Soil- transmitted nematode infections in school children in a peri-urban area, North Central Nigeria

Parasitic infections caused by Soil Transmitted Nematodes (STN) are a common occurrence in developing countries with unfavourable environmental conditions that favour the development of eggs and larvae of STN. This was a cross sectional study carried out from January to April, 2018 to determine the prevalence and intensity of STN infections in six randomly selected primary schools in the Ilorin South Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria. Stool specimens were collected from 508 pupils (259 males; 249 females), which were prepared and examined using the Kato-Katz technique. Of 508 stool specimens examined, 206 (40.6%) were infected with at least one of the STN. Eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis and hookworms were identified with prevalences of 37.9%, 4.9%, 2.4% and 30.1% respectively. In all six schools examined, 115 males (44.4%) and 91 females(36.5%) were found to be infected (P<0.01). Pupils in the age group 5-7 years were found to be the most infected (52.2%), while the least occurred in the age group 14-16 years (28.2%). Of the 206 (40.6%) infected pupils; light, moderate and heavy infections were noted in 12.2%,20.7% and 7.5% respectively. The egg-count of Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, hookworms and Enterobius vermicularis were 277.8±168.4, 160±118.1, 199.7±131.4 and 33.6±13.1 eggs per gram of faeces respectively. The intensity of STN infections was higher among males (231.3±159.8) than among females (230.8±154.8). Pupils in the age group 11-13 had the highest intensity of infection (267.0±158.1). Prevalence of single and double infections was 75.3% and 24.7% respectively. STN infections are prevalent in the study area which calls for regular deworming, health education and provision of basic sanitary and social amenities to reduce the disease burden.