Abstract
The current trend of harvesting water to supplement the agricultural productivity is associated with the expansion of Schistosomiasis mansoni and other intestinal parasitic infections. Considering this, the present study was started with the objective of assessing the prevalence and intensity of S. mansoni infection and other intestinal helminth among different water source users. A total of 622 stool samples from school children of those families, which were using lands around longstanding-irrigation, recently constructed dam-irrigation and non-irrigated land, were processed by Kato thick smear and examined microscopically. The overall prevalence rate for intestinal parasites was 26.53%, where as for S. mansoni infection it was only 5.95%. A total of eight species of helminth parasites were identified; the highest being Ascaris lumbricoides (10.45%) followed by Enterobius vermicularis (8.52%). The prevalence and intensity of S. mansoni infection showed the highest rate in the longstanding areas (13.73%), followed by the recently started irrigated areas from recently constructed dams (6.18%) and the least in areas where the school children stay in un-irrigated area (0.61%) (χ2 = 21.99, P = 0.000). We recommend that due attention should be given to health impacts of such agricultural interventions. The worm burden can be reduced by proper management of the water and the canal system like clearing the lithoral zones and the water canals to reduce the establishment of the intermediate hosts. Key words: Eggs per gram, Intensity of infection, Long standing irrigation, Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosomiasis mansoni.
Highlights
In developing countries such as Ethiopia, infections due to intestinal parasites especially in children are still a public health problem (WHO, 1981)
The introduction of irrigation-based agricultural scheme has been associated with an increase in the prevalence of S. mansoni (Lo et al, 1988; Birrie et al, 1998; Kloos et al, 1998) Intestinal schistosomiasis is reported to be widely endemic in Tigray
Areas with long standing irrigation practices, less than 30 years (e.g. Genfel river diversion in the mid 1980s; Wukro, 47 Kms North of Mekele), recently constructed dams and sites without irrigated lands are compared for the prevalence and intensity of intestinal helminth with special emphasis on S. mansoni infection
Summary
In developing countries such as Ethiopia, infections due to intestinal parasites especially in children are still a public health problem (WHO, 1981). The introduction of irrigation-based agricultural scheme has been associated with an increase in the prevalence of S. mansoni (Lo et al, 1988; Birrie et al, 1998; Kloos et al, 1998) Intestinal schistosomiasis is reported to be widely endemic in Tigray. Areas with long standing irrigation practices (more than 100 years of irrigation practices in Agulae), less than 30 years (e.g. Genfel river diversion in the mid 1980s; Wukro, 47 Kms North of Mekele), recently constructed dams and sites without irrigated lands are compared for the prevalence and intensity of intestinal helminth with special emphasis on S. mansoni infection. The finding of this study could be used to update the baseline data for mapping the distribution of schistosomiasis foci and future reference for designing and evaluating schistosomiasis control strategies
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