Epidemiology of single and multiple species of helminth infections among school children in Busia District, Kenya

Abstract

Objective: To describe the patterns of single and multiple helminth infection in school children from Busia District, Kenya. Design: A cross-sectional school survey using a randomly selected sample, forming part of an evaluation study of an ongoing deworming project. Setting: Budalangi and Funyula divisions of Busia District, Western Province, Kenya. Subjects: One thousand seven hundred and thirty eight school children aged 8-20 years randomly selected from those enrolled in standards 3-8 in 25 randomly selected primary schools. Results: Overall, 91.7% of children were infected with either hookworm, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura or Schistosoma mansoni. Infection prevalence of each species varied considerably among schools, being most marked for S. mansoni, where prevalence was highest in lakeshore schools. Children were typically infected with two or more species of helminth. Infection intensity of each geohelminth species was higher in school children infected with multiple species than in school children with single species infections, and intensity increased with the number of concurrent infections. Conclusion: Helminth infections are exceptionally common among school children in Busia district, thus confirming the good sense of the school-based approach adopted by the control programme. The study also shows that there is an association between concurrent infection and the intensity of infection, which may have consequences for nutritional and educational status.

Helminth infections: the great neglected tropical diseases

“…Finally, an increasing number of studies of helminth epidemiology have shown that it is common for individuals to be infected with more than one species of helminth (21,(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63). There is also evidence suggesting synergism and antagonism in concurrent intestinal nematode and schistosome infections (62-64) as well as filarial nematode infection and soil-transmitted helminth infections (65).…”

“…There is also evidence suggesting synergism and antagonism in concurrent intestinal nematode and schistosome infections (62-64) as well as filarial nematode infection and soil-transmitted helminth infections (65). A number of epidemiological studies have indicated that individuals infected with multiple species of helminth often harbor heavier infections than individuals infected with a single helminth species (58)(59)(60)(61). An important consequence of simultaneous infection with the parasites that cause hookworm, schistosomiasis, and malaria is severe anemia (21,66).…”

Deworming Delusions? Mass Drug Administration in East African Schools

“…Co-infection was common. Hookworm was the most prevalent helminth, but infection with S. mansoni was above 50% in three schools close to Lake Victoria, and above 30% in three other schools (Brooker et al, 2000). More recently, a survey of school-aged children living in lakeside and island locations in the Ugandan district next to Busia found that 75% of children were infected with S. mansoni and 33.6% were co-infected with soil-transmitted helminths (Kabatereine et al, 2011).…”

Geohelminths: public health significance

“…Geohelminths usually co-infect the host. Recent global estimates indicate that approximately 3.5 billion people are infected with one or more of the most common of these nematode parasites (STHs) [3,5], which cause more marked morbidity and disability than death (Table 1). The morbidity caused by helminths includes malnutrition, iron deficiency anemia, malabsorption syndrome, intestinal obstruction, chronic dysentery, rectal prolapse, respiratory complications, and poor weight gain [8,9].…”