High prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni and other intestinal parasites among elementary school children in Southwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) pose significant public health challenges in school children in developing countries. The aim of this study is to determine prevalence of intestinal parasites among elementary school children in Mizan-Aman town, southwest Ethiopia. METHODS: Institution-based cross-sectional study involving 460 elementary school children in Mizan-Aman Town was conducted from May to June 2013. The school children were selected using multistage sampling technique. Data on demography and predisposing factors of IPIs were collected using pretested questionnaire. Moreover, single stool specimen was examined microscopically after wet mount and formol-ether sedimentation concentration procedures. Infection intensity of Schistosoma mansoni and soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) was estimated using Kato-Katz egg counting method. RESULTS: Age of the children ranged from 5 to 17 years. Overall, 76.7% (95%CI: 72.8-80.6) of the children harbored at least one species of intestinal parasite. Eight species of intestinal parasites were detected with S. mansoni (44.8%) and Ascaris lumbricoides (28.7%) being predominant. Helminths and pathogenic intestinal protozoa were detected in 73.9 and 7.8% of the children, respectively. After adjusting for other variables, age between 5 and 9 years (AOR, 2.6, 95%CI, 1.552-4.298), male gender (AOR, 2.1, 95%CI, 1.222-3.526), attending public school (AOR, 0.1, 95%CI, 0.060-0.256), using river/well water (AOR, 2.4, 95%CI, 0.912-6.191), irregular washing of hands before meal (AOR, 0.5, 95%CI, 0.254-0.865), consuming street food (AOR, 2.3, 95%CI, 1.341-3.813) and raw vegetables (AOR, 2.7, 95%CI, 1.594-4.540) were significantly associated with IPIs in the study participants. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of intestinal parasites among the school children was high. Deworming of the school children and continuous follow up is required.

Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Tikur Anbessa University Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial vaginosis is one of the most common genital tract infections among reproductive age group. The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis varies from country to country even in the same country it varies among populations of interest. Different social and sexual factors can contribute to the development of bacterial vaginosis. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and to identify the possible risk factors associated among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Tikur Anbessa University Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. METHODS: Randomly selected 57 symptomatic and 195 asymptomatic pregnant women aged between 18 and 40 years visiting obstetric and gynecological clinic from November 2011 to April 2012 screenedusing Gram stain Nugent scoring system. Statistical analysis like univariate analysis to calculate frequencies and proportions, bivariate analysis to see association of selected exposure variables with the outcome variable, and multivariate analysis to check the association of possible factors with bacterial vaginosis by adjusting potential confounding factors was calculated using SPSS (Version 16.0). RESULTS: The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis is 19.4% using Gram stain Nugent scoring system. In addition, prevalence of bacterial vaginosis is 31.6% and 15.9% among symptomatic and asymptomatic pregnant women respectively. A high percentage of bacterial vaginosis positive pregnant women were asymptomatic (63.3%). 36.7% bacterial vaginosis positive pregnant women reported abnormal vaginal discharge with or without unpleasant smell. Multiple lifetime sexual partner (OR: 8.6; 95% CI: 2.5, 29) and previous history of spontaneous abortion (OR: 5.9; 95% CI: 1.5, 23) had remained significantly associated with prevalence of bacterial vaginosis. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis is higher among asymptomatic pregnant women and associated with the factors previous history of multiple lifetime sexual partner and spontaneous abortion.

Comparison of clinical and gram stain diagnosis methods of bacterial vaginosis among pregnant women in ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is characterized by an increased thin homogenous white vaginal discharge accompanied by fishy odour and increased vaginal pH. It is associated with different gynecologic and poor obstetric outcome. Bacterial vaginosis can be easily diagnosed by combination of two Amsel's criteria. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of Amsel's criteria individually or in combination of two for the clinical diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis among pregnant women in Ethiopia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this crosssectional study 252 pregnant women were screened for bacterial vaginosis. Vaginal swabs were collected for pH determination, saline wet mount microscopic examination to detect clue cells, KOH preparation for whiff test and Gram-stain evaluation of vaginal flora for diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis by Nugent scoring system. Accuracy of clinical diagnosis using individual and two of Amsel's criteria was evaluated. RESULTS: The prevalence of BV was 18.3% by Amsel's two of three criteria and 19.4% Gram by Nugent's methods. Comparing with Nugent scoring methods, the clinical diagnosis by Amsel's criteria had sensitivity of 85.7%, specificity of 98%. The most sensitive and specific individual Amsel's criterion was clue cells. Amsel's criteria with the lowest sensitivity and specificity were whiff test and vaginal pH respectively. Combination of clue cells with vaginal pH test were the highest in sensitive while whiff test with clue cells were the highest in specificity than the other combined two Amsel's criteria. CONCLUSION: Amsel's criteria diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis can be simplified by using a combination of the two criteria, vaginal pH and clue cells, in settings where time or Gram staining is not available.