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Helminths of the Gastrointestinal Tract among Children in Kano, Northern Nigeria

Asian Journal of Biological and Life Science,2013,2,2,122-126.
Published:August 2013
Type:Research Article
Authors:
Author(s) affiliations:

G.U. Ihesiulor1,*, E. Kashibu2, O. Azeez- Akande3, M. Imoru4

1,3Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Bayero University Kano, NIGERIA.

2Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano, NIGERIA.

4Department of Haematology and Blood group serology, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, NIGERIA.

Abstract:

An epidemiological survey of helminths of the gastrointestinal tract among school aged children drawn from four schools within Kano metropolis with mean age of 12.6 years was carried out by examining their stool samples for ova or larva of Intestinal parasites. A total of 570 samples were analysed using formol ether concentration method and out of these, 130 were positive for helminthic infestation with a prevalence of 22.8%. Out of 570 samples collected, 310 stool samples were from males while 260 samples were from the females but 75 males and 55 females were infected with prevalence rates of 24.2% and 21.2% respectively. Ascaris lumbricoides, Hookworm and Trichuris trichuria had the prevalence of 7.9%, 5.3% and 3.5% respectively while others included Hemenolepis nana (1.8%), Diphylobotrium latum (1.8%), Hemenolepis diminuta (0.9%), Enterobius vermicularis (0.9%) and Fasciola hepatica (0.9%). The prevalence of intestinal parasitosis was high among the pupils of ≥ 11years in this study, with high prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides (10%) but highest prevalence of 4.3% of Trichuris trichuria was observed amongst the pupils of 11-14years while the children of 15-20years had the highest prevalence of hookworm. The highest number of eggs per participant in the study was 3000 while the lowest was 200.

Keywords:Nil