Helminth Ova Research Articles

In the realm of microbiology, a quality stool sample is as valuable as gold

Abstract In the microbiology curriculum a section is dedicated to parasitology in both Undergraduate and Post-graduate. Due to Deworming programs, decrease in the detection of parasite ova/cyst detection in stool samples. In current times, many institutes don’t have various specimens (like blood, and stool) with the presence of parasites. They are demonstrating the parasites using either photographs or videos. India is endemic for malarial parasites and they be found in blood specimens. However, to find out various helminth ova, cysts or trophozoites in human stool specimens is much difficult. Without practice and training, students can’t be an expert in parasitology. Its paucity should not be a hindrance to adequate and sound training and short-term solutions should not be encouraged. It may be awkward to hear this, but lately a desired stool sample is the real gold in microbiology.

Gastrointestinal Parasites of Domestic Mammalian Hosts in Southeastern Iran

Gastrointestinal parasites (GIP) are a major cause of disease and production loss in livestock. Some have zoonotic potential, so production animals can be a source of human infections. We describe the prevalence of GIP in domestic mammals in Southeastern Iran. Fresh fecal samples (n = 200) collected from cattle (n = 88), sheep (n = 50), goats (n = 23), camels (n = 30), donkeys (n = 5), horse (n = 1), and dogs (n = 3) were subjected to conventional coprological examination for the detection of protozoan (oo)cysts and helminth ova. Overall, 83% (166/200) of the samples were positive for one or more GIP. Helminths were found in dogs, donkeys, sheep (42%), camels (37%), goats (30%), and cattle (19%), but not in the horse. Protozoa were found in cattle (82%), goats (78%), sheep (60%), and camels (13%), but not in donkeys, dogs, or the horse. Lambs were 3.5 times more likely to be infected by protozoa than sheep (OR = 3.5, 95% CI: 1.05-11.66), whereas sheep were at higher odds of being infected by helminths than lambs (OR = 4.09, 95% CI: 1.06-16.59). This is the first study assessing the prevalence of GIP in domestic mammals in Southeastern Iran.

Contamination of Soils with Helminthic Eggs in Some Districts of Duhok Governorate / Kurdistan Region-iraq

Duhok Governorate, Kurdistan Region consists of many districts, where there is a high distribution of animals, presences of public parks and pastures. The present study was conducted in some of districts (Duhok center, Semel, Amadyia and Sharya) of Duhok Governorate, Kurdistan Region. The current study amid to determine the contamination of soils with helminthic ova and their correlation with the district residents, type of soil and presence of animals (Mainly stray Dogs and Cats). During this study, 533 soil samples were collected randomly from October 2021 to May 2022.  The samples were collected from different places such as dog shelters, general parks, groves, Hospital parks, near pastures, near sewage, private gardens, school parks, and near slaughter houses.  The collected samples were tested by flotation technique using saturated zinc sulphate (specific gravity 1.2).    The total rate of soil contamination with helminthic ova in all examined samples was 23.45% (125 / 533). The highest contamination rate with these ova was reported in soil samples examined from Sharya Camp 53.57% (30/56), while the lowest contamination rate was from Semel district 19.22% (49/255). The rates of ova in soils collected from Amadyia and Duhok center were 23.61% (34/144) and 15.38% (12/78), respectively. Regarding to the locations, soil samples examined from rural areas revealed high rate of contamination 29.33% (107/366) as compared with urban areas, in which the rate was 10.78% (18/167). The contamination rates with helminthic ova according to the type of soil, in clay soil was 26.54%, while in silty and sandy soils were 24.39% and 14.96%, respectively. The contamination rate of soils with these ova was higher in areas populated with animals mainly dogs and cats which was 26.44% (78/295) as compared to areas free from animals 19.75% (47/238) (19. Regarding to different places, the results showed that soils in places close to the sewage were highly contaminated with ova 50.00% (3/6), followed by those near pasture 37.50% (15/40), groves 35.56% (16/35), dog shelters 32.18% (28/87), school Parks 29.41% (10/34), near slaughter houses 27.50% (11/40), public places 21.05% (32/152). On the other hand, the lowest contamination of the soil with these ova was recorded in private gardens 8.26% (10/121), while the soil samples from hospital parks were free from parasitic ova. According to the type of helminths, ova of 6 helminthic genera were reported in all (533) examined soil samples, with Toxocara ova being the most prevalent helminths detected in 34 (6.38%), samples, then ova of Hymenolepis nana in 32 (6.00%), Taeniid ova in 26 (4.88%), Ancylostoma ova in 15 (2.81%), Ascaris ova in 12 (2.25%), and Trichuris ova in 6 (1.13%).  In conclusion, the soils of some districts were contaminated with different types of helminthic eggs. Therefore, the people of these districts will be at a high risk of acquiring infection with different species of these parasites when they get contacts with the soil

