Prevalence and risk factors associated with human Intestinal Parasitic Infections (IPIs) in rural and urban areas of Quetta, Pakistan

Abstract

Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are endemic worldwide and more prevalent in countries with unhygienic conditions. The objective of the research was to identify the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in rural and urban areas of Quetta, Balochistan and to check their associated risk factors including; age, gender, educational status, sanitary system and any other immunodeficiency. For this instance 204 stool samples were collected from the urban and rural population of Quetta, Balochistan. The participants with positive results for Intestinal Parasitic Infections were interviewed using close-ended questionnaire. From the findings of this study, it has been revealed that prevalence of Intestinal parasitic infections in rural and urban areas was 21%. Males were found more prevalent (66%) as compared to females (34%) due to higher risk of contacting to outer environment. The prevalence was higher in rural areas (23%). The most prevalent intestinal parasite was Entamoeba histolytica (48%). Other prevailing parasites were Hymenolepis nana (26%), Giardia Intestinalis (17%), Trichomonas hominis (5%) and Trichuris trichiura (5%). The majority of patients were having lower socio-economic (52%) and educational status (48%). Educational status of 48% patients was primary or below primary. Most of the participants with positive results did not have hand washing habit (62%) and didn’t have the closed sanitary system (71%). The intestinal parasitic infections were more prevalent among children aged from 1-10 (33%). This may be a result of poor hygiene in children. The study will contribute to lower down the prevalence in the studied areas by the application of different preventive measures in future.

Protozoan Infections Acquired from Food or Drinking Water: An Update

“…In Pakistan prevalence of IPIs was higher in rural areas (23%) and the most prevalent protozoan parasites were E. histolytica (48%), G. intestinalis (17%) and P. hominis (5%). The intestinal parasitic infections were more prevalent in children possibly as a result of poorer hygiene [60]. The same parasites and C. parvum were also detected among 3748 children between the age of 1 and 15 years between February 2021 and January 2022 in Karbala, Iraq [61].…”

“…Source of drinking water, eating raw vegetables and hygiene related factors such as unavailability of toilets, handwashing habit, and fingernail trimming were strongly associated with IPIs [56,57,60].…”

Food and Drinking Water as Sources of Pathogenic Protozoans: An Update

“…hystolitica/dispar was found to be predominant in Ethiopia, Jordan, Brazil, Iraq, and Pakistan [44,[52][53][54][55][56][57] and to be present in Argentina [58]. G. intestinalis was the second-most prevalent protozoan in Spain, Argentina, Ethiopia [46,52,53,57], and Pakistan [56] and the third most prevalent in Brazil [44]. Moreover, Cryptosporidium spp.…”

“…B. hominis was the most prevalent intestinal protozoan in Spain and Argentina and the second most prevalent in Jordan [46,54,58]. E. nana and P. hominis were detected in Brazil and Pakistan, respectively [44,56]. In Brazil, G. intestinalis showed a higher prevalence in children aged 0-10 years and teenagers.…”

Gastrointestinal parasitosis diagnosed by colonoscopy as cause of weight loss in 46-year-old woman with three negative stool tests for presence of parasites

“…According to Wondimu and Mihret [11] (1.25%). The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infestations in rural and urban areas in Pakistan has been found at a level of 21% [12].…”