Intestinal Parasites In Children Research Articles

Co-infection of Helicobacter Pylori and intestinal parasites in children of selected Low-income communities in Lagos State, Nigeria

Helicobacter pylori and intestinal parasites cause gastrointestinal diseases with a high prevalence in children in resource limited developing countries. There is paucity of information in Nigeria on co-infection of H. pylori and intestinal parasites. The study was conducted to determine the prevalence of H. pylori and parasite co-infection in children from selected low-income communities in Lagos, Nigeria. Fecal samples were collected from 151 healthy children aged ≤11 years across six low-income communities in Lagos. H. pylori was detected using stool antigen test and conventional PCR assay, intestinal parasites were detected using formol-ether concentration and nested PCR assay. Structured questionnaires were administered to parents and legal guardians of the children by an interviewer to collect relevant data on demographic and lifestyle factors. The prevalence of H. pylori was 31.79% (48), with a higher prevalence in children aged 2–3 years. The prevalence of intestinal parasites was 21.19% (32) with the lowest frequency found in children aged 8–9 years. The parasites detected include: A. lumbricoides (10.6%), G. intestinalis (7.3%), hookworm (1.99%), E. histolytica (0.66%), S. mansoni (0.66%). There was co-infection prevalence of 10.6% (16) which was associated with the parasites: G. intestinalis (7.3%) and A. lumbricoides (3.97%). Polyparasitism with G. intestinalis and A. lumbricoides was reported in 2 children infected with H. pylori. This study which is the first reported in Lagos established a low prevalence of H. pylori and intestinal parasite co-infection in children and provides better understanding of the epidemiology of H. pylori infection associated with intestinal parasites in Nigeria.

Detecting Intestinal Parasites in Diarrheal Cases among Children in Dir Lower District

Background: Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are a critical health concern globally, causing significant morbidity, especially in low-resource settings. Factors such as poor sanitation, limited access to clean water, and suboptimal hygiene practices contribute to their spread. These infections are known to disproportionately affect children in underdeveloped regions, leading to chronic health issues and impeding socio-economic development. Objective: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in children presenting with diarrhea in the Dir Lower district of Pakistan and to analyze the distribution of these infections across different age groups and genders. The study also sought to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes towards diarrhea management among mothers of affected children. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in THQ hospitals in Samarbagh, Dir Lower. Stool samples were collected from 350 children under surveillance, with 150 positive cases identified for further analysis between October and December 2023. Stool Routine Examination (RE) and microscopy were the primary diagnostic techniques used. Ethical considerations adhered to the Helsinki Declaration. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25. Results: Out of 350 children surveyed, 38% (n=112) tested positive for at least one intestinal parasite. Giardia lamblia (47.32%) and Entamoeba histolytica (23.21%) were the most prevalent protozoa. The helminths Ascaris lumbricoides (4.46%) and Hymenolepis nana (9.82%) were also detected. The highest incidence of IPIs was among females (78 cases) and children under four years (61 cases). Conclusion: The study confirmed a high prevalence of IPIs among children with diarrhea in Dir Lower, with Giardia lamblia being the most common parasite. The findings underscore the need for improved public health strategies focusing on sanitation and hygiene education, especially in young children and females.

Epidemiological profile of intestinal parasites in children under five years of age in Maputo, Mozambique

Intestinal parasites are one of the most sought-after causes in pediatrics. Its occurrence is one of the indicators of socioeconomic status that may be associated with several sociodemographic factors. It is estimated that approximately 50% of the vulnerable population is parasitized with one or more types of parasites, such as children. Considering that this population is essential for human development, the goal of this work was to evaluate the epidemiological profile of intestinal parasites in children up to five years of age in Maputo, Mozambique. To this end, a cross-sectional descriptive study was done with 70 children, through the application of a questionnaire with content related to sociodemographic conditions, clinical profile and identification of the patient’s parasitosis. A stool sample was also requested for parasitological analysis by Ritchie concentration, Ziehl-Neelsen and rapid test techniques. From the 70 children, 36 (51.4%) were infected with at least one intestinal parasite, with Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura being the most prevalent. Furthermore, it was possible to observe a direct correlation between basic sanitation and intestinal parasites. Fever symptoms were also correlated with the presence of intestinal parasitism. Although the government of Mozambique has adopted since 2009 a policy of massive drug administration to deworm children, the high rate of intestinal parasites remains present in the population. Therefore, preventive measures must be taken to contribute to the reduction of this rate of intestinal parasites in this population. KEY WORDS: Public health; Mozambique; kids; intestinal parasites.

