ABSTRACT
Background: Worm infestation has remained major zoonotic diseases in Nepal especially among children. Objectives: To measure the prevalence of worm infestation and to identify risk factors associated with worm infestation among the school children of Dharan. Material and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among school children of Dharan. Stratified random sampling method was applied to choose the schools and the study subjects. The Chi-square test was used to measure the association of risk factors and worm infestation. Results: Overall prevalence of worm infestation among the school children was 11.3 percent. Taenia species was found very high (5.3%) in comparison to other worms i.e. Hookworm (2%), Ascaris lumbricoides (1.9%), Trichuris trichiura (1%), Hymenolepsis nana (0.7%) and Enterobius vermicularis (0.3%). No significant relationship was traced among the factors in the causation of worm infestation although slight indications present. Conclusions: Overall prevalence of worm infestation among the school children has remained high.
ABSTRACT
This community-based investigation was carried out to estimate the prevalence of intestinal parasitosis in primary school-going children of the Dharan municipality, Sunsari, Nepal from 2007 through 2008. A total of 182 stool samples were collected from 101 male and 81 female children of ages 4 to 10 years. A questionnaire including the factors predisposing to parasitosis, was filled up by the parents of each child. Parasitic examination was carried out by direct wet mount examination and concentration method using 10% formol-ether. The prevalence rate was found to be 22.5%. The result revealed preponderance of Giardia lamblia (11.5%) followed by Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (4.4%), Ascaris lumbricoides (3.3%), hookworm (1.6%) and Enterobius vermicularis (0.5%). Statistically significant difference in the prevalence with respect to age and gender was not seen. However, socioeconomic status, type of toilet used and the practice of hand washing had a strong correlation (p<0.05) with the prevalence of parasitic infection. Abdominal discomfort also had a strong statistical association (p<0.05) with the prevalence of parasitic infection. Proportionally higher infection rate was seen in participants not using filtered or boiled water. Lack of education of mothers and children, improper toilets and failure to practice proper hand washing were perceived from this study as contributors to the acquisition of intestinal parasitic infections.