Original Research Article
Year: 2015 | Month: November | Volume: 2 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 646-652
Intestinal Helminthic Infection and Malnutrition among School Children (3 -12 Years): Case Study of 5 Schools in ODUFOR and EGWI Communities, Both in ETCHE L.G.A., Rivers State, Nigeria
Ihemanma CA, Amadi G, Okorie AC
Department of Biology/Microbiology, Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria.
Corresponding Author: Ihemanma C.A
ABSTRACT
Intestinal helminthic infections and malnutrition among school children in Etche L.G.A of Rivers State were studied between June - August, 2015. Anthropometric measurements consisting of weight, height and age were used as indicators to determine the nutritional status (malnutrition), examination of stool specimens was done using direct wet mount examination. The parasitosis and malnutrition were studied in 102 school children aged 3- 12 years. The result of stool examinations showed that 14 (13.7%) of the study subjects were infected by one or more parasites. The most frequent parasites were Ascaris lumbricoides (7.8%) and Ancylostoma duodenale (4.9%). The rate of intestinal helminthic infections was not significantly associated with sex, age and nutrition (p < 0.05). The overall prevalence of malnutrition was 43.1%. The study confirmed that malnutrition and parasitosis are important child health problems. Therefore, it is recommended that the local health sectors should make provision for regular examination of intestinal parasites. Counseling on nutrition should also be an important component of children health care services. This will go a long way to reduce the undesirable effects of intestinal parasitosis and malnutrition in children.
Keywords: Intestinal Helminthic infection, malnutrition, Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodenale, Trichuris trichiura.