Strategies to Decrease the Prevalence of Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Central India.

Background Intestinal parasites are a major public health problem in tropical countries. Over 1.5 billion people are infected with soil-transmitted helminths (STH), of which 225 million are in India. Parasitic infections are associated with poor sanitation, lack of safe potable water, and improper hygiene. Materials and Methods The study was undertaken to ascertain the impact of control strategies, namely open-defecation free drive and mass drug administration of single dose albendazole. Stool samples received at AIIMS Bhopal Microbiology laboratory, across all age groups, were studied for protozoan trophozoites/cysts and helminthic ova. Results Out of 4,620 stool samples, 389 (8.41%) were positive either for protozoal or helminthic infections. Protozoan infections were more common than helminthic infections with Giardia duodenalis infection being the most common, 201 (51.67%), followed by Entamoeba histolytica , 174 (44.73%). The helminthic infections constituted 14 (3.5%) of the positive stool samples with Hookworm ova in 6 (1.5%) cases. Conclusion This study proves that strategies, namely "Swachh Bharat Abhiyan" and "National Deworming Day" started in 2014 and 2015 led to significant reduction of intestinal parasite infections in Central India, with a higher reduction of STH compared with protozoan parasite infection being ascribed to the activity spectrum of albendazole.

Preliminary Survey of Soil Transmitted Helminths in Some Selected Primary Schools in Okitipupa Local Government Area, Ondo State, South West Nigeria

Soil transmitted helminths are nematodes commonly known as intestinal worms; characterized by high prevalence in regions exhibiting warm and moist climates, lacking adequate sanitation and proper hygiene. In this study, the prevalence and distribution of soil transmitted helminths (STHs) in five randomly selected Primary schools in Okitipupa Local Government Area, Ondo State, Nigeria was examined. The study involved soil examination for infective stages of helminth parasites. To determine the type and number of infective helminth ova, topsoil samples were collected from ecologically important sites; the playgrounds, front of classrooms, back of classrooms, around the toilet and the entrance of each selected schools. Of the 75 soil samples examined, 36 were infected showing a total prevalence of 48%. Accordingly, Ascaris lumbricoides (26 ova), Trichiuris trichuira (9 ova), Strongyloides stercoralis (6 ova/larva) and hookworm (15 ova) were the STHs parasites recorded in sampled soils. Ascaris was the most distributed parasite 26 ova (46.1%) across sites; and specifically most abundant in Ikoya 8 (30.8%), while Ayeka 9 (16.1%) reportedly had the least total parasite distribution. The total parasite prevalence in this study was 46.7%.

A Method for WWTP Sludge Valorization through Hygienization by Electron Beam Treatment

This work reports on municipal sludge hygienization using electron beams. Three types of sewage sludge from two municipal wastewater treatment plants were tested: preliminary sludge with 4% TS, postflotation sludge with 2.5% TS and thickened preliminary sludge with 10% TS. The analysis of reference samples demonstrated the presence of bacteria and helminths ova in all examined samples. For the study of hygienization, electron beams from two types of accelerators, linear (Elektronika 10/10) and single cavity (ILU-6), were applied. For each type of accelerator, different irradiation methods were used: irradiation in sealed polyethylene bags using conveyor and flow irradiation installation. Experiments showed that the doses necessary for the elimination of mentioned pathogens were 4 kGy for preliminary sludge, 4 kGy for postflotation sludge and 5.5 kGy for preliminary sludge. The differences between the amounts of initial pathogens in preliminary and thickened preliminary sludge were marginal. It is possible that the higher irradiation dose required to hygienize thickened sludge resulted from higher TS concentration.

