Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection/infestation in differently abled people of Dharan, Nepal.

Abstract

Introduction: Intestinal parasitic infestations are one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality, infecting millions of people world-wide. Due to the various disability, differently-abled people are unable to maintain proper sanitation, making them more prone to intestinal parasitic infection.Objective: The objective of this study is to know the various parasitic infections in differently abled persons of Dharan municipality.Materials and Methods: Stool specimen were collected from individuals attending health camp for differently-able in Dharan municipality and direct wet mount was prepared using normal saline (0.9%) and Lugol's iodine (0.5%). The wet mount was observed under microscope for parasites.Results: Among 112 individuals screened, intestinal parasitosis was seen in 32.1% of people. Giardia lamblia (17%) was the most common parasite followed by Entamoeba histolytica (9%) and Ascaris lumbricoides (7.3%). Co-infection was a common trend with 33.3% of positive samples being co-infected with multiple parasites.Conclusion: The study shows that although the differently-abled people are prone to parasitic infection, the prevalence is same as normal people. Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica and Ascaris lumbricoides are the common parasites they harbour.