intestinal parasitic infection still a public health concern among Saudi children?

ABSTRACT

To determine the possible health risk associated with intestinal parasite infections among children with gastroenteritis in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional study was undertaken between March and August 2007 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to detect the prevalence of intestinal parasite infections in children aged 0-10 years. Two major public hospitals took part in the study. These hospitals are King Abdulaziz University Hospital [KAUH], and King Fahad Hospital [KFH]. The study involved examination of fecal samples from 500 children [24 inpatients and 476 outpatients] complaining of gastroenteritis. The samples were concentrated by formol-ethyl acetate concentration method, and microscopically examined with iodine and Ziehl Neelsen staining methods. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was 33.8%. The intestinal parasites identified in both inpatients and outpatients were Blastocystis hominis 0% inpatient, 9.5% outpatient, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar [8.3% inpatient, 5.9% outpatient], Giardia lamblia [12.5% inpatient, 2.7% outpatient], Cryptosporidium spp [8.3% inpatient, 2.3% outpatient], Ascaris lumbricoides [0% inpatient, 0.4% outpatient], hookworm [4.2% inpatient, 0.8% outpatient], and Trichuris trichiura [4.2% inpatient, 1.05% outpatient]. Intestinal parasitic infection is still a common health problem among children in Saudi Arabia