Prevalence, risk factors and impacts of schistosomal and intestinal parasitic infections among rural school children in Sohag governorate

Parasitic diseases represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality in childhood in most parts of the world. Hygiene and play habits make children especially vulnerable to schistosomal and parasitic infections. The aim of this study is to define the prevalence of different types of parasitic infections, to define their risk factors and to determine their impacts on health and scholastic absenteeism and achievement of rural school students in Sohag Governorate, Egypt. A cross-section, analytical study design was chosen to perform this research on 960 rural school students. All the students were interviewed and examined clinically and laboratory. The study showed that 38.5% of the students were infected by parasites. Entaemoeba histolytica, Enterobius vermicularis and Giardia lamblia had the highest percentages, 20.4%, 16.6% and 15.2%, respectively. Male sex, last birth order, poor personal hygiene, low socioeconomic level, >/=3 infected siblings, previous parasitic infections and no early consultation for therapy were important risk factors [ORs=1.41, 2.32, 2.63, 2.86, 4.17, 9.80 and 10.83, respectively]. Also, 29.2% and 31.6% of infected students were below the 5th percentiles as regard weight-for-age and height-for-age, respectively. Anemia was present among 52.4% of infected students. Further, 3.2% of them had hepatomegaly. Also, 37.8% and 41.1% of infected students had 0-3 and 4-6 days/month absent, respectively, while, 34.3% of infected students had a scholastic achievement <50.0%. Improving personal and environmental hygiene and regular screening, treatment and health education for students as regard parasitic infections in Egypt is recommended

Health profile of school children in an Egyptian village

This study was carried out in Senhera village, Kaluobia Governorate. The total population sample was 105 pupils from primary and preparatory schools. The pupils were chosen by systematic random sample. Aim of this work is to give some informations about health profile of school children in this rural area. The results of the study revealed that most of studied sample were from moderate socioeconomic standard [65.71%], general condition were good [35.24%] and poor [17.14%] among studied sample. Mean height of studied sample in cm. was 137 +/- 10.5 and mean weight in kg was 40.2 +/- 17. The good educational ability was 19.05% among studied sample. The percentage of Schistosoma haematobium, Schistosoma mansoni, pinworm infection and Giardia lamblia among studied sample were 4.76%, 6.67%, 11.43% and 12.38% respectively. The researchers recommended that upgrade the quality of health of school children and rising the level of their health education