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in children and domestic animals from two peri-urban neighborhoods in northeastern Argentina.

Motivation for the study. There are few reports on intestinal parasites in children and domestic animals in urban areas in Argentina who live in homes with characteristics that favor the maintenance and transmission of parasites of zoonotic importance. Main findings. More than 50% of children and pets were parasitized, most of them with zoonotic pathogens. Implications. Our results showed the urgent need to improve sanitary control of children and animals, and to implement activities for the prevention of intestinal parasitosis in the homes analyzed.

INCIDENCE OF INTESTINAL PARASITES IN CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC SPONTANEOUS URTICARIA

This study aimed to investigate the incidence of intestinal parasites in children who have been diagnosed with chronic spontaneous urticaria. A prospective control study was conducted at the Pathology Department of MMDC, Multan. The study included a total of 150 children, both from government and private schools. The children were divided into two groups: group A comprised 80 children diagnosed with chronic spontaneous urticaria, and group B included 70 healthy children. Group A was assessed for intestinal infections, and those with parasites were given anti-parasitic therapy. The outcomes were then evaluated. Out of the participants in group A, 18 (22.5%) had intestinal parasitic infections (IPI), compared to 10 (14.2%) in group B. Although the incidence of IPI was higher in group A, the difference was not statistically significant (P=.181). Blastocystis sp. was found in 14 (17.5%) patients in group A and 10 (14.2%) in group B. The eosinophil percentage in group A was 2% (.6% - 3.7%), and in group B was 1.5% (.6% - 2.2%) (P= .045). The total IgE value in group A was 97.6 IU/mL (ranging from 29-246 IU/mL), and in group B was 31.6 IU/mL (ranging from 14.2-65.8 IU/mL) (P <.001). Patients diagnosed with IPI were treated with metronidazole; out of the 18 patients, 10 (55.5%) saw an end to their urticaria symptoms. The results of this study suggest that Blastocystis sp. and D. fragilis were the most common parasites found in children with urticaria, which can disrupt their lifestyle.

Is there added value from using three serial samples when surveying the occurrence of intestinal parasites in children?

Surveys for intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) often involve samples from three sampling dates analysed by various microscopy techniques. However, analysis of three samples per individual is a huge burden on time and resources. We compared the value from analysing three or fewer samples. In this cross-sectional study, three faecal samples were collected every other day from 332 children from two locations in Guantanamo province, Cuba. Samples were analysed by wet mount with Lugol stain, Willis flotation method and Kato-Katz thick smear. Most parasites were detected by wet mount, although helminth eggs not found by wet smear were detected by the Willis flotation method (in particular) and Kato-Katz smear. Blastocystis spp. was the most commonly detected parasite (about 65%), then Giardia duodenalis and then Entamoeba spp. Although analysis of two stool samples significantly increased occurrence data for Blastocystis, this was not so for the other parasites. For none of the protozoan parasites were results from analysing three samples significantly higher than results from analysing just two samples. Analysing two faecal samples by wet mount and the Willis flotation method provides useful data for estimating the prevalence of IPIs in relatively high prevalence settings. Analysing further samples provides limited additional information and adds an extra burden in terms of time and resources.

Stunting among children aged 24–59 months and associations with sanitation, enteric infections, and environmental enteric dysfunction in rural northwest Ethiopia

