studies on gender/sex and co-infections of malaria, bacteraemia and intestinal parasites of primary school children in Owerri Metropolis, Imo State

Abstract

Studies on gender/sex and co-infections of malaria, bacteraemia and intestinal parasites in primary school children in Owerri metropolis were carried out. Stool and urine specimen were collected with sterile containers, blood specimen were collected with syringe and EDTA bottles from 650 hospitalized and 500 school pupils ( who served as control). Parasitological investigations on the stool specimen included Macroscopic Analysis, Direct Wet Method and Formol Ether Concentration Technique; On urine specimen, by centrifuging and microscopy, on Blood specimen by Thick and Thin blood smear method. Bacterial Inoculation, Isolation and Identification was done by subjecting the respective specimen to culture. Among the hospitalized pupils, 208 (32%) were infected with both Plasmodium falciparum and bacterial organisms out of which 101 (15.5%) were males while 107(16.4%) were females.. A total of 187 (28.8%) were infected with Plasmodium falciparum and intestinal parasites out of which 95(14.6%) were males while 92 (14.2%) were females. A total of 125 (19.3%) were infected with Plasmodium falciparum, as well as with both intestinal parasites and bacterial organisms out of which 57 (8.8%) were males while 68 (10.5%) were females. A total of 520(80.0%) hospitalized pupils had co-infections, 253 (48.6%) were males while 267(51.4%) were females. A total of 87(17.4%) school pupils had co-infections, 41(47.13%) were males while 46(52.87%) were females. Significant changes in infections among the genders were not recorded. P < 0.005.