Werunga Daniel Kevin, Omukunda Elizabeth Nanjala, Korir Jackson Cheruiyot
Department of Biological Sciences, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 190, Kakamega, Kenya.
J Parasitol Res. 2020 Nov 7;2020:8871042. doi: 10.1155/2020/8871042. eCollection 2020.
Intestinal helminths cause anaemia, malnutrition, indigestion disorders, retarded growth, and low mental abilities in pupils. About 1.5 billion are infected globally. Intestinal helminth infections are caused by , , , , , and . Lugari Subcounty has poor sanitation and inadequate clean water. This study determined the prevalence of intestinal helminth infections in preschool pupils in Lugari Subcounty. A stratified multistage cluster experimental design was used. Sampling was carried out in four wards: Lumakanda, Lugari, Luandeti, and Chekalini. Preschool pupils of either gender were selected randomly. Written consents and verbal assent were obtained from parents or guardians and preschool pupils, respectively. Questionnaires were administered in order to collect sociodemographic data. Stool samples were collected and tested for the presence of eggs using the standard Kato-Katz technique. Prevalence rate and prevalence ratio were calculated as the percentage of infected preschool pupils among the total number of preschool pupils examined. Preschool pupils positive with helminths were treated freely, and a follow-up screening was conducted three months after treatment. Approval of the study was sought from the Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology Institutional Ethical Review Board (MMUST IRB). The overall prevalence of intestinal helminths was 12.3%. Only one species, , was identified. Statistical tests were carried out at a 5% significance level ( < 0.05, confidence interval (CI) 95%). There was a statistically significant association for prevalence and intensity of intestinal helminths versus factors like school location, knowledge of washing hands before eating, and awareness of washing hands after visiting a toilet. Although this study revealed a low prevalence and light intensity, some factors had significant effects on intestinal helminth infections among the preschool children. Therefore, there is a need to intensify efforts for their intestinal helminth control.
肠道蠕虫会导致小学生贫血、营养不良、消化不良、生长发育迟缓以及智力低下。全球约有15亿人受到感染。肠道蠕虫感染是由蛔虫、鞭虫、十二指肠钩虫、美洲钩虫、绦虫和姜片虫引起的。卢加里分区卫生条件差，清洁用水不足。本研究确定了卢加里分区学龄前儿童肠道蠕虫感染的患病率。采用分层多阶段整群实验设计。在四个病房进行抽样：卢马坎达、卢加里、卢安迪蒂和切卡利尼。随机选择不同性别的学龄前儿童。分别从家长或监护人以及学龄前儿童那里获得书面同意书和口头同意。发放问卷以收集社会人口学数据。采集粪便样本，使用标准的加藤厚涂片法检测虫卵的存在。患病率和流行率以受检学龄前儿童总数中感染学龄前儿童的百分比计算。对感染蠕虫的学龄前儿童进行免费治疗，并在治疗三个月后进行随访筛查。该研究已获得马辛德·穆利罗科技大学机构伦理审查委员会（MMUST IRB）的批准。肠道蠕虫的总体患病率为12.3%。仅鉴定出一种蠕虫，即蛔虫。统计检验在5%的显著性水平（P<0.05，95%置信区间（CI））下进行。肠道蠕虫的患病率和感染强度与学校位置、饭前洗手知识以及便后洗手意识等因素之间存在统计学上的显著关联。尽管本研究显示患病率较低且感染强度较轻，但一些因素对学龄前儿童的肠道蠕虫感染有显著影响。因此，有必要加大力度控制他们的肠道蠕虫感染。
