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INTESTINAL HELMINTHS AND SCHISTOSOMIASIS AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN IN A RURAL DISTRICT IN KENYA
Abstract
Objective: To determine the extent of intestinal schistosomiasis, ascariasis, trichuriasis and
hookworm infections among school children of Usigu and Bondo divisions of Bondo District.
Design: A cross sectional study.
Setting: Fifty out of 130 primary schools in Usigu and Bondo divisions, Bondo District.
Subjects: Randomly selected school children (n= 3158) aged five to 20 years, were examined
for intestinal helminths and schistosomiasis using Kato thick smear technique.
Results: The overall prevalence and geometric mean egg counts per gradfaeces for
Schistosorna mansoni were 31.6% and 3.1; hookworm 36.8% and 4.1; Trichuris trichiura
21.8% and 1.5, and Ascaris lurnbricoides 16.5% and 2.5. More girls (34.9%) than boys
(28.6%) were infected with S. mansoni whereas more boys (39.0%) than girls (34.5% ) were
infected with hookworm. The prevalence of S. mansoni and hookworm infections increased
with age but Ascaris and Trichuris infections decreased with age without any sex differences.
Children under ten years of age tended to be more heavily infected with ascariasis,
trichuriasis and hookworm than the older ones, while the intensity of S. mar2soni increased
gradually with age. There were positive relationships between different infections except for
a significant negative correlation between Schistosorna rnansoni and hookworm infections.
0niy four cases out of 789 had S. haemalobiurn infection.
Conclusion. Schistosorna manso~zi and geohelminths were endemic in Bondo District, where
two thirds of the school children suffered from these parasites, Polyparasitism was also
common. There was a little overlap in the distribution of Schistosornaman,sorzi and hookworm,
whereas ascariasis and trichuriasis were fairly distributed in the district.
hookworm infections among school children of Usigu and Bondo divisions of Bondo District.
Design: A cross sectional study.
Setting: Fifty out of 130 primary schools in Usigu and Bondo divisions, Bondo District.
Subjects: Randomly selected school children (n= 3158) aged five to 20 years, were examined
for intestinal helminths and schistosomiasis using Kato thick smear technique.
Results: The overall prevalence and geometric mean egg counts per gradfaeces for
Schistosorna mansoni were 31.6% and 3.1; hookworm 36.8% and 4.1; Trichuris trichiura
21.8% and 1.5, and Ascaris lurnbricoides 16.5% and 2.5. More girls (34.9%) than boys
(28.6%) were infected with S. mansoni whereas more boys (39.0%) than girls (34.5% ) were
infected with hookworm. The prevalence of S. mansoni and hookworm infections increased
with age but Ascaris and Trichuris infections decreased with age without any sex differences.
Children under ten years of age tended to be more heavily infected with ascariasis,
trichuriasis and hookworm than the older ones, while the intensity of S. mar2soni increased
gradually with age. There were positive relationships between different infections except for
a significant negative correlation between Schistosorna rnansoni and hookworm infections.
0niy four cases out of 789 had S. haemalobiurn infection.
Conclusion. Schistosorna manso~zi and geohelminths were endemic in Bondo District, where
two thirds of the school children suffered from these parasites, Polyparasitism was also
common. There was a little overlap in the distribution of Schistosornaman,sorzi and hookworm,
whereas ascariasis and trichuriasis were fairly distributed in the district.
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