The epidemiology of <i>Ascaris lumbricoides</i> and other soil-transmitted helminths in primary school children from Ile-Ife, Nigeria

TLDR

The study surveyed 766 primary school children aged 5–16 in Ile‑Ifè, Nigeria, measuring helminth infection intensity by egg counts and worm recovery post‑levamisole, and examined age, sex, and post‑treatment parasite fecundity relationships. Prevalence was 88.5 % for Ascaris lumbricoides, 84.5 % for Trichuris trichiura, 33.1 % for hookworm, and 3 % for Strongyloides stercoralis, with significant correlations among the intensities of A.

Abstract

Summary An epidemiological survey of intestinal helminthiases was conducted on 766 primary school children aged 5–16 years from Ile-Ife, Nigeria. On the basis of stool examinations, the prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura , hookworm and Strongyloides stercoralis was 88·5, 84·5, 33·1 and 3% respectively. Intensity of infection was measured indirectly by egg counts for each species of helminth and also by counting worms passed after chemotherapy in the case of A. lumbricoides . The influence of host age and sex on infection levels was assessed. Relationships between the intensities of A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura and hookworm in individual children were identified. After anthelmintic treatment with levamisole, the frequency distribution of A. lumbricoides per host and the relationship between parasite fecundity and worm burden were investigated.