Effects of intestinal parasitic infections on nutritional status of primary children in Imo State Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: a cross-sectional study was conducted between the months of April to October 2015, to determine the effects of intestinal parasitic
infections (IPIs) on nutritional status of school age children in Owerri and Orlu geographical zones, in Imo State, Nigeria. Methods: faecal samples
were examined using Kato Katz method and formol-ether concentration techniques, while blood samples were examined using cyamethahaemoglobin
method. Anthropometric indices were used as indicators of nutritional status, children whose Height-for-Age, Weight-for-Age and Weight-for-Height
were <-2 standard deviation (SD) were classified as stunted, wasted, and underweight respectively. Results: total prevalence rate of 16.6% was
recorded in the study areas with Ascaris lumbricoides (4.0%), Trichuris trichiura (0.6%), Hookworm (1.0%) Taenia sp (0.3%), Entaomeba
histolytica (5.3%), Entamoeba coli (2.7%) and Giardia lambia (2.7) Majority (73.4%) of the children had light intensity. Anthropometric study results
showed that 79(31.3%) of the children were malnourished. The prevalence of stunting, under-weight and wasting were higher in uninfected (86.1%,
90.0% and 10%) respectively than in infected children (13.9%, 10.0% and 0.0%) respectively, although not significant at p = 0.857, 0.587 and
0.368 respectively. Prevalence of anaemia was 17.4%, anaemia was insignificantly (p = 0.09) higher in infected (21.1%) than in uninfected (16.5%)
children. Children that had co-infection recorded higher prevalence (2.2%) of severe anaemia. There was an association (p = 0.002) between
anaemia and intensity of helminth infection. Malnutrition was insignificantly (p = 0.319) higher in children with heavy (100.0%) and moderate
(75.0%) intensity of helminth infection than children that had light intensity (41.7%) of helminth infection. Conclusion: when compared with
previous study, there were decline in the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and anaemia among school age children. Low intensity
parasitemia with intestinal parasites had no significant effect on the malnutrition and haemoglobin profile of the children in the study areas. Therefore,
improved sanitation and more deworming efforts should be intensified to ensure further decline in prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections.