ISOLATION AND CHARACTERISATION OF PARASITIC EGGS AND CYSTS FROM MOBILE PHONES AND HANDS OF USERS IN SAMARU MARKET ZARIA, NIGERIA
ISOLATION AND CHARACTERISATION OF PARASITIC EGGS AND CYSTS FROM MOBILE PHONES AND HANDS OF USERS IN SAMARU MARKET ZARIA, NIGERIA
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Date
2015-06
Authors
UCHEAGWU, KINDNESS AMARACHI
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
A study on the Isolation and characterisationof parasite eggs and cysts found on mobile
phones and hands of users in Samaru market Zaria, Kaduna State was carried out from
May 2013 to January 2014. A total of 470 samples from hands and phones was collected
from Samaru market and shops around using sterile cotton swabs and examined for
parasites by sedimentation method. The parasite encountered were in the following order
Cryptosporidium parvumoocyst(10.20% on hands; 9.80% on phone), Hookworm eggs
(8.50% on hands; 6.0% on phone), Entamoebahistolyticacyst (7% on hands; 3.20% on
phone), Strongyloidesstecoralisegg(3.60% on hands ;1.30% on
phone)Coccidiaoocyst(2.80% on hands; 2.10% on phone), Ascarislumbricoides
ova(2.60% on hands;),Enterobiusvemicularisova (1.70% on hands; 0.20% on
phone),Giardia lambliacyst(1.10% on hands; 0.60% on phone),Taenia species ova
(0.90% on hand; 1.70% on phone),Strongyloidesstecoralis larvae(0.90% on hands)
Balantidium speciescyst (0.90% on hands), Mite eggs (0.90% on hands), Entamoeba coli
cyst (0.60% on hand; 0.20% on phone),Toxocaraova (0.60% on hands),Trichurisova
(0.40% on hand; 0.60% on phone), Fasciola species egg(0.40% on hands),Physaloptera
species(0.40% on hands), Cyclosporacayetanensiscyst(0.20% on hands; 0.20% on
phone), Isosporaoocyst (0.20% on hand). There was association between educational
level (OR = 1.509; OR = 1.242; OR = 1.185), Lack of hand washing (OR= 1.04), Sharing
of phones (OR = 1.15) and Handling of phones when in the market(OR=1.324)and the
transmission of parasite infection. The study established unwashed hands and
contaminated phones as potential source of transmitting parasites infections and thus
recommends that hand washing with water and soap should be practiced regularly.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER DEGREE IN
EDUCATIONAL BIOLOGY.
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES,
FACULTY OF SCIENCE,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA,
NIGERIA
Keywords
ISOLATION, CHARACTERISATION, PARASITIC, EGGS AND CYSTS, MOBILE PHONES, HANDS, SAMARU, MARKET, ZARIA, NIGERIA