Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infections among Out - Patients visiting General Hospital

Abstract

A major public health challenge is posed by gastrointestinal parasitic infections in humans mainly in developing countries across the Globe. In a bid to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites infections among outpatients visiting General hospital Malumfashi LGA of Katsina state, a total of 200 stool samples were randomly collected. The stool samples were processed and examined macrospically and microspically by using direct smear method. The result showed the prevalence of intestinal parasites infection to be 26.00%. The age group of 51-above had the highest prevalence of 73.33%, while the least 15.12% prevalence was among the age group of 1-10. Gender wise, males had a prevalence of 26.67% while females had 25.00%. On the basis of parasites observed, Hookworm had the highest prevalence with 10%, while Enterobius vermicularis had the least prevalence with 0.5%. According to this result, it is apparent that the inhabitants of the study area are faced with problems of parasitic infections. Therefore, there is the need for public enlightenment to promote environmental hygiene throughout the study area and advise the inhabitants of the area to ensure proper awareness on environmental hygiene through enlightenment programmes on the incidences and transmission of intestinal parasites.

Keywords

• Intestinal parasite
• prevalence
• stool
• microscopic
• macroscopic