Kiiti Ruth W, Omukunda Elizabeth N, Korir Jackson C
Department of Biological Sciences, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 190-50100, Kakamega, Kenya.
J Parasitol Res. 2020 Dec 30;2020:8810519. doi: 10.1155/2020/8810519. eCollection 2020.
Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) and schistosome infections have been known to be major causes of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan countries. School aged and preschool children are known to be at high risk of infection. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with soil-transmitted helminths among school-going children in Lurambi Subcounty, Kakamega, Kenya.
A cross-sectional study was conducted from Jan 2020 to Feb 2020 among 392 randomly selected primary school-going children aged 5 to 14 years old in six primary schools. Risk factors associated with STH infection were obtained using a structured questionnaire answered by the children's caregivers. Stool samples were examined using the standard quantitative Kato-Katz technique. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 20 and Epi Info version 7.2.3.1.
A total of 278 children provided stool samples for analysis. The overall prevalence of intestinal helminths was 14.4% (40/278). The prevalence of was 11.5% (32/278), 0.4% (1/278) for hookworm, 0.4% (1/278) for , and 2.1% (6/278) for ; coinfection was detected in 0.4% (1/278). The intensity of infection ranged between light and moderate. Significant risk factors for STH infection included failure to wash hands before eating (OR: 3.529; = 0.041), failure to wash fruits and vegetables before eating (OR: 2.3129; = 0.005), and not washing hands after soil contact (OR: 2.1529; = 0.005). Age ( = 2.4006, = 0.0164) was a risk factor only for infection with .
Preventive chemotherapy and proper hygienic and sanitation practices should be integrated to achieve elimination of STH and in Lurambi Subcounty and at large in Kenya.
土壤传播的蠕虫（STH）和血吸虫感染一直是撒哈拉以南国家发病和死亡的主要原因。已知学龄儿童和学龄前儿童感染风险很高。因此，本研究的目的是确定肯尼亚卡卡梅加卢兰比次县上学儿童中土壤传播蠕虫的流行情况及其相关风险因素。
2020年1月至2020年2月，在六所小学对392名年龄在5至14岁之间随机抽取的小学适龄儿童进行了一项横断面研究。通过儿童照料者回答的结构化问卷获取与STH感染相关的风险因素。粪便样本采用标准定量加藤厚涂片法进行检测。数据使用SPSS 20版和Epi Info 7.2.3.1版进行分析。
共有278名儿童提供了粪便样本用于分析。肠道蠕虫的总体患病率为14.4%（40/278）。蛔虫的患病率为11.5%（32/278），钩虫为0.4%（1/278），鞭虫为0.4%（1/278），绦虫为2.1%（6/278）；共感染率为0.4%（1/278）。感染强度介于轻度和中度之间。STH感染的显著风险因素包括饭前不洗手（比值比：3.529；P = 0.041）、饭前不清洗水果和蔬菜（比值比：2.3129；P = 0.005）以及接触土壤后不洗手（比值比：2.1529；P = 0.005）。年龄（P = 2.4006，P = 0.0164）仅是蛔虫感染的一个风险因素。
应将预防性化疗与适当的卫生和环境卫生措施相结合，以在卢兰比次县乃至整个肯尼亚实现消除STH和血吸虫的目标。