Archaeoparasitology — a new source of reconstruction of migrations of ancient populations: opportunities, results, and prospects

The resilience of intestinal parasite ova to harsh environmental conditions and possibility of identification of many of them down to genus/species with the aid of conventional visual light microscopy make parasites an im-portant source of information on different aspects of life of ancient populations. Of special interest is the study of the phenomenon of parasitoidism aimed at reconstruction of ancient human migrations. Ectoparasites (the head louse) and a range of intestinal parasites of such groups as the helminths, tapeworms, and trematodes can be used as a marker of contacts and/or migration of people. Finding helminth ova in ancient samples collected in territories outside the endemic pockets can be direct evidence of contacts and/or migrations of the ancient popu-lation. An example of reconstruction of such migrations is given by, for instance, finding ova of the ascarids and whipworm on the territories of the Far North, mountainous Altai, deserts of the Central Asia etc. A remarkable example of migrations, according to the archaeoparasitology data, is the use of the helminths as a marker of an-cient human migrations, with the example of population of the American continent. It is noteworthy that almost a century old archaeoparasitology data find confirmation in the results of modern paleogenetic studies. In the recent decades, there have been review publications concerned with the finds of ova of various parasitic organisms in archaeological sites, many of which consolidated archaeoparasitology materials dealing with specific intestinal parasites, the impact of the parasites on the human evolution and their (viz., parasites and human) coevolution, and spread of the parasitic diseases as a result of climate changes both in ancient and modern times. All the works, without exception, emphasize the importance of archaeoparasitology data for the deeper understanding of these processes. However, although the first works on the reconstruction of migrations from parasitological data were published back in the beginning of the last century, the research works substantiating this approach and demonstrating its viability appeared only early in this century and elucidated biological pre-requisites for the re-construction of migrations. Therefore, new broad consolidation of the materials on the reconstruction of migrations from the data of archaeoparasitology is motivated not only by the need of reconsideration of already existing and new data, but also by the need of examination and verification of the archaeoparasitology facts in the context of the genetic data, archaeology, anthropology etc.

Intestinal Parasite Infestation in HIV Infected Patients in Tertiary Care Center

Every year, the number of people living with HIV rises as a consequence of advanced infections and the positive effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Gastrointestinal involvement is common, with 90% of patients seeking treatment for gastrointestinal problems as their HIV infection progresses. Nonetheless, identifying and characterization of infectious agents is important for patient management by excluding a clinical diagnosis and determining appropriate treatment, as well as determining public healthcare policy for true pathogen prevalence and yielding epidemiological risk factors for specific infections. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of symptomatic or asymptomatic intestinal parasitic infection among HIV or AIDS patients. For this study with 80 HIV seropositive patients being recruited from various wards and the Integrated Counseling and Testing Center (ICTC) affiliated to the microbiology department. Patients with acute and chronic diarrhea with abdominal disorder were taken as symptomatic whereas patients without these clinical complaints and who came for routine investigations were taken as asymptomatic. Firstly stool samples were analyzed by macroscopically for the presence of mucus, blood, larvae, segments of tapeworm and adult worms. The consistencies of stool were also recorded such as formed, watery or soft or loose with odor and color. It was examined microscopically after macroscopically for protozoan cysts and trophozoites, helminthic ova and larvae, as wet mount preparation by saline and iodine preparation as well as formal ether concentrated. For the detection of intestinal coccidian parasites, smears were prepared from stool samples and a modified Ziel-Nelseen (MZN) stain was also performed. Stool samples with the detection of parasites were informed for treatment. The prevalence of intestinal parasite was 23.75% with asymptomatic and symptomatic groups having a prevalence of 16.98% and 37.04% respectively. Out of total patients, 56.25% were male and 43.75% were female. Among the male patients, 11 (13.75%) were positive for an intestinal parasitic infection and 8 (10%) were positive among females. The age distribution data revealed that the age group 21-40 years old had the highest number of intestinal parasites, followed by 41-60, 61-80, and 0-20 years old. The most intestinal parasites were found in the young and middle-aged patients, according to this study. Different parasites were identified as Entamoeba histolytica, Taenia species, Ascaris lumbricoides, Cryptosporidium parvum and Isospora with one protozoan, two coccidian parasites and two helminthes. The most common parasite was Taenia species 6 (7.5%) followed by Entamoeba histolytica 5 (6.3%) and Cryptosporidium parvum 5 (6.3%). Intestinal parasitic infection is not uncommon in HIV seropositive patients. This study underscores the need for early diagnosis and treatment of these intestinal parasites in both symptomatic and asymptomatic HIV patients.

