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