Stunting is a public health issue of global concern. Despite, poor sanitation, diarrhea, parasitic infections, and environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) are associated with stunting, their link is poorly understood and has not been investigated in Ethiopia. This study was conducted to assess the associations of stunting with sanitation, enteric infections, and EED among children aged 24–59 months in rural northwest Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 224 randomly selected children aged 24–59 months in rural areas of the east Dembiya district. We collected information on household food insecurity and dietary diversity using pre-tested questionnaires adopted from the food and nutrition technical assistance (FANTA) project. We used height-for-age-z score (HAZ) to define stunting. We also used the data collected to measure the environmental exposures of children to intestinal parasitic infections and fecal biomarkers of EED. A multivariable binary logistic regression model was used to assess the association of stunting with sanitation, enteric infections, and EED. Of the 224 children, 33% (95% CI 27, 39%) were stunted. Stunting in children was significantly associated with poor dietary intake (AOR 3.0, 95% CI 1.2, 7.3), open defecation practice (AOR 3.0, 95% CI 1.2, 7.9), presence of animal excreta in the living environment (AOR 3.4, 95% CI 1.2, 9.9), E. coli contamination of drinking water (AOR 4.2, 95% CI 1.1, 15.3), diarrheal disease incidence (AOR 3.4, 95% CI 1.5, 7.7), intestinal parasites in children (AOR 3.3, 95% CI 1.3, 8.8), and higher EED disease activity scores (AOR 2.9, 95% CI 1.2, 6.7). One-third of the children in the study area were stunted and this high prevalence of stunting was associated with poor dietary intake, poor hygiene and sanitation conditions, enteric infections, and EED. Thus, stunting can be prevented by improving sanitation and hygienic conditions to prevent repeated enteric infections in children and by promoting dietary diversity of children.

Epidemiological investigation of intestinal parasites in children of Sale city (Morocco)

Epidemiological investigation of intestinal parasites in children of Sale city (Morocco)

Prevalence of Diarrhea Caused by Intestinal Parasites in Children in AL-Kufa City, Iraq

Prevalence of Diarrhea Caused by Intestinal Parasites in Children in AL-Kufa City, Iraq

Nutritional status, intestinal parasitic infections, and socio-environmental conditions in Mbyá-guaraní children: The current situation in communities in central Misiones, Argentina.

Our previous research in Mbyá-guaraní communities of central Misiones showed high levels of growth stunting and intestinal parasites in children, as well as associations between these variables and deficient sanitary conditions. New studies were necessary to update the present health status of the previously studied Mbyá populations after around two decades. Therefore, we evaluated the current nutritional status, intestinal parasites, and socio-environmental conditions among Mbyá-guaraní children from these communities. Body weight and height of 102 individuals (aged 2-14) were measured and nutritional status was estimated according to the World Health Organization criteria. Serial fecal samples and anal swabs were analyzed from 75 children (aged 1-14). Socio-environmental data were obtained from questionnaires. The prevalence of undernutrition was 31.4% and excess of weight was 10.8%. The prevalence of stunting and of overweight reached 30.4% and 8.8%, respectively. About 85% of the children were infected with at least one of the 14 species identified, and around 44% had multiple parasite infections. The most prevalent species were Enterobius vermicularis and hookworms. Among undernourished children, 88.2% were parasitized by at least one of the potentially pathogenic species detected. Most of the families lived in overcrowded conditions in precarious houses, defecated in latrines, and consumed well water. A higher risk of parasitosis was associated with the source of drinking water. Although the prevalence of undernutrition and intestinal parasites decreased compared with our previous studies, we still observed the coexistence of stunting, excess weight, and parasitic infections, in a context of socio-environmental vulnerability.

Intestinal Parasites in Children up to 14 Years Old Hospitalized with Diarrhea in Mozambique, 2014-2019.

Diarrhea remains a public health problem in Mozambique, even with control strategies being implemented. This analysis aimed to determine the proportion and factors associated with intestinal parasitic infection (IPI) in children up to 14 years old with diarrheal disease, in the southern, central and northern regions of Mozambique. A single diarrheal sample of 1424 children was collected in hospitals and examined using the formol-ether concentration and modified Ziehl–Neelsen techniques to identify intestinal parasites using optical microscopy. Sociodemographic characteristics were obtained by questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation were performed, and p-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. A single IPI was detected in 19.2% (273/1424) of the children. Cryptosporidium spp. was the most common parasite (8.1%; 115/1424). Polyparasitism was seen in 26.0% (71/273), with the co-infection of Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura (26.8%; 19/71) being the most common. Age and province were related to IPI (p-value < 0.05). The highest occurrence of IPI was observed in the wet period (October to March), with 21.9% (140/640), compared to the dry period (April to September), with 16.9% (131/776) (p-value = 0.017). Cryptosporidium spp. and the combination of A. lumbricoides/T. trichiura were the main intestinal parasites observed in children hospitalized with diarrhea in Mozambique.

