ABSTRACT
A study on the epidemiology of human taeniasis amongst the Goemai tribe of Kwande rural community of Qua'an Pan Local Government Area carried out between January and June, 1991 is reported. 115 or 11.5% of the 1,000 persons examined were infected. Of the 614 males and 386 females examined, 77 (12.5%) and 38 (9.9%) respectively had infections. No significant difference in prevalence rates was recorded between the sexes and age groups. Infection was significantly higher (P < 0.05) among farmers than other occupational categories, and in those eating half roasted/cooked meat than in persons eating well-cooked meat. Other epidemiological factors relating to type of toilet facilities used as well as some socio-cultural and traditional beliefs of Goemai people which encourage host-parasite contact and their implications for public health are discussed. Suggestions are made for the control of human taeniasis in the community.
Subject(s)
Taeniasis/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Age Distribution , Chi-Square Distribution , Child , Child, Preschool , Cooking , Female , Food Parasitology , Humans , Hygiene , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Meat , Middle Aged , Nigeria/epidemiology , Occupations , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Rural Population , Sex Distribution , Toilet FacilitiesABSTRACT
A total of 2048 urine specimens were examined to assess the infection prevalence and epidemiological factors of T. vaginalis amongst students in a Nigerian higher institution. Five hundred and five students were infected (24.7%). This included 131 (15.6%) males and 374 (31.0%) females. More male than female students were found to be asymptomatic. Infection was significantly higher in females than males and in the second and third than the fourth and fifth decades of life (P < 0.05). Infection increases progressively with increase in the number of sexual partners. The use and neglect of condoms were also assessed. The pH range of the vagina of most infected females was between 5.8-8.2. Clinical symptoms noted among females were local tenderness, vulval pruritus and intermittent burning sensations in addition to profuse vaginal discharges. The public health implication of the findings and some epidemiological factors enhancing the disease transmission are presented.
Subject(s)
Students , Trichomonas Infections/epidemiology , Trichomonas Vaginitis/epidemiology , Trichomonas vaginalis/isolation & purification , Adult , Animals , Chi-Square Distribution , Condoms/statistics & numerical data , Female , Humans , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Male , Middle Aged , Nigeria/epidemiology , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic/epidemiology , Prevalence , Sex Factors , Sexual Partners , Universities , Urine/parasitology , Vagina/chemistryABSTRACT
Between November, 1988 and April, 1991, parasitological and symptomatological methods of diagnosis were used to survey the prevalence of mansonellosis among the Ibo population in Abia and Imo States of Nigeria. 1,197 or 28.6% of the 4,183 persons examined were positive for microfilariae of Mansonella perstans. The prevalence of mansonellosis was significantly higher (P < 0.05) among rural dwellers (34.6%) than among urban dwellers (22.5%), in males (30.8%) than in females (26.3%), in farmers (59.8%) and palm wine tappers (46.1%) than in civil servants (7.6%), and in persons 21 years of age and above (36.2%) than in those in the first two decades of life (9.4%). Clinical signs observed in most infected persons include body itching, joint and back pains, occasional giddiness and elephantoid scrotum. Body itching was the most commonly observed clinical sign (14.7%), followed by joint pains (12.41%) with elephantoid scrotum (3.5%) as the least. The public health implication of the findings is discussed.
