Soil Contamination and Public Health Risk of Helminth Pathogens in Tombia, Bayelsa State Nigeria

Abstract

Soil-transmitted helminths pose significant public health threats, particularly in agricultural communities with poor sanitation. This cross-sectional study assessed soil contamination and public health risk among farmers and residents in Tombia, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. One hundred soil samples were collected from ten locations within the community using a soil auger and analyzed using the formol-ether sedimentation technique. Overall, 57.0% of samples were contaminated with helminth eggs. Contamination varied significantly by location (P = 0.05), with the highest prevalence in location 10 (16.4%) and lowest in location 5 (2.9%). Three helminth species such as Ascaris species (62.7%), Hookworm (31.3%), and Trichuris species (5.9%) were identified. The high contamination rate indicates substantial transmission risk for residents, particularly farmers and children who have frequent soil contact. The study emphasized the urgent need for improved sanitation system, community health education programs, and targeted deworming interventions in Tombia as a measure to prevent infections transmissible by soil transmitted helminths.