Evaluation of Intestinal Parasites and Some Clinical Symptoms in Children with Diarrhea

This study aimed to determine the frequency of intestinal parasites in children who were presented to health centers with a complaint of diarrhea and to reveal the importance of these parasites. The study was conducted on children within the age range of 1-16 who were presented to Iğdır State Hospital and Private Bulut Hospital between 2020 February-April 2020 with a complaint of diarrhea. A total of 300 children comprising 141 girls and 159 boys were enrolled in the study. The control group was composed of 100 children (girls=50, boys=50) without any chronic disease and diarrhea. Stool samples were evaluated by the native-Lugol method and the modified acid-fast staining method. Intestinal parasite positivity was found in 105 (35%) out of the 300 children in the patient group and in 17 (17%) out of the 100 children in the control group. In terms of parasitic positivity, a statistically significant difference was found between children with diarrhea and the healthy control group (p=0.001). Blastocystis hominis (13%), Cryptosporidium spp. (3%), and Giardia intestinalis (2%) were found in the patient group. Intestinal parasitic positivity was found in 30.2% and 40.4% of the boys and girls in the patient group, respectively, whereas it was found in 14% and 20% of the boys and girls in the control group, respectively. When evaluated statistically according to gender, a significant difference (comparison for boys: p=0.008; comparison for girls: p=0.004) was noted between the patient group and control group for each gender. In terms of the relationship between the frequency of parasites and some living conditions of the patients, a statistically significant relationship was found in the comparison of "whether or not livestock" (p=0.004) and "whether there is a sewerage network" (p=0.002). Additionally, a significant difference was found between parasitic positivity and abdominal pain (p=0.008) and nausea (p=0.003). The present study concludes that children with clinical symptoms, such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea, should be evaluated for intestinal parasites. Furthermore, it has been understood that intestinal parasites remain an important health problem among the pediatric cohort.

Educational intervention for the reduction of intestinal parasitism in children under 5 years of age. Belize City, 2021

Introduction: Intestinal parasitism represents a serious health problem worldwide, affecting both developed and underdeveloped countries, with more than one billion people infected by various types of parasites. Methods: The study focused on improving knowledge of parasitic diseases in mothers of children under five years of age through an educational program in a public clinic in Belize. A baseline survey was conducted, education was implemented, knowledge was reassessed, and participants' confidentiality and informed consent were guaranteed. Result and discussion: The educational intervention significantly improved their knowledge of intestinal parasitosis, increasing from 77.5% to 95% in key areas. This highlights the effectiveness of educational interventions in health promotion. Conclusions: Most of the mothers in the sample were between 20 and 29 years old with high school education, and initially had limited knowledge about intestinal parasites, but after the educational intervention, their understanding in all topics assessed improved significantly, demonstrating the effectiveness of the program.

Çocuk Hastalarda Bağırsak Parazitlerin Epidemiyolojisi: Ordu İli Örneği

Objective: In this study, the aim was to investigate the incidence of intestinal parasites in children, demographic features related to parasite positivity, life style features and accompanying symptoms. Materials and Methods: Fecal samples from 342 children (49.1% girls, 50.9% boys) attending with different symptoms were investigated with native, lugol, trichrome, acid fast, sedimentation and cellophane anal band methods for parasite diagnosis. Results: All cases, 29% were preschool age of 1-5 years, 45.6% were 6-10 years and 25.4% were 11-18 years old. The incidence of intestinal parasites was 51.2% with the most commonly observed parasites identified as Cryptosporidium spp. (41.1%), Blastocystis spp. (40.6%), and Enterobius vermicularis (21.1%). Settlement area was determined to be a lifestyle feature significant for parasite positivity (p&amp;lt;0.05). Conclusion: It was concluded that intestinal parasites were common among children in Ordu province, due to the detection of intestinal parasites (51.2%) in more than half of the children constituting the sample in the study. In line with this, educations should be organized about the transmission of parasites to children and ways of protection against transmission. Also, regular health check-ups of children must be done.

"Impact of a Model of Educational Intervention on Intestinal Parasitism in Children of Havana. 2021 Second Post-Evaluation and Intervention Study"

Among infectious diseases, those produced by parasites constitute important health problems for man and at the present time they are a medico-social problem that affects not only the so-called Third World countries, but also those with the highest development.

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in children from public preschool in the Triple Border Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay

Introduction: The prevalence of parasitosis in children from Brazilian border cities is unknown. Objective: To identify the prevalence of intestinal parasites in children from public pre-school on the Brazilian border and their socioeconomic and health profile. Methods: Fecal samples were obtained from 178 children from public early childhood educational center (CMEI) in Brazilian border municipalities in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil. Samples were processed by Hoffman sedimentation and zinc sulfate centrifugation and flotation methods. A questionnaire was administered to children´s parents or guardians regarding parasitic diseases, socioeconomic status, and sanitary habits. Results: The prevalence of intestinal parasites was 26.9% (n=48). A high prevalence of Giardia duodenalis was found (16.3%), followed by Endolimax nana (8.4%), Enterobius vermiculares (1.7%), Ascaris lumbricoides, and Entamoeba coli (0.5%). Forty-seven children (26.4%) presented monoparasitism. The percentage of parasitosis was significantly higher among male children (33.7% - p&lt;0.036) who exhibited weight loss (50.0%), were from low-income families (35.4%- p=0.05), and had mothers with a low education (54.0%-p=0.0001). The highest percentage of Giardia was in children who exhibited weight loss (42.9% - p&lt;0.05) and had mothers with low education (35.0%- p=0.0001). Multivariate analysis indicated that in the variable gender (male gender), weight loss and low maternal education contributed to the variability of parasitosis in children from the surveyed MCEC. Conclusion: The higher prevalence of Giardia was due to child and family variables. The detection of Enterobius vermiculares and Ascaris lumbricoides, despite the low frequency, indicates the need for better basic sanitation policies.   Keywords: child; parasites; prevalence; border areas; giardiasis.

Asymptomatic Carriage of Salmonella and Intestinal Parasites in Pupils in Yaounde

Background: Feco-oral transmitted diseases (FOTD) remain a public health issue, particularly in developing countries. Data concerning the carriage of Salmonella and intestinal parasites in children are available worldwide but are lacking in Cameroon. This study aimed to determine the asymptomatic carriage of Salmonella and intestinal parasites in children of two primary schools in Yaoundé. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from October 2017 to May 2018 in two primary schools (from rural and urban areas) in the 7th precinct of Yaoundé. Sociodemographic, clinical and paraclinical (rectal swab, direct examination of fresh stool and bacteriological culture on Hektoen medium) data were collected. Results: We included 368 (192 boys) pupils from both schools (184 in each school) with a mean age of 8.99 ± 2.21 years. None of the children was infected by Salmonella spp. Intestinal parasite prevalence was 9.80% (6.52% of children from the urban school vs 13.04% from the rural ones). The intestinal parasite prevalence tended to be higher in girls than in boys (11.98% vs. 7.39%). Among intestinal parasites, protozoa were the most widely found. Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia intestinalis were the most prevalent pathogenic intestinal protozoa (11.11% vs. 25% of all positive stool exams). The helminths, less frequent, were represented by Ascaris lumbicoides and Enterobius vermicularis. The factors associated with intestinal parasite carriage were mainly rural school location and age between 11 - 13 years. Conclusion: Among children in primary school, Salmonella infection was absent, while intestinal parasites are frequent, represented mostly by protozoa. This parasitism is in our cohort associated with the rural school location and the 11 - 13 years age group. This suggests that there is additional room for the implementation of prevention measures for intestinal parasite infections in our setting.

The Prevalence of Some Intestinal Parasites in children of Karbala Provence

The Prevalence of Some Intestinal Parasites in children of Karbala Provence

Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitosis in Children of a Primary School in Pedro Juan Caballero - PY

Introduction: Parasitosis is a type of endoparasitism, which is directly related to sanitary conditions and is an important public health problem in developing countries. Objective: To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in children attending a primary public school in Pedro Juan Caballero - PY. Materials and Methods: 85 (eighty-five) stool samples were analyzed using the centrifugal sedimentation technique. Results: Cysts and/or parasite eggs were observed in the stool samples of 67 (78.8%) children. Giardia lamblia cysts were those that showed the highest incidence in the children. Conclusion: The high Giardia lamblia index demonstrates the lack of access to drinking water for consumption, inadequate sanitation and the absence of a public health network. This study highlights the importance of encouraging the use of serial analysis of stool, strengthening preventive measures for parasitosis, developing protocols for their approach, and designing a strategy that includes the preschool population in the programs that periodically evaluate the development of children.

Intestinal parasitism in children of six schools, urban and rural areas, of Jipijapa Canton, Ecuador

Intestinal parasitism in children of six schools, urban and rural areas, of Jipijapa Canton, Ecuador