Agmas Aster, Alemu Getaneh, Hailu Tadesse
Department of Parasitology, Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Referral Hospital, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
Res Rep Trop Med. 2021 May 4;12:51-61. doi: 10.2147/RRTM.S308666. eCollection 2021.
Intestinal parasitic infections are among the major public health problems in resource-poor countries such as Ethiopia. Certain segments of the population such as psychiatric patients are believed to be at higher risk of infection because of their poor hygiene practices. However, information on the prevalence and contributing factors among psychiatric patients is limited in Ethiopia.
A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 432 psychiatric patients attending Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia from May to July 2020. Participants were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Data on socio-demography and associated factors were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Stool sample was collected and processed for parasitological examination using direct wet mount, modified Richie's concentration, Kato-Katz and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining techniques following standard protocols. Data were entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 20. The prevalence of intestinal parasitosis and associated factors were computed by descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression at 95% confidence interval (CI), respectively. Association between variables was considered statistically significant only if -value <0.05 at 95% confidence level.
A total of 168 (38.9%) participants were positive for at least a single species of intestinal parasite. Hookworm, / and were the most frequent parasites, detected in 74 (17.1%), 47 (10.9%) and 37 (8.6%) participants, respectively. Double infection was detected in 16 (9.5%) participants where 8 (4.8%) had hookworm and co-infections. Not washing raw fruits and vegetables before eating (adjusted odds ratio = 8.402; 95% CI: 3.055-23.109; <0.001) and having a psychiatric diagnosis other than bipolar disorder (adjusted odds ratio = 3.104; 95% CI: 1.334-7.222; = 0.009) were significantly associated with intestinal parasitic infections.
The prevalence of intestinal parasites among psychiatric patients was significant. Therefore, improving hygiene practice and implementing regular screening for intestinal parasitic infection among psychiatric patients are recommended so as to control parasite transmission and improve the health of psychiatric patients.
肠道寄生虫感染是埃塞俄比亚等资源匮乏国家的主要公共卫生问题之一。由于卫生习惯较差，某些人群如精神疾病患者被认为感染风险更高。然而，埃塞俄比亚关于精神疾病患者中寄生虫感染率及其影响因素的信息有限。
2020年5月至7月，在埃塞俄比亚西北部费莱格·希沃特综合专科医院就诊的432名精神疾病患者中开展了一项基于机构的横断面研究。采用系统随机抽样技术选取参与者。使用预先测试的结构化问卷收集社会人口学和相关因素的数据。按照标准方案收集粪便样本，并采用直接湿片法、改良瑞氏浓缩法、加藤-厚涂片法和改良齐尔-尼尔森染色技术进行寄生虫学检查。使用社会科学统计软件包20版录入和分析数据。分别通过描述性统计和二元逻辑回归计算肠道寄生虫感染率及相关因素，置信区间为95%。仅当在95%置信水平下P值<0.05时，变量之间的关联才被认为具有统计学意义。
共有168名（38.9%）参与者至少感染一种肠道寄生虫呈阳性。钩虫、蛔虫和鞭虫是最常见的寄生虫，分别在74名（17.1%）、47名（10.9%）和37名（8.6%）参与者中检测到。16名（9.5%）参与者检测到双重感染，其中8名（4.8%）同时感染钩虫和蛔虫。饭前不清洗生水果和蔬菜（调整比值比=8.402；95%置信区间：3.055-23.109；P<0.001）以及患有除双相情感障碍以外的精神疾病诊断（调整比值比=3.104；95%置信区间：1.334-7.222；P=0.009）与肠道寄生虫感染显著相关。
精神疾病患者中肠道寄生虫感染率较高。因此，建议改善卫生习惯并对精神疾病患者定期进行肠道寄生虫感染筛查，以控制寄生虫传播并改善精神疾病患者的健康状况。
