Prevalence of Intestinal Helminth Infections and Associated Socio-Demographic Variables among Schooling Children of the Public Elementary Schools of Maramag, Bukidnon, Philippines

Certain socio-demographic factors can strongly influenced transmission and infection of helminth parasites but these factors are variable due practices and traditions, age groups, geographical locations, sex, education, and sanitation. To determine and identify regional demographic, environmental and behavioral variables among the schooling children of Maramag, Bukidnon, a survey was conducted from June to August 2009 in five public elementary schools of Maramag, Bukidnon:  Dologon Elementary School ( n =96), Famador Elementary School ( n =93), Maramag Central Elementary School ( n =65), Base Camp Elementary School ( n =95) and San Miguel Elementary School ( n =69). Each student was given a questionnaire and a fecal bottle. Fecal samples from 418 individuals were analyzed for the presence of helminths. Using direct microscopic examination, 18 (4.30%) individuals were positive for helminth infection out of 418 fecal specimens. The most common parasite was Ascaris lumbricoides with 6 (1.43%) individuals infected, 5 (1.19%) with Enterobius vermicularis , 4 with Necator americanus , 2 with Strongyloides sp and 1 with Trichuris trichura . By univariate analysis, all socio-demographic variables were not significantly associated to a particular helminth infection. However, high frequency of infected individuals can be observed in a certain socio-demographic variable. Among the 18 infected individuals 10 (58%) were, their mothers have no formal education. Thirteen infected individuals (72.22%) were from a low-income family having less than 5,000 pesos per month, and 12 (66.67%) infected individuals belong to a large-member-family having greater than eight members. Keywords: socio-demographic variables, helminth infections, prevalence