Epidemiology of Intestinal Parasites Amongchepang Adults at Taklung Vdc of Gorkha

Abstract

In Nepal, Tribal (Chepang) population constitutes poverty community and they areilliterate, ignorant and can't afford education. Their houses have poor hygieniccondition, lack of toilet and no safe drinking water facility. The present study wasconducted with respect to different locality, feeding and drinking habit and personaland environmental sanitation in Chepang community of Taklung VDC at Gorkhadistrict. A household survey was carried out todetermined knowledge, altitude andpractices regarding intestinal parasites by means of structural questionnaire. A total of410 stool samples of different age groups and sexes were collected and examined byfecal smear preparation method in two phases. One before treatment and other aftertreatment. During first phase, stools of 225 persons were collected out of which91.11% were infected by intestinal parasites. Among positive samples prevalence ratein male was 88.78% and in females 93.22%. There was no significant difference in prevalece in two sexes ( 2 1.35, P>0.05 at 6 d.f.). The prevalence ofA. lumbricoideswas found to be 76.44% followed by hookworm (69.33%),T. trichiura(61.77%).E.vermicularis (6.22%) and S. strecoralis (2.66%) in helminthes whileE. histolytica(24%),G. lamblia(11.11%),Cryptosporidiumsp. (4%),C. cayetanensis(3.11%) inprotozoan parasites. During second phases of study which was done six months afterproviding medicine to the infected persons out of 185 stool Samples 41.62% werepositive for intestinal parasites (38.63% males and females 44.32%). The highestnumber of cases were found to be infected withT. trichiura(16.36%) where as leastno. of cases (12.36%) were recorded to be suffered from hookworm. Similarly amongprotozoans,E.histolyuticarecorded the highest infection while the least infection wasthat ofC. cayetanensis. The findings of survey study revealed that among the 225 respondents, 72%respondents use open field, 20% use pig shelter and 8% use pit toilet. Among themthe highest prevalence (71.11%) of intestinal parasite was recorded from the peopleusing open field for defecation. Maximum positive cases were reported from thosewho directly used water from Kholsa and Kuwa i.e. 94.44% and 94.44% respectivelyand those who used only water to clean hands (95.95%) before meal. The highestprevalence (95.55%) was recorded from those who randomly cut their nails. Thesurvey recorded that 72% of the respondents follow traditional method of treatment,20% takemedicine without consulting medical persons and 8% consult doctors.