Soil Transmitted Helminths; Prevalence, Perception and Determinants among Primary School Children in Rural Enugu State, Nigeria

Aim: The study was to explore parents knowledge and practice of deworming as well as prevalence of soil transmitted diseases and potential benefit of deworming among primary school children.

Study Design: Descriptive cross sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Selected public primary schools in Enugu state, Nigeria, between January and June 2013.

Methodology: Pupils and their parents eligible for voluntary participation were selected and studied. Parents were interviewed using questionnaires. Pupils stool were analyzed at baseline and after 3 months following deworming. Level of significance was at p ≤ 0.05

Results: It was based on 859 pupils and 410 parents. The mean age of pupils was 9.50±2.10. Males > females. The mean age of parents was 30.47±5.47. Farming 166 (40.49) and trading 120 (29%) were their predominant occupation. At baseline 220 (25.6%) of the pupil were infected; Ascariasis 111 (12.95%), hookworm 42 (9.7%), mixed infection 9 (4.1%) and protozoa 20 (2.4%). Three months following deworming 24 (2.8%) were infested; Ascariasis 9 (1.0%), and hookworm 8 (0.9%), protozoa 8 (0.9%). There was no mixed infection detected. There was a significant difference in worm infestation at baseline and at 3 months following deworming (p <0.001). Majority of their parents have heard of worm infection 364 (88.8%), knew about deworming 261 (63.7%), knew abdominal discomfort 247 (67.9%) and eating without gaining 191 (52.5) as features of worm infection, stated that worm infection can be contracted by walking barefoot 89 (24.5%) and through eating sweet foods 158 (43.3%). About 27 (13.5%) stays over a year before deworming their children. There was no significant association between socio-demographic variables of pupils, their parents, mean knowledge and practice of deworming with worm infection in pupil.

Conclusion: Knowledge and practice on worm infection and deworming were fairly good among the respondents studied. Prevalence of worm infection in this study was low. Deworming marginally reduced worm infection.