Selected practices among rural residents versus the prevalence of Amoebiasis and Giardiasis in Njoro Distrct, Kenya

Abstract

The study was designed to investigate on selected practices among rural population, and their likely contribution to the spread of amoebiasis (E. histolytica) and giardiasis (G. lamblia). A cross sectional study was carried out in three villages, namely Kikapu, Piave and Belbar in Njoro District, Kenya. Questionnaire, interviews and personal observations were used to obtain data from 336 randomly selected consenting individuals in homesteads in the three villages. A retrospective study was further carried out to establish the prevalence of E. histolytica and G. lamblia among outpatients attending two randomly selected health centers in the study area. Majority of the respondents’ highest education level was basic primary school education (61%), unemployment (98%) and with a monthly expenditure of less than 2200 Kenya Shillings or 28 US Dollars (81%). Eighty percent of the respondents were classified under low economic status. Eighty two percent reported lack of piped water and boiling of drinking water was less likely to occur among the low economic status respondents (Odds ratio (OR) = 0.423, ² = 9.88; 95% CI of -5.74 to 6.58). However, washing of hands with soap after using a latrine seemingly was not influenced by economic status of the respondents (OR = 1; ² = 0; 95% CI = 0). The level of education seemed to influence on the adoption of risky practices, such as, failure to boil drinking water was more likely to occur among respondents who had a low academic level (OR = 0.84, ² = 0.04, 95% CI of -2.27 to 3.95). The stool tests records at Njoro PCEA health center showed that the prevalence of E. histolytica (20.83%) and G. lamblia (20.32%) were higher than the corresponding prevalence at Njoro County Council health center which were 1.34% and 0.00% respectively. Concurrent infections of E. histolytica and G. lamblia were absent in the two health centers. The trend of E. histolytica and G. lamblia followed an alternating pattern, in which an increase in one directly corresponded to a decrease in the other and vice versa in the two health centers. It was concluded that poverty and low education levels were significant factors that influenced on the adoption of risky lifestyles that were likely to enhance parasitic infections. There is a need for reliable diagnostic methods other than direct microscopy for E. histolytica and G. lamblia stool tests in order to minimize the wide variation of the results in the two health centers. Public health education should also be enhanced to discourage the adoption of risky practices.