Prevalence and Risk Factors of Geohelminthiasis in Umuebu Community, Ukwuani Local Government Area, Delta State, Southern Nigeria

Aims: The objective of this current study was to determine the prevalence, intensity and associated risk factors of Geohelminthes infections or Soil transmitted helminthes (STHs) among pupils in Umuebu Community, Ukwuani Local Government area of Delta State.
Study Design: A cross sectional study was undertaken to assess the status of soil transmitted helminthes infection with respect to prevalence, intensity and associated risk factors among school children in Ebu Primary School Umuebu and the entire community in Ukwuani Local Government Area, Delta State.
Place and Duration of Study: The field study was carried out in Ebu primary School, in Umuebu community, Delta State while the laboratory work was carried out at the Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Lagos State University, Ojo Nigeria and Queen of the Apostle Catholic Hospital Laboratory, Obiaruku, Delta State all in Southern Nigeria between April and December, 2011.
Methodology: Eight hundred and seven eight (878) children were randomly selected. They comprised of 466 (52.76%) males and 412 (47.24%) females between the ages of 5-13 years in the master list of Ebu Primary School, Umuebu. The stool samples were examined for the presence of STHs using direct smear and Kato-Katz techniques.
Results: Eight hundred and seven (92.74%) of the subjects were infected with Geohelminthiasis. The overall prevalence by species was Ascaris lumbricoides (76.89%), Hookworm (54.60%) and Trichuris. trichiura (29.24%). Two hundred and eighty two (39.40%) were infected with two or more STHs. The prevalence and intensity of all species of STHs significantly varied with age (p>0.05), with the highest prevalence in age group 5-7 years. The sex related prevalence show that males were more infected for all species of STHs than females, but this was only statistically significant for hookworm (p>0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis for the epidemiological variable showed that licking of fingers, drinking from wells or surface tanks and geophagy were risk factors for A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura infections while walking barefooted was only risk factor for hookworm infection.
Conclusion: Targeted health education on hygienic practices coupled with the establishment of sustainable and regular deworming programmes in the community are advocated considering the high prevalence of STHs reported in this study.