PREVALENCE, INTENSITY AND RISK FACTORS OF SOIL TRANSMITTED HELMINTH INFECTIONS AMONG KILLISO PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN CHIRO TOWN, WEST HARARGHE, OROMIA REGION, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Soil transmitted helminth (STH) parasitic infections are one of the major public health problems in many countries including Ethiopia.The objective of the present study was to assess the prevalence of soil transmitted helminth parasitic infections and the associated risk factors among Killiso primary school children of Chiro Town, Oromia Region, Eastern Ethiopia. The design of the study was a cross-sectional survey involving 440 children aged 7- 18 years old who were chosen using stratified random sampling technique from Killiso Primary School, Chiro Town, West Hararghe Zone, Oromia Region, Eastern Ethiopia during February-April 2017. Data were gathered using of questionnaire and laboratory parasitological examination procedures A structured and pre tested questionnaires were administered to gather information on socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors. Stool samples were examined using direct wet-mount and Formol-Ether concentration methods. Data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software, version 20.0. of the total 440 study participants examined, 230(52.3%) were males and 210(47.3%) were female children. It was found that 44(19.1%) male and 38(18.1%) female children were infected with STH parasites. Thus, the overall prevalence of infections of STH parasites among school children was 18.6%. The major STH parasitic species identified in school children were Ascaris lumbricoides, Hookworm species and Trichuris trichuria with prevalence of 10.5% ,6.1% and 2% ,respectively. The prevalence of STH parasite infections among school children in age group 7-10, 11-14 and 15-18 were 20%, 17.2% and 15% respectively. The findings showed STH parasitic infections were significantly associated with factors like source of drinking water , eating unwashed vegetables, level of family education, absence of toilet facility drinking untreated water and absence of shoes (P<0.05)but no significant association was observed with occupation and finger nail cutting behavior (P<0.05). Local health sector should collaborate with school health program for delivering health education to increase the knowledge, attitude and practice of school children.