Intestinal parasitic infections among under-five children and maternal awareness about the infections in Shesha Kekele, Wondo Genet, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Few studies have reported the magnitude of intestinal parasitic infections among under-five children in tropical countries. Moreover, there is little information on maternal awareness about intestinal parasitosis. Objective: To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitosis among under-five children, and assess maternal awareness about it in Shesha Kebkele, Wondo Genet, Southern Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 288 under-five children was conducted and stool samples were collected and examined for intestinal parasites using Kato-Katz and formol-ether concentration methods. In addition, a total of 130 mothers of under-five children were interviewed regarding their awareness about intestinal parasitic infections. Results: Of the 288 children, 245 (85.1%) were found infected with one or more intestinal parasites. The prevalence of Trichuris trichiura, Schistosoma mansoni and Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm, and Hymenolepis nana infections as determined by Kato-Katz were 74.7%, 37.2%, 25.7%, 5.9%, and 4.5%, respectively. On the other hand, the prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis, Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, and Entamoeba coli infections as determined by formol-ether concentration method were 0.69%, 13.2%, 0.35%, and 2.1%, respectively. Most mothers were reasonably aware of the mode of transmission of ascariasis, amoebiasis and giardiasis while they had very limited knowledge of bilharzia and hookworm transmission. Almost all of the respondents reported that infections with intestinal parasites could cause retardation of growth and death in children unless treated. Conclusion:Intestinal parasitic infections were prevalent in varying magnitude among under-five children in Wondo Genet area, Southern Ethiopia. Mothers in the study area had a fairly good knowledge of the impact of infections but limited knowledge of the mode of transmission of intestinal parasitic infections. Improvement of sanitation and health education are required besides preventive chemotherapy to control worms (except for schistosomiasis in under-five which need treatment on an individual basis) and other intestinal parasitic infections in the area. (Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2010;24(3):185-190)

Risk factors for intestinal parasitic infections in preschoolers in a low socio-economic area, Diamantina, Brazil

“…[7][8][9] Our results are also consistent with studies from other countries, which had rates between 19% and 85.1%. [10][11][12] The wide variations observed in these studies can be attributed to methodological differences between the studies, but also to socio-economic and ecological Although we have identified high infection rates with E. histolytica/E. dispar (56.2%), this finding may be underestimated.…”

Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Intestinal Parasitic Infection among Under five Children in University of Gondar Hospital, Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia

“…A relatively high prevalence of Schistsoma mansoni was reported from Wondo Genet, 37.2%, (Nyantekyi et al, 2011) andwonji, 8.8% (G/hiwot et al, 2014). E. histolytica/dispar revealed higher infection in males (10.81% and 5.4%, resp.)…”

Prevalence of intestinal helminths and associated factors among school children of Medebay Zana wereda; North Western Tigray, Ethiopia 2017

“…Those infections are resulted from socioeconomic factors, cultural practices and poor sanitation which are transmitted by ingestion of soil contaminated egg, poor hand hygiene, eating unwashed fruit, under cooked infected meat and poorly washed vegetable [4]. Skin penetration while walking bare foot on larvae infected soil and skin penetration by swimming in cercariae bearing water are anther transmission mechanism of helminths [5, 6]. …”