July 2017 Vol. 5 No.7

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Original Research Article

Human Enteric Helminthiasis in Children Aged 5 to 15 Years in Aro-Ndizuogu, Imo State, Nigeria

^*1Kalu Kalu Mong, ¹Nwafor Anthony N. and ²Ihemanma Chioma A.

¹Animal and Environmental Biology Department, Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria.
²Biology/Microbiology Department, Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author’s E-mail: kalumong.kalu@absu.edu.ng
Tel.: +2348057963136

Accepted July 24, 2017

Abstract

The public health and socio-economic consequences of enteric helminthiasis are of immense concerns in the rural communities of the developing countries. In this study, prevalence of enteric helminthiasis in children aged 5 to 15 years in Aro-Ndizuogu community, Imo State, Nigeria, was surveyed between July and October, 2016. Faecal specimens of 164 children (86 males, 78 females) were collected and analyzed using wet mount (normal saline) and concentrated saturated sodium chloride floatation techniques. Chi-square was used to determine if there was any relationship between sex, age and the prevalence of enteric helminthiasis. Of the 164 children examined, 130 (79.3%) had enteric helminthiasis. Prevalences of six forms of helminthiasis observed were ascariasis (48.2%), hookworm infection (21.3%), taeniasis (7.3%), enterobiasis (11.2%), trichuriasis (0.6%) and strongyloidiasis (0.6%), while the causative helminth species identified were Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm sp., Taenia sp, Enterobius vermicularis, Trichuris trichiura and Strongyloides stercoralis, respectively. 114 (87.7%) had single helminthiasis while 16 (12.3%) suffered from double helminthiasis: ascariasis+hookworm infection (8.4%), trichuriasis+hookworm infection (2.3%), taeniasis+hookworm infection (0.8%), ascariasis+taeniasis (0.8). No significant association was observed among enteric helminthiasis prevalence, sex and age in the population studied. Results of this study revealed that enteric helminthiasis are still highly prevalent among children living in rural communities of Nigeria, where poor hygienic practices and unsanitary conditions are responsible for the high prevalence. Regular deworming of children and health education through primary health care could be used as control measure.

Keywords: Enteric Helminthiasis, Children, Prevalence,Aro-Ndizuogu, Nigeria.