Prevalence and Intensity of Intestinal Parasitic Protozoan and Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections of School Children in Alemketema Town, Central Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross-sectional epidemiological investigation involving a sample population of 384 school children from grade one to grade eight in the two selected primary schools located in the Alemketema Town during May-June, 2010. A total of 384 stool samples of school-children were examined using Direct Wet-mount and Formalin-Ether concentration technique on fresh collected feces. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was 46.1% (25% of males and 21.1% of females). The prevalence of protozoan parasites, E. histolytica and G. lamblia was 16.4% and 6%, respectively. Similarly, the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections for A. lumbricoides, H. nana, Hookworms and S. stercoralis was 8.1%, 7.3%, 0.8% and 0.5%, respectively. Anthropometric indices of the pupils were measured and the relationship with the prevalence and intensity of intestinal parasitic infection were analyzed. But, there was no relationship between the anthropometric indices and prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection. In summary, intestinal parasitic protozoan infections represent a public health problem in the school-children of Alemketema town. However, a longitudinal study is required on the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and other blood protozoan parasites like malaria in the study area