Prevalence of Helminthiasis and Worm Load among Pre-school Children in Rural Areas of Enugu State

Background: Globally, many people suffer from parasitic infections of the intestines with up to 24% of the world population are affected. These infections are particularly prevalent in low-and middle-income countries and exist mainly among economically and socially disadvantaged populations. This study sought to establish the current prevalence of STHs among preschool children in rural areas of Enugu State.
 Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out at Obinofia Ndi-Uno and Obe, rural communities of Enugu State, Nigeria. A pre-tested semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and Laboratory kits for stool analysis were used. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS statistics version 22.
 Results: A total of 589 preschool children (294 from Obinofia Ndi-Uno and 295 from Obe) were studied. Ova of helminths were seen in the stool of 47 preschool children giving a prevalence of 8% with ascariasis being the predominant infection.
 Discussion: The prevalence of worm infection in this study was low compared to some studies in Nigeria, Africa, and other parts of the world.

The NEWgeneratorTM non-sewered sanitation system: Long-term field testing at an informal settlement community in eThekwini municipality, South Africa

Globally, there is a dire need for a new class of advanced non-sewered sanitation systems (NSSS) to provide onsite wastewater treatment that is capable of meeting stringent discharge or reuse criteria. These systems need to be simple to operate and maintain, reliable, and resilient to unreliable electrical service. The NEWgenerator (NG) is a compact, automated, solar-powered wastewater treatment system comprised of three major treatment processes: anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR), nutrient capture system (NCS) with ion exchange and carbon sorption, and electrochlorination (EC). The NG system operated at an informal settlement community in South Africa over a 534 d period, treating high-strength blackwater (BW) and yellow water (YW) from a public toilet facility. Over three test stages (BW, BW + YW, BW) that included several periods of dormancy, the NG system was able to provide a high level of removal of total suspended solids (97.6 ± 3.1%), chemical oxygen demand (94.5 ± 5.0%), turbidity (96.3 ± 9.7%), color (92.0 ± 10.5%), total nitrogen (82.1 ± 24.0%), total phosphorus (43.0 ± 22.1%), E. coli (7.4 ± 1.5 LRV, not detected in effluent), and helminth ova (not detected in effluent). The treatment levels met most of the ISO 30500 NSSS standard for liquid effluent and local water reuse criteria. A series of maintenance events were successfully conducted onsite over the 534 d field trial: two membrane cleanings, two NCS regenerations, and granular activated carbon replacement. Desludging, a major pain point for onsite sanitation systems, was unnecessary during the field trial and thereby not performed. The AnMBR performed well, removing 94.5 ± 5.0% of the influent COD across all three stages. The high COD removal rate is attributed to the sub-micron separation provided by the ultrafiltration membrane. The NCS was highly efficient at removing total nitrogen, residual COD and color, but the regeneration process was lengthy and is a topic of ongoing research. The EC provided effective disinfection, but frequent prolonged run cycles due to power supply and water quality issues upstream limited the overall system hydraulic throughput. This extended field trial under actual ambient conditions successfully demonstrated the feasibility of using advanced NSSS to address the global water and sanitation crises.

The Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites and Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Captive Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) in Trinidad, West Indies.

