Abstract:
Intestinal protozoan parasites are among the most common human infections globally. They are distributed throughout the world with high prevalence rates especially in developing countries including Ethiopia. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasitic infections among School children and their associations with parasitological quality of water sources in Gursum Woreda, eastern Ethiopia. The design of the study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey involving a sample population of 384 School children in Warra Shawa Primary School at Fugnan Bira town. The children were selected using stratified random sampling method. A total of 384 fresh stool samples of the study participants and 51 water samples were collected from three/3/ types of water sources and they were examined using wet-mount, Formol-Ether concentration and Modified Ziehl Neelsen methods.Out of the total 384 stool samples of school children were found to be positive for intestinal protozoan parasite with overall prevalence of 26.5%.Three protozoan species were detected from examined stool samples. These were Entamoeba histolytica /dispar/,Giardia lamblia and Cryptispordium species with prevalence of 15.6%,7.29%,and 3.6 %, respectively. Similarly, out of the total 51 water samples subjected for parasitological examination procedures 29.4%, 17.6%.and 5.8% were found to positive for E.histolytica /dispar/,Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium species, respectively. The prevalence E.histolytica /dispar/, Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium species, in the river, well and pump water samples was 73%,46% and 42.8% respectively. There was statistically significant association between the prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasitic infection among Warra Shawa primary school children with parasitological quality of water sources (p<0.001).This suggested that environmental sanitation, water treatment, personal hygiene and awareness creation are needed to reduce the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among school children in Gursum.
