Soil-transmitted Nematodes and Hygiene Practices in a Rural Community of Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

Soil-transmitted nematodes occur mostly in areas where sanitation is poor and environmental conditions favour development of their eggs and larvae. The soil is usually contaminated through indiscriminate defecation while the most common routes of human infection is skin contact and soil contaminated food. [1,8]. The study was carried out in Nyiev-Tiev, Turan, a community in Barakur District, Kwande Local Government Area, Benue State, Nigeria. Fresh stool samples were collected from 250 randomly selected individuals. Parasitological screening of the 250 randomly selected inhabitants of Nyiev-Tiev, Turan in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria was carried out for soil transmitted nematode. Percentage of infections was 71.2% . The prevalences were as follows: hookworm, 47.6%; Ascaris lumbricoides, 13.6%; Trichuris trichiura 5.2%, and Strongyloides stercoralis 4.8%. Infection was higher among females (72.2%) than males (70.1%) and among age groups; it was highest in those less than 10 years. Among occupations, farmers had the highest prevalence (86.3%) followed by the unemployed (56.2%) and students (48.9%). The result also indicated that among those infected, 10.8% had latrines while 60.4% did not have, 57.1% had good sources of drinking water while 83.3% did not have, and 56.9% had good food hygiene practice while 76.2% did not have, 12.0% had good environmental hygiene practice while 59.2% had poor hygiene practices and 29.2% used foot wears always while 58.0% did not. These differences in were all had statistical relationships except for food hygiene practice and environmental hygiene. These results highlight the significance of occupation, personal and environmental hygiene, as well as sanitation in the transmission of soil- transmitted nematode infections, particularly in the study area. This provided basis for planning effective control against the transmission nof the parasites.

Keywords: Hygiene, soil transmitted nematodes, rural community, Benue State, Nigeria