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A Survey of Soil-Transmitted Helminths Infections and Schistosomiasis mansoni among School Children in Libo-Kemkem District, Northwest Ethiopia: Cross Sectional Study

Received: 30 January 2015     Accepted: 13 February 2015     Published: 2 March 2015
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Abstract

The burden of disease caused by infection with schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes remains enormous. It is widely recognized that school children carry the heaviest burden of morbidity. Apart from the morbidity associated with acute infections, those who are chronically infected are often physically and intellectually compromised by anaemia, leading to attention deficits, learning disabilities, school absenteeism and higher dropout rates. Taking this into consideration, the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, the intensity and the relative frequency of multi-parasitism of the major soil-transmitted helminthes (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and the hookworms) and Schistosoma mansoni. A cross sectional survey was conducted from February 10, 2011 up to May 10, 2011, in three primary schools in Libo-Kemkem District, northwest Ethiopia. 365(173 males and 192 females) pupils, selected using systematic sampling using a random start, had their fecal specimens been examined using Kato-Katz cellophane fecal thick smear technique (41.7 mg template). S. mansoni was the most prevalent (15.9%) followed by A. lumbricoides (11.0%), the hookworms (8.2%) and T. trichiura (1.6%) and the corresponding geometric mean egg counts per gram were 122, 1749, 582 and 13 respectively. Single, double and triple infections encountered were 21.1%, 4.9% and 1.9% respectively. Most of the double infections were a combination of A. lumbricoides and the hookworms (3.6%). All schools combined, the average prevalence and egg count for each helminthes were neither age nor sex related but intensity of S. mansoni by age group which was statistically significant (p<0.05). The distribution of helminthes among pupils was over dispersed: that is, while most pupils harbored few or no and a few harbored many of them. Although, as compared to the previous studies, the present study showed a lowered infection rates, the relative increase in S. mansoni prevalence signifies a need for promoting intervention measures.

Published in American Journal of Health Research (Volume 3, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.12
Page(s) 57-62
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Soil-transmitted helminthes infection, Schistosma mansoni, Ethiopia

References
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[2] Ali AS. Natural products as therapeutic agents for schistosomiasis. Research Journal of Medicinal Plants, 2011, 5(1): pp 1-20
[3] WHO. Schistosomiasis and intestinal parasites control planning and technical guidance communicable diseases prevention and control: Report of the WHO informal consultation on schistosomiasis control. WHO/CDS/CPC/SIP/99.2, GENEVA,WHO. 1998
[4] Van derWerf MJ, De Vlas SJ, Brooker S, Looman CWN, Nagelkerke NJD, Habbema JDF, et al. Quantification of clinical morbidity associated with Schistosoma infection in Sub-Saharan Africa, Acta Trop, 2003, 86: pp 125-39
[5] Malone JB, Yilma JM, McCarroll JC, Erko B, Mukaratirwa S, Zhou X. Satellite climatology and the environmental risk of Schistosoma mansoni in Ethiopia and East Africa, Acta Trop, 2001, 79: pp 59-72
[6] Tadesse Z, Hailemariam A, Kolaczinskic JH. Potential for integrated control of neglected tropical diseases in Ethiopia: mini-review. Trans R Soc Trop Med and Hyg, 2008, 102: pp 213-214
[7] Mwangi TW, Bethony J, Brooker S. Malaria and helminths interactions in humans: an epidemiological viewpoint. Ann Trop Med Parasitol, 2006, 100: pp 551-570
[8] Montresor A, Crompton DWT, Gyorkos TW, Savioli L. Control Strategies-helminth control in school-aged children: a guide for managers of control programmes, WHO, 2002
[9] King HC. Parasites and poverty-the case of schistosomiasis: review, Acta Tropica, 2010, 113: pp 95–104
[10] Jemaneh L. Soil-transmitted helminth infections and Schistosomiasis mansoni in school children from Chilga District, Northwest Ethiopia. Ethiop J Health Sci, 2001, 11: pp 79-87
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[16] Andy EO and Palmer AD. Soil-transmitted helminthiasis among school age children in Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria, African Journal of Biotechnology, 2005, 4: pp 938-941
[17] Jacobsen KH, Ribeiro PS, Quist BK, and Rydbeck BV. Prevalence of intestinal parasites in Young Quichua Children in the Highlands of Rural Ecuador, J Health Popul Nutr, 2007, 25: pp 399-405
[18] Randal PAE, Perez MA, Floyd S, Black GF, Crampin AC, Ngwira B, Piston WN, Mulawa D, Sinhala L, Mwaungulu L, Bickle Q, Fine PEM. Patterns of helminth infection and relationship to BCG vaccination in Karonga District, Northern Malawi, Trans R Soc Trop Med and Hyg, 2002, 6: pp 29-33
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[20] Jemaneh L. Schistosomiasis mansoni and geo-helminthiasis in school children in the Dembia plains, Northwest Ethiopia, Ethiop J Health Dev, 1998, 12(3): pp 237-244
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    Tesfahun Addisu, Achenef Asmamaw. (2015). A Survey of Soil-Transmitted Helminths Infections and Schistosomiasis mansoni among School Children in Libo-Kemkem District, Northwest Ethiopia: Cross Sectional Study. American Journal of Health Research, 3(2), 57-62. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.12