This study was conducted from November 2010 to June 2011 to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites and the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in captive ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) in Trinidad. Faecal samples were collected and analyzed using faecal flotation to identify helminth ova and protozoan cysts and oocysts. Serum samples from captive ocelots were screened for T. gondii using a latex agglutination test kit. Of the 19 ocelots examined, the most prevalent parasites noted were ova of ascarids, strongyles, and Capillaria spp. The serum of three of the 13 (23.1%) ocelots tested was positive for T. gondii antibodies. These ocelots are therefore a potential source of T. gondii infection to both humans and other animals. This is the first documented report of endoparasites in local captive ocelots within Trinidad and provides useful data to support further research of the captive and wild populations.

Intestinal schistosomiasis in an apparently healthy rural population in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Background: Schistosomiasis is endemic in Nigeria and three species; Schistosoma haematobium, Schistosoma mansoni, and Schistosoma intercalatum have been reported in Niger Delta, Nigeria. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of schistosomiasis in rural communities of Bayelsa State, Nigeria.Methodology: Four rural homogeneous communities; Otuegala, Immiringi, Otuesega, and Ibelebiri in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria, were randomly selected for the study. A structured questionnaire was administered to each participant in their native language and used to collect participant’s biodata and swimming history. Stool samples collected from all participants were examined qualitatively by wet preparation and after formolethol concentration. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 software and results presented in proportion and tables.Results: A total of 829 participants (age range 1 - 80 years) were recruited for the study. Helminth ova were identified in the stool samples of 218 (26.3%) participants. Among 380 males examined, 82 (21.6%) were infected, while out of 449 females examined, 138 (30.3%) were infected. The ova of seven helminths identified and their frequency of occurrence were; S. intercalatum 86 (10.4%), Ascaris lumbricoides 53 (6.4%), S. mansoni 35 (4.2%), Trichuris trichiura 22 (2.6%), hookworm 20 (2.4%) and Taenia spp 2 (0.2%). Schistosoma haematobium was identified in non-urine contaminated stool sample of an eight-year old boy. A total of 11 (1.3%) participants had double infections, affecting 7 (63.6%) females and 4 (36.4%) males, with the commonest combination being S. intercalatum and A.lumbricoides 6 (0.7%), followed by S. intercalatum and hookworm 4 (0.5%), and S. mansoni and hookworm 1(0.1%).Conclusion: S. intercalatum was the most prevalent intestinal helminthic infection in this study, which is a rare finding in most epidemiological investigations. The affinity of Schistosoma species to establish double infections with hookworm and other intestinal helminths should be taken into account during chemoprophylaxis.
 Keywords: Schistosomiasis, Chemoprophylaxis, Prevalence, Rural Population

Effects of Different Pretreatments on the Helminthological Qualities of Carrots (Daucus Carota Subspecies Sativus) Purchased from Different Markets in Akure, Nigeria

Carrots (Daucus Carota Subspecies Sativus) is a root-vegetable that is nutritious and one of the richest sources of beta carotene. The fact that it is a root vegetable makes it prone to helminth contaminations. Carrots can serve as vehicle of transmitting enteric parasitic pathogens throughout the process of planting to consumption. To control the rate of helminth infection through consumption of carrots (a – ready to eat vegetable), the effects of different pretreatments on the helminthological qualities of carrot was investigated. Fresh carrots were purchased from various markets located at different areas of Akure (Oja-Oba, Isinkan, FUTA gate and Shasha), Ondo State, Nigeria. Each sample was kept in different clean polythene bags and labeled appropriately according to the location of purchase and then taken to the Microbiology Research Laboratory at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria (FUTA) for analyses. Fresh carrots were divided into 2; the 1st group was kept unwashed while the other group was washed with potable water and further subdivided into 5 groups. The first sub-group was left untreated, the second sub-group was soaked in brine (6%), the third sub-group in vinegar (5% acetic acid), fourth sub-group in sodium hypochlorite (0.05%), and the lastsub-group was soaked in moring a seed aqueous extract (468mg per 250ml (w/v)). At different contact times (10minutes, 20minutes, and 30minutes), the helminthological assay was carried out to know the effects of these pretreatments on the helminthological load and types on the surface of carrots. Results from this study show that carrots bought from Shasha market had the highest helminthological contamination while carrots bought from Oja-Oba market and Isinkan market recorded the lowest. The various pretreatments used were able to remove the helminth's ova or larvae found on carrots even at 10 minutes contact time except those washed with potable water and brine. At ≥ 20 minutes contact time, no helminth was found on the carrots. From this finding, it can be concluded that carrots should be properly disinfected using any of the pretreatments mentioned above before consumption to prevent being infected with helminths.

