PREVALENCE OF INFANTILE AND MATERNAL GEOHELMINTHIASES IN PARTS OF KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
PREVALENCE OF INFANTILE AND MATERNAL GEOHELMINTHIASES IN PARTS OF KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2016-03
Authors
ZACHARISTA, IFEAMAECHI NWOYE
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Abstract
This study evaluated the prevalence of infantile (0–12 months) and maternal geohelminth
infections in parts of Kaduna State in order to provide data to enrich the pool of
information required to paint a picture of infantile and maternal geohelminth infections and
plan for the effective control of this disease. Stool samples were collected from five
hundred and nine (509) mothers and their infants (513) from six general hospitals in the
State and examined for geohelminth eggs by the sedimentation technique (Formol - ether
concentration technique) and microscopy. Questionnaire was used to collect demographic
data and risk factors. The data obtained from the questionnaire were analyzed using Odds
Ratio. Percentage was used to determine the prevalence of geohelminth infections, Chi
Square (χ2) was used to determine association between geohelminth infections and gender
of infants as well as the age of the mothers and their infants. Student‟s t– test was used to
test the difference between the prevalence of geohelminth infections in mothers and their
infants. ANOVA was used to test the differences in prevalence of geohelminth infections
between the hospitals. The result from the stool samples examination revealed that 12.18%
of the mothers and 1.56% of the infants were infected respectively. Eggs of Ascaris
lumbricoides, hookworm and Trichuris trichiura were observed in mothers‟ stool samples
while hookworm and Ascaris eggs were found in infants. Hookworm was the most
prevalent species in mothers (8.45%) while Ascaris lumbricoides was the most prevalent
(0.98%) in the infants. The difference in prevalence between the mothers and the infants
was significant (P<0.05). In terms of sex of the infants, the prevalence was 1.10% in males
and 2.08% in females, but was insignificant (p>0.05). The prevalence in the mothers was
18.97% in age group of 35–44 years, 15.51% in age group 15-24 years and 8.33% in age
group of 25-34 years. In infants, 2.95% prevalence was observed in the age group 5-12
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months while 0.36% in the age group 0–4 months. The difference in prevalence among the
age groups in both mothers and the infants was significant (P< 0.05). For multiple or mixed
infections, 2.16% of the mothers had dual infections of Ascaris lumbricoides and
hookworm, and 0.20% had hookworm and Trichuris trichiura. Intensity of geohelminth
infections in mothers was 4.72%, 7.07% and 0.20% light infections of Ascaris
lumbricoides, hookworm and Trichuris trichiura respectively. They had 1.18% and 1.38%
moderate infections of Ascaris lumbricoides and hookworm respectively. The infants had
0.98% and 0.59% light infections of Ascaris lumbricoides and hookworm respectively.
Factors that had significant association with geohelminth infections in mothers include non
formal education (prevalence, 22.22%; Odds Ratio, 2.883), dumping of refuse around the
house (prevalence, 16.67%; Odds Ratio, 1.979), use of well as source of drinking water
(prevalence, 14.78%, Odds Ratio, 1.816), lack of awareness about geohelminthiasis
(prevalence, 14.75%, Odds Ratio, 2.921) and having up to 5-8 or 9-12 children in a family
respectively (prevalence, 23.30%, 75%, Odds Ratio, 2.942 and 22.678 respectively). In
infants, walking barefoot and failure to refrigerate infants‟ food had significant association
with infantile geohelminth infections (prevalence, 1.77%, 5.38%, Odds Ratio, 1.7126 and
5.133 respectively). In conclusion, this study revealed high prevalence of geohelminth
infections in mothers and low prevalence in infants.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD
OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D.) IN ZOOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
INFANTILE,, MATERNAL,, GEOHELMINTHIASES,, KADUNA STATE,