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    ACS Style

    Tesfahun Addisu; Achenef Asmamaw. A Survey of Soil-Transmitted Helminths Infections and Schistosomiasis mansoni among School Children in Libo-Kemkem District, Northwest Ethiopia: Cross Sectional Study. Am. J. Health Res. 2015, 3(2), 57-62. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.12

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    AMA Style

    Tesfahun Addisu, Achenef Asmamaw. A Survey of Soil-Transmitted Helminths Infections and Schistosomiasis mansoni among School Children in Libo-Kemkem District, Northwest Ethiopia: Cross Sectional Study. Am J Health Res. 2015;3(2):57-62. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.12,
      author = {Tesfahun Addisu and Achenef Asmamaw},
      title = {A Survey of Soil-Transmitted Helminths Infections and Schistosomiasis mansoni among School Children in Libo-Kemkem District, Northwest Ethiopia: Cross Sectional Study},
      journal = {American Journal of Health Research},
      volume = {3},
      number = {2},
      pages = {57-62},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajhr.20150302.12},
      abstract = {The burden of disease caused by infection with schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes remains enormous. It is widely recognized that school children carry the heaviest burden of morbidity. Apart from the morbidity associated with acute infections, those who are chronically infected are often physically and intellectually compromised by anaemia, leading to attention deficits, learning disabilities, school absenteeism and higher dropout rates. Taking this into consideration, the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, the intensity and the relative frequency of multi-parasitism of the major soil-transmitted helminthes (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and the hookworms) and Schistosoma mansoni. A cross sectional survey was conducted from February 10, 2011 up to May 10, 2011, in three primary schools in Libo-Kemkem District, northwest Ethiopia. 365(173 males and 192 females) pupils, selected using systematic sampling using a random start, had their fecal specimens been examined using Kato-Katz cellophane fecal thick smear technique (41.7 mg template). S. mansoni was the most prevalent (15.9%) followed by A. lumbricoides (11.0%), the hookworms (8.2%) and T. trichiura (1.6%)  and the corresponding geometric mean egg counts per gram were 122, 1749, 582 and 13 respectively. Single, double and triple infections encountered were 21.1%, 4.9% and 1.9% respectively. Most of the double infections were a combination of A. lumbricoides and the hookworms (3.6%). All schools combined, the average prevalence and egg count for each helminthes were neither age nor sex related but intensity of S. mansoni by age group which was statistically significant (p<0.05). The distribution of helminthes among pupils was over dispersed: that is, while most pupils harbored few or no and a few harbored many of them. Although, as compared to the previous studies, the present study showed a lowered infection rates, the relative increase in S. mansoni prevalence signifies a need for promoting intervention measures.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - A Survey of Soil-Transmitted Helminths Infections and Schistosomiasis mansoni among School Children in Libo-Kemkem District, Northwest Ethiopia: Cross Sectional Study
    AU  - Tesfahun Addisu
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.12
    T2  - American Journal of Health Research
    JF  - American Journal of Health Research
    JO  - American Journal of Health Research
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    EP  - 62
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8796
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.12
    AB  - The burden of disease caused by infection with schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes remains enormous. It is widely recognized that school children carry the heaviest burden of morbidity. Apart from the morbidity associated with acute infections, those who are chronically infected are often physically and intellectually compromised by anaemia, leading to attention deficits, learning disabilities, school absenteeism and higher dropout rates. Taking this into consideration, the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, the intensity and the relative frequency of multi-parasitism of the major soil-transmitted helminthes (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and the hookworms) and Schistosoma mansoni. A cross sectional survey was conducted from February 10, 2011 up to May 10, 2011, in three primary schools in Libo-Kemkem District, northwest Ethiopia. 365(173 males and 192 females) pupils, selected using systematic sampling using a random start, had their fecal specimens been examined using Kato-Katz cellophane fecal thick smear technique (41.7 mg template). S. mansoni was the most prevalent (15.9%) followed by A. lumbricoides (11.0%), the hookworms (8.2%) and T. trichiura (1.6%)  and the corresponding geometric mean egg counts per gram were 122, 1749, 582 and 13 respectively. Single, double and triple infections encountered were 21.1%, 4.9% and 1.9% respectively. Most of the double infections were a combination of A. lumbricoides and the hookworms (3.6%). All schools combined, the average prevalence and egg count for each helminthes were neither age nor sex related but intensity of S. mansoni by age group which was statistically significant (p<0.05). The distribution of helminthes among pupils was over dispersed: that is, while most pupils harbored few or no and a few harbored many of them. Although, as compared to the previous studies, the present study showed a lowered infection rates, the relative increase in S. mansoni prevalence signifies a need for promoting intervention measures.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health Science, Bahir Dar Health Science College, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

  • Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, PAN African University, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

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