Helminthiasis in School Aged Children in a Select Population in the Niger Delta

Abstract

Aim: Helminthiasis and its effects on the hematological parameters of school aged children in a select population in the Niger Delta. Study Design: A cross sectional study (Descriptive study). Place and Duration: The study was carried out in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, between January–April 2011. Methodology: Concentration Method (Sedimentation) was used to examine the stool samples, Packed cell volume (PCV) was obtained by the use of hematocrit centrifugation and reader method; differential white blood count (WBC) was done according to Cheesbrough (2000). Results: Result of the study showed variability in the four gastrol-intestinal helminths among the 360 pupils investigated. Out of the 264(73.3%) positive samples, 142(53.7%) and 122(46.21%) were females and males respectively. Age specific gastroi intestinal worm load was relatively high in all age groups. This pattern of infection was attributed to favorable ecological factors that promote helminths transmission in the study area. However, the overall age related worm load showed that the 5-7 age group had relatively the highest parasite load in the study. The weight and height of infected pupils in relation to the uninfected varied statistically (p<0.05) across the age ranges but was not statistically different (p>0.05) within the age groups. A. lumbricoides (53.3%) was the most prevalent helminth amongst the infected. Conclusion: Overall mixed infection was (23.4%) while the 8-9 age range recorded the highest prevalence (28.2%). Sex related prevalence varied greatly in terms of percentage infection within and across the sexes. However, gastrointestinal parasitism was not significantly different (p>0.05) within the age groups but was significantly different (p<0.05) between the sexes. PCV values were below the normal range in both the infected uninfected in the study group indicating poor nutritional status of the population.