ABSTRACT
Parasitic infection is still a serious public health problem in the world, especially in developing countries including Egypt. It represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality in childhood and among high-risk groups in most parts of the world. This study detected the prevalence of parasitic infection among school children in El-Wadi El-Gadded [the New Valley Governorate]. A total of randomly chosen 1615 students aged from 6-16 years, [771 males and 844 female] from 12 primary schools and 12 preparatory schools related to four centers [El Dakhala, El Farfra, Paris and Platt] from the New Valley Governorate. Each child was subject to: A questionnaire sheet, Urine examination through sedimentation methods, Stool examination using: Direct smear, Simple sedimentation method and Modified Ziehl-Neelsen Stain, Blood samples were collected randomly from 450 children and examined for Seropositivity of toxoplasmosis using [On-SiteToxoIgG/IgM Rapid Test-Cassette] and examination of hair and clothes for ectoparasites [lice]. The overall prevalence of parasites was [39.1%] among primary and preparatory school children. The helminthes were E. vermicularis [15.2% and 17. 1%]; A. lumbricoides [1.3% and 1.9%] and then H. nana [0.9% and 0.6%] and the protozoa were E. histolytica [14.1% and 13.2%], Giardia lamblia [3.8% and 309%], and then Cryptosporidium parvum [0.09%] and seropositivity of toxoplasmosis was in [3.0% and 2.7%] among primary and preparatory school children respectively. Mixed infection was in [0.4%] among primary school children. Head lice infestation was more prevalent among primary school children than preparatory school ones with a ratio [3.5% and 0.2%] respectively, was nil among males