PREVALENCE OF INTESTINAL PARASITIC INFECTIONS AND

Intestinal protozoan and helminthes parasite infections are the major public health problems in many developing countries including Ethiopia. The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and their association with anthropometric measurements among school children in Yeshimebet Primary School of Harari Region, Ethiopia. The study was a school based cross sectional survey, involving 422 participants (241 males and 181 females, age ranging from 10-18 years). Structured and pre-tested questionnaires were administered to gather relevant information on demographic data of the school children. The study was conducted based on written concent. Stool samples were processed for microscopic examinations using direct wet mount and formal-ether concentration methods. Weight and height were taken to assess body mass index (BMI) of each study participant. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 and anthropometry calculating software (Anthroplus). The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 28.7 % (26.6% for males and 31.5% for females). The prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasite, Entemoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia infections was 7.1% and 5.9%, respectively. Similarly the prevalence of helminth infections with, Hymenolepsis nana, Hookworm and Enterobium vermiularis was 10.2%, 3.3% and 2.1%, respectively.The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was significantly associated with risk factors such as, washing hands before meal, eduation level and availability of latrine (p= 0.000,p=0.000 and p=0.000) . Most of the socio-demographic factors, family size, parents’ occupation, source of water, washing hands after toilet and residence were not significantly associated with intestinal parasitic infections. The percentage of anthropometric indices of study participants was 59.5%, 1.9%, and 17.3% for underweight, stunting, and wasting, respectively. Underweight school-children (59.5%) had a high prevalence of parasitic infection as compared with other anthropometric indices (Wasting and Stunting). In general intestinal parasitic helminth infections represent a public health problem in the school children of Harar town.