Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Geohelminth Infections Among Pre-School Aged Children Attending Kabutare District hospital in Rwanda
Keywords:
Geohelminths, Public health problem, 308 pre-school aged children, InfectionsAbstract
Geohelminthiasis remain a major public health problem, in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Though infections are prevalent among all age groups, the World Health Organization recommended strategies to control those infections and now pre-school aged children are involved. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of Geohelminths and associated risk factors among pre-school aged children attending Kabutare District hospital.
A cross-sectional study was conducted at Kabutare district hospital. The pre-school aged children were selected by convenience sampling method and invited to participate in the study. Formal-ether concentration technique was employed for parasitological analysis of stool samples and structured questionnaire survey was used to gather the information related to the factors.
Total of 308 pre-school aged children were recruited. The study showed that 24.4% of children were infected with one or more species of Geohelminths. A. lumbricoides was the most prevalent soil-transmitted helminth (12.0%), followed by T. trichiura (6.5%), hookworm (2.6%) and co-infection of A. lumbricoides and Hookworm (3.2).
Geohelminths were a public health problem among pre-school aged children in the study area necessitating deworming and developing measures to control morbidities associated with STH. Besides, the existing health education program should also be strengthened to prevent re-infection in the pre-school aged children.
