Prevalence of intestinal helminth parasites among school-children of Bhaktapur district, Nepal
Abstract
The present study has been carried out on school children of Everest English School and Prabhat English Higher Secondary School of Bhaktapur District, Nepal from June 2011 to March 2012 in order to determine the prevalence of intestinal helminthes. A total of 495 stool samples from the children of two schools were examined by direct smear method under microscope. Among them, 137 (27.67%) were found positive for one or more intestinal helminth parasites. Ascaris lumbricoides (22.63%) showed highest prevalence followed by Trichuris trichiura (6.06%), Strongyloides stercoralis (1.82%), Hookworm (1.62%), Taenia sp. (1.01%), Hymenolepis nana (0.81%) and Enterobius vermicularis (0.40%). The helminthic infection was found to be almost equal in male and female children and statistically no significant difference was found (χ2 = 8.31×10-6, p>0.05). Out of 137 positive cases, 78.83% were infected with single parasites. Double and multiple infections were found among 18.98% and 2.19% of students respectively. The occurrence of intestinal helminth parasites may be attributed to unhygienic way of life, poverty, ignorance and poor sanitation.
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