Prevalence of Intestinal Protist Infections among School Children Attending Selected Primary Schools in Maiyama, Kebbi State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of intestinal protist infection in five selected primary schools in Maiyama Local Government Area of Kebbi State, Nigeria. Stool samples from 200 pupils were collected and examined using formol-ether concentration technique for protist cysts, out of which 49 (24.5%) were infected with different species of intestinal parasitic protists. Entamoeba histolytica was the most common intestinal parasitic protist encountered in the study area. With respect to gender, the prevalence of the infection was higher in males (29.0%) than their female counterpart (20.0%). The prevalence of the infection changed with age of the pupils (X2= 5.298, P = .02). The result of this study also shows significant association between the prevalence of the infection and other risk factors such as source of drinking water (X2= 6.59, P = .04), toilet facilities (X2= 25.388 and P <.0001) and regular hands washing (X2=11.409, P= .0007). It was concluded that poverty, ignorance, and poor personal and environmental hygiene were factors found to be associated with the high prevalence rates recorded in this study area. Health education, personal and environmental hygiene, regular mass treatment program and improvement in the standard of living of the people are recommended.