Intestinal helminth infections in school children in Adarkay District, Northwest Ethiopia, with special reference to Schistosomiasis mansoni

Abstract: In a survey carried out in five schools of five rural towns in Adarkay district in Northwest Ethiopia, 519 children had their stool specimens examined for Schistosoma mansoni and other intestinal helminth infections of man by the Kato thick smear technique. Infection due to S. mansoni was the most prevalent (54.3%), ranging from 16.7% in Deb Bahir to 55.3% in Adarkay and Buya, 67.4% in Kerenejan and as high as 88.9% in Zarema, followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (43.0%) and hookworm spp (23.3%). The least prevalent was Trichuris trichiura infection (11.8%). Triple, double, and single infections were found in 49 (9.4%), 180 (34.7%) and 172 (33.1%) specimens respectively. Most of the double infections were a combination of S. mansoni and A. lumbricoides (90=17.3%). The highest prevalence for a single infection was recovered for S. mansoni (103=19.8%). Age specific analysis of prevalence due to S. mansoni, the hookworms and A. lumbricoides showed the presence of infection in all ages under consideration, but with no significant difference among the age groups. Neither was there any significant difference in infection rates between the sexes. The average egg counts were generally higher for S. mansoni and A. lumbricoides. Younger age groups appear to have higher average egg counts, particularly for the hookworms. Sex was not related to egg output. The high infection rate of intestinal helminth infestation observed in this study among school children signifies the need for prompt intervention measures. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 1997;11(3):289-294]