Efficiency of Combined Co-composting, Vermicomposting, and Drying in the Treatment of Cadmium, Mercury, Helminths, and Coliforms in Sludge from Wastewater Facilities for Potential Agricultural Applications

Sludge generated from wastewater treatment facilities has been applied in agriculture as soil conditioners. However, the incomplete and/or inappropriate treatment of wastewater may result in sludge that may still contain heavy metals, helminth ova, and coliforms posing a risk to both humans and the environment. This study assessed various pretreatment techniques such as co-composting, vermicomposting, and a combination of these on sludge samples to remove heavy metals (cadmium and mercury), helminth ova, and coliforms. Physico-chemical and biological analyses were used to compare untreated (i.e. raw) and treated sludge samples. The results showed that for the raw sludge, mercury (4.02 +/– 0.17 mg/kg) and cadmium (6.30 +/– 0.48 mg/kg) exceeded the limits specified under the Philippine National Standard (PNS) for Organic Soil Amendments of 2 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg, respectively. Laboratory examinations also revealed the presence of helminth ova (5 ova/g) and coliforms (10 CFU/g) in the samples. Sludge samples subjected to a combination of co-composting and vermicomposting resulted in the elimination of mercury and a significant reduction in cadmium concentration from 6.30 mg/kg to 1.12 mg/kg. No helminth ova were observed in the samples after further drying. However, both treated and untreated sludge samples had low nutrient content. The study highlights the need for raising public awareness and educating farmers on the potential risks associated with the use of raw sludge for agriculture.

Etio-Epidemiological Studies on Diarrhoea in Cattle and Buffalo Calves

Calf diarrhoea is the most commonly encountered disease syndrome and significant cause of economic losses in dairy industry. Present investigation was undertaken to find out the prevalence of causative agents of diarrhoea in the bovine calves for a period of one year. The effect of age, sex, season and parity of dam was also studied. E. coli was the major organism (86.00 %) observed in the faecal samples of the diarrhoeic calves followed by rotavirus, Eimeria spp. and Amphistomes (15.00 % each); Toxocara spp. (12.00 %); Strongyles (9.00 %); Cryptosporidium spp. (6.00 %); Trichuris spp. (5.00 %); and Salmonella spp. and Strongyloides spp. (3.00 % each). The prevalence of rotavirus, Cryptosporidium spp. and Eimeria spp. was found significantly higher in buffalo calves and crossbred calves than cow calves and Gir / local non-descript calves, respectively. The prevalence of Toxocara spp., Amphistomes and Strongyles in diarrhoeic buffalo calves was significantly higher than cow calves. Highest prevalence of E. coli and rotavirus was observed in faecal samples of diarrhoeic calves of 0-15 days age group. Rotavirus was not detected in faecal samples of diarrhoeic calves above 60 days age. The susceptibility of bovine calves for E. coli and rotavirus was found decreased with the advancement of the age. The prevalence of Salmonella spp. in diarrhoeic faecal samples of bovine calves was observed only in 16-60 days age whereas Cryptosporidium spp. was found only in 0-30 days age. The most of the parasitic infestations were observed after 30 days of age in calves. The calves of both sexes were equally susceptible to different causative agents of diarrhoea. The prevalence of E. coli and most of the helminth ova in the faecal samples of diarrhoeic calves was found maximum during rainy season whereas the rotavirus was observed mostly during winter season. The prevalence of E. coli, Salmonella spp., rotavirus and Cryptosporidium spp. was found highest in the faecal samples of the diarrhoeic calves of first or second parity dams.

An investigation of agricultural use potential of dewatered sewage sludge

Background: One of the useful applications of Dewatered sludge (DWS) of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is its use as manure in agriculture; therefore, its quality characteristics should be specified. The aim of this research was to determine biological and physicochemical characteristics of DWS of Sari WWTP and compare them with standards, and also to investigate its potential use in agriculture. Methods: Sludge samples were taken from the sewage sludge of Sari WWTP. Sampling and analysis of samples parameters including fecal coliform, salmonella, helminth ova, carbon, nitrogen, C/N, phosphorus, organic matter, potassium, moisture, electrical conductivity, and PH, were performed during four seasons with three replications based on the standard method. Results: The fecal coliform, salmonella, and helminth ova of the DWS were 2.37×106 ± 1.06×106 MPN/1 g d.s weight, 47±12.92 MPN/4 g d.s weight, and 466±61.85 number/4 g d.s weight, respectively, therefore, the DWS of Sari WWTP was categorized in the class B of the EPA standard. The amounts of C/N, organic matter, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, moisture, electrical conductivity, and PH were obtained to be 12.7±1.15, 42.4±3.27%, 24.6±1.89%, 1.94±0.13%, 2.35±0.6%, 0.57±0.13%, 82±3.12%, 1.34±0.21 ds/m, and 7.41± 0.45, respectively. Conclusion: The DWS of Sari WWTP has a good fertility value but it cannot be safely used in agriculture and should be improved for class A by the Processes to Further Reduce Pathogens (PFRP), especially by composting.

Prevalence of helminthic infestations among Bangladeshi rural children and its trend since mid-seventies

Background and objectives: Helminthic infestation is one of the commonest health problems in a developing country like Bangladesh. The objectives of the current study were to determine the prevalence of helminthic infestations, associated risk factors and its effects among the rural children in Bangladesh. The trend of helminthic infestation rate over time was also analyzed.
 Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the rural primary school children of Sreepur Upazilla of Gazipur District. The area is located about 40 km north-east of capital Dhaka. A total of 593 students aged 5-13 years were enrolled from 5 primary schools. Out of 593 children, 204 agreed to provide fecal samples. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data by face to face interview method and several anthropometric measurements along with clinical examinations were also carried out. Helminth ova were detected by direct microscopy of fecal smear and floatation concentration methods. Data were analyzed using the software IBM SPSS (Version 20).
 Result: Out of 204, 80 (39.2%) children were infested with at least one species of helminth. Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and mixed infection was 23%, 12.8% and 3.4% respectively. Overall prevalence of infection was higher among female students compared to male students (p<0.05). Living in mud-floor and thatch walled houses were significantly (p<0.05) associated with increased helminthic infestation. The risk behaviors commonly related to helminthic infestation revealed no difference between infected and non- infected groups of children. Height, weight, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), skin fold thickness, and waist and hip circumference of worm infested children were not significantly different from those without worm infestation.
 Conclusion: The results reflect that the deworming program of Sreepur Upazilla was not fully successful. Poor socio-economic condition and lack of awareness of personal hygiene played an important role in prevalence of parasite infestation.
 IMC J Med Sci 2019; 13(1): 004

Study of the Treatment of Helminth Ova Polluted Water By an Electro-Fenton Process

