Intestinal Parasitic Infections Among the Children of Ganesh Secondary School of Bhaktapur District

Abstract

In Nepal, some of the places are still away from the light of development. Among them, Sipadol VDC of Bhaktapur district also consists of such type of people who are illiterate, ignorant and poor. Their houses have poor hygienic condition, lack of toilet and no safe drinking water supply. The present study was conducted with respect to drinking and feeding habits and people of different caste groups as well as environmental sanitation. This dissertation entitled “Intestinal Parasitic Infections among the Children of Ganesh Secondary School of Bhaktapur District” was carried out during December 2005 to November 2006. Out of 248 children of Ganesh Secondary School of Sipadol VDC, a total of 224 stool samples were collected and examined under microscope. Out of these 75 (33.48%) samples were found positive for the intestinal parasitic infection with single or mixed species of parasite. The intestinal parasites observed during the study were 62% Ascaris, 6.66% Trichuris, 6.66% Hookworm, 1.33% Hymenolepsis, 6.66% Giardia, 10.66% Entamoeba, 2.66% Cyclospora and 2.66% Cryptosporidium. Infection by more than single parasite was 25.53%. The parasitic infections were found generally higher in males (38.46%) in comparisons to females (30.07%). Difference in the prevalence of intestinal parasites in between two sexes was found to be insignificant (χ2= 1.708, P> 0.05). The age-wise distribution of parasitic infections was found to be maximum (42.14%) in the age group 10-15 years and minimum 12.50%) in the age group 0-5 years. However, statistically no significant difference was found in infection rate among different age groups of children (χ2= 11.168, P> 0.05). Such a remarkable prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among children of Sipadol VDC were found to be directly associated with unhygienic feeding habit, lack of knowledge, poor sanitation and poverty.