Prevalence and risk factors of parasitic infections among under-five Sudanese children: a community based study.

A community based prospective study was conducted among randomly selected 300 children aged less than five years selected from three camps of the police force in Khartoum from 534 households representing a total population of 4962 individuals. The study was planned to determine the prevalence and type of parasitic infestations and the related risk factors in that community. From the 300 children, 298 stools specimens were examined: 116 were positive for a single parasite, while samples from 15 children showed ova and cysts for two types of parasites giving a prevalence rate of 44%. The commonest infestations were Giardiasis (21.1%), Taeniasis (10.4%) and Enterobiasis (7.4%). Non pathogenic E. coli, E. histolytica and Taenia saginata were detected in 2.7%, 0.7% and 1.7% of stools specimen respectively. Children aged between 3 years and above were the most affected group and the infection rate was highest among the illiterate, overcrowded and large sized families. Malnourished children comprised 9.4% of the study group but there was no significant association between undernutrition and the overall prevalence of intestinal infestations, although Giardia lamblia significantly affected the undernourished group.