Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Department of Medical laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia.
BMC Pediatr. 2022 Aug 5;22(1):477. doi: 10.1186/s12887-022-03534-5.
Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STHs) are the major public health problem in the world especially in school age children. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the burden of soil transmitted helminths and Schistosoma mansoni among Ambesame primary school children, North-West Ethiopia.
A cross sectional study was carried out at Ambasame primary school children from March to May, 2019. Study participants were selected using systematic random sampling technique. Socio-demographic characteristics and other factors were collected using structured questionnaire. Moreover, stool samples were examined microscopically using wet mount and formol ether concentration techniques. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Logistic regression analysis was done to investigate the association between dependent and independent variables. P-value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 117(31.2%). The prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthes and S.mansoni was 110 (29.3%) using formol ether concentration technique. The most predominant parasite was S. mansoni (10.7%), followed by hookworm (5.6%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that, helminthic infection was associated with children less than 7 years of age (P-value = 0.019, AOR = 3.29, 95% CI (1.21-8.91)); fathers who are able to read and write (P-value< 0.001, AOR = 5.4, 95% CI (2.37-12.33)); absence of latrine (P-value = 0.016, AOR = 12.96, 95% CI (1.60-104.87)) and untrimmed nail (P-value = 0.043, AOR = 2.09, 95% CI (1.02-4.27)).
This study revealed that the prevalence of intestinal helminthes among Ambasame primary school children was relatively high. The lower educational status of father, absence of latrine and untrimmed finger nail showed statistically significant association with intestinal helminthic infection. This indicates the school community, health offices and other stakeholders should plan a strategy to tackle problems associated with sanitary condition. Furthermore, Health policy makers, healthcare workers and health extension workers should enhance their effort of awareness creation for school children, parents, school community about personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, intestinal parasites transmission, prevention and control. Moreover, mass deworming of school children and periodic screening for parasitic infection should be done.
血吸虫病和土源性蠕虫病（STHs）是世界上特别是学龄儿童的主要公共卫生问题。因此，本研究旨在确定阿姆巴萨姆小学儿童的土源性蠕虫和曼氏血吸虫的负担，位于埃塞俄比亚西北部。
2019 年 3 月至 5 月在阿姆巴萨姆小学进行了横断面研究。采用系统随机抽样技术选择研究对象。使用结构化问卷收集社会人口统计学特征和其他因素。此外，使用湿片和甲醛乙醚浓缩技术对粪便样本进行显微镜检查。使用 SPSS 版本 20 输入和分析数据。使用逻辑回归分析调查因变量和自变量之间的关联。P 值小于 0.05 被认为具有统计学意义。
肠道寄生虫的总流行率为 117（31.2%）。使用甲醛乙醚浓缩技术，土壤传播的蠕虫和曼氏血吸虫的流行率为 110（29.3%）。最主要的寄生虫是曼氏血吸虫（10.7%），其次是钩虫（5.6%）。多变量逻辑回归分析显示，寄生虫感染与年龄小于 7 岁的儿童有关（P 值=0.019，AOR=3.29，95%CI（1.21-8.91））；能够读写的父亲（P 值<0.001，AOR=5.4，95%CI（2.37-12.33））；没有厕所（P 值=0.016，AOR=12.96，95%CI（1.60-104.87））和未修剪的指甲（P 值=0.043，AOR=2.09，95%CI（1.02-4.27））。
本研究表明，阿姆巴萨姆小学儿童肠道蠕虫的流行率相对较高。父亲较低的教育程度、没有厕所和未修剪的指甲与肠道蠕虫感染呈统计学显著相关。这表明学校社区、卫生办公室和其他利益攸关方应制定策略来解决与卫生条件有关的问题。此外，卫生政策制定者、卫生保健工作者和卫生推广工作者应加强对学龄儿童、家长、学校社区的个人卫生、环境卫生、肠道寄生虫传播、预防和控制的认识。此外，应定期对学童进行大规模驱虫，并定期筛查寄生虫感染情况。
