Epidemiology of intestinal helminthiasis among school children with emphasis on Schistosoma mansoni infection in Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia
Abstract Background Intestinal helminth infections are major parasitic diseases causing public health problems in Ethiopia. Although the epidemiology of these infections are well documented in Ethiopia, new transmission foci for schistosomiasis are being reported in different parts of the country. T...
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BMC
2017-06-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-017-4499-x |
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| author | Bereket Alemayehu Zewdneh Tomass Fiseha Wadilo Dawit Leja Song Liang Berhanu Erko |
| author_facet | Bereket Alemayehu Zewdneh Tomass Fiseha Wadilo Dawit Leja Song Liang Berhanu Erko |
| author_sort | Bereket Alemayehu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Intestinal helminth infections are major parasitic diseases causing public health problems in Ethiopia. Although the epidemiology of these infections are well documented in Ethiopia, new transmission foci for schistosomiasis are being reported in different parts of the country. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni and other intestinal helminth infections among school children and determine the endemicity of schistosomiasis in Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia. Methods Cross-sectional parasitological and malacological surveys were conducted by collecting stool samples for microscopic examination and snails for intermediate host identification. Stool samples were collected from 503 children and processed for microscopic examination using Kato-Katz and formalin-ether concentration methods. Snails collected from aquatic environments in the study area were identified to species level and Biomphalaria pfeifferi snails, the intermediate host of S. mansoni,, were individually exposed to artificial light in order to induce cercariae shedding. Cercariae shed from snails were used to infect laboratory-bred Swiss albino mice in order to identify the schistosome to species level. Results The overall prevalence of intestinal helminth infections was 72.2% among school children. S. mansoni infection prevalence was 58.6%. The prevalence and intensity of S. mansoni infections varied among schools and sex of children. Swimming was the only factor reported to be significantly associated with S. mansoni infection (AOR = 2.954, 95% CI:1.962-4.449). Other intestinal helminth species identified were hookworms (27.6%), Ascaris lumbricoides (8.7%), E. vermicularis (2.8%), Taenia species (2.6%), T. trichiura (1.2%) and H. nana (0.6%). Only B. pfeifferi snails collected from streams shed schistosome cercariae and 792 adult S. mansoni worms were harvested from mice exposed to cercariae shed from B. pfeifferi on the 6th week post-exposure. Conclusion The present study found high level of intestinal helminth infections in the study area. The study also confirmed autochthonous transmission and endemicity of S. mansoni as evidenced by both parasitological and malacological findings as well as by further establishing infections in lab-bred mice. Therefore, there is a need to include the area in the control programs with anti-helminth drugs and also consider other complementary measures including sanitation, provision of clean water supply, and snail control. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T15:26:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-39e052e210a547d9b77786978648c7e3 |
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| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T15:26:31Z |
| publishDate | 2017-06-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-39e052e210a547d9b77786978648c7e32022-12-22T02:41:30ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582017-06-0117111010.1186/s12889-017-4499-xEpidemiology of intestinal helminthiasis among school children with emphasis on Schistosoma mansoni infection in Wolaita zone, Southern EthiopiaBereket Alemayehu0Zewdneh Tomass1Fiseha Wadilo2Dawit Leja3Song Liang4Berhanu Erko5Biomedical Sciences Division, Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Wolaita Sodo UniversityBiomedical Sciences Division, Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Wolaita Sodo UniversityMicrobiology Unit, College of Health Sciences and Medicine, Wolaita Sodo UniversityBiomedical Sciences Division, Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Wolaita Sodo UniversityDepartment of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of FloridaAklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa UniversityAbstract Background Intestinal helminth infections are major parasitic diseases causing public health problems in Ethiopia. Although the epidemiology of these infections are well documented in Ethiopia, new transmission foci for schistosomiasis are being reported in different parts of the country. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni and other intestinal helminth infections among school children and determine the endemicity of schistosomiasis in Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia. Methods Cross-sectional parasitological and malacological surveys were conducted by collecting stool samples for microscopic examination and snails for intermediate host identification. Stool samples were collected from 503 children and processed for microscopic examination using Kato-Katz and formalin-ether concentration methods. Snails collected from aquatic environments in the study area were identified to species level and Biomphalaria pfeifferi snails, the intermediate host of S. mansoni,, were individually exposed to artificial light in order to induce cercariae shedding. Cercariae shed from snails were used to infect laboratory-bred Swiss albino mice in order to identify the schistosome to species level. Results The overall prevalence of intestinal helminth infections was 72.2% among school children. S. mansoni infection prevalence was 58.6%. The prevalence and intensity of S. mansoni infections varied among schools and sex of children. Swimming was the only factor reported to be significantly associated with S. mansoni infection (AOR = 2.954, 95% CI:1.962-4.449). Other intestinal helminth species identified were hookworms (27.6%), Ascaris lumbricoides (8.7%), E. vermicularis (2.8%), Taenia species (2.6%), T. trichiura (1.2%) and H. nana (0.6%). Only B. pfeifferi snails collected from streams shed schistosome cercariae and 792 adult S. mansoni worms were harvested from mice exposed to cercariae shed from B. pfeifferi on the 6th week post-exposure. Conclusion The present study found high level of intestinal helminth infections in the study area. The study also confirmed autochthonous transmission and endemicity of S. mansoni as evidenced by both parasitological and malacological findings as well as by further establishing infections in lab-bred mice. Therefore, there is a need to include the area in the control programs with anti-helminth drugs and also consider other complementary measures including sanitation, provision of clean water supply, and snail control.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-017-4499-xSchistosoma mansoniBiomphalaria PfeifferiIntestinal helminthsEpidemiologyEndemicitySchool children |
| spellingShingle | Bereket Alemayehu Zewdneh Tomass Fiseha Wadilo Dawit Leja Song Liang Berhanu Erko Epidemiology of intestinal helminthiasis among school children with emphasis on Schistosoma mansoni infection in Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia BMC Public Health Schistosoma mansoni Biomphalaria Pfeifferi Intestinal helminths Epidemiology Endemicity School children |
| title | Epidemiology of intestinal helminthiasis among school children with emphasis on Schistosoma mansoni infection in Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia |
| title_full | Epidemiology of intestinal helminthiasis among school children with emphasis on Schistosoma mansoni infection in Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Epidemiology of intestinal helminthiasis among school children with emphasis on Schistosoma mansoni infection in Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Epidemiology of intestinal helminthiasis among school children with emphasis on Schistosoma mansoni infection in Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia |
| title_short | Epidemiology of intestinal helminthiasis among school children with emphasis on Schistosoma mansoni infection in Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia |
| title_sort | epidemiology of intestinal helminthiasis among school children with emphasis on schistosoma mansoni infection in wolaita zone southern ethiopia |
| topic | Schistosoma mansoni Biomphalaria Pfeifferi Intestinal helminths Epidemiology Endemicity School children |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-017-4499-x |
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