Current Status of Intestinal Parasites among Pre-school Children in Eke, Okpokwu Local Government Area, Benue State, Nigeria

Ogbeyi OG^1*, Jenewari AJ², Abah JP³, Akor JO⁴ Ikpom TE⁵

^1,4Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, College of Health Sciences, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria.

²WHO Adamawa Field Office, Specialist Hospital Yola

³Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, Benue State University Teaching Hospital Makurdi, Nigeria.

⁵Department of Nurshing, Benue State Ministry of Health, Makurdi, Nigeria.

*Correspondence

Ogbeyi OG

Email: ogbeyiofikwu@gmail.com

Abstract

Intestinal parasitic infection is a disease of public health importance in developing countries like Nigeria. Conducive environmental factors in developing countries accelerate parasitic growth and development. This study was set up to determine the current status of parasitic infection of preschool children in Benue State. A cross sectional study design was used in this study and computer-generated table of random numbers was used to select the respondents. Univarate and bivarate analysis were computed using SPSS version 23. In bivarate analysis variables with p values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasite was 58.0 % (n=94) and the mean age of the children was 27.8 months. Ascaris lumbricoides was the most prevalent parasites. Families using pit latrine had the highest prevalence of parasitic infestation with the prevalence of 69.2% (n=64). There was a statistically significant association between parasitosis and methods of waste disposals such as pit latrines, open dumping and water closet (p≤0.05).

Keywords: Children, Latrines, Parasites, Refuse, Water, Under- five