Soil transmitted helmeinthiasis among apparently healthy children in Kano municipality

Abstract

The prevalence of soil transmitted helminth infections in apparently healthy children of mean age 12.2 years drawn randomly from one school in each of the four local government areas of Kano, northern Nigeria were evaluated. Stool sample from 570 children were analyzed using formol ether concentration technique. 130(22.8%) of the subject were infected by soil transmitted helminthes (STH). The overall prevalence by species were Ascaris Lumbricoides (7.9%), Hookworm (5.3%) and trichuris trichiura (3.5%) respectively. 35(6.1%) of the subjects were infected with two or more soil
transmitted helminthes. The prevalence in males (24.2%) was generally higher than that of females (22%), Hookworm infection was high(45.5%) in the 15-20 years old age group, while Ascaris Lumbricoides infection was high (100%) in the 6-10 years old age group. The mean number of eggs per gramme (epg) of faeces was moderate. The study shows that subjects had high intensity of infections for Ascaris Lumbricoidesas hook worm, trichuris
trichiura as epg of faeces counted were high in them compared to what was obtained for mixed infections. It also reveals a moderately high prevalence across board for all soil transmitted helminth (STH) in Ungogo local government


Keywords: Soil transmitted helminthes, Children, prevalence

African Journal of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology Vol. 8 (1) 2007: pp.77-83