Abstract:
Intestinal parasitic infections are the major public health problems in many developing countries including Ethiopia. The study was conducted with an objective to determine the prevalence and intensity of intestinal parasite infections among school children enrolled in Ahimed Gurey Elementary School, Jigjiga town, Somali Region, eastern Ethiopia. A total of 422 (219 males and 203 females) school children within age range of 5-19 years were selected by stratified random sampling method using class rosters as a sample frame. Stool samples were collected from October to Desember2018 from each study subjects and processed using wet mount, Formol-Ether concentration (FEC), Kato-Katz, and Modified Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) techniques. Data were analyzed using a software statistical program for social science (SPSS), version 22.0. From the total 422 selected school children, 146(66.7%) and 113(55.7%) males and females school children had intestinal parasitic infection, respectively. The overall prevalence of IPIs were 61.4 Seven intestinal parasite species (three protozoans and four helminths) were identified from 259 (61.4%) positive children. G. lamblia (20.1%) and A. lumbricoides (18.0%) were the most dominant protozoan and helminth parasites respectively. The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was higher in males (66.7%) than in females (55.7%), (p<0.05) and in the age group of 5-9 years (70.3%) than the age group 10-14 (57.8%) and 15-19 years (52.4%). Males were significantly more affected by G. lamblia (20.1%) and Entamoeba histolytica/ dispar (15.2%) while children in the age range 5-9 years (33.8%) and 10-14 years (8.1%) were more affected by A. lumbricoides and E. histolytica/dispa, respectively (p<0.05). The prevalence of single and multiple infections was 75.3% and 12.5% (11.1% double and 1.4% triple infections) respectively. Most infections by A. lumbricoides (50/76), hookworm (16/49) and G. lambilia (39/85) were occurred with other parasites. Prevalence of intestinal parasites using Kato-Katz, FEC, wet mount and ZN were 32.2%, 50.7%, 26.8% and 1.9% respectively. FEC and Kato-Katz were efficient for the diagnosis of protozoan and helminth parasites, respectively. Most infections by A. lumbricoides (14.9) and hookworm (10.4) were considered as light intensity infection.The present study shown that intestinal parasitic infections were the major public health problems in the study area .A need of urgent awareness creation program is recommended.