Helminths is a term designated to a wide group of organisms that includes all parasitic worms in fecal waste from animals and humans. They represent a high risk to human health because their various infectious stages (embryo, ova or larvae) are highly persistent in contaminated water, due to its large ability to survive for long periods, as they are extremely resistant to water disinfection treatments. Such resistance is given by the chemical composition of the layers of these eggs, mainly, formed by lipids and proteins. Thus, water constitutes a direct or indirect vehicle for the dissemination of helminths, even when they are found in low concentrations, giving rise to gastrointestinal diseases, especially when it is used to irrigate crops.There are some methods reported to remove Helminth ova, but the amin disadvantage is that these microorganisms are commonly inactivated but not destructed. There are other alternatives that promote disinfection through hydroxyl radical via Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP).The objective of this study is to study the effect of an electro-Fenton treatment on water contaminated with helminth ova (HO). The inactivation of HO was studied in a continuous flow electro-Fenton reactor. Ion exchange resin was used to provide iron support, and H2O2 was produced in situ by cathodic reduction of oxygen. In order to study the electro-Fenton efficiency, three treatments were run; treatment A: without electric current and without iron promoter, treatment B: applying a potential difference of -4V but without iron promoter; and treatment C: applying the aforementioned potential difference and with iron promoter. Treatment A represents the retention capacity of the system given by sorption capacity of involved materials, while B represents the electrochemical oxidation effect, and finally C represents the electro-Fenton effect. HO determination was carried out in the influent and effluent, as well as in the internal materials of the reactor; Fe (II)-ionic exchange resin, cathode (graphite cloth), activated carbon packed reactor, anode (graphite cloth) and Na-ionic exchange resin. It was possible to retain between 96.59% and 98.33% of HO admitted to the reactor, the higher inactivation was observed in treatment C (See Figure 1). The percentage of total HO, represents the amounts of HO both viable and non-viable. The percentage of viable HO was determined by trypan blue staining and incubation to verify HO viability. A low presence of viable HO could be observed in treatments B and C, while treatment C with electro-Fenton conditions produces hydroxyl radicals that have a high oxidizing potential which affects the layers of the HO. Control treatments A and B, compared to treatment C, presented higher percentages distribution for both total and viable HO, demonstrating that inactivation of HO is possible through the electro-Fenton process. The decrease in viable HO for treatments C with conditions suitable for electro-Fenton can serve as qualitative evidence that the Fenton reaction is taking place. Figure 1

EFFECT OF CO-COMPOSTING ON HELMINTH EGGS REMOVAL

This study concerns the effectiveness of helminth eggs elimination during co-composting of activated sludge from a wastewater treatment plant mixed with ligno-cellulosic waste in a ratio of either 1/3-2/3 or 1/2-1/2 for 180 days. The Analysis of the initial sludge showed a load of 4-27 nematode eggs /g fresh matter identified as Ascaris sp., Capillaria sp. and Trichuris sp. During the co-composting stabilization phase, the reduction of the number of eggs varied between 50 and 90%. At the end of the process, reduction reached 100% for all the helminth ova. These results confirm the effectiveness of co-composting on their removal. Thereby, the final compost complied with the WHO guidelines for the safe reuse of fecal sludge.

Occurrence of the most common helminth infections among children in the Eastern Slovak Republic

ObjectivesAscariasis, trichuriasis and hymenolepiasis occur primarily within poor communities with low hygiene standards. This study examined the occurrence of intestinal helminth infections among children living in two counties (Košice and Prešov) in the Eastern Slovak Republic. Study designFour hundred and twenty-six children were divided into groups according to ethnicity (non-Roma and Roma), age, sex, urban/rural residency and county of residence. MethodsStool samples collected from participants were processed by formalin–ethyl acetate sedimentation and examined microscopically. ResultsThe overall prevalence of infection was 16.90% and the most prevalent species was Ascaris lumbricoides (14.32%). This was followed by Trichuris trichiura (3.76%), Hymenolepis nana (0.94%) and Hymenolepis diminuta (0.23%). The odds ratio for infection was 52 times higher among Roma children compared with non-Roma children. Among Roma children, the lowest prevalence of infection was reported in adolescents aged ≥16 years. No significant differences in the prevalence of helminths were found between different sexes, or between hospitalized and non-hospitalized participants. Roma children living in urban areas had a 3.36 higher probability of infection than those living in rural areas. Among Roma children, helminth ova were found in 31.76% of the specimens from Košice County and 19.69% of the specimens from Prešov County. Among non-Roma children, there was only one positive finding in Prešov County, and no cases in Košice County. ConclusionsImportant risk factors associated with helminth infections are ethnicity, county of residence and urban/rural residency. Ascariasis, trichuriasis and hymenolepiasis still occur in children with low hygiene standards, and this needs to be addressed